The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 487

much bowing a.nd kneeling and efferlng-as if God could not see very deep, and would be taken by appearances (see \lrSa.m. xvi. 7). • I. LIP-sERVIOE rs THE REQtJIR·EMENT OF Goo. " Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me," saith the Lord. Hosea expresses a right feeling when he lea.ds the people to say, "So will we render the calves of our lips" (Hos. xiv. 2). To worship God is to, make our npprooches to him, and to present our adorations to him; it is to draw nigh to him ns those that have business with him, with an intention therein to honour him. ·This we are t-0 do with our mouth and with our lips in speaking of him a.nd in speaking·to him. And, if the heart be full of his love and fear, out of the abundance of that heart the mouth will speak. It should be carefully pointed out that the modern neglect of meetings for worship, praise, and prayer is as sad a sign of failing heart-love for God as is the exaggeration of formal rites and ceremonies. It must be plainly and forcibly urged that God calls for due expression of our piety; he asks for "life-service." If. LIP-SERVICE ONLY 1s AN OFFENCE UNTO Goo. Because it is worthless. God the Spirit cannot be satisfied with things; he asks for spirit, for emotion, affection, thankfulness, and trust. "Voice and nothing else" must be mockery to him who can only heed a voice when the heart speaks by means of it. We call thatfalse, in relation to ourselves, which is warm expression of affection for us when there is no heart-loye; and such falseness is an offence. And Isaiah tells the rulers that .the secret of their falseness is that they have tal.en to ordering their daily conduct by "the precepts of men," and did not want to obey the Law of God; so they gave him worda in place of works.-R. T. Ver. 15.-God the Minrl-Searcher. Foolish indeed are they who "seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord." The :first reference of this warning may be to. the secret schemes of the party in Jerusalem which advocated an offensive and defensive alliance with Egypt in the national emergency. Such a policy was so evidently '11,ntheocratic that, in the days of the good Hezekiah, they were obliged to work in the dark. It may be noticed that the Divine omniscience of all events and circumstances is a much more familiar and readily recognized truth than the Divine omniscience of all thoughts of mind and decisions of will. Yet we a.re to understand tha.t, as the psalmist expresses it," Thou understandest my thought afar off..• ,. l<'oi: before a word is yet on my tongue, lo I O J ehovab, thou knowest it altogether." •By our "thoughts" is not meant the passing set of mental associations from which we have to select, but the selections we make, the things we cherish. The omniscience of God is most searching to us when we regard it as his "knowledge of the deepest thoughts and most secret workings of the human heart." L TBE DIVINE Olfl'<ISCIENCE AS A CBECX. A boy was required to accompany his father when out stealing potatoes from a. field. The boy was set to watch while the man dua. Presently he called out, as if there was danger. "Where? where?" said the ma;, who could see no signs of any one approaching. "Look up I" replied the_ boy. This should always be taken into consideration in our thinking and our planning- God sees ; God knows. We all need that check of the Divine eye upon us, reading our very hearts. II. 'l.'BE DIVINE oMNIScmNCE AS A TERROR. Such it must always be to the evil- doer to the man who wants to do wrong. It checks the good man ; it frightens the bad ~an. A servant-girl was accustomed to pilfer when dusting her ma.ster'.s rCJ?m, but there was a portrait on the walls, the eyes of which seem_ed to_ be always followrng and watching her; so, to relieve herself of her te1;or, the fooh.sh girl _cut out ~he _eyes.. An oppressive picture of the terror of God's lookrng at and mto ev1l-doe_rs 1e g1v~n m the description of the judgment, when men will call on the rocks and hills to hide them from the face of God-as if they could I Ill. TBE DIVINE OMNISCIENCE AB A CONSOLATION AND BTnENGTB, 'J.'his it is to all who wish to be good. The best source of illustration is Pe. cxxxix, See especially the restfulness and the joy breathed in the prayer of vere. 23, 24. AIi Calvin says, "That man must have a rare confidence who offers himself so boldly to the scrutiny of God's righteous judgment."-R. T. Ver. 19.-The joy of the meek. "The meek also 1hall increase their joy in the Lord," on, :nar, 1-24,] 'i'1IE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 487