The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 232

Spirit; thst God will grant increase to our toil in the distant if not in the near future• tul\t he will bestow on us B full reward when the hour of blessed recompense arrives.-0'. _Vere. 5-7.-The !!'"eater mission.. The main point of this passage is that far greater tnumphs should await the Redeemer of Israel than any recovery of the scattered tribes· he was to be a Light to the whole Gentile world-to be "for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth." The fact that a true but small mission opens out into one that is verJ'. much larger, widening and deepening as it proceeds, is one that has many illue- trat10ns- - I. IN THE wonK OF THE Lonn HIMSELF. As he "grew in wisdom," he found that "his Fat.her's business" involved more than appeared to him when he was twelve years old. There was a time when he instructed his disciples to "go r,ot into any way of the Gentiles : " and when he ~id, "I am not sent but unto the Jost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. x. 6; xv. 24). But later on, he not only recognized for himself that his work was to be wide as humanity and to embrace those furthest away from truth and from God, but he commanded his disciples to "baptize all nations," to "go unto all the worl<l," etc. Under his holy hand his great mission grew, and it became that one which, for the vastness of its proportions and the beneficence of its aim, leaves every human enterprise immeasurably behind. II. IN TBE wo&K OF THE APOSTLES OF OUR Lonn. James and John, when they were asked by their Master whether they could drink of his cup, answered with sure confidence, " \Ve can ; " but they little knew what were the contents of that cup; they little imagined how great, how stupendous, was the task which their Lord would leave in their hands. III. IN THE WORK OF INDIVIDUAL BEFOBMERB. At different times men have addressed themselves to some work of necessary reformation. They supposed that they could measure the extent of their task; but they found that as they proceeded it enlarged, and what they first attempted proved to be "a light thing" in comparison with all tbat they ultimately accomplished. Witness the work of Luther, Knox, Cranmer, Wesley, et.c. IV. IN THE woBK OF EACH CmtISTIAN CHURCH. A Christian Church, when first planted, is most anxious to establish and consolidate itself-to grow in numbers and in reputation and in strength. But before long it awake8 to the truth that it has a greater mission to effect than this; it is called into being to exert a powerful influence for good on all the surrounding neighbourhood-to communicate spiritual health and eternal life to all human souls that can be reached and blessed. To establish itself is "a light thing" in comparison with this high and holy function. 1. The entrance on this greater mission should be in the spirit of pure devotion. We should feel that we are God's servants (ver. 5), called to do his work. 2. It should be carried on and completed in God's strength. "My God shall be my Strength."-C. Vers. 8-12.-The lcingdom of Christ: a missionary sermon. In an elevated strain, full of high hope and touched with the pure joy of anticipation, the prophet writes of Messiah's kingdom. He calls our attention to- I. ITS MOST STRIKING CHABAOTEBISTICB. 1. SpirituaZ restO'f'ation. "To est.ablish the earth," or rather to restore the land, and to bring about the repossession by their true owners of the " desolate heritages." In the kingdom of Christ humanity, that had "lain waste" and had produced all kinds of noxious and ugly growths, should be re- cultivated, bear its own true fruits of peace and righteousness, and be a" land restored." 2. l:Jpiritual freedom. To the prisoners of sin, of folly, and of vice, the commanding word will be addressed, "Go forth" (ver. 9); and they will walk in the atmosphere of Facred freedom. 8. Abundance of truth. '.l.'be disciples of Christ are "the children of light;" they walk in the light of his holy truth (ver. 9). 4. The sheltering and providing power of the sovereign Saviour. The present Lord shall satisfy their hungering hearts, shall slake their spirits' thirst, shall shelter them from the heats of strong temptation, shall supply them with all-sufficient grace for their recurring need (ver. 10). All its springs are in him and he is near to minister to all their wants. lL THE OPENNESS OF THE WAY TO 1TB FULL EBTADLIBHMENT. (Vers. 11, 12.) In \he arrangements of Divine providence, when Jesus Christ came and introduced hia cu. xux. 1-26.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. Ul