The Rock From Which You Were Hewn

The Rock From Which You Were Hewn

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him.” Isa. 51:1-2.

On the day of adversity it was comforting for Israel to know who they were and from where they had come. God had blessed them while they were still in Abraham’s loins. As long as they sought the Lord and pursued righteousness, they could with boldness and hope look to the rock from which they were hewn and to the hole of the pit from which they had come, and could expect all goodness and blessing from there.

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” Gal. 3:16. Christ became “a curse for us . . . that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:13-14.

If Israel could rejoice in this promise in the day of adversity, then we can rejoice even more in Christ Jesus.

We who are born of Him were known and chosen in Him before the foundation of the world was laid. Let us be conscious of who we are and from where we have come. May we—full of hope and faith—look to the Rock from which we were hewn. Every stone that is hewn from this Rock opens the way for a stream of living water, sufficient for every single person to live a victorious and happy life for the rest of his days. We are even called to live a life in abundance, so that rivers of living water can also flow from our lives to others. John 7:38.

“Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.” Ps. 68:26. This is a fountain to cleanse away all sin and uncleanness. Zech. 13:1.

A sufficient abundance of blessing, grace, and power will always flow from this fountain, so that we will always have all sufficiency in all things. Therefore we will have an abundance for every good work. 2 Cor. 9:8.

Only the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Therefore those who feel that Christianity is a burden and think everything is so heavy and difficult will find the cause in rebelliousness. Yet it is foolish to live such a desert life during the time of the new covenant, with such abundant opportunities to live an exalted and blessed life in humility.

For those who walk straight ahead on the path of righteousness it becomes brighter and brighter until the perfect day. They will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isa. 61:3. They will be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of God. Isa. 62:3. On the other hand, “the way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” Prov. 4:19.

An unjust person thinks he gains by not paying what he owes, but he is thoroughly mistaken. Money that is gained in this way is put into a bag with holes, and such people and their families are cursed. Neither can you take care of a matter easily by telling a lie, because sooner or later God will bring you back to the matter. He keeps strict accounts with each individual, and He will bring everything into the light, whether it is good or evil.

There are many people who, through unrighteousness, lies, and hypocrisy, seek to glide easily through this world. They are on the lookout for all kinds of gain, but in reality all those ways lead to utter loss and perdition.

At times it can appear as if things go well and fortune smiles on such people, but we see that their end is terrible.

There is only one way that is profitable: to go straight ahead on the path of righteousness. It will cost us all our flesh to go on this way, and that is why it is good to know on the day of battle who we are, from where we have come, and where we are going, and that the path of righteousness is the way of promise.