The Lord's Appeal to His Own People

This is a portion of Jehovah’s pleading with his people.

He has called upon the mountains and the strong foundations of the earth to hear the suit between him and Israel.

Far be it from us to trifle when God has a controversy with us, for to him it is a matter of deep solemnity. In condescending grace he makes much of the affection of his people, and he will not lose it without effort.

We have before us,—

I. A PITEOUS EXCLAMATION. “O my people!”

Is it not remarkable that such language should be used by the Eternal God?

1. It is the voice of solemn earnestness.

2. It is the cry of sorrow. The interjection is wet with tears.

3. It is the appeal of love. Love injured, but living, pleading, striving, entreating.

4. It is the language of desire. Divine love yearns for the reconciliation of the rebel: it pines to have his loyal affection.

   • The Lord calls a revolted nation “my people” still. Grace is stronger than sin. Eternal love is not founded upon our merits.

II. A PAINFUL FACT. “Wearied you.”

Israel acted as if they were tired of their God.

1. They were weary of his name. Baal and Ashtareth had become the fashion, and the living God was despised.

2. They were weary of his worship. The sacrifice, the priest, the holy place, prayer, praise, etc.; all these were despised.

3. They were weary of obedience to his laws, though they were right, and just, and meant for their good.

4. They were weary of his restraints: they desired liberty to ruin themselves by transgression.

   • The parallel between ourselves and Israel lies upon the surface.
   • In the following points, and many more, certain professors prove their weariness of God,—
   • They give up nearness of communion.
   • They abandon preciseness of walking.
   • They fail in fullness of consecration.
   • They cool down from intensity of zeal.
   • They lose the full assurance of faith, and other joys.
   • And all this because they are in reality weary of their God.
   • This is a sorrow of sorrows to the great heart of love.

III. A PATIENT INQUIRY. “What have I done unto you?” etc.

Amazing love! God himself puts himself upon trial.

1. What single act of God could induce us to forsake his way? “What have I done unto you?”

2. What continuous way of the Lord could have caused us weariness? “Wherein have I wearied you?”

3. What testimony of any kind can we bear against God? “Testify against me.”

   • No answer is possible except the most unreserved confession that the Lord has done us no ill.
   • The Lord is goodness itself, and unmingled kindness.
   • He has not wearied us with demands of offerings.
   • He has not burdened us with austerities.
   • He has not tired us with monotonies.
   • He has not denied us rest, but has even commanded it.
   • If wearied with our God, it is—
   • Because of our foolish waywardness.
   • Because of our fickle fancy.
   • Because of our feeble love to himself and holiness.
   • Or because we have misunderstood his commands.
   • By all that God has already done for us, let us cling to him.
   • By the superlative excellence of Jesus, let us be bound to him.
   • By the sacred power of the Holy Spirit, may we be kept loving to the end.

Quotations

Now there is one thing to which we need to call the attention of backsliders; and that is,—that the Lord never forsook them; but that they forsook him! The Lord never left them; but they left him! And this, too, without a cause! He says: “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me?” Is not God the same today as when you came to him first? Has God changed? Men are apt to think that God has changed; but the change is with them. Backslider, I would ask you, “What iniquity is there in God, that you have left him, and gone far from him?”

Love does not like to be forgotten. You mothers would break your hearts if your children left you, and never wrote you a word, or sent any memento of their affection for you: and God pleads over backsliders as a parent over loved ones who have gone astray; and he tries to woo them back. He asks, “What have I done that you should have forsaken me?” The most tender and loving words to be found in the whole of the Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left him without a cause.—D. L. Moody.

Let those tempted to depart from the Lord remember the answer of Christian to Apollyon, when the latter sought to persuade him to turn back, and forsake his Lord: “O you destroying Apollyon, to speak truth, I like his service, his wages, his servants, his government, his company, and country, better than your; and, therefore, leave off to persuade me further: I am his servant, and I will follow him.”

Polycarp, being required by an infidel judge to blaspheme Christ, made him this witty and devout answer: “Eighty-six years have I lived, neither did he once harm me in any one thing; why, then, should I blaspheme my God, which has neither hindered me nor injured me?” We cannot charge our God with any wrong, our gracious Lord with any hardness, injury, or unkindness towards us; but must always, with Polycarp, acknowledge his exceeding bounty and unspeakable goodness.—Richard Meredeth.

“O my people, what have I done unto you?” or, rather, what have I not done to do you good? “O generation, see you the word of the Lord,” and not hear it only; was ever anything more evidencing and evincing than what I now allege? “Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness?” Jeremiah 2:31. May I not well say unto you, as Themistocles did to his ungrateful countrymen, “What? are you weary of receiving so many benefits from one man?” But say, What hurt have I ever done you? and wherein have I wearied you, or been troublesome to you? unless it be by daily loading you with loving-kindnesses (Psalm 68:19), and bearing with your provocations? Forgive me that injury (2 Corinthians 12:13).—Trapp.

“O my people,” etc. If subjects quit their allegiance to their prince, they will pretend, as the ten tribes did when they revolted from Rehoboam, that his yoke is too heavy for them; but can you pretend any such thing? What have I done to you that is unjust or unkind? Wherein have I wearied you with the impositions of service, or the exactions of tribute? Have I made you to serve with an offering? Isaiah 43:23.—Matthew Henry.