Man Overlooking Canyon With Isaiah 26 Verse 4by MuzFamily
26:4Isaiah 26:4
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORDJEHOVAHis everlasting strength:
Trust in the Lord is to endure forever, continually and without limit, because in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. That everlasting strength is the Rock, the Rock of Ages, the eternal and living Rock, who is Christ, the secure foundation, refuge and hiding place. It is the ground of perfect peace to the one whose mind is fixed and stayed on God because he trusts in Him. Such trust means depending on the Lord rather than on finite human beings, human strength and counsel, rulers, idols or any broken reed. Those who so trust receive strength sufficient for every time of need, to uphold His work, to stand firm against temptation and trial, and to find peace, security and refuge amid opposition and conflict.
Words and Images
Trust in the Lord is to endure forever, continually and without limit, because in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. This lasting trust is sung as hope amid earth's last great crisis and as faith and hope for a time of deepening crisis. It belongs with the picture of God as a protective refuge and giver of perfect peace to those who trust Him, bringing assurance and peace to the humble and contrite in heart. It is connected with perfect peace for the person whose mind rests and remains fixed on God, and with the security of God's strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation. It closes a song of salvation, a strong city, and perfect peace for those whose minds remain fixed on God, and presents trust in Him as the ground of that peace.
The Lord Jehovah is an enduring, unfailing and unchanging source of strength on whom confidence rests and to whom every asking soul can come. The call is to keep trusting in the Lord always because unending strength is in Him, sung in the land of Judah in celebration of a strong city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation. Its gates are opened for a righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in, and it keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on God because he trusts in Him. It assures covenant-keeping people that all the Lord's counsels toward them are faithfulness and truth, and that His discipline of His church is loving-kindness that narrow vision alone fails to discern. It rests on God bringing down those who dwell on high and laying the lofty city low to the ground and to the dust, where the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy tread it down. It stands with the upright way of the just weighed by the Most Upright, with waiting for God in the way of His judgments and desiring His name and remembrance, with desiring and seeking Him in the night and early, and with the truth that when His judgments are in the earth the inhabitants learn righteousness, while the wicked though shown favor will not learn righteousness but deal unjustly and will not behold His majesty.
The promise points to the nearness of the close of this earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over. Trusting Him brings peace and confidence that no good thing will be lacking, even when loved ones are dead or friends cannot offer comfort. Trusting Him does not refuse appropriate means of help, for after taking available measures, including surgery when needed, a person can commit the will to God and rely on Him to act as He sees best for His glory. The everlasting strength is pictured as the Rock, the Rock of Ages, the eternal and living Rock, which is Christ, the secure foundation, refuge and hiding place. Had the Jewish nation trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as their Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed.
In the coming conflict security comes from building on the Rock of Ages rather than relying on human inventions, for those who build on this Rock are secure. A person must be thoroughly converted and firmly attached to this eternal Rock through a radical change of life and character, otherwise the impression of truth fades when novelty and outside labor cease. Those who are helped to stand on the Rock of Ages are trusting in Him, and they in turn can help others stand securely. The image of the Rock shows this trust as taking refuge in Christ, who alone saves from sin's guilt and power and remains the refuge through death and before the judgment throne. Trust means entire dependence on a mighty God whose arm and hand are strong and high and whose greatness is unsearchable, so that if He is for His people no power can stand against them.
That trust removes fear, since the Lord is light, salvation and strength of life, and His presence comforts even in the valley of the shadow of death. It means trusting One who sees the end from the beginning and who will make all things work together for good to those who love Him. Unlike people who break promises, God is always faithful, and trusting Him honors Him because His word does not fail and His promises rest on His unchanging truth and power. God's power and majesty seen in nature, in high rocks, mountains, cataracts, forests and flowers held by His hand, show His wisdom, power and love and that He is the source of all blessings, drawing the heart to trust Him.
He Himself is the Rock of Ages of everlasting strength, power and majesty, holding and controlling the wonderful places of the earth and holding the mountains of stone in their place by His own hand subject to His will. The high rocks, cataracts, towering mountains, forests and flowers open to the senses show His wisdom, power and love for man and that He is the source of all blessings, lifting the heart to heaven and drawing the soul personally and trustingly to the heavenly Father. God's power and majesty seen in the mountains and other works of nature show Him to be the Rock of Ages, and recognizing Him as the source of every blessing draws the heart to trust Him.
Song and Setting
Isaiah 26:4 belongs to a song to be sung in the land of Judah in that day, a song of faith and hope and salvation. It is sung as hope amid deepening crisis and earth's last great crisis, giving assurance to God's people. The call is to keep trusting in the Lord always and without end, because unending and everlasting strength is in the Lord Jehovah.
The song celebrates and declares a strong city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation appointed by God, giving security to His people. It closes as a song of salvation, a strong city, and perfect peace for those whose minds remain fixed on God. The promise points to the nearness of the close of this earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over.
The song commands that the gates be opened for the righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in. That righteous nation marks those whose mind is stayed on God and who enter through the gates into the strong city. For covenant-keeping people it assures that all the Lord's counsels toward them are faithfulness and truth, and that His discipline of His church is loving-kindness that narrow vision alone fails to discern.
The call to trust is the ground of the perfect peace promised to the one whose mind is stayed on God because he trusts in Him. That trust is lasting because the Lord Jehovah is an enduring and unfailing source of strength, a protective refuge and giver of perfect peace to those who trust Him. Established in the strength of the Lord, He will be a shield and buckler to those who trust forever.
The call to trust rests on God bringing down those who dwell on high and laying the lofty city low to the ground and to the dust, where the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy tread it down. It stands with the upright way of the just weighed by the Most Upright, with waiting for God in the way of His judgments and desiring His name and remembrance. It stands with desiring and seeking Him in the night and early, and with the truth that when His judgments are in the earth the inhabitants learn righteousness, while the wicked though shown favor will not learn righteousness but deal unjustly and will not behold His majesty.
Had the Jewish nation trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as their Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed, for the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and a Rock in whom His people can find refuge. The verse stands also with the preparation God has made for salvation, by which His grace gives access to pardon and the removal of sins.
What Trust Involves
Trusting means depending on the Lord for strength rather than on finite human beings, human strength, human counsel, rulers, or any broken reed. It refuses to put people where God should be as authority and guide, and it turns from useless dependence on idols to look in faith to the source of all might and power. Those who carry God's message will be tested and tried, but God is near to strengthen and uphold them, so they uphold His standard by His power and answer scorn and temptation with cheerful confidence in His care and action. When difficulties appear impossible, trust rests on the Lord's lasting strength instead of giving way to discouragement and despair.
Trusting means being thoroughly converted and firmly attached to the eternal Rock through radical change of life and character. The feet are planted upon Him, the soul is securely fixed upon Him, and the life is riveted to Him as the sure foundation and secure place of strength. One who has left infidelity thus stands on the Rock of Ages relying on God for heavenly riches and wisdom, and one who has confessed wrongs and is seeking the Lord stands firmly to live as a doer of Christ's words. This everlasting trust holds to the one religion bearing God's stamp amid many human doctrines and religions as prophecy fulfills and nations are stirred in earth's closing work.
Trust rests on God's everlasting strength, not on human resolve, intellect, knowledge, or confidence in faith itself, and living faith depending on His power enables believers to stand firm in conflict. It involves obedience to His whole will and surrender of the whole will, laying even what is most precious on His altar and placing believers by faith under His protection. It means letting faith and religion dominate self, conscientiously honoring God and keeping in covenant relation with Him by His commandments which are life, so as to receive His blessings needed for severe trial. It requires keeping separate from the world, entering into no confederacy with darkness or with those who have not walked in the light or with any pleasing philosophy, refusing deception, and maintaining clean, holy principles at any cost.
Trust means going forward by faith, humbly trusting and waiting and watching and praying, humbling the heart before God and living carefully before Him. It walks by faith while waiting and praying and remaining patient when tried and when undertaking difficult work, instead of impatience. It seeks God in fervent prayer and receives divine enlightenment only in dependence on Him, without treating His blessings as independent possessions or using them for selfish purposes. In this dependence comes the wisdom only God can give for practical needs and care of the sick, with confidence He will supply what is lacking.
Trusting God does not mean refusing appropriate God-appointed means of help in line with faith. After taking available measures, including consenting to a needed surgical operation by a willing physician, which is not a denial of faith, the person commits the will to God's will. The sick one draws near to the great Physician, the Mighty Healer, and yields in complete trust for God to act and to honor that faith in the way He sees best for His own name's glory.
Trusting forever means separating from every false dependence and casting the helpless soul upon Christ and His mercy to hide in Him. It is coming to Jesus, who receives sinners, pardons them, and sets them on the Rock of Ages with feet placed firmly. Those who return to God and take a true and humble stand before Him are received and pardoned, and they receive blessing, peace, and rest. With feet firmly placed they live as doers of His words and keep His commandments without compromising with any evil work.
Trust is shown by proclaiming His truth and holding forth the word of life. It teaches the Bible and not human revelations, educates all to search the Scriptures, looks constantly to Jesus and not to human agents for guidance, and takes the Word of God as counselor into safe and sure paths. It grounds oneself in God's truth rather than forcing Scripture to support preconceived opinions, and remains rooted in Bible truth so as not to be led astray by deceptive doctrines. This place of strength on the eternal Rock is reached by seeking the Lord while He may be found, learning the lessons of wearing the yoke of Christ and learning under His restraining discipline His meekness and lowliness of heart, and so finding rest unto the soul.
Trust means walking by faith, clinging to God and fastening the soul to Christ until assured of belonging to Him, and resting in Him rather than fearing that deception or conflict will overturn His work. Christ is the refuge and Rock on whom personal safety depends in living union with Him, and the coming storm makes this trust urgent. It is the basis for standing together in His work to build up rather than destroy. Those helped to stand on the Rock of Ages in turn help tired and tempted souls stand securely in Christ rather than leave them exposed to temptation.
What Trust Brings
Trust in the Lord forever brings perfect peace to the mind that is fixed and stayed on God, with assurance given to the humble and contrite in heart. It brings peace and confidence that no good thing will be lacking, even when loved ones are dead and friends cannot offer comfort. It brings peace, security and refuge amid opposition and conflict, for Christ is the firm Rock on whom reliance rests, and help proportionate to each trial comes as past mercies are remembered against fear and anxiety about the future.
Trust gives calm confidence that grounds praise even in danger. It gives hope and courage in disaster, threats, opposition and discouragement, without losing hope in the gospel or peace in Jesus, for God is a lasting source of strength and secure refuge and the Rock in whom to hide.
Trust removes fear, for the Lord is light and salvation and strength of life, and His presence comforts even in the valley of the shadow of death. It means looking in faith to the source of all might and power especially when faith is tried, answering scorn and temptation with cheerful confidence in His care and action rather than useless dependence on idols. When difficulties appear impossible, trust turns from discouragement and despair to the Lord's strength, and persevering faith sees every difficulty removed and His work carried forward by His Spirit. It is shown in banishing fear by a cheerful, grateful spirit that praises God and refuses to dwell on the dark side.
The Lord becomes shield and buckler to those established in His strength forever, and the trust that keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on God marks the righteous nation keeping the truth who enter through the gates into the strong city where salvation is appointed for walls and bulwarks, pointing to the nearness of the close of earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over. He is everlasting strength and Rock and Refuge in whom to hide, the only Refuge and Rock of Ages on whom feet are set and in whom personal safety is found in living union with Christ. He alone saves from the guilt and power of sin and remains refuge through death and before the judgment throne, and this standing is examined now in personal standing before God, shown by forgiven sins, guilt taken away by Christ the burden-bearer, and a clean heart purified by His righteousness. It keeps the mind from diversion and keeps the soul vigilant, prepared for the coming storm relentless in its fury, one with Christ as He is one with the Father, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ working in co-partnership with the Saviour, rather than fearing that deception or conflict will overturn His work. Had the Jewish nation so trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed.
The Lord Jehovah has everlasting strength ready to bestow on every soul who asks, so dependence is to be on Him and not on finite human beings, and no burden He lays on His servants is too heavy to bear. His power enables each person to uphold His standard in the work called for, rather than placing men where God should be as authority and guide, and every true servant can guard the citadel of the soul, keep earthly things from stealing affection from God, and keep God enthroned first in the heart. He is near to strengthen and uphold those carrying His message, and His power is sufficient for trials and warfare against evil. His people can rely on His power to relieve suffering and bring hope to those in despair, for ability to serve comes from Him, and the humblest who honors Him is elevated as His power joins human effort.
Those who trust receive strength sufficient for every time of need to stand firm against temptation while struggling to overcome. Those whose faith is firmly grounded in God can stand when tested and everything shakable is shaken, while reliance on human understanding or faith in people leaves one liable to turn away. Those who build on Christ as the Living Rock can stand through persecution and trial, while a foundation without Him is swept away. Obedience to His whole will places believers by faith under His protection, and living faith depends on His power rather than human resolve, intellect, knowledge or confidence in faith itself, enabling steadfastness in conflict through surrender of the whole will with even what is most precious laid on His altar.
Trust brings the wisdom only God can give for practical needs and care of the sick, calling for going forward by faith in humble trusting and waiting and watching and praying, with humbled heart and careful living before Him and patience when tried instead of impatience, in confidence He will supply what is lacking. His help is proportionate to each trial, and remembrance of past mercies strengthens faith against fear and anxiety about the future amid present duties and trials. His lovingkindness does not change, and He is present help in every time of need. Christ is the only hope and sole dependence, helper and sympathizing Friend to whom trials and perplexities are brought in faith, and standing firmly on Him as living Rock and Rock of Ages through difficulties gives immortal hope full of glory. Believers turn from discouragement to trust and receive strength to serve and bear witness, and grace acts mightily on intellect and heart to give clearness and quenchless love with salvation only through Him, while a Saviour's love brings relief, light and courage that banishes fear of death and welcomes even prison and suffering to honor the Redeemer.
Trust in Trial and Service
Those who are commissioned to carry the message of mercy to everyone will be tested and tried, yet they are to remember that God is near to strengthen and uphold them because in Him is everlasting strength. They are to depend on Him rather than on unreliable human help, never looking to any broken reed or putting man in the place where God alone should be as helper. They are to trust His promised help without fear and leave results with Him, for He knows how to help human feebleness and gives courage and power to keep speaking and doing His work.
That trust sustains steadfast allegiance in workers when temptation comes, giving confidence to remain faithful and cheerful and ready to offer hope and comfort to others. It places the feet upon the eternal Rock as the secure foundation, and it is the basis for standing together in the work to build up rather than to destroy.
One who is under unjust reproach and criticism is to keep trusting and remain firmly grounded in faith and principle even when others act unjustly. God's strength is able to save and support through such trouble.
Everlasting trust is required as prophecy is fulfilled in earth's grand closing work, when souls must be riveted to the eternal Rock and hold the one religion that bears God's stamp amid many human doctrines and religions. Nations are stirred to their center and support is withdrawn from those who proclaim God's only standard of righteousness. Those who refuse to bow to national councils and laws exalting the sabbath of the man of sin above God's holy day face the oppressive power of both popery and the Protestant world as the image of the beast.
Now, just now, in the time in which we live, is the time to plant the feet firmly upon the Rock of Ages by trusting forever and hiding in the only Refuge. That trust is personal standing in the sight of God to be examined now, shown by sins forgiven, guilt taken away by Christ the burden-bearer, and a clean heart purified by His righteousness. It keeps the mind from being diverted and keeps the soul vigilant and prepared to meet the coming storm relentless in its fury, one with Christ as He is one with the Father, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ working in co-partnership with the Saviour. It means letting faith and religion dominate the individual self, conscientiously honoring God, keeping in covenant relation with Him by His commandments which are life, and receiving His blessings needed for severe trial. It requires keeping separate from the world, entering into no confederacy with those who have not walked in the light or with any pleasing philosophy, refusing deception, and maintaining clean, holy principles at any cost, since failure to do so dishonors God and denies that He is God and His people are His.
In the coming conflict security comes from building on the Rock of Ages rather than relying on human inventions, for those who build on that Rock are secure. It means being grounded in God's truth rather than forcing Scripture to support preconceived opinions. That place of strength is reached by seeking the Lord while He may be found, taking the yoke of Christ, and learning under His restraining discipline His meekness and lowliness of heart, and so finding rest unto the soul. Such a sanctified, elevated, ennobled, pure, consecrated, holy life of continual trust rivets the person to the eternal Rock in everlasting strength, makes one a laborer together with God, and qualifies a teacher to give youth proper instruction amid the perils of the last days, as the alpha of an education whose omega will never be reached in this world.
Trust in the Lord is to endure forever, continually and without limit, because in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. That everlasting strength is the Rock, the Rock of Ages, the eternal and living Rock, who is Christ, the secure foundation, refuge and hiding place. It is the ground of perfect peace to the one whose mind is fixed and stayed on God because he trusts in Him. Such trust means depending on the Lord rather than on finite human beings, human strength and counsel, rulers, idols or any broken reed. Those who so trust receive strength sufficient for every time of need, to uphold His work, to stand firm against temptation and trial, and to find peace, security and refuge amid opposition and conflict.
Words and Images
Trust in the Lord is to endure forever, continually and without limit, because in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. This lasting trust is sung as hope amid earth's last great crisis and as faith and hope for a time of deepening crisis. It belongs with the picture of God as a protective refuge and giver of perfect peace to those who trust Him, bringing assurance and peace to the humble and contrite in heart. It is connected with perfect peace for the person whose mind rests and remains fixed on God, and with the security of God's strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation. It closes a song of salvation, a strong city, and perfect peace for those whose minds remain fixed on God, and presents trust in Him as the ground of that peace.
The Lord Jehovah is an enduring, unfailing and unchanging source of strength on whom confidence rests and to whom every asking soul can come. The call is to keep trusting in the Lord always because unending strength is in Him, sung in the land of Judah in celebration of a strong city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation. Its gates are opened for a righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in, and it keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on God because he trusts in Him. It assures covenant-keeping people that all the Lord's counsels toward them are faithfulness and truth, and that His discipline of His church is loving-kindness that narrow vision alone fails to discern. It rests on God bringing down those who dwell on high and laying the lofty city low to the ground and to the dust, where the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy tread it down. It stands with the upright way of the just weighed by the Most Upright, with waiting for God in the way of His judgments and desiring His name and remembrance, with desiring and seeking Him in the night and early, and with the truth that when His judgments are in the earth the inhabitants learn righteousness, while the wicked though shown favor will not learn righteousness but deal unjustly and will not behold His majesty.
The promise points to the nearness of the close of this earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over. Trusting Him brings peace and confidence that no good thing will be lacking, even when loved ones are dead or friends cannot offer comfort. Trusting Him does not refuse appropriate means of help, for after taking available measures, including surgery when needed, a person can commit the will to God and rely on Him to act as He sees best for His glory. The everlasting strength is pictured as the Rock, the Rock of Ages, the eternal and living Rock, which is Christ, the secure foundation, refuge and hiding place. Had the Jewish nation trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as their Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed.
In the coming conflict security comes from building on the Rock of Ages rather than relying on human inventions, for those who build on this Rock are secure. A person must be thoroughly converted and firmly attached to this eternal Rock through a radical change of life and character, otherwise the impression of truth fades when novelty and outside labor cease. Those who are helped to stand on the Rock of Ages are trusting in Him, and they in turn can help others stand securely. The image of the Rock shows this trust as taking refuge in Christ, who alone saves from sin's guilt and power and remains the refuge through death and before the judgment throne. Trust means entire dependence on a mighty God whose arm and hand are strong and high and whose greatness is unsearchable, so that if He is for His people no power can stand against them.
That trust removes fear, since the Lord is light, salvation and strength of life, and His presence comforts even in the valley of the shadow of death. It means trusting One who sees the end from the beginning and who will make all things work together for good to those who love Him. Unlike people who break promises, God is always faithful, and trusting Him honors Him because His word does not fail and His promises rest on His unchanging truth and power. God's power and majesty seen in nature, in high rocks, mountains, cataracts, forests and flowers held by His hand, show His wisdom, power and love and that He is the source of all blessings, drawing the heart to trust Him.
He Himself is the Rock of Ages of everlasting strength, power and majesty, holding and controlling the wonderful places of the earth and holding the mountains of stone in their place by His own hand subject to His will. The high rocks, cataracts, towering mountains, forests and flowers open to the senses show His wisdom, power and love for man and that He is the source of all blessings, lifting the heart to heaven and drawing the soul personally and trustingly to the heavenly Father. God's power and majesty seen in the mountains and other works of nature show Him to be the Rock of Ages, and recognizing Him as the source of every blessing draws the heart to trust Him.
Song and Setting
Isaiah 26:4 belongs to a song to be sung in the land of Judah in that day, a song of faith and hope and salvation. It is sung as hope amid deepening crisis and earth's last great crisis, giving assurance to God's people. The call is to keep trusting in the Lord always and without end, because unending and everlasting strength is in the Lord Jehovah.
The song celebrates and declares a strong city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation appointed by God, giving security to His people. It closes as a song of salvation, a strong city, and perfect peace for those whose minds remain fixed on God. The promise points to the nearness of the close of this earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over.
The song commands that the gates be opened for the righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in. That righteous nation marks those whose mind is stayed on God and who enter through the gates into the strong city. For covenant-keeping people it assures that all the Lord's counsels toward them are faithfulness and truth, and that His discipline of His church is loving-kindness that narrow vision alone fails to discern.
The call to trust is the ground of the perfect peace promised to the one whose mind is stayed on God because he trusts in Him. That trust is lasting because the Lord Jehovah is an enduring and unfailing source of strength, a protective refuge and giver of perfect peace to those who trust Him. Established in the strength of the Lord, He will be a shield and buckler to those who trust forever.
The call to trust rests on God bringing down those who dwell on high and laying the lofty city low to the ground and to the dust, where the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy tread it down. It stands with the upright way of the just weighed by the Most Upright, with waiting for God in the way of His judgments and desiring His name and remembrance. It stands with desiring and seeking Him in the night and early, and with the truth that when His judgments are in the earth the inhabitants learn righteousness, while the wicked though shown favor will not learn righteousness but deal unjustly and will not behold His majesty.
Had the Jewish nation trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as their Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed, for the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and a Rock in whom His people can find refuge. The verse stands also with the preparation God has made for salvation, by which His grace gives access to pardon and the removal of sins.
What Trust Involves
Trusting means depending on the Lord for strength rather than on finite human beings, human strength, human counsel, rulers, or any broken reed. It refuses to put people where God should be as authority and guide, and it turns from useless dependence on idols to look in faith to the source of all might and power. Those who carry God's message will be tested and tried, but God is near to strengthen and uphold them, so they uphold His standard by His power and answer scorn and temptation with cheerful confidence in His care and action. When difficulties appear impossible, trust rests on the Lord's lasting strength instead of giving way to discouragement and despair.
Trusting means being thoroughly converted and firmly attached to the eternal Rock through radical change of life and character. The feet are planted upon Him, the soul is securely fixed upon Him, and the life is riveted to Him as the sure foundation and secure place of strength. One who has left infidelity thus stands on the Rock of Ages relying on God for heavenly riches and wisdom, and one who has confessed wrongs and is seeking the Lord stands firmly to live as a doer of Christ's words. This everlasting trust holds to the one religion bearing God's stamp amid many human doctrines and religions as prophecy fulfills and nations are stirred in earth's closing work.
Trust rests on God's everlasting strength, not on human resolve, intellect, knowledge, or confidence in faith itself, and living faith depending on His power enables believers to stand firm in conflict. It involves obedience to His whole will and surrender of the whole will, laying even what is most precious on His altar and placing believers by faith under His protection. It means letting faith and religion dominate self, conscientiously honoring God and keeping in covenant relation with Him by His commandments which are life, so as to receive His blessings needed for severe trial. It requires keeping separate from the world, entering into no confederacy with darkness or with those who have not walked in the light or with any pleasing philosophy, refusing deception, and maintaining clean, holy principles at any cost.
Trust means going forward by faith, humbly trusting and waiting and watching and praying, humbling the heart before God and living carefully before Him. It walks by faith while waiting and praying and remaining patient when tried and when undertaking difficult work, instead of impatience. It seeks God in fervent prayer and receives divine enlightenment only in dependence on Him, without treating His blessings as independent possessions or using them for selfish purposes. In this dependence comes the wisdom only God can give for practical needs and care of the sick, with confidence He will supply what is lacking.
Trusting God does not mean refusing appropriate God-appointed means of help in line with faith. After taking available measures, including consenting to a needed surgical operation by a willing physician, which is not a denial of faith, the person commits the will to God's will. The sick one draws near to the great Physician, the Mighty Healer, and yields in complete trust for God to act and to honor that faith in the way He sees best for His own name's glory.
Trusting forever means separating from every false dependence and casting the helpless soul upon Christ and His mercy to hide in Him. It is coming to Jesus, who receives sinners, pardons them, and sets them on the Rock of Ages with feet placed firmly. Those who return to God and take a true and humble stand before Him are received and pardoned, and they receive blessing, peace, and rest. With feet firmly placed they live as doers of His words and keep His commandments without compromising with any evil work.
Trust is shown by proclaiming His truth and holding forth the word of life. It teaches the Bible and not human revelations, educates all to search the Scriptures, looks constantly to Jesus and not to human agents for guidance, and takes the Word of God as counselor into safe and sure paths. It grounds oneself in God's truth rather than forcing Scripture to support preconceived opinions, and remains rooted in Bible truth so as not to be led astray by deceptive doctrines. This place of strength on the eternal Rock is reached by seeking the Lord while He may be found, learning the lessons of wearing the yoke of Christ and learning under His restraining discipline His meekness and lowliness of heart, and so finding rest unto the soul.
Trust means walking by faith, clinging to God and fastening the soul to Christ until assured of belonging to Him, and resting in Him rather than fearing that deception or conflict will overturn His work. Christ is the refuge and Rock on whom personal safety depends in living union with Him, and the coming storm makes this trust urgent. It is the basis for standing together in His work to build up rather than destroy. Those helped to stand on the Rock of Ages in turn help tired and tempted souls stand securely in Christ rather than leave them exposed to temptation.
What Trust Brings
Trust in the Lord forever brings perfect peace to the mind that is fixed and stayed on God, with assurance given to the humble and contrite in heart. It brings peace and confidence that no good thing will be lacking, even when loved ones are dead and friends cannot offer comfort. It brings peace, security and refuge amid opposition and conflict, for Christ is the firm Rock on whom reliance rests, and help proportionate to each trial comes as past mercies are remembered against fear and anxiety about the future.
Trust gives calm confidence that grounds praise even in danger. It gives hope and courage in disaster, threats, opposition and discouragement, without losing hope in the gospel or peace in Jesus, for God is a lasting source of strength and secure refuge and the Rock in whom to hide.
Trust removes fear, for the Lord is light and salvation and strength of life, and His presence comforts even in the valley of the shadow of death. It means looking in faith to the source of all might and power especially when faith is tried, answering scorn and temptation with cheerful confidence in His care and action rather than useless dependence on idols. When difficulties appear impossible, trust turns from discouragement and despair to the Lord's strength, and persevering faith sees every difficulty removed and His work carried forward by His Spirit. It is shown in banishing fear by a cheerful, grateful spirit that praises God and refuses to dwell on the dark side.
The Lord becomes shield and buckler to those established in His strength forever, and the trust that keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on God marks the righteous nation keeping the truth who enter through the gates into the strong city where salvation is appointed for walls and bulwarks, pointing to the nearness of the close of earth's history and to meeting in the city of God and rejoicing when the conflict is over. He is everlasting strength and Rock and Refuge in whom to hide, the only Refuge and Rock of Ages on whom feet are set and in whom personal safety is found in living union with Christ. He alone saves from the guilt and power of sin and remains refuge through death and before the judgment throne, and this standing is examined now in personal standing before God, shown by forgiven sins, guilt taken away by Christ the burden-bearer, and a clean heart purified by His righteousness. It keeps the mind from diversion and keeps the soul vigilant, prepared for the coming storm relentless in its fury, one with Christ as He is one with the Father, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ working in co-partnership with the Saviour, rather than fearing that deception or conflict will overturn His work. Had the Jewish nation so trusted Christ by faith and witnessed to Him as Rock and strength, Jerusalem would not have been destroyed.
The Lord Jehovah has everlasting strength ready to bestow on every soul who asks, so dependence is to be on Him and not on finite human beings, and no burden He lays on His servants is too heavy to bear. His power enables each person to uphold His standard in the work called for, rather than placing men where God should be as authority and guide, and every true servant can guard the citadel of the soul, keep earthly things from stealing affection from God, and keep God enthroned first in the heart. He is near to strengthen and uphold those carrying His message, and His power is sufficient for trials and warfare against evil. His people can rely on His power to relieve suffering and bring hope to those in despair, for ability to serve comes from Him, and the humblest who honors Him is elevated as His power joins human effort.
Those who trust receive strength sufficient for every time of need to stand firm against temptation while struggling to overcome. Those whose faith is firmly grounded in God can stand when tested and everything shakable is shaken, while reliance on human understanding or faith in people leaves one liable to turn away. Those who build on Christ as the Living Rock can stand through persecution and trial, while a foundation without Him is swept away. Obedience to His whole will places believers by faith under His protection, and living faith depends on His power rather than human resolve, intellect, knowledge or confidence in faith itself, enabling steadfastness in conflict through surrender of the whole will with even what is most precious laid on His altar.
Trust brings the wisdom only God can give for practical needs and care of the sick, calling for going forward by faith in humble trusting and waiting and watching and praying, with humbled heart and careful living before Him and patience when tried instead of impatience, in confidence He will supply what is lacking. His help is proportionate to each trial, and remembrance of past mercies strengthens faith against fear and anxiety about the future amid present duties and trials. His lovingkindness does not change, and He is present help in every time of need. Christ is the only hope and sole dependence, helper and sympathizing Friend to whom trials and perplexities are brought in faith, and standing firmly on Him as living Rock and Rock of Ages through difficulties gives immortal hope full of glory. Believers turn from discouragement to trust and receive strength to serve and bear witness, and grace acts mightily on intellect and heart to give clearness and quenchless love with salvation only through Him, while a Saviour's love brings relief, light and courage that banishes fear of death and welcomes even prison and suffering to honor the Redeemer.
Trust in Trial and Service
Those who are commissioned to carry the message of mercy to everyone will be tested and tried, yet they are to remember that God is near to strengthen and uphold them because in Him is everlasting strength. They are to depend on Him rather than on unreliable human help, never looking to any broken reed or putting man in the place where God alone should be as helper. They are to trust His promised help without fear and leave results with Him, for He knows how to help human feebleness and gives courage and power to keep speaking and doing His work.
That trust sustains steadfast allegiance in workers when temptation comes, giving confidence to remain faithful and cheerful and ready to offer hope and comfort to others. It places the feet upon the eternal Rock as the secure foundation, and it is the basis for standing together in the work to build up rather than to destroy.
One who is under unjust reproach and criticism is to keep trusting and remain firmly grounded in faith and principle even when others act unjustly. God's strength is able to save and support through such trouble.
Everlasting trust is required as prophecy is fulfilled in earth's grand closing work, when souls must be riveted to the eternal Rock and hold the one religion that bears God's stamp amid many human doctrines and religions. Nations are stirred to their center and support is withdrawn from those who proclaim God's only standard of righteousness. Those who refuse to bow to national councils and laws exalting the sabbath of the man of sin above God's holy day face the oppressive power of both popery and the Protestant world as the image of the beast.
Now, just now, in the time in which we live, is the time to plant the feet firmly upon the Rock of Ages by trusting forever and hiding in the only Refuge. That trust is personal standing in the sight of God to be examined now, shown by sins forgiven, guilt taken away by Christ the burden-bearer, and a clean heart purified by His righteousness. It keeps the mind from being diverted and keeps the soul vigilant and prepared to meet the coming storm relentless in its fury, one with Christ as He is one with the Father, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ working in co-partnership with the Saviour. It means letting faith and religion dominate the individual self, conscientiously honoring God, keeping in covenant relation with Him by His commandments which are life, and receiving His blessings needed for severe trial. It requires keeping separate from the world, entering into no confederacy with those who have not walked in the light or with any pleasing philosophy, refusing deception, and maintaining clean, holy principles at any cost, since failure to do so dishonors God and denies that He is God and His people are His.
In the coming conflict security comes from building on the Rock of Ages rather than relying on human inventions, for those who build on that Rock are secure. It means being grounded in God's truth rather than forcing Scripture to support preconceived opinions. That place of strength is reached by seeking the Lord while He may be found, taking the yoke of Christ, and learning under His restraining discipline His meekness and lowliness of heart, and so finding rest unto the soul. Such a sanctified, elevated, ennobled, pure, consecrated, holy life of continual trust rivets the person to the eternal Rock in everlasting strength, makes one a laborer together with God, and qualifies a teacher to give youth proper instruction amid the perils of the last days, as the alpha of an education whose omega will never be reached in this world.