The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 32

be their mouthpiece, and ce.rry their desires within the veil; while other good men ce.n only pray before us, and foil to awe.ken responsive prayer-feelings in our hee.rts. I. To GREATNESS OIi' PRAYER THAT nISEB TO BE INTERCESSION. Man's power of pre.yer is 11, focuHy full of high possibilities. It may rise even to this-it may go beyond all self-spheres, and become intercessory. While prayer keeps in the self- sphere there is 11, certain ne.rrowness and even meanness about it. It is all concerned with wbe.t we want, e.nd what we feel, e.nd we e.re greatly comforted if we have any fervour of emotion in such prayer. But we feel that a course of daily prayer from which the interceding element is removed would be most injurious to the spiritual life. It lacks the generous, sympathetic, unselfish element, and it will very soon lack fervour and faitb. No one can long keep up a prayerful life, and persist in praying altogether about himself. Power comes, love grows, when prayer includes inter- cession. Limitations of earnestness and importunity pass away; the soul is free to urge its pleas with persevering instancy; we can ask for another what we dare not fashion iuto a prayer for ourselves. 'fhe prayers of Scripture are, for the most part, intercessory. Illustrate-Abraham's for Sodom; Moses', Joshua's, Samuel's, for the people of Israd in their distresses, Daniel prays with his window open towards desolate Jerusalem, that he may be reminded of the captive people. Our last si~ht of Job finds him in tbe attitude of the mediator, praying for God's mercy on his mistaken and cruel friends. And the Apostle Paul writes again and again of the constancy of his intercessions. We may learn the secret of the poverty and formality of much Christian praying. It bas so little intercession in it. When some beloved friend is smitten down with imperilling sickness, our prayer suddenly gains strength, and becomes a thing full of fervour and pathos. All our souls then go out in &trong crying and tears. But this power might be in our praying always. We might be not only prayerful men, but e.lso pre.yer-leaders, carrying the burdens of others to the throne of grace, and ourselves sanctified through the carrying. II. THE POWER OF INTERCESSION THAT MAY DE IN .A BINGLE INDIVIDUAL. Any one of us may have the gift of intercession. One man, one woman, even one child, mo.y bring down the Divine benedictions as refreshing rains upon us. We may kneel for others before God. We may win the blessing, prevailing with God, for men. Illustrate from the life of Moses. Note three great interceding-times: (1) at Rephidim; (2) matter of golden calf; (3) return of spies. Or from the life of Samuel, who may be rcge.rded as the most con~istently beautiful character in the Bible. Note two cases: (1) battle with Philistines; (2) matter of asking for a king. But what responsibilities rest oil such men I On such men living amongst us now I Who can tell what the Church of God would become, if interceders would but intercede? Plead that, in these times, we need to be often recalled to the power of prayer. "We have not, because we ask not." The Prophet Isaie.h he.a a wonderful conception. He represents God as looking out upon men in their sin and sorrow and shame, and saying, "I saw that there was no man, and I wondered that there was no intercessor." It may be so still. God may look into our fe.mily lives, 11,nd wonder the.t there is no intercessor. He may look at our Churches, and wonder that there is no intercessor. Oh for e. multiplying of men and women who say," I can pray. I can intercede. I can plead for Jerusalem n ! -R. 'l', Vere. 6, 7.-God's message to the troubled. "Thus saith Jehove.h, Be not e.fraid." We he.ve here the Divine response, through Isaiah, as the national intercessor. The circumstances, the boastings, the threatenings, wero eminently calculated to produce fear, both in !He.iah and in the people. There was such a show of material strength as Elisha's servant saw at Dothan, which sent him to his master full of fee.rs. The answer is such as Elisha gave when he made the servant see what it was to he.ve God on their side. God in the city was abundant security against Assyria outside the city, and Hezekiah need not be afraid. God's message to those who seek him in their troubles is e.lways this: "Be not afraid; n "I am with you." Our fears only stay with us when our eyes aro so dim tbe.t we cannot see God. Fee.r goes when he "liftil the light of bis countenance upon us." Matthe':" Henry says, "Those who have m~de God their enemy we have no ree.son to be afraid of, for they e.re marked for rum ; e.nd though they me.y hiss, they cannot hurt." Dr. A. He.leigb remarks that every creature lSAIAH-11, D  34 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PUOPIIE'l' ISAIAH, [on, xxxvu. 1-88.