_Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment_ PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY The doctrine of the passage is simply this, that they who enjoy extraordinary privileges, or expect extraordinary favours, are under corresponding obligations to do the will of God; and, moreover, that the nearer the manifestatio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed is the man that doeth this_ THE BLESSEDNESS OF RIGHT-DOING “Blessed is the man that doeth this. ” It must be so, for in doing judgment and justice he in some measure resembles the blessed God, who exerciseth judgment and righteousness in the earth, and delighteth in these things. (_R. Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither let the son of the stranger_ “THE SON OF THE STRANGER” “The son of the stranger” means simply the individual foreigner (R.., “the stranger”), not one whose father was a foreigner. (_Prof. J. Skinner, D. D._) The non-Israelite. (_A. B. Davidson, D. D._) CONSOLATION FAR PROSELYTES The ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_For thus saith the Lord_ CHARACTERISTICS AND PRIVILEGES OF GOD’S PEOPLE The pride of ancestry, and boast of ceremonial exclusiveness and glorying in the flesh, the Lord, by His prophet, looking forward to Gospel days, now abolishes, and marks out the true distinctions of His people to be that whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even unto them will I give_ GOD GIVES, BUT NOT INDISCRIMINATELY Again and again the Lord says “will I give,” and “ I will give. ” He is always giving; He lives to give. God so loved the world that He gave; His hands are outstretched in continual dispensation of blessing. Observe here the usual c... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also the sons of the stranger_ GENTILES ENJOYING GOD’S FAVOUR This is a clear prophecy of the call of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ. Let us attend to this description of those who are objects of the Divine favour, and entitled to the privileges of His house. 1. They join themselves to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even them will I bring to My holy mountain_ THE HOUSE OF PRAYER If we accept the interpretation that the second Isaiah has given us the prophecies of the restoration, we may regard this chapter as a description of Israel after the return from the Chaldean captivity, and, further, the condition of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith_ AN IMPORTANT DIVINE DECLARATION “Declaration of the Lord, Jehovah: gathering the outcasts of Israel, I roll further gather beyond it to Its gathered ones. That Isaiah 56:8 declares something of importance, and, because it might possibly... [ Continue Reading ]
_All ye beasts of the field, come to devour._ THE DEFENCELESS CONDITION THE COMMUNITY OWING TO THE INCOMPETENCE OF ITS SPIRITUAL LEADERS 1. All the wild beasts of the field and the forest are invited to come and devour the unprotected flock. 2. For its rulers neglect their duty; they are ineffici... [ Continue Reading ]
_His watchmen are blind._ - THE OLD HEBREW PULPIT A BEACON TO MODERN PREACHERS (with Jeremiah 8:11):-- I. THE OLD HEBREW PULPIT AT THIS TIME WAS IGNORANT. The “watchmen” are said to be “blind” and “ignorant.” They did not see and “understand” the things that ought to have been clear to their visi... [ Continue Reading ]
_To-morrow, shall be as this day_ FAITH AND PRESUMPTION The future is very differently contemplated by different individuals. Men of a sanguine temperament gild it with golden visions that are never realized. Such persons meet with many disappointments. It is quite right to expect good in the futu... [ Continue Reading ]