The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 417

l)nt what is fleeting, and then we immediately faint. Thus ought faith to rise above the world by continual advances; for neither the truth, nor the justice, nor the goodness of God is temporary and fading, but God continues to be always like himself." 8. His frresistible power. He brings down the lofty a.nd the proud. Bulwarks, armed hosts, enormous wealth, are of no avail against "moral influence," And \\'hen we thus speak, we mean nothing less than the just will, the fixed purpose, of the Eternal. No Babylon, no Rome, no empire built on force and fraud, need be a terror to the faithful. They, at the day of doom, rnust "melt like snow at the glance of the Lord," or be abased even to the dust. "We li"e amidst closing histories and amid falling institutions; there is an axe laid at the root of many trees; foundations of fabrics have been long giving way, and the visible tottering commences. • The earth que.k:es and the he:weus do tremble.' The sounds of great downfalls and great disruptions come from different quarters; old combinations start asunder; a great crash is heard; and it is some vast mass that has, just broken off from the rock, and gone down into the chasm below. A great volume of time is now shattering, the roll is folded up for the registry, and we must open another. Xever again-never, though ages pass away-never any more under the heavens shall he seen forms and fabrics, and structures and combinations that we have seen. The world is evidently at the end of one era and is entering upon another;" but the" Rock or ages" will remain, and the Church which rests upon him, "to enlighten ignorance, to fight with sin, and to conduct man to eternity" (Mozley). 4. His just dealings .. A plain or straight path is made for the righteous-one free from obstacles and opposition, even as the path of the Eternal himself to the fulfilment of his purposes (cf. Prov. iii. 6·; xi. 5; xv. 19). He is even said to make their path "plain with a level," i.e. to a nicety. It could not have seemed so to the Jews in captivity; and often it must seem, in the midst of perplexity and distress, far otherwise to the children of God now. Yet what seems to be a "roundabout" path in a mountainous country may actually be the shortest from point to point. So with the ways by which the Lord our God leads his cl.iildren to the end. The direct line which haste and impatience would take is not really the " straight path" in the world of spirit. Here, when we seem to be turning back, we may be really moving forward; we may seem to be " fetching a compass," none the less certainly may be advancing by the safest and most direct road. IV. Soi.o OF THE CHURCH. A meditation on the ways of God, and the relation of the believing soul to him. Waiting for God. They had watched, as it were, for Jehovah to advance along the great way of judgment by which he was to proceed to open the Messianic kingdom. Longing for the revelation of him. Oh that his Name and memorial (two expressions for one idea) might be known I The Name of God is God revealed, "the side of the Divine Being turned towards man" (Ps. xx. 1; cf. Ps. xx.x. 27; lxili. 9). (For the meaning of" memorial," cf. Exod. iii. 15 ; Ps. xxx. 4; c:u:xv. 13; Hos. xii. 6.) The Messianic hope. The judgments of God, the thought is, must prepare for the new kingdom, for the reign of righteousness in the world. Calamities are symptomatic of evils needing to be cleansed away, if significant of the hand of Jehovah at work in reformation, and so prophetic of a new era. The reign on Mount Zion will be UJ!hered in by a series of judgments on the unbelievers and the unrighteous, i.e. the heathen e.s opposed to the worshippers of Jehovah. Those joogments are a necessity. Righteousness is not learned, the need of it, the beauty of it, are not experienced, except in the school of Bnffering, of Divine chastisement. The effect of wealth and honour and success is not to lead men to God, and to the paths of rectitude and religion. Neither the Divine mercy, nor the bright example of others, nor the general tone of moral society, have sufficient influence to attract the inveterate sinner to better things. In vain the light is poured upon the morally blind, upon those who "will not behold the majesty of Jehovah." In vain his hand is lifted up in judgment; their insensibility prevents them from perceiving it, though they are acute enough in their observation of the trifiiDg interests of the sensuous life. There is but one way of dealing with such insensibility. Thoujudgments will be effective. They shall see the jealousy of Jehovah fur his people (cf. Ps. lxix. 9), for fire shall devour his adversaries. His jealousy is like fire (P,;. lxxix. 5; Zeph. i. 18). In consuming it purifies, in purifying it consumes (cf. Deut. :uxii. 22; Job x.x:. 26; xxii. 20). Remorse, shame, envy, indignation,-those fires within the bosom reflect the judgment of God; resistance, rebellion, impenitence, make them unquenchable. Pe= and deliverance /or the chosen. 'l'he past supplie11 cu. nv1. 1-21.) THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 421