The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 440

l!"ntloti of the figure used in this verse, He says," l think I can convey the meaning of this passnge so that every one may understand it, by what has taken place within tny own family. One of my little children had committed a fault, for which I thought it my duty to chastise him. I called him to me, explained to him the evil of what he, had done, abd told him how grieved I was that I must punish him for it. He heard me in silence, and then rushed into my arms and burst into tears. I would BOOner have cut off my arm than have then struck him for his fault; he had taken hold of my strength, and he had made peace with me." God, with whom sinful man is at war, alone can make peaee; but he can, and he will. "We are ambaasadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by U8: we pray yon in Christ'8 stead, be ye reconciled to God," '!'he text is suggestive of what would be understood as a "simple gospel sermon," and the main lines may be as follows : - • I. PEACE IS BB0Kt:N BETWEEN MAN AND GoD. Right and comfortable relations depend on man's submission and obedience. Self-will and rebelliousness break up those relations. Man is God's child; peace depends on obedience, • Man is God's servant; peace. depends on doing the Ma8ter's will. The essence of sin is wilfulness. II. Goo IS ABLE 1'0 HESTORE THE BROKEN PEACE, He may be able as a matter of sovereignty; but it is more interesting to us to know that he is able throngh a schenrn of peace-making .which he has himself devised and carried out in the Person of bis Son. "His own arm has brought salvation." Such aspects of the·grcat atoning work may be here dwelt upon as most commend themselves to the preacher: III. Goo ACTUALLY OFFERS REST0RA'fl0N OF THE BROKEN PEACE. He BSk:s us to "lay hold of his strength;" he invites us to" come and reasuu wirh him;" he even grieves over our hesitancy, saying, " Why will ye 'die, 0 house of Israel? why will ye die'?'"· God hath offered to us-"-given to us-:-" eternal life, and this life is in his Son." IV;,TrmY M!Jl:IT DE RIGHT-HEARTED WHO SEEK TO MAKE PlsACE WITH Goo. What 18' iricln'dcdi in right-heartedness,? l. Humility. 2. Sdnse of sin. 3. Penitence. 4. Sign. of earnestness in· putting away sin. 5. • Forsaking of self-trusts. 6. Fervent desire, 7. Whole-heartedness of purpose. "Ye shall seek me, and.find me, when ye seek for me with.your whole heart."-R. T. Ver. 6,-"-7'ie world-mission of lsraeT. Just as" no man liveth unto himself," but every man liveth for the circle in which he is set, so no nation liveth unto itself-it liveth for the world of nations in its time, and for all the ages. This universal truth is illustrntcd for: us in the case of prominent, or elect, or selected nations. Egypt keeps alive the oense of· mystery for the world, the claims of the unknown. Cbaldea pleads in all the world for the claims of. human observation, for the basis-principle of science. Greece keeps up to-day its mission to the world, and preaches to us the claims of the " beautiful," the basis of all art, all ideal creations. Rome• declares to the world the supreme importance of wise and stable government for the ordering of society. And Israel has its voice in every land and every age, pleading for the foundation- principles of religion, which are the unity and spirituality of God. Israel is a tree whose branches overspread the earth ; these are it:, leaves, and these leaves are for the healing of,the nations that ure diseased and dying of idolatries and sensuousness. As we think· of Israel after the flesh, we should remember th11t we are the true Israel, the spirit'ual •Israel, who hold fast and testify for the old Mosaic truths, "God is One" and "God is a Spirit." 'fhe world-mission or Israel is- I. 'l'o PRESERVE THE WORLD't! TRUTH. That is, "In the beginning God." Thi~ truth wa~ ·given to man as man. It is man's birthright. Wben man became mentally and emotionally biassed by yielding to self-will and sin, this first truth wa~ imperilled. If man, as God crealed him, had thought, he would only have thought uf God, one God. •When sinful man thinks, he I'lll'\S along one or other of two lines - he either conceives of two gods, one presiding over pleasant things, and the otbe1· ove1 disasters; or cl~e he thinks of many gods, each on,i occupying a more or less limit6J. sphere. So "monotheism " was put in peril, and hB'd to be preserveJ. through all the ages during which God left man to a free experiment of that sclf-willedness which be hau chosen. lu his infinite wisdom God preserved the essential and fuundatiou-truths of reliaiou for long nges in a diroct Adamic line, giving to men leugth of life sufficienL to re1.:='ntt of tradition covering 1be long generations up to the Flood. Aft11r the Flood.  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [OH. xxvn. 1-la,