their feeble defences are scattered to the winds, and their doom is utterly irreversible by anything they can do to mend it (see Ps. ii.; lxiii. 17-20; xcii. 6, 9). III. TBE LESSON OJI' GoD's JUDGHENTS. The result in this case is seen in the bring- ing of a tribute to the Lord (ver. 7). If God puts forth his power in overwhelming retribution, it is, chiefly if not wholly, that they who witness it (men or nations) may repent of their own misdeeds or impiety, and may return unto the Lord in penitence, in prayer, in consecration; for the most acceptable "present" that can be "brought unto the Lord of hosts" is the humbled, believing, obedient heart. IV. THE PATIENOE OJI' DIVINE POWER. (Ver. 4.) The Lord said," I will take my rest [I will be calm or still], I will consider in my dwelling-place [I will look on from my habitation] like a clear heat upon herbs, like a cloud of dew in the beat of harvest." God will not be provoked into hurried and impatient judgmeats; he will retain a Divine composure, he will manifest the patience which belongs to conscious power ; the heavens should be as still as on the calmest summer day while evil was working to its bitter end, while sin was advancing to its doom. Here is a contrast to us and here are lessons for us. We, in our finite feebleness, are often impatient in spirit and hurried in action. We are afraid that, if we do not strike at once, we shall not have time to strike at all, or that our resources of retribution will fail, or iba~ our adversary will be out of our reach. God can entertain no such fear and be affected by no such thought. 1. All time is at his command. 2. All resources are in his hands. 3. The men (nations) whom he may find it needful to chastise can never be beyond the reach of his power. Hence his calmness in place of our confusion, his patience in contrast with our feverish restlessness. (1) Let not the wicked presume on Divine disregard; God will put forth his hand in punishment at his own chosen time. (2) Let not the righteous be surprised or disheartened by his delay; he does not count time by our chronometry; he has not the reasons for haste which urge us to immediate action; the hour of his merciful intervention will arrive in time.-C. Ver, 1.-Man's energy pu,t in place of trmt in God. This comes to view in a more precise translation of the passage. The King of Ethiopia, who was nominally also King of Egypt, alarmed by the near approach of the Assyrians, is aroused to the exhibition of great energy, and sends messengers in the light river-vessels to spread the news through the empire as rapidly as possible, and call the troops of all his dependent nations to his standard. Geikie translates, or paraphrases the passage thus : "0 land of the buzz of fly-swarms---emblems of countless armies-by the rivers of Ethiopia, which art sending messengers upon the seas, and in swift, light, papyrus boats along all your waters, to gather allies, and muster all the force of your empire: Go back to your homes, ye swift messengers-go back to Ethiopia-the tall and strong race, terrible in war from their rise till now,-the nation very strong and all-subduing, whose land is seamed with rivers! Jehovah, alone, will destroy the invader!" The energy of the Ethiopian king is so far commended, but the prophet urges that in this case it is not needed, for God proposes to take to himself all the glory of driving back the A.ssyrian inve.sion. I. MAN'S ENERGY IS OALLED FOR. Whatsoever a man findeth to do he should do "with his might," "heartily.n Success in life greatly depends on the strength and vigour in our touch of life's duties and claims. Energy includes strength of will, decision, promptness, perseverance, power to overcome obstacles and hindrances, and fertility of resources. Energy is the quality most commended in business life; and it is found to make up for the absence of actual abilities. The man of energy compels life to yield him some of its best. It is thought of as a characteristic of .American busi- ness life, and is illustrated in the man who put together the blackened rafters and boards of his burnt warehouse, and commenced business again before the great fire was fully quenched, putting up this for a sign, "William D. Kerfoot; all gone, save wife, children, and energy." However much this energy may be a peculiarity of individual disposition, it is also subject to culture, and may be nourished into strength by a firm self-mastery of our life and habits. Exercise thyself thereunto. II. MAN's ENER0Y 1s CONSISTENT WITH DEPENDENCE ON GoD. Only the weak man fails to make try harmonize with trust. Here the point may be fully argued and illustrated, that the submission which God seeks is no slavish lying down to bear, 310 THE BOOK OF TllE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oH. xvm. 1-71
wliich is the Islam, or submission of Mohammedanisln, but the submission of an aotlvP. nnd che<,rful obedience, which expects God's will to be doing rather than be/iring and carries e. not>le spirit of watching for God e.nd waiting on him, into every data.ii of life. To suffer and submit is no very gteat triumph; to oarrytbe spirit of submission il.t the he.art of onr work is the sublime victory of Christi11.n life. .And just this is the glory of the energy illustrated in the Apostle Paul. To men's view "beside himself;" his secret this, "To me to live is Christ." . III. MAN'S ENERGY MUST NEVER BE PUT IN THE PLAOE 011' Goo~ But just in this the worldly man is constantly failing. "This is great Babylon, which 1 have builded." "I will pull down my barns and build greater." "See this business which l _him• estab)ished." "My mig_ht, and the strength of my arm, have gotten me this victory, Nothing tends more readily to separate a man from God, and God from a man, than life· success attending energy. .And of this great peril the Christian man needs to beware, Even he may find that he has dethroned God from the rule of his life, and raised,up in his place the old idol of self, dressed in the garments of" energy." IV. SOMETIMES MAN'S ENERGY MUST DE PUT ASIDE, THAT Goo ALONE IIIAY WOBB. As in this case, the Ethiopian king must stop his hurrying messengers, and be still; fo1 Jehovah would work the needed rescue. There are times in our lives when we cannot work, when we must not work;_ and in those times we learn how to put energy and enterprise into their right place. God puts us in his school, and teaches us the hard lesson of practically uniting "energy " with "dependence." And· yet this is but the s.'\me lesson .as joining harmoniously together" faith" and" works;" or, as the apostle expresses it, " working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."-R. T. •: