DIVISION III.

PART I.

THE RELIGIOUS CONCEPTIONS OF ISAIAH.

A PROPHECY Contains the application of the religious principles held by a prophet to the conditions of the time in which he lived. These principles are presented in the clothing of the practical application; they were the possession of the prophet, perhaps more or less systematized by himself, but certainly not stated in any abstract or theological manner by themselves. Their value to him was in this, that they were living principles, capable of application, and easily understood. Now Isaiah was the man he was, because of his clear apprehension of certain outstanding conceptions of God, and Providence, and because of his forcible expression of them. But it is not easy to state them in a form that would be clearly his, and not partly ours; for interpreting his statements in the light of fuller revelation, we are apt to see more in them than he actually purposed to express.

An attempt is here made to gather together the leading religious conceptions of Isaiah.

And first of all, as to God. Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, is the term under which the prophet speaks of God. The first term tells of a God in relation to a people: the second speaks of a universal divine supremacy. It was as a supreme King on a heavenly throne, ruling over all, that Isaiah first thought of God. But this King had not merely the natural

attributes of power and wisdom-His glory not only filled the earth; but He had moral attributes. He was supreme holiness and grace. His majesty filled the heavens. He was far above and beyond man in His divine perfections, but yet a God who could come into touch with a purified people, and speak to them. Essentially a God of righteousness, viewed in its ethical fulness, He was a God ever making for righteousness by the workings of His providence. Nor did He concern Himself with one people alone or exclusively. He was no tribal deity only, as Chemosh in Moab was no national appropriation, as Ashur was to Nineveh. This God speaks to all nations, and is supremely interested in them; because He purposes the vindication of righteousness, the establishment of a righteous kingdom. The divine relationship to His people is not conceived in any arbitrary or indiscriminate way. Jerusalem with her covenant, her sacrifices, and her temple was apt to regard the divine relationship as a fixed thing, whatever might be the conditions of life and conduct. Not so taught Isaiah. He valued much these outward guarantees of spiritual realities but he valued much more the spiritual realities themselves.

Hence God is conceived as having a Purpose. And this purpose the Zeal of Jehovah performs. Faith in this purpose marks Isaiah. To him Jerusalem and her temple may be the centre of religion, provided Jerusalem be a pure people. But in full view of a partial repentance, or a repentance by only a part of the people, the prophet grasps the idea of a chosen people, a remnant, who should be saved as the result of the spirit of burning, and the spirit of justice. The divine Purpose is not then so much to have a people, but to have a people conformed to the divine image. As the author

of salvation, God works only on the lines of righteousness, and for those who love and practise righteousness.

Repentance was taught as that which must always come before Forgiveness. Repentance meant much to Isaiah: it meant the beginning of a life according to God. Already spiritual and personal qualifications, rather than outward and national privileges were being emphasized. A doctrine of a Church was evolving itself: not all being Israel who are of Israel: a church, a visible body indeed, but distinct from the political whole, in which it exists. Isaiah had not advanced, however, as far as Jeremiah on this point: for by the time of Jeremiah, much of what Isaiah depended on was being broken up. The doctrine of the Remnant—of a purged few, leads the way. The worth of individuality begins to appear. Faith and character, rather than birth and location, are being seen to be the conditions of membership in a true Jerusalem. The notes of the Church are also declared. It is a tenth, a divine vineyard, a witnessing body, a remnant.

The prophet's religious conception here was wrought out in an experience through which he himself had passed. He himself had as a man, before receiving his commission as a prophet, experienced the crisis of all that is involved in the Vision of God. He had himself come into personal relationship with a living God, and this by the way of a divine revelation and a genuine repentance. He had got beyond all local, national, and ceremonial rites into the fellowship of the Heavenlies. Thus the doctrine of Sacrifice as held

by the prophet, becomes clear. To him it was an aid only, where true faith already existed in itself it was void of value. The individual man, by seeing God and abandoning sin, must be touched by God: this is repentance, and

forgiveness. A doctrine of Grace comes in here for the prophet believed that God would, and did touch man, forgiving him all his iniquity. Salvation here is wholly of God. God Himself makes the Atonement by bringing His divine sufficiency to meet human need. Human merit is excluded in the confession of undoneness, and God Himself intervenes. This was the necessity of the position to Isaiah. How it has been fully met the New Testament shows.

The principle of Immanuel as speaking of a God with man, not yet fully grasped in the sense of the Incarnation, involves a doctrine of Conscience: just as the principle of the remnant carries with it the doctrine of human responsibility, and the worth of individuality. The individual for himself, and without any human intermediary, may see and hear God: he ought to obey the heavenly vision, and can be made able so to do. The voice divine may become a voice within, an individual guide to action, saying, "This is the way." God who thus is supremely far off by His Holiness may become very near by His Grace: "if we abide faithful, He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself.”

A righteous life is inculcated, and in the doctrine of Immanuel, shown to be possible. God with man, and man with God-this holy alliance will overcome sin in the members, and tread down temptation under foot. The whole course of providence with its judgments is one of chastisement to bring about righteousness, to emphasize its necessity. But this involves the doctrine of punishment. A divine vindication, or a vindication of righteousness, is a complete thing; it is both recompence and vengeance— recompence to the pure worshipper of Jehovah, vengeance against the impure worshippers of false gods. That this divine vindication might come speedily, and on Mount

Zion in Jerusalem, was Isaiah's hope: that it must come finally, was his certain assurance—somewhere, and at some time. But Isaiah saw hope after hope disappointed: his hopes were often cast down to the dust; and yet his belief in a coming day of the Lord wavered not. His last words were as full of this day as his earliest prophecies: but they are more and more disentangling themselves from local circumstances. So that, as his expectation of a speedy day of the Lord coming was disappointed, or only partially fulfilled, his faith in the ultimate triumph of righteousness became purer and stronger. And in this faith lies the germ of a doctrine of Immortality, with a Future life of glory: in eternity only can there be victory over every human limitation, over despair, and death itself. Our prophet sings about restoration, about a resurrection of hope, nay, even about a resurrection of the dead bodies of God's people (p. 97). And though these latter words may refer only to national restoration, as in Ezekiel's vision, there is involved in them a hope of final resurrection.

Every partial vindication of the divine righteousness is a pledge of its perfect vindication; every day of the Lord against Assyria or Edom is a pledge of the last great day of the Lord against every enemy of truth and righteousness : when all idols shall be destroyed, and every idol worshipper shall hide himself ashamed, and God alone shall be exalted in that day.