The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 65

to cast them to the "moles and to the bate," creatures of the darkne~s. "God can make men eick of thoee idols that they have been most tond of, even the idols of silver, nnd the idols of gold, the most precious. The idolaters here throw away their idols because (1) they are ashamed of them, and of their own folly in trusting to them, or (2) because they are afraid of having them found in their possession when the jud"'- ments of God are abroad; as the thief throws away his stolen good~ when he is search~ for or pursued." Idolatry is a delusion, and when that is suddenly dispelled, the idob will be "thrown away in haste, terror, ebamc, and desperate contempt by those who had worshipped them and trusted in them." It should be kept in mind that the prophet's words apply to the characteristic idolatries of civilized and modem, as well as of heathen and ancient, times. "Covetous men make silver and gold their idols." Worldly men make pleasure or fame their idols. Parents make children their idols. All will be cast away when God arises to vindicate himself, and his sole claim to man's trust and love and life. The immediate reference of the prophet probably is to the terrible earthquake that took place in Uzziah's reign, and the fright which it occasioned. I. IDOLATRY IS DELUSION. The calm onlooker sees that the description of idols given in Ps. cxv. is strictly and perfectly true. But the worshipper cannot see this. He believes his idols can really help him, and prays to them with passionate intensity. So the man whose idol is money is deluded. He thinks his money can help him in whatever circumstances he may be placed. But sickness comes, danger comes, plague comes, earthquake comes, shipwreck comes, fire comes, death comes, and it is quite plain that he was deluded. Money is a helpless idol; it cannot aid its votaries in God's day. Point out that the root of the delusion is self-trust; a man wants to rely on something that he has, or that he has done, or that he has made. Blessed only is that man whose trust is in the Lord his God. II. SOONER OB LATER THE DELUSION 18 DISPELLED. .Awakening days are sure to come for us all. The apostle teaches that all our trusts and all our works must be tried by fire; "the day shall declare them." Illustrate the dispelling of the delusions of idolatry: 1. By the proved helplessness of the idols. Baal's priests and worshippers had their eyes opened at Carmel, when there II was none that heard, nor any that answered." 2. By advancing intelligence. Illustrate from the influence of education on the natives of India. Science and geography have made it impossible to believe in the legends of their gods. 'l'he delusion is in great measure expelled, but a first result is infidelity. Christianity alone can satisfactorily take the place of discarded idolatry. 3. By Divine judgments. Illustrate by such scenes as the earthquakes at Java and Ischia, or the destruction of Pompeii. Or take a visitation of cholera or plague in an idolatrous land. Churches, temples, idols, are forsaken; public helplessness and despair prepares the way for an extension of the evil. He only can be calm whose trust is in the living God. Impress by the contrast of the calmness and confidence of the pious psalmist (Ps. xci.): " Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. . . . Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my Refuge, even the Mo~t High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."-R. T. Ver. 22.-The unreliableness of man, Some think this verse should commence ·an eh. iii.; but it is exhortation naturally following on the humbling of all human pride and the destruction of all human glory. Man at his best estate is altogether vanity, therefore do not rely upon man. God is from everlasting to everbstin;, therefore trust him. The counsel is elsewhere given in Scripture, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited" (Jer. xvii. 6, 6). 11 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there ie no help. His breath goeth forth, he returncth to his earth; in that very day his thou"'hts perish." Quick-passing breath is the symbol of fleeting life (Gen. ii. 7; vii. 22); and the sentence of the text would better read, "Cease from man, in whose nostrils is a breath." Trusting man was the sin of Isaiah's age. Compare, later on, the afflictw natiou seeking succour from Egypt rather than from God, and 11!A141l, & 50 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHl£'1' ISAIAH. [cR. m. l ......l!6