Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors][merged small]

92 people from their sins. Now all this was-done, that it-might-be-fulfilled which-was-
23 spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin raptevos shall-be with-
child, and shall bring forth a-son, and they-shall-call his name Emmanuel, which
24 being interpreted is, God & eor with us. Then Joseph being-raised from sleep did as
Yo the angel of the Lord had-bidden him, and took-unto him his wife: and knew her not
till she had brought forth her first-born son. [Matt. ii. 1, v., p. 31.]

Lu. 1. 50 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her-own house.
MARGINAL READINGS The virgin. The son of her, the first-born.
SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

01 Rmmanuel - prediction, T. vii. 14 -the vir- the sign Emmanuel, which was then given: in conseplu's amy, Immanuel, must be distinguished from the quence, they were not established, ver. 9-the conProphet's mom, Bhear inshub, which means the rem sumption determined upon the whole land has come, wy shall return, reforred to vor. 3, 15, 6-the rem- as predicted, ver. 17-25-confirmation, Jno. i. 14, wo, the Jews, did return from Babylon: but when $7; viii. 24, § 55; Ro. ix. 5; 2 Co. v. 19; Col. ii. 9the fitness of the time came they did not believe in the fulness of the promise yet to be realized, Re. xxi. 3. NOTES.

01. Mox pente. Those whom the Father hath given The children of Israel were called the people of God, here he had chosen them to himself, and regarded them as his peculiar and beloved people. Christians are called the people of Christ, because it was the purpose of the Pither to give them to him, www she went of Ais soul, and son 2 wds. ?r hickmandedge shall my rig Mens *NE > menys the he shall done Phem iniqua And Tecause in vine time he rame to terem tem no Pomel TW. A 14 NM par Lieny way that he perché radio » x tym mà Pigates and swag ang kuwaga powka pemple C

ment. Tit. ii. 14: and, 2nd. By renewing the heart,
and purifying the soul, and preparing his people for
his kingdom of glory.

22. That it might be fulfilled, &c. The prophecy
here quoted is recorded in Is. vii. 14. It was delivered
about 740 B.C., in the reign of Ahaz king of Judah.
23. They shall call his name, i. e. His name
shall be called, or be, for the fulfilment of the pro-
phecy depends not upon Christ's literally having
borne the name Emmanuel, but upon his being such;
Thus the Evan-
which he clearly was as GOD-MAN.
gvist has interpreted both Emmanuel and Jesus, to
Chew that the prophecy was fulfilled not in the names,
but in their sign fcation or application,

Preman This is a Hebrew word, and means li-
Rey, and art. Matthew doubtless understands
i want as deccting that the Messiah was really
'dad with us or that the Divine natare was united
Mshe human.-See Ph. $. 6-S.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

T

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

THE WAY OF THE JUST IS UPRIGHTNESS.-Isaiah xxvi. 7.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

[Continued from page 13.] said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.' 21, But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.'

the Shunammite:-2 Ki. iv. 16, .7; Lu. i. 31, p. 9. SAVE HIS PEOPLE, &c.

redeem Israel from all his iniquities:-Ps. cxxx. 7, 8. 7, Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8, And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.'

all the ends of the earth to look unto Jesus:-Is. xlv. 22, .3-see p. (22).

confirmation:-Jno. xii. 32, § 82-see Jesus,' Lu. i. 31.

EMMANUEL.

prediction, &c.:-see Scripture Illustrations,' p. opp.

ISAIAH VII. And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail 2 against it. And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the 3 trees of the wood are moved with the wind. Then

said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the 4 fuller's field; and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger 5 of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

Be

cause Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have 6 taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even 7 the son of Tabeal: thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall 8 not stand, neither shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall 9 Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in 12 the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I 13 will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God 14 also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, 15 and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and 16 choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

17

The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even 18 the king of Assyria. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that 19 is in the land of Assyria. And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all 20 bushes. In the same day shall the LORD shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the 21 feet and it shall also consume the beard. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall 22 nourish a young cow, and two sheep; and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey 23 shall every one eat that is left in the land. And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns. 24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns. 25 And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle. confirmation:-Jno. i. 14, § 7, p. 48, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.'-viii. 24, § 55, I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.'-Rom. ix. 5, Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the Besh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.

(14)

reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their Amen.'-2 Co. v. 19, To wit, that God was in Christ, trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.'-Col. ii. 9, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.'-Rev. xxi. 3, And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.'

ISAIAH VIII. Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's 2 pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, 3 and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Ma4 her-shalal-hash-baz. For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5

The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, 6, Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's 7 son; now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all 8 his banks: and he shall pass through Judali; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

9

10

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. 11 For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, 12 of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to and instructed me that I should not walk in the way 13 neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; 14 and let him be your dread. the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and And 15 for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 16 broken, and be suared, and be taken. many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be 17 testimony, seal the law among my disciples. And I Bind up the 18 house of Jacob, and I will look for him. will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

19

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, 20 God? for the living to the dead?" and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their To the law and

21

22

to the testimony: if they speak not according to And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and this word, it is because there is no light in them. hungry and it shall come to pass, that when they their king and their God, and look upward. shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

And

ISAIAH IX. 1-7. 1, Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee 2 of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light 3 shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they 4 divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of 5 his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every

battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning 6 and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

7

(15)

58. REJOICED WITH HER. foretold:- Lu. 1. 14, § 1, p. 4, And thou shalt have,' &c. compare the birth of Isaac:-Ge. xxi. 6, And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me,'

rejoicing at the birth of Zion's children:-Is. Ixvi. 8-13. ISAIAH LXVI. Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the 2 place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my 3 word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their 4 soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. 3 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that east you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, 6 and they shall be ashamed. A voice of noise from the city, a voice thom the temple, a voice of the LORD ? that widereth recompence to his enemies. Before she travail, she brought forth; before her pain Same, she was delivered of a man child. Who bath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? az shall a nation de born at once! for as soon as Zion 9 waved, she brought forth her children. Shall 1 Nick to the birth, and not cause to bring forth! saith the Lone: shall losase to bring forth, and shut 10282 #one?* sauth thy God. Resolve re with Jeru88tem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice 11 fg with her, all ye that mourn for her: that ye PAY work, and be sat shed was the breasts of her copd4 4st ye tagy mit out and be delighted 12 was the abundance of her glory. For this seth the Losa Nelaid, I wilexICON POŘOP Do her like a river, and the glory of the dendes ike a flowing SEPAKTE ** xhall za mack, ye shall de dorpe 19or he sides. 138 x de ds:Dod spon dær knees. As one whom his

werker ends, nethi, so wil 1 compəri yan; and ye to shai to Ave to ind in darmadom. APA when ve see Plus, your henci shail agason, and your dones sha” Womend coke an Neudo and the band of the Leko shall

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

children of Israel :-Le. xii. 3, And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.'

Jews' strictness in observing the letter of the law :-Jno. vii. 22, .3, § 55. 22, Moses therefore gave unto you,' &c. neglected the spirit:-Ac. vii. 51, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.' done away in Christ :--Ga. vi. 12-.7.

ISAIAH XXV. O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness 2 and truth. For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be Therefore shall the 3 no city; it shall never be built. strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible na4 tions shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the 5 wall. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

6

And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on 7 the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, He will 8 and the vail that is spread over all nations. swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

9

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD: we have waited for him, we will be glad For in this mountain 10 and rejoice in his salvation. shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down [or, threshed under him, even as straw And he shall 11 is trodden down for the "dunghill.

sorend forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the 12 spolds of their hands And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall be bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

ZIVRARIAN XII. The burden of the word of the Loxo for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the havens and laveth the foundation of the earth, 2 and formeth the siirit of man within him. Behold,

$

1 will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the pene round about, wher they shall be in the siege both against Judah and agrinst Jerusalem.

And that any w I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for s. people: all that burden themselves with it shan de ert in deces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that સેક The 5 1 val smite every borse with astonishment, and is ride vist ma cess: and I will over nine ́S LOT the house of Judah, and will 3 sie base of the peonie with Mindness. And by gzimendaes of Jedat shall say in their heart. The ! inhabitars of Jerusalem, shall be my strength in the Josh a hasts thed: God.

In that dag vill i tanke the governors of Judah like The afore amame the wood, and like a torch of * shout and the stall be out all the people mun shot or the mo ni snc on the left: and Ja-petam sha Na Bear in her own place, The Lost also shall save the

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]

the glory of the house of hahants of Jerusalem pairs Judah. In that the inhabitants of Jerusatha: & feeble among them at that day and the house of David shall be as

hem.

to pass II that day, that I will,

des y al the nations that came against Je

In the house of David, desen, the stirit of and they shall lock upon thes shall mourn DC and shall

In Literness there he s great meurling of Halad

ADC the land the family of the

shart: the AA Rr their wives aier: Ana”, ani a Sume: shar, and in that retain, every

THE LORD REIGNETH; LET THE EARTH REJOICE; LET THE MULTITUDE OF ISLES BE GLAD.-Psalm xevii. 1.

Baptist. It is now called Yutta; and from a little distance has the appearance of a large Muhammedan town, on a low eminence, with trees around. It was a city of the priests; and has been lost sight of since the days of Jerome.

Dr. Robinson says, The distance between Hebron and Jerusalem is definitely given by Eusebius and Jerome at twenty-two Roman miles, equivalent to about seventeen and a half geographical miles. Our time between the two cities was eight and a quarter hours with camels; affording a good coincidence.'

[In the division of the land, among other cities, (see Jos. xxi. 4, 11, .6,) The children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot, out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities... And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.... And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs.' Indeed this whole region of Hebron is what is expressly called in the book of Joshua the hill country. Of the district south of Wady-el-Musurr, Dr. Robinson observes, the precipitous western wall of the higher mountainous tract towards Hebron lies further back, nearly in a line with the spot on which we stood, viz. a high point, west of Wady Bittir, about one hour and a half from Jerusalem going to Gaza; while a broad region of lower hills and open valleys is spread out between it and the western plain. This higher tract of mountains. . . rises to the height of nearly 2,800 feet; the region of hills reaches apparently about one-third of the same elevation above the sea and plain.' Of this hilly region the same writer elsewhere observes, This may be called the "kill country," in distinction from the higher mountains on the east. It is the middle region between the mountains and the plain, stretching, as we have seen, far to the north and south. . . . This region is for the most part a beautiful open country, consisting of low hills, usually rocky, separated by broad arable valleys mostly sown with grain, as are also many of the swelling hills. The whole tract is full of villages and deserted sites and ruins; and many olive-groves

appear around the former.'-ROBINSON'S Researches vol. ii. pp. 327, 341.

As we approached the hills,' (writes Mr. Paxton, when travelling towards theni from Ramieh,) the face of the plain became more uneven; the points of the ridges ran out irregularly, and more rocks began to appear on the surface. The line of hills is, however, more regular than is usual, and the transition from the plain to the hills is more gradual than is usually found on the borders of large plains. The hills are not continuous ridges, but knobs, not very high, nor very steep; the top rounded over. Many of them are separated from each other, almost to the base; but a greater number join at one or more sides, at various heights from their bases. Taking the hollows, and the passages between the hills, (and, in some places, there are little level spots,) as the level of the country, I should say that the general level, as we pass east, rises; and the height of the hills above this general level continues about the same for a great part of the way from the commencement of the hills, to near Jerusalem. This district is well called the "Hill country of Judea;" nothing could better express it. They are usually, in books, called mountains, but their size-that is, their height above the general level of the country-hardly entitles them to that appellation, they are rather hills than mountains. As we rode among the hills, we began to see a few small shrubs and bushes of oak. Most of them, however, were small; few as high as a man on horseback. . . . As we passed farther in among the hills, the vegetation increased, both as to size and quantity; it, however, never amounted to much. As we approached the higher part of the hilly district, we saw some hills that were, to some extent, covered with the olives. A ride of between two and three hours, from the time we entered the hill country, brought us to the higher part of the district. Our road still lay along what may be called a hollow, and on each side of us the hills rose to a considerable size. We passed on this high district one or two villages. In one of them were some pretty good houses. . . . The country around was in a better state of cultivation.']

SECTION 3.-THE BIRTH AND CIRCUMCISION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND HIS PRIVATE HISTORY. Luke i. 57-80.

57

59

(G. 7.) The Birth of John, &c. Luke i. 57-79. In the Hill Country of Judæa. Now Elisabeth's full-time-came that-she should-be-delivered; and she-brought-forth 58 a-son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the-Lord had-shewed-great mercy eμeyaλvve To eλeos upon her; and they-rejoiced with-her. And it-came-to-pass, that on the eighth day they-came to-circumcise the child; and SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. 58. rejoiced with her-foretold, Lu. i. 14, § 1, p. 4compare birth of Isaac, Ge. xxi. 6-rejoicing at the birth of Zion's children, Is. lxvi. 8-13- compare with Re. vii. 9, 10.

59. eighth day-commanded Abraham, Ge. xvii. 12 children of Israel, Le. xii. 3-Jews' strictness in observing the letter of the law, Jno. vii. 22, .3, § 55neglected the spirit of it, Ac. vii. 51-done away in Christ, Ga. vi. 12-.7.

NOTES.

(59. Circumcise. To distinguish Abraham's family from others; to seal the new covenant to them, and their obligation to keep the laws thereof; and to represent the removal of their natural corruption, by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ, in virtue of his resurrection, on the eighth day, God appointed that all the males in Abraham's family should be circumcised, and that his posterity should afterwards be circumcised on the eighth day of their life.-See Ge. xvii. 10-27; xxi. 4.

The uncircumcised child was to be cut off from his people; but that threatening seems not to have af fected the child, till he was grown up, and wilfully neglected that ordinance of God for himself, Ge. xvii.

14.

For the last 38 years of their abode in the desert, the Hebrew children were not circumcised. Just after the Hebrews passed the Jordan, their males were all circumcised: this is called a circumcision of them the second time, as, on this occasion,

the institution was again revived, after it had long gone into disuse: and it was a rolling away of the reproach of Egypt; God hereby declared they were his free people, and heirs of the promised land, and removed from them what they reckoned the shame of the Egyptians, Jos. v. 1-10. No man is a whit more readily accepted of God, or saved by him, that he is either a Jew or a Gentile, 1 Co. vii. 19; Ga. v. 6; vi. 15.

Beside the outward circumcision of the flesh, we find an inward one mentioned, which is what was signified by the other. It consists in God's changing of our state and nature, through the application of the blood and Spirit of his Son. By this we are made God's peculiar people, have our corruptions mortified, and our souls disposed to his service; and, for this reason, the saints are called the circumcision, while the Jews, with their outward circumcision, are, in contempt, called the concision, Ph. iii. 2, 3.]

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

57 ver. Let us rest assured that, at the full time, the word of God will be truly accomplished.

58 ver. We should rejoice at seeing the good which our God is pleased to bestow upon others.

HE IS THE LORD OUR GOD: HIS JUDGMENTS ARE IN ALL THE EARTH.-Psalm cv. 7.[15

WHEN THE LORD SHALL BUILD UP ZION, HE SHALL APPEAR IN HIS GLORY.-Psalm cii. 16.

[blocks in formation]

And his mother answered 61 and-said, Not so; but he-shall-be-called John. And they-said unto her, There-is none 62 of thy kindred that is-called by-this name. And they-made-signs to-his father, how 63 he-would have-him-called And he-asked-for a-writing-table, and wrote, saying, His 64 name is John. And they-marvelled all. And his mouth was-opened immediately, and 65 his tongue loosed, and he-spake, and-praised God. And fear came on all that-dweltround-about them: and all these sayings were-noised-abroad throughout all the hill66 country of Judea. And all they that-heard them laid-them-up in their hearts, saying, What-manner-of child shall- this -be! And the-hand of-the-Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was-filled with-the-Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the-Lord God of Israel; for he-hath-visited and redeemed none AutoWolv MARGINAL READINGS:- Jehovah the God. & Wrought redemption.

60 they-called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

64. mouth was opened-as foretold, Lu. i. 20, § 1, p. 3-promise of opening of the mouth, to Ezekiel, Ch. xxix. 21-the timent, xxxiii. 2-vision sealed up, Is xxix. 10--at length shall speak, Hab. ii. 2,3 -the new song theu to be sung, Is. xlii. 9-12-compare with Re. v. 10-4.

obi. hand of the Lord-was with Joseph, Ge. xxxix.

2, 3-with disciples in preaching to the Gentiles, Ac. xi. 21-see farther as to, Lu. i. 80, § 3, p. 19.

68. blessed the Lord God of Israel-same, 1 Ki. i. 48; Ps. xli. 13-new covenant blessing promised to Israel, Je. xxxi. 31-4; Eze. xxxiv. 30-only to be enjoyed in Christ, Ga. iii. 13-29-sure to Israel, Is. xli. 8-10their rejoicing when the vision is opened, Is. xlii. 9—16.

NOTES.

59. And they called him Zacharias. The name of God's special favour to John, watching over and prothe child was commonly given at the time of circum-tecting him. cision, Ge. xxi. & 4. We dud no instance in the ancient scriptures of any person in Israel who was called after the name of his father; but it seems to have become customary, as in the case of Herod. 60. John. Means Grace of Jehovah'—the peculiar ebaracter of that dispensation John came to introduce, wherein God's grace shines more bright than

67. Prophesied. The word is to be taken here in its proper acceptation as predicting future events, for Zacharias speaks by inspiration both of what God had done and what he was about to do.

2010

63. A writing tulle, vorandom ‘a tablet;'a dìminative of rouť, ka table. • A little table, such as they used to write not only upon, but in, using a stylus or peu. The ancients frequently wrote ou a thin 2 board or lead smeared over with wax.

[ocr errors]

64. this moult, Po. That is, he was enabled to speak. With true gratitude, de offered praise to God, for the birth of a son, and for his restoration to the blessing of speecd.

This

68. Hath visited. Hath visited with his mercy or favour. The metaphor is derived either, as is commonly supposed, from the custom of princes to visit the provinces of their kingdom to redress grievances and to confer benefits: or rather from the visiting of the distressed by the benevolent, to afford them relief. God looked upon the world-He saw it miserable-He came to relieve it, and brought salvation.-See 75 ver. kud redeemed. That is, was about to redeem, or bad given the pledge that He would redeem. was spoken under the belief that the Messiah, the Reicemer, was about to appear, and would certainly accomplish his work. The ateral translation of this passage is. He hath made redemption, or ran BƠM, for his people." A ransom was the price paid to deGod gave his Son a Biver a captive taken in war. ransom to shew his love; his justice; and his willingmess to save men and his Son in his death was a ransom. Jesus is often so called in the New Testamet-e 1. 11. A§77: Mk. x. 15. id. Who gave for us, tu re mig redcem us from all iniTikki yo ami party iens a peculiar people, zerinus of good perks, Tic. I *Nother by the mis ami cives, but by his own blood he the why place, having adlained b. The hund af the Lord was with him. Denoting elernas redempiton or us," He. ix. I PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS 290.pen. Let us with Blisabeth, regard the Lord's avours theter as ovens of s grace, thus ax ratis of the creature, boNUTAČ

65. And fear came, c. The word fear often denotes Fergus FORTEL The remarkable crewmstances attrading the ditch of Joðòn, and the fact that Zardal rias was suddenly restored to speech, convinced them that 002 vs. there, and fled their minds with awe and venerant.

(Sings Rather things,” comprehending both wda: was said and done a baving Sere, as ver. $, and voler places, the sense of "matuer,” “aš

[ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

rer. The word of prophecy is not to be regarded as the word of man, but as ietsend by the Holy Ghost, and so may be expected to go beyond the ordinary conceptivos et understanding of the indi

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

facilment of the

Ver. Zacharias is no more loubeful as to the -pdectes. but sings of their acas I had already come. He looks Borsari build the wiel the vision shall indeed spedà, ami to the times of restitunun, which have You spoke all the huiy prouiters since the world began and especially to the pranses written Faciles of itsel Elisabeth. •Premember us we such richte 5806676 10 He also alludes to fect for brei, from the te will

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

band of

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

serve 1, wit

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

THE HEART OF THE WICKED 18 LITTLE WORTH.-Prov. x. 20.

1

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1མས་ ཆངས་ནང་བཁོང་བཅསྐོ ༣MI &༡༨ཉྙ གཏྟཱ། ?

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »