William Huntington

I. - God's Unerring Watchword to the Doubtful Saint when Halting Between "Lo Here and Lo There."

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left," Isaiah, xxx. 21.

THE prophet in this chapter describes a people upon whom the Lord waits to be gracious, that is, he observes their conduct, considers their straits and troubles, and suffers their cases to get desperate, with respect to human aid, that he may display the riches of his grace when there is no eye to pity nor hand to help, and that his strength may be perfected in their weakness; by which means he convinces them of their sins and of their insufficiency, and so stops the mouth of boasting, and secures the glory of their salvation to himself, verse 18.

He further intimates that God's gracious deliverance of them shall be obtained in answer to weeping, crying, and praying, ver. 19. And that for a while adversity and oppression shall be their sorrowful meat and drink; yet that it shall terminate in such an unctuous and experimental knowledge of the truth, as shall greatly fortify them against the seduction of blind watchmen and dumb dogs. "Thy teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers," verse 20.

A minister of the letter stands in his chains, and in the bondage of his corruption; and he savours of sin and wrath, and nothing else; and the shew of his countenance proclaims it, and testifies against him.

The presumptuous sinner, that runs into the ministry unsent of God, stands in pride, arrogance, and false confidence, and hardens and emboldens the wicked.

The heretic, who holds damnable heresies, is a minister of Satan, and stands in the father of lies, actuated and influenced by him.

The Arminian stands in the flesh, trusts in his own heart, leans to his own understanding, and makes flesh his arm. He is not emptied from vessel to vessel; he is settled on his lees; his scent is not changed; "he savours not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

But the minister of Christ stands fast in the Lord; he stands in the Lord's strength, in his grace and favour, in his righteousness, in his truth, in the peace that he has made, and in the liberty that he has proclaimed He stands as his ambassador and his mouth to the people, shining in his light, and burning with his love, seeking his honour and glory, and the welfare of all his seed. For such "to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Now for God to be gracious to such souls, to hear their cry, and to answer them, and then to enlighten them to see eye to eye with their own teachers, and that themselves are built upon the same foundation that the apostles and prophets were built on, and that the most profound minister of Christ cannot get into a corner or to be hid from them in the mysteries of the kingdom, is a blessing indeed. But if, at any time, they should be seduced, or led astray, then a word behind them shall set them right again.

"Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee."

But then what is this word behind us? The law is called a voice of words; and every believer should endeavour to keep this voice of words behind him, and not suffer himself to be bewitched like the foolish Galatians, in being led back to it again. This voice of words blinds us when it is before us, and kills us when it is within us; and therefore, having fled from the wrath to come, and from the mount that burns with fire, from blackness and darkness, we should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, lest it bring us back to the law again; for he that hath got his face Zion-ward should keep Sinai at his back, and the voice of words always behind him, as a spur to his diligence, and as a caution not to look back, "remembering his former affliction, and his misery, the wormwood, and the gall."

However, this is not the word behind us, because it gives not life nor doth it shew the way to it, as this word does, which says, "This is the way, walk ye in it." For not the law, but the gospel; not Moses, but Christ; not the letter, but the spirit; shew the way of life, and the way to life.

Again, the word of life in the mouth of Christ is a word before us. "When he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them, and the sheep hear his voice and follow them: but a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers." This is a word before, and not behind us.

But further, the word of truth in the mouth of gospel ministers should be a word before us. It is a sad thing when one who is called a leader goes behind. He ought to be before the flock in knowledge, experience, judgment, and gifts; and to say with Paul, "Be ye followers of me, and mark them that walk so;" and again, "Follow me, as I follow Christ." But to have a pastor over a people who is nothing but a novice, or an old woman, is one of Zion's worst calamities. "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them," Isaiah, iii. 12. From which rulers and oppressors the good Lord deliver us all.

But, notwithstanding all that has been said, the child of God often needs a word behind him; and God says he shall have it, and his ears shall hear it too. For this word is to speak, and to be heard, "when the believer is turning to the right hand or to the left."

But does not God promise to lead his people in a straight way wherein, they shall not stumble? Yes; and he says, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee; ponder the path of thy feet, turn not to the right-hand nor to the left," Prov. iv. 25, 26, 27. But, if God leads his people in a straight path wherein they are to go, and commands them not to decline either to the right or left, from whence come these turnings mentioned in this text? For the word behind is to speak, "when they turn to the right hand, and when they turn to the left."

The occasion of these turnings is the voice of strangers, or the uncertain sounds given by the trumpet of blind watchmen, called by the Master of assemblies, "Lo here and lo there. But (saith he) go not after them, nor follow them." And, though it is true that the sheep will not follow them, for they know not the voice of strangers, yet they have at certain times gained their attention, filled them with wonder and amazement, made them halt between two opinions, gained upon their passions, zealously affected them, got into their good graces, and have been received into their houses; and have been often swayed both to the right and to the left. At these times "they shall hear a word behind them saying, This is the way, walk ye in it."

Then what is this word that speaks behind us? I would ask thee, Christian, how the word came to thee at first. You will answer, "It came not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, it came with power in the Holy Ghost and much assurance." If it came with power, then it was the gospel indeed, "which is the power of God to salvation;" and, if it came in the Holy Ghost, the gospel was to see the ministry of the Spirit, "which giveth life;" and, if it came with much assurance, then it was the "word of faith which we preach," for faith came to thee by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The Father spoke love to thee, the Son spoke life, mercy, and peace, and the Spirit spoke "Abba, Father" in thee, and bore his witness to thy sonship.

This word had a sweet voice then, and it has the same voice now; and this word of past experience, which quickened thee and raised thee to hope at first, is a word behind thee; and the voice of God in it is this, "Let that abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning; if that which ye heard from the beginning shall abide in you, ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father," I John, ii. 24. "Remember (saith the Lord) how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast. Hold fast that which thou hast, let no man take thy crown. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation." Now the voice of this word behind us should be attended to before we turn to the right hand or to the left.

The Galatians got into the right way and ran well; but they were turned out of the way to the left hand, which leads to Horeb; then the Spirit by Paul spoke in the word behind them. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law? He that ministereth the Spirit and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?" Did ye begin in the Spirit? Then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. This was the word behind them.

So, likewise, when the deluded Arian cries lo to the right hand, debasing and dishonouring the Lord of glory, and setting his wisdom and knowledge above him, taking the right hand of him, styling him a creature, and pointing us to an unincarnate God, and to seeking for him, not "as shining in the face of Jesus Christ," but as smoking in the fury of his jealousy in a broken law � then the word has a voice behind thee. How didst thou receive Christ at first? As a man, as a creature, as an empty name, as a delegated God, or a God by office, or as a covenant character without a divine person to fill and support it? Or didst thou receive him as Thomas did, and say, "My Lord and my God?" or as other saints have done, "Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation?" Isaiah, xxv. 9. The voice of God in the word behind thee is this; "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." You received him as God over all; as able to save to the uttermost; as a willing, suitable and all-sufficient Saviour; as the proper object of every branch of divine worship; as the object of all your love, faith, hope, and trust. "With him was there any thing mixed? Then what wouldest thou mix with him now?" You knew then whom you had believed, and you was persuaded that he was able to keep that which you had committed to him against that day. But now you have cast away your confidence, which hath so great a recompense of reward, and your affections are alienated from him; your love is waxed cold, and your thoughts of Christ are mean and low, and you stagger at every thing, and are at a point in nothing. "An enemy hath done this. You must return again to your first husband, for it was better with you then than it is now." This persuasion came not from him that called you. It is the voice of a stranger; it is an uncertain sound; it is an unwarranted lo here and lo there; go not after them, nor follow them. Attend to the voice of Christ in the word behind thee. The Spirit then testified of Jesus to thy heart, and glorified Christ in thee, and his witness was borne to thy sonship by the faith of him. "By receiving Christ you received power to become a son of God; and that anointing is true, and is no lie, therefore abide in him." They that have seduced thee have not taught thee as that anointing has taught thee, therefore thou needest no such teachers nor teaching, because they have not taught thee the same lessons which that anointing has taught thee, but contrary to it. "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things: and, even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him," I John, ii. 27. "Set thine heart once more to the highway, even to the way which thou wentest. Turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man." And from that new thing, from that Immanuel God with us, let no man seduce thee, let no man beguile thee; for the believer is complete in him; and he that abideth in him brings forth much fruit: but there is nothing but deficiency, barrenness, and misery, out of him. Now to the saving counsel and instruction that is given us in this word behind us.

It is this, "This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." But then, what way is this? I answer, It is a way "that no fowl knoweth," no bird of prey. "A way that the lion's whelps have never trod," not the roaring lion of the bottomless pit, nor any whelp of his, have ever been on it, Job, xxviii. 7, 8. "It is hid from the eyes of all living." The natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God, or can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He knows nothing but what he knows naturally, and in these things he corrupts himself. He would fain be wise, though he be born like a wild ass's colt. But this way is above him; it is far above out of his sight and out of his reach. "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." But this is God's way; and God's ways are not man's ways. As high as heaven is above the earth, so high are God's ways above man's ways, and God's thoughts above man's thoughts.

Christ "is the way, the truth, and the life," He is "God's way upon earth, and his saving health among all nations." Wherever he is revealed, he is revealed as the only way to the Father. He is the way, by the sacrifice that he offered, and by the satisfaction that he made, by the path that he trod as our forerunner, by the door of hope that he opened, by the way of life that he cast up and consecrated through the vail of his flesh, by the doctrine that he taught, by the faith that he hath finished, by the example that he hath set, and by the promise of life and gift of peace that he hath left as invaluable legacies behind him.

"This is the way, walk ye in it."

The saint's path is the way of truth, the way of life, of peace, of wisdom, of understanding, of holiness, and of charity; and Christ is all these. I am the truth, I am the life. He is our peace. I am wisdom, I am understanding. "I am the Lord your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your king," Isaiah, xliii. 15. "This is the true God, and eternal life," 1 John, v. 20. And to walk by faith in him, and in the faith of interest in the favour of him, is to walk in all these. "This is the way, walk ye in it."