10. The Rock higher than I: Isaiah 32:1-4
The Rock higher than I
Most all agree that while these words apply to King Hezekiah, who reigned over Judah 29 years, who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, who was indeed a good king and a blessing to the people, this is a prophecy of the Messiah. It only has its full accomplishment in him and his kingdom.
Christ is the hiding place from winds of sin, trouble, and sorrow.
Christ is the only shelter from the storm of God’s wrath.
Christ is the water of life in this dry and thirsty land.
Christ is the great rock, the tried stone, our only foundation.
Isaiah 32:1. ‘Behold!’ Look with wonder, awe, and rejoicing. The scriptures use this word often in reference to our Lord Jesus. ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive’ (Isaiah 7:14). ‘Behold, I bring you good tidings, unto you is born a Saviour’ (Luke 2:10). ‘Behold, the man’ (John 19:5). ‘Behold, I come quickly’ (Revelation 22:12).
‘A king shall reign.’ Our Lord Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (Revelation 19:13-16). He reigns over the universe, over the world, and over his church (Psalms 2:6). He is Lord and King because he made all things (Colossians 1:16). He is Lord and King by royal decree (Hebrews 1:8-9; Php 2:9-11). He is Lord and King by his death (Romans 14:9). He is Lord and King by his resurrection (Acts 17:31).
‘He reigns in righteousness.’ Of course, ‘the sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of his kingdom’ (Hebrews 1:8; Psalms 45:6-7). His laws are just and right; his ways and rule are just and holy. But in the kingdom of the Son of his love, in the everlasting covenant of mercy to sinners, ‘God set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare God’s righteousness’ (Romans 3:25), ‘that God may be both just and justifier of believers’ (Romans 3:26). Our King may show mercy; he must be righteous! Our Lord may lift the beggar from his dunghill of sin and make him a prince; but he must do it in the only way his law can be honored and his justice satisfied—by his own obedience and death as a man! (Romans 5:19; 2 Cor. 5-21; Galatians 4:4-5).
‘And ‘princes shall rule in judgment.’ Are these his faithful ‘prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers’ (Ephesians 4:11-12) who are set over his church, who rule well (Hebrews 13:7) in the word, in the gospel, and in the ordinances?
Isaiah 32:2. ‘And a man’—the God-man! (1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6), the King-Messiah (Matthew 22:41-45), the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-49). It was promised and prophesied that Christ should come (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14); and this he willingly did and has become, for his elect, all that God requires for their eternal salvation (Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Corinthians 1:30).
‘A hiding place from the wind,’ from the wrath of God raised by our sin. Only in Christ can we be sheltered from his wrath (John 3:36). Christ has borne the wrath of the Father for us (Isaiah 53:4-6); he has endured the full penalty for sin and turned away the wrath (Romans 8:1). He is our refuge. Like the cities of Refuge protected the man-slayer from the avenger, we dwell safely, peacefully in him.
‘A covert from the tempest,’ or a shelter from all storms, from Satan’s temptations. He is our shelter in all trouble, trial, sickness, and sorrow. Someone said, ‘He who reckons on a peaceful calm from the cradle to the grave is a fool or a dreamer.’ We may set sail on a sea as smooth as glass; but before the journey is over, our ships will reel to and fro, the fury of life’s storms will be felt from the rudder to the topmost sail, and you will think that it shall surely sink; but he is the haven, the port, and the one who calms the storms. ‘Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, ’til the storms of life be past.’
‘As rivers of water in a dry place.’ Isaiah is speaking of the fullness and abundance of grace in Christ. His grace is rich, free, and sufficient; for it flows from the boundless ocean of divine love! David knew something of the dry places (Psalms 63:1-2). All of the Lord’s people experience the dry places and stand in need of comfort and refreshing in this dry and barren world. Oh, the times when study is a chore, when the heart is cold and depressed, when the flesh is weak and pain is great, when sorrows like sea billows roll over us and prayer seems like nothing but words! That’s when he said, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’
‘A shadow of a great rock in a weary land.’ David in Psalms 61:2 gives us help on this high Rock.
1. ‘From the end of the earth’ is any place of absence from the temple where God dwelt above the mercy-seat, truly a weary land everywhere.
2. ‘I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed.’ Troubles are of various kinds (provoking, perplexing, or gnawing), but these are overwhelming troubles, for life and death. ‘My sins are ever before me’ (Psalms 51:3).
3. ‘Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.’ If we would find the Rock of Ages, we are dependent upon his hand to lead us. We are so blind we can never find it, but his hand is powerful and tender. This Rock is The Rock (none other like it) which our God has laid (Isaiah 28:16). It is ‘higher than I’ because he is God; it reaches to heaven as Jacob’s ladder. ‘It is deeper than hell’ (Job 11:7-9); as a man he descended to the deeps. It is a foundation (Luke 6:48), a fountain of water (John 7:37-38), a shade from the heat (Isaiah 4:6), a strong tower from the enemy (Psalms 61:3).
Isaiah 32:3-4. ‘The eyes of them that see shall not be dim.’ Believers who have been enlightened by the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 4:6) to see Christ shall have a clear revelation of him in his person and work, and not dim as in the types and shadows, nor shall their sight ever be lost.
‘The ears of them that hear shall hearken.’ Those who hear his voice shall hear effectually, attentively, and affectionately. ‘They shall come to Me’ (John 10:14-16).
‘The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge.’ Those who have been ignorant and hasty in judging things too wonderful for them shall be taught of God, as was Saul of Tarsus (Php 3:6-8).
‘The stammerer shall speak plainly.’ Those who used to speak of the things of God foolishly and with no understanding shall now preach and teach plainly the good news of Christ (as we are doing now), who at one time had nothing of any value to say (2 Corinthians 4:7).