Isaiah 41:18

): I will open rivers in high places, rivers of grace, rivers of pleasure, rivers of living water, which he spoke of the Spirit ( John vii. 38, 39 ), that Spirit which should be poured out upon the Gentiles, who had been as high places, dry and barren, and lifted up on their own conceit above the necessity of that gift.

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I will open rivers in high places,....

But doubtless this promise has more than such a private interpretation. Their return out of Babylon was typical of our redemption by Christ; and so the contents of these promises, 1.

I will open rivers - That is, I will cause rivers to flow (see the note at Isa 35:7). The allusion here is doubtless to the miraculous supply of water in the desert when the Israelites had come out of Egypt. God then supplied their needs; and in a similar manner he would always meet his people, and would supply their needs as if rivers of pure water were made to flow from dry and barren hills.

Alluding to the waters with which Israel was miraculously supplied in the desert after having come out of Egypt. high places--bare of trees, barren, and unwatered (Jer 4:11; "High places . . . valleys" spiritually express that in all circumstances, whether elevated or depressed, God's people will have refreshment for their souls, however little to be expected it might seem.

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YOU notice that in this verse, the Lord twice says, "I will," and in that respect this verse is in harmony with the rest of the chapter. Will the children, when they are at home, find out how many times in this chapter God says, "I will," or "You shall," which is to much the same effect? How greatly I prize a portion of Scripture which is filled with God's shalls and wills! Everything He says is precious, but His, "I wills," are peculiarly precious.

YOU notice that in this verse, the Lord twice says, "I will," and in that respect this verse is in harmony with the rest of the chapter. Will the children, when they are at home, find out how many times in this chapter God says, "I will," or "You shall," which is to much the same effect? How greatly I prize a portion of Scripture which is filled with God's shalls and wills! Everything He says is precious, but His, "I wills," are peculiarly precious. There are the, "I wills," of the Psalms, a long list of them—and the, "I wills," of Christ, a good company. When we come to the, "I wills," of God, then we get among the precious things, the deep things, the things which minister comfort and strength to the people of God! We sometimes say, "I will," but it is in a feeble fashion compared with the way in which God says it. People say, "'Must' is for the king, and so, "I will," is for the King of kings! It is His prerogative to will. It is His sovereign right to say, "I will." When we get a chapter like the one that we have been reading, which is full of the, "I wills," of God, it is worth while to pause for a few moments and just think of what Jehovah's, "I will," must mean. It is an, "I will," uttered with deliberation. James said, "Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world." We say, "I will," in a hurry—and then we take time to repent of it. We are under excitement, persuasion, or compulsion and we say, "I will," and we are very sorry afterwards and, perhaps, we are so unfaithful as not to keep our word. But God never speaks under compulsion—He is almighty. God never speaks in a hurry. He has infinite leisure. God never speaks under excitement or persuasion—that were not like a God. His purpose is of old and His decree is from everlasting. And the, "I will," which is the mouth of the decree is a word that is spoken with wisdom and prudence.