Tent is the subject of this second verse of the 54th chapter of Isaiah. Tents were the dwelling place or habitation of the forefathers of the Hebrew Race. A tent to them was not only a place of abode but a home. The roots of the family ties going even deeper, than just stakes driven in the ground. These roots were strongly held together by cords of love for God, family and home. It was a place of strength and source of information and inspiration to those who were brought up within its borders.
These tents were able to resist the heaviest rain and no force of the elements could penetrate the strongly woven black goat’s hair of which they are woven. S.S. 1:5 What a sense of comfort to know that even though the storm rages without, the cords are secure and the stakes are well fastened. The tents had curtains at the sides and by these the space of the habitation could be made larger, more territory could be taken in, and in the case of a growing family or visitors the curtains could be stretched and still have all under the same family tent roof. However, in order to do this the cords would have to be let out, or made longer and the stakes pulled up and set further out and well tested that they are deep enough into the ground to hold the ropes as the wind would get under the curtains and test to the limit the strength of the stakes.
God speaking to us through the prophet Isaiah didn’t say, “Pull up stakes, leave that which has been done and forget it all, all the love, labor experience and teaching which we have had while being in the tent. He is saying there needs to be space for others, for the lost, for those who do not know Him. Space for the outcast and the homeless. They are out in the desert wandering, naked and cold. “Enlarge the place of thy tent.” The very spot where you are. First by “being filled with the knowledge of His will,” Col. 1:9. This is very important, for there are those who talk much about being filled with the Holy Spirit but they never think that there is a perfect will of God and are for the most part in His permissive will.
Let THEM, who are they? The ones who need you! Let it be the need that impels you to answer the call. This causes the curtains of your tent to be stretched forth in order to meet the need as it arises. See the father, waiting for the prodigal son, ready even ahead of time, waiting, expectant, hopeful and faithful. He saw the son, yet afar off but on the right road. We meet these who God sends across our path. Do you think it just a mishap that these whom you meet that are in need and appeal to you for help are allowed to cross your path? Not so, they have been sent and you will have to answer one day to God as to what you have done for them. Let them cause the curtains of your habitation to be stretched. You may say, “I can hardly supply or meet the need for those whom I am already responsibly for, under my tent,” but the need will cause the stretching process to go into effect and you will find that something can be done.
Spare not, that is where we are most guilty. We spare, we refrain from using or spending that which we have. We must be very economical or frugal and at times really stingy. We store up instead of sparing not. When the Samaritan found the injured man, he poured out the oil and wine, using the beast of burden, gave the money he had and told the innkeeper that whatever was spent, he would pay when he returned. He spared not!
This will result of course in the compelling us to lengthen our cords, more family more room needed. Thus the cords are let out and we find ourselves loving the unlovely, cords are extended, cords of mercy and love to others in the measure it is extended to us from above. We had thought we could only go so far, do so much, but lo, here we find extended love, mercy and compassion, cords that we never knew of before.
It is interesting to note that the poles of the Arab tent, or should we say the columns or that which all the structure rests upon, are nine. Cannot we refer to the nine fruits and the nine gifts as our columns? On these hang all the structure of our habitation, weak and yet so strong with all of God’s wealth and riches at our disposal. Why should we fear to let our curtains be stretched even to the limit and our cords extended, when He will hold us fast?
“Strengthen thy stakes.” Many forget all about the stakes, they enlarge their borders, let their curtains be stretched, cords lengthened, trying to take in everything and everybody. Good, beautiful souls, they run hither and yon to do good deeds, kind acts, benevolent, but they do not think to check on the stakes, or to test them or to ask if they are doing all of this in His way and according to His will. They did not stop to ask His will in any of this and have forgotten the most important, i.e., to be strengthened in Him, fortified, for unless our roots are deep in Him the whole structure will go over. We find a good bit of top or superficial work, many branches and leaves but scarcely any roots. Let us look to this, carefully asking God to strengthen our stakes in Him so that our branches will be the result of having depth in God.
Let us not be guilty of “having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”
Then “Thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left—and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” Have you thought of the desolate cities that should be hearing somehow through you the Glorious Gospel? Republics, Nations, Continents are still desolate because they have not had the opportunity to come into this Eternal Life and really live. Enlarge, stretch forth, spare not, lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes, while we have day. Night will soon be upon us when no man can work.
