where sin hath hitherto maintained an undisputed sway. The prospect of this period, which is now fast approaching, and speedily to commence, was the great support of the Church under the distresses to which she was reduced in the Babylonish captivity ; and it still forms the richest source of consolation to all who have any zeal for God, or any concern for the welfare of mankind. So impressed was the prophet Isaiah with his views of this mighty change, that he could scarcely speak of any thing else : or, if he did speak of the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, or of the blessings treasured up for them by the in- troduction of the Messiah's kingdom, he constantly interwove in his statements such grand and glorious expressions, as could not fail of carrying forward the minds of his readers to this blessed time, when " new heavens and a new earth were to be created b," and the universal empire of righteousness to be established throughout the earth. Of this period he speaks in the words before us ; which will lead me to set before you, I. God's purpose respecting the Gentile world —
" It shall come to pass, that I will gather all na- tions and tongues ; and they shall come, and see my glory." This is the fixed purpose of Jehovah ; a purpose,
1. Proclaimed by all the prophets —
[Respecting " the gathering of the nations " to Christ, there is but one voice, from the time of Abraham to the close of the sacred canon. Christ is that " Seed in whom all the nations of the earth are to be blessed0;" that " Shiloh, to whom the gathering of all people shall bed." " The utmost ends of the earth are promised to Him for his possession6:" " all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall do him serviced " " from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof shall his name be great among the Gentiles g;" and all the king- doms of the world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ11."
But there is a peculiarity in this prophecy which must not be overlooked. God has in the great work of redemption
b ver. 22. c Gen. xviii. 18. d Gen. xlix. 10.
e Ps. ii. 8. f Ps. lxxii. 11. s Mai. i. 11.
h Rev. xi. 15.