The birth and titles of the Messiah. 1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 8 The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. 11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. 14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. on 17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. 20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. LECTURE 1108. Our redemption by Christ Jesus. How wonderfully do mercy and justice meet together in God's word, even as in Himself! In the midst of the desolation denounced against Samaria, what joy to the affrighted people to be told, that on them should shine the light of the Messiah's kingdom! But first they must undergo the judgments set forth in the latter portion of this chapter. And after each of these woes denounced, as well as after that mentioned in connexion at the beginning of the next chapter, it is added, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." Yet in this benighted region did the light of the Gospel, as here foretold, first shed its glorious rays. In " the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali" did Christ first do his mighty works, and preach his precious word. Though God had in course of time renewed the numbers of the people, He had not "increased the joy ;" until the shining of this light sprung up, to fill their hearts with gladness. But then was broken the yoke of their captivity, the rod of their oppression; and that, no less plainly by almighty power than in the great defeat of the Midianites by Gideon; see Judg. 7. 19; that, no less thoroughly than as when the weapons of an enemy discomfited are all consumed by fire. See Ps. 46. 9. Ezek. 39. 8-10. But what is the manner of deliverance here spoken of? Who is this mighty Saviour?" Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder." Redemption by Christ Jesus, this is the true light, and joy, and glory, not only of Israel but of Judah also, not only of Israel and of Judah, but also of all mankind. Redemption by Christ Jesus. He is the child here spoken of, the child of Mary, the Son of God; "Wonderful," to be admired and adored; "Counsellor," to be consulted, and obeyed; "the mighty God," being ever One with "The everlasting Father" "The Prince of Peace," having made our peace with God. And his is the "government and peace," the rule and reconciliation, the dominion of love divine, of which there is no end; his the throne of David, to reign over God's people in righteousness for evermore. "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Thanks be to Thee, O God, for having already done so much in the redemption of thy people! Thanks be to Thee for the pledge thus given us, that Thou wilt in thy due season perfect all! Assyria, the rod of God's anger, shall itself be brought low. 1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? 9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus ? 10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria ; 11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man : 14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. 15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. 16 Therefore shall the LORD, the LORD of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. 17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; 18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth. 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. LECTURE 1109. God glorified in overruling man's evil for good. We read in the last chapter, how the Israelites were to be devoured at once by "the Syrians before, and the Philistines behind." And because when thus chastised they would not turn to God, He would "cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush," their great men and their false prophets, their rulers, and the misruled people. And further for their wickedness He would give them up to intestine strife, "no man shall spare his brother." See Ch. 9. 12, 14, 19. And further amongst the wickedness which prevailed both in Israel and in Judah, we here find mention of injustice on the part of those who put the laws into execution. The poor, the widow, and the orphan, were robbed of their rights. And this oppression was one of the things which chiefly provoked the wrath of the righteous Judge of all the earth. Let the oppressor then take timely warning. Let all those who share in making or administering our laws watch that as far as in them lies no man be thereby wronged. For whither can those flee for help, whom God pursues for vengeance? And in the day of his retribution, what will avail them all the gain or glory they may have got by such gross violation of his will? The monarch of Assyria was the rod chiefly made use of by Jehovah to chastise his offending people. And from the passage before us we may profitably learn, how God is pleased to overrule the evil which is in the hearts of sinful men, for forwarding his own righteous purposes. The Assyrian invader would little think of this prophetic commission to spoil and to lay low a people, who had provoked the wrath of the Most High. He would come in the pride of his own heart, counting up the cities he had already laid waste, and glorying in the thought, that he should with equal ease take possession of Samaria and Jerusalem. And because God foreknew that this would be the spirit of the invader's mind, therefore the prophet is inspired to foretel, that when this vain and haughty temper should have done its work, then it also should receive its punishment. God, who made use of it to chastise the "hypocritical nation," which pretended to serve Him by worshipping images, would in due season make it to know, that the instrument must not boast itself against the hand that uses it. He would in a very signal manner discomfit the host of the Assyrians "in one day;" a discomfiture set forth under the figures of making lean, and burning with fire, and hewing down the glory of a forest. It is then no excuse for wickedness, that it is overruled by God for a good end. The wisdom and goodness of God are thereby glorified. But the vanity, the cruelty, the covetousness, or the ambition of man, remain no less sinful in God's sight, no less liable to God's vengeance. There is no evil man can do which He cannot turn to a wise purpose; none for which He will not call the doer to a strict account. The remnant in Zion need not fear the Assyrian. 20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteous ness. 23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shalt make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land. 24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. 25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. 26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. 27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. 28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: 29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. 30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. 31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. 32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. 34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. LECTURE 1110. It is for Christ's sake that we are spared to repent. The Assyrian invader, commissioned as he was to spoil the kingdom of the ten tribes, is forbidden by prophecy to lay his hand upon Jerusalem. And the remnant of Israel, which would be left in Zion at the time of the invasion, are here bidden not to be "afraid of the Assyrian," are assured that "the Lord of hosts" |