Ezekiel

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[2:29] Thus saith the Lord God, Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, And although I have scattered them among the countries, Yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

[2:59] Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God, Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

[3:29] And it is especially those words, Yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary. Let us notice, first of all, that these are the words which Almighty God has commanded the prophet to speak unto his covenant people.

[4:01] And in this verse, all the glories of the Godhead shine with unabated brilliance.

[4:15] If you read it word by word, the holiness of Almighty God is set forth, and his righteousness, and his justice, but also his grace, his love, his mercy, his compassion, his faithfulness, all these are equally set forth in this verse.

[5:08] And how precious a promise is this unto those that are far off.

[5:22] We see his people scattered amongst the heathen, far off from those places wherein the things of God, the house of God, the rule, the government, and the ordinances of God were practiced.

[5:59] But it is as though the Lord says, my eye is upon every one of you. But more than that, I undertake to be a little sanctuary to you, each one of you in those far off places.

[6:28] He doesn't delegate the work I will be. Dear friend, if there's one amongst us that feels to be in a like state, surrounded on every hand, to know the power of a deceitful heart and to be besieged by the suggestions of it, to look and to long for the enjoyment of the blessings of almighty God, to know the peace and the prosperity of his rule and government within, and yet be as the word says,

[7:43] O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest and not comforted, here's a word, a precious promise that the Lord has prepared for those in such circumstances, yet I will be to them as a little sanctuary.

[8:05] and I want to try as help to refer to one or two of the records in God's word where these things were fulfilled in the experience of his people because the Lord commends the consideration and the meditation upon these things for he says they are left for you to be an example and an example that the blessings that he purposes may be known and sweetly enjoyed by those that fear his name.

[9:13] I want to refer first of all to a word in Psalm 77 and we read there thy way oh God is in the sanctuary and when I read those words I immediately thought of the woman in the song of Solomon and she said the king hath brought me into his chambers oh what a blessing if the Lord is pleased in that respect to be a sanctuary unto his people to make them to know his way his ways to instruct them in all that is good and is right and while she had to say as a consequence of this teaching

[10:36] I am black look not upon me because I am black all the mere boundings of his grace and of his love unto a sinner rise up my love there is no spot in thee oh how strange and mysterious are the ways of the Lord how full and rich are the blessings that he has purposed and then again if we go to the 73rd Psalm we know that Asaph there was much troubled there seemed to be those irreconcilable things that were round about him he saw those that pursued the way of the world who indulged in all matter of wickedness who had no thought of

[12:07] God and they seemed to prosper they seemed to have everything that they desired they knew no restrictions but they seemed to know no trouble either he and his desire and his concern was to serve the Lord and to walk according to his ways but he was grieved in himself because of these things things until the Lord took him into the sanctuary and then we read that Asaph says then understood I you know

[13:10] I believe that the Lord brings his people into special particular places not only to reveal unto them his ways but to cause them to understand perhaps if I express it in these terms it may be clearer when the man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell amongst thieves we know that he was set upon by thieves and robbers and they despoiled him they wounded him they stripped him and left him half dead and we read how that the priest and the

[14:29] Levite are passed by but a good Samaritan came where he was and when he saw him his heart was moved and he had with him oil and wine but he didn't think within himself and say well I'll put them down within his reach and if he really wants them he can take them if he please there's no point in putting down the oil and the wine in the reach of a man that's half dead for he has no ability or power or knowledge or understanding so to take it up but the word says concerning the good

[15:57] Samaritan he poured in dear friend that's what we stand in need of we each have read the word of the gospel we're acquainted with the covenant undertakings and promises of almighty God but we need them to be poured in and there are times when the Lord brings his people into such places where he himself undertakes and does these things for them and those are the times when they know the Lord to be a little sanctuary to them these are the sweet and the blessed times when the

[16:59] Lord's dealings with his people are precious individual distinctive and when they know and feel that he is near at hand a very present help in trouble now the good Samaritan not only poured in but he took him up and he set him on his own beast and he brought him to an inn and I believe that the Lord in his dealings with his people doesn't begin a thing and then leave it he that has begun that good work will perform it not give it into someone's hand to do he will perform it until the day of

[18:14] Jesus Christ oh what a mercy that the Lord hath underlined as it were in that verse yet will I be as a little sanctuary to them in the countries where they shall come no matter where they shall come yet it will be he and he alone who will be their little sanctuary now we know that when Asaph was brought into the sanctuary and the Lord opened his understanding how searching were the revelations of almighty God unto him he was caused to see of his foolish judgments of the

[19:18] Lord and of his ways the deceitfulness of his own heart but I believe that intermingled with those searchings there was a pouring out of love and of grace unto him because if you read what he has to say thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins so foolish so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee nevertheless I am continually with thee oh what a mercy of the Lord comes and makes known unto his people of his abiding eternal presence purpose and covenant with them

[20:29] Asaph couldn't have said that except the Lord had made him to know it but also he was taught of the Lord's faithfulness in spite of his foolishness in spite of his ignorance hands the Lord dealt very gently with him and then he says this thou hast holden me by my right hand oh isn't the Lord a sanctuary unto his people when he discloses unto them that it is only as he hath held them up that they endure that they yet continue one of the hymn writers speaking of these things says who could hold me up but thou and when we prove the upholding of the

[21:47] Lord and he reveals unto us the true circumstances of the matter indeed he is a sanctuary unto his people for they have to say who could hold me up but thou and then he says this thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee asap knew the blessings of the sanctuary surely that he should be brought now to understand and speak of these precious things declares the

[22:59] Lord's separating influences his counsel his love his mercy and his grace well I'll refer to one other and that must suffice in the 63rd psalm we read this oh God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary now there are evidently those places into which the psalmist had been brought where the glory and the power of almighty

[24:11] God was made known unto him and he feels himself to be in need of a further revealing of a confirming of those blessings unto his soul for he says this because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name so we have various aspects in the records of the Lord's people wherein the Lord brings his people into a place apart and he makes that place no matter what the literal and the actual or the physical circumstance of it may be a very sanctuary unto their souls one that has always been to me most precious is that experience wherein the

[25:37] Lord says and brings his people to know at times behold I will allure her and bring her into a wilderness place apart and speak comfortably to her those are the times when the Lord's people know what it is for him to be a little sanctuary to them then I want to refer to Ruth we know that she was of Moab not of Israel and that by the orderings of the Lord Naomi and her husband and her sons went to

[26:40] Moab and there Ruth marrying one of the sons she came to hear of the name of the Lord God of Israel in such a way that her heart was taken up in it and while we are all familiar with those often repeated words entreat me not to leave thee yes it was a precious love that was between Naomi and Ruth but dear friend all that we might have regard unto this not only did she say entreat me not to leave thee but she said thy God shall be my God and so she was made willing to leave the house the land the culture of her fathers and go with

[27:59] Naomi unto Bethlehem under the government and the rule of the Lord God of Israel now if you consider the position of Ruth in a natural sense first of all she was a widow all that she might have had amongst her fellow countrymen was left behind she was poor she had no standing whatsoever in Israel save only as the Lord God had appointed and when she came to

[29:02] Bethlehem see how her feet speak of the inward spirit that was in her she didn't say to Naomi I I'll go and beg in the streets of the town I'll hire myself out to this man or that man she said let me go to the field you see I believe that in Ruth's heart and spirit that provision that the Lord had made for the widow for the poor and for the stranger was as a little sanctuary to her and she desired as soon as it were possible to be there for there was her expectation there she expected to prove the things that she had only heard but the things in which she trusted and as she gleamed in the field and all those many things were brought to pass didn't

[30:42] Ruth find the Lord God of Israel was a little sanctuary to her you know how that when Boaz came by his words on to her he gave her a place he gave her a right and a title to be there and he commanded her steadfastness in attending unto those things and it's evident that her heart and her spirit was overwhelmed by the fullness of those things that she received as she labored for she said unto

[31:51] Boaz why have I found grace in thine eyes but there can be no question that that grace was evident known and sweet unto her and everything that came to pass in that field I believe underlined the sweetness but also the fullness of the promises of almighty God and the wisdom of his government God oh there are many things in our lives when we seek to make our own judgments go our own ways make our own decisions but oh dear friend when the

[33:03] Lord makes the heart tender when he has brought us into those places where he reveals the foolishness of our own hearts the vanity of them as well as the weakness of them and gives counsel makes his grace known there's a desire wrought within to see what the Lord would have us to do not in one thing but in all things and oh how sweet it is to be able to walk and to walk as it were the Lord being a little sanctuary to us in the way for like

[34:04] Moses if thy presence go not with us carry us not up heaven and the Lord says my presence shall go with thee this is what we want this is what we need every day every hour to be led to be ruled to be governed and directed by him and by him alone and then if you go through the book of Ruth I'm sure you'll find that in all those things that are written there the Lord proved himself to be a little sanctuary to Ruth and is it not also found to be the same in the book of Daniel we read of

[35:07] Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and of Daniel and of those princes of Judah that the king commanded should be fed and clothed and then taught in the things of the kingdom and they were in the land of captivity surrounded on every hand by the heathen far off from Jerusalem from the temple and from the worship of almighty God yet the very circumstances in that book disclose unto us that the Lord was there with them that he was a sanctuary unto them for even in the matter of their food such was his rule and government in their souls and in their spirits that they would not partake of that which would defile them oh what a lesson for every one of us who professes the name of the

[36:38] Lord in this solemn day in which we live how many of the things about us defile and are opposed unto the word and the commandment of almighty God now even the eunuch that was in charge of them feared death if he disobeyed the king's commandment but the Lord moved his heart the Lord ordered all things according to his good pleasure and so while they had not those things that defiled but fed on pulse they were more favoured at the end of the period than all those that had eaten of the king's meat and even in those things the Lord was a sanctuary to them then we know that they were arraigned before

[38:00] Nebuchadnezzar for disobedience of his edict to fall down and worship the God that he had made and we know that it was a powerful mighty rich kingdom and that the word and the authority of the king was absolute and these three men stood before this mighty monarch before all the power and wealth and influence of his court and kingdom and when commanded to do that which was contrary to the word and the commandment of almighty God was not the Lord a little sanctuary to them as they declared we are not careful to answer thee oh king our

[39:08] God is able to deliver us I wonder how many of us go about in this world in the circumstances the solemn awful circumstances in which we live with a quiet confidence that no matter what men might propose or intend or undertake our God is able to deliver us and I believe it was not only a confidence that he was able to deliver them from the fire but I believe they looked beyond and saw that though they were cast into the fire and were consumed they would be delivered for the

[40:16] Lord was a little sanctuary to them they trusted in his grace in his mercy in his love and in his great salvation and we know that Daniel himself was brought into those circumstances where he was accused because when a writing which according to the law of the Medes and the Persians one sign could not be altered all were required for the period of a month to make no request save only of the king and we read that when Daniel knew that the decree was signed he went to his house and he opened the windows toward

[41:24] Jerusalem and he got upon his knees and he prayed unto the Lord as he did aforetime oh I believe the Lord was a sanctuary to him there as well as in the lion's den how sweet it is when there are those times when by necessity of our circumstances we come to the throne of grace we bring all our concerns unto him and surely the sweetness is in this he careth for us and that I believe his people know and so they are able to leave the matter so that when ultimately he was cast into the lion's den

[42:30] I believe that it was without fear but the king was troubled he couldn't sleep and he went early in the morning and he cried is thy God able all the ability of God surely is a little sanctuary unto the Lord's people not only in the very circumstance because often times it is as we come towards those circumstances that we fear in the expectation of this or that matter anxieties arise we begin to tremble but all to have a view and a confirming of the ability of almighty

[43:37] God we can run into it and we can no quietness one of the hymn writers says this sweet to lie passive in his hand and know no will but his may the Lord have his blessing Amen After the service tea will be served in the chapel and all are welcome let us now conclude by singing hymn 173 173 tune silver hill 411

[44:41] Jesus before thy face I fall my Lord my life my hope my all for I have nowhere else to flee no sanctuary Lord but thee hymn 173 you you prom you 수� KL

[45:53] The End The End The End

[47:23] The End The End The End

[48:53] The End The End The End

[50:22] The End The End