The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 130

reac~ing this end we can see a series of stages. 1. A preparatory work in the world. Lettmg men find out the value of righteousness by experiences of evil. 2. A stage of visible manifestation of the righteousness desired for the whole world, in the person of the righteous Servant of the Lord, the "Man Christ Jesus." 3. A stage, now incom- plete, of the inward workings of the Holy Spirit, using agc:::icies of human ministry and Christian influence and example. · II. CHRIST MIGHT, WE THINK, FAIL AND BE DISCOURAGED BY THE SLOW PROGRESS OF HIS KINGDOM OF RIGH'l'EOUSNESS. The stages are long. The progress often rather seems backward. Each stage has, indeed, been misunderstood. We are only now getting glimpses of the importance of the first preparatory stage. We say, "lIO\v long?" and wonder that Christ does not. It is long waiting for the "travail of his soul." III. IF CHRIST IB NOT DISCOURAGED, SURELY WE ~EED NOT DE. Ot1r imperfect know- ledge, our passion for results, and our weak faith, may excuse our railing. We readily forget that the honour of God is far more truly bound up in the full redemption of the world, and the universal reign of righteousness, than ours. "It is enongh for the servant that he be as his Master." Not until our living, loving Lord is disheartened and gives up his work of saving men, may we let the tools of our Christian service drop out of our hand.-R. T. Ver. 8.-The uniqueness of Jehovah. "My glory will I not give to another." Wherein lies the separateness and distinctness of our God which makes it so impossible for us to find any likenesses for him? The uniqueness of Jehovah is embodied in his Name, which is the assertion of absolute and independent existence; and this can be predicated of only one Being. We can conceive of divinities having in their special charge certain forces of nature, or faculties and relationships of men; and of these there may be many. But if we can conceive of an uncaused Being, who is the cause of all being, there can be only one such. Jehovah stands alone. All others must say, "I was made;" he says, "I am." 'l'he distinction comes out very forcibly in relation to the idols which men worship. We know their origin in men's mental conceptions, 0r in men's handiwork. Of Jehovah we know nothing save that he is. But the prophet is far less concerned with the abstract nature of God than with bis special and gracious relations with his people. He is here dealing with Jehovah's faithfulness to his predictions and promises. He is unique in this-he keeps his word. The glory of fulfilling his promises belongs to him alone. It was characteristic of idolatry that large promises were me.de to men by oracle and priest, for which there was no guarantee; and there is no more miserable chapter in the history of idols than the chapter of excuses for disappointed promise-holders. If the prerlictions of Jehovah ever failed, he would sink to lower levels than the idols. "The voice that moves the stars along speaks a.II the promises." 'l'he point on which to dwell is that, however tolerant idolatry may be of other conceptions and other ritual developed in other lands, and however attractive to men such latitude in religion e.nd worship may be, not one jot of the absolutely supreme claims of Jehovah can be removed. In this no concession can be made. Here there can be no rivalry, no sharing of honours. God is God alone. He is above all. It is absolutely essential to the worship of Jehovah that it should be wholly exclusive of the idea of another god. No reproach of meu can be more severe and searching than this, "They feared the Lord, and served other gods." The unique- ness of God is seen in that : 1. He is for man only a thonght; we cannot, we may not, fix him in any 8hape. "He is a Spirit." 2. He is behind all things. Not bchinJ. some thicgs, as idols or wisdom, or of music, or of corn and wine. At the back of everytl1ing we can conceive is God, in whom the conception first took shape. 3. He controls nil forces. Not like idols, this one controlling the wind, and that the sea. 4. He claims all homage. Not of a. nation, but of the world; not of a. time, but of the ages. 5. He bas the supreme record of faithfulness; for he has been the "Refuge and Dwelling- place" of men in all gener11.tions.-R. T. Ver. 16.-The surprising Life-Guide. "I will bring the blind by a. way th11.t they knew not." Only the figure is taken from the gracious Divine arrangements ma.de for the return of the cnptives from Babylon. That is indeed prominent in the prophet's mind, but only as illustrative of God's conet11.nt dealings as the Life-Guide of his people.  134 THE DOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [en. XLII. 1-25.