Page images
PDF
EPUB

though others would afterwards arise, and would meet with a similar fate.

The opening of this oracle concerning Babylon acquaints us, that it is the same Almighty Redeemer who is to appear in the final controversy of Zion, whose right hand is now stretched out to save by the instrumentality of another. Jehovah is about to falsify all the predictions of the famous magicians of Chaldea, and to fulfil the predictions of his own servants, the Jewish prophets. Jerusalem and the cities of Judah,—not the cities of Israel in general, but the cities of Judah alone, are to be rebuilt. This plainly distinguishes the partial return from Babylon from the mightier theme of the general prophecy.

The manner in which that city shall be taken is next foretold the name of the prince is mentioned who, a hundred and seventy years after the date of this prophecy, should accomplish God's pleasure on Babylon: Cyrus was to be the instrument; and he was to lay dry the deep waters of the Euphrates. It was the providence of God, we learn from the first verse of the forty-fifth chapter, that had given Cyrus the victory over the many kings and nations which had been subdued by his arms previously to his attack on Babylon: and it was the same Providence that suggested and aided his extraordinary attack upon that city; the fulfilment of which prediction has been well pointed out by commentators on the place.

After this episode on the impending fate of Babylon, the great theme of prophecy is again resumed. A Savi

* Ver. 26.

our's coming, and the glorious salvation with which he would visit his people, is anticipated under the idea of the heavens distilling a copious dew of righteousness, which the earth opens her parched bosom to receive, and brings forth the fruits of salvation and just judg

ment:

8. Drop down, ye heavens, from above,
And let the skies distil righteousness:

Let the earth open and bring forth salvation,
And let righteousness spring up together.
I, Jehovah, have created this.

This clearly describes, on the one hand, the destitute state of mankind; on the other hand, that all his spiritual wants must be supplied from above. Bishop Lowth compares with this passage the latter part of the eighty-fifth psalm, and very justly remarks on the two passages, that "justice" and "salvation," "mercy" and "truth," righteousness, and peace, and glory, dwelling in the land, cannot, with any sort of propriety in one or the other, be interpreted as the consequence of that event "the restoration from Babylon:" "they must mean the blessings of the great redemption by Messiah."

This is corroborated by what follows:

9. Ah! he that contendeth with his Maker,
The potsherd with the moulder of the clay!

Shall the clay say to its framer, "What makest thou?"
Shall thy workmanship say, " He hath no hands?"

10. Ah, he that saith to his father, "What hast thou begotten?" And to a mother, "What hast thou brought forth?"

11. Thus hath Jehovah said, the Holy One of Israel, The Framer of the things that are coming to pass. Have ye questioned me concerning my children?

1

Or would ye give directions to me concerning the work of my hands?

12. I have made the earth,

And I created man upon it.

With my hands I stretched out the heavens,
And all their hosts have I ordained.

This proud opposition of human reason against the plan of salvation by "supernal grace," and divine regenerating influences, is referred to by St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, and applied by him to those opponents of the Gospel who found fault with the doctrines of God's grace, as though these doctrines argued unrighteousness in God, and as though blame attached to him in his moral government of the world, on account of the entrance of sin and death into his creation, with the partial interposition of sovereign mercy. This was in fact, as the apostle says, for the thing formed to say to him that made it, Why hast thou made me thus? Such is all human reasoning against the revealed doctrines of the Christian faith. They may appear to us as "hard sayings;" but "God is wiser than man," and we must learn

Following the Septuagint
See Lowth.

version.

Or thus ;

11. Thus hath Jehovah said,

The Holy One of Israel, and his
Maker,*

Of things to come to pass do ye question me concerning my sons,

And concerning the works of

my hands would you give me directions,

Or, "Founder.”

"not to lean upon our own understanding," but to say with St. Paul," Let God be true, and every man a liar." The doctrines of grace and election must all be resolved into this. He that thus deals with lost man is the Creator of all things: what he does must be right; but he is not to be interrogated concerning the children of his love, why this, and not that, is chosen.

In this connexion, we shall surely hesitate to interpret the next verse, not of Cyrus, but of Christ, who, agreeably with other prophecies already delivered, was to lay the foundation of Zion, in circumstances of far greater glory than that city possessed which Cyrus permitted the Jews to build. He, too, will restore, by his redemption, not a small part of one tribe only, but all the captives of the Lord.

[blocks in formation]

He shall build my city, and let go my captives,
Not for price, and not for reward;

Jehovah Sabaoth hath spoken.'

The submission of the nations of Africa, and of the southern Arabia, is again mentioned; and we have already gathered from chapter the forty-third,* and the sixtyeighth psalm, that these nations will be precipitated by the prevailing power of the last enemy, against the objects of Messiah's protection at the time of his appearing;

"In whatever sense some may fancy this verse applicable to Cyrus, it is more clearly and

naturally applicable to Christ. Compare Chap. xlviii. 14.”—BP, HORSLEY.

* Ver. 3.

14. Thus hath Jehovah said,

The labour of Egypt, and the merchandize of Cush,

[ocr errors]

And the Sabeans as' tributaries,

Shall come to thee and be thine.

They shall walk behind thee, in chains shall they pass along, And they shall bow down before thee, and make supplication to thee.

"Surely with thee is God,

And there is no other Elohim besides."

15. Yet surely thou art a God that hidest thyself, Elohim of Israel, the Saviour!

This last verse is either a general reflection of the prophecy, referring to the ignorance of Israel before mentioned, or it is part of the submission of these nations: they knew not against whom they fought.

At this time, too, is the final discomfiture of the worshippers of images, as we have before learned:

16. They are ashamed, and are all of them confounded together; The makers of images depart in confusion.

"

This could hardly apply to the prevalence of the Magian religion of the Persians, over the more gross idolatry of Babylon; that would surely imply a too great commendation of that religion; nor does it appear that the Medes and Persians actually destroyed the idolatrous worship of the Babylonians. Besides, this salvation now

1 Οτι εν σοι ο Θεός εστι,
Και ουκ έστι Θεος πλην σου.
SEPTUAGINT.

"Surely in thee is God,

And none else than God him-
self."-HORSLEY.

2 "These words plainly allude

to the concealment of the Divinity under the human form in the person of our Lord. They are not the prophet's; they are part of the devout confession of the labourer of Egypt and the merchant of Ethiopia," &c.— HORSLEY.

« PreviousContinue »