There are those occasions when the people of God go through trying circumstances, and the question may be asked as to why these things are happening. It is then, more so than ever, that we fail to remember that the Lord is yet in control. What this world or its media fail to recognize is that there is a higher power than any earthly president, or king, or governance, no matter where they may be situated in this world. They may speak tonight of the world powers, of the world leaders, but what are they in comparison to the Sovereign God who is above all and beyond all things on earth? Behind the rise and fall of kings, of thrones and empires, there is the unseen and the powerful hand of God. And we can say the words, none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, What doest thou? You listen to the words of the Psalmist even in Psalm 75, verse 6 and 7. For promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge. He puts down one and sets up another. And all the workings of God are for His glory and for the deliverance of His own people behind all the powers on this earth, whether they desire to acknowledge it or not. There is a sovereign God who is bringing to pass His perfect, infinite will. He is working out all things for the good of His church and through tribulation or affliction, chastisement, the church of God is being perfected and being prepared to inherit the kingdom and to reign with Christ one day. That was something. that the Apostle Paul and the other apostles preached to the New Converse in Acts 14 and verse 22. He says, confirming the sermons of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. The tribulation is certainly seen when we consider the nation of Israel in the time of the prophet Isaiah as of that which we have read tonight. It is to what may seem to be a contradictory verse that I desire to turn our thoughts to this night. Verse 3, And I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayst know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am a God of Israel. Hear our words, not only spoken by God to a monarch, but they're words of encouragement to our own heart tonight. I want us to think something at the outset about the context here. In order that we may grasp something of what God is saying to our own hearts, it's important that we look at the actual context. The nation of God's people were in captivity in Babylon. And these verses reveal to us what God said to one by the name of Cyrus. He was the king of Persia. You'll notice in verse 1 that he is termed as one anointed. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus. He's called God's anointed, not because he was anointed with oil, as was the case with the kings of Judah or the kings of Israel, but because he was appointed, or if you like, set apart. He was set apart by the Lord to be a king and he was qualified by the Lord for that office. And he was raised up by Him to be an instrument of doing great things, particularly in the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity and to bring them back again into their own land. He was both designed and qualified for this great service by the counsel of God. And then he is a type of the Messiah. He's given that title because even though he didn't realize it, God was to use him for the setting free of his own people. That, of course, is not something that is totally unusual. You think of the Philistines. Philistines were permitted by God to afflict the nation of Israel. Why? So that they would be driven back to their God. And that the Lord would raise up judges amongst them of which were studying in the Sunday mornings to liberate them from their oppression. Here was a heathen king whom God was to use for the sake of His own people. And he tells Sarah that message. Verse 4, For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. You know, there's a great thought there. If God could use this man for the deliverance of Israel, though he says, Thou hast not known me, what can God not do with those of his own? of His own bloodbath, of His own redeemed people, saved and redeemed by the precious blood of the Savior. You know, we have a God who knows every one of His children by name. We turn back to Isaiah 43, verse 1, But thou, now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. That name that you were given at birth, God knew from eternity past and he wrote it down in the Lamb's Book of Life. I have called thee by thy name. I think of Moses As he was commissioned to lead the children of Israel after the sin of the golden calf, in Exodus 33, in the words of verse 11, it says this, And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man spake unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp. But a servant Joshua, the son of none, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name. And thou hast also found grace in my sight. And Moses had heard God say that. I know thee by name. Verse 17. The Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken. For thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And God was guiding him and he was a man who would take over from Moses in the position of leadership because Moses wouldn't cross over into the land of Canaan even though Moses wasn't discerning enough to know who it was. Even though he was before his face. For you have it in verse 11, while Moses turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua The Son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. God knew him by name, the very one who would lead the children and who would succeed Moses as he took them into the land of Cain. The truth that we are known by God is not only found in the Old Testament, but you know, of course, that the shepherd knows each of his sheep by name. How near! How dear are we to Christ? Do you ever consider that? How near and dear are you to the Savior? You turn over to chapter 49, verse 16. Isaiah, just a few chapters over from where we are. Look at this. He says, Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hand, Thy walls are continually before me." That's how near and dear we are to the Savior. I've graven thee upon the palms of my hands. You have something in the palm of your hand that's close to you. But many like me, you can understand the first part of that verse very easily, but the second part, what's that mean? Thy walls are continually before me. It's not in the physical sense, although I believe there's an illusion there taken from the great walls of the city or the great walls of the temple, the holy place. But the metaphor there that's used, it seems to be taken from an architect. An architect has the plan of a building or the plan of a house Or the plan of a city and its walls in his hand, and they're lying before him. He's looking at them. He's studying them. And the Lord says of you and me, my walls are continually before me. That's how close you are. The phrase denotes the constant care and concern of God that He has for the protection and the safety of His church and His people. We are never forgotten. Sometimes you put plans into these planners office and you think they've forgotten about them. They got them lost or something. God never forgets His people. God never forgets His nearest and dearest. But furthermore, this Cyrus was a king whom God would use as an instrument in His mighty hand for the deliverance of His people from the fortifications of Babylon. And the commentators would tell us that at that time Babylon was immensely powerful. It had a circumference of 45 miles. Its walls were not only thick and width, that the chariots can run along. But they were extremely high. And beyond those walls were the nation of Israel held in captivity in what must seem to be like a concentration camp. And that captivity was to endure for seven years. But the power of God was greater. And He was to take this king by the right hand, strengthen him against the enemies that held God's people captive. If you look at verse 1 again, You have a clue there as when this was to take place, for we have words there which describe what happened to a king when he saw the hand writing those letters on the wall. Daniel chapter 5, I refer you to in the words of verse 4, where it says, they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of gold and of stone. Verse 5 tells us when the hand appeared on the plasterwork and so forth that the king's countenance was changed and his throats troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loose. and his knees smote one against another. What do we read in verse 1? Thus saith the Lord to his anointed Desirous, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will lose the loins of kings. There is a king in Daniel by Shazer, and he was to be terrified. to the extent that His loins were loosed. And everything that is said in Isaiah 45 was to come to pass over 200 years later. You see, men and women, God is sovereign and He is faithful to His Word. And He raised up this heathen king to do His work. The cities would surrender before Him. The gates would be opened. The long journey homeward would be made easier for God would straighten out the crooked places. No opposition would stand in their way, and God would give to Cyrus the hidden treasures that were in battle and taken from those other nations, the gold and the silver that was buried there. The vast wealth would all be his. You see, the Lord is no man's debtor. His wages are good, unlike those of the devil, for he seeks to damn souls in hell. Cyrus would be much better off when he did the work of the Lord. And he was a man who was to acknowledge the hand of God in it all. Remember the last time in the prayer meeting? Or the last time I was here preaching? We were in Ezra. Ezra chapter 1. You just remember again, listen again to what the first two verses says. In the first year of Cyrus. Kena Persia. that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house of Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? I am sure you could go on. And there he is acknowledging God, the hand of God is in it all. Here then, we are reminded of the God who is in control of all things, who can move the hearts and the minds of those in power to fulfill his purposes. And the nations of this world are just like a drop in the bucket. Our God, men and women, is upon His throne. No one can as much lift a finger, however powerful they may seem, without the permission of our risen, all-conquering Lord. Isn't that a comforting thought to His people? Isn't that comforting to our hearts, especially when times are dark? And times, in terms of man's part in the whole thing, seems to be spiraling out of control. God is yet in control. Not only do I want you to see the context, and we've looked at a little of that, but I want you to notice the riches. Verse 3. What does it mean? the treasures of darkness. Is that a misprint? You see, there's the contradiction, or seemingly contradiction. That which darkness is often associated with is fear or evil, not treasures. John 3.19, men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. But God says, I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places. Let me suggest what some of those riches may be. It's through darkness that man is enabled to put things in the right perspective. The days are getting shorter. We're fast approaching the shortest day of the year, 21st of December. The nights are dropping down. Dark in the morning, you go to work. Dark when you come home again. The darkness is seen early on now. But did you ever stop and consider how much the darkness reveals? If there was daylight 24 hours a day, then we would assume that this earth was all that there was in God's universe. But the vastness of God's universe and of creation is seen when the darkness falls. It is then that we realize how small we are in comparison to it all. Psalm 19, the first two verses, the heavens declare the glory of God. And the firmament showeth his handiwork day unto day, uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. You look up into the darkness maybe when you go out, and we are able to see something of the power of the mind of our great Creator God. And that was what the psalmist was brought to consider in Psalm 8. And verse 3, when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou visitest him? It is the darkness that reminds us that we are but a speck of dust in God's sight, and yet how great our God really is, and the mystery of it all is this, that He is mindful of us. What is man? that thou wert mindful of him. Darkness also produces growth. Now that you said this, Mother, but a favourite enticement of many apparent years ago to get the children to bed was, you have to go to bed because that's where you grow. You grow in your sleep. I see some of you smiling, so you must have used it. You know, that's certainly true with regard to some things. There are some trees and they don't grow well because they're never in the dark. When the sun goes down, the lights in the street come on, they're exhausted. They're constantly, you see, in the blaze of light where there's no relief and no rest. And you know, the same, of course, is true of ourselves. God never meant us to be working all the hours of day and night. Maybe I should tell that to the teachers over here. God doesn't mean us to work all the hours of night on night. The body needs refreshment. It needs rest. And the darkness helps in causing that to happen. Psalm 127 verse 2, of course. For he giveth his beloved sleep. And there are times when we come through some difficult affliction, some dark experience. We may not see it at the time, yet afterwards we can see the riches that God gave us through that time are because of that. Wasn't that what the apostle was to face in 2 Corinthians chapter 12? Remember how he speaks there about thorn in flesh? 2 Corinthians 12 verse 7. lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations that was given to me, a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I have sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities at the power of Christ may rest upon me." He didn't have the prayer answered in the way and manner in which he wanted it to be answered. But God was to reveal something greater unto him. And his grace was sufficient. And when he was weak, then he was strong. The psalmist touches on this well in Psalm 119, in verse 67. It simply says this, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept my word. Verse 71. It's good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Darkness, you will know, men and women, was also noted in the plan of God's salvation and in the preparing for us a home in heaven. For Luke chapter 23 and verse 44 it says this, And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. During those hours, from midday to three o'clock in the afternoon, it was the Christ of God who had become sin for us. The one who knew no sin and brought the Father could not look upon his Son. And that's why no one, no one can betray the true sufferings of Christ on the cross. No movie out of Hollywood can do it. Why? Because they were hidden in the darkness. The darkness filled the whole earth. For out of that darkness was accomplished a finished work, and a deal was sent in the temple signifying that Christ is opened up a way for sinful mankind from the dark paths of sin. The entrance to heaven has been purchased through His death. We can never put a value on the riches, on the treasures that came out of that darkness. They have everything in Christ because of Calvary. And so we begin, I hope, I trust, to understand something of what this little phrase means. The treasures of darkness, even in the most trying of circumstances. And my, I'm conscious that maybe I am preaching to someone tonight, and you have the troubles, and you have the anxieties of heart. This may be a dark place where you're walking just now, but even in those most trying of circumstances, God has for you riches and treasures that you wouldn't have otherwise. It's a blessing to be able to look upon those things or those times in such a light. I'll close by speaking of the reason. You see, the reason why Saris would have these treasures is also found in her text. It is that he would know that there was a God of Israel. I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of sacred places that thou mayest know that I, the Lord which call thee by thy name, I am the God of Israel. Through this experience, he would come into communion with God. It took the dark experience of a famine and of the feeding of the swine to bring the prodigal to himself. He thought he was going out into the far country to have a good time. And I have the shekels that I used to have at the Father's house. I'm going out. I'm going to meet up with the old man. But he was brought to that place, a very dark place. And no one was with him. And no one cared. And there's a famine. And he's feeding at the very trucks of the pigs. But it took that so that he would return into the blessed communion with his Father. I took the dark experience of the storm arising on the lake when the disciples were in the boat and the Lord was to come to them walking on the water. He was to still the waves. John 6. Let me take you to it in the words of verse 16. When even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of the great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing nigh unto the ship. And they were afraid, but He saith unto them, It is I, be not afraid. And they willingly received Him into the ship. And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. And the corresponding accountant Mark's Gospel or Matthew's Gospel, they are brought to that place where they can say among themselves truly, this is the Son of God. But it took that dark experience, in the will of God, for He sent them under the boat to go over to the other side, for them to realize that, to learn it. Maybe those dark times are the very reason of drawing us as children closer to himself. We know this, that God doeth all things well. And it is the trine, it is the dark times that thrust us more and more upon him, and dependent upon the Lord who cannot fail. May God help us to keep looking to the author and the finisher of our faith, whatever the circumstances, and that we might know something of this text, the Lord would give us the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places. May the Lord bless His Word to our hearts tonight, for His own name's sake. Amen.