Deuteronomy (Quality: Average)

[0:00] I seek to attract your attention to the 33rd chapter of Deuteronomy and reading verses 26 and 27.

[0:19] Deuteronomy chapter 33 verses 26 and 27.

[0:32] There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

[0:49] The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms, and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.

[1:09] There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, the Lord at the close of Moses' life, all your wonderful purposes of grace, he brings his people at last to the promised land.

[1:35] He is about to take Moses from them. It may be a thought, well how can I possibly enter into the promised land without Moses?

[1:50] My friend, they can only ever enter into the promised land by the good hand of God. And we also can only enter into the promised land.

[2:05] Yea, through the love and mercy of God, and through the pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, in Jesus' precious blood. Nothing more, nothing less.

[2:18] Nothing more, nothing more, nothing more. But nevertheless, there's a great transition to take place in the history of Israel. Things are not going to be like these people had experienced, the 40 days of the wilderness.

[2:36] There's going to be a good change, a big change, shortly. And so, he prepares them, and he speaks to all the tribes, that they would settle in their lotted place, in that land, that he has prepared for them.

[2:56] We need to remember that, because there's a need for the explanation of these things. It was God's lot, his will, and his mind and purpose.

[3:08] And therefore, what the Lord gives to us, and prepares for us, it must be well. It must be good. Then he speaks to them, as a body, as a people, a nation.

[3:27] And thus he calls them, refers to them as Jeshurun. In all you people. God's children. So, he says here, there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun.

[3:43] I say, where is there another God? Your God. Is the God of Jeshurun your God? Has he revealed himself to you in various ways?

[3:55] You haven't chosen your own paths, or your own lot. But surely you have to prove, that the Lord is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof, is of the Lord.

[4:11] And so it goes on. For he says, there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun. Oh, that God might give us grace.

[4:23] The heart is firm and sure in our minds. Oh, though we may make our own gods, set up people and images that we think will be profitable.

[4:37] Friend, let us forget it all. There's nothing like the God of Jeshurun. You've tasted it. You've handled it. It's been proved to you beyond all deliberations, is it not?

[4:56] My friend, he is the God forever and ever. For he says here, who'll write it upon the heaven in my help.

[5:07] His Excellency on the sky. I say how wonderful that is. That universal observation that he has of all mankind.

[5:26] Yes, all mankind. Even you and me. We cannot escape his eye or his attention. There's no God like this.

[5:39] Not only does he observe us, but he's able to see what we need and what will be best for us. There's none like a God like him.

[5:52] And more than that, he's able and will ever supervise. If I might use that word. Yes, what he gives to us. His promises that he has bestowed upon us.

[6:07] He will bring them to pass according to his own mind and will. Oh, there's none of God like this. He has a word to us in Isaiah, hasn't he?

[6:21] My thoughts are not your thoughts. Or your ways, my ways. I wonder, I wonder. What Israel must have been thinking at this time.

[6:35] And going over what has been said and what is happening. That there must be a way, Israel, across Jordan. And then there's great peoples must be overcome.

[6:49] My faith is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Well, we may be arguing from time to time, but surely this is the unappointed way.

[7:04] This is the wrong time. Why Jordan overflows its banks at harvest time? Why must we go in at harvest time? We read them feeding upon the old and then on the new.

[7:21] My faith, everything was completely covered. They had provision. They didn't have to carry logistics with them from the wilderness. But that what they had been partaking of was by the God of Jeshurun.

[7:37] It was that bread which came down from heaven. And I say, who but the God of Jeshurun can but feed us with that heavenly manner which comes down from heaven?

[7:51] There is none. Like unto the God of Jeshurun. Hast thou contemplated comparing him to someone else or something else?

[8:09] Or perhaps there could be a change to improve your life and situation? Never, my friends. There's none indeed that can help you.

[8:22] Oh, I missed all the trials and difficulties by the way. And therefore it was most needful and necessary that the Lord should awaken his people to these facts concerning them.

[8:39] I say that he would bless them and be with them all the time. They honoured him and obeyed him.

[8:52] But the word I really felt I needed to come to was this, the eternal God is thy refuge. And underneath are the everlasting arms, the eternal God.

[9:09] My friend, no wonder, no wonder that the people of the land began to fear and tremble because he showed himself not a God of salvation to them but rather a God that was with his people.

[9:31] and that he would indeed bring judgment and damnation upon those who had so lived in open rebellion against him.

[9:45] And do we not have to say that the Apostle Paul and such were some of you friend, friend, and your hearty quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins?

[9:59] Yes. Yes. But nevertheless, my friend, he brought his people in. And we see indeed how he dismantles any objection, reveals his wonders and his power.

[10:17] He sets his mark upon the way that his people should tread and go into the promised land. why it is the almighty power to tell the God of just children.

[10:34] We may count up and estimate the people that were entering in and going across that Jordan. You say, well, all those nations joined together could surely destroy them in but a moment.

[10:52] Thank God and friends. I say the Lord took away their heart to fight and to resist his people. What look they have a God, a God that can do wonders, a God that has decreed yes, that he will destroy us and give this land to them.

[11:14] The eternal God is thy refuge. Now, I want to come away from this area of things if the Lord might help me and come to this 27th verse.

[11:29] The eternal God is thy refuge. How long for? How long has he been the refuge of his people?

[11:40] My friend, that has been for eternity. Yea, what a wonder that he is the eternal God. it may be that only just now we have discovered such a God.

[11:56] Such a God has been revealed to us but long before that. Yet, eternal God has been thy refuge. He looked down and saw man, his lost and ruined state and his rebellion against him.

[12:13] Yea, the eternal three were brought into that covenant of grace and they saw indeed all that damnation was set upon mankind right from the beginning.

[12:27] Satan indeed was there. Satan indeed seemed to achieve much but the eternal God that is our refuge he was determined all to achieve much more.

[12:42] Yea, to be a complete refuge unto his people. I say I wish to God that we found it to be our refuge more and more in the day in which we live.

[13:01] The apostle in right into the Hebrew says Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever eternally rest.

[13:12] a wonder of wonders. The doctrine of predestination is spoken by many as if that was some achievement of their own.

[13:30] Something they got to be proud of that they were chosen and in predestination you were chosen for some of your own.

[13:41] what was it? What was it? Eternal God my friend has seen a need of a refuge a hiding place from the justice and judgment of God because we sinned against him.

[13:59] He knew it ever would be. Like the little hymn I often quote it in the Clifton hymn book he knew how wicked men had been and knew that God would punish sin so out of pity Jesus said he'd bear the punishment instead.

[14:23] Friend eternal that was. I say oh can't thou speak of the loving love of Christ that love of Christ that is well and free fixed on his own eternally can't thou trace it back when you first knew it and behold it friends it existed before then yea it was eternal oh I say God so loved this people yes eternal love what a refuge that is I say which one of us could say tonight why if God had mercy upon us he'd recognize some of our good points some of the things that we have done and how we served him aright friend oh I feel this I'd be cancelled out for one when we find failure inscribed upon everything failure all from our youth from our childhood failure failure I say in our form of worship oh failure in our profession failure in prayer oh I say he is our only reference where can we go I say when we feel to be such a complete failure come to the throne of grace and you can't get your words out you groan you sigh so what can I say what can I say my friends the eternal

[16:09] God is thy refuge because he understands I say thy breathing thy crying thy groaning he knows the situation we may say to our little ones when they come in crying what is the matter and they can't tell us for crying we would say to them stop crying and tell me and I'll understand oh I say that's the best we can do but the Lord my friend he knows he knows thy sighs he knows thy cries yet he knows that you cannot formulate words to describe the plague of your own heart he knows you can't reveal to him your sorrow your grief oh I say eternal God is thy refuge the word of God tells us most clearly except ye repent ye shall perish in your sins and what about this of repentance have we repented do we know what it is to repent he's exalted a prince and a saviour for to give repentance

[17:43] I always say bless it be God the eternal God is thy refuge in the very case of repentance how can I tell him everything sinner the Lord already knows everything he knew it in eternity past he knew then you'd need a refuge a hiding place I say where can one so black so vile so condemned find a hiding place or to escape the divine look of almighty God a one shaper in iniquity and born in sin why eternal God is thy refuge he who knows all things who has seen right from the very beginning he alone is able to provide to you a hiding place whereby it may be pardoned and forgiven wonderful truth isn't it oh do we come to that place

[18:58] Lord I need to be pardoned I need to be forgiven I'm sure many think that those who stand in a pulpit don't know how to pass this way oh that is far from the truth my friends far from the truth oh little of you remember that many indeed who may anticipate putting on the ordinances of baptism and coming to the Lord's table may think they're all holy people without spot or blemish in and of themselves my friends not of themselves we needed a hiding place it is only the precious blood of Christ yet it can be our hiding place it is that which washes and cleanses away all sin oh blessed truth that is oh the eternal

[20:03] God is thy refuge dost thou mourn and groan over thy sins of light have our sins surpassed his pardoning and forgiving love is it really so that our sins are so great the Lord is not going to come near us anymore that we can be snatched from his almighty hand oh eternal God is thy refuge what have you learnt of these things and what has the Lord taught us friends he teaches us this that he is the eternal hiding place it is the eternal refuge my friends for such sinners as you and I to flee to yes indeed we can hide it in no other place how how my friends could we face the future how could the children of Israel face the future after the life they have been living friends the same

[21:15] God who provided for them in the wilderness he was able to provide for them in the promised land the same God who fought their battles there and protected them from those that would come and swallow them up my friends he too alone could fight their battles and overcome their extreme troubles and difficulties oh I say what a mercy is for him to be our eternal refuge I say how true that is we may anticipate any moment oh the sword of justice to strike us down you may expect the arrow our conviction that we have felt oh to have that fatal blow and us completely destroy us what hope what hope is there for me now is his mercy clean gone forever

[22:25] I say is he not thy eternal refuge thus has he not brought you to that place to humble you under the almighty hand of God oh the apostle Peter humble yourselves therefore under the almighty hand of God I say what a hand that is did Peter know what he was talking about of course he did of course he did I sure at this he must have felt his religion had come to nothing how he might even been filled oh with hatred to that cock crowing which speaks so loudly of something so vile and filthy as Peter himself oh he had denied his lord three times as Jesus told him in spite in spite of that he could find no refuge in what the Lord told him by not denying him but when he had denied him he found a refuge here

[23:41] I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not my my friends we surely find Peter under the almighty hand of God do we not oh prostrate all by him and him alone find a refuge there Lord thou knowest all things yes thou knowest exactly what I've been and how dependent I have been and thy glorious intercession for me oh that my faith fail not I say what a refuge that is we hear much today and we read much about the need to believe to believe and I've heard of one say that him should never be written or sung oh could I but believe that all would easy be why

[24:54] I thought then man you've got to take away my refuge take away my refuge oh that he might give me faith oh I say how do we obtain faith oh we do how do we obtain grace of God in our hearts you know many think that we obtain grace by believing that's not true is it if that were the case it would be taking away Christ as our eternal refuge wouldn't it but no it's by his grace we believe oh yes what a refuge that he gives to us faith before we trusted in many many things our life had been filled with thoughts and finance because of things we believed in and we look upon those things now as unbelief in God how could he bring us round to such a way eternal

[26:10] God is thy refuge what we might regard as our destruction being brought down to nothing hence he proves to us he strikes that that cord of living faith in your soul you're brought to look to Jesus kind and strong mercy join with power Isaiah oh what a mercy that is the eternal God is thy refuge he gives you faith for this one purpose not the glory in yourself that you might glory in him and his righteousness his love and mercy to you I say did Jesus seek you when a stranger travelling from the throne of God why what a wondrous truth that is when you knew not him he spoke to you in such a way brought you to tremble friend

[27:22] I remember so well when the Lord really brought me to tremble instead of going to the public house one night I decided to stay at home and go to sleep because I got to be up two o'clock in the morning to turn a bull that I've got a broken leg and I was awakened by these people who I proved to keep company with enjoy yourself enjoy yourself it's later than you think that throughout really entered into my soul later than you think I thought then I hadn't got a refuge I thought indeed I must think I can remember putting up both hands and holding on the bed rails oh I needed support

[28:24] I needed holding up oh I say what a refuge the Lord is he shows us that we've got no refuge in ourselves and the things that we once loved and enjoyed all we know hate and why do you hate it because he gives you a living fight because those sins have been against a good and gracious God as sins have been against him alone can save us from our sins and give to us a new life within he sends his spirit friends does he not oh the wonderful coordination between father son and holy spirit oh all are combined yea to be your refuge Lord wherever we were doomed fail the

[29:27] Lord himself knew and has made that capital provision for us oh everything I say that was needful he mercifully supplies the eternal God is your refuge eternally so the point I want to come to is this eternally of the past but what about now do we find everything crumpled up everything folding up do we cry and groan Lord I can't meditate I can't read thy word I can't pray as once I did what has gone wrong my friend one thing hasn't gone wrong one thing stands immutably the same the eternal God is thy refuge it empties us out does he not completely oh that we might drink abundantly of the fullness of his love and of his mercy we drink abundantly of his teaching that nothing good within me lies that any good must be found all in that perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ the eternal God is thy refuge canst thou come to the throne of grace can you come before just an holy God and make your own presentation there and that justify yourself with him my friends the truth is this

[31:19] Lord I cannot all my all must be found in thee as having nothing says the apostle yet possessing all things because it has given to us through his covenant love and mercy that he should bestow upon his people that which appertains to eternal life or before we knew no artificial until we knew that life or knew within in regeneration friends he said I'll take away the heart of stone and give to us a heart of life and flesh why what a wonder that is we can't mix the two we have to learn do we not in hard things the eternal God is my refuge I can fly and turn to no other we may indeed divulge and talk to others about our situation and we see by the expression of their faces their body language they don't understand us oh it just shows indeed what I am and who I am ah but the eternal God is my refuge he looks down my friend and sees us in a low stage he knows indeed our feelings

[32:52] I say he knows our desires although a desire for better feelings when we can walk with him when we can trust in him when we can rest in him when we cry unto him Lord hold thou me up and I shall be safe tell him God is thy refuge but what what will follow what is there to follow we cannot tell us in detail can we the Lord has hidden it from us we know that the Lord did tell Peter in detail of the things that should happen to him concerning him and what good did it do him immediately it didn't appear to do any good at all and would it do us any better if we knew what he said and what shall this man do don't keep talking about me what about John he said what is that to thee follow thou me that wasn't the first time

[34:08] Peter heard said that it's not the first time you've heard him say it what is that to thee my friend he reveals those things to us which before our good oh that we might hide in him and him alone good top lady must be in a very blessed place spiritually when he wrote that hymn rock of ages clap for me let me hide myself in thee to come in there with him tonight with him oh to stay there to be there locate me there protect me there nor do I know how weak and frail I am and as I get older I get weaker and weaker more frail oh we may come to that place to say I feel my mudward cottage shake can you say

[35:09] I long to see it for I say no easy matter is it to be able to say that a good place but a good place I shall not forget I shall not forget I shall not forget I shall not forget taking my pastor to a little chapel at Patawas and the old deacon there he gave that hymn out and he said when he came to I feel my mudward cottage shake he said I do's lord I do's and he was in glory and the following thirsty oh that preparation oh to be found in him oh to be a refuge coming down to the close of our day the even tide of life what have we got to rejoice in in our life what sort of will can we make what can we contribute to other people my friends oh and the poor rich man you know he thought if he could go and you but warn his brother oh who would walk going the same way as him you turn from his wife but friends that was impossible that was impossible a sinner would never repent in heaven there was no repentance found in him he looked upon the poor man stayed at his gaze the dog licked his sword and he had the same impression of him send him send Lazarus oh that disdainful look of the self-righteous damned soul is solemn isn't it how it needs to be kept from it oh that God through his grace oh might be our refuge right down to

[37:13] Aunt Johnny's hand refuge in this might be kept from this bewitching world kept from our own ideas and thoughts oh kept from the idea oh that we shall leave such a testimony that men would want to write about us friends not so perish be the thought eternal God is our refuge if men want to write something about us or may they talk of him and him alone who has done wonders for us who has watched over us been our refuge it is good I say to look back in retrospect over our life if he had not been our refuge from all eternity where oh where would we have been see how Satan has attacked us see how he has assailed us day in and day out and yet he has not prevailed not because he could not stand against us oh because

[38:24] Jesus is our refuge oh unto Jesus we have fled for refuge is it not how wonderfully he intervenes and has preserved us with our feet made haste to hell how close my friend oh we came to such dreadful disasters in our life and when I say he could not prevail did he not tempt us the best thing you can do is to do away with your life oh my friend what a refuge we need for him to preserve us from taking such action of our own to destroy ourselves yes we may destroy our body but we will never destroy our soul but the Lord has said if he that take it his life shall lose it always saying what a refuge it is we have discovered life divine in Jesus

[39:30] Christ the saviour of sinners is upheld us by his almighty hand and thus has promised us promised us all to be our refuge how wonderful his promises are yes they are he doesn't leave his promises for us to interpret and work out that work out he'll work them out in his own way and prove to you that he was in the origin of his promises and he'll be alpha and omega yes we might well say but look he promised me this and that and it hasn't come to pass but that's your verdict that's your indeed looking upon it it's not what he told you his word still stands it stands to be a refuge it still stands there for you to say remember the word upon which thou hast caused me to hold

[40:41] I say eternal God is thy refuge that you've got a word from him you can bring to him and say Lord remember this oh you leave it to him you hide him there oh you feel comfort there and hold you up he keeps you silent before the wicked he keeps you silent before temptation when everything goes wrong he says I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee oh does he say to us tonight keep silence all created things yes how we need to keep silence he's our refuge he keeps us silent friend that's a good thing isn't it keeps us silent that we might earnestly wait and watch what his appears so my friends the Lord has ever been and ever will be to his people that eternal refuge when now and forever more and what will be the song and the theme of those who is refuge when they enter finally into that refuge where sin and sorrow could never come when our eyes shall be so enlightened that we shall see our

[42:09] Lord and Saviour as we have never seen him before there are available to a end when we thus shall hear the songs and praises there are any jarring notes whatsoever oh what a refuge that is for say to my friends at one place he can never never come I say I always say he never wants to come but oh he's sure he'll be chained down and chained down forever he will be eternally destroyed I say but his dear people that he has loved suffered blood and died for they will not be destroyed though they have broken his law but oh Jesus has indeed redeemed them by his precious blood Jesus has redeemed them all the price thereof all the demanded of us he freely gave himself eternal

[43:19] God his refuge oh what he suffered what he endured we cannot begin to explain one sin on our behalf which mean eternal destruction when we see the multitude of sins on our behalf and he suffered for all of them and for all his people how many we told in the book of Revelation as we revealed to John that the people they came up at a great tribulation who washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb my friend they could not be counted and why shall we be troubled by numbers but always not this as concern or trouble shall I among them stand amen amen to be

[44:40] Let's close my singing hymn number 501, the Tears Innocence, 474.

[45:03] The number 501, for a season called to pass let us now ourselves commend to the gracious eye and heart our ever-present friend.

[45:21] Jesus, hear our humble prayer, tender shepherd of thy sheep, that by mercy and by care all our souls in safety keep.

[45:35] Hymn number 501, welcome to the Chgie Institute. Chapter 1001, säga handler and aromar, shall we repeat thisيع? autoconF promoted our kulithel and our ch Hooverman movements in action.

[45:51] His face is a German's men of exemplary, who tenян move towards аккуmal, harry продолжin the range. The poetовал his tears would only Pat! Thank you.

[46:29] Thank you.

[46:59] Thank you. Thank you.

[47:59] Thank you. Thank you.