Thursday Night Study

We plan to begin a new Thursday night study on Thursday, September 6th, at 7 PM at the church, using the study guide, "Let's Study I Timothy."  Join us then!  The pastor will provide the books.

Review: "J. C. Ryle: Prepared to Stand Alone"

Before reading, J. C. Ryle:  Prepared to Stand Alone, by Iain H. Murray, I had read some of Ryle’s “thoughts” on the Gospels, but nothing else.  Now I look forward to reading more of him.

Opposite the title page is a picture of Ryle with the following quote:  “We want more boldness among the friends of truth.  There is far too much tendency to sit still, and wait for committees, and number our adherents.  We want more men who are not afraid to stand alone.  It is truth, not numbers, which shall always in the end prevail.  We have the truth, and we need not be ashamed to say so.  The judgement day will prove who is right, and to that day we boldly appeal.”

Murray relies first on Ryle’s autobiography (all published by Banner of Truth) which covers the first forty-four years of his life.  The final forty years are put together through a variety of sources.

Ryle was the son of a banker who had become quite wealthy.  Ryle did not intend to enter the ordained ministry initially because he felt a call to it – he was not even a Christian at that time, but because his family went bankrupt, and he thought the ministry would provide a steady income.

“I became a clergyman because I felt shut up to it, and saw no other course of life open to me” (56).  In the Providence of God, at age 21, he received the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ryle found himself in a denomination hostile to the clear teaching of the Scripture.  A denomination more interested in the thing of the world – much akin to many denominations of Christianity today.  Ryle stood up for the Word of God and would not stand down, even if he should be alone.

I found this book uplifting, seeing that the work is God and we are called to faithfulness and obedience to Him.  The battle is the Lord’s.  And it also challenged me to continue to think about how best to respond to my denomination, and the churches in my area, where the Word of God is put far away from the hysterical or fun-fun-fun worship services of our churches.

Ryle writes, “Men must read, if their ministry is not to become threadbare, thin, and a mere repetition of hackneyed commonplace.  Always taking out of their minds and never putting in, they must naturally come to the bottom.  Reading alone will make a full man” (99).

I remember in seminary during a class being asked to think of habits we would want to employ in our ministry.  When I mentioned the reading of theology, there was an outcry of disgust, and one student said she would never read theology again after she become ordained.

“If preaching were to become what it ought to be, ministers must be, as were Puritan giants, students.  Less public work.  Fewer committees.  Less serving of tables” (115).

Since his ministry was based in the preaching of the Word of God as He hath spoken, the ministry of Ryle, his example, and his stands are very much relevant and those of today – because nothing changes.

“No doubt we all love unity; but we must distinctly maintain, that rue unity can only be built on God’s truth.  No doubt we must not withhold the right hand of fellowship from any faith brother, because he does not think exactly like us; but we must understand who the men are to whom we extend the right hand” (179).

Ryle has much to say to the ministry and to the church today.  Take up and read.

The book ends with an essay considering what Ryle says for today, extracts from Ryle’s writings, and some thoughts on his son, Herbert.

[This review appears on my blog and on Amazon.com.]

The Pastor is on Vacation

The Pastor is on vacation from Monday, August 13 through Monday, August 27, 2018.  If you are in need, please call a member of the Consistory.  If you die or the church burns down, please call the secretary and she will get in touch with the pastor.

"The Remnants" Sermon: Isaiah 10:16-34

“The Remnants”

[Isaiah 10:16-34]

August 12, 2018, Second Reformed Church

            God is Sovereign, and we have seen that God allowed the evil Assyrians to conquer Israel and attack Judah to accomplish the good work of God’s discipline of His people.  So, one act can be done for both evil and good reasons. 

And we saw that we are responsible for our actions.  When we sin, that debt to God must be paid.  We can pay it – or, if we believe in Jesus – Who He is and what He did as God and Savior, Jesus will pay the debt to God.

When we left off last week, God explains that the Assyrians were conquering for their own evil agenda, and they are absolutely, ignorantly, arrogant about who they are and their power.  They thought they were “all that” and no one would ever be able to hold them accountable or stop them.

God continues speaking about what He will do to punish the Assyrians for their sin.

And we see, a remnant of the Assyrians will remain.

            “Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.”

            The Lord God, the Sovereign God, will send a sickness that kills off a large percentage of the warriors that march against Israel and Judah.  And, whereas the Assyrians gave themselves glory for their evil deeds, God will set a fire beneath them that burns up their glory – that will shrivel away and die and effectively become nothing under the Hand of God.

“The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame, and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day.”

The Light of Israel, Who is the Holy God – is Light, revelation, promise, hope to Israel, but it is fire – rapid fire and destruction to the Assyrians.  Their downfall will take place in the space of a day.

“The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the LORD will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away. The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.”

God will destroy the Assyrians, both in soul and body.  They will lose their physical wealth and health, and they will lose their spiritual health and future.  They will be left without hope.

And the number of Assyrians that will be left on the earth will be so few that a child can write them down.  Think about your grandchildren – when they were 3 or 4 – how high could they count?  That is how few Assyrians would be left after God punishes them.

And we might wonder why God left any of them at all.

We’re not told, but God doesn’t have to physically punish His enemies in this life.  And it may be that God leaves witnesses to His power and to the evil of this type of group by leaving a remnant behind.  Yet, they are without hope.  Everything is lost.

For those who never believe in Jesus savingly, there is no hope – everything is lost.

Second, a remnant of Israel and Judah will return.

            “In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.”

            When the time of Israel and Judah’s discipline is over, a remnant will physically return to the land and spiritually repent and exhibit faith and obedience to the Lord, the Holy One, the Almighty God.  This will be proof that the discipline did what it was intended to do – to restore God’s people to a right relationship with Him – to have them turn from their sin and to place their hope and obedience in Him.

            “For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth.”

            God promises Abraham that his descendants would be numbered like the sand of the sea, but, at this time, they will be small in number.  Destruction will occur, and the keeping of God’s Law will occur, and this will happen.

            We need to remember that Isaiah is telling Israel and Judah things that are going to happen – as he tells them how God will destroy the Assyrians, they haven’t taken Israel and Judah into captivity yet – these are still things that will occur in the future.  God is revealing what He will do so Israel and Judah will not lose hope, but be ready and come to repentance.

            Do you remember times when God has brought you through discipline and suffering?

            Are you thankful?

            As David repents of his sins regarding Bathsheba, he writes, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice” (Psalm 51:8, ESV).

            Did you hear that?  God may break our bones in discipline to save us, and our response ought to be to turn and repent and rejoice that God broke our bones – and not more.  The goal of discipline is restoration.

            God saved a remnant of Israel and Judah, and God is saving a remnant out of every people, nation, tribe, and tongue in humanity.

            Third, there is no need to fear the Assyrians.

            “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: ‘O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction. And the LORD of hosts will wield against them a whip, as when he struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. And his staff will be over the sea, and he will lift it as he did in Egypt. And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat.’”

            God tells the inhabitants of Zion – of Jerusalem – in particular – not to be afraid of the Assyrians because it will not be long after they begin striking that God will deliver Jerusalem.

            Like Midian.

            We remember that Israel was oppressed by the Midianites in Judges chapter seven, and Gideon called up and army of 32,000 to wage war.  But God told Gideon that that was too large an army. So, Gideon said that anyone who was afraid could leave, and 10,000 went home.  But God said that 22,000 was too large an army.  The numbers had to be pared down further so the people would understand that God won the victory for them,  So, God told Gideon to have the men drink from the stream, and those who lapped up the water like dogs would be the ones to take into battle.  The army then numbered 300 men.

            Gideon led the 300 to the Midian camp and they all blew their trumpets.  God caused the Midianites to be so startled and confused that they pulled out their swords and killed each other, and some ran away.  The Lord won the battle over the Midianites.

            Like the Red Sea of Egypt.

            In Exodus 14, Israel had made her way to the shore of the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, and they were, seemingly, stuck, and they saw the Egyptians coming towards them.  They cried out that they would give themselves back into slavery in Egypt, if the Egyptians would not kill them in the wilderness.  But God said He would deliver them if they would just be quiet.

            And we read:

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.’

            “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left” (Exodus 14:21-29, ESV).

            The Lord won the battle over the Egyptians.

            Has God done anything good for you in your past?  Anything?  Does that give you courage not to be afraid of what may come?  Courage to endure the discipline of our loving Father?

            The author of Hebrews writes, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, ESV).

            There is no reason to be afraid of the Assyrians.  The worst they can do is kill your body.  They cannot separate you from God, if you are reconciled to Him.

            Then God gives a dramatic telling of moving towards Jerusalem – naming towns closer and closer to the city:

“He has come to Aiath; he has passed through Migron; at Michmash he stores his baggage; they have crossed over the pass; at Geba they lodge for the night; Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul has fled. Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! Give attention, O Laishah! O poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. This very day he will halt at Nob; he will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.  Behold, the Lord GOD of hosts will lop the boughs with terrifying power; the great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One.”

Yes, the Assyrians are coming.  Yes, God is using them to discipline Israel and Judah.  Yes, they are getting closer – by the time the stop at Nob, they would only be a mile outside of the city.  But God has promised to end the discipline at the right time.  Just as He confused and defeated the Midianites and drown Pharaoh and his army – God has a plan that He is bringing to fruition.  No matter who is coming, God is in change, God is Sovereign, God will lead us and even directly intercede to bring it to an end, as He is willing.

In II Kings 19, we read that the Assyrians, under the leadership of their King, Sennacherib, were on the march against Jerusalem, and King Hezekiah of Judah went to Isaiah to ask him to plead for them before the Lord, and he did.

God says that Jerusalem should plant wheat and vineyards so they will be bearing when the remnant returns out of captivity.

“Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it.  By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

“And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place” (II Kings 19:32-37, ESV).

Before the Assyrians could conquer Jerusalem, God killed most of their army and sent their king back home to be murdered by his sons.

Isaiah’s son is named, Shear-jashub, a remnant will return.  A remnant will return.

We don’t know how our lives will play out.  We don’t know what discipline God knows we need.  We don’t know if we will die sooner, rather than later.  We don’t know if we will be taken into captivity.  We don’t know if we will remain here and see the Hand of God against His – and our – enemies.

What we do know is God is faithful.  We have seen God’s faithfulness in the past.  And God continues to prove Himself faithful.  God is just and merciful.  What mercy we have received!  What grace we have been given.

Let us pray:

Almighty God and Father, Holy One, we come to You as Your children, bought by Your Son, Your Gift to Your people.  That alone should fill us with confidence and thanks to follow after You in faith and obedience.  But we shake as the Midianites come and the Egyptians come and the Assyrians come.  Shore us up by the power and work of God the Holy Spirit.  Give us Your wisdom and help us to receive every word You have said in trust.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.