against Assyria-; (3) that he had helped the Philistines of Ekron to rise e.ge.inst their king. 'l'he second of these Is dealt with in this verse. The Rabshakeh satirizes the helplessness of Egypt, likening that nation to e. cracked, not broken, reed, which breaks suddenly, and pierces the he.ad of him who leans hard on it as a. supporting staff. The keenness of the satire lies in the truth of it. Of the hopelessness of leaning on Egypt Ise.ie.h had alree.dy warned the people (eh. xxx. 7, see the true reading). Egypt, in relation to Israel, is the type of the human confidences to which men turn so readily in their distress, forgetful of the Divine confidence in which alone they can be secure. I. THE SATIRE OF Goo's MINISTERS. Illustrate from the Prophet Isaiah, who dealt so vigorously with this trusting to Egypt. Sometimes he gave sericus and solemn warnings; sometimes grave reproaches; and sometimes keen criticism and biting satire, as if he would shame them into giving up the foolish a.ad hopeless scheme. He put the character of Egypt into a word, almost an offensive word. Cheyne suggests that he wrote this word Rahab, "utter indolence,"" helpless inaction," in large characters, and set it up in a public place. That was his idea of Egypt. So, still, Christian ministers must not hesitate to wither up men's self-trusting and man-trusting with the keenest satire. It is a fair weapon for destroying self-confidences. II. THE SATIRE OF RIVALS. Such was the satire of Assyria, through its Rabshakeh. At this time Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt were each seeking the alliance of Judah, and the jealousy of the one that did uot succeed found expression in descriptions of the one that did. We can often get some self-knowledge through the things our rivals say of us in the bitterness of their disappointment. It is often surprising, it should be always helpful, to "see oursel's as ithers see us." Ill. THE SATIRE OF EVENTS. Ridiculons indeed was the help Egypt afforded to Judah. The strength of Egypt at this time was one of appearance only. Egypt never has been a country that could be relied on. It did not save Judah. Its alliance only hurried on the fate of Judah. The cracked reed broke, and pierced the hand. "Experi- ence is a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." The logic of events soon shows up the folly of all confidences in man. Impress, in conclusion, from the figures of the very striking passage, Jar. x.vii. o--8.-R. 'I.'. Ver. 1.-Mistakes concerning him whom we trust. The explanation of this taunt is well given by Sayce and Cheyne. "Sennacherib had heard of the reformation of wor- ship undertaken by Hezekiah. This, from his heathen point of view, was an act of gross impiety towards Jehovah; for had not Jehovah from time immemorial been wor- shipped at most, if not all, of the 'high places'? The local sanctuaries designated by the latter phrase appear from the inscriptions to have been known in Assyria and Baby- lonia, as well as Palestine; indeed, they go back to .A.ccadian-that is, pre-Semi tic times." .A.s ho had passed through the country, the Rabshakeh had found the "high places" desecrated; so he assumed that the God of the country must be offended with. Hezekiah. One of our gravest difficulties in witnessing for God in the world arises from men's mistakes concerning him. They do not understand us, or feel the force of our pleadings, because they do not apprehend God as we do. This subject may be very practically illustrated and enforced from three spheres of modern religious activity and service-missions, apologetics, preaching. I. THE MISTAKES OF THE HEATHEN CONCERNING OUR Goo HINDER MISSIONS. They have notions of God, or the gods, and attach them to the God we reveal to them. Much missionary labour is necessarily expended in correcting the mistakes which pre- vont the acceptance of the way of salvation by Christ Jesus. God pure, God love, God hating sin, God a Spirit, God our Father, God in sacrifice that he might save,-these are all most strange and confusing to men who must think amidst heathen associations. It is eternal life to know the only true God. II. THE MISTAKES OF THE OPPONENTS OF REVELATION HINDER OUR ARGUMENTS FUOM PRODUOING DUE CONVICTIONS, 'l'he atheist, infidel, agnostic, sceptic, make as grave mistakes about our God 11s the Re.bshakeh did about Jehovah. 'l.'hey have created figures and represente.tions of _him which we can join them in declaring make him unworthy of trust. Only those figures do not represent our God. We cannot acknow- ledge them. If the mistakes could but be corrected, and our God be known as he is, they would "preach the faith" who now" seek to destroy it." Grave, indeed, is the sin 14 THE BOOK OF THE PROPH!t~T ISAIAH. [ou. xxxv1. 1-22,
of tboee who, professing to believe in God, nevertheless misrepresent him, and BO give OCCBSion to lho c>nemy to blaspheme. III. 'I'm;: MISTAKES OF SE0TS AND OBEEDB mNDEB BIIILTGTOUB wonn: AMONG PBOFEB- l!ORS. There> is the Calvinistic God, and the Arminian God, the God who is exacting .Tudgo, MMal Governor, august King. There are va~ue, repellent notions cherished in ignorant minds; nnd the pn•acher often speaks of a God who ls really to the people nn "unkn0wn God." The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth to bring the full, last, all-sritis- f_l"ing rc,·elation of God to men. \Ve are still making hindering mistakes about God, because we will not receive his revelation. Ho taught men to lift up holy hanJ.s, ana BIIY, "Our Father, which art in hea.ven."-R. T.