AND IN THIS MOUNTAIN - Robert Murray Mcchene

“And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the .face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it.”—Isa. xxv., 6-8.

THESE words are yet to be fulfilled at the second coming of the Saviour. It is true that the Lord of hosts has long ago prepared this feast, and sent out his servants, saying: “Come, for all things are ready.” But it is just as true, that the veil that is spread over all nations is not yet taken away; and Paul tells us plainly, in 1 Cor. xv., 54, that it is in the resurrection morning that these words shall be quite fulfilled: “He hath swallowed up death in victory.”

Still these words have been in some measure fulfilled wherever there has been a peculiar outpouring of the Spirit upon any place. Often at sacrament seasons in our own land, these words have been fulfilled. God has made Christ a feast of fat things to hungry souls. The veil of unbelief has been torn from many hearts, and the tears wiped away from many eyes. It is my humble but earnest desire that next Sabbath day may be such a day in this place. I want to engage all of you who are the children of God to secret and united prayer that it may be so; and I have therefore, chosen these words by which to stir you up to pray.

I. Consider the Feast. II. The tearing away of the veil. III. The effects of it.

I. The Feast.

1. Where is it? Ans. “In this mountain.” (1.) Moriah? Ah! it was here that Abraham offered up Isaac. It was here that the passover lamb used to be slain. It was here that Jesus stood and cried, “If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.” (2.) Mount Olivet? It was here that Jesus said, “I am the true vine/’ It was here that Jesus had (he cup of wrath set down before him, in that night in which he was betrayed. (3.) Mount Calvary? It was here that they crucified Jesus—and two thieves, one on each hand. It was here that the passers-by wagged their heads, the chief priests mocked, and the thieves cast the same in his teeth. It was here that there was three hours’ darkness. It was here they pierced his hands and feet. It was here that God forsook his own Son. It was here that infinite wrath was laid upon an infinite Saviour: “In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things.”

To anxious souls.—The world tries to cheer you; they bid you go into company, see more of the world, enjoy pleasure, and drive away these dull thoughts. They spread a feast for you in some lighted hall, with brilliant lamps; and the pipe and the tabor, and wine are in their feasts. Oh! anxious soul, flee these things: remember Lot’s wife. If you are anxious about your soul, flee from the feasts of the world. Stop your ears, and run. Look here how God tries to cheer you: he, too, prepares a feast; but where? On Calvary. There is no light; it is all darkness round the cross; no music, but the groan of a dying Saviour: “Eli! Eli!—my God! my God!” Oh! anxious soul, it is there you will find peace and rest. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The darkest hour that ever was in this world gives light to the weary soul. The sight of the cross brings within sight of the crown. That dying sigh, which made the rocks to rend, alone can rend the veil, and give you peace. The Place of a Skull is the place of joy.

2. What is it ?—A feast of fat things, of wines on the lees.

(1.) A feast. It is not a meal, but a feast. At a meal, it is well if there be enough for all who sit round the table: but at a feast, there should be more than enough; there is a liberal abundance. The Gospel is compared to a feast: “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled.”—Prov. ix.

Again, in the Song of Songs: “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” “-Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love.” Again, in Matt. xxii.: “Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.”

So it is in Jesus; there is bread enough and to spare. He came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly. There is a feast in a crucified Jesus. His dying in the stead of sinners is enough, and more than enough, to answer for our sins.

It is not only equal to my dying, but it is far more glorifying to God and his holy law, than if I had suffered a hundred deaths. “Comfort ye, comfort ye; ye have received at the Lord’s hand double for all your sins.” His obeying in the stead of sinners is enough, and more than enough, to cover our nakedness. It is not only equal to my obeying, but it is far more glorifying to God than if I had never sinned. His garment not only clothes the naked soul, but clothes from head to foot; so that no shame appears; only Christ appears, the soul is hid. His Spirit is not only enough, but more than enough, to make us holy. There is a well in Christ which we never can exhaust—still rivers of grace which we never can drink dry.

Christians, learn to feed more on Christ: “Eat, O friends! drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved!” When you are asked to a feast, there is no greater affront you can put upon the entertainer than by being content with a crumb below the table. Yet this is the way the Christians of our day affront the Lord of glory. Oh how few seem to feed much on Christ! how few seem to put on his white flowing raiment! how few seem to drink deep into his Spirit! Most are content with now and then a glimpse of pardon, a crumb from the table, and a drop of his Spirit. Awake, dear friends! “These things have I spoken unto you that your joy may be full.”

(2.) A feast of fat things, of wines on the lees.

The fat things full of marrow are intended to represent the richest and most nourishing delicacies; and the wines on the lees well refined, to represent the oldest and richest wines; so that, not only is there abundance in this feast, but abundance of the best. Ah! so it is in Christ. First, There is forgiveness of all past sins. Ah! this is the richest of all delicacies to a heavy laden soul. As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. A good conscience is a perpetual, feast. Oh! weary sinner, taste and see. “I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” These are the apples that a weary soul cries out for: “Comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love.” Second, There are the smiles of the Father. The Father himself loveth you. Oh, to pass from the frown of an angry God into the smile of a loving Father! this is a feast to the soul; this is to pass from death unto life. Third, The droppings of the Spirit into the soul—ah! it is this which comforts the soul. This is the oil of gladness that makes the face to shine. This makes the cup run over. This is the full well rising within the soul, at once comforting and purifying. Dear friends, be not filled with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. These are the flagons that stay the soul. May you be in the Spirit on the Lord’s-day

3. For whom is it? Unto all people. “The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Ah! there is not a creature under heaven for whom the feast is not prepared. There is not a creature from whom we can keep back the message: “All things are ready; come to the marriage.”

Dear anxious souls, why do you keep away from Christ? you gay Christ is far from you; alas! he has been at your door all day. Christ is as free to you as to any that ever came to him. Come hungry, come empty, come sinful, come as you are to feed on glorious Jesus. He is a feast to the hungry soul. ‘

Dear dead souls, that never felt one throb of anxiety, that never uttered one heartfelt cry to God, this message is for you. The feast is for all people. Christ is as free to you as to any other: “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love your simplicity?” “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.”

II. The tearing away of the veil.

1. Observe there is a veil over every natural heart, a thick impenetrable veil. (1.) There was a veil in the temple over the entrance to the holiest of all, so that no eye could see the beauty of the Lord within. (2.) There was a veil over the face of Moses when he came down from the mount, for something of the bright . ness of Christ shone in his countenance. When the veil was down they could not see his glory. (3.) So there is a veil upon the hearts of the Jews to this day, when Moses and the prophets are read to them. (4.) So is. there a veil over your hearts, so many of you as are in your natural state; a thick, impenetrable veil: its name is unbelief. The same veil that hid the beauty of the promised land from Israel in Kadesh-barnea— “for they could not enter in, because of unbelief—that veil is over your hearts this clay.

Learn the great reason of your indifference to Christ. The veil is upon your heart. God may lay down all the riches of his bosom on the table—the unsearchable riches of Christ; yet so long as that veil is over you, you will not move. You see no form nor comeliness in Christ: “And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”—Isa. liii., 2. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”—1 Cor. ii., 14.

2. Who takes the veil away? Ans. The Lord of hosts: he that makes the feast is he that tears the veil away. Ah! it is a work “t God to take away that covering. We may argue with you till midnight, telling you of your sin and misery—we may bring all the sweetest words in the Bible to show you that Christ is fairer than the children of men; still you will go home and say. We see no beauty in him. But God can take away the veil; sometimes he does it in a moment—sometimes slowly; then Christ w revealed, and Christ is precious. There is not one of you so sunk in sin and worldliness—so dull and heartless in the things of God—but your heart would be overcome by the sight of an unveiled Saviour. Oh! let us plead this promise with God: “He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.” Come and do it, Lord. “I will pour out my Spirit unto you.” Pour quickly, Lord.

3. Where? “In this mountain”—in the same place where he makes the feast; he takes the soul to Calvary. Ah, yes; it is within sight of the crucified Saviour that God takes every veil away.

Anxious souls, wait near the cross. Meditate upon Christ, and him crucified. It is there that God tears the veil away. Be often at Gethsemane—be often at Golgotha. Oh! that next Sabbath he may reveal himself to all in the breaking of bread. As easy to a thousand as to one soul!

III. Effects.

1. Triumph over death. (1.) Even here this is fulfilled. Often the fear of death is taken away in those who trembled before. The soul that has really had the veil taken away can go through the valley, if not singing, at least humbly trusting, and can say at the end, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Ah! nothing but a real sight of Christ can cheer in death. Worldly people can die stupidly and insensibly; but the unveiled Christian alone can feel in death that the sting is taken away. (2.) In resurrection. When we stand like Christ in body and soul— “When the sea has given up the dead that are in it, and death and hell the dead that are in them”— “When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption— then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Dear friends, what solemn scenes are before us! Ah! nothing but a sight of Christ as our own Surety and Redeemer can uphold us, in sight of opening graves and reeling worlds. We shall remember his own words, and be still: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; 0 grave, I will be thy destruction.” “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me, where I am, that they may behold my glory.”

2. Triumph over sorrow. (1.) Even here, God wipes away the tears of conviction, the tears of sin and shame, by revealing Christ. A work of grace always begins in tears; but when God takes the soul to Calvary—look here: There are thy sins laid upon Immanuel; there the Lamb of God is bearing them; there is all the hell that thou shalt suffer. Oh, how sweetly does God wipe away the tears! Anxious souls, may God do this for you next Sabbath day! (2.) Complete fulfilment after. There will always be tears here, because of sin, temptation, sorrow; but there “they shalt hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any  heat; for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

3. Triumph over reproaches.—Even here God lifts his people above reproaches; he enables them to bless, and curse not: “Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” But there shall be full triumph yonder. He will clear up our character. Here we may endure reproaches all the way! Christians are slighted, despised, trampled on, here; but God will acknowledge them as his jewels at last. The world will stand aghast.