The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 324

I. THE sPmIT OF BOABTING, The king and his priestly oounsellol'II poeseu sacred books, which they consult as a college in times of emergency. The prieeta boast of being "sons of the wise," and sons of ancient kings. The Pharaoh himself belonged to the royal stock. Boasting is ever a sign of weakness. 'l'he strong man needs not to talk of his strength ; he feels it, and others feel it. Wisdom is distinguished by the absence of self-conceit, and is impressive by its silence and modesty, II. PRoors OF FOLLY. 1. Inability to read the signs of the times. Prediction wna their favourite occupation; how is it they cannot read the thoughts of Jehovah toward the land? They resort to false methods-astrology, divination, etc. 'l'ruth may not really be loved, or It may be sought by paths that can only lead away from it. It is not by mere reading, it is not hy dig~ng in quaint and curious lore, that we can arrive at sympathy with the mind of God. All the learning of the schools is folly unless we keep the light within brightly burning, the conscience clear, the mind, if not the knees, ever bent in the attitude of uplooking and prayer. 2. Bad administra- tion. They lead the country astray. The priestly class, that is, the intellectual and educated class, lookc>d upon as the" corner-stone of the tribes," are themselves under an illusion, and their "light and le.ading" is an igni.8-fatuus. We are too much dazzled by the acut.eness, the knowledge, the abilities, the vast grasp of facts, in our great men. Often the cleverness of such overreaches itself, and great men stumble and fall, and" run into great dangers which any peasant or artisan would have foreseen." They become inebriated by their own thoughts. But it ever sobers the mind to collect itself, so to speak, in God. "'!'his wit, this insight, is mine, peculiarly mine "-he who speaks with himself thus-is on the brink of some fatal delusion. "It is God's peculiar gift to me; it is a ta.lent/rom him, to be used for his world "-this is the thought that steadies; and " if our wisdom rest on God, he will truly be a steadfast Corner-stone, which no one shall shake or overthrow." III. JunrCUL INFATUATIOl!TS. These delusions are traced to the judicial act of Jehovah. It is he who has put a cup of enchantment to their lips, so that the power of discernment is suspended. The image of drunkenness fitly represents their state. It is a spirit of" perverseness," or of "subversion." And the people have imbibed the same, so that they stagger about helplessly; there is no consistency, no agreement, no firm and joint action. It is an awful thing-the being II given over to a. reprobate mind." Nor dare we accuse the Almighty of injustice. We are ready enough to throw the blame of our own aberrations upon others, upon circumstances, or even upon him. But what "right" have we to anything, from the light of the sun to the light of reason in the soul? God gives and God deprives, for reasons inscrutable to us and not to be questioned. Bt1t_" the heart has reasons that reason knows not of; n and the heart knows that, if its choice be true, its asking will not be refused, the needed guidance will not be denied.-J. Vera. 16-25.-Mingled judgment llfld mercy. r. THE EFFECT OF .roDGMENT. The land will be like timid and trembling women, for the mighty hand of Jehovah will be brandished aloft in judgment. Whenever it is felt that Divine power is working on the side of the foe, the most warlike nations lose heart. 11 God with us I "-a watchword that nenes the feeblest arm, and fills the faintest heart with courage. "God against us!" -the ha.ad of the bravest hangs down, the knees of the stoutest tremble. Judah, Jehovah's seat of empire, will be a terror to the proud land of Egypt. The seeming weakest community, the most insignificant individual, will be a power if the truth is operating through it. It is not magnitude that is appalling; it is spiritual force. Men will shudder at the Name of Judah; it will be a symbol of a purpose never successfully resisted. But when thus the prospect is at its darkest for Egypt, a light of hope glimmers. IL PB.OJiUSEB OF GOOD. 1. A view o/ Egypt's conversion to the true religion here opens. There will be five cities speaking the ton~e of Canaan, or Hebrew, the language of the worship of Jehovah. They will take the oath of loyalty to him. And it seems that the city known as "city of the sun" shall be called "city of the breaking down of idolatrous altars." And an altar of the true religion, with the pillar marking the holy place, will be seen, visibly witnessing to the Lord of hosts in the land. '!'here i.; now a covenant between Jehovah and the repent•nt ~nd restored. land, Be will uo OH, XIX, 1-25,] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 321