Page images
PDF
EPUB

C. 7.

C. 8.

C. 9.

and notwithstanding all the Threatnings of God would continue to be fo, till their Land was laid defolate; which it fhould certainly be, tho' God defign'd to preferve a Remnant of them, which fhould flourish once more in the Land of Judah.

[ocr errors]

And now he begins a new Subject. In the Reign of Abaz the united Forces of the Kings of Ifrael and Syria came against the Kingdom of Judah, fully refolv'd to make a compleat Conqueft of it, which alarm'd the timerous King to fuch a degree, that God vouchfafed to fend his Prophet to affure him of his Protection; which if he doubted of, he might ask what Sign he pleas'd, and it fhould be given for his Confirmation. Ahaz ftubbornly refufes to ask a Sign, yet God gives him one, and takes care to have it fo worded, that it fhould at the fame time prefignify a more Glorious Deliverance of all Mankind from a more dangerous Enemy: However, tho' God was fo gracious as to rescue him for the prefent, yet he foretels that God would fometime after bring upon him the Affyrian, who fhould ravage his Country, and destroy great Numbers of the Inhabitants. He mentions the Birth of the fame Child, who was to be a Sign to Abaz, that the Confederates fhould not at this time prevail against him, and threatneth them, as in the former Chapter, with the Affyrian Forces. Then he directs them how they fhould behave themfelves when the Affyrian fhould come upon them, and describes the wretched Condition of the poor Inhabitants of the open Towns and Villages, who fhould be driven from their Homes, and undergo a great deal of Mifery. Nevertheless their Condition fhould not be fo defperate as that of their Brethren of Ifrael, who fhould be carry'd away into Captivity by two fuccefsful Invafions; for tho' the Clouds over their Heads fhould for a while look black and

difmal,

difmal, yet the Storm fhould blow over, and the Affyrian Army be destroy'd, upon the account of the exemplary Virtue of King Hezekiah. Thus far, concerning his own Nation directly; he fteps afide a little to foretel the Fate of their Brethren of the Ten Tribes, who fhould be fet upon by the Syrians on one fide, and the Philistines on the other; and tho' they fuffer very much, God would not have done with them fo, but continue to make them feel the fevere Effects of his Anger, because of their unparallell'd Wickedness.

[ocr errors]

He returns to his own Nation, and denounces Wo c. 10. against it, names the Affyrian, whom he calls the Rod of his Anger, the Inftrument he defign'd to use in Chaftifing his People; which when he had executed, he defign'd to punish him for his Prefumption in hoping to destroy his People Root and Branch. This was beyond his Commiffion; for God intended to preferve a Remnant of them, and therefore promifes, when he has made them fmart a while, to take away the Burden from off their Shoulders, and the Toke from their Neck, for the fake of Hezekiah, under whose happy Reign the Jews fhould flourish again, enjoy Peace and Profperity, and the Land again be peopled by Foreigners as well as Natives, who fhall return: to their own Country from every Quarter, into which the Terror of the Affyrian Arms had driven them. And when they should be fettled in a peace- C. 12. able Poffeffion of their own Habirations, they fhould unanimously return Thanks to God, and gratefully acknowledge, that it was by him alone that they were deliver'd out of the Hands of their Enemies.

Thus far his Predictions have been confin'd to the c. 13. Sons of Jacob: And now he takes a Flight to diftant Countries, foretels the Overthrow of the Babylonian

C. 14.

C. 15, 16.
C. 17, 18, 19,

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

C. 25.

26.

Empire by the Medes and Perfians, and gives the Reason why Providence defign'd to bring about fo great a Revolution, because he was refolv'd to take pity on his Captive People, and reftore them to their own Land. Next he foretels the Deftruction of the Moabites, a Nation bordering on Judea, an inveterate Enemy to the Jews. The Fate of Syria, of Ethiopia and Egypt, are the Subject of the four following Chapters, which he may be fuppos'd to Prophefie, to comfort the Jews with the pleafing News of the Deftruction of their Enemies, and of thofe that were their Friends; to bring them to depend on God only, and not on Human Affiftance in times of Danger. He touches again on the Subject of Babylon's Overthrow, and pronounces Judgments against the Inhabitants of Dumah and Arabia. He threatneth Jerufalemwith a Siege, very probably by Sennacherib, and foretels the turning out of Shebnah, and fubftituting Eliakim in his room. Then he foretels the Defolation of Tyre, which is the Subject of that whole Chapter. And in the next he returns again to his own Country, and fets forth the miferable Condition it fhould be reduc'd to by the Affyrian Forces, whofe remarkable Overthrow he foretels in the three laft Verses; which gives him occafion to compose a Triumphant Song fuitable to that joyful Occafion; in which he afcribes their Deliverance to God, and makes the Jews acknowledge, that it was not the Strength of their Walls, or the Courage of their Soldiers that fav'd them, but God, who furrounded their Walls with Salvation, and made them impregnable by the Enemy. And at the latter End advises them to enter into their Chambers, and rely fecurely on him; for he would make fuch a Slaughter among the Affyrians, that the Earth fhould not be able to foak in their Blood, or cover their Carcafes. Then

fhall

fhall the Affyrian Tyrant be brought down, and C. 27. the Inhabitants of Jerufalem rejoyce in God's Protection, and flourish again, and grow as populous as before this Affyrian Invafion; for God will not deal with his own People fo feverely as with other Nations; he is oblig'd to Chaftife them now and then, as he defign'd to do by the hand of Sennacherib, and make them fenfible that their Behaviour was not fuch as was pleafing to him : But he would recall all thofe to their own Country, who had fled for fhelter into other Nations, and give them an Opportunity once again to appear before him in his holy Temple.

He begins a new Prophecy againft the Ifraelites, 28. and threatneth the Ten Tribes with Captivity, promifing the remaining Two Security for that time: But foreseeing that they would degenerate, and become as wicked as their Brethren, that they would be Obftinate and Head-ftrong, Stupid and Incredulous, that they would ridicule God's Prophet, and make a Jeft of his Judgments denounc'd against them, he tells them, God would lay in Sion a pretious Corner-ftone a fure Foundation, to which whoever would refort, and depend on him, fhould be preferv'd; but the reft of the unbelieving Sinners fhould be involv'd in that terrible Calamity which God defign'd to bring upon them; which he expreffes more plainly in the next Chapter, affuring Jerufalem that he would caufe her to be Befieg'd, and reduc'd to a very low Condition; which when he had done, he would deftroy the numerous Hoft which invefted her, and make them vanish away out of their fight fuddenly, like the Fantastic Reprefentations of a Dream, when one awakes; and then their Eyes fhall be open'd,

e

and

29.

C. 39

31.

32.

33.

and they fhall be fenfible of God's Kindness to
them, and rejoyce in the Holy One of Ifrael. He
pronounces Wo against the Jews, who hearing of
the Approach of Sennacherib, and unmindful of
God, were for fending to Egypt for Affiftance;
which he tells them fhould be in vain; that the
only way to escape, was to reign themfelves over
to his watchful Providence; but they faid No, but
we will flee upon Horfes; therefore fhall ye flee, and
be driven up and down the Country, and be
destroy'd by one Party or other of the Affyrians:
But God will be gracious to thofe who in Confi-
dence of the Divine Protection retire to Jerufalem,
whom he will deliver and profper afterward, and
make them abundant Amends for the Difficulties
they ftruggled with during the Siege: For thro'
the Voice of the Lord ball the Affyrian be beaten
down. The fame Subject he handles in the fuc-
ceeding Chapter, pronouncing Wo to those who
were for fending to Egypt for Help; promifes to
defend Jerufalem, foretells the Slaughter of the
Affyrian Army, and the Flight of Sennacherib to
his own Country. The Prophet foretels the hap-
py Reign of Hezekiah in the next, and alarms the
Women of Judea, acquainting them, That tho'
they liv'd at Eafe at prefent without any Care
or Anxiety, the Time was coming, when heavy
Calamites fhould befal them; but at laft God
would turn his Hand, and refettle them in peace-
able Habitations, and quiet Refting-places. He de-
nounces Wo against Sennacherib, defcribes the De-
folation and Mifery he should bring on their Land,
the Sight of which fhould move God to Compaf-
fion, and make him ftep in to their Defence. He
describes them infulting over the defeated Army,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

and

« PreviousContinue »