The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 217

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-9.-2'/M, t'Dfning of tM Messiah. I. Hre ORIGIN, "From Ishai'a worn stem a shoot will sprout forth, and a green branch burst forth from his roots." From the stock of David, now fallen very low, the coming Deliverer will arise in all the vigour of youth. Seldom does the great man come but of some pure and generous strain of bl004:1. Like some _stream "'.hich, long hidden underground, reappears again in the daylight, or some vem of precious ore, recovered after some extensive "fault," so it was believed the royal race and the spiritual prowess of David might bo obscured for ages, but must be illustrated before the world again. .As God saves and blesses the world by means of great men, so in a measure is this true of houses, families, tribes, alld nations. There is a principle of providential selection running through life. Though men be of one blood in all their tribes, it is not to be denied that there are different qualities in that blood. Hence 110blesse oblige, and great endowments make great expectations and imply great responsibilities. The thought of the seeming extinction, yet destined revival of David's house, may remind us of the imperishableness of the germs of good. David's house was never restored to the throne in the visible sense. Yet the memory of David persisted, begot hope, inspired patience, and was gradually converted into one of the mightiest of spiritual forces in the conscience of the. nation. .An idea may pass t.hrough many changes of form, but it dies not eo long as the faith and passion of the heart in which it sprung are living. IL His sPmrr. In the religious mode of thought a true temper of the miud is to be traced to Divine inspiration, no less than the great physical or mental ability. What meaning lies in our common expressions, " a gift,' "an endowment," "a talent," "an influence"! None of them but is deeply religious, if we trace them to their primary felt significance. Upon this chosen one there" rests the Spirit of Jehovah." .And three characters, in the iterative idiom of the Hebrew, are given of this spirit. It is that (1) of wisdom, (2) of courage, (3) of reverence. The qualities of the statesman, the soldier, the man of God. "His breathing is in Jehovah's fear." There can be no simpler nor stronger expression of a man thoroughly "animated," as we say, by religious principle. And (4) he has the attributes of the just judge. Prompt to redress the injuries of the oppressed and suffering, his rule of conduct is not the pleasure of his eyes and ears, brit the eternal equity of him who is no respecter o{ persons. .As the consequence of thus vitally living in communion with God as in the common and necessary air he breathes, he possesses irresistible strength. His mere word of judgment smites the earth more powerfully than the despot's sceptre, while his mere breath destroys the wicked like a pestilence. In a word, it is a sublime picture of moral majesty. This King needs not the weapons of ordinary warfare, He has a better defence of his throne than swords and spears, a better battle-array than the suit of armour. Justice and faHhfulness themselves are his best, his only preparations. Ill. THE BLESSINGS OF ms RULE, There will be a marvellous growth of peace and prosperity. The progress_ of true culture is marked by the subduin_g of sav3:gery. Th_e wild animale change thell' nature and become harmless to mankrnd. Wickedness 1s ferocious ; men's untamed passions are like the wolf, the bear, and the deadly serpent. There will be no sin nor sinners in Zion, because the knowledge of the true God will be all-diffused and all-inexhaustible as the ocean. To what state of life do these pre- dictions refer? To the advent of Christ and his kingdom? Certainly; and yet when Christ came, not only did not universal peace set in, but the light of Zion and the glories of the sacred city were quenched. in blood. And Christ himself opened up a gloomy perspective of the future in his closing prophecies. Where, then, and when this scene of bliss? Let us content ourselves with believing that the prophecy refers to 10me state to us unknown. Earth will be earth, and not heaven. This heaven is in the soul first; there we dream of it, nay, we realize it as we listen to the prophet's OH, JU, 1-16,] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH.