The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 512

. Vera. 4-6.-Similes of the nature and power of Jehovah. I. THE LION, He is pictured ":'a~hing over the holy city, the "peculiar treasure," the invisible Sanctuary of the religion and the people, as a lion over its prey, in the presence of threatening shepherds. "As from a ea.roe.so herdsmen strive in vain To scare a tawny lion, hunger-pinoh'd; Ev'n so th' Ajaoes, mail-olad warriors, fail'd The son of Priam from the corse to scare." (' m~• xviil. ~at.) It is a fine image-found twice in Homer--of the undaunted prowess of the bold and 11teadfast warrior. Invincible towards his foes, what is Jehovah towards his friends, the reople of his choice and love? IL THE BIRD. Infinite tenderness nrlngles with irresistible might in the nature of God. It is no narrow view of the Divine attributes which the Bible gives. .All that we see of nobility in living creatures, all traits of courage and oflove, may be bortowea to enrich our representations of that nature which includes all· other nature within its scope and grasp. Thus the magnificent queen of birds, no less than the magnificent king of beasts, supplies in its actions and habits a parable of eternal providence. The eagle :fluttering over her young, spreading her wide wings and bearing them thereon, was a type of Jehovah's conduct to his people in the desert (Deut. ~ii. 10). So does he now hover over the city, protecting, rescuing. Nor was it otherwise in,tho days of the Saviour, who employs also the simile of the maternal bird. Every ideal of lion- hearted hero, of father, strong yet tender, of all-brooding mother, of living creatures inspired by mysterious and mighty instincts of love, helps to bring into momentary clearness some feature of the nature of him whose being is only " dark from excess of light." His voice, pleading with youth and innocence, with the unsophisticated con- science, says, "Come I" and with the sinner and the sophist," Return! "--J. • Vers. 7-9.-Thefire of Jehovah. I. "OUR Gon 1s A aoNSUMING FIBE." He burns from that sacred oracular centre in Jerusalem. And his foes are seen melting away before him-the Assyrian :fleeing from and falling before the sword, the huge rook ·of his power disappearing, princes falling into panic terror as the rallying signal of 'Judah is raised. The briars and thorns of iniquity, all the weed-like growth of worldly ways are kindled and devoured. • II. OUR Gon IS A LIGHT OF SALVATION. "Light of Israel" goes along with" devour- ing fire" (eh. L 17). To be enlightened is to know God and our relation to him. It is to know what is not Divine, and what is sinful, and what is worthless in refer- ence to salvation. And so the people, having "ret:urned," will be seen respecting their "not-gods of silver and their not-gods of gold," the •sinful manufacture of godless art. III. THERE XUST BE BOTH THE FIERY AND THE Il,LUMINATING ELEMENT IN TRUE BELIGION. Enthnsiasm is needed; without it we have no motive force. Evil will yield to nothing else than to the heart aflame with piety, the tongue of Heaven-kindled fire. Yet blind zeal is mischievous; and therefore the illuminated mind is needed, the dis- criminating intelligence. The union of intellect with piety, the white heat of 2cal kindling all it touches into light-giving :flame,-what can resist it ?--J. Ver. 1.- Wrong sources of help. "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help." Egypt is used in Scripture as a symbol of all foreign worldly powers. It represented carnal force--" trusting in chariots, horses, and horsemen, because they are very strong." " Looking," as the same verse says, "to them," and not looking unto the Holy One of Israel. OIL XXXI. 1-9.] THE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 615