This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
Isa 43:21
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Heb 13:15
Isa 43:21
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Heb 13:15
A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS
Let us take care lest we thwart God’s purpose in our lives. We were made to show forth His praise, Isa_43:21; but we must beware of causing a revoking of His gracious purpose (See Num_14:34, R.V. margin): by prayerlessness, Isa_43:22; by the neglect of little things, Isa_43:23; by the lack of sweetness and tenderness in our disposition, Isa_43:24. “Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will He spare thee,” Rom_11:20-21, R.V.
On the other hand, directly sin is repented of and put away, it is blotted out, Isa_43:25. It is persistence in sin that causes God to turn from us. If we forsake what is evil, as soon as we are conscious of it, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.” It is blotted out as a cloud from the sky and no more remembered against us forever. This is done for God’s own sake. The reason for our salvation and deliverance is not in us, but in Him. The cross of shame and sorrow was His own expedient, and the Lamb in the midst of the throne is the emblem of the divine Atonement, which was commenced and finished by the inexplicable grace of God. (F.B. Meyer)
The praises referred to in this devotional commentary can be ascribed to that which the Holy Spirit inspires during our times of prayer. When we spend time in deep intercourse with the Lord in prayer, the Holy Spirit will often deepen our sense of God's presence, and from our inner most being, praise will rise up, and we will find ourselves engulfed in a form of prayer and worship that only comes from praise from the very heart and soul within us. When this happens, time becomes irrelevant, we are lost in Him. Then, many times, God will be able to commune with us, in ways we could not experience before. The hustle and bustle of the world around us, the noise, clatter, and business of daily life-drowns the inner life, suffocates it.
When the believer seeks this kind of inner relationship with the Lord, we are drawn into Him, as a moth to a flame. But, once we've opened the door of this kind of prayer, and innermost praise- He then has access to us, to be able to communicate many things that are in His mind and heart, and what specific things He would call us into, because we've found that inner place with Him, and we find He desires to show us so much more of Himself, and His direction in our lives, and in specific things He wants us to be praying for. Many believer's never come to this place, because they fail to realize that our walk with Him is as close as we really want Him to be. He tells us, "those who seek me, will find me."
1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Luk 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
On the other hand, directly sin is repented of and put away, it is blotted out, Isa_43:25. It is persistence in sin that causes God to turn from us. If we forsake what is evil, as soon as we are conscious of it, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.” It is blotted out as a cloud from the sky and no more remembered against us forever. This is done for God’s own sake. The reason for our salvation and deliverance is not in us, but in Him. The cross of shame and sorrow was His own expedient, and the Lamb in the midst of the throne is the emblem of the divine Atonement, which was commenced and finished by the inexplicable grace of God. (F.B. Meyer)
The praises referred to in this devotional commentary can be ascribed to that which the Holy Spirit inspires during our times of prayer. When we spend time in deep intercourse with the Lord in prayer, the Holy Spirit will often deepen our sense of God's presence, and from our inner most being, praise will rise up, and we will find ourselves engulfed in a form of prayer and worship that only comes from praise from the very heart and soul within us. When this happens, time becomes irrelevant, we are lost in Him. Then, many times, God will be able to commune with us, in ways we could not experience before. The hustle and bustle of the world around us, the noise, clatter, and business of daily life-drowns the inner life, suffocates it.
When the believer seeks this kind of inner relationship with the Lord, we are drawn into Him, as a moth to a flame. But, once we've opened the door of this kind of prayer, and innermost praise- He then has access to us, to be able to communicate many things that are in His mind and heart, and what specific things He would call us into, because we've found that inner place with Him, and we find He desires to show us so much more of Himself, and His direction in our lives, and in specific things He wants us to be praying for. Many believer's never come to this place, because they fail to realize that our walk with Him is as close as we really want Him to be. He tells us, "those who seek me, will find me."
1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Luk 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
PRAISE, PRAYER, AND PEACE
Notice that though the ancient sacrifices have been abolished, there is one which can never grow old-the sacrifice of praise. This incense must ever ascend from the heart-altar. And to this we must add the sacrifices of doing good and distributing our goods.
Perfection in the closing paragraph, Heb_13:21, means adjustment, the setting of a dislocated bone. We may be in the body of which Jesus is the Head, and yet be out of touch with Him. We need setting; and this is work which God will delegate to no angel, however exalted. He will do it Himself as tenderly and gently as possible, because He is the God of peace. Do you doubt it? Did He not bring the Shepherd to glory, and is He not able to bring the sheep also? Never rest until you are in living organic union with Jesus, that He may be able to work His will through you to your own great joy and for the hastening of the Kingdom. (F.B. Meyer)
Perfection in the closing paragraph, Heb_13:21, means adjustment, the setting of a dislocated bone. We may be in the body of which Jesus is the Head, and yet be out of touch with Him. We need setting; and this is work which God will delegate to no angel, however exalted. He will do it Himself as tenderly and gently as possible, because He is the God of peace. Do you doubt it? Did He not bring the Shepherd to glory, and is He not able to bring the sheep also? Never rest until you are in living organic union with Jesus, that He may be able to work His will through you to your own great joy and for the hastening of the Kingdom. (F.B. Meyer)
The Perfect Sacrifice
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise - He has now fulfilled all vision and prophecy, has offered the last bloody sacrifice which God will ever accept; and as he is the gift of God’s love to the world, let us through him offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, this being the substitute for all the Levitical sacrifices.
The Jews allowed that, in the time of the Messiah, all sacrifices, except the sacrifice of praise, should cease. To this maxim the apostle appears to allude; and, understood in this way, his words are much more forcible. In Vayikra Rabba, sect. 9, fol. 153, and Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 55: “Rabbi Phineas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Jochanan, from the authority of Rabbi Menachem of Galilee, said, In the time of the Messiah all sacrifice shall cease, except the sacrifice of praise.” This was, in effect, quoting the authority of one of their own maxims, that now was the time of the Messiah; that Jesus was that Messiah; that the Jewish sacrificial system was now abolished; and that no sacrifice would now be accepted of God, except the sacrifice of praise for the gift of his Son.
That is, the fruit of our lips - This expression is probably borrowed from Hos_14:2, in the version of the Septuagint, καρπον χειλεων which in the Hebrew text is פרים שפתינו parim sephatheinu, “the heifers of our lips.” This may refer primarily to the sacrifices, heifers, calves, etc., which they had vowed to God; so that the calves of their lips were the sacrifices which they had promised. But how could the Septuagint translate פרים parim, calves, by καρπον, fruit? Very easily, if they had in their copy פרי peri, the mem being omitted; and thus the word would be literally fruit, and not calves. This reading, however, is not found in any of the MSS. hitherto collated.
(Adam Clarke)
The Jews allowed that, in the time of the Messiah, all sacrifices, except the sacrifice of praise, should cease. To this maxim the apostle appears to allude; and, understood in this way, his words are much more forcible. In Vayikra Rabba, sect. 9, fol. 153, and Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 55: “Rabbi Phineas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Jochanan, from the authority of Rabbi Menachem of Galilee, said, In the time of the Messiah all sacrifice shall cease, except the sacrifice of praise.” This was, in effect, quoting the authority of one of their own maxims, that now was the time of the Messiah; that Jesus was that Messiah; that the Jewish sacrificial system was now abolished; and that no sacrifice would now be accepted of God, except the sacrifice of praise for the gift of his Son.
That is, the fruit of our lips - This expression is probably borrowed from Hos_14:2, in the version of the Septuagint, καρπον χειλεων which in the Hebrew text is פרים שפתינו parim sephatheinu, “the heifers of our lips.” This may refer primarily to the sacrifices, heifers, calves, etc., which they had vowed to God; so that the calves of their lips were the sacrifices which they had promised. But how could the Septuagint translate פרים parim, calves, by καρπον, fruit? Very easily, if they had in their copy פרי peri, the mem being omitted; and thus the word would be literally fruit, and not calves. This reading, however, is not found in any of the MSS. hitherto collated.
(Adam Clarke)
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