Vera. 5--19.-Man in·his folly and God in his righteousness. We have a graphic picture here of- I. MAN IN BIS FOLLY. Under tbe dominion of tho folly which is born of sin, man: L Indulge.~ in designs which are beyond his strength. (Ver. 7.) It is "in his heart" to do much greater things, often to work much greater wickedness, than he has power to execute. Under sin;_ men indulge in great and even gross self-exaggeration; guilt is ·an infatuating thing. 2, :Looks with dangerous complacency on his little triumphs. (Vers; 8, 9.) He bas the'" stout heart" and the "high looks" (var. 12) which come from a consciousness'·of success, and which are the sure precursors of further folly. Few men can stand even the smaller triumphs, and still fewer the greater ones. ,vhen a man finds himself indulging the spirit of complacency he had better question him>elf severely, for he is walking on a" slippery place." 3. Atti-ibutes to himself what is his only in a very slight degree. (Ver. 13; vide 1 Cor. iv. 7.) Mao can only work with tho materials which he has received from God, under the conJitioos which God deter- mines, within the limits which God imposes. "All our springs are in him." The attitude of arrogant authorship is as preposterous a,.q it is offensive. 4. Comes to hasty and ignorant ccncltisions. (Vera. 10, 11, 14.) The blind Assyrian ignorantly asso- ·ciated the idold of other lands with" the idols of Jerusalem." He was eitber ignorant of Jehovah's Name, or he placed him on a level with other gods. He was going torth in a blind confidence that should be rudely shaken, that should be completely shattered. Man in his guilty folly assumes many things to be true which are absolutely false; he fails to make inquiry, aud his ignorance utterly and fatally misleads him. And there is nothing in regard to which this is so true as the nature, tbe character, and the will of God. 5. Is blind to the end and issue of his doings. " He meaneth not so," etc. (ver. 7). Under the sway of sin man moves a.long a path which he thinks will lead to honour, enjoyment, success, triumph ; but "the end of that way is death." Selfishness bas its own purpose in view, and confidently reckons on achieviug its end; but behind or above it is a Power which it is unable to resist, ancl which turns it to another and very different end. 196 'I'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [ OH, ll, 1---:34,
II. Goo IN ms RIGHTEOUSNESS. Everywhere present, sleeplessly watohin~, mightily interposing, is the righteous Ruler of all. I. He punishes his c1wn people when they go astray. "I will send him against a hypocritical nation," eto. (ver. 6) ; 11 When the Lord bath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion" (ver. 12), Judgment often "begins at the house of God," with the people of God. Whom the Lord loves he chastens. God has a gracious purpose in his visitations; he desires and designs repentance and restoration, but he does not spare. He speaks of his own people as "the people of his wrath" (ver. 6). Let no "Christian nation," or" Christian Churoh,'1 or Christian man wrap itself (himself) up in imaginary security. God may have a rod in his hand even for Judah as well as for Assyria. 2. He will overwhelm with lmmiliatwn those who impiously oppose themsel,ves to his holy will. (Vere. 16-19.) 3. He will use the ungodly as instruments in his hand of l'ighteou,sness and power. (Vers. 5-7.) Sennacherib should be the rod with which the hand of God would smite. God can make and will make the wrath and the ambition of men to serve the high purpose which he has in his mind. Thus he used Pharaoh, Cyrus, Pilate, and many others, who -thought that their own aims were the ultimate issue that was being wrought out. (1) How unspeakably humiliating is the involuntary tribute God may compel us to render! (2) How immeasurably preferable is.the willing service he invites us to offerl-C. Vers. 20---23.-Departure and return. The passage suggests- !. THAT THOSE WHO KNOW Goo WELL MAy BE INDUOEO TO FORSAKE Blll. Israel had been well taught of God; had been carefully and constantly instructed in Divine truth; had received some lessons which might well have been deeply planted in the mind. Yet Israel forsook Jehovah; ceased to trust in his delivering arm, and sought al11anoe with Assyria. So we, who should know much better, forsake the. Lord, of whose power, faithfulness, and love we have learned so much . .Instead.of finding our joy and our heritage in his service and friendship, we resort .to the fascinations of a seductive world; instead of relying on his promised succour, we have recourse to human help or to material securities. IL THAT EVERY EARTHLY REFUGE PBOVEB TO BE PBEOABIOUB. Resting on Assyria, Israel was only "staying upon him that smote them." The staff on which they leaned proved to be a rod that bruised them. So has it been, again and again, with national and political alliances. So is it with our individual confidences in earth rather than in heaven. 'l'he material securities fail us; the ship sinks, the bank breaks, the mine is exhausted, the company is defrauded and has to be wound up, trade declines, and our earthly prop is gone. The human help we built upon disappears; our friend sickellli, or he is killed in the fatal accident, or he is himself stripped and helpless, or he is estranged from us and discards us. Our hope becomes our disappointment, our pride becomes our shame; we have been staying on that which smites us (see Jer. xvii 5 ; Ps. cxviii. 6-9; eh. xxxi. 1). Ill. THAT Goo Aw A.ITS THE BETUBN OF BIB PEOPLE TO HIMSELF. "They shall stay upon the Lord;" "The remnant shall return unto the mighty God" (vers. 20, 21). Not only was God not unwilling that his people should return unto him, but he sent them their adversity in order that they might see their folly and incline their hearts unto himself. 1. God is grieved at onr departure from himself, but he is willing to welcome us back. 2. He sends the adversity which is suggestive of our return. When the dark hour comes, when the soul sits desolate, when our heart is wounded by the very Land which we hoped would help and heal us, in that day may we hear the voice of the Father we have forsaken, calling to us and saying, " Return unto me;" " I will heal your backslidings, I will love you freely."-C. Vere. 24-34.-Rout and re-establishment: Divine interpositum. I. 'l'HE APPEAR• Al!OE OF OVERWHELMING POWER ON THE BIDE OF BIN. The prophet gives a vivid d880ription in vers. 28-38 of the triumphant march of the As~~rian. Everybody and everything yields at his approach; opposition melts before him; bis adversary is in his power; already his hand is on the prize he seeks. Sin often seems to b~ on a ma.rob that is irresistible, and to be secure of victory. Numbers, wealth, learmng, ran'k, riches, custom, habit,-the most powerful forces make up its conquering host. on. x, 1---34.] THE BOOK OF THE· PROPHET ISAIAH. 197