Tuesday, May 19, 2020

"My Words Will Not Depart From You"

"As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever." ((Isa. 59: 21)

The word of promise is not only that the LORD will without fail "put" his "spirit" upon his chosen people and his "words" into their mouths but would insure that those very words would remain ("not depart") in the mouth. This is about a good a verse supporting the sure and certain perseverance of the elect, of those who have God's "spirit" upon them and his "words" in their hearts and mouths ("for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks"), as any.

Dr. Gill wrote:

"As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord,...Which shall be manifested and made good to them that repent of their sins, and, believe in Christ; and to whom the particular blessing of it shall be applied, the forgiveness of their sins."

shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever; that is, shall always continue with the church and her spiritual seed, such as are born in her, and brought up by her, throughout all successive ages, and to the end of time; and it may be observed, that after the conversion of the Jews, to which this prophecy has a special regard, they shall no more apostatize; the Spirit of the Lord shall not depart from them; and the Gospel shall always be professed by them: and it may be further observed, that the Spirit and the word go together; and that the latter is only effectual as accompanied will, the former, and is a proof of the perseverance of the church of God, and of all such who have the Spirit and grace of God, Christ will always have a church, and that church a seed, in which the Spirit and word will always remain. The grace of the Spirit, in the hearts of God's people, never removes from them; nor his Gospel from such, in whose hearts it works effectually. The Targum interprets this of the words of prophecy; and the Talmud of the law not departing from the disciples of wise men; but it is best to understand it of the Gospel not departing from the disciples of Christ, and the seed of the church."

Ah yes, "the Spirit and the word go together"!

Real conversion and rebirth in the image of God will issue in faithful adherence to Christ.

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