The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 112

minds foi' those Divine teachings which save, which purify, which enlarge, which transform the heart and life (see 1 Cor. iii. 18). III. THEY ABE IN A 8PIB1TUAL CONDITION WHICH 18 POSITIVELY AND EVEN PECULIARLY OFFENSIVE TO Oon. The Word of God, Old Testament and New, is studded with texts in which the displeasure of Almighty God is revealed against the haughty of heart. God "resists" the proud, and causes them to fall. It is the arrogant Pharisee who is not justified in the great Teacher's parable, who is continually rebuked by the Lord of truth, who is repeatedly condemned by the Searcher of souls. We may therefore conclude, concerning those who are prudent in their own sight, tbat- IV. THEY ABE ALL UNBEADY FOB THE GREAT DAY OF TRIAL. They will then find themselves ·rejected instead of being accepted and commended, and to the gloom of condemnation will be added the bitter mortification of being utterly and miserably aisappointed.-O. Vere. 24-30.-The judgmenta of ehe lnrd, These verses a.re obvious! y pictorial and figurative; they m.ust be treated as highly hyperbolical or they will be misconceived. Though their primary reference is to the judgments which impended over the guilty nation, we may discover in them some principles which not only extend to every age, but apply to every individual soul. J. THAT TRE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS THE NATION lllAY BE THE OBJECT OF THE AWFUL ANGER OF ALMIGHTY Gon. "The anger of the Lord is kindled against his people" (ver. 25). Without attributing to the Divine Spirit the very same sentiment as that which fills our human minds, we may and should feel that the burning indig- nation of which we are conscious when we witness wrong-doing is the reflection of the "anger of the Lord" against all unrighteousness; and we do well to think that what we now feel in regard to others God may feel toward us, if, like his ancient people, we fall into .disobedience an<l condemnation. Well may we, "who are his offspring," shrink from the high displeasure_ of the holy Father of souls. II. THAT Gon1s ANGER' IS EXCITED BY OUB INATTENTION AND DISOBEDIENCE, "Because they have C3!1t awa.y the Law ... and despised the W or,l of the Holy One of Israel" (ver. 24). The evil thing .which _God hates takes many forms, the later and darker ones being shocking even in the sight of good men. But they all spring from a disregard of his . will 3s revealed in his Word. Despising the Word in the mind leads ·to a casting out·of the Law from the Jul_e of life, and thus shows itself in all kinds of iniquity, He who is negl~cting the will of God, as that will is stated in his Word, is at the_ aource of.the stream of sin, and is in danger of being carrieJ clown to the rapids of destruction.. . . IIL THAT THE JUDGMENTB OF GOD ABE SOMETIMES SWD"r IN THEIR .Al'PBOACH, "They shall come with s~d swiftly." Sometimes they are" leaden-footed but heavy- handed.;" yet at other times they speedily overtake the transgressor. At all times, ,indeed, a violati!in of righteousness is instantly attended with some spiritual injury and loss; but, beyond this, the more apparent punishment ofteu comes with rapid march to confront and confou,nd the transgressor. IV, THAT THESE DIVINE JUDGMENTS ABE SOMETIMES UNEXPECTEDLY PROLONGED, "For all this bis anger is not turned away, but bis hand is stretched out still" (ver. 25). Men. are apt to think, when they have suffered some great adversity, that God has poured out his anger, and that they may thenceforth expect continuous prosperity. But they ov:erlook the two facts: (1) that at any time in each man's life there is a vast amount of unpaid penalty for ~hich God may righteously punish him, and (2) that God is seeking a remedial as ..well as_ a punitive end in his inflictions, and that impeni- tence has alway~ reason to fear-perhaps we should more properly say hope-that the hand of the .Lord will still be stretched out in the attitude and act of correction. Y. 'l'HAT THEY ABE IHREBISTIBLY STRONG. "Their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up a.s duHt," etc. (ver. 24; see vers. 27-30). God's judgments cannot be evaded; there is no escape from them by human stren~th or cunning. They ll)ove up with steady, unflinching step (ver. 27); they strike with unerring aim and piercing power (ver. 28); they reach the source as well as the sign of prosperity-· root ss well ss blossom (ver. 24); they leave no way of escape open-seaward, heaven- ward, .landward (ver. 30). "It is a fearful thinf; to fall into the hands of the living DAI.A& H  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [on. v. 1-30.