Amen. People of God, let us then turn to Isaiah chapter 26, page 746. In most of the few Bibles, I will read verses 1 to 9. And following that, we'll open to Canons of Dort, Head 1, Article 12. As we do our mini-series here. Again, it may be 10 or 15 weeks or so that we spend on the Canons of Dort on the 400th anniversary of that synod and of the canons that were written there to defend the essentials concerning salvation. But first, let us hear from the Word of God, Isaiah chapter 26. This is written in song form and notice we will even see the word song there in verse 1 and this is a song particularly for those returning from exile and so let us read Isaiah chapter 26 verses 1 to 9. In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city. He sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy. The path of the righteous is level. You make level the way of the righteous. In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you. Your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night. My spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." So far the reading of God's holy word. Let us turn then to Canons in Article 12 of Head 1, that's page 262 in the Forms and Prayers book. Right there at the top of page 262, Article 12. It is a little bit shorter than some, but still written in paragraph form, so I will read it. The Assurance of Election. Assurance of this, their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation, is given to the chosen in due time, though by various stages and in differing measure. Such assurance comes not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God, but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God's Word, such as true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. It's the confession we hold in common. Dear congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, what gift is more valuable than money? We could say that time is more valuable than money. Money cannot buy time. What gift is more valuable than time? Well, we can say that Peace is more valuable than time. Time does not guarantee peace. Peace, peace, precious peace. Peace is a great gift, indeed. Apart from God, there can be illusions of peace. Money can give an illusion of peace. Money can afford a certain amount of security. Time can give the illusion of peace. Those who are young and strong can feel invincible. But neither of these things gives lasting peace. Neither of these things gives true peace. Money cannot be taken to the grave. And even beyond that, money does not always last up to the grave. There may be those who are well off in youth and then they lose wealth. Maybe even gain it back and lose it again. Time, time again can seem to be forever for some who are young, but eventually all grow old. In that sense, everyone runs out of time. So it is that these things cannot give lasting peace. Lasting peace is from God alone. And it is a true and lasting comfort then, which is for the people of God alone. In fact, assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen. That is strong language that starts our confession, is it not? And yet it's doubly pastoral because it recognizes in accordance with the scriptures, and this is something that we see from page to page of scripture, not necessarily in one particular verse, it recognizes that this assurance is given in due time. It does not always come at the same time. It's given in various stages, or we might say various levels of strength. It's given in different measures. And so this is doubly pastoral because on the one hand, it's a reminder that for the people of God, there is peace, even to the assurance of eternal salvation. On the other hand, on the other hand, It recognizes that saints do not always experience this assurance without varying measures. Even one saint can experience that in their own life, right? One saint might be in a time of great confidence and then go through a season of doubt and then be returned to confidence. These varying measures can exist in one saint from one year to another. And so it is doubly pastoral to not only say that there is an assurance of salvation, but to then turn around and say, what about for those who doubt? Well, it's an assurance which comes in various stages in differing measures. but it is a great gift. And whichever measure this gift is given in, it is a gift from God because God is the one who brings His people in and God is the one who prepares the way forward for His people. And we'll consider this tonight in light especially of Isaiah 26. We'll consider how God is the active raw And second, that there is a level path for the people of God, our level path. And third, there is an enduring hope, our enduring hope. So first, who is the active rock, our active rock? God is the one who does the building. God is the one who does the gathering. God is the one who does the leveling. We see all of these things in Isaiah 26, one to nine. And we see first in verse one, that he is the one who does the building. What is this strong city? He sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. God is the one who builds the place of comfort. God is the one who builds the city for his people. He sets it up. He is the one who makes it a place of defense and sure safety against all of the attacks of the world. And so we have the language there of walls and bulwarks at the end of verse 1. And again, walls is something which is perhaps easily understood. It's a word which we still use to this day to describe something of strength, of surety, of defense, the wall of defense. Bulwark is not as common of a word today. What is it? It's a reminder that we are somewhat removed from a time when castles would be a strong defense against the weapons of the day. The best weapons of the day would have a difficult time going up against a strong castle. And bulwark is especially we might say a reference to the defensive features of a castle, the ramparts, the places where the army could stand and be in a high place of defense. The bulwarks is is the defending aspect, the defending features and designs of the wall of the city. God is the one who sets this up. He sets up the wall. He sets up the bulwark. And there's a basic movement in the context of Isaiah 26 where there are two cities being contrasted. One is the city of defense, which God builds, sets up in verse one. The other one is the city of the proud, the city of the lofty, which will be brought low. This we see in verse five. And again, notice it is the action of God who brings down the lofty city. Verse five, for he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. This is the action of God. God is the one who brings down the lofty city, which is a picture of the proud of the world who would seek to live and find security without God. That is the lofty city, the city of the proud ones, and God brings it down. This is His action. He's the one who destroys it and turns it into dust. The only thing left for the people of God is in verse six, to trample on the dust and walk on it. This is within the context of verse 28. Chapter 25, as well, speaks of the difference between the poor whom God would gather in and the proud whom God would lay low. Turn back one page to chapter 25. I'll read verses 2 to 4. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin. The foreigner's palace is a city no more. It will never be rebuilt. Verse three, therefore strong peoples will glorify you. Cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall. This is God's doing. He brings down the lofty cities of the world, the proud peoples of the world who would seek to find strength without him. And he sets up then a truly strong city, a truly strong fortification for the poor, for the needy. Building a castle is not an easy work. It's not something that can be accomplished without a lot of resources. And so this picture of the poor having a castle, that's not a picture that one would immediately think of. Poor people don't build castles. The mighty build castles and have their strength there. And the picture here in Isaiah is that the mighty, the lofty, they have a castle of their own strength and it will be broken down and God will make a castle for the poor, for the needy. God does this. God does this. Now it is a song to be sung, verse 1, in the land of Judah. So this is even talking about a particular city and a particular rebuilding of a city. Isaiah has looked forward. He has foretold. at this point in Isaiah, that the exile will come, that there will be destruction against the people of God, against Israel and against Judah. And then he says, it is all foretold long before it happens, both the destruction and the return. So Isaiah has said, you will be judged for your sins. You will be thrown into exile. But then long before the exile comes, there's also a song composed for those who return from exile. That's this song. In that day, in the day of the return, this song will be sung in the land of Judah. You will be exiled. Jerusalem will be destroyed. There's language in chapter 22, for example, of the city of Jerusalem being destroyed. It's, in that sense, one of the cities of the lofty, because they've set themselves up against God. They've been rebellious. They have been sinners. There's all these cities being destroyed, and then it's, but I am such that I will bring back my exiled peoples. I will bring back the faithful, the poor and the needy. I will do the gathering. I will open the gates, verse two, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. As another prophet would say it about the same matter, a hundred years later, Habakkuk chapter two, the just shall live by faith. God will bring judgment on Jerusalem, but the just shall live by faith. I will bring my people back. There will be a city. There will be physical walls built again in Jerusalem. This is a song to sing on that day. As we make an overview then of that, just giving a quick summary of that broader application, Well, this tells us something about assurance in varying measures, does it not, people of God? Think about it from the perspective of those hearing this. Wait a second, Jerusalem's going to be destroyed. You're taking away my picture of assurance. This is devastating. And then in the same book, There is a song to be sung when they return to the city. There is a song for when the walls will be rebuilt. You see, the Lord gives words for peace before that day of peace ever comes. The first hearers of this song None of them would come close to living to the days when the actual walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. They wouldn't live to see that day. But already they were given the song, even as we now look back and see this song. You see, it's a picture of how God takes our Our need for assurance, we need assurance as the poor and the needy who would come to God in faith. Sometimes the walls of Jerusalem are broken down. And we need the words of the song to sing when the walls are built back up. We need those words. We need the reminder of who God is and the defense that God gives for his people. And this is true whether we see those walls rebuilt or not. God is the one who does the building, God is the one who does the gathering. And even as this is a song to be sung in the land of Judah, we know that the return from exile is. Is for us to today as a picture. For how God restores his people. And how God, we might say, restores his doubting people to assurance, how God restores his people who have been brought low to a place of confidence. Will you see the walls physically rebuilt in your own lifetime? I don't know. But the walls will be rebuilt. And if you don't see it on this earth, certainly you'll see the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem and how they are built and how they are strong. You see, God gives us the song to sing And He is the one who builds the city. He is the one who does the gathering of verses 2 and 3. And then through that gathering, through the righteous that come in, through faith, through the gathering that God does, God then keeps His people in peace. You, God, keep Him. your people in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you perfect peace in in the Hebrew as they often use repetition for for emphasis it it's peace peace it's shalom shalom we translate it perfect peace but it is it is literally peace peace. You keep him in peace, peace. The Puritan William Bridge said it this way, not peace and doubting, not peace and no peace, but peace and peace, double peace for the one that is fixed on the Lord. So it is that verse 3 describes the only way to truly come to peace. Fix your thoughts on God amidst the confusions of this life, amidst the tumult of this world, amidst the walls of Jerusalem which will be crumbled or have been crumbling. Remember that the walls will be rebuilt. Remember that God is the one who does the rebuilding. And then, as we transition to our second point, There is a level path then for the people of God. Verse 7, and God is the one who does this leveling. The path of the righteous is level. You make level the way of the righteous. Surely God is active. God is our rock, which is a picture of strength, but we think of a rock as just sitting there. Well, no, God is a rock because that is a picture of strength. He's not just sitting there, though. He's active. He's the one who builds. He is the one who gathers. He is the one who levels. And so we come to our second point, this level path which God makes. It is much easier to travel a level path If there are backpackers or campers and you camp in a valley and then you go hiking over the next two or three days, what makes your hiking difficult is that you're hiking in and out of the gorge. It's not the distance you travel. Let's say you're constantly going up and down. Traveling on uneven ground is difficult. Even going downhill is difficult, because you have to constantly break yourself. And then going uphill is, well, that's very difficult. That's what we call a climb, right? It's difficult. And we don't walk as much as people used to. We drive cars quite often. But even driving a car, even a car with its however many horsepower, whichever car has, Even that is not so easy if the ground isn't level. Have you ever been in perhaps like a New Jersey or some of these very hilly areas? Or even I think of like Nashville. My brother had an apartment in Nashville and it was on a fairly steep hill. And just to park the car in the driveway was difficult unless you kind of got used to it and knew what you were doing. Even driving a car on unlevel ground is not always easy. We need a level path. Even a large, think of how they make a road, a paved road for something with lots of horsepower to go on. What do they do? If it's a big enough hill, you don't go straight up. You make switchbacks, even for a car. Or sometimes you take out dynamite and you blow a path through it or you go around it, right? You don't go straight up. Non-level paths are difficult paths, whether you're walking or even in a car. Mountains, valleys are difficult. But God prepares and makes level a path for His people. This is in accordance with His own character and nature, which is straight and true, with His law, which is level. So this says something about following the revealed will of God, does it not? In other words, when we sin and we go against the will of God, in that sense, we leave the level path. So there is never any excuse for sin, and the way of sin will be a way of difficulty. But that is not all that this picture, or which the picture of paths in general in the Old Testament says. It's not only a lesson about remaining free from sin. It also says something about how Psalm 25 verse 10 says, all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. That's Psalm 25 verse eight. What about Psalm 84 then? How does this relate to all paths? And there's this picture in Psalm 84 where the psalmist says, in verses five and six, blessed are those whose strength is in you and whose hearts are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs. The early rain also covers it with pools. What is the place of Baca? Baca is the dry and arid valley. It's a picture of a place of weeping, a place of dry land and wet eyes. But for the one whose strength is in God, whose heart is on the highways to Zion, When they're traveling to Zion, though they go through that valley of dryness and desert, that place of tears, it becomes a place of springs if you're on the way, on the highway to Zion. In other words, the level path which God makes is not only says something about how God instructs sinners in the way, and how there's a level path in keeping from sin, it's how all of what happens on this life, all of what God leads us through, even the Valley of Baca, when on the highway to Zion, can be called a place of springs. Now, the first thought that in keeping the commandments of God there is a level path and in keeping from sin is a level way, that's not so difficult. But how we could possibly call the valley of Baca a place of springs and water and abundance when we're on the highway to Zion, that is a difficult thought. That is a difficult thought. But it is a picture of a person of God who has assurance of salvation through all the stages of this life. God makes level a path for his people. This is both instructing sinners in the way and making the valley of Baca a place of springs. Let us come then, that leads us into our third point, our enduring hope. And our enduring hope is closely related to the first two points. In the first part, knowing that God is our rock, and that God is the one who gathers and is the one who gives then assurance of salvation and strong defense, Well, that is a reminder that our enduring hope rests upon His unchanging character. If salvation was changeable, or if God was changeable, then having assurance would be impossible. In the second part, our enduring hope is related to the level path of God, because when by God's grace we in some measure walk along the straight and narrow, when we do follow the level paths, when we are sinners instructed in the way and brought along the straight and narrow, or when by God's grace We are brought on the highway to Zion through the valley of Baca and see it as a valley of tears. Well, these things are evidences of what the Canons call the unmistakable fruits of election, are they not? Let's just read through that then. What are some of the things listed there at the end of Canons of Dort 1.12? Notice the the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God's Word, such as true faith in Christ, a childlike fear in God, well, isn't to be instructed in the way and isn't trusting in God on the highway to Zion through the difficulties of this earth, those things are related to a childlike fear of God. And what about a godly sorrow for sin that we would desire a level path, a path away from sin? That we would see sin for what it is, a twisted path and a path without the light of God, without a lamp to our feet. This is evidence of the fruits of election, that we would have a godly sorrow for sins, that we would desire a level path in that way, and a hunger and a thirst for righteousness. Well, this we see in Isaiah 26 in the last two verses, do we not? that, O Lord, we wait for you and your name and remembrance are the desire of my soul. That is a hungering and a thirsting for God. My soul yearns for you. A word of strong desire. My soul strongly desires you in the night. My spirit within me earnestly seeks you in the night. We have a hunger and a thirst. in in the in the in the dark days and seasons of this life in the night when when when we can't see the light. I desire you God. This is a fruit. A fruit of election. And having these things together. Having these things together can lead one. to assurance. How is it possible to have such a hunger, such a thirst, such a desire for a level way according to how God calls it level? to then have sorrow for sin. These are not worldly things. These are fruits of election. These are fruits of the children of God, that the Spirit would work such thoughts and desires within His people. So we see this strong language for desire and childlike trust in God. Perhaps then the one unmistakable fruit we have not considered so much is the first one, true faith in Christ. True faith in Christ. We've spoken about how God does the gathering, God does the building. Surely Jesus is the leader of our salvation. Surely He is the one and through His blood there is peace. Ephesians 2, 13 and 14. How do we have peace and how is this related to what Jesus has done? Ephesians 2, 13 and 14. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility." Faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness. People of God, do you have these things? These things are related to assurance of salvation. These things are evidence of God's work in you. These things are things that lead to peace. Peace, peace. Let us, in a sense then, walk back to Isaiah 26 verse 3 and think a little bit more about having our minds and our desires fixed on God. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind has stayed on you because he trusts in you. Think about the contrast between the fixed and unchangeable mind of God and the wandering minds which we have. John Calvin said it this way about this passage, there is a contrast between God's fixed thought and our wandering imaginations. For at almost every moment there springs up something new which drives our thoughts here and there, and there is no change, however slight, that does not produce some doubt. We ought therefore to hold this principle, that we do wrong if we judge of God's unshaken purpose by our fickle imagination. You see, The prophet has spoken about why we have doubts. It's because to have peace, peace, our mind must not be its natural wandering and wavering self. To have peace, our mind must be fixed on the unshaken character and mind and purpose of God. You keep him in peace, peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Why do we have this beautiful assurance in various stages in differing measures? Because our mind is a wandering mind. Our mind is not like God's mind. prone to wander, Lord, I feel it," the psalm says, or the hymn says. But if by God's grace, with true faith in Christ, with childlike trust and fear, our minds can be fixed upon God, His mind, His will, His purpose is unshakable. And that is how assurance, peace, peace is possible. That is our enduring hope. This speaks to cares and anxieties. Broadly speaking, this speaks specifically to the very care and concern of doubting itself. So people of God, let us fix our minds on the reality of who God is and what God has done, that God brings His people in, that God has the prophet write the song of the walls being rebuilt long before those walls will actually be seen, that God prepares the level path, and that these things are reasons for enduring hope even to assurance of salvation. Amen. Let us pray. Lord God, we think upon your unchanging character and then our wandering minds We pray that you would be with each one of us, but even in a particular way, that you would be with those who have valleys of bhaka, who have trials that tend to make the mind wander, that make it difficult to be focused upon you. So, Lord God, then, in a particular way, remind those in such a state of peace which is found in a mind fixed on you alone. Lord God, we give thanks for the beauty. Of assurance. Which you give. We. We know this is a spiritual matter. That we need the spirit for this. So, Lord, pour out your Spirit upon our hearts and minds. Give us this measure to full assurance. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. People of God, our song of application number 482. Let's sing together all the stanzas of 482. In doubt and temptation I rest, Lord, in Thee. my god i will extol thee and ever bless thy name I give thanks to Thee, and all Thy praise proclaim. In glory Thou only my portion shalt be. On earth or none other, I long but for Thee. My flesh and heart falter, but God is my stay. The strength of my spirit, my worship foray. Lord God, I will extol thee and ever bless thy name. Each day will I give thanks to thee and all thy praise. But near to my Savior most blessed am I. I make Thee my refuge, my Lord and my God. Thy grace and Thy glory I publish abroad. My God, I will extol Thee, and ever bless Thy name. Each day will I give thanks to Thee, and all Thy praise proclaim. People of God, it's time now for our gifts and evening offerings. This evening is for the General Fund. Following that, our benediction and closing doxology number 563. People of God, if you would stand. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. May the grace of Christ our Savior and the Father's boundless love with the Holy Spirit's favor rest upon us from above. Thus may we abide in union with each other and the Lord, and possess in sweet communion joys which earth cannot afford. Amen. Amen.