SOUL PROGRESS IN PRESSURE
[p. 499] SOUL PROGRESS IN PRESSURE
Isaiah 37:l-17; Isaiah 37:21; Isaiah 37:23; Isaiah 37:30-32; Isaiah 38:9; Isaiah 38:16-20
I wish to speak of progress of soul in pressure, referring to Hezekiah as an example of this. We are living in a time of great pressure, not only for the saints, but for the whole world; really more so for the world, for it does not have an outlet, as the saints do and as Hezekiah did, in prayer. When king Hezekiah heard the words of Rabshakeh “he rent his garments, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Jehovah. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz”. This shows what pressure he was going through. If we go through pressure stoically, as the world generally does, we do not learn from it.
Sackcloth is not here an empty sign of humility and contrition. Hezekiah first rent his clothes and then covered himself with sackcloth. Rending the clothes would signify that there was something wrong. Our clothes suggest what we are, and we need to rend them as finding out something wrong in our circumstances. If pressure comes there is a cause. The moral side — the searching — is a vital matter, and then we convey the result to the prophet. We may thank God if we have a prophet in our midst! We speak to the Lord about the matter, but we have representatives of His down here; therefore Hezekiah could say to Isaiah, “lift up a prayer for the remnant that is left”. The answer is immediate. It is a ‘first-aid’ answer; there will be relief at once, in measure. But then the king of Assyria sends another message. How Hezekiah reacts to this message! He went up into the house of Jehovah and spread the letter before Jehovah and prayed to [p. 500] Him. There is no rending of clothes, or putting on of sackcloth now! There has been spiritual growth brought about by pressure. When we get on our knees the moral side will be settled. Now Hezekiah goes up! This is moral elevation! It is like the ascent by which Solomon went up into the house of Jehovah. Such moral elevation is only for those who have clean hands and pure hearts.
Previously, Isaiah prayed, now Hezekiah prays. He has, in principle, reached sonship in his experience with God. He is free to speak to God. Look at the titles he uses: “Jehovah of hosts”; “God of Israel”; “the Same”; “God of all the kingdoms of the earth”. Hezekiah is now at liberty with God! And the answer is in keeping with the prayer. He prayed as a son; the answer is, “the virgin-daughter of Zion (Isaiah 37:22)”. She despises the enemy and laughs him to scorn. “The daughter of Jerusalem shaketh her head at thee (Isaiah 37:22)”.
And then there is to be fruit to God out of the pressure. God gave Hezekiah a sign, that in the first year they were to eat such as groweth of itself. We might say it is like the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control (Galatians 5:22,23)”. The second year they were to eat “that which springeth of the same”; but in the third year they were to sow and reap; to plant and eat. Agricultural skill is required for that, and intelligence, too, for if we wish a certain crop we must sow accordingly. Pressure is intended to bring us to sonship, and sonship to fruitfulness.
Chapter 38 introduces the thought of something being added. Hezekiah is now going through personal pressure. Previously, it was a national pressure. He is now seen as sick unto death; he must go through this alone. He turned his face to the wall. But he prayed, and a sign was given him and fifteen years were added to his life. As a result we find that he adds his contribution to the service of God. It is originality [p. 501] developed out of the pressure. The passage says: “The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness”. And furthermore, “Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit, and thou hast recovered me, and made me to live. Behold, instead of peace I had bitterness upon bitterness; but thou hast in love delivered my soul from the pit of destruction; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back ... . The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I this day; ... And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah”. It is the living that shall praise Jehovah!
There is also the thought of playing upon stringed instruments. The harp is the highest order of stringed instrument. It is the instrument which is referred to as used in heaven. It is to be used now in the assembly. The pressure is intended to perfect praise to God. We do not add anything to God’s service unless it is worthy or suitable to that service. Pressure is the means of refinement of the saints so that they may add to the service of God that which is original. Hezekiah says, “We will play upon my stringed instruments”.