I. ABBYnlA'II PnlDJ'IJ As BROWN' FOB'i'll m BORI'PTURE, 1. In Rabshakeh's embassy (2:Kinge xviii, 19-35). Ilabshakeh not only ecoffs at the military power of Judaia and Egypt, but ridicules the idea that Jehovah can deliver Jerusalem if the Assytians attlick it. l<Hearken not unto Hezekiah," be says," when he pernuadeth you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Rath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of Lhe King of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where aro the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and lvah '/ have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? Who are they among n11 the gods of the countries, that have delivered their,country out of mine hand, tnat the Lord should deliver Jernsalem out of mine hand?" 2, In the words by which Isaiah expresses what was in the heart of Assyriau kings, in eh. x. 8-11, 13, 14, and eh. 'xxxvii. 2-!, 25. II. ABSYRIA 1B PRIDE AB mDICATED BY THE MONUMENTS. Here we may note: 1. The titles assumed by the kings, which are such as the following: "the great king" ( comp. 2 Kings xviii. 19, 28), "the powerful king," "the king of kings," "the lord of lords," "the supreme monarch of monarchs," "the favourite of the great gods,"" the illustrious chief who is armed with the sceptre and girt with the j?'irdlu of power over mankind," and the like. , 2. The contempt poured upon adversaries, who are "wicked people," ' 1 impious heretics," "enemies of Asshur;" "traitors," and "rebels." 3. The claim to a. series, of uninterrupted succeRses, without notification of a single defeat, or even check, as 'ever suffered by the Assyrian arms. '!'heir pride forbids the monarchs to allow that they ever experience a,reverse. III. ASSYRIA'S PUNISHMENT. The downfall of Assyria is sudden, strange, abnormal. She seems at the zenith of her power, stretching out her arm on the one side to Ethiopia, on the other to Lydia and the coasts of the 1Egean, when, almost without warning, ·her glory suffers eclipse. A wild nation from the north, previously almost unknown, invades her land; devastates her fields, threatens her towns, destroys her material prosperity," Scarcely has this visitation passed by, when she is attacked from the east.· An old eiifoiy, long contended with and long despised, has in'some wonderful way increased in strength, and assumes a menacing attitude. She trembles, but she puts on a bold face and confronts the danger. Summoning to her aid the forces of her subject allies, she retire_s }Vithin •the strong w~lls of her capital city, and there awaits attack. But the chief of the subject allies deserts her standard, leagues itself with her main enemy, and joins in the siege of Niueveh. After a stubborn defence the city falls, and with it the empire, which has lasted nearly seven centuries. The downfall is strange, sudden, tragic, astonishing. Scripture alone reveals its cause. Scripture puts it ,before us as God's doing-his judgment on Assyria's pride, his predetermined and distinctly predicted punishment. Because "tbe axe boasted itself against him that hewed:therewith, and the saw ma,,,o-nified itself against him that moved it" (ver. 15), " therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, sent among Assyria's fat ones leanness, and under her glory kindled a burning like the burning of a fire," and she was consumed, " soul and body," and ceased to be a nation. The warning may well be taken to heart by modern countries, which set themseh-es against God; by modern scientists, who in the pride of their intellect deny God; and by the irreligious generally, who practically deny and defy him.
Ver. 27.-Blessings through the anointin_q. Blessings come to men "through the anointing" in a twofold way: (1) indirectly, through the anointing of Jesus; (2) directly, through their own anointing. I. 'l'HROUGH THE ANOINTING OF JESUS. The anointin~ of Jesus was that completo sanctification of his human nature by the Holy Spirit, which resulted from his most close and perfect union with the other Persons of the ever-blessed Trinity, whereby his human nature was never left an instant without the Spirit's gracious influence, but was ever, as it developed itself, sanctified in evny part to the highest degree possible. 1. Hence comes to us the blessing of having a perfect Pattern, and that a personal one. Abstract standards of virtue are all more or less imperfect, and 11ro weak to move us ; they create no enthusiasm; they draw forth no love. We need a personal standard- an example whom we may in:itate, a roaster whom we may admire, a friend whom wo may cherish in our heart of hearts. Ancient philosopher~ told meu who were striving ID be goud, to look out for the IllOBt virtuous man who .... they could find, and theu 192 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [ou. x. 1-34.