“Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.”—Isa. lv. 4.

It is often said that a living head is essential to the well-being of a living Church. Nothing can be clearer than the teaching of Scripture that our Living Head is in heaven now, seated at the right hand of God.

It is as a Living Head that our Blessed Saviour is here predicted. Three rich promises are made by God to every hungering and thirsting heart—Life, a Covenant, and a living Head. Life, for He says, “Hear, and your soul shall live.” A covenant, for He says, “I will make an everlasting covenant with you;” and a Head, for He adds, in the words of our text, “Behold I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.”

The question may arise, “Who is it that is thus given for a witness? Who is the person that the people are to recognize as their leader and commander?” The prophecy says David. But David, we know, was a typical character. He was not merely a king, but a type; a type of Him who was to be both his son and his Lord. Accordingly we are taught that the name David was applied to the Lord Jesus, for we find the words applied by St. Paul to Christ and His resurrection. [44a] We are there taught that when God raised up Christ from the dead, He gave us the sure mercies of David. The Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, is the Witness, He is the Leader, and He the Commander of His people. In other words the risen Redeemer is our Living Head.

The text, therefore, directs us to His present action, not to His death or even to His life before His death, but to His present Headship at the right hand of God. He is

A WITNESS

One who bears a true and faithful testimony. This He did in His life on earth, as we learn from His own words when He stood before Pilate. “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness into the truth.” [44b] And this same character He maintains in heaven, for at the opening of the Book of Revelation we are taught to look for grace and peace “from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.” [44c] It is clear that as the “first-begotten,” that is, as the risen Saviour, He now acts as a witness.

This is done in two ways. He is a witness to the world, bearing witness to God’s great plan of salvation. But more than that He witnesses to the heart of each of His own children, assuring them of His faithfulness, confirming them in His truth, and doing what David prayed Him to do, “Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” [44d] There is an outer and an inner witness; an outer witness in the power of His Spirit accompanying His word, and an inner witness within the souls of His own people; hidden from the world and known only to those who enjoy it, that witness of which St. John spoke when he said, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” [45a] And this may teach us an important lesson respecting the true nature of faith. It is faith when we receive the testimony of the Lord Jesus as an undoubted truth, and, without questioning, simply believe Him. There are difficult truths taught in His word, and some strangely at variance with human opinion; but true faith gives up all and trusts. It makes a complete surrender to Jesus Christ, the faithful witness.

HE IS A LEADER

And when we speak of Him as a Leader, we must not connect His office merely with the idea of war, for it is the office of peace also. When our Lord compares Himself to the Shepherd He says He “leadeth them out.” [45b] Nor is His office of a leader given up even in the peaceful rest of Heaven. There is a leading Hand even there, for when St. John was permitted to look in and to see the great multitude before the Throne, the Angel referred him to words from the blessed promise in Isaiah. [45c] In heaven, therefore, the promise is both fulfilled and known. It is fulfilled, for there the saints of God are refreshed by the living waters; and it is known, for the Angel himself, while describing the joys of heaven, calls attention to the ancient prophecy, and shows how in the peaceful scene around him it was receiving its complete fulfilment.

Now what is implied when we are taught that the Lord Jesus is a Leader for His people? It implies much more than teaching, and therefore the office of the leader is far beyond that of witness. It would be of but little use to explain to a blind man the windings of some narrow path. But it would be an act of great kindness to take him by the hand and lead him. And this is what our Leader does for us, for He says, “I will bring the blind by a way they knew not.” [46a]

Our proud hearts may dislike the dependent position of either the feeble or the blind; but, whether we like it or no, we are both blind and feeble, unable to trace our path amidst the perplexities of life, and equally unable to move safely alone even when the path may be discovered. It is, therefore, in mercy and in tender love that God has given Him to be a Leader, and our part is to accept the gift and trust Him. When we are brought into perplexity, into one of those positions of life where two ways seem to meet, we may fall down before Him as our great Leader, and say, “For thy name’s sake, lead me and guide me.” [46b] When we find ourselves in slippery places and scarcely know how to stand, we may come into His presence and cry, “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.” [46c] When perplexing doctrine is presented to us, and false teaching abounds around us, we may spread out His word which contains His testimony, and say, “Shew me Thy ways, O Lord.” [46d] And when we come to the valley of the shadow of death, when no human hand can help us, and no human sympathy reach our necessities, even then we may be perfectly sure that our great Leader will never leave us; but as we part from all friends here on earth, and as all earthly helps fade away, we may lean more simply and more heavily than ever on Him and say, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” [47a]

So again for the Church of Christ. Our lot is cast in very perplexing times, and those who really care for the Church of God must often have their hearts filled with deep anxiety. It is a happy thing to know that God has given him to be a Leader of the people, and “Head over all things to the Church.” [47b] We may trust Him, therefore, to take care of His own truth, and rest assured that amidst all the perplexities of these latter days He will guide His own people safe to the end, until every one of them appeareth before God.

HE IS A COMMANDER

We cannot say of this office, as we did of the last, that it belongs to peace, for it is one peculiar to war. The commander is for the battle-field, and still more for the well-arranged campaign. Thus our Lord is presented to us as a Commander in the book of Revelation. [47c] He then appears in His royal character, and at the same time heading His army. He encounters all the powers of the world, but he is surrounded by a little company of faithful followers, and He leads them on to victory.

The Church of God must be prepared for conflict. Till the Lord comes sin will give the Church no peace. Till Satan is trampled down under His feet, he will never rest in his deadly warfare against the Lord Jesus and His little flock. The soldier of Christ must be a man of war.

The great Commander will have His own chosen and faithful followers—“they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” [48a] They are marked from the world by a clear line of separation. They bear His name; they wear His uniform; they rally round His banner; they are not ashamed of His reproach; and wheresoever He goeth there it is their joy to follow Him. There is no service like His, no commander so perfect, no struggle so noble, no victory so certain and so glorious.

If we really be amongst the chosen band of faithful followers, our one standard in life must be the will of our great Commander. We must be watching each signal from Him, and owning no authority but His. From first to last our spirit must be that of Saul of Tarsus, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” [48b] This may sometimes imply a painful surrender, a surrender of ease, and inclination, and, hardest of all, of pride. But the soldier in the earthly army yields at once to his commanding officer, and how much more should we, when He has chosen us to be His people, blotted out our sins by His blood, called us into His own fellowship, sealed us with His seal, and made us heirs of His Kingdom?