Isai. ix. 2 — 4. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, arid not increased the joy : they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, arid as men rejoice xvhen they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
THE dispensations of God in this world are never so afflictive, but there are some alleviating and con- solatory circumstances to cheer us under them. The judgments with which he threatened to punish his apostate people were very tremendous^ : yet he com- forted them in the mean time with prospects of the Messiah's advent. Whatever reference the words of my text may have to the deliverance of the Jews from Sennacherib's army, we are sure that they refer to Christ, and to the blessings that should issue from the ministration of his Gospel. St. Matthew quotes them in this view'' ; and the very words themselves are far more suited to a spiritual subject than to any temporal occurrence''.
We notice then in the text three rich blessings re- sulting from the ministry of Christ, and of his servants in all ages; namely, light, joij, and victory. The first which the Christian receives, is,
I. Light- Men are everywhere " sitting in darkness and the shadow of death" —
a Isai. viii. 19—22. " Matt. iv. 12—16.
*^ The first verse of tlie chapter is inexplicable, according to our version. Bishop Lowth translates it differently, and thereby makes the sense of the whole passage clear. " There shall not hereafter be darkness in the land which was distressed. He formerly debased the land of Zebulon and Naphthali, but in the latter time he hath made it glorious, even the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. [For] the people, &c." The meaning is, that as the northern part of Galilee had been particularly afflicted by the incur- sions of the Assyrians, so it should be particularly honoured by the ministry of Christ.