Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for He is raised up out of His holy habitation
Flesh silenced by God’s arising
1.
The vision itself. The man with a line in his hand.
2. The interpretation of the vision. Jerusalem shall be built, and the city shall be inhabited.
3. A threefold apostrophe that the Lord infers from this--
(1) Directed to the Jews that yet continued in Babylon. The Lord calls them. It is barrenness and lowness of spirit not to accept deliverance. “Deliver thyself.”
(2) The news is to the enemies that were their neighbours.
(3) To both. Let the enemies silence their murmurings, silence their slanders. Let the saints silence their frettings, silence their doubtings. In the words of text are two things.
I. A proposition. “The Lord is raised up out of His holy habitation.” The expression “habitation of His holiness” is used two ways in Scripture. It is sometimes put for heaven; sometimes for the temple, the place of God’s presence among His people, manifested in ordinances. How is God said to be “raised up”? It is such a rising as is after an awaking out of sleep. But how can God be said to sleep? The cessation of acts of providence is God’s sleep. The putting of them forth is God’s arising, awaking. The meaning of the sentence is this,--When the Lord doth appear for His people as a return of their prayers, when the Lord ariseth gloriously for them, for their deliverance, and their enemies overthrow, then it is said, “The Lord is raised up out of His holy habitation.” Two observations--The great comfort of the saints in all their straits and difficulties lies in this, when they see God ariseth for them. Experiments of God’s rising in acts of providence are great grounds to His people to stay their faith, that God will go on, He will bring His work to perfection. Open this under three heads--
1. There is a time when God seems to sleep.
2. The great labour of the saints in all their straits is to awaken God, that God may arise. We knock at heaven’s gate; we environ God; beleaguer God by our prayers; we as it were wrest mercy out of His hands.
3. The consolations of the saints must needs be very great from the arisings of God for them in His providential dealings. When the Lord doth arise, whatsoever standeth in opposition must fall. When God ariseth, He overruleth the spirits of men, so as they shall effect and accomplish the end. When God ariseth, He hath abundance rise with Him. When, by our spiritual eyes, can we discern that God is raised up?
1. Prayer is God’s way by which He is raised up.
2. When the Lord defeateth the counsels of the enemy, turns their plots upon their heads.
3. When the Lord takes away the heart of His enemies.
4. When the Lord acteth the spirits of His people unto high and noble and invincible resolutions.
5. When the Lord goes on in ways of mercy, and draws out His loving kindness. The experiments (experiences) which the saints have of the rising of God are a sure pledge to their faith that He will go on; He will not leave the work till He hath brought it to perfection. The inference is,--then “be silent all flesh before Him.” Some men keep silence in policy, because they would not discover themselves till a convenient time. But all the people of God that would approve themselves, must keep silence in duty. There is a silence of shame, and a silence of fear and astonishment. The Lord says to these Jews, silence your doubtings, and silence your frettings. (W. Strong.)
God raised up out of His holy habitation
I. The sense of the phrase. Expressions concerning the locality o! the Divine presence arose out of the circumstances of His dwelling in the tabernacle of Moses; of His resting when the camp rested, and marching before them when they advanced. When God thus arose, He came forth from His holy habitation. When God is spoken of in human language, local and bodily ideas must enter into it. The conception of our minds, as to the operations of God, are aided by such phraseology. It may be applied generally to the dispensations of providence. When wickedness prevails, when error spreads, when the Church is wasted, then the Almighty is represented as shutting His eyes, turning away His face, withholding His hand, and resting in His holy place. But when He makes Himself manifest in judgment or mercy, when He has nations to punish or to bless, when His Church calls for protection and help, then He is “raised up out of His holy habitation,” and “all flesh” is commanded to “keep silence” before Him.
II. The occasions which procure this interposition of God.
1. He is raised up by the incorrigible vices of men. When wickedness abounds, for a time He appears to disregard it, or He interposes by gentle corrections; but there is a limit to His patience and forbearance.
2. Pride and oppression raise Him up out of His habitation. “Those kingdoms that walk in pride He will abase.” Every power that is opposed to the laws of God must be overthrown; and the more proud and oppressive it is, the more certain, speedy, and marked is its downfall.
3. God is raised up for the manifestation of His truth. To every people God originally gave a saving system, and all nations might have preserved it. That they have not, is a proof of human depravity. Had it not been for special interpositions from God, the truth would have wholly perished; and with it all the hopes of the world must have ended forever. Here is the mercy of God.
4. God is raised up by the prayers of His saints. Prayer moves Him that moves the universe. Everything encourages prayer. That which is our privilege is made our duty. You know the efficacy of prayer. It is prayer that calls down His visitations, interests Him in your cause, and secures to you grace to help in every time of need. Nor less essentially is it connected with every plan for the spread of His Gospel, and the prosperity of His Church.
5. The performance of His promise to Messiah raises God up from His holy habitation. He had said, “I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance.” This decree is not yet fully accomplished. God has been raised up partly to accomplish it; but He will ere long put forth His power in a still more glorious manner. Even now is He raised up for this purpose.
III. The impression these extraordinary dispensations should make. Silence is commanded; but silence in such a case is the result of powerful mental impression.
1. It is the effect of deep and intense interest.
2. Reproof produces silence.
3. Satisfaction produces silence. All flesh, as well as the Church, is commanded to keep silence before God.
IV. But is the whole to issue in emotion? Certainly not. God is raised up out of His place, to raise us up from ours. We are to be fellow helpers to the truth. It is our encouragement that God is “raised up out of His holy habitation”; and this will render us inexcusable if we refuse to cooperate. If God is thus raised up, we have many encouragements to exertion. We have the Divine sanction. Prayer must be heard. We shall not want cooperation. We cannot want success. We shall be inexcusable, if we refuse to espouse His cause. (R. Watson.)
