Prepare the slaughter-house for his children-for the guilt of their fathers. They shall not rise nor possess the earth, nor fill the earth with cities. For I am up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts. Both son and grandson, saith the Lord of Hosts. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water. With the besom of destruction will I sweep it, saith the (Ch. xiv. 1-23.) Lord of Hosts. PART XIII. SONGS OF TRIUMPH-THE DIVINE VINDICATION-THE MESSIANIC KING. Assyria's conduct rebuked. Ah! thou that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled! That dealest treacherously to those who were not treacherous to thee! When thou shalt cease spoiling, thou shalt be spoiled! When thou ceasest treachery, treachery shall be for thee! O Lord! Be gracious unto us! We have waited for Thee. Be Thou our arm every morning, in trouble our salvation. At the noise of a tumult, the peoples fled : At the lifting up of Thyself, the nations were scattered. Your spoil is gathered-like the gathering of the caterpillar : He hath filled Zion with justice, and righteousness. A store of salvation is the stability of thy times— treasure! Behold! their valiant ones-they are crying without! The land mourns and fades! Lebanon is ashamed, and withers away! Sharon is a desert! Bashan and Carmel cast their leaves! "Now will I arise:" saith the Lord! "Now will I be exalted: now will I lift up Myself! Ye shall conceive chaff―ye shall bring forth stubble. As thorns cut off shall they be burned in the fire." “Hear ye that are far off, what I have done! And ye that are near, acknowledge My might!" The sinners in Zion are afraid! The hypocrites are seized with fear! "Who can dwell with the devouring fire? Who of us with everlasting burnings?" "He that walketh aright, that speaketh uprightly: He that despiseth the gain of oppression-that refuseth bribes! That will not hear of bloodshed-that looketh not on evil! He shall dwell on high ! Munitions of rocks shall be his defence! Bread shall be given him : his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in beauty--the land stretching wide." Thine heart thinks over its alarm-" Where is the scribe? Where the weigher of tribute? Where the counter of the towers ?" The strange people thou shalt not see-people of an unknown tongue, Of a stammering tongue not understood! Look upon Zion—the city of our feasts! Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem A peaceful habitation-an abiding tabernacle ; Her stakes shall never be removed, nor her cords broken. The Lord shall there be our glory! In the place of broad rivers and streams No oared galley shall go-no gallant ship shall pass. The Lord is our judge! The Lord is our King! Thy tacklings are loosed! nor spread the sail. The Lord is our Law-Giver ! Their mast they could not stay, The prey of a great spoil is divided—the lame seize the prey! The inhabitant of the land no more sayeth-"I am sick." Those who dwell therein have their iniquity forgiven. (Ch. xxxiii. 1-24.) The terrible Day of the Lord. Against Edom. Come near, ye nations, hear! And hearken, ye peoples! Let the land hear, and its fulness! The world and all that it contains! For the wrath of the Lord is on the nations: His fury on all their hosts! He is utterly destroying them: He is delivering to the slaughter. Their slain are being cast out, and their dead bodies— The smell of them is going up: the mountains melt with their blood. All the host of heaven is dissolved-the heavens are rolled together as a scroll. All their host are falling down-as a falling vine leaf-a falling fig ! For My sword is bathing itself in the heavens! Behold! It comes down upon Edom-upon the people under curse for judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood-it is moistened with fat. With the blood of lambs and goats-with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah-a great slaughter in Edom's land. Wild oxen shall be struck down with them, bullocks and bulls ! Their land shall be soaked with blood-their dust moist with fat! For 'tis the day of the Lord's vengeance-the year of Recompense in Zion's Cause! Its streams are turned into pitch; its dust becomes brimstone; Its land becomes burning pitch! Burning night and day! Its smoke shall go up for ever: for ever it shall lie waste. None shall pass through it, for ever and ever! The cormorant and the hedge-hog shall possess it: owls and ravens shall dwell in it. He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness. To call the kingdom, nobles there shall be none: all her princes shall be nothing. Thorns shall come up in her palaces: nettles and brambles in her fortresses. It shall be an habitation of dragons—a court for owls! The wild cats and hyenas shall meet there: the wild goat shall cry to his fellow. The screech owl also shall rest there-it shall find for itself a place of rest. There shall the arrowsnake nest, lay and hatch, and gather in its shadow. There shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. Seek ye the scroll of the Lord, and read-"None faileth, none wants her mate, For My Mouth-it hath commanded: My Spirit-it hath gathered them." He hath cast their lot: His Hand hath divided it unto them by line. They shall possess it for ever: from generation to generation shall they dwell therein. (Ch. xxxiv. 1-17.) A Song of Hopeful Anticipation for God's People. The wilderness and the parched land-they shall be glad, The desert shall rejoice: it shall blossom, as the rose: It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing! The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, Carmel and Sharon's excellency, These shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. |