The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 150

t.oue lnilltake. -W~ do tempt him when 'i'Ve miglect our duty BII oitizens'of this world or as travellers to eternity, or when we deliberately run great rislts, whether borlily or spiritual, unwarrantably presuming on God's interposing. power or inexhaustible grace. Ill. THAT WE RHOULD GRATEFULLY A0CEPT THE LOWER AS WELL AS THE HIGHER Th"FLUENCES wmcH Goo OFFERS us. A sign such as Jehovah offered Alrn.z was, a privilege of a lower order than the exhortation of his. servant Isaiah, A. miracle which a.ppea.ls to the senses and the imagination is not so high and pi.ire .an influence as a sacred truth which appeals to the cobscience ,and ,the reason. Yet. it had its own value, and was not to be disregarded or declined. \Ve sh1;>Uld fear God, should exercise faith in Jesus Christ, should serve our race, first and most bccl\use it is, out sacred:dnty so to do; but we may well be animated and impelled ·by..other and less lofty considerations-by the fear of offending God, by the hope -of. gaining his favour and his rewP.rd, by a desire to win the gratitude of those we serve; by a _wish to please those to whom we are related. The superfine purity which will not be mo-v~d by an.y but the very highest considerations does not suit our. human nature, and is .not sa,)lctioued in the Divine Word. • • •· 1 " .. , , . IT. THAT THE PATIENCE OF A LONG-SUFFERING GoD MAY BE OUTWORN Jiy OlifB PERVERSITY. "Will ye weary my God also?" (ver. 13). Much is.· sil.fd-in Scripture of the patience of God. He -is "slow to anger, and -of great mercy~ (Ps.. cxlv. S). •We read of." the riches of his forbearance and long-suffering " (Rom. ii. 4). And they- who are honestly trying to please and serve him may count on his considerateness, though their efforts be imperfect and their mistakes be many. But thoy who pertinaciously refuse his yoke, and stubbornly go on their own way w1?,en he is calling-the:µi to walk in his paths, may .find that it is only too possible· to" weary him also," a.n.d t9-brfog down irreparable evil on their souls.--C. _ • Ver. 14.-The presence of God. We naturally ask the question-In what ways is God onr '." Immanuel;" in what respect .is he one of whom we can say. that. he -is " God with us ; " how and where is his presence to be found and to be fol~? There are many answers to this question ; there is- ' •••• , I. THE ANSWER OF SACRED l'OETBY. That the presence of -God is seen in the.'resu,l~~ of his .J)inJine handiwQ-m, in the foundations and -pillars of.the carth,in the" meanest flower that blows," in the varied forms of life; that it only needs a true imagination ·to see him in all the objects and scenes of his creative power; that "ev&y bush's afire withGod,butonlyhewhoeeestakesoffhisshoes." •. ·1· ·:_ -· ,·.--. • '.,·:-;/ II. THE ANSWER OF PHILOSOPHY. That his presence -is in .all-surrounding nature,, in which he is immanent; that though all nature does not include Deity, the Divine power is present in all things, sustaining, energizing, renewing; the "laws of :nature" are the regular activities of God. ' ,· IIL THE ANSWER OF NATURAL RELIGION. That he -111 with us in his omnipresent and observant Spirit; that he fills immensity with his presence, ·being everyv.:here a°;d observing everything, and taking notice of every human -soul; that the Infimte One.is he who cannot be absent from any sphere or be ignorant of any action. IV. THE ANSWER OF THE EARLIER REVELATION. '£hat his presence is in hii!.over.- rnlin" providence ; that God is with us, not only " besetting us behind and before;~• not o~y "understanding our thought afar off," but also "laying his hand upon:tlst directing our course, ordering our steps (Ps. xxxvii. 23), making plain our path before our face, causing all things to work together for our good, defending ?s in danger, delivering us from trouble, establishing us in life and strength and JOY (see Gen. xxxix. 2 ; 1 Sa.rn. iii. 19; xvili. 12 ; 2 Kings xviii. 7; Matt. xxvili, 20). , V. THE ANSWER OF THE LATER REVELATION. That his presence was in his Divine &n. The time ea.me when the words of the text proved to· have indeed "a springing and germinant fulfilment;" for a virgin did conccive,.and bring forth a. Son, a.nd he wail the" lmir.auuel" of the human race, God with us-that One who dwelt amongst us, and could say," He that bath seen me hath seen the Father." They who wal~ed with him and watched his life, a.nd who underatood and appreciated him, recognize~ t~e spirit, the character, the life, of God himself. lu his mind were t~e tl!<Y11,g~ts~ IIl his words the truth, w his deeds the prineipleB, in his death the love_ 1n hie m1ss1on the Oli. vn. l:----26,] 'l'HE BOOK OF TIIE· PROPHE'r ISAIAH. 139