The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 275

Jehovah, since he, as a man of war, is going forth to fight the battles of his people and to establish his kingdom in the earth. The king, upon solemn occasions had with him a troop of armour-bearers (1 Kings xiv. 28). Ano so must he, to wh~m the shields of the whole earth belong (Ps. xlvii. 10), be followed by his band of faithful warriors . .And not_ again in hurrying fearfulness, as in the days of the exode from Egypt, but rather with the calm and solemn march of troops who are marching to assured victory are they to go forth from Babylon. The application was made by St, Paul, and ever may ~e made, to Christians (2 Cor. vi. 17, 18). Baby Ion is a type of the world ; the necessity of" coming out" from that Babylon is the necessity of the disciples of Jesus separating them~elves from the evil that is in the world. So in Rev. xviii, 4 Babylon stands for the evil course of the present world-the spirit of pride and impurity and persecution. If, instead of armour-bearers, the rendering "bearers of the vessels of Jehovah" be preferred, then the allusion will be to the priests and Levites (N1.1mb. i. 50; iv. 15). Upon such officials the obligation to be holy rests. Whether in war, or in the peaceful service of tabernacle or temple, the principle is the same. Men set apart to such service are bound to illustrate their office by an apart11ess of manners and of life. A select calling implies a select spirit. It has not been " finely touched" except to "fine issues." There may be an allusion in the "vessels" to Ezra i. 7, 8, or the facts there mentioned. How marked is that " boundless exhilaration" which belongs to these prophecies of restored Jerusalem ! "Much good poetry is profoundly melan- choly; now the life of the people is such that in literature they. require joy. If ever that • good time coming,' for which they long, was presented with energy and magnifi- cence, it is in these chapters; it is impossible to read them without catching its glow, And they present it truly and witli. the true ccnditions. It is easy to misconceive it on a first view, easy to misconceive its apparent condition; but the more these chapters sink into the mind and are apprehended, the more manifest is the connection with universal history, the key they offer to it, the truth of the ideal they propose for it" (Matthew Arnold).-J. Ver. 13---ch. !iii. 3.-The Servant of Jehovah: his wondrous career. "Behold!" A new and remarkable object calls for attention. It is the "Servant of Jehovah." He has been humiliated and rejected, but he is on his way to exaltation and honour, I. Hrs FELICITOUS WISDOM. There enters into the idea of the word here used,prosperity and good success, as in Josh. i 8; Jer. x. 21. For wisdom, the devout wisdom, the willdom of duty in obedience to the Divine commands, alone can bring that good success. Compare what is said of the Righteous Branch in Jer. xxiii. 5; and see also for the word, 2 Kings xviii. 7; Prov. xvii. 8. Some render the words "shall be intelligent;" others, "she.II be prosperous." The description applies to any who are endued with the Divine Spirit for pra.cti ea! ends. 11 Hrs EXALTATION. There is a heaping up of verbs denoting exaltation-he shall be high, and lifted up, and lofty exceedingly. The highest pitch of honour, the loftiest possible rank, shall be his, and that in view of the universe. The right hand of God- the subjection of angels and authorities and powers, and every name that is named-are similar images (Mark xvi.19; Eph. i 20-22; Phil. ii. 9; 1 Pet. iii. 22). If the Servant be not the Messiah, at least very similar language id used of him {Ps. lxxxix. 27). The exaltation bears a direct relation to the previo'Us humiliation, The last would become first; the most despised would yet become the most honouretl. Having volunteered for the lowest place on behalf of man's good, he would be exalted by the Divine band to the highest possible. Once men were stupefied as they looked on his disfigurrd form, hardly bearing the semblance of a man. So did Job's friends stand aghast as they beheld bill! from a distance in his misery. Dut there shp.11 be a magnificent contrast, Kings shall yet be dumb for admiration in his presence-owning his superior dignity (Job xxix. 9; xl 4). They will be eye-witnesses of things which had been previously inconceivable (cf. also Micah viii. 16; Ps. cxlvii. 42; Job v. 16). ID. REVELATION IN THIS CONTRAST. 'l'he popular heart has everywhere delighted in such contrasts, between princely greatness and lowly guise or disguise. So the Greek Odysseus, on his return, is seen sitting lowly amidst the ashes of his hearth. And the Indians (Lyall,• Asiatic Studies') relish in the highest degree such representations. We not only love surprise, but we feel that it is a Divine method to work by surprise. ou. LU, 1-16.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 285