Cease ye from man (Quality: Average)

[0:00] dependent upon the Lord's help, we will speak from the second chapter, the prophecy by Isaiah, and the last verse.

[0:13] Second chapter, prophecy by Isaiah, and the 22nd verse. Seek thee from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?

[0:30] Seek thee from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? This doesn't mean that we are to cut off all connections with everyone.

[0:46] It doesn't mean we are to isolate ourselves as separatists, independent of each other's help, by any means. And God made Eve he made her to be a help me, to be a poor scripture that broke that tie, wouldn't it?

[1:07] Put away the union between husband and wife. Now there's no such thing as that intended, for is it with regard to loved ones, children, loved ones in the gospel.

[1:26] There's not an expectation to separate ourselves entirely from all our beloved connections. And God separates us from them.

[1:40] That's the time that we have to cease from them. And he lays them in the grave, that's different. When it comes to everyday life, and walking together in the bond of the gospel, for it's order to keep closer together, to esteem one another, to do all we can to cement the bond, what break it.

[2:10] Oh no, it doesn't mean that. What does it mean? See she from man whose breath is in his nostrils. For wherein shall he be accounted of?

[2:23] The answer can best be found perhaps in the chapter that we read to give us a first glimpse as far as Isaiah's prophecy is concerned of what man is.

[2:38] The connection is wholly spiritual, wholly to do with worship. There we see Israel as an utter failure nothing to copy in the worship of the Israelites of old.

[2:58] Very few things indeed that you can pick out worthy of imitation. Mercifully we're not expected to. That is closed.

[3:09] The whole dispensation is finished. That disregards the plain facts of life and their utter failure it is clear enough that what the law could not do God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh or sin condemned sin in the flesh why could not the law do it?

[3:39] Because it was weak through the flesh. There we have the complete answer to this question why why should we not trust in each other for spiritual blessings?

[3:55] Why should the wife not look to her husband? That she does rather things than the husband to his wife for spiritual comfort. Why should not the father look to his son and the mother to her daughter?

[4:11] Vice versa. for spiritual comfort I mean what do you say? Why should you not look to your deacon and your pastor for spiritual comfort after the order of man?

[4:29] The answer is because his breath or their breath is in their nostrils. It may are but as grass which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven very much so therefore there is no confidence to be placed in the flesh put not your trust in princes says Psalm 146 don't go even to kings and the high putting the trust in them no so here is another round altogether here we can enter in with a degree of understanding see she from man whose breath is in his nostrils so that the first chapter of Isaiah is like the break of day really the first line the first picture of man here it gradually goes on as you know step by step it's many clouds of judgment who come to reveal

[5:46] Emmanuel in the ninth chapter Prince of Peace gradually comes on to speak of the spirit of the gospel and the lion lying down with the lamb comes to that a little child to lead them gradually the light door breaks French but here at the beginning we have the complete picture and I thought how suitable the first thing was the position I learn abides in this place from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it what a verdict who knows that where is the heart that emphatically agrees with it wounds and bruises putrefying swords this is

[6:54] God's verdict there can be nothing wrong with it there is no mistake at all in it the analysis is correct the diagnosis shall we call it is right wounds bruises putrefying so on human nature runs miles away from this and like the death adder stops its ear to it might listen but truth will prevail ultimately according to God's purpose and the mercy is if it has prevailed in our hearts to that extent that we know our condition as far as God has revealed it this comes with the passing years and although it may strike some of you who are younger as being rather exaggerated be sure of this that if

[8:08] God has begun with you it will be a lesson that you will gradually learn to your horror peatrifying sores are not very pleasant are they and yet such is the state of the human heart in its native unbelief look at it all around you look at it inside you see the native unbelief of your wicked heart and your enmity against God your rebellion open rebellion you see some who openly rebel look at them in the various sanctuaries who openly rebel they've made no secret of it what they've got those that have secretly rebelled we can't tell can't we that still keep their place and their seats in Zion and elsewhere secretly rebellion we'll not have this man to reign over us we'll not have this religion we hate it but for convenience sake we must stay where we are for the time oh this rebellion this sad disobedience which has crept over

[9:49] Zion I say crept because it is Paul's word and he foretold an episode certain men would creep in unaware being before you know it yes sad story story isn't that question is is it true if it isn't of course you reject it don't you come anymore if I preach lies to you but if it's true which it is and I stand before God I'm a sure forgiven account too and this is the condition and position the human heart before God and this is the nature which we are born bread so that these things steal across

[10:54] Zion today as they did across Israel of old had every advantage and prospect and promise they tasted a little of it under the reign of Joshua there was a measure of prosperity and happiness and things they never owned before or learnt before as soon as Joshua died off they went so that the heart runs after idolatry idols gold silver the tree that will not rot as the chapter said for you shall be as an oak whose leaf faded and as a garden that hath no water strong shall be as a toe and the maker are of as a spark so yes they were clever enough to choose a tree that would not rot they had enough wisdom for something that would stand a certain amount of age oh there's wisdom in the devil isn't there much wisdom there's much wisdom in wicked hearts isn't there wisdom in the world oh with all this we see the beginning of the dawn in this chapter that's why I read it

[12:23] I was hesitant to read it thinking to read the second but the second had a different story to tell us you will say well what do you want to say about come now let us reason together said the lord what does that mean is it possible for such to come and reason with the lord what does this word reason mean not faith is it this text has stood out prominently through the ages come now and let us reason together said the lord have you ever felt any inclination to obey this any drawing to come to reason about your scarlet sins that which is so evil have you by nature because it follows in the next verse if ye be willing and obedient always read these words together with the if ye be willing and obedient it still stood upon the old law and the old promise still under the law the beauty fitting as it may be in a certain sense and only in a certain sense in the gospel it is true there is a coming together with scarlet sins and seeking washing and cleansing in deity but if ye be willing now you come to this willingness in the gospel you come to the willingness my people shall be willing in the day of my power that as man stands on his own untouched by grace not willing to face the awful fact of his indwelling faith whether he has a form of godliness takes the name of

[14:42] Jehovah upon his lips he may the next day be found just so it was at the second chapter as I was saying speaks about the loftiness of man being bowed down in the 17th verse the haughtiness of men shall be made low the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day here is someone dealing with this nature confession was made at our prayer meeting on Wednesday of having a proud nature very attractive isn't it to hear someone confessing that they've got a proud nature yes this isn't nature doing this is it why this touches a very spring of things here is something that gives evidence of light and life the haughtiness of man shall be laid low it's such a character as is set out here comparing it with the ox and the ass the ox knoweth his owner the ass his master's crib is such a character proud haughty god says why even the ox knows his master the beasts of the field can do better than my creatures man yes the lord says this haughtiness shall be laid low here's the life coming if there are the gospel the very purpose of the gospel this is the gospel we delight in and love from our very heart and of us god that bring it down as he did beforehand right to the gates lift it up again the god that pull the takes the things that are not to bring to north the things that are this great god he says the haughtiness or the loftiness of man shall be bowed down the haughtiness of men shall be laid low and in an earlier verse 11 the lofty looks of man shall be humbled the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the lord alone shall be exalted in that day here is the light of the gospel it's not a question of if you be willing you shall be willing

[17:50] I will do it I will bring you down and make you to see I will bend your proud spirit thus does God show these streets as it were of heavenly night through the dark clouds of his pronunciations against man's iniquity the idols shall be utterly abolished how beautiful oh how beautiful and we start to think even let alone talk about idols who's going to pick up the first stone surely we all stand upon level ground here do we not this insidious evil of idolatry something to give it a brief summary that stands between you and

[18:59] God that's an idol you no need to give it names you could give it untold number something or someone that stands between you and God this is reducing it to slowest turns look in your own heart there you've looked there before haven't you you've felt the danger of this idol worship something that has stopped your prayers stopped your hearing hindered your walls made you inconsistent at home if not abroad something that has done you damage like the locust eaten away in a green leaf holy follow my idolatry and where does it start could it possibly be insult are you looking in the wrong direction when you look at something or someone else who's going to show us these idols where did

[20:15] Paul cast his and he had some excellent ones Hebrew of the Hebrew that was his own estimation of himself as touching the law blameless and undoubtedly was gentleman of ability and understanding oh yes don't let us think that Paul was a man of some low mentality and when the Lord dealt with him what did he do those things that were gained to me I counted lots yeah and I count all things very all embracing isn't it I count all things but love for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ

[21:17] Jesus my Lord by whom I am crucified unto the world and the world unto me are you holding on to something that you shouldn't are you not altogether happy about it is it clinging to you tightly do you know you ought to give it up is it worldly does it lead you into worldly company does it take you away from your Bible the throne of grace what is it then is it godliness can it be that this is the idol of your heart and your life you're still in the world some of us know what this is to be separated from the world we're not talking as if we haven't come that way the specious argument we've had even on our knees with the Lord there's nothing wrong in this Lord there's nothing wrong in that Lord why is my conscience pricking me as it does

[22:31] Lord why can't I have some peace and rest I have to admit to it and when the Lord does break those threads then he will see with therapy the position you're in you are arguing against yourself so that the idols should be utterly abolished this is the fruit the outcome of the Lord's work and this is the type of man that we are warned not to trust in them they shall go into the holes and rocks and caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he arises to shake terribly the earth the book of the revelation tells us that Paul tells us that in the closing of

[23:34] Hebrews therefore we receive in a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace not idols let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire sinner why do you think these things are preached they may not shake you very much now to be hope they will that the day will come when you will tremble at this awful thing the Lord riseth to shake terribly the earth and you see yourself you're falsely idolatry underneath rebellion naked before God no hiding place except the rocks which anybody can run into but not the rock

[24:48] Christ Jesus though we come toward the text see she from that whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of as we've just said this I trust will supply the answer to the second part of the text wherein is he to be accounted on now what kind of men do we know let us look back over life see those that we knew those that we knew after the truth those that taught us in our youth the path of moral rectitude and right the teachers that taught us the ten commandments have they been of any value have they do they still abide can you put them on one side and say are they finished so they are as regards merry that not as regards war the teachers that spoke to us of the things of

[26:08] God those that had our spiritual welfare at heart those that prayed for us you today who are praying for others don't give it up for you might be a very depressing thing with you see no evidence you might never feel that doesn't absolve you from responsibility does it and those when we came to see life in God's light who gave us the hand of welcome do we trust in them oh godly old men and women of old who have reproved us kindly advised us in the night those characters that gave evidence to us they were concerned about us can we trust them where have they gone by all three they entered our lives but for a brief period like we older ones enter the lives of you children a new younger one if this world goes on as it's going now and the seasons follow each other our names will be but a memory to you that's all what will that memory be so nature passeth along and one generation passeth away and another takes its place but what a trusting in them wherein are we to be accountable what responsibility can be placed on any having learned this therefore where are we to go where to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils if we are not to put our trust in the flesh where are we to go is there anywhere else to go last sabbath we were speaking of job weren't we he had no one to go to did he elijah stuck closest to him of all and he here and there made job a pretty hard hit did job do anything else yes he said oh that

[28:56] I knew where I might find him he knew where to go that's the secret of it and whatever path where you've come do you know where to go do you know where to go with your anxiety your burden your grief this condition we have been outlining your lost state your sin do you know where to go oh with the unfolding of the blessed gospel as it is in isaiah just long before the lord turns the pages for us let us see this man himself in his own heart giving us just a view like he did pull in the scepter of rome here he is what does he say woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips

[30:16] Isaiah 6 verse 5 for mine eyes have seen the king the lord of hope there he is oh it's a sacred picture it's adorned with divine beauty there's the man replica of all the god servants all the days to come and his people unclean lips and they fall beneath this condemnation just as much as Isaiah did here is the opening up of the way whereby the question is answered where shall we go then to whom shall we look Peter had already learned this hadn't he not many years after the lord had called him would you also go away and spontaneously he answered he doesn't have to go to anyone else for the answer they don't confer together these disciples and say well what shall we say and neither do those to whom this light of the gospel come who taught you where to go just stop and think who taught you to pray first of all

[31:56] I don't mean just to mention name of god who taught you to pray where did you first bend your knee before a holy god where how under what circumstances do you know where you first were taught to pray say she from man why only too thankful to then why couldn't you have gone to father or mother could you go on to the deacon surely he would have helped you and I wouldn't but you could have gone to the minister or the pastor could you oh no I couldn't tell him why not holy spirit will guide to the right place the right one oh yeah so we find the good prophet starting off well for that arduous task he had to perform and those sacred privileges that were given to him as he was writing the very angels in heaven looked down see what he was writing they understood not and when we come over to the ninth chapter what do we find there unto us a child is born unto us a son is given the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor the mighty god the everlasting father the prince of peace and here the sun breaks through absolutely clean yet look at the start in the first chapter your incense is an abomination underneath that sweetly compounded incense that god prescribed and there was to be no imitation of it and it was to be constantly burnt upon the altar of incense and it was to be taken into the mercy seat once a year that lively type of real prayer and approach yet god said away with it away with it yet now he talks prophesies about this child that is to be born gives him this list of wonderful titles which we now know is fulfilled and is the joy of child this is what draws to the throne of grace do you want a counselor you know where to go for one don't you

[35:19] I say don't you you know where to go you wouldn't trust in an arm of flesh now would you these spiritual things you'd cease you have ceased you couldn't place any dependence upon creature now would you who's done it then what lot is it in your heart been laid low brought down into the dust surely this is the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy turn over to the 11th chapter what do we find there and put a rod out of the stem of Jesse and so on you know it well enough with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth shall smart the earth with the rod of his mouth which he did when he came see the

[36:27] Pharisees quailing before the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lip shall he slay the wicked and so on here the light comes lighter towards the midday doesn't it and then the clouds intervene again with the chapters perhaps chapter 12 the bright light and you go on to somewhere in the circles that beautiful chapter about the road the valley when the poor and needy seek water says none till you come to the blessedness of that greatest of all points Christ crucified there you see as we were speaking and what is the other verse who hath believed our report to whom is the arm of the

[37:35] Lord revealed for the glory of God's mercy revelation is something comforting establishing heartwarming sea sheep and man you will understand that it's not separation after the flesh separation in spirit whose breath is in his nostrils for for wherein shall he be accounted of a spiritual lesson throughout amen is him and he