The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 514

Ver. 2.-Divine reservation and consistency. "Yet be ... will bring evil, and will not call back his words." Doubtless God seems to call back his words. "The Lord repented of the evil which he thonght to do" (Exod. xx.xii. 14:; 2 Sam. xxiv.16; Judg. ii. 18, etc.). "He beard their cry ... and repented, according to the multitude of his mercies" ~Ps. cv. 44, 45). Yet, eaye the prophet," he will bring evil and not call back his words. How explain this? The explanation of it is found in the fact that there is some neceseary reservation understood, if not expressed, in the Divine promise and in the Divine threatening. I. HIS RESERVATION AND CONSISTENCY IN PROMISE. God promises life to the obedient and the faithful; yet there are those who believe themselves, and are believed, to be among this number, whose end is destruction. Has God called back his word? No; for his promise was contingent on their steadfastness, and they have forfeited all claim on his promised worci (Josh. xx.iv. 20; Ps. lxxxv. 8; Ezek. xxxiii. 13 ; J obn xv. 6 ; Heh. vL 4-8). lf. fus RESERVATION AND coNBISTENOY IN TBBEATENINO. Although God may seem to call back his words of solemn threatening, yet he " will bring evil ; " he is not incon- sistent with himself. 1. God reveals his wrath against sin, He declares that it shall not go unpunished; that the soul that sinneth shall die; that the wages of sin is death. 2. God offers pardon. The message of the gospel of Christ is essentially and emphati- cally one of Divine mercy. 3. Bi8 mercy in <Jhrist Jesus is large and free. It is not grudging, half-hearted. It is not like the forgiveness we extend to one another (eh. lv. 7-9). It means a complete restoration of the estranged but reconciled child to full parental favour (Luke xv. 22, 23). Where, then, is the Divine consistency? It is found in the consideration that: 4. Hu declaration of penalty was always conti11gent on the attitude of the sinner. (Ezek. miii. 14, 15.) It is not intended to be absolute and unalterable, whatever be the future career of the guilty. Like all his promises, God's warnings are conditional. God does not call back his own words from their meaning or their fulfilment, he calls us back, through them, to our duty and to our right relation to himself. And, besides: 5. He does bring evil in some serious measure. For : (1) Previons to our penitence sin has wrought suffering, sorrow, weakness. (2) At the time of penitential return it works self-reproach, shame, anxiety. (3) Reconciliation is inevitably followed by some kind and some degree of spiritual deterioration ; there ie a lost power, a lessened influence, a narrowed sphere-the absolutely irremovable conse- quences of repeated wrong-doing and protracted ill-being.--0. Vere. 6, 7.-Deep disloyalty. The children of Israel had "deeply revolted" from God by preferring Egyptian cavalry to the defence of almighty power. This preference Jf the human and the material to the Divine is only too common everywhere. L THE DISLOYAL ATTITUDE OF MANKIND TOWARDS Goo. Mankind is in revolt against the Divine rule. We have all said in our hearts," We will not have this One to reign over us." 1. God righteously claims our allegiance-the homage of our hearts, the subjection of our will, the obedience of our life. 2. We have deliberately refUBed it. We have practically disallowed his claim; we have retained our power for our own enjoyment, to be spent according to our own tastes and choices. Amid varioW:J forms of iniquity there is one which is common to the race-we have all with• on. UXI. 1-9.] THE BOO]{ OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 517