raised up to instruct and warn the people, "beloved for the fathers' sakes" (Rom. xi. 28). At length, the tide of crime rolled so strong that every thing was swept away before it. The prophets were slain, idols were worshipped-even Sodom was outdone and there was no remedy (2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16). So God laid righteousness to the line, and judgment to the plummet, and the weeping prophet sighed out, "Under the whole heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem" (Dan. ix. 12). When the glory departed from the temple, the Chaldeans soon came, and then all was desolation. But how that "glory" lingered, and how slowly it departed from the beloved yet most guilty city, we learn from the prophet Ezekiel, who lived during those sad times (see x. xi.).

We pause for a while, midway between the judgment on Shiloh and the judgment on Jerusalem (see how the two are connected in Jer. vii. 12–15), in order to trace some of God's wonders of grace in the days of Isaiah, and to listen to the words of the holy prophet, as he reveals to us the glories of Immanuel.

This great prophet lived in evil times, the early years of his ministry were especially so. At the time to which we refer, Ahaz was king, concerning whom (after giving a history of his misgovernment and idolatries) the historian says "this is that king Ahaz" (2 Chron. xxviii. 22). Thus, kingship had grievously failed, so also had priesthood; only the prophet remained in power and purity. True, there were abundance of false prophets also; but there were some true ones-holy men of God, shining like stars in a dark night, moving in a sphere man could not reach so as to pollute, nor could they be put down or slain till their work was done.

The vii. and viii. chapters of Isaiah, including also ix. 1-7, should be studied as a continuous prophecy. In the commencement, we are told that Syria and Ephraim were confederate against Judah; their purpose was to overturn the throne of David, and to set up the son of Tabeal as king. Concerning this project, Jehovah said, “It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass." Ahaz was indeed a bad king, but he was of the seed of David, with whom God had made a covenant. How sad it is to find the children of Joseph confederate with the heathen to set aside God's purposes of love! Surely it was time that they should be "removed out of God's sight."

Isaiah was commissioned to meet the terror-stricken Ahaz, and to assure him of the coming overthrow of his dreaded foes, and also of his own safety. In infinite condescension he en

couraged him to ask a sign of the Lord, in order that he and his people might be assured that God could and would deliver them. Ahaz declined to ask a sign, saying, "I will not ask, neither will I tempt (or prove) Jehovah." This is not piety, but profanity. He would not have to do with Isaiah's God. Over this the prophet laments; yet he asserts, notwithstanding, "The Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." We cannot attempt to go at length into the whole of this passage, and would just observe that the bearing of this marvellous promise upon the case of Ahaz and his people seems to be this; that if God intended from David's royal house to bring forth the long-promised seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, and the seed of David, then most assuredly David's posterity must continue in existence; no son of Remaliah or daughter of Jezebel would be able to destroy the same. The ROD must come forth from the stem of Jesse, and the BRANCH grow from his roots.

Thus we see how God makes His greatest promises in the time of man's most abounding unworthiness. Never, surely, were worse times or a worse people than when this grandest of the Old Testament prophecies was uttered. The times were worse than in the days of Eli, and Jerusalem had outdone Shiloh, when God then spake.

The few faithful of those days were directed beyond outward and national deliverances to the coming Redeemer. We look back upon these words as fulfilled in part. The virgin has conceived and brought forth a son, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given;" but as regards the house of Jacob and the throne of David, and all the glories predicted of Messiah in this passage, we see them not yet. But in Christ Himself as

incarnate and as glorified, we have a sure sign; a most certain pledge from God Himself, that all things predicted shall be made good. The words of the prophet in Isa. ix. 6, 7, are confirmed by the words of Gabriel in Luke i. 31, 32, and we know" that the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform all" in His own time.

One more point should be noticed before leaving this early part of the prophecy. How did God delight in the anticipation of the incarnation of Christ? He was set up from everlasting in the Divine purpose

"'Ere God had built the mountains,

Or raised the fruitful hills;

Before He filled the fountains

That feed the running rills;

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In me from everlasting,
The wonderful I AM
Found pleasures never wasting,
And Wisdom is my name."

And should not we find ever-increasing delight in the Incarnate One who was born on earth to die, who lives in heaven to bless, and who will soon come again to reign.

We now come to the next chapter, where the words, "O IMMANUEL!" are found. "are found. The Lord reveals to the prophet that, though the desolation of Jerusalem would not be then, nor by the parties who wished to destroy it, yet God would find an instrument to fulfil His righteous threatenings. The Assyrian power, likened to a mighty river, should pass through Judah. "He shall overflow, and go over; he shall reach even to the neck, and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel." It is usual to read this verse through in the same tone, making no pause before the two last words, O Immanuel; and out of this manner of reading the verse has grown a very popular expression, the theme of many a sweet hymn, "Immanuel's land." But is this the true idea in the text? Have we got the mind of the Spirit? Ought there not to be a full stop after "land;" and are not the words "O Immanuel!" an exclamation, or appeal? In the 6th and 7th verses, the prophet is certainly not speaking to Immanuel, or even of Him; he is speaking to "this people," and about their land, which the Lord would give over for a prey to the Assyrian. Isaiah, like Jeremiah (see iv. 19) and other prophets (Hab. iii. 19), was deeply moved by his own words, and the sad prospects they unfolded; he sorrowed deeply over the people upon whom he denounced such heavy woes, and so he breathes out his longings toward and after Him in whom alone is deliverance. Immanuel is his ark amidst the deluge, his hope amidst all man's failure and God's judgments. If we mistake not, these words are an appeal grounded on the revelation previously made in Isa. vii. 14.

Perhaps we should understand many of the Psalms and prophecies much better, if we had skill to discover the persons speaking, spoken of, and spoken to; also, if we had more understanding of and sympathy with the varied moods of the prophets, and could trace the interjectional utterances which leaped out of their full hearts like John's, "Even so come, Lord Jesus." May we not trace somewhat of this in 2 Sam. vii. 18, 20? Yea, all through those marvellous words which David uttered, "when he went in and sat before the Lord." Perhaps Ps. lxxxix. 46-48 is another instance. The words seem to

struggle for utterance, and to overflow with deep emotion; but as read through continuously in the same tone, with only one break, this does not so much appear. It may be, that there should be several breaks. We do not wish to speak positively on this view of Isa. viii. 8 and the other passages mentioned, but we would earnestly ask attention to it as one of considerable interest. Whichever way we understand the words, whether we connect the land with the people or with "Immanuel," the closing words must be regarded as an intercessory cry or fervent appeal. We would also just observe that we firmly believe that, as God claimed the land as His own (Lev. xxv. 22), so is it, in a special sense, " IMMANUEL'S LAND." He has a title to it, and a right to it, and He will come down ere long and His feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives. We shall see more of this as we go on to connect the two utterances together.

"ICHABOD!" Consider this word, as the margin puts it, as a question, "Where is the glory?" Of course, the question contains (as exclamations often do) its own answer, 'It is gone!" The glory is departed. But if we still regard it as a question, Where is the glory? If we look at man as defiled and degraded—as failing personally, relatively, and nationally— yea, failing in every office and relationship; if we look at him dying and passing away; if we also look at man's world, behold its sorrows and listen to its groans, and ask where is the glory, the enduring, the satisfying glory-something real, something that God and angels account worth looking at:there can be no reply but one: "It is gone, it is departed." But when we turn to listen to God's voice, and to look where He points; when we see IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US, and hear the words of these lips upon which grace is poured; our hearts exclaim, It is no longer ICHABOD! for we have seen His glory. "THOU ART THE KING OF GLORY, O CHRIST!'

His

But, alas! when He came and fulfilled the first part of Isaiah's grand prophecy, there was no room for Him. The spirit of Ahaz pervaded the nation; they would not "prove the Lord;" would not taste and see that the Lord was good. "There was no beauty that they should desire Him." person was not known, His character was despised, His motives maligned, His ministry and miracles trifled with; they did all they could to send away the true ark, and to rob themselves as well as God of the highest GLORY. They betrayed Him to His foes, gave Him over to the Gentiles, hung Him on a cross, and cast him into a sepulchre; but, in spite of this, always and everywhere, he was radiating forth glory on

which God delighted to gaze, and which, though hidden for a while, must fill heaven, and flood the universe.

The few faithful ones who had followed Him were ready when He had died and was buried to write over His grave," ICHABOD!" Where is His glory now? shouted His malicious foes. It is departed; mourned His feeble friends. It seemed to them a far worse defeat than that in the days of Eli, when the ark of God was taken. But it was not so. The true ark did greater wonders in the dark realms of death than the typical ark did in the house of Dagon. Sin, death, and hell were conquered by Him who died, was buried, and rose again; by Him God was glorified, and by Him sinners can be saved. Do any ask now, Where is the glory? we point to our Immanuel at the right hand of God; we see "Jesus crowned with glory and honour." We do not now sigh out, "O IMMANUEL!" over an apparently ruined cause; but we shout out "O IMMANUEL!" to Him who is "going forth conquering and to conquer." We turn to our enemies, and say in the exulting words of the prophet, "Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us, or for'IMMANUEL.' This is our battle-cry, as well as our boast; and in the name of the Lord we will still set up our banners.

True, there is much to be done yet. The enemy is strong, and uses plentifully the language of derision and proud questioning. "Where is the glory, where is the promise of His coming?" are still heard from many scoffing lips; while these deride our hopes as regards the future, others deny those facts in the past on which all our hopes are built. claim to bear the Christian name, and who words concerning the character and sayings of assert that He has never risen from the dead; miracle, and they do not believe in miracles. we do. We account the person of Immanuel the greatest of miracles, and His resurrection the next to that. So we adore His person, and rejoice in his victories.

"With joy, we tell the scoffing age,

Those who yet utter laudatory Christ, dare to that would be a But, thank God,

He that was dead has left the tomb;
He lives above their utmost rage,
And we are waiting till He come."

Ours should be the feelings of dependence, desire, and delight when we say "O Immanuel!" In Him we rest with satisfaction and complacency, and rejoice with exceeding joy. He has stood for us by taking our place as substitute; now He pleads for us in heaven, and He is with us here as our divine Saviour friend, and soon we hope to be with Him in the presence of the glory.