would be especially known t.o the Jews (Exod. iii. 14), and it became a sort of proper name with them and their neighbours. it was this name which wa.s not to be taken in vain (Exod. xx. 7). It came to be regarded as so holy that the Jews would not venture t-0 pronounce it, but substituted the word ".Adonai," or "Lord," whenever they read the Scriptures aloud. God himself is, in fact, in all his names; and nearly the same re,erence is due to them which is due to him. Christians are baptized into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Matt. xxviii. 19). The Name of the God of ~acob defends th_em (Ps. xxv. 1).. The Father kc~p_s them through his_ Nan_ie (John nu. 11). They give thanks to bis Name (Heb. xm. 15), fear aud glorify his Name (Rev. xv. 4), c.onfess and sing praise unto it (Rom. xv. 9). Christ's Name, through faith in his Name, makes them strong, yea, gives them perfect soundness in the presence of all ( Acts iii. 16). II. .A CERTAIN VALUE IS SET ON MEN'S NAMES. God assigns men names (eh. vii. 14; ,iii. 3; Hos. i. 4, 6, 9; Matt. i. 21; Luke i. 13, etc.); alters or modifies their names (Gen. :i::vii. 5, 15; xxxii 28; 2 Sam. xii. 25, etc.); explains the mystical meaning of their names (Matt. xvi 18); gives them wholly new names (Rev. iii. 12). The sacred writers also sometimes alter men's names in contempt, or as a punishment. Thus Esh-Baal, "man of Baal," becomes Isb-Bosheth, "man of shame;" Merib-Baal becomes Mephi-Boshetb, and the like. The true name of Hezekiah's father seems to have been Jehoahaz, "possession of Jehovah" (G. Smith, 'Eponym Canon,' p. 124); but the sacred writers, offended with him on account of his idolatries, would only call him Ahaz, "possession." Conqnering kings sometimes required names of subject kings to be changed, apparently as a mark of submission and subserviency. Thus the name of Eliak:im was turned to Jehoiakim by Pharaoh-Nacho (2 Kings xxiii. 34), and the name of Mattaniah to Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings xxiv. 17). .Altogether, human names are recognized as having an importance which profane writers a.re rarely found to attach t.o them. III. .A. CERTAIN VA.LUE IS SET ALSO ON THE NAMES OF PLACES. Importance is attached t.o the significa.nce of place-names, and a meaning is found for them not always in accordance with their real etymologies. Babel (Babylon) was no doubt intended by the Babylonians to mean" the gate of God;" but the sacred writers saw in the name a derivation from balal, " to confound" (Gen. xi. 9). When places ceased to correspond to their names, the sacred writers freely altered the names, to suit the circumstances. Thus the Bethel of the patriarchs becomes the Beth-aven of Hosea (iv. 15; v. 8; x. 5), Jeroboam's idolatries having turned "the house of God" into "the house of nothing- ness." In the present chapter Jerusalem is supposed to have become ".A.zubah" on her destruction by the Babylonians, and to be about to be called "Hephzi-bah" on her restoration by the returned exiles. .Another name given to her by Isaiah is ".Ariel" (eh. :xxix. 1). Each name expresses some phase in her history or feature of her character,
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 1-9.-Promises offuture glory. Let us assume that Jehovah is the Speaker, and that he utters this oracle in a time of darkness and despondency. What is expreBSed is the intense passion, if we may so say, of God for the realization of bis ideas in the world. The prophet fears not to use the boldest anthropomorphic imagery in setting forth this view of God. L THE mB.EPREBSIBLE DEBIBEB AND PURPOSES OF THE ETERNAL. He will not he sileut nor will he rest. In dark times it seems that God is refraining himself, putting a restraint upon his lips, holding his peace, etc. Four times in the latter portion of Isaiah that thought occurs (eh. xiii. 14; !vii. 11; )xiv. 12; !xv. 6). When impiety and oppression are rampant, the wicked exclaim, "How doth God know?" and the righteous, "Why is be silent?" .And yet there should be fears and scruples on both sides. Silence and reserve need not mean indifference. Nor would the voice of the Eternal be so impressive were it not for the long 11paces of silence that lie between. Sooner or later he will uprouse himself, and his mighty voice will go forth, and there will be a turn in affairs. en. LXII, 1-12.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 433
II. THE IDEAL ON WHICH TIE BAB BET ms HEART. It is the glory of the ideal Jerus&lem, the spiritu&! city of God, or his Church. 1. The glory of righteousness and salvation. The two terms seem here nearly to denote the same thing. Negatively, freedom from llli external calamity and from all internal impurity ; positively, attain- ment of &II prosperiLy and all moral rectitude. This is to be an all-pervading brilliance, or a torch carried far from hand to hand. 2. The beauty of holiness. "Crown of adorning in Jchovab's band," or" diadem of royalty," shall she be. All the associations of forsakenness, desoliltion, and widowhood shall pass away, and be replaced by those of nuptial beauty anJ joy. Her name shall be exchanged for a new one, i.11. her afflicted for a glorious condition, III. THE ANGELIC MINISTRY. Angelic watchers a.re on the walls of the city, incessantly engaged in intercession. 'l'be idea of them is that of mediatoria.l beings. Here they intercede with Jehovah that he will raise the city (or Church) to her proper renown among the nations of the earth. And an answer to the prayer seems indicate<!, when Jehovah swears that the harvest and the vintage shall no more be pillaged by her foes.-J.