Short gap after 33 mins
[0:00] As the Lord should be pleased to help me, I would once again direct you to the prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 60 and verse 13.
[0:18] The prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 60 and verse 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
[0:55] For those of you that were not here this morning, we would just gather up one or two fragments before proceeding with the text.
[1:06] But we just mention that this glory of Lebanon, spoken of here, is the cedar tree, and it is coupled with the fir tree, the pine tree and the box together.
[1:28] The cedar tree in particular was used in the construction of the Solomon's temple, and also the second temple in the days of Ezra, and that this cedar tree, or the cedar wood, was used as pillars in that house.
[1:54] It was also used in the flooring, and in the beams, and in the ceiling. But there's a spiritual significance here, friends.
[2:07] The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee. This is a word to the Gentiles, Gentile believers, and to the whole church of God.
[2:18] And this is the promise, dear friends, of Christ. The promise of Christ. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee.
[2:35] As the church in the Song of Solomon says, his countenance is as Lebanon. Sweet word there.
[2:48] His countenance is as Lebanon. Excellent as the cedars. This is Christ.
[3:01] And we spoke concerning the church militant here below, concerning Christ in the church, in the sanctuary, that if he is not in the superstructure of that church, trusting that the foundation has been laid by him.
[3:28] Dear friends, the building will crumble. How vitally necessary it is then, in this sanctuary, or in any sanctuary, represented here tonight, for Christ to be in it.
[3:47] the glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee. And we spoke concerning the house of God, and how it is made a blessing to the poor and the needy.
[4:05] For this word is spoken to those wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein, this blessed provision, the sanctuary of God, the preaching of the gospel, for the poor and needy.
[4:26] And we read of it in the 61st chapter, the spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, and so on.
[4:40] That is Christ. Christ. May we then be enabled just to continue the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box tree together, evergreen trees, and this promise, dear friends, in this verse, is evergreen.
[5:03] Christ is always the same. He cannot change. He's immutable. But now we must come to the latter part of the verse.
[5:16] And I will make the place of my feet glorious. We would not confine this purely to the sanctuary.
[5:35] But we would, friends, as we believe it to be right, extended to the total and complete dealings with the Lord's people, wherever they are, wherever they are to be found, in whatever circumstance.
[6:02] God's dealings with his people. You see, it's not only dealing with them in the house of God. God's dealings with them. He's pleased to do that. But it's his dealings with them in all the journey, wherever that might be.
[6:19] It might be at home. It might be in the garden. It might be in affliction on a hospital bed. But his feet, dear friends, are there when he meets with you.
[6:34] But we must speak firstly concerning the work of the Lord Jesus.
[6:46] I will make the place of my feet glorious. In that one sacrifice for sin, that atonement, the righteousness of Christ.
[7:06] O what glory there is in it. Those precious feet of the Lord Jesus, as they walked through Gethsemane, as they walked to Calvary, as they were nailed to the tree, dear friends, what a glory shines in it.
[7:39] He has put all things under his feet in that great work of redemption.
[7:56] What a glory there is in it. Dear friends, it had not been for that and the glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, we would not be here tonight.
[8:08] There would be no gospel to preach. There would be no good tidings to preach.
[8:21] But it is through that glorious work upon Calvary's tree, that glorious resurrection and that glorious ascension into heaven, whereby poor sinners know that the path of his feet in their own souls is glorious.
[8:45] And that is the only way. Do we know a little of it, dear friends? Be it in the house of God or in some other place.
[9:03] This is vitally necessary. I must bring it before you in this way. The grace of God, dear friends, by the Spirit's work will convict you of sin and it will lead you to Christ.
[9:34] a natural conviction of sin and there is such a thing. A knowledge of that which is right and wrong will never lead you to Christ.
[9:54] where do we stand this night? Friends, where do I stand this night in regard to this matter?
[10:14] I would not leave you short merely with a conviction of sin. The Holy Ghost doesn't.
[10:34] Let us consider Mary Magdalene. She was a woman of the streets. But oh, look at the path and the place of the Lord's footsteps with regard to that woman.
[11:02] She had conviction of sin. She was convinced of it. But was she left there? No, dear friends.
[11:15] She was brought to the feet of Christ. She was brought by the Holy Ghost to the feet of Christ in repentance.
[11:37] Now what about it? That's the place.
[11:52] That's the glory, dear friends, when a poor soul is brought to the feet of Christ in repentance. not a mere acknowledgement of sin but brought there.
[12:07] Why Christ's work shines. It is glorious, dear friends, in its effect.
[12:18] Do we know it? Do I know it? Don't rest short of it.
[12:33] Do you know it? Do you know it? Judas Iscariot was a convinced sinner. Make no mistake about it.
[12:54] David, Peter, Paul, were convinced sinners that they were led to repentance by the Holy Ghost.
[13:09] Now some of you know what I'm talking about. You've passed this way, you've walked this way, and you may not have had the answers to your petitions.
[13:20] But if you're earnest desire before God, say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
[13:36] You want Mary's portion. Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven. Look at the glory. The precious blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.
[13:56] Mary's sin, Manasseh's sin, David's sin, Peter's sin, Paul's sin.
[14:08] That's not to give license to it, dear friends. If you're a child of God, you won't sin lightly. But this is where the glory of Christ is seen in pardon and forgiveness, in mercy to your poor soul.
[14:31] Seek for it. May the Lord grant you that earnestness before him, not to rest short of it.
[14:44] You know, it's a doctrine of the devil, dear friends, to persuade you that because you've sat in chapel for 30 or 40 years, you'll go to heaven. There must be some manifestation of the love of God to your soul.
[15:02] And that'll be manifest in pardon and forgiveness. of all the blessings, dear friends, I believe I can say I've desired before God above everything else is this, that I may know the pardon of my sin.
[15:29] Friends, salvation, salvation, that's the desire.
[15:41] If you know the pardon of your sin, dear friends, through the love and mercy of God, you'll know heaven. You'll see the glory of Christ in the face of Jesus Christ in heaven.
[15:54] Can you rest short of it? Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. I will make the place of my feet glorious.
[16:06] And he did with Mary, didn't he? Oh, what glory, Sean. You see, dear Mary was at his feet.
[16:18] She wept tears of contrition, tears of love, dear friends. What a blessed spot.
[16:31] And then we must pass on the Lord Jesus must need to go through Samaria.
[16:48] Why was that? There was a vessel of mercy in Samaria and he must need to go and call her by divine grace.
[17:01] Jesus. Must needs go and open her heart to her to show her what dwelt within and to reveal himself.
[17:21] Our dear friends, the place of his feet will be most glorious to you if you get a sight of Christ. that woman that had had many husbands came face to face with Jesus.
[17:39] He was revealed to her. He told her all that was in her heart. oh the wonder the glory of it that the Lord Jesus should condescend to speak to sinners.
[18:06] Should condescend to have converse with them. you see the glory of it.
[18:19] You see the wonder of it. See all the barriers concerning nationality were all cut down.
[18:31] All hindrances removed. and that will be so dear friends at that appointed time not to propose but call by grace.
[18:48] There may be those here tonight that are quite determined to have nothing to do with the things of God. You may be here tonight under protest.
[19:01] and you've come into the house of God in a temper.
[19:25] Some have said in their young days when I get old enough to leave home I will do. I don't want anything to do with it.
[19:37] I want to be free of it. In rebellion blindly bold.
[19:49] And that is our heart by nature isn't it? We will not have this man to reign over and so was that woman bold in sin. and if we'd have said to that woman as she came to the well tonight or this day you'll know what salvation is.
[20:15] she wouldn't have believed it. But there was a need be that the Lord Jesus went through Samaria. He is determined dear friend whoever you might be if you're one of his you won't escape him.
[20:34] you may do what you please you cannot escape.
[21:01] You may do what you please you cannot escape. there will be a time when God will lay you low by the arrow of conviction and bring you to cry out sirs what must I do to be saved.
[21:24] So go on in rebellion but God will mark it. and you'll have to come back.
[21:45] You may be writing bitter things and thinking bitter things against the people of God. You may be in the fatalist seat.
[21:59] I'll enjoy myself in this life. and whatever happens afterward well so be it. Oh what a solemn state we're left in by nature.
[22:17] But if the Lord displays his mighty power and glory on your behalf dear friends you're going to be turned round. You'll know what God's dealings are and you'll see that the path of his feet the place of his feet is glorious.
[22:42] Glorious in almighty power. He can break the hardest heart and some of us know it. He can break the strongest will all for his honor and glory.
[23:04] This is it. Not for your sakes do I this but for mine holy name sakes. now do some of you know this pathway?
[23:23] Do you remember as we mentioned this morning we mentioned again tonight in the sanctuary? Do you remember the last time the Lord met with you in the sanctuary?
[23:52] To beautify the place of my sanctuary the glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee Christ shall come unto thee to beautify the place of my sanctuary. Do you remember it?
[24:11] well friends if you do remember it I believe you knew something of Jacob's experience when the Lord met him at Bethel.
[24:23] you had to exclaim in your feelings this is none other none other but the gate of heaven the house of God and the gate of heaven.
[24:44] God has ordained their friends that the preaching of the gospel should be to the needy ones and it has the blessed effect in the sanctuary in God's house.
[25:06] So when was there a blessing last in the house of God? And if the Lord bless your soul on that occasion I believe you knew what it was to say that the house of God this is none other than the house of God and the gate of heaven and you felt it what was the effect of it?
[25:47] Well I believe there was this dear friends your whole being went out and upward unto him praise to his holy name and where was self well it was down in the dust this is the glory God's work the work of Christ made manifest in a poor sinner's heart do we know a little of this in the sanctuary something of Jacob's blessing this wrestling prayer prayer when Jacob came back he had to wrestle didn't he he wrestled with the angel he wrestled with Christ I will not let thee go except thou bless me heut this is the glory of
[26:56] Christ blessing his dear people and this glory dear friends this blessing is ever made manifest in praise Christ in holy joy and in sweet deliverance from self from time things and the world that's the glory do you know little of it dear friends because this is a foretaste of heaven and that's what Jacob had I believe that's what Mary knew a foretaste of heaven but it's the place of his feet which is glorious his workings the manifestation of his love and mercy to your soul look at Peter denied his Lord with oaths and curses and you may have come very close to it oh as we look back into our own hearts and in the paths that we've walked in dear friends and it comes to me like this that you know Peter is recorded as denying his Lord and Master with oaths and curses friends we deny our Lord and Master every day those of us that have to do business with the world how many times a day do you deny God solemn solemn isn't it solemn isn't it
[29:11] I'm with you in this friends solemn isn't it comes home with conviction to my soul how many times a day do I deny him in word, in attitude, in thought before our fellows.
[29:41] But you know Peter knew the glory of God in that look. When he denied his Lord and Master Jesus turned and looked upon him the place of his feet was glorious in that look. That look dear friends was pity. It was compassion.
[30:14] It was pardon. It was forgiveness. And Peter knew it. When the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead again and revealed himself to the women what did he say to them?
[30:35] Go and tell my disciples and Peter. Peter was a vessel of mercy dear friends and he knew the love of God shed abroad in his heart.
[30:59] He loved his Master well but oh look how he fell but he saw the glory. The glory in the pardon the glory in pity and compassion.
[31:19] And I will make the place of my feet glorious. Now dear friends the time has nearly gone but are there spots and places in our short lives where we've known a little of this glory?
[31:39] We've come to these places where in essence the Lord has said to us take thy shoes from off thy feet the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
[32:00] There may be just one or two spots and places where Christ has been revealed to you. in all that he is in his pity and in his compassion.
[32:30] Where you've had to walk a little in the pathway of your Master with no hope.
[32:50] We will like Jeremiah may hope is perish from the Lord and we felt to be death itself no prayer no access at the throne of grace the heavens were his brass and we conclude in our own spirit that it was the end of everything for us.
[33:21] We'd never known love and mercy. We'd never known effectual calling. We'd never known the pardon of sin.
[33:34] And oh dear friends this is darkness that can be felt. we tried as enabled on this occasion to seek the Lord we knelt by the bedside and tried to speak a few words in prayer but there was no such thing as a Lord help me.
[34:07] How often we're reduced to that aren't we? Lord help me but there was no Lord help me there dear friends there was silence. We couldn't utter a word.
[34:19] Such was the darkness. And as we knelt there the Lord spoke these words so softly and sweetly into our soul.
[34:42] My God my God why hast thou forsaken me? The glory of Christ that suffering Son of God that had gone that way had walked that way for his dear people and friends deliverance shone into my heart.
[35:23] You see Jesus had walked that way had gone that way before me and light and hope and love and faith rose up in my heart by the Holy Ghost.
[35:40] Oh of you dear friends of the glory the place of his feet shall be made glorious. Do we know a little of this?
[35:53] The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ suffering bleeding dying for our sin.
[36:06] this is where the glory is seen this is where there is a rejoicing in his blessed work and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
[36:29] Our friends this speaks of prosperity not worldly prosperity but it means and speaks of prosperity in the things the graces of the spirit.
[36:48] now where the Lord Jesus is present the glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee where he makes the place of his feet glorious there will be gracious prosperity there will be the fruits of the spirit manifest they will be manifest individually and they will be manifest as a body in the sanctuary now you have a church meeting I believe tomorrow evening may the fruits of God of the fruits of the spirit be God's blessing to you tomorrow night may the place of his feet be glorious in the midst and how will that be made manifest love to the brethren that's how it'll be made manifest his glory is seen in his work dear friends and the effect of it the blessedness of it the fruit the work of the spirit make no mistake about it we have a church meeting at home on tuesday evening and my desire is that it shall be just the same i will make the place of my feet glorious in walking out that which we trust god has placed within doing all things to his honor and glory seeking his will in every step of the way and seeking grace to walk it out and submission to the will of god this is his glory friends and it's a practical it's a practical way a way which he causes people to walk follow me he says follow me and this is following christ and anything short of it is the flesh but i must leave it the glory of lebanon shall come unto thee the fir tree the pine tree and the box together to beautify the place of my sanctuary blessed promise and i will make the place of my feet glorious amen