The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 188

Ver. 15.-'l'M;'oy of mystery in God. "Surely thou art a God that hideth himself, 0 God of Israel, Saviour!" (Cheyne's translation). This represents the average feel- ing of the captives. God's ways, though excellent, are not as man's ways; they are often hidden from men. They are mysterious ways; but faith rises above the myste- ries, nnd calls them "good ways." (1) God's plans are hidden in the counsels of eternity; (2) God's work is often hidden in the variety of the agencies he employs; and (3) God's results cause surprise and joy when they can be revealed. Dealing with this subject in a lar~er way, we inquire- !. ·WHAT IS Gon TO MAN's SEEING? In our pride of heart we are very unwilling to admit the limitation or imperfection of our faculties. We can know so much; why cannot we know God? We can see so much; why cannot we see God? Men a.re rest- less, and bitterly fret, because the dark mists still fringe and hide the "mountain-peak of a God." They say, "If it be so to our vision down in the plains of common life, then we will climb the hills of science, get up above, and look down on the peak, and sha'ter for ever the mysteries that surround him." Some expect to reLurn to us with a scornful smile, prepared to say, "There is no God, only a high peak, which the unclouded sun gilds with a perpetual radiance; and this, shining through the clouds, made you think there was a God." "Then all goes wrong : the old foundations rock; One scorns at him of old who gazed unshod: One, striking with a pickaxe, thinks the shock Shall move the seat of God. "A little way, a very little way (Life is so short), they dig into the rind, And they n:re very sorry-so they say- Sorry for what they find. "0 marvellous credulity of man I If God indeed kept secret, couldet thou know Or follow np the mighty Artisan Unless he willed it so?" (Jean Ingelow.) Human vision cannot see all round. When it can see the under-world an,! the within- world, it may he~in to hoa.st that it can see the bey,,nd-world. But not till then. A:nd what it does see it can only see imperfectly. Only sides and parts and aspects. With the o-rc,at heap of hu1m.n attainment~ lying before us, we may say, "Lo, these are parts of h~ ways; but the thunder of his power who can understand?" Do yo~ _want to see God all round and right through? Be assured of this: "No mortal v1s1on, pure or ~inning, bath ~een the face." Better, far better, to adore and love the mystery of God and Go<l's ways. II. WHAT IB Gon BEYOND MAN'S SEEING? Man's foolish ambition is to see every- thing with his bodily eyes. Man's true wisdom is in knowing God through the soul-visi,,ns that are granted to faith. And, beyond our seeing of the clouds and the mystery, what is God~ 1. To our seeing, there is much diffi<:ult;r and mystery abo~t God's ruling of the eartb; but our souls know that he rei11:ns 1n righteousness, 2. 1o on. XLV. 1-25.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 193