The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 216

Vers. 17-19.-Human freedom and Divine regret. In these fervent and eloquent words of the prophet we learn- L THAT GoD DESIGNS GOOD AND EVEN GREAT THINGS FOB THE OBEDIENT. If Israel had only been obedient to the Diviue commandment, it wou!-d have rejoiced in : 1. .Abo1,nding prosperity. Its peace (prosperity) would have been "as a river," flowing on continuously, without break, nigbt and day, generation after generation. Victory in war and fruitfudness in the field would have been their happy heritage (see Ps. lxxxi. 13-16). This is the offer which Christ makes to his obedient disciples (Mark x. 29, 30). Not that prosperity always comes to the Cimstian disciple in the shape of "increase of corn and wine;" but it does come in one form if not in another-often in the shape of indwelling peace and overflowing joy when the home is of the humblest and the lot of the hardest kind. 2. .Advancing rectitude. Its righteousness would have been" as the waves of the sea," coming on and coming in with steady, irresistible flow. Righteous- ness is e.n incompare.bly greater blessing than prosperity. To be a "righteous nation" is to be vastly more than a triumphant or wealthy nation. Christ promises to those who are the true subjects of his kingdom that their blest heritage shall be "righteous- ness as well as peace and joy in the Holy Ghost;" spiritual rectitude; the heart in its true and loyal attitude toward:! God, towards man, towards truLh and life. 3. .Abiding influence. (Ver. 19.) II. THAT WE ABE LEFT FEARFULLY FREE TO THWART ms GRACIOUS PURPOSE, Jehovah laments tbaflsrael had forfeited its heritage, had used its freedom to disobey, bad cut itself off from his generous design (ver. 18). What God would gladly have bestowed, the foolish nation bad resolved to refuse. Such power of choice has the Cree.tor given to bis creature, man. And what fearful use has ~n made o_f. this his freed?m I It is not Israel alone that has elected to forego splendid opportumtles. What might not Rome have been, and Egypt, and those European lands to which the knowledge of the cro8pel 0 bas been carried I It is not too late to ask- What may not England be 1 The recor<l of her history is not yet complete; her sands are not yet run; her gate of opportunity is not yet closed. She may yet rise to the height of her privilege, as she may yet sink grievously and fatally beneath it. With the same solemn and awful freedom every individual soul is invested by its Creator. Every one of us is e.t liberty to thwart bis gracious purpose ifwe choose; at liberty also to realize it, in all itR glorious fulness, if we will. , IJL THAT OUB DISOBEDIENCE AND DISINHERITANCE ABE ASOURCE OF DIVINE REGRET, Do we not bear an undertone of deep sorrow in this lament? Our heavenly Father, our Divine Friend, regards the sad abuse of our freedom with a sorrow which is all his own. T·be human parent who has been '1eeply disappointed in tbo character and career <lH, XLVIIl, 1-22.] THE BOOK OF THE PROP.BET ISAIAH. 225