‘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!’
Deu_33:29
Two things are stated in reference to Christ’s people. There is stated:
I. Their happy condition.
There can be no doubt of this. For God Himself says—
(a) They are happy.
‘Happy art thou, O Israel.’ They are happy in the knowledge that the Lord is their God. ‘Happy are the people that are in such a case: yea, blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.’ Israel of old was thus a happy people. They were happy in that they were God’s people.
But there are greater things than these. The Lord not only affirms that ‘His people are happy,’ but that—
(b) They are the happiest of all mankind.
St. Paul says that, if the believer had hope only in this life, he would be of all men most miserable. But he has hope of a glorious eternity, and this makes him of all men the happiest. The Lord therefore says of you, who are His redeemed and converted people, ‘Who is like unto thee?’ With such prospects, even in this world, there is no one so happy as the true Christian. You may be as poor as was Lazarus; yet, like him, in all your poverty, and with all your sickness, you are far happier than some rich unconverted neighbour, in all his wealth, and in all his sumptuous fare and purple raiment. You may be shut out from the society of the gay and of the rich, as was Elijah at Cherith; yet, like him, you are strangers to the unquiet and restless desires that are working in some Ahab or some Jezebel, whose higher position in life you are sometimes tempted to covet. You may be exposed to trials and persecutions, as were Paul and Silas; but, like them, you are able to sing the songs of Zion even in your midnight dungeon, while your persecutors, in dread of some future miseries, are so unhappy that they are calling for a sword to put away their own lives.
You have seen the happiness of the Lord’s people. Now consider—
II. How it is effected.
This happiness is effected by their assurance—
(a) Of salvation.
(b) Of protection.
The Lord Jesus Himself is our shield. The Lord Jesus Himself is your sword. Oh, what can stop your progress? What can keep you out of heaven? Think of your present position and privileges. The righteousness in which you are justified is an everlasting righteousness. In Christ Jesus you are as safe as though you were now standing round about His throne on high. Being one with Christ by His life-giving Spirit, you are bound up, as it were, in the bundle of life with Him. The eternal God is your refuge and your Redeemer. His everlasting arms form your unfailing support. All His perfections are engaged in your behalf. He will hasten to your assistance whenever you are assailed. He will guard your peace and shield your character. He will choose your inheritance for you, and give you the possession of it.
I would now apply the subject. You have seen the privileges of the Lord’s people.
We see hence—
III. ‘A nation’s security.’
The weakness of a nation is sin. Its strength is its godliness. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people. Look at Israel of old. How strong and invincible were they as long as they obeyed their Lord! But as soon as, through their sins, the Lord turned His back upon them, how easily they were made a prey to the Canaanites, the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, the Egyptians, the Romans, and every other enemy! The Great Ruler of the universe deals not with sinful nations as He deals with individual transgressors. With individual transgressors He deals, for the most part, in the world to come. He thus lets many an impenitent sinner go through life without sorrow. These men He reserves for punishment in the eternal world; and as soon as their breath goeth forth their everlasting misery begins. But God deals with nations in this world. He does so because nations will not exist hereafter.
IV. ‘The believer’s duty.’
That duty is so to live as not to provoke God to draw from you the light of His countenance. If God be with you, you will in every spiritual conflict be brought off more than conquerors. But if you provoke God to leave you to your own devices, dark days and comfortless nights will be your portion. In God’s presence, even in this life, is joy. When He is absent, as many of you know by your own bitter experience, all joy is gone, and nothing remains but coldness, desolation, and gloom. If, therefore, you would be distinguished for your happiness, seek to be distinguished for your holiness.
—
Canon Clayton.
Illustrations
(1) ‘We cannot study the New Testament without noticing how continually it appeals to Christians as being already in possession of certain assured privileges, and how it urges us, on the ground of our possession, to go on and make further privileges and gifts our own. The “saints” whom St. Paul addresses were often imperfect enough: but he bases his exhortations to them on the ground of their responsibility as being “in Christ”—members of His Body, temples of His Spirit.
Manifestly it must be the Holy Spirit who leads us into the knowledge and certainty of our happy estate in Christ. All the faithful testify that the New Covenant is written with indelible characters on their hearts. And such an agreement naturally becomes also an alliance. “This God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our Guide, even unto death.” ’
(2) ‘He who affirms that Christianity makes men miserable, is himself an utter stranger to it. It were strange indeed, if it made us wretched, for see to what a position it exalts us! It makes us sons of God. Suppose you that God will give all the happiness to His enemies, and reserve all the mourning for His own family? Shall His foes have mirth and joy, and shall His home-born children inherit sorrow and righteousness? Shall the sinner, who has no part in Christ, call himself rich in happiness, and shall we go mourning as if we were penniless beggars? No, we will rejoice in the Lord always, and glory in our inheritance, for we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” The rod of chastisement must rest upon us in our measure, but it worketh for us the comfortable fruits of righteousness; and therefore by the aid of the divine Comforter, we, the “people saved of the Lord,” will joy in the God of our salvation.’
