Sermon # 204          Series: Isaiah

 

Title:  THE REREWARD

Text:  Isaiah 58:8

Subject:  The Security of God’s Elect

Date: Sunday Evening – February 19, 1995

Tape # R-2

 

Introduction:

 

The church of God in this world is often compared to an army marching through hostile, enemy territory.  We must never count on a moment’s peach from the world, the flesh, and the devil.   If we were of the world, the world would love it’s own.  But we are not of the world.  Christ has called us out of the world and out of darkness.  Consequently, the world hates us.  To seek your companions among worldlings is to take a traitor into your bosom.  I grant we are living in softer das now than before, at least in our society.  Our enemies no longer use the sword, the stocks, or the stake.  But do not be so foolish as to imagine that darkness has become the friend of the light or evil the friend of righteousness.  The world is ever ready to pounce upon the church.  Satan is ever endeavoring to destroy it.  If not by attack from without, them by corruption within.  But his object and the object of the world is the destruction of Christ, his church, and his gospel.  We must each, as soldiers enlisted in the army of Christ, under the blood-red banner of the cross, take up the battle for his truth and his glory where we live.  We are honor bound to do so!  We must never look upon our life as a pleasure cruise in a ship of ease upon the sea of tranquility.  Our life is a march, the march of an army through hostile, enemy territory.  Our text tonight addresses us as such.

 

 

In this verse of Holy Scripture the Lord God, speaking by the mouth of his prophet, Isaiah, makes three promises to all who take up the banner of the cross and engage in holy warfare with the world, the flesh, and the devil.

 

1.  In this world, God promises every believer, every sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ, light and health, not physical light and health, but spiritual light and spiritual health – “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily.”

 

This is a prophetic promise, referring specifically to the coming of Christ who is the Light of the world, by whose blood and righteousness chosen sinners are made completely whole speedily, as quickly as they look to him in faith (Isa. 45:22).

 

When the light of the gospel, the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shines in the heart, the light of joy, and peace, and comfort shines in the soul.

 

God’s saints are people who walk in the light as he is in the light – (I John 1:5-8).  “Ye are not in darkness!”  “Ye are children of light!”

 

 

Moreover, all who are in Christ, being born of God and made partakers of the divine nature through grace have been restored to life and health in Christ – “With his stripes we are healed!”  “Ye are complete in him!”

 

 

In this world, God promises every believer the light and life of his free grace in Christ.  We LIVE in him!

 

2.  The second thing spoken of in our text is a vanguard or advance guard.

 

Every marching army has a vanguard, or advance guard, that marches in the forefront leading all the rest, directing them in the way, and opening the way as they go.  This is what God says to us, as we march through this world – “And thy righteousness shall go before thee!”

 

These words do not refer to the righteous works or the righteous character of God’s saints. Our righteousness does not go before us to prepare the way for us into heavenly glory.  Our righteous works follow us there.  But they do not go before us!  (Rev. 14:13).

 

The words “Thy Righteousness” refer to the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness which has been so thoroughly and completely imputed to us that his righteousness is our righteousness – (Jer. 23:6).  Indeed, Christ himself is “They Righteousness!”

 

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Righteousness is here said to “go before thee” for three reasons.  He goes before us…

 

 

3.  The third thing promised in our test is this – “The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.”

 

The word “rereward” is not re-reward but “rear-ward.”  It means, “The glory of the Lord shall bring up the rear,” or “The glory of the Lord shall gather you up.”

 

Proposition:  This is the promise that God makes to us by his prophet – The Lord God will, by virtue of and by the power of his glory, gather all his elect up to heaven; and not even one of them shall perish – This word of promise, “The glory of the Lord shall gather thee up” is exactly the same thing that our Savior said in John 10:28 – “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish!”

 

As every marching army has its vanguard and its foot soldiers, so it is necessary that every marching army have its rearward to protect, defend, and gather up the weak, the wounded, and those who for one reason or another cannot keep up the march and leg behind.  Let me show you just two things about this promise, wherein God declares his glory to be The Rereward of his church.

 

I.  Here the Lord God promises to take Care of And Protect The Weak and Feeble Among His Saints.

 

John Gill wrote, “He gathers his people to himself.  He protects and defends them.  He takes care of the weak and feeble that are straggling behind… He brings them up, being the rereward, and saves them.”

 

This promise is most particularly intended by God to comfort and encourage those who are the least likely to be comforted by others and the least to find comfort for themselves in his promises.  It is a promise of grace not to those who boldly march out front and are always in the thick of the battle, or to those, who faithfully stay by the stuff, but to those who seem to themselves and often seem to others to be useless weights and drains upon the church.

 

A.  This is God’s Promise to You, Bro. And Sis. Fearful Heart.

 

Your faith is true.  You trust the Lord Jesus Christ.  But you are ever full of doubts and fears.  Your faith ought to be strong, but it is weak.  You live in great trouble of heart because you have no assurance of a saving interest in Christ.  You miss much happiness, and joy, and peace.  And I would do nothing to encourage your fearfulness.  Yet, I know that…

 

Many in the fold of Jesus

Full assurance cannot boast,

Yet, according to His promise,

None of these can e’er be lost.

By His merc deeply graven

On His hands their names remain!

 

Some of God’s saints not only go through the Slough of Despond, they carry it with them!  Yet, God is to you The Rereward.  Your faith may be only as a grain of mustard seed, but if you do ever so slightly trust the Lord Jesus Christ, God says, “The glory of the Lord shall gather you up!”

 

B.  This promise is to you who have a Very Low Estimate of Yourselves and Thing of Yourselves as a Hindrance Rather Than a Help in The Cause of Christ.

 

I have found that usually those who have the lowest views of themselves and imagine that they are useless in the cause of Christ are the most useful.  But, still they look upon themselves as being less than the least in the kingdom of God, at least logging stragglers in the army of heaven.

 

 

I grant, my brother, my sister, you may be in the rear of the army.  But if you trust Christ, if you follow the Lord, you are in his ranks and he will as surely gather you up to heaven as he did his Son, your Substitute!

 

C.  Most particularly, I am sure, This is God’s Promise To and Regarding Every Fallen Saint – “The glory of the Lord will gather you up!”

 

Though they have wondered from him, the Lord’s word is not a word of wrath, but of grace.  His voice is not the voice of condemnation, but of consolation.

 

 

I will do nothing to encourage you in sin.  But I do guarantee you this, a mother or father whose child has fallen into evil and has forsaken his loving parents, would give anything to have someone go in their name and say – “My love has not changed.  The door is open.  Come on home.  And I am here to tell you, my fallen brother, my fallen sister, if you are God’s, if you do indeed trust the Lord Jesus Christ, if you are washed in his blood, robed in his righteousness, and born of his Spirit, no matter what you have done, no matter how long, “The glory of the Lord will gather you up.”

 

1.  Lot was a straggler; but the Lord gathered him up!

2.  David fell; but the Lord gathered him up!

3.  Peter denied him; but the Lord gathered him up!

 

God will correct you; but he will not cut you off.  He will discipline you; but he will not destroy you.

 

 

“Once a sinner near despair

Sought Thy mercy-seat by prayer;

Mercy heard and set him free;

Lord, that mercy came to me!

 

Many days have passed since then,

Many charges I have seen;

Yet, have been upheld till now,

Who could hold me up but Thou?

 

Thou hast helped in every need,

Yet more help, my Lord, I need,

After so much mercy past

Thou will keep and hold me fast!

II.  That which is our rereward, that which is our assurance that the Lord will yet gather us up into heaven is His Glory! – “The glory of the Lord is thy rereward.

 

The glory of the Lord is what he is, it is his name, his attributes, and his honor.  It is the glory of God that will gather us up at last.   The glory of the Lord is…

 

A.  His Sovereign Decree – “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious!

B.  His Immutability (Mal. 3:6).

C.  His Omnipotence (John 10:29-30).

D.  His Atonement (Rom. 3:24-26).

E.  His Grace (Eph. 1:13-14; 2:1-8).

F.  His Faithfulness (I Thess. 5:24).

G.  His Free Love (Hosea 14:4).

 

Application:  I have done the best I can to describe our Savior as One worthy of your faith and love.  Come to him now and prove for yourself all that I have taught you.