The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 281

finding adaptations and adjustments. A distinction may be helpfully made between God's work_of seftenin!f and G~'s work of humbling. We ma;r see the softening work 11lustrate<l m Job or 1n Hezekiah. We may see the humbling work illustrated in Manasseh, who must be dragged off into captivity, and feel the bitterness of the prison- honse; or in Israel as a com1pt, self-willed nation, which must feel what it was for the Babdonian "iron to eat into its rnul." • II. Goo LIMITING THE STERN EXPERIENCES OF LIFE. As a rule, such Divine dealings are not greatly prolonged. It is, indeed, iu the very nature of them that they should not be long contrnued. They are like punishment by whipping, which is soon over ~.n? done ':it~. Rela~ivdy to the life of a_ nation, seventy years of captivity is only a little ~:h1le. . And Ill a l~ter verse of this prophecy we find God exactly expressing bow hnnted his stern experiences had been:" In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment." .And the expre~sion of the apostle most strictly applies to this class of Didne dealings: "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment." If we come then, into God's stern hands, they are our Father's hands, and love will strictly limit the stern dealings to the "needs be;" and this great confidence may quiet our souls and give peace, even while we suffer, or endure, or struggle. III. Goo RESTORING FROM THE STERN EXPE[<IENCEB OF LIFE. Zion is restored; Jerusalem is rebuilt; Manasseh comes back to his throne; Job's latter end is brighter than his beginning. Justice is God's stra11ge work, mercy is his delight . .Above every- thing else he is the Redeemer, the Restorer, finding ever more joy in restoring than we can find in being restored. It is as if he were glad with infinite gladness when he can take tbe cloud a.way, and let his smile break through again upon us. What seem to us extravagant, ecstatic pictures of the restored glory of the Jewish: nation, are really intended to impress on us what a joy God finds in his redeemiugs. This is expressed for us in the assurance of the Lord Jesus, that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." .And so far as we are really good, and like God, we find singular pleasure in putting things straight again, in reconcilia- tions, in helping others to recover themselves and start' afresh. IV. MAN RESPONDING GLADLY TO THE NEW JOY OF GoD'B BESTOBATIONB. To this God calls in our text. It is as if he had said, "I am glad; now be you glad." There could be restorings, accept them at once, and lovingly and thankfully. Rise up out of all those depressions and despairings of captivity. Shake the very dust of the old troubles off. Dress in festal robes. Sing joy-songs. Realize your swiftly coming honours. "Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." Sit down in stately, royal style, as if the promise were possession, and you entered on it when God gave his assurances. How sadly we fail in hesitating about the acceptance of what God gives I -R.T. Ver. 3.-A. priceless redemption. "Ye shall be redeemed without money." This truth is more fully stated in eh. lv. 1. Here we only note two senses in which God's redemption of I~rael from the captivity of Babylon, and of us from the captivity of sin, may be called a priceless redemption. I. BECAUSE ITS VALUE 1B BEYOND ANY PBIOE MAN CAN FIND. A man may hear of a" pearl of great price," and be willing to sell all else that he may have in order to get possession of it. But redemption is a pearl of such price that no man•~ all could sullice for its purchase. Illustrate what returning to a regenerate Jerusalem was for the captives. .And what had they by which they could buy such a national restoration? What relation would it bear to tbe matter if they put all their weaHh together? .And we are not recl.,emed from sin with "corruptible things, such as silver and gold," so that ll'e could recompense him who gave the silver and gold for us, by giving him our silver and gold; "but with the precious blood of Christ," the value o~ which no huma11 i;cales can measure and which no human wealth could buy. The pnce of our redemp- tion is "beyond a.Ii measure of so much." Compare the poetical estimate of the value of" wisdom," in Job xxviii. 12-19. IL BECAUSE IT 18 GIVEN WITHOUT Al!KING ANY PRI0E AT ALL. We could not pay the price. We should not have it at a pfice, if we could pay. It cannot be bought. Illustrate how men put a fictitious price on things which they clo not wish to sell; and how they refuse to name any price at all when they a.re determined tba.t the thing shall oH; LU, 1-15.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 291