General Conference Bulletin, vol. 5

THE SONG OF VICTORY

G. A. Irwin

Sabbath Afternoon, March 28.

I would like to call our attention this afternoon to the 54th chapter of Isaiah. It is one of peculiar interest to the people of God. We are told by the Spirit of prophecy that every specification of this chapter will be literally fulfilled to this people: so with that statement it becomes of more interest than ever to us. We have read this chapter before, and received great good from it; but with this thought in mind, it will be intensely interesting to us. I believe that the time has come when God would have the specifications verified to His people. GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.7

No doubt you noticed that, as our brother read it in your hearing, it is a prophecy of the power and extent of the gospel in the third angel’s message. It tells us also of the power of God that will accompany His people even until the work is finished. It speaks of things that we shall meet along the way. It tells of a time and of an experience when God’s face will seem to be withdrawn from His people, and yet it gives the blessed assurance, based upon the covenant that God made with Noah, that the things that He hath said will be fulfilled to the people who believe it, and relate themselves so to the Lord and to His work that He can verify His promises to them as individuals and as His church. GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.8

The figure in the beginning may not be readily understood. It says, “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.9

The first thing, then, that God asks us to do as a people is to sing. In order that we may fully understand this verse, let us read Galatians 4:22-26: “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.10

The apostle is quoting the very words that start the 54th chapter of Isaiah. He is referring right back to it that text. He says: “For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.11

There is the point of the whole thing. If we are children of promise; if our hearts have been renewed by divine grace: if we have experienced the new birth; if, by faith in Him, the righteousness of Jesus Christ has been set to our account, then we are told to sing; and, brethren. I do not know anything in this world better calculated to cause one to sing than the experience described in that verse. So it seems to me we can not refrain from singing when we know that we have passed from death unto life; that there is no longer condemnation; that, by faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, our sins have all been taken away, and we stand complete in Him. We are not to sing once; we are not to sing twice; but, as I understand it, we are to keep right on singing just as long as the faith that brought this justification to our hearts and lives is being exercised so that it will continue that justification; then it is our privilege, not only our privilege, brethren, but I believe it is our bounden duty, to sing, that other souls may hear the joyful sound and turn to the Lord. GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.12

There is a statement in the 40th Psalm right on that, and I will read: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.1

Just think of it, brethren! Many shall see, many shall hear the new song that we sing because our feet have been taken from the miry pit and have been placed upon the eternal Rock; and they will fear when they realize that they are not in that condition; they will realize that, unless a change is wrought in their own lives, they will fall under condemnation; and, as they fear, they will trust in the Lord. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.2

Going back again to the chapter which says. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing,” we see that we shall do something else. What is it?—“Break forth into singing, and cry aloud.” Brethren, is the loud cry in this verse? We talk so much about the loud cry, and have talked about it in the past; but it seems to me that this is it right here. We are to sing of our experiences, sing of our sins forgiven, sing of the power that there is in the gospel to change the heart and life of man, of the individual, and though a sinner, he can be made a child of God, accepted with Him. And he is not only to sing this, but he is to give it with a loud cry. It says, “For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.3

There is another scripture referring to this, that I desire to read. It is found in Zephaniah 3:14: “Sing, O daughter of Zion: shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart. O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments: He hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.4

Before reading further, I would like to call your attention again to the 54th of Isaiah. Passing over the first few verses, let us begin reading with the seventh: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” The prophet then refers to the covenant made with Noah after the flood, and declares that even as the Lord had sworn that “the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth,” even so He had sworn that He would “not be wroth” with His people. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.5

As we think over the experience of the past two years, the judgments or calamities that God has permitted to come upon the people and work of God. many of us have thought, no doubt, that possibly God had forsaken us. I know that a good many times I have heard raised the questions: “What do these things mean?” “Is God with us, or not?” In the minds of many there has been a feeling of uncertainly in regard to God’s dealings with His children in this time. It seems to me that, if we look at His providences in the light of this chapter, a chapter every specification of which will be fulfilled to the people of God, we can understand them. In this scripture are foretold calamities and judgments that will come to the people of God. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.6

Although God has seemingly been angry with us, although He has permitted the destructive sword to strike two of our most prominent institutions. yet I am encouraged by the thought that, in the beginning of this prophetic scripture, we are called upon to sing. In the appeal that God has made to us in connection with these judgments. there is mercy displayed to the fullest extent. The Lord says that, if we will return to Him with all our hearts, confessing our sins and humbling our hearts before Him. He will graciously receive us. And, brethren. I have faith and confidence to believe that this is what we as a people will do at this time. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.7

Returning again to the third of Zephaniah, we find these words. “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments: Hd hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.” What a promise that is, my brethren! I believe from the very, depths of my soul that, if we turn to God in this Conference, if we respond to the key-note that was struck last night, if we rally around the standard, if we take up with an earnestness not hitherto manifested the message that God has given us, I believe that this scripture will be literally fulfilled to God’s people. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.8

“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” This is the thought expressed in the discourse this morning. Had God’s people in the days past believed that He was in the midst of them as a mighty Helper, we would not have had the history of the forty years’ wilderness wandering. It was because of the Israelites’ lack of faith in God, that they were compelled to wander in the wilderness until they perished. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.9

“I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee; and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.10

What is the beginning of this happy condition, when all these promises shall be fulfilled?—Singing. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.11

We are to begin by singing; but brethren, we are not to stop with this simply. More instruction is given in the verses following: “Enlarge the place of thy tent,” the prophet declares, “and stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not, remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.12

In addition to the singing, God wants us to bring courage into the hearts and souls of those who hear us sing. By our course they will be led to turn to the Lord. While we are singing, the Lord wants us also to enlarge, to begin to spread out, to take in the countries round about—in other words, to spread the knowledge of the everlasting gospel, the third angel’s message, in these last days. GCB March 30, 1903, page 12.13

Let us turn to the 49th chapter of Isaiah, where the same figure is used. This chapter, it seems to me has a special application to our day and time; and so I hope, brethren, you will notice carefully the instruction given:- GCB March 30, 1903, page 13.1

“Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountain; for the Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted.” Brethren, I believe that that is just what God is graciously waiting to do.—to comfort His people, and to have mercy upon the afflicted. Have we not cause for rejoicing? God has promised to comfort His people. GCB March 30, 1903, page 13.2

“But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” Perhaps that is just the very thing that some of us have been saying But the Lord says: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget yet will I not forget thee.” Here is used the strongest possible figure, it seems to me, to show that God will not forget. A woman may forget her child, but the Lord will not forget His children; for “behold,” He declares, “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; they walls are continually before Me.” GCB March 30, 1903, page 13.3