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1994-03-02
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25750
#10-16 Secret disaffection to God is often disguised with the
colour of respect to him; and those who are resolved that they
will not trust God, yet pretend they will not tempt him. The
prophet reproved Ahaz and his court, for the little value they
had for Divine revelation. Nothing is more grievous to God than
distrust, but the unbelief of man shall not make the promise of
God of no effect; the Lord himself shall give a sign. How great
soever your distress and danger, of you the Messiah is to be
born, and you cannot be destroyed while that blessing is in you.
It shall be brought to pass in a glorious manner; and the
strongest consolations in time of trouble are derived from
Christ, our relation to him, our interest in him, our
expectations of him and from him. He would grow up like other
children, by the use of the diet of those countries; but he
would, unlike other children, uniformly refuse the evil and
choose the good. And although his birth would be by the power of
the Holy Ghost, yet he should not be fed with angels' food. Then
follows a sign of the speedy destruction of the princes, now a
terror to Judah. "Before this child," so it may be read; "this
child which I have now in my arms," (Shear-jashub, the prophet's
own son, ver. #3|,) shall be three or four years older, these
enemies' forces shall be forsaken of both their kings. The
prophecy is so solemn, the sign is so marked, as given by God
himself after Ahaz rejected the offer, that it must have raised
hopes far beyond what the present occasion suggested. And, if
the prospect of the coming of the Divine Saviour was a
never-failing support to the hopes of ancient believers, what
cause have we to be thankful that the Word was made flesh! May
we trust in and love Him, and copy his example.
25757
#17-25 Let those who will not believe the promises of God,
expect to hear the alarms of his threatenings; for who can
resist or escape his judgments? The Lord shall sweep all away;
and whomsoever he employs in any service for him, he will pay.
All speaks a sad change of the face of that pleasant land. But
what melancholy change is there, which sin will not make with a
people? Agriculture would cease. Sorrows of every kind will come
upon all who neglect the great salvation. If we remain
unfruitful under the means of grace, the Lord will say, Let no
fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever.
25766
* Exhortations and warnings. (1-8) Comfort for those who fear
God. (9-16) Afflictions to idolaters. (17-22)
#1-8 The prophet is to write on a large roll, or on a metal
tablet, words which meant, "Make speed to spoil, hasten to the
prey:" pointing out that the Assyrian army should come with
speed, and make great spoil. Very soon the riches of Damascus
and of Samaria, cities then secure and formidable, shall be
taken away by the king of Assyria. The prophet pleads with the
promised Messiah, who should appear in that land in the fulness
of time, and, therefore, as God, would preserve it in the mean
time. As a gentle brook is an apt emblem of a mild government,
so an overflowing torrent represents a conqueror and tyrant. The
invader's success was also described by a bird of prey,
stretching its wings over the whole land. Those who reject
Christ, will find that what they call liberty is the basest
slavery. But no enemy shall pluck the believer out of Emmanuel's
hand, or deprive him of his heavenly inheritance.
25774
#9-16 The prophet challenges the enemies of the Jews. Their
efforts would be vain, and themselves broken to pieces. It
concerns us, in time of trouble, to watch against all such fears
as put us upon crooked courses for our own security. The
believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of
man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we
should see all the power of our enemies restrained. The Lord,
who will be a Sanctuary to those who trust in him, will be a
Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the
creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an
offence to us, they will undo us. The apostle quotes this as to
all who persisted in unbelief of the gospel of Christ, #1Pe
2:8|. The crucified Emmanuel, who was and is a Stumbling-stone
and Rock of offence to unbelieving Jews, is no less so to
thousands who are called Christians. The preaching of the cross
is foolishness in their esteem; his doctrines and precepts
offend them.
25782
#17-22 The prophet foresaw that the Lord would hide his face;
but he would look for his return in favour to them again. Though
not miraculous signs, the children's names were memorials from
God, suited to excite attention. The unbelieving Jews were prone
to seek counsel in difficulties, from diviners of different
descriptions, whose foolish and sinful ceremonies are alluded
to. Would we know how we may seek to our God, and come to the
knowledge of his mind? To the law and to the testimony; for
there you will see what is good, and what the Lord requires. We
must speak of the things of God in the words which the Holy
Ghost teaches, and be ruled by them. To those that seek to
familiar spirits, and regard not God's law and testimony, there
shall be horror and misery. Those that go away from God, go out
of the way of all good; for fretfulness is a sin that is its own
punishment. They shall despair, and see no way of relief, when
they curse God. And their fears will represent every thing as
frightful. Those that shut their eyes against the light of God's
word, will justly be left to darkness. All the miseries that
ever were felt or witnessed on earth, are as nothing, compared
with what will overwhelm those who leave the words of Christ, to
follow delusions.
25788
* The Son that should be born, and his kingdom. (1-7) The
judgments to come upon Israel, and on the enemies of the kingdom
of Christ. (8-21)
#1-7 The Syrians and Assyrians first ravaged the countries here
mentioned, and that region was first favoured by the preaching
of Christ. Those that want the gospel, walk in darkness, and in
the utmost danger. But when the gospel comes to any place, to
any soul, light comes. Let us earnestly pray that it may shine
into our hearts, and make us wise unto salvation. The gospel
brings joy with it. Those who would have joy, must expect to go
through hard work, as the husbandman, before he has the joy of
harvest; and hard conflict, as the soldier, before he divides
the spoil. The Jews were delivered from the yoke of many
oppressors; this was a shadow of the believer's deliverance from
the yoke of Satan. The cleansing the souls of believers from the
power and pollution of sin, would be by the influence of the
Holy Spirit, as purifying fire. These great things for the
church, shall be done by the Messiah, Emmanuel. The Child is
born; it was certain; and the church, before Christ came in the
flesh, benefitted by his undertaking. It is a prophecy of him
and of his kingdom, which those that waited for the Consolation
of Israel read with pleasure. This Child was born for the
benefit of us men, of us sinners, of all believers, from the
beginning to the end of the world. Justly is he called
Wonderful, for he is both God and man. His love is the wonder of
angels and glorified saints. He is the Counsellor, for he knew
the counsels of God from eternity; and he gives counsel to men,
in which he consults our welfare. He is the Wonderful
Counsellor; none teaches like him. He is God, the mighty One.
Such is the work of the Mediator, that no less power than that
of the mighty God could bring it to pass. He is God, one with
the Father. As the Prince of Peace, he reconciles us to God; he
is the Giver of peace in the heart and conscience; and when his
kingdom is fully established, men shall learn war no more. The
government shall be upon him; he shall bear the burden of it.
Glorious things are spoken of Christ's government. There is no
end to the increase of its peace, for the happiness of its
subjects shall last for ever. The exact agreement of this
prophecy with the doctrine of the New Testament, shows that
Jewish prophets and Christian teachers had the same view of the
person and salvation of the Messiah. To what earthly king or
kingdom can these words apply? Give then, O Lord, to thy people
to know thee by every endearing name, and in every glorious
character. Give increase of grace in every heart of thy redeemed
upon earth.
25795
#8-21 Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are
unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which God
designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this
point be not gained by lesser judgments, greater may be
expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason
to be afraid of those that speak well of us, when we do ill.
Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall
be in trouble, and see no way out; and when men's ways displease
the Lord, he makes even their friends to be at war with them.
God would take away those they thought to have help from. Their
rulers were the head. Their false prophets were the tail and the
rush, the most despicable. In these civil contests, men preyed
on near relations who were as their own flesh. The people turn
not to Him who smites them, therefore he continues to smite: for
when God judges, he will overcome; and the proudest, stoutest
sinner shall either bend or break.