The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 327

Vere. 11-14.-Leaders that mislead. The strong, energetic language of the prophet respect-ing the princes and counsellors of Egypt express for us the vast injury which is ·wrought by untrustworthy teacherg in every place and time, and the duty of the people to be on their guard against such seilucers (ver. 13). I. THE LEADERS T.B'.A.T MISLEAD. (Vers. 10-13.) Thc.qe are: I. In the nation, leading their fellowacountrymen in.to a false, and spurious patriotism; into vain-gloriousness; into luxury aµd extravagance; into the ruinous error. that the fascinations of military glory are preferable to the adv;mtages of i;>eaceful industry, etc. 2. In the Church, leading their fellow-members into the9lqgical error; into doctrine which ie not a faith a but only philosopl/.y, or which is not a. faith so much as a Ruperstition; into indulgence in emotion without the cultivation of Christian morality; or into habits of virtue that do not rest on· the basjs of personal attachment to God, etc. 3. In tl,e family, lead- ing their children into laxity of belief; into the conviction that worldly success is of greater account than the favour of God and the possession of spi1itaal integrity; into tlie practice of dubious habits which tend to immorality or irreligion, etc. ' II. TREIB LAMENTABLE RELIGIOUS ·IGNORANCE. (Ver. 12.) The "wise men• of Egypt could not tell ~• what t.he Lord of hosts bad purposed; " they did not know bis l)lind. What availed: all their othe\· knowle.dge, all their political sagacity, all their pretentious skill, if they were utterly ign9tant of what was in the mind of God? Our leaders of to-day, in whatever sphere· they may preside, are useless and worse than useless if they cannot propose those measures, if they cannot commend those dtJctrines, iftbey cannot foster those habits and instil those principles, which are according to the mind cif God, which contain the will of Jesus Christ. To advise the policy, to repeat the phrases, to build up the character which they themselves received of their fathers, may be wholly inadequate, utterly-: inapplicable, entirely wrong; what is wanted in oar leaders is the power to perceive the mind of God, to especially understand what is " bis will concerning us in Christ Jesus," to guide and teach and train so that their disciples shall live in the light of his truth and the enjoyment of his friendship. III. THE MISCHIEF WHICH THEY WORK. (Vers. 13, 14-.) These men seduced Egypt from the true piith, and they led her to err and stagger in false paths. Tbe immensity of the evil which is wrought by false leaders, whether in the nation, the Church, or the home, is seen by regarding it on the negative and on the positive side. I. They seduce from the saving truth, (1 John ii. 26.) They lead men from the fear of the living God; from the faith anu love of Jesus Christ ; •from the produce of the heavenlier graces, and therefore from living the nobler and worthier life; from the possession of a peace which no distr!lctions can disturb, and of a treasure which no thief can steal, and of a hope wh\ch triumphs over death. 2. They lead into the saddest and even the grossest evils. Their di~ciJ?les "err •.. as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit." A painful but graphic picture of those who are led astray \nto evil paths, iuto beliefs which nre not only false but shocking, into companionships and alliances which are not only unsatisfactory but demoralizing, into habits which a.re not only wrong but shameful. It is the duty of the community, in view of the fa.et that false and foolish leaders have always abounded, and that their i.nflu~nce is disastrous, (1) to be sedulously on guard lest these should be appointed; (2)' to· depose those that are found unworthy of their charge; (3) to realize that every individual man is responsible to God for the faith be holds and the life he lives (Luke xii. 6'7 ; Gal. vi. 4, 5).-C. Vera. 18-22.-Smiting and healing. We may glean irom these verses- I. THAT THE BLOWS WHICH WE SUFFER IN OUR ORDINARY EXPERIENCE COME FBOK THE HAND oF GoD. No doubt the varions calamilies by ,vhich Egypt was afflicted  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [os, 11:x. l-2d,