The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 265

every hand, they shall nevertheless :finrl, under the care of the good Shepherd, nouri~h- ment and tranquillity unbroken by fears (cf. Zepb. iii. 12, 13). The foe will br eradicated by starvation or put to the sword. The picture mriy be regarded, ae o!he, similar pictures, as an allegory of the rule of the eternal Messiah, the enjoyment of the eternal eabbath. For historical relations ever give back some reflection of eternal verities, nnd these verities enter into and govern the eveuts of every epoch. From every time of national distress, of personal trouble, the spiritual song, undying in it; truth and assurance, may be heard arising, "Jehovah is my Shepherd ; I shall not want •.. He prepareth for me a table in the presence of mine enemiee.n III. CALM AMIDST THE BTOBMB, Let fhe strong cities of Philistia lift up the cry of wailing. A smoke, and behind the smol{8 deruie unbroken ranks of men are rolling from the north. Firm is their discipline, united and in,incible their army. What, then, will be Judah's fate? Shall she, too, melt away in the fire? What answer do the messengers of the nations bting? " That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and upon it the suffer~s of my people trust." Nothing can bring us triumph bn t the adherence to principle; nothing should dismay ue where that adherence ie constant. "Reverence the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your Fear, and let him be your Dread; and he shall be for a Sanctuary" (eh. viii 13). " eehold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Comer-stone, a sure Foundation : he that believeth shall not make haste" ( eh. xxviii. 16). The "poor of the flock" (Zech. xi. 7), the despised, suffering, and persecuted in every age, are welcome to the l!&IICtuary and to the heart of the great God. While the tempest rages without and his judgments are abroad in the earth, they are sheltered in his pavilion, concealed in the secret place of the Most High. The lowly heart, looking up to that hand, so awful in menace towards all that ia "bkh and lifted up," sees it relax, expand, become as a canopy of protecting tendemesa. The suffering are stronger than they seem ; they know a way of escape from the worst ; they can flee to the Name of Jehovah as a strong Tower; they can enter their closet and shut to the door; they can pray to the Father in secret. The thought of eternal Love is itself a "little sanctuary," whose walls, as they tarry there, recede, open, and afford the prospect of eternal day.-J. Ver. 5.-The false staff. "The Lord bath broken the staff of the wicked. n True of the King of Babylon, this ie true also of every evil man. It was a sentence that God commanded to be taken up as a proverb against him, and it may be illlIBtrated as a universal proverb in all ages and na:tions. Men lean on a staff; and unless God be the Rod and the Staff, assuredly it will be broken. I. HEALTH IS A STAFF. Men lean on that. A well-organized frame and a well- strung nervous system cause men to mistake the tranquil composure of good spirits for the peace which only religion can bestow. Then comes the season of affliction; the silver cord, if not loosened, is weakened; the golden bowl, symbol of the brain, if not broken, is sadly shaken ; and with broken health, all else seems broken too. The spirits fail, the inspirations of enterprise and endeavour are weakened, and the proud staff is broken. II. WEALTH 1s A STAFF. Wicked men find that money" answereth all things." It is the key that unlocks the gates of art and travel, and the loadstone that draws genius and beauty to their festivals. It seems a strong support, and, leaning on it, many are tempted to pity the noblest hero if he be poor, and the rarest intellect if it be linked with low estate. But riches take to themselves wings and flee away. The bank breaks, the factory bums, the funds fall, the mines are exhausted; and then, with the departure of riches, departs also feigned affection and the flatterer's praise. " How bath the golden city cessed I " III. POWER 1s A BTA.FF. They shall say (Ter. 4), " How hath the oppreseor ceased In ltc. For wicked men often have such power over others that they can use them for their evil schemes, and bribe them so that they tell no tales that shall bring shame and dishonour. But this does not last. Some "revealing hour" comes. The man that hu been "lifted up" is laid low; he can no longer use his old vawer. Lost character has left him discrowned. Even worldly men will not trust him now. The Josephs are honoured; the Daniels are trusted. The Mordecai& are doomed. No staff will support bi life or death but the old staff: "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."-W. M. B. ISAIAH. 8 258 THE BOOK OF THE. PROPHET. ISAIAH, [ou. xiv. 1.,...32.