Isaiah 7:3-9

I beg the Reader to remark with me, the Lord's tender mercy to his people. Surely in this history, as in a thousand others, the Apostle's words are fulfilled: where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; Romans 5:20. We hear nothing of Ahaz sending to Isaiah or himself calling upon the Lord; but it is the Lord sending to Ahaz. Grace must first be given, or there will be no moving of the heart to the Lord. Reader! do remark the command of God to the prophet, to take his son with him, when he sent him to meet Ahaz. The Lord sent the prophet, notwithstanding Ahaz's undeserving, with a message of comfort; and perhaps the child's being with him, was intended as a sign; for his name seems to have been significant of it. Shear-jashub implies, a remnant to return. In the Old Testament Scripture, the Lord's servants were remarkable for giving names to their children, according to the times, or special mercies received, by way of memorial. And no doubt, as oft as they looked upon them, it brought the pleasing circumstance afresh to recollection, and called forth new praise. It were to be wished, that New Testament saints would adopt the same plan: they would find the Lord's blessing upon it. Faith, in honouring God, will find God honouring the exercise of it. If the Reader would wish to see instances, I refer him to those scriptures, Genesis 28:19; 1 Samuel 1:20; Psalms 70:1 in the title. It is not said what effect the prophet's message produced on the king's mind; but by what follows, we are led to admire and adore the Lord's grace in bearing with sinners, who slight his renewed mercies. Reader! do not fail to remark from it, how, in all ages, sin and its hardening effects abound!