The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 499

From all this we see the need of religious litcraturo. Libraries may be burned ; a few manuscripts worth more to mankind than gold and silver will be preserved. 'l.'he truth in Isaiah bas been preserved for us by the art of writing, has come down to us in th'3 form of Scripture. Lot us thank God for art as the handmaid of religion. At every epooh in the history of the world, religious life is threatened with decay or degeneration ; hut it will renew itself from the sacred "records of the past." II. THE SUBSTANCE OIi' THE TESTIMONY. 1. Simple faith in the Eternal opposed to worldly policy. We must, in order to apprehend the nature of the" testimony for ever," strip away the temporary references, and regard Rahab and Israel as types of :permanent phases of character (Cheyne). What does "Rahab" stand for? " Perverse- ness and crookedness" (or oppression). Crookedness and frowardness mean what we mean by "unprincipled conduct" (comp. Prov. ii.15; iv. 24). To trust in shrewdness and policy-this is worldliness. It is one of the many ways in which man's wit would contend with eternal wisdom. And punishment must surely attend upon this sin, according to the laws of the Divine kingdom. Various is the imagery under which Scripture represents the connection between evil in the mind and the result-first in sin, then in destruction. The strong will be as tow, and bum unquenchably ; the foolish will conceive chaff, and bring forth stubble, or will be burned as thorns (eh. i. :;11; xxxiii. 11, 12). Here guilt is compared in its result to the cracking or bulging of a wall, whioh suddenly crashes down in ruin; to a pitcher dashed violently to the ground, and broken into a multitude of fragments, so that it can never be of the slightest use again. But the vessels of God's fashioning shall endure. Let us be conteut to be what God would make of us; self-devices that would contravene bis purpose will be "ground to powder." 2. The condition of deliverance, returni-ng. From what? Is H the general sense of conversion-the absolute turning once for all, in choice and conduct, from moral evil? Or is it rather, more specifically, the relin- quishment of the search for worldly aids? "Self-chosen ways," "self-confident works," seem certainly to bo meant. Would they but lay aside this restless eagerness and over-anxious care for safety, and simply fall upon the Almighty arms I Such. lessons can never be obsolete. 'l'rust in God does not imply supineness, but it should still excessive and feverish fears. Behind all our pla.ns and proposals, be is thinking and acting; if they are unsound, they must come to nought; if sound, they will be fur- thered. "Take heed and be quiet; fear not, neitb~r be faint-hearted." The worldly mind will lean on worldly support-swift horses of Egypt or the like, only to fiod themselves outmatched upon their own chosen ground. "One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one." Mere numbers give no strength. Strength is in being able to stand alone, if need be. To find one's self suddenly deserted, '' as a mast on the top al' a mountain, a signal on a hill," is often the fate of those whose onl_v policy is to side with numbers and with power. 3. The compassion of Jehovah. _Human needs call forth Divine deeds. We are to think of God as One who longs to manifest and exert himself for the good of his crratures; as One who is hindered by human pride, impatience, petulance; as One who therefore waits for his opportunity and fit season to be gracious; as One who is ever true to himself, constant to his covenant, keeping favour for his people and wrath for his foes. How happy, then, those who in turn "long for Jehovah." I-whose eyes are directed to the "hills whence cometh help!" who watch his pleasure as the servant that of his master, the handmaiden that of her mistress! "To possess God there must be that in us which God can possess. Slill to aspire after the Highest is our wisdom; to cease from aspiration is to fall into weak- ness."-J. Vers. 19-26.-77ie blessedness of Zion. Throughout the book the idea of temporal blends with that of spiritual weal. The images are drawn from the state of temporal happiness and prosperity. Yet Zion and Jerusalem may be regarded as symbolical of the Church in general. I. Joy IN GoD. There will be "no more weeping." Tears are significant of tho lot of humanity; and in the poetry of the Old 'l'estament we hear, as Lord Bacon says, "as many hearse-like airs as carols," and the pencil of the Holy Ghost has laboured more in depicting the sorrows of David than the felicities of Solomon. It is because the gospel meets the mood of tears in us that its Assurances fall so sweetly on MO THE BOOK OF THE PROPRE'l' ISAIAH. [on, x:u:. 1-83.