Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/52574/happy-art-thou-o-israel-quality-very-good/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:01] Turn with me to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 33, and at verse 29.

[0:13] Deuteronomy chapter 33, verse 29. Happy art thou, O Israel, who is life unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, who is the sword of thy excellency.

[0:36] And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

[0:48] Moses was raised up, chosen by God, commissioned by God, to lead the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.

[1:18] Around the wilderness, toward the promised land. Moses, who was born of a Hebrew woman, in the day when Pharaoh commanded that the sons born to Hebrew women should be put to death.

[1:47] And many were slain. But God, in his divine wisdom, divine purposes, Moses had appointed this, that Moses should be spared from the sword in his infancy.

[2:13] That the river should be his resting place for a period of time in the bulrushes.

[2:30] And that the daughter of the enemy of the people of God should be the one to take him into the royal palace, to be as her own son, to be trained, to be educated, to be trained, to be educated, in all the learning and the wisdom of Egypt, and to be lira��ish times, and to be educated, to be educated, the Japanese of the people of Israel.

[3:22] And there he did dwell until the Lord's time for him to be brought out. the Lord's time for him to be arrested by divine grace and led from the royal palace do we not read of Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season the world would look on and say what a strange man how very peculiar that this man who one day would have become a sovereign of the lands choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God choosing rather to be joined to this afflicted and poor people that's how they're described in the word of God isn't it an afflicted and poor people

[4:47] God said I'm left in the midst an afflicted and poor people Moses Moses left the riches the possessions those things that would one day have been his left left all those things in their place and did join himself to these poor afflicted people God's God's purpose God did work within him God did lead him out you know we read that as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God led out led along and finally led in led out of the world led along with the people of God day by night they are joined to them they walk with them they worship with them they pray with them they can converse with them because they speak the same things the same language they seek after the same goals led along led along by the Lord the Lord himself goes before them he leads them forth by the right way that they might go to a city of habitation and the Lord led didn't he led Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea made a pathway for them a pathway through the waters and the waters stood up on either side as a wall and went over on dried land to the other side and remember it was a pathway for the Lord's people for Israel wasn't a pathway for the Egyptians was it and when

[7:22] Israel had passed over to the other side the waters closed up and swallowed their enemies those Egyptians who had been cruel to them had been their enemies and were their enemies those Egyptians they saw them they would see them no more again forever said God and they were led into the wilderness did God promise an easy pathway to them did God say it would be a comfortable journey to the promised land has God promised to his people an easy pathway along this wilderness way this world is a wilderness isn't it to the child of God it's a wilderness to your soul here you have no continuing city there is nothing here is there which will satisfy your soul if grace has made an aching void within your heart the world can never fill it nothing that the world has will ever satisfy the longing soul the Lord you know in the wilderness did promise his presence and gave his presence to his people the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night the Lord's presence and it went before that those forty years that they journeyed in the wilderness and the Lord provided didn't he manna from heaven and they all drank of that same rock which followed them but I would not dwell too much on that side of it except to say that the Lord was faithful to his promises the Lord was mindful of his faith and here

[10:09] Moses stands on the threshold of the promised land and God did give to him words to speak to the tribes of Israel and those words which are spoken are for the people of God the church of God and how sweet if the Lord has applied a word to your heart sealed a word into your soul if he has spoken from his holy word into your very heart if you can go in the strength of that word many days in the strength of that meat many days

[11:11] Moses stood there upon the mount he was shortly to be taken from this scene remember that he was forty years in Pharaoh's cult but with all the instruction and the learning that he had there he was not prepared for the task of leading God's ancient people out of the land of Egypt through the wilderness toward the promised land he had to spend forty years didn't he in the back side of the desert what for why did he have to spend forty years of course we know the cause we know why he had to flee but ah you see it was to learn to be tempted to be tried to be tested forty years in preparation then the

[12:39] Lord did call him then the Lord did bring him to that place to lead his people along through the wilderness forty years God suffered their manners then forty years he suffered their manners in the wilderness how long was the Lord born with you and with me in this wilderness way we have no stones to cast to these people have we they murmured they complained they rebelled can we say we have not murmured or complained or rebelled against God here Moses looked upon the humble dwellings the tents of the children of Israel and he says this happy art thou

[13:53] O Israel happy art thou O Israel why the world would say well happiness is this health and strength all your days ah what happiness to be strong and healthy all your days no sickness no affliction but it is not so happiness to have great possessions to have that which the world seeks after can this bring happiness ah the world may think it's strange you know but you would not with the world exchange would you what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give and exchange for his soul if you could possess the whole world it would be for a short time really wouldn't it if you lived three score and ten or four score years or past that as many do now it has to be all that behind everything has to be left as left because no man can take anything from this world any possession with him into eternity but you know this the child of God takes something with him doesn't he the work of grace begun in the heart that which

[16:15] God has performed within he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ the ungodly the wicked take their sins with them into eternity but the child of God does not take his sins with him they're carried away they're dealt with happy out now doesn't this make a poor man happy a poor sinner happy and when the Lord comes when he pours into the heart that swathed and yet a solemn repentance and a godly sorrow for sin and there is a pouring out of the heart before God in repentance real repentance and the Lord appears the Lord draws near the Lord that speaks that pardon into the heart son thy sins are forgiven thee daughter go in peace thy faith have made thee whole happy out there aren't these the things that make a soul happy perhaps you are longing for it perhaps you are longing for the

[17:43] Lord to come to speak that pardon and peace within your heart to come again perhaps he has visited you in days past and you want the Lord to come again to revive that work within to say unto your soul that he is your salvation restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Lord to come again happy out there you see what a difference of opinion there is between the child of God and the world the world a look upon happiness as possessions health and strength pleasures amusements those things to make them happy and you know how many laugh at sin don't they they laugh at sin sinful things it's their amusement the thought of foolishness is sin we read in the word of

[19:15] God I know and how it does try the people of God often those things perhaps you heard something 40 years ago or more something that you felt was amusing and others did also and it comes back doesn't it to your thoughts you know was it buried quaint man wasn't he my memory is bad but what is sad can folly still retain yes you remember foolish things silly things oh fill it Lord with thy sweet word may that remain let it there remain happy art thou

[20:16] O Israel you see the word is spoken to a people it is to Israel happy art thou O Israel who are these who is this Israel it's the spiritual Israel you know there's a literal Israel and a spiritual Israel the apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians says this in the third chapter third verse for we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh people of God the spiritual Israel spiritual

[21:16] Jews who worship which worship God in the spirit when you come into the house of God when you fall upon your knees to worship him hearts worshipping in the spirit isn't that your desire isn't it to worship him in the spirit said Jesus God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth worship him in the spirit the spirit of the Lord to be present in the house of God the spirit of the Lord to be poured out not to come together in a former way in a social way but to be found worshipping him in spirit you know if we are found in that place what reverence will be what reverence before God remembering that we are poor sinners in this earth and he is holy and pure and just that the eye of the

[22:57] Lord searches through and through his eye is upon each one his ear is open to every word that is spoken and every word unspoken the thought that is within us the spiritual Israel for those that worship God in the spirit of how we do need to pray for this spirit that spirit which separates from the world that spirit which humbles doesn't it that spirit which brings one down into a lowly place that spirit which is love joy and peace and long suffering and gentleness and meekness and goodness and faith and temperance that's the fruit of it isn't it the fruit of the spirit and rejoice in

[24:19] Christ Jesus you know the apostle gives this exhortation doesn't he rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice ah what sweet rejoicing there is what sweet joy there is when his people are found in the spirit it's not fleshly is it it's something which rises up from within from the heart itself what joy what joy in the Lord what rejoicing there is among the people of God in their worship of God well how much they have to be thankful for you know I often feel if the

[25:21] Lord by his spirit did pour in that spirit of thankfulness we wouldn't cease would we we wouldn't cease to be thankful to him happy art thou O Israel those who were appointed to salvation in eternity you see the apostle speaks of worshipping God in the spirit and remember this that God is in three persons father son and holy spirit and the spiritual Israel worship him as such and he has God the father has in eternity passed separated the people to be his own eternally happy art thou

[26:35] O Israel who they know this they believe it they believe it that God has chosen a people they are predestinated elected to eternal salvation you know this is a mystery no man can explain this mystery why God has to choose some and not others we read of Israel in this text and you remember don't you that Jacob Jacob the man Jacob had to separate himself from all creatures his loved ones his family every possession we read that

[27:52] Jacob was left alone and there he wrestled wrestled with a man with the angel of the Lord and he wrestled and he wrestled all night until the breaking of the day in trouble he was in trouble but you know he wanted the Lord to bless him this is what he wanted the Lord to bless him and he wrestled and he said I cannot let thee go except thou bless me do not turn away thy face mine is an urgent pressing case and he prevailed and we read the Lord blessed him there and his name was changed to Israel wasn't it as the spiritual name isn't it of Jacob he prevailed as a prince prevailed with God happy art thou

[29:26] O Israel dear Jacob you know was brought along wasn't he brought along that pathway oh what trials what difficulties what oppositions what sorrows what afflictions all these things are against me he said and he said to his sons he'd bring down my grey hairs to the grave in sorrow but you know when he came to the end there wasn't a cloud in the sky another cloud in the sky Jacob have I loved loved with an everlasting love happy art thou oh you know if you feel in your heart a touch of this love of God shed abroad there by the spirit this will make you happy won't it and if you feel a flowing out of the heart to him because it's not all one way there's a flowing in and there's a flowing out if there's a flowing out to him love doesn't this then make a soul happy spiritual things aren't they the

[31:06] Lord said said Jeremiah the Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee and remember this that those who are drawn are among the spiritual Israel aren't they drawn by that sweet resistless love the grace of God drawn unto himself drawn to his feet there they cast themselves there they pour out their heart before him and I say that blessing of his which enriches oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed said Jabez oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed what is it to be blessed it is to have the pardon of sin and the peace of

[32:20] God which passeth all understanding to have that light shining from the saviour into your poor heart for the Lord Jesus to descend as the dew of Israel upon your soul that you might feel as a watered garden but you know the apostle says in that verse which worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh no confidence in the flesh you know there's a lot of religion isn't there in the earth Lord have a name to live have a form of godliness much confidence in the flesh look what

[33:28] I'm doing look what I've done I've done all this for the Lord isn't it wonderful no confidence in the flesh no you know what the flesh is don't you and so do I you know the things that rise up from your sinful heart don't you I know something of it no confidence is in the flesh dare we dare any go before the Lord and say ah with the Pharisee I've done this I give tithes of all that I possess and so on but ah rather it's venturing forth with the publican

[34:35] God be merciful to me a sinner poor sinner happy happy art thou oh Israel ah sinners sinners can say and none but they how precious is the saviour because it's your mercy and my mercy that poor sinners can draw near to the throne of grace and there's a welcome there the vilest sinner out of hell who lives to fill his need is welcome there happy art thou oh Israel who is like unto thee who can be compared to these people chosen by

[35:38] God the Father saved by the son of God saved with an everlasting salvation redeemed redeemed by the precious blood of Christ what think ye of Christ ah you say if ever my poor soul be saved this Christ must be the way and we need don't we again and again to be brought into that place the garden Gethsemane Calvary to see the view of that scene of matchless grace there to see

[36:39] Jesus there we don't want to be fanciful in any of our remarks but I believe you know the Lord does lead his people into that place to view that scene there what think ye of Christ whose son is he you know it may be you long to be able to say my beloved is mine and I am his you dare not presume long to be able to say this with sweet assurance my beloved is mine and I am his aren't a great thing if the desire is there the great thing if you see your all is in

[37:52] Jesus your hope is there great thing if the Holy Spirit has taught you this that he is wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption why it's the Holy Spirit's heart isn't it to seal that there Holy Spirit is the teacher who takes of the things of Jesus and reveals those things happy are thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy health think of that word you know that God did speak to Abraham of old I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward shield defense a defense from the fiery doubts of the adversary the assaults of the enemy a defense a protection and this is the

[39:14] Lord but not only defense but that which is for the attack the weapons of our warfare are not carnage the sword or have some use the sword of the town have some use the sword of the flesh to attack and Peter you know he took up a sword and and wounded a man cutting off his ear put up like sword put it up in its shape the Lord is our defense the

[40:15] Lord is our helper isn't it what is the sword you have it's prayer isn't it prayer faith Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees prayer is a weapon of the feeble and weakest souls can wield it best happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee enemies and perhaps you immediately think of the enemies without what about the enemy within the enemies within what about those things that are found within the heart enemies and the greatest enemy your greatest enemy who is that it's self isn't it self greatest enemy and those enemies shall be found liars unto thee and those things you know the adversary whisper speaks he's a liar and a father and thou shalt tread upon their high places the

[41:55]  Lord rises up his people lifts them up and bears them up in his arms and he will see those his enemies all his enemies beneath his feet may may the Lord add his blessing these few thoughts pardon that which is pure I see a mess for his name same amen is a com mummy hug ah me I can fantastic all people have them to help try get away us hurt these That shall deep harm isißt