[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, and I do need his help, I shall endeavor to say a few things to you this morning connected with the subjects you will find in the first chapter, the epistle to the Hebrews, the first and part of the second verse.
[0:24] The epistle to the Hebrews, the first chapter, the first verse, and part of the second.
[0:34] God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.
[1:04] This epistle, and therefore our subject this morning, commences with this sacred, holy, divine word, God.
[1:23] And we might well hesitate there a moment to consider the importance of this in relation to our standing as sinners in his sight.
[1:41] Reminding ourselves, as it should please God to help us, that this holy name must not be taken in vain.
[1:57] A word straight away to my younger friend. Solemnly, in the days in which we live, this holy name is lightly used and daily blasphemed.
[2:18] That commandment has never been rescinded, and I believe while earth remaineth, it never will be. He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
[2:36] This causes some of us who hope we fear his name in a gracious sense, considerable exercise at times, lest we should be left to do this unwittingly and unwillingly, and still be guilty of such a solemn act.
[2:57] The Lord preserve us and prevent us from lightly using his sacred name. And may it remain in the minds of all of us ever to use it with extreme reverence.
[3:14] God is a spirit. God is pure and holy. God is also almighty. God is greatly to be feared, we read in the word of God.
[3:27] And there will come a solemn day when the vast majority of humanity will suddenly realize how terrible is God.
[3:39] God is a solemn condition to be in.
[3:49] How is it with us this morning as we look at this portion of God's truth? Does it immediately cause that feeling of reverence to rise up within us, coupled at times with a gracious sense of his mercy and a desire to bow at his footstool?
[4:15] I wonder sometimes as I go into the various causes of truth, how many really came into the house of God with a desire to worship him.
[4:32] It has been laid upon my mind more heavily of light than ever before how guilty I myself have been in the past of neglect concerning this.
[4:46] Our prayers, when we bow our heads as we sit in the seat and come into the house of God, are usually, if you examine them carefully, for our own edification and blessing.
[5:01] How often do our prayers begin, put me this day into a worshiping frame that I may honor thy great and holy name.
[5:18] Yet this is needful. You look at the Lord's prayers we so often call it. And how does it begin? Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[5:32] Worship, adored, reverence. That is not enough of this. In our worship, I feel at times not enough concern that we should be found true worshippers.
[5:47] The Father, we read in the word of God, and they were the words of Jesus. Worship, are these. The Father seeketh such to worship him.
[6:01] That is to say, those who worship him in spirit and in truth, in absolute sincerity and from the heart. The Lord grant in his rich mercy that among those present this day there may be some true worshippers desiring to worship, prepared to worship.
[6:26] For God has revealed in his word this. This, people, have I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise.
[6:40] A little self-examination of our conduct during the week. Whether it be on the Sabbath or on the weekday.
[6:51] You'll cause us to see as solemnly short we fall in this needful worship of God. Yet hope that we are partakers of grace and have received pardoning mercy.
[7:05] What poor disciples we feel to be, some of us, is kind that we review what the word of God tells us we should be.
[7:16] And when we look within and see what we really are. How does this find you? But what does it do to you and me? Does it bring us more humbly, more sincerely to the throne of grace?
[7:33] Are our confessions the more real because their eyes are open to see our condition? Wonderful mercy if these self-examinations result in causing us to draw near to the throne of grace.
[7:50] And perhaps we then shall worship him above what we think we do. Above what we should think is possible. When we bow ourselves at his footstool and confess our shame and implore his mercy.
[8:08] God. God the Father. God the Creator. Spoke to various during the history of the world by the means he should choose.
[8:21] A variety of times and in very differing manners the world assured us. He spoke to some by night in a vision.
[8:34] Jacob and others too were favored to hear his voice in this way and receive divine instruction and be the recipient of some very precious promises.
[8:51] In Jacob's case, the word he heard from God, that God spoke to him with such a bulwark to him in his later times of trouble that he was able to plead it with God.
[9:06] Do you know anything about such a precious word? And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good. Thou saidst, I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
[9:22] How this coincides with the word in the psalm. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast called me to hope.
[9:34] This has been my comfort in my affliction. We know that he spoke to Abraham. And what if he should say to us such a word?
[9:48] Walk before me and be thou perfect. A distinct and very definite call to come out from among them and start on a journey of life of which I will be the guide and the leader and thou to follow me.
[10:08] You should hear this again. And how many were the words which he spake by Moses?
[10:21] We're told in one book in the scripture that God should say to Aaron and Miriam that he would speak to some prophet in a dream or by whatever means he should choose.
[10:38] But with his servant Moses it should not be so. He would speak to him mouth to mouth. In a similitude Moses should see him and hear his voice.
[10:50] It's possible evenings these days to hear the voice of God though we do not see him in a similitude.
[11:02] We hope we see him at times by faith. And we hear his voice and we prove it to be. Haven't some of you proved it to be just as powerful as it was in days of old?
[11:15] He speaks and it must be done. Oh but there are others in the history of the world who have heard various things in those far off days.
[11:32] There was one who said to Job, For God speaketh once, yea, twice. Yet man perceiveth it not.
[11:44] In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon man, In slumberings upon the bed, Then he openeth the ears of men, And feeleth their instruction.
[12:02] How confirming is that word in Psalm 62? God has spoken once, Twice have I heard this, That power belongeth unto God.
[12:20] How we live to prove the truth of this word of God. That without him, That without him, All efforts are useless, fruitless, Barren, unavailing, The power is alone of him, From him, And through him.
[12:43] Let our minds go now, To that army of prophets, Who were favored to hear the words of God in various ways, As their text declares, Of sundry times, And in diverse manners, They heard his voice, And were given the grace, And the courage, Against violent opposition of times, To deliver the message, Commencing with, Thus, Says the Lord, This lent divine authority to the word they spoke, And Eden then, So much of it fell upon, Hard hearts, Deaf ears, And stubborn necks, Obdurate, Human beings by nature, And deaf to every warning given, As we sometimes see,
[13:45] Man braves the patient, Power of heaven, And justice nor mercy, Ne'er can sway, The roving feet, To Zion's way, I think I misquoted that.
[13:59] However, You probably are well aware, Of what it should be, But, Just think for the time being, Of the wondrous way, God spake, In, The commandments he gave, It was clearly shown, To Moses, And to the people of Israel, That the word, On those tablets, Was God's word, Was God's word, He spake in no uncertain terms, In those days of old, And revealed his will, Concerning how, His people should live, And act, And walk, And move, I come now, To the present times, The solemn times, In which we live, In relation to God's commandments, And the awful way, That they are broken, Constantly, By us in a Christian,
[15:02] So called, Christian land, How solemn, Is the state, To which, We are fallen, As a nation, In our behavior, Morally, The, Unclean things, Which are, Perpetrated in this land, And the violence, The flagrant, Disregard of God's word, How his tabasque is broken, Idols were set up, In a variety of ways, In what is called, A Christian land, And I believe, A lot of people, Do not realize, That they worship idols, Yet, It is the case, That self, That worst of all idols, Is constantly worshipped, On the saddle, To the neglect, Of the worship of God, Which we've already alluded to, Which he, Demands, Of his children, Very rightly, Very suitably,
[16:04] That he, That people, Generally speaking, Have turned their backs, Upon this, Revealed, Word of God, The words he spake, In time of old, They still stand, Still stand, Remember the Sabbath day, To keep it holy, Honor thy father, And mother, The words of his children, Children, It says in the New Testament, Obey your parents, In the Lord, For this is right, And those other, Very solemn ones, Would follow on, Concerning, Murder, And unclean living, And covetousness, God spake, Very pointedly, In that, Way that he gave, His commands, And his voice, Has constantly, Been heard, Reiterating, And confirming,
[17:04] His will in this matter, Throughout the ages, And still, Man goes, Blindly on, Breaking, The commands, My friend, How is it with us?
[17:18] How is it with us? I believe that, A number of his children today, Hear his voice, In reproof, This one, Particular commandment, To which we all, Are so solemnly liable, To break, Thou shalt not covet, Thou shalt not covet, What solemn days, We live in, When you look around, And find the general, Disatisfaction, And lack of contentment, Which is everywhere, Abroad, With the present time, You may say, Is this in accordance, With the word, Says, Is something which, Vitally concerns us all, We need, We need to pray, For grace, That we may live, According to the profession, We make of his name, And hear, His precious voice, Even in his commandments,
[18:19] And seek grace, To walk therein, The word, Which is, With me frequently, Lately, I wish, There were more evidence, That it was true, In my case, And that more grace, Might be given, To comply with the same, The word is good, But it causes much examination, Ye are all, The children of light, Ye were sometimes darkness, But now are ye, Light in the Lord, Walk, As children of light, This will mean, In conformity, To the word, And will of God, According to that, Which he has spoken, I want to come, More particularly, For a few minutes, If I am helped, To the way, God spoke, By his prophets, Concerning, He who should come, What wondrous, Revelation, Was made, To them of old times,
[19:20] Do you ever consider, How true a prophet, The psalmist, David was, He has a firm, Claim, To be listed, Among the prophets, You read the psalms, Carefully, You'll find, The Lord Jesus, There, Clearly revealed, As to what he should suffer, And the glory, That should follow, Wondrous, As God, Did God lead, David, Into the truths, Of him, That should follow, He called David, Greatest son, Is the Lord Jesus Christ, And his grace, And discernment, Be given to us, To read the psalms, More diligently, We shall find, That God speaks, Very carefully, Through a number of them, And it is pleased him, To speak, Through the psalms, In a way of guidance, To that, Subject of worship, You will find,
[20:22] You will find, In the psalms, Every incentive, To the three, Usual parts, Of worship, Whether they be, Private or public, That is to say, Confession, Prayer, Praise, The psalms, The psalms, Are full of them, And God has spoken, To us, And does speak, Today, By those psalms, By way of guidance, Into worship, How often, I would ask you, With all affection, How often, Have some of us, Joined, With the psalmist of old, In that most, Solemn confession of his, Psalm 51, And found a great need, So frequently to plead, Purge me with hyssop, And I shall be clean, Wash me, And I shall be,
[21:22] Whiter than snow, What a precious, Voice is heard there, A holding out of, Cleansing, Wonderful mercy, To be, In the heart, To seek, For these, Mercies of washing, And to find, That God's voice, Is in the psalms, As to position, Why the psalms, So frequently, Lead us, Into just, The very desires, Of our hearts, And prove, A very important thing, That he, Who led, His servant, David, To pen, These precious psalms, Has opened, Has opened our ears, That we're no longer, Deaf to his voice, But are under, The leading and instruction, Of the same, Gracious spirit, That caused those, Truth to be pain, How many of you,
[22:26] I wonder, Have come into this sanctuary, With this petition, Show me a token, For good, Speak, To me, Be not, Silent unto me, Lest, Thou be silent, I become like those, Who go down, Into the pit, You wish, To hear his voice then, Your ear is open, To hear his voice, What a mercy, Jesus said, On one occasion, To his disciples, Blessed are your eyes, For they see, And your ears, For they hear, And then in praise, Yes, How we hear, The voice of God, Leading us, Through the psalms, In praise, Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me,
[23:27] Bless his holy name, Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not, All his benefits, Then comes this, Sweet one, And then I must pass on, Such a lovely word, Of praise, And I believe, A few of you, Will have joined me, In it, And would again, O magnify, The Lord with me, And let us exalt, His name together, Why, I told the Lord, And he heard me, There he says, There he says, You heard his voice, When he answered your prayer, What does he say?
[24:10] I must just repeat this, It's his voice again, And call upon me, In the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, And thou shalt glorify me, Prove to be, One whom thou favoured, But he spake, By his servant, The prophet, To her father, And clearly showed, That there should be one to come, A redeemer, One who should be a sacrifice, I don't know how many times, We've read the 53rd of Isaiah, But it's well worth reading again, To read how the Lord spoke, By his servant, The prophet Isaiah, Clearly indicating, What the son of God, Should pass through, To save sinners,
[25:11] He also revealed, By that same prophet, How he should be born, And to another prophet, Where he should be born, And it is said, By those more wise than I, That there are indications, In the prophet, When he should be born, I can't go into that, But we do know this, He has come, And now I wish, To come, Having very feebly, Referred, To the way, God's sake, In time past, I want to look, At the next part, Of their text, Pass, In these, Last days, Now we're told, That this does not indicate, Any immediate end, Of the world, And was never intended, Still, It doesn't mean, That the time is short, Even now, Who's to know,
[26:12] When Jesus himself, Says, Is not the angels, Of heaven, No, But his father only, But it does indicate, And it's intended, To mean, That there is, No other dispensation, To follow the present one, There was, What was called, The patriarchal dispensation, Those of the fathers, Of old time, Followed by the, Most, Dispensation, And that followed, By the prophetical dispensation, And that followed, By the present, Dispensation, The christian era, When Jesus came, We are told, Of his kingdom, There should be no end, An everlasting kingdom, There's no other era, To follow, No other dispensation, To come, When this dispensation, Closes, The world will end, But God's kingdom,
[27:13] Will not, The Lord Jesus Christ's, Kingdom will not, He will then, Gather together, His dear people, And reign over them, Forever and ever, And may we be, In that blessed kingdom, Hath, In these last days, Spoken unto us, By his Son, Now a brief review, Of what God spoke, In time past, Were words, Of warning, Words, Very solemn words, Of threatening, Yet there were words, Of comfort, And words, Of promise, Words, Of blessing, Now let us look, As we may be helped, At the two of the words, Spoken, By his Son, Quite noticeable, Quite noticeable, That when Jesus,
[28:14] Began to preach, As we read, He should use, Just the same words, As John, The Baptist, Repent, For the kingdom, Of heaven, Is at hand, Repent, This, This, Then, Is among the words, Spoken, By his Son, And Jesus, Also said this, On another occasion, Except, Repent, You shall all likewise, Perish, Repentance, Then, Is the most important, Word, That we should hear, If our ears, Be open, To receive the same, And what is repentance?
[28:57] Why, It's the thing, My friends, That accompanies, The child of God, Throughout the whole, Of its pilgrimage, After the call, By grace, Daily to repent, Of sin, Is a, A proof, Of a very tender, Conscience, And the work, Of grace, Within, Isn't it a remarkable, Thing, That repentance, Is called joy, In heaven, And they've taken, That we prove, From the scripture, Of course, Joy in heaven, Over one sinner, That's repentance, More than over, Ninety and nine, Just persons, Who need no repentance, Few to need none, What a wonderful thing, Is repentance, And when do we, Really repent, I wouldn't set up, Any standard, To be a claim to, Because repentance, Is the gift of God, And like all, The gifts of God, Is it sovereignly, Bestowed, According to his, Will and pleasure, And for,
[29:58] His own honor, And glory, As well as, The benefit of the sinner, Repentance may be given, Under first conviction, It accompanies, Contrition, And confession, And confession, And confession, Does repentance, But when do, Men, Or rather, I don't say men, When does the child, Of God, Man or woman, Joyfully repent, You see, You see, There are stages, Of repentance, And some of it, Is so bitter, Some of it, Is so sorrowful, Some of it, Is so distressing, Is repentance, And yet, Is God honoring, Because it's real, And sincere, And honors him, And relieves the sinner, You ever prove this, To confess, And repent, Is to have, The burden at least, To feel it, So lightened, We confess, What a wonderful mercy, Repentance is in their heart,
[31:00] But there's such a thing, As joyful repentance, The hymn writer, Has it like this, Nor is it, Such a dismal thing, As tis by, Some men name, A sinner may repent, And sing, Rejoice, And be ashamed, That needs an explanation, You might say, It sounds so contradictory, It isn't, Now I believe, And I know by experience, What it is, To feel, To loathe myself, And yet to rejoice, To think that God, Has shown mercy, You truly repent, And joyfully repent, When you receive, The token of forgiveness, Of sin, Because you've lost, The fear of punishment, There's no more, Of that slavish fear, Left for the time being, Liberty has been, Granted to you, Your pardon,
[32:01] Your pardon has been extended, And the gates of heaven, Verily for a time, Seem to be opened to you, Yet you will repent, And loathe yourself, And grieve, For grieving him, And sorrow, And sorrow, To think that you should have been, The cause unwittingly, Yet very certainly, Of his suffering, On Calvary's tree, Yes, Because it was for you, He died, If that is, Your blessed condition, To have received, True repentance, He has spoken, By his son, This precious word, And as I have hinted, It lasts, Throughout the whole, Of a child of God's life, Daily I repent, Of sin, Daily wash, In Calvary's blood, A blessed state, To be in my friends, A very precious condition, To be in, Daily to confess, Daily to wash, Daily to repent,
[33:03] Hath in these last days, Spoken to us, By his son, What did he say? Go ye, And learn, What that may mean, I will have mercy, And not sacrifice, I came not to call, The righteous, But sinners, To repent, How does that teach you?
[33:25] Is that just, What you want to hear? Is that the total sum, As one says? Mercy, Good Lord, Is all that, You seem to need at times, Isn't it?
[33:37] It's the one thing, You must lay hands on, Your hand of faith, Would grasp it, Even when you're, At your lowest, Wouldn't it? It's mercy, Ah, But it's precious mercy, That brings a sinner, To worship at the footstool, Of mercy, It's mercy, Which causes one, As he did one of old, To sit at the feet, Of Jesus, Closed, And in his right mind, Wonderful mercy, To be there, To think of the words, He spake, Precious words, Aren't they?
[34:12] I came not to call, The righteous, But sinners, To repent, This was said of him, But oh, Very blessed, Because it was true, This man receiveth, Sineth, And eateth wither, And hath spoken unto us, By his sight, What did he say?
[34:42] Let not your heart be troubled, Do you believe in God? Believe also in me, In my father's house, Are many mansions, If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place, Has this ever been spoken, Into your heart?
[35:06] For you, For you, I believe it came, To me once, Most unexpectedly, I was visiting, A servant of his, In his advanced age, Obviously nearing, His journey's end, And we sat, Talking together, I quoted the word, That I thought, Would be so, Stuted to him, And it came to me, I said, Here's your comfort, I go, To prepare a place, For you, And the word came to me, Oh, Eric, Now that, I heard his voice, He spoke to me, He softened me, He humiliated me, He caused me, To fall at his footstool, And work it, And sing, For the praise, And mercy I found, He said,
[36:08] I go away, But if I go away, I will come again, And receive you unto myself, That where I am, There ye may be also, What is your religion?
[36:26] I ask the question, Very solemnly, You exhibit, A religion, Every time you come, Into this house, What is it for you, What does it contain?
[36:38] Does it contain, Hope of heaven, Through the merit, The suffering, And the intercession, Of a dying, Risen, Glorified Savior?
[36:51] Do you believe, The scripture, That says, I go to prepare a place, For you, Because I live, Ye shall live also, Has this word, Ever engaged, Your attention, And reached your ear, And your heart, Father, Father, What a word is that?
[37:12] Father, I will that thou, Whom thou hast given me, Be with me, Where I am, Spoken to us, By his side, How do you hope of heaven, How do you have blessed interest, In that which is to follow, When time shall be no more, Those precious words, They're easy to say, But what a blessed truth they are, To come up higher, Come up higher, Come in, Oh, There will be some solemn words, Presently, That will fall, From the lips, Of the Son of God, Very solemn, He said this, When he was upon earth, And he tries me, Sometimes, Very much, Many, Note that, Many will say to me, In that day, We've done,
[38:15] In thy name, Many wonderful works, In thy name, As past eight devils, And he shall say, I never knew you, I never knew you, Depart from me, Oh, It was solemn, He used to sing, A little hymn, In the Sunday school, In fact, There were two lines, Which had come to me, All of a sudden, And I just have passed them on, One was this, Careless sinner, What will then, Become of this, And the other, Such a solemn question, Concerning those, Who attain to heaven, And hear his voice, In that blessed day, Saying, Come in, Ye blessed of my father,
[39:16] Inherit the kingdom, Prepared for you, From the foundation, Of the world, What was that question, Oh, Will you be there, What's the word, The word is, Father, I will, That thou and thou, That thou hast given me, And then there's this, Because I don't want, To cut anybody off, God knows, I'd rather encourage, Any poor seeker, Here's the word, All that the father, Giveth me, Shall come to me, And him that cometh to me, I will in no way, Cast thou, Oh, My friends, My young friends, Middle-aged friends, Aged friends, Have you, So come, In the way he is appointed, Because he said this also, And we haven't departed, From the text, Hath spoken unto us, By his son, He said,
[40:17] Come, Unto me, All ye that labor, And are heavy laden, And I will give you rest, And he said this to him, And how much we feel to need it, In the days in which we live, It was a petition to his father, I pray not, That thou shouldst take them, Out of the world, But that thou shouldst, Keep them from the evil, Here is our safety, Here is the protection, Of a child of God, However weak, And helpless, They may feel to be, Preserved, Preserved, Because kept, It is they, Who will attain, To that inheritance, Mentioned by Peter, Which is undefiled, And which passes not away, Reserved in heaven, For you who are kept, By the power of God, We've got back to that,
[41:20] Twice have I heard this, That power belongeth unto God, Kept, By his mighty power, Some of us have called, To thank him for this, Who served in Jesus, When, My feet made haste of hell, And there should I have gone, That thou dost all things dwell, His love was great, His mercy free, Which from the pit, Delivers me, Have you heard his voice?
[41:50] He says this in his word, My feet, Hear my voice, Then this word will, Spring up in your heart, As you are tendering, The things of God, The companions, Hearken to thy voice, Cause me to hear, Cause me to hear, I'll leave the matter there, With you, For your further meditation, And I do hope, And pray that, It may please him, From time to time, To speak to you, By his son, In the gospel, In this, House of prayer, May he forgive, All that has been amiss, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,