The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 251

mnn t.oo, nre in their nature perishable, and course not to be taken litemlly (see 1 Kings will (or may) vanish away and cease to h?· X\'iii. 27, ad fin.). Put on strength. Gird But Go<l, and his power to save, and bis the strength to thee (Pd. xciii. I) which eternnl lnw of right, can never pass away, thou hadst laid a.side while thou wort asleop. but must endure for evermore. Let Israel Art thou not it that bath out Be.hab t rather, be sure that the righteous purposes of God was it not thou that didBt cleave Ra/lab in with respect to their own delirnrn.nce from pie=? Here, as in Ps. l.xxxvii. 4 and Babylon, and to the c"nvcrsion of the Gen- lxxxix. 10, "Ra.hab" would seem to be e. tiles: stand firm, and that tl,eJ• will most symbolical expression for Egypt. "Ra.hnb" certainly he accomplished. The heavens is litemlly "pri<lc," or "the proud one." she.ll ve.nish awe.y like smoke (comp. Ps. cii The event alluded to, both here and in Ps. 2G; l\1ntt. :u.iv. 35; 2 Pet. iii. 10-12). And lxxxix. 10, is the destruction of Pharaob's the earth shall wax old like a garment. So host in the Red See. (see ver. 10). And also in Ps. cii. 26 and Heh. i. 11. The new wounded the dragon. "The dragon" is heaven and new earth promised by Isaiah another symbol of the Egyptia.u power (In. 17; lxvi. 22). St. Peter (:2 Pet. iii. 13), (comp. Ezek. xxi.x. 3, "Phar,wh, King of and St. John (Rev. xxi. 1) are created in the Egypt, the great dragon that lietb in the last times, becau.se " the first heaven and miust of his 1ivers "). Originally designating the first earth have passed away." They that God's great enemy, Se.tan (Gen. iii. 14; dwell therein shall die in like manner, Dr. Rev. xii. 7-9; xx. 2), it is a term which Kay observes that the Hebrew text does not comes to be applied to the adversaries of say, "in like manner," but "as in like man- the Almighty generally. ner." 111an is not subject to the same law Ver. 10.-Art thou not itwhioh hath dried of perislie.blencss as the externa~ \"l"Orl~, but the sea 1 rather, waa it not thou that didst to a different law. External thmgs simply dry up the sea? (comp. Exod. xiv. 21, 22). •• pass away" and are no more. Man dis- The waters of the Red Sea are called those appears from the earth, but continues to of "the great deep," because they a1·0 a. exist somewhere. He has, by God's gift, a portion of the circume.mbient ocean, not a. life that is to be uncensillg. tideless land-locked basin, like the Medi- Ver. 7.-Xearken unto me, ye that know terranean. That ha.th ma.de; rather, that righteonsness. The highest grade of faith- madest. The allusion is to the single ocee.- fulness is here addressed-not those who sion of the passage of the Red Sea. by the "seek" (ver. 1), bnt those who have found- Israelites. who "k1IO'IIJ rigbteousness," and hsve the Ver. II.-The redeemed of the Lord (see "law" of God in their "hearts." Such the comment on eh. xxxv. 10, where the persons may still be liable to one weakness same passago occurs with ecamely any varia- -they may "fear the reproach of men." tion). Isaiah is not averse to repetitions The prophet exhorts them to pnt aside this (see eh. v. 25; ix. 12, l 7, 21; x. 4; xi. l; fear, remembering (1) the no1:hlngness_ of I.xv. 25; xlviii. 22; lvii. 21, etc.). hnme.nitv, and (2) the eternity and 1m- Vera: 12-16.-.A.N ADDRESS OF GOD TO perisbe.bleness of God's judgments. ms CAPTIVE PEOPLE. There is no very clear Ver. 8.-The moth shall eat them (comp. eh. 1. 9). If men tbemseh-es never wholly connection between this passage and the pass away (~ce the comment OD ver. 6), yet preceding, to which it is certainly not a.n it is otherwise with their judgment.s. These answer. God comforts the captives under perish absolutely, disappear, and are utterly the oppression which they are suffering (1) forgotten. by reminding them of their oppressors' weak- Vers. 9-11.-AN APPEAL OF THE PROPHET ness and short-livedneee; (2) by assuring TO GOD TO AROl:'SE HHI6ELF, WITH A PROMISE them of speedy deliverance (ver. 14); nnd OF IsaA.EL's RE!n'OEATION. There has been (3) by impressing upon them his own power much doubt as to the utterer of this "splen- as shown in the pa.et, which is e. guarantee did apostrophe.'' Zion, the prophet, the that he will protect them in the future (vers. angels, Jehovah., and God the Son pleading )5, 16). with God the Father, have been suggested. Ver. 12.-I am he that oomforteth you To us it seems simplest and best to assign (comp. ver. 8, and the comment ad Zoe.). the passage to the prophet. Who art thou 1 Art thou a. poor, weak, Ver. 9.-Awake, awake (comp. Ps. vii. 6; powerless, unprotected people, which ~ight xxxv. 23; xliv. 23; lxxviii. 65). When well tremble at the powerful Babylomons: God neglects the prayers Hnd supplications or a.rt thou not rather e. people under the of his people, be is spoken of as" asleep," speoia.l protection of Jehovah, bound, there- e.nd needing to be awoke by e. loud cry. fore. to fear no one? A• gru■ (comp. oh. The anthropomorphism is obvioUB, and o/ :uxvii. '¥7; xl. 6~). Cllt. Lt, 1-28,] THE BOOK OV THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 281