Isaiah (Quality: Average, Incomplete)

[0:00] I would direct you to the 66th of Isaiah and the two first verses.

[0:13] Thus saith the Lord, for the heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.

[0:24] Where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things have mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord.

[0:45] But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.

[1:02] Isaiah 66, the first two verses. In these two verses there are two.

[1:25] The one of the glorious Lord, whose throne is the heavens. The other is a poor, humble, contrite, trembling sinner.

[1:47] Name me. Isn't it amazing? Are you ever amazed at the majesty of heaven having to do with rebellious sinners?

[2:05] And oh, what an amazing thing it is. It is glorious, Lord. Has anything at all to do with us?

[2:23] The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. And it's the same this evening. We shall realize the blessedness of who he is in his eternal being.

[2:50] Solomon, he was amazed in the dedication of the temple. O will God, in very deed, dwell with men on the earth.

[3:07] The heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, e'er much less this house that I have built.

[3:17] We shall never know this glorious Lord, except he is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

[3:30] The heaven is my throne. And therefore, he is king upon the throne.

[3:43] And he exercises his king upon the throne. And he exercises his kingly authority and divine sovereignty in the earth, which is his footstool. And he has made it.

[3:55] And he has made it. And he has made it. Has this got anything to do with us? Oh, when you come to consider, my friends, that there is a people who belong to this glorious Lord, and from their cradle to the grave, is under the divine protection and the direction of infinite wisdom, so that wherever they are, whatever condition they are in, whatever their core to pass through, they are under the safe conduct of their glorious leader who leads them forth the right way to the city of habitation.

[5:00] The heaven is my throne. In the 103rd Psalm, near the end, it is said that he has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rule it over all.

[5:20] Now, if we've been brought to realize that in ourselves, in our depraved nature, that we are exposed to divine wrath and we are pursued by conscience, wrath and law, and often pursued by the sacred word, it will mean something to us that there is this glorious throne.

[5:52] A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary, as said Jeremiah. And it is that glorious high throne to which his people are gathered.

[6:11] The heaven is my throne. It's a heavenly authority. And everything concerning the kingdom of God, everything concerning his people, everything with respect to their salvation, everything in the pathway through life is under the control of his heavenly authority and divine sovereignty so that his people are wonderful people.

[6:52] The psalmist, you know, says in the 71st Psalm, I am a wonder unto many. But the Lord is my strong refuge.

[7:07] He didn't think he was very wonderful, but he made this beat as far as I feel that those that knew him. And it may be some of you, when you look back and see what the Lord has brought you through, why, my friends, it is worth just looking at that, I think.

[7:35] I am a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge. Thou which hast showed me grief and saw troubles shall quicken me again and bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

[7:53] It just comes into my mind about our dear afflicted brother. And really, the wonderful way in which he has brought him twice from the very borders of the grave, he can say, I am a wonder unto many, but there is a secret in it.

[8:12] Why I am a wonder unto many, thou art my strong refuge. That's the secret of it.

[8:29] The heaven is my throne. It seems to hold us a little there because it has to do with everything concerning spiritual things.

[8:42] We have concerns in this life. We have responsibilities. And we should use the natural gifts that God has given to us to the best we can.

[9:00] We are responsible for natural blessings and gifts and natural intelligence if we've got it. And we should use it.

[9:13] But that will end. But everything concerning eternity, everything concerning the soul's salvation, everything concerning communion with the Lord and the spiritual life, it comes from heaven.

[9:31] It has nothing to do with the world at all. Nothing to do with it. Have we got it? Have we got that in our souls that's nothing at all to do with this world? It comes from heaven and will take us to heaven if we possess it.

[9:48] Heaven is my throne. Very sweet there, I just feel. That's where his people must look. That's where they must look in order that his sovereignty and authority may maintain their course.

[10:07] Oh then, my friends, everything without exception comes down from heaven. And within these walls, we're occupied in things that are nothing at all to do with this world.

[10:23] I say we have to do with the world and should, conscientiously, but it must end. What we have to do within these world wars are things that concern eternity and eternal salvation.

[10:42] And the prospect is an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away.

[10:54] Heaven is my throne. God, there's a sweetness in that that just touched me. It gathers you up there. And this heavenly authority is that alone which will put down all other power and authority in every other kingdom as it is in the second chapter of Daniel.

[11:29] This kingdom of heaven is that which is set before his people. Seek thee first the kingdom of heaven and all these things shall be empty new.

[11:44] Oh, what a reviving it is. What a waft of heavenly atmosphere comes into the soul when the Holy Ghost just blows across your heart and says this, heaven is my throne.

[12:07] No look anywhere else. There's no authority anywhere else. And the earth is my footstool and therefore the world is under its control.

[12:24] The earth is my footstool and so he said to his disciples these things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace.

[12:39] In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer the earth is my footstool I've overcome it. The heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool.

[12:54] Oh, if the Holy Spirit would make that out to a poor troubled sinner a trembling sinner one who may be passing through gloom who's had something some surprise come into their life that seems to have cut the very ground from beneath their feet those who feel that everything they look at is stamped with death and despair and if they fear and fear that that will be the end oh, if the Blessed Spirit would bring them inside of this the heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool it's under my feet.

[13:41] you take that word in the second chapter to the Hebrews thou hast put all things under his feet you listen to this heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool he hath put all things under his feet and there is not anything this is the word of God there is not anything that is not put under him nothing it's my footstool but we see not yet all things put under him but it is oh, poor troubled sinner if the Blessed Spirit should gather you inside of this text it will compose your poor troubled mind and establish your heart with grace and it would establish your goings there may be some here who are staggering who are overwhelmed who are under a heavy cloud of darkness who have something before them that they feel they can never never face to bring you just inside of this truth we want to be brought inside of it you know and it to be brought inside of us and to show you light in God's light the cloud is so much dread and are big with mercy and shall break in blessings upon your head of course we shall have to walk these things out

[15:48] I'm thankful they're in the hymns but you may depend upon it and some of you know the difference between reading a hymn and when you're brought right into the circumstances where the hymn seems new if you've sung it a thousand times it seems new when you're there and we want all things to be made new thus said the Lord the heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool where is that house she built unto me where is the place of my rest he says to poor man we have the same thing in in the acts God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is

[16:55] Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands so it brings us to our opening then where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them it doesn't say there was I it doesn't say I will be but there am I he feels his own immortal now and sees our age's waste I wish I could speak of him as I hoard but he's the only refuge the only foundation thus said the Lord that heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool where is the house that you build done to me and where is the place of my rest well it hasn't be a place of rest he doesn't dwell in temples made with hands he dwells in the hearts of his people as it is in the next verse but at the same time he has instituted the church of God

[18:36] Zion for the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest forever here when I dwell for I have desired it so that it is and has been recorded from Genesis that the method that God has been pleased to use in the institution of a church on earth is the gathering of his people together and there is something very blessed in there because in that gathering there is the whole work of grace in a sinner's heart as to what they gathered from he gathered them from the north and from the south from the east and from the west they wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way they found no city to dwell in that's the gathering and it would be an experience and you'll be able to trace it if you look at the 34th chapter of

[19:58] Ezekiel and see there that blessed spirit come come to seek and to save his sheep and where he finds them he found them in a desert land in a white holy wilderness and if ever he found you that's where he found you in a desert land of a destitute heart found you in the world under Egyptian bondage so that there is a place not a temple not a building made with hands necessarily but in Zion and unto him shall the gathering of the people be well the point is this there are many gatherings together of congregations and how are we to distinguish this

[21:10] Zion where God dwells and is desired for his habitation and his rest you might go to all kinds of congregations and they each may have their idea of things but I believe it is safe to say this apart from any denomination at all Zion is that company of people whom the Lord has gathered together himself gathered together in his great name and sends a Holy Ghost ministry in their midst wherever there is such a gathering whatever name whatever denomination that Zion are people gathered by the Lord and there is this in it too that people were gathered in the covenant of grace by sovereign election every one of them there will not be one missing there will not be one addition and those very same individuals to the last one will be gathered here on earth and we be brought under the heavenly authority of that word all that the father giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh unto me

[22:52] I will in no wise cast out and every one of them will come and it's the same individuals as in the covenant of grace and then again the same individuals to the last one will be gathered to heaven not a different one oh to be among them and so this is my rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it thus saith the Lord the heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool where is the house that you build unto me and where is the place of my rest oh the place of my rest where's the place of your rest proverbs says a rich man's wealth is his strong city it is rest his confidence is in his wealth but here's a people gathered that wander in a solitary way and find no city to dwell in at all no place of rest here is it true of us my dear friends can you rest in anything in this world have you a comfortable home be thankful for it have you a sufficiency so that you have nothing to cause you anxiety in a financial way be thankful for it have your kind friends parents loved ones be thankful for them can you rest in it can you die in it this is my rest forever and

[25:16] God rests where his people rest there is a beautiful mutuality if I might so speak between the delights of the Lord and the delight of his people his delights were with the sons of men we read the exhortation is delight thyself also in the Lord oh the meeting together in the work of the Holy Ghost in a sinner's heart is wonderful beautiful that there could be a mutuality between this glorious Lord in heaven and his people's hearts and desires upon her where is the place of my rest the place of his rest is people's hearts and it is a rest of complacency it is a rest of his love and it is a rest too in this way it is a terminus with respect to his individual people speaking personally and individually that is the place of his rest because the whole of the finished work of the

[26:58] Lord Jesus Christ and the efficacy of his precious blood terminates with respect to that person in their soul salvation and he rests there goes no further that finished work is finished in the work of grace in that sinner's heart oh wonderful person of whom the Lord can say this is my rest forever here here will I dwell for I have desired it I wonder how many of us he can say that as he goes along these pews this evening if he could stop at one another and say no this soul this heart is my rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it and where it is so you will find that sinner by the holy ghost has said the same thing about the Lord Jesus

[27:59] Christ is the sinner's only rest some of you long for it I do yes weary of earth myself and sin the three things about how we shall have to drag a body of sin and death to the grave with us my friends what a mercy if it will end there death that puts an end to life will put an end to sin earth said the Lord that heaven is my throne the earth is my foot stool where is the house that you build unto me and where is the place of my rest he rests in the heart of his people and those people rest in the

[29:18] Lord and are waiting patiently for him well there will be some indications given if we are Christ's rest he will be our only rest and we shall labor to enter into him we shall find rest in nothing else you cannot have a better figure of this than that divine account of the dove and the ark beautiful account and if we are among this people we shall understand it you see outside of that ark was destruction it makes the gathering together of a few people in the name of the

[30:29] Lord very blessed because numbers do not always mean that men are right there were very few that were saved in the ark but many millions drowned outside of there but as you know the dove flew about and could find no rest the soul of our feet now that will be an experience I believe there are some in that experience they could find no rest here but she came back to the ark and did not fly straight into the window but hovered hovered around the window I wonder if there is some hoverer here hovering around the ark of grace the gospel the gospel of salvation you don't fly presumptuously right in it into things that you never experienced but you come into services and hover around the window of the gospel and can say this much

[31:55] I love the windows of thy grace we talked about this rest but Noah put forth his hand and took hold of her that's what you're waiting for that firm and friendly hand of grace put forth by God to save his own there may be some hovering about their gospel and waiting for the Lord to put forth his almighty and Noah took hold of her and brought her in unto himself this is my rest forever and the Lord will in time gather you in and if you are hovering around and find no rest but in

[32:56] Christ where is the place of my rest and your labor to enter in oh your ears will be atent to hear this voice you will read the fourth chapter to the Hebrews and you will see there seeing then that some must enter therein there's some that must enter into this rest and eventually into the rest of heaven they must because of the covenant of grace they must because it is the responsibility of the Lord Jesus to bring them there they must well then says the apostle let us therefore seeing that some must let us therefore labor to be one of the must that enter into this rest now do you feel these influences upon your heart so that eventually it is heaven for all those things at mine hand made well it reminds us of the 50th psalm that we can bring nothing to the Lord he possesses all in his fullness he does everything by his grace he says

[34:45] I will take no bullock out of thy house nor he goats out of thy fields for every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle on a thousand hills if I were hungry and I should not tell thee for the world is mine and the fullness thereof comes into this for all those things have mine hand made and all those things have been said the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that tremblet at my word in one sense this is applicable and

[35:47] I don't want to stress the scripture beyond its intention but in one real sense this is the Lord Jesus himself unto this man will I look and sometimes you'll pray about that behold O Lord our shield and look upon and look upon thine anointed it's the same man as we were trying to speak about lately let let thine hand be upon the man of thy right hand upon the son of man whom thou made strong for thyself but to this man will I look the divine father looks upon his son the mediator between

[36:50] God and sinners he looks upon him and looks upon his people in him and what he has said concerning his beloved son as a mediator belongs to his people to this man will I look this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased but if he says a poor sinner instead of me is seen when I approach to God but to this man would I look even to him that is poor he was poor foxes have holes the birds of the air have nests but the son of man had not where to lay his head if there were not that blessed

[37:51] God man Emmanuel sent by the father then we could never approach the throne of grace but unto this man when I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word that is reverence for his word you look at the reverence when he was tempted of the devil he referred to the word of God to the holy scripture in everything that he said so that in one very real and vital pace this will be applied to the Lord Jesus but to this man will I look just one more reference to substantiate that you'll find in the 69th psalm he said

[38:56] I am poor and sorrowful let thy salvation lift me up on high that was the Lord Jesus in the spirit of prophecy in the psalm then again you'll see the same thing in Zechariah Zechariah we have it rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy king cometh unto thee he is just having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass upon a colt the foal of an ass he came another thing he was poor ye know the grace of our

[39:57] Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor as you through his poverty might be made rich and oh how poor and sorrowful he was as he endured the reproach which broke his heart and his agony in the garden of Gethsemane ah to this man when I look you see the divine father looking upon him and as he looked upon him it pleased him to bruise him though he were a son and yet learned the obedience by the things that he suffered for to this man when I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word but it also refers to his humble people oh what a blessed condition this is of soul to him that is poor starts the sermon on the mount with this character blessed are the poor in spirit poor there is the kingdom of heaven the only rich people that are on earth these poor people oh what a mercy it is to be made poor enough for

[41:35] Christ's riches what a mercy it is and to feel unspeakably and eternally destitute if destitute of Christ poor I look to that man the only thing that can enrich that man is the blessing of the Lord which make it rich doesn't give riches vast difference if the whole of Brighton could be given to you it might no difference to you at all not personally not even in your character it would make a bit of difference and it certainly wouldn't make any difference to you spiritually it would add nothing do you believe it to this man when I look even to him that is poor without

[42:40] Christ the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich to be made rich spiritually is to be born again it is to be put in possession of Christ it is to be made a child and if children then heirs heirs of God they are the riches not to put in your pocket not to put in the bag but in your soul and make you rich yourself rich to all the intents of bliss but to this man when I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit oh look at David in the 51st psalm beautiful psalm repentance of a great sinner I've been thankful for that psalm that psalm I believe is in my

[43:41] Bible a broken and a contrite heart oh God they were not despised have you ever felt it my dear friends what produces it two things mainly Isaiah in the sixth chapter told us how it was affected woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and dwell among a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts have humbled him oh and if you see him if he touches your heart give you a sense of the forgiveness of your sins of what it cost him and delivered you from death in your soul delivered you from trouble it will break your heart when

[44:55] I surveyed the wondrous cross break your heart poor and of a contrite spirit another thing that will humble us a sight of ourselves a sinful sin stained life where we should be if left alone really not imagination but really realize that we should have fitted ourselves for destruction every day of our life and the love of God shed abroad in our heart will break it to this man will I look to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and tremble at my word just before we close

[46:09] I show you one that did it was a backup oh Lord I heard thy speech was afraid some modern religionists would say he's got a poor faith look paradise speech and was afraid so I got a better faith than that I'm not afraid at all have you ever been afraid he heard his speech sometimes you'll hear his speech in some of these song characters and you'll wonder whether you're one or or one or or other or have been long or have him to him