1 Chronicles 17:24
“The Lord Almighty is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel.”
A sense of God’s kindness to us will invariably inspire us with a zeal for his glory. The more deeply we feel our obligations to him, the more ready we shall be to speak good of his name, and the more desirous that he should be honored by every man.
It was David’s happy lot to be eminently favored by his God. He had been taken from the sheep-folds, to feed God’s people Israel; and he had received a promise from God, that the kingdom should be perpetuated in his family to very distant generations. Overcome, as it were, with the contemplation of these stupendous mercies, he adores his God with the profoundest gratitude, “Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God. “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, O LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. “There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears! 1 Chronicles 17:16-20.”
Then, looking for the establishment of God’s blessed Word in relation to himself and his descendants, he prays that God himself may be glorified by means of it, “Let it even be established, that your name may be magnified forever, saying, The Lord Almighty is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel;” that is, “I have found you a God to me; and I desire that you may be known to Israel, and acknowledged by Israel, under that endearing character, to the last generations.”
Let us, for the illustrating of these words, consider:
I. The relation which God bears to his people.
He is here called “The God of Israel.” But there seems, at first sight, to be nothing very peculiar in that, since he is “the God of the whole earth, Isaiah 54:5,” yes, and of all his creatures, whether in Heaven or Hell; all being alike subject to him, and all equally under his control.
The title here given to him must evidently import something of a more restricted nature, something that more immediately connects him with Israel as his peculiar charge. Its real signification is:
1. That he has chosen his people out from among the world which lies in wickedness.
This he did, when he called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. Abraham was an idolater, in the midst of an idolatrous family and nation. And God, of his own sovereign will and pleasure, chose him, and called him out from his family and nation, and “separated him for himself! Psalm 4:3.”
It is precisely thus that he calls all his people, whether those who were Abraham’s lineal descendants, or those who are heirs of Abraham’s faith. What was said to Israel in the wilderness, may be said to God’s Israel to the very end of time, “You are a holy people unto the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth, Deuteronomy 7:6.”
Nor, in one instance more than another, can any reason for this choice be assigned, but simply God’s sovereign will and pleasure, Deuteronomy 7:7-8. In every instance, He was found by those who did not seek him; and revealed Himself to those who did not ask for Him. Romans 10:20.”
2. That he has given himself to his chosen people in a special way.
He gave himself to Abraham and the nation of Israel, as their God in a more especial manner; so that he watched over them, and revealed himself to them, and exerted himself for them in a way that he never had done for any other people.
The same he does for his chosen people at this time, only in a less visible manner. He takes them under his special protection; he orders everything for them; and he makes himself known to them, as their Father and their Friend!
3. That he avows that relation to his chosen people before the whole universe.
This he did to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, calling himself their God; and when he would afterwards make himself known to their posterity in Egypt, he particularly commanded Moses to say to them, “The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, has sent me unto you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations, Exodus 3:15.” And though the names of his redeemed people are not, nor can be, severally mentioned, he is as much their God, as ever he was Abraham’s God. Wherever there are any people who have been called out from the world to “seek after a better country, that is, a heavenly country, he is not ashamed to be called their God! Hebrews 11:16.”
But let us inquire more distinctly:
II. What, under that relation, we may expect at his hands.
“The God of Israel, is a God to Israel;” and whatever God can do, that he will do for them. Hence, then, they may assuredly expect from him:
1. The care of his providence.
See what he did for Israel of old.
They needed a deliverer from their bondage—and he delivered them with a mighty hand, and a stretched-out arm.
They needed guidance through the wilderness—and he himself went before them in the pillar and the cloud.
They needed daily sustenance—and he gave them bread from Heaven to eat, and water from the rock for their refreshment.
And will he not provide for us, Abraham’s spiritual seed also whatever we stand in need of? “Is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear? Is his hand now shortened, that it cannot save?” No, he is the same gracious God as ever, and has pledged himself, that “they who seek his face, shall lack nothing that is good, Psalm 34:10.”
2. The communications of his grace.
Without these, it would be to little purpose that he were called our God; for it would be impossible for us ever to behold his face in peace. “Without him we can do nothing.” We would still continue slaves to sin and Satan; and perish forever among the enemies of God! But we need not fear. “He will give us both grace here and glory hereafter, Psalm 84:11.” As our necessities increase, “he will give us more grace, James 4:6;” and however great our trials may be, he engages that “his grace shall be sufficient for us! 2 Corinthians 12:9.” Yes, so effectual shall be his communications, that, “through him strengthening us, we shall be able to do all things! Philippians 4:13.”
3. The manifestations of his love.
What father would withhold from his child the tokens of his love? And will God, when he promises to be “a God unto us,” be so unmindful of us, as never to lift up the light of his countenance upon us? No! He will give us “a Spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father! Romans 8:15.” He will give us also “the witness of the Spirit, as the pledge of our future inheritance! Romans 8:16.” And to such a degree will he “shed abroad his love in our hearts, Romans 8:5,” as to fill us with “a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory! 1 Peter 1:8.”
4. The possession of his glory.
This is particularly declared by our Lord himself, as inseparably connected with the relation we are now considering. When a doubt was entertained, whether there was ever to be a resurrection of the body, our Lord referred to the very name of God, as “the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob,” as a demonstration of the point in question. For if he was their God, he was the God of their whole persons—of their bodies as well as of their souls; and if their bodies should not be raised again, he would cease to be their God, as far as their bodies were concerned. But that relation would never cease; and, consequently, their bodies must be raised from the dead, in order that they might participate in the promised bliss! Matthew 22:31-32.
No doubt, therefore, he will exalt to glory all his chosen people; for can he be a God to any in Hell? There he will be only an avenging Judge. It is in Heaven alone that he can execute all that that relation imports; we may be sure, therefore, that, as he is the God of his people, so “he will be their portion, and the lot of their inheritance” for evermore!
While, however, we contemplate our privileges in consequence of God’s relation to us, we must bear in mind,
III. What, under that relation, he is entitled to expect from us?
Beyond a doubt, if he considers himself as bound to us, we also are bound to him; and if he is our God, we must be his people. The one is comprehended in the other; and, wherever one is mentioned, the other, if not absolutely mentioned, is always implied. Just before the text it is said, “Your people Israel did you make your own people forever; and you, Lord, became their God, verse 22.” In the Epistle to the Hebrews, not only is the mutual relation specified, but it is stated precisely in our text, “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people! Hebrews 8:10.”
This, then, may God expect from us:
1. That we “be His obedient people”.
We are not to be satisfied with calling ourselves his—we must be really his. A servant considers himself, his time, his talents, his all, as at the disposal of his master; and from day to day he inquires how they can be improved for him. He never, for a moment, considers it sufficient to compliment his master with the name of master; but he waits upon him to receive his orders; and he departs from him only to execute them.
Thus, then, we must “be a people to” the Lord. We must inquire what we can do for him. We must diligently learn what is the duty which he has appointed us to perform; and we must strenuously set ourselves to the performance of it.
2. That we give ourselves to him—as he has given himself to us.
We must give ourselves to God freely and cheerfully. There was no constraint on God’s part in giving himself to us; he did it of his own desire and will. Thus must we surrender up ourselves to him. We must not wait until we are beset with the terrors of Hell, and then give ourselves to him by compulsion. We should rather, from a view of his excellency, and from a sense of the unspeakable privilege of serving him—desire to be numbered among his favored people, Isaiah 64:9.
We must also give ourselves to God wholly and unreservedly. Jehovah is not our God in part; doing some things for us, and not others; there is nothing that he has not done for us; for he has given his only dear Son to die for us; nor is there anything he will not do; for “having given up his own Son for us, we may be assured he will much more do for us everything else that we can need! Romans 8:32.” On no consideration, therefore, should we withhold anything from him. “Our whole body, soul, and spirit, should be sanctified to him! 1 Thessalonians 5:23.” Nothing should be accounted too much to do or suffer for him; if the sacrifice even of life itself should be called for, it should be freely made; and we should rejoice that we are counted worthy to render him so honorable a service.
We must also give ourselves to God unchangeably and forever. God never repents of what he has done for us, Romans 11:29; he tells us that he will not forsake his people, “because it has pleased him to make us his people, 1 Samuel 12:22;” but that, “having loved us, he will love us to the end! John 13:1.”
Just so should it be with us, “after having once put our hands to the plough, we should never look back again, Luke 9:62.” We should “never faint or be weary in well-doing, Galatians 6:9.” We should give our ear to be bored in his service; and never relinquish it, until we are called to serve him in the eternal world! Exodus 21:6.
This, I say, is what God may justly expect from us. I conceive there is not a person upon earth so stupid and brutish, as not to see and acknowledge that it is “a reasonable service, Romans 12:1.” If our expectations from God are greater than those of others, our services also should be greater. The services of others are no rule for us. The question that will be put to us will be, “What are you doing more than others?”
Let me, then, conclude with two proposals:
1. That we, at this very hour, receive Jehovah as our God.
He offers himself to us under this endearing character. He calls on every man to “lay hold on his covenant;” and in that very covenant he makes over himself to us as our God, Jeremiah 11:2-4. Let us from this moment renounce all other gods, and say, “You, O God, shall be my God forever and ever! Psalm 48:14.”
In accepting him, however, let us accept him for all the ends for which he gives himself to us. It is not to save us only that he gives himself to us, but to “be a God unto us,” to be:
the one source of all our joy;
the one object of all our love;
the one end of our very being.
Let us then, open our hearts to receive him under this character. If there be any other that is more worthy of this place in our regards, or that can better fulfill the office committed to him, then will I consent that you shall take him for your God in preference to Jehovah. But if Jehovah alone can answer all the necessities of your souls, then, I say, accept him now as your God, and proclaim him to be so in the presence of the whole universe! Deuteronomy 26:17-18.
2. That we now consecrate ourselves to him as his people.
This, as you have seen, must accompany the former; nor is there any man so blind, as not to see that the two are, and must be, inseparably connected. Let us, then, at this hour, “join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten, Jeremiah 50:5.”
Unite with me now, my brethren, in a solemn surrender of ourselves to God:
O Lord, our God, we are yours by every tie. To you we owe our very being, for you have created us. To you we owe our well-being, for you have upheld us every moment, and supplied us with all things needful for us. Above all, to you we owe our hopes of happiness in the eternal world; for you have redeemed us by the blood of your only dear Son. We are not our own; we are bought with a very high price; and are therefore bound in every view to glorify you with our bodies and our spirits, which are yours. We acknowledge with shame that other lords besides you have had dominion over us; but we will henceforth make mention of your name, even of yours alone. Behold, O Lord, we now dedicate to you all that we are, and all that we have.
We know it to be our duty;
we believe it to be our privilege;
we are assured that it is our highest honor and happiness.
Make us sincere in this, we beg you; and “keep it forever in the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts 1 Chronicles 29:18.” Oh, let us never go back from you, nor ever alienate from you any portion of those regards which are due to you alone. Let the measure of our expectations from you be the measure of our dedication to you; and, as we hope that you will be fully and forever ours, so enable us to be fully and forever yours!”
Beloved brethren, truly add to this your hearty “Amen!”
“Here we offer and present unto you, O Lord—ourselves, our souls and bodies—to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto you!”
Charles Simeon