The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 416

word-negatively hinting deliverance 'from the enemy and the oppressor; positively including all the contents of sacred peace, prosperity, and hrrppiness. But salvation iH nothing without II Saviour; it is the loving presence of Jehovah who girds about Jerusalem ns a wall. In Zeeb. ii, 9 be is spoken of as a " wall of fire." In another magnificent image,." Round about are the everlasting arms." The idea of the F..den- garden may be compated with· that of this fenced city. A" garden walled around, a chos<in and peculiar ground," may represent the mysticrrl Church here, the celestial stato hereafter. 'l'he oity is created aud fortified by the Et<-rnal. II. THE.OELEBTIAL ORY. '!'he command is heard lrom heaven, "Open ye the gates I" , .As in eh. xl. 11 from the aamc quarter, sounds the gracious word, "Comfort ve my people I" The righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter the Divine city. The emphatic thought is, .that this city is to be the scene ()f ri,(bteousness, a contrast to the state of" this world which passeth away." "Open to me," exclaims the psalmist,.~ the gates of righteousness: I will go into thrm and praise Jehovah; the gate of. Jehovah into .which the rightcomi shall enter" (Ps. cxviii. 19, 20). And again, in another sublime passage," Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? or who shall stand in his holy place 1 He that ha.th clean hand~, and a pure heart" (Ps. xxiv. 3, 4). This righteousness oLmind and heart is the gift of the Divine grace. Purity in the human spirit is.at once:the reflection of God's nature and the condition of" beholding" him •. • If men arc good and faithful, it is because their souls have kept walk and converse with the truthful God (Ps. xxxi. 24).. .And this they have only learned to do as the result of chastisement and. the experience of the evil of other ways. "The Church was alw11,ys like a barn (Matt.. iii. 12), in which the chaff is mingled with the wheat, ,or the wheat .overpowered by the cha.ff." When the Jews came back from captivity, it .was with. purified hearts; a large portion of the Iii th of idolatry had been swept aw~y. •;.And so universally; it is. "out of much tribulation;• much sifting on life's floor, that we must enter the kingdom-that the pure wheat of chastened character must be gathered into the celestial barn. III .. THE ATTRIBUTES OF JEHOVAH. l. The firmness of his purpose. The words in ver. 3 are differently rendered : " a steadfast mind thou keepest in;" " firm is the hope thou wilt form;" " a purpose established thou purposest." .And this purpose is one of peace. He" thinks the thought of peace" (Jer. x:rix. 11). Hence the attitude of the belie,ver is one of fearless and .fixed repose; « He s_hall not be moved for ever . . . shall not be afraid of P.Vil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in J ebovah" (Ps. cxii. 6, 7). This being of ours, in itself frail, anxious, feverish, needs steadying, staying; and its only sufficient prop must be "Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth" (eh. x. 20). Th.e .essential thing in faith is habitual dependence; the resnlt, ineffable peace. "Peace, peace," are the prophet's emphatic words. "He refrains from epithets; such peace is indescribable." So in eh. !vii. 19, "Peace, peace to him that is far off, anci to him that is. near." .And the Christian apostle takes up the thought of the profundity and unutterableness of this bliss cif the soul, " The peace of God, which passeth all under- standing, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. iv. 7). 2. The C()nBtancy of Ma being. Jah Jehovah is a Rock of Rges, and may be trusted in for ever. One of the four places where·our translators have retained the original name Jehovah, of which Jah is .the abridged form (Ex.od. vi. 3; Ps. In.xiii. 16; eh. xii. 2). The double.I name is used .for emphasis, as in " Peace, peace," ,above; it expresses the per- fection ·of his majesty, wisdom, holiness, which should reflect the utmost reverence and the most absolute trust in the mind of the believers. And" Rock, Rock of Israel," etc., is another of the sacred names. of the Divine Being (eh. xxx. 29; see Deut. xuii. 4, 15, 18, 30, 31, etc.). Actively, to protect, to throw the cool sh,ade of his protection upori the suffering of his people; passiv~ly, to resist the utmost shock and assault of his foes. The noble image of one of our poets, too lofty to be applied to mortal, may be applied to him- "As some tall alift' that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leoves the storm, Tho' rouud its !ireast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternol sunshine settles on its head." Let ua contemplate the nature of God; no other nature yields a lasting satisfl\ctlon and repose to the beholder. "As soon as we turn aside from beholding it, n.othing is seen  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHE'l' ISAIAH, [ell. xxv1. 1---21,