The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-22


NrRoD17cT1oN. After the death o.
| coIor,or thron.il the folly OF MS So
| II Kings xii:12-15). the Je" 81 .,.it,e..
were divided into two parts. = : - ,ar-
adhered to Rehoboan ana sous =. .,,ine
n,st,1. - nnnarct1 of David retaii'. .as'
Jerusalem as their ca plta!.
northern tribes rebeiied aiiu -ti.1ef
government at Samarla Will =, -,,is
Israel. God claimed oot h no ss.ats who
nnaoIle and sent to them prophets VIZ
condemned their sins aliu 1.,,St,,aseg
righteousness notwithstanding al enese
rrac;f,ua4 ministries, the two lnso l' -.
ranidIv declined In all those virtues L.iae
make for stability prov. AlV:ot'. .',Ia.
ultimately under the power. o. .ie, 2
ing nations. The history Is htst - IL, -
structive for all after centuries ; 49,,
we shall study a small section ~ 49,
the faithful service of isaiah Is y $50.
ed. His words are " s -
didactic he taught because ne. lor orr SAY ""
WARNING lverses 1 and p. EPhrairn
vas the leading tribe OF the norlheFn
Kingdom. and as such most influential
in a i, its affairs. Samaria, the most beau-
tifuI city#in Ephraim. is called the
"crown of pride Situated In @She most
fertile valley, called here Tat Vaies,
it derived thence those products Whlch
ministered to comfort and TO #eaith. ~
inhabitants abused its privileges, entered
into luxurious lrsing and became noto-
rtous drunkards. AZ the neg ~ y ~
glory our prophet raises a warning voice.
This beauty like fading flower should
pass away under the judgment Of the
Almighty who had mighty nation 70
be used in astisement. Like tempest
Of hail like destroying storm, IKE Z
flood Of waters Geek, xiii:2).# an m
vading army should come upon Sarnafla.
Reference is made here to the Assyrlans
who few years later captured Inc cry
and carried away the people capllVes, ~
view of these calamities Isaiah cries
ont. woe TO the drunkards Of Ephraim.
DESTRUCTION (Nerses and -
There is a strange infatuation by which
the ,lngodfys hope to escape the evil con-
SEQUENCES of their own deeds. They seem
TO be Indifferent to the operaionHof the
unerring law of ret!ibution, partly be-.
cause the righteous sentence IS #deiaSe
(Eccl.. viii:2.p 1t was on this account ina
the Israelitish people gave SO little necd
to the warnings and admonittons CT noly
men. Isaiah therefore, went beyond
the mere prediction of an. invading army,
and declared the total destruction Of the
nation He employed h: Ssly expressive
words for that purpose. The city would
.tbe trodden under feet" ignnbly desc
Grated ana demolished. 1T would be like
summer fruit which. soon rnened. is
eagerly seized and quickly devourea
Thus Sitrnaria. now boasting in It's
wealth and living in animal gratihcation.
Will be. treated with contempt, lett desc.
ate unable to recover itself from the
ruins
ADVANCEMENT. (verses and s.,
NY his TO-
the kingdom of Judah. the two southern
tribes. whom he calls the residue OF the
people" He promises them Gods faVorsf
&ard. declares that +tneS should be under
his guidance aud protection, when the
beauty of Ephraim shall be troddcn
down and eaten I'D. In that day when
Israel Is Invaded by. the Assvrains the
men of the south might think themselves
in danger But not So It was not the.
purpose Of the Almighty 70 overthrow
both Kingdoms at once. he intended to
leer, a remnant t-pon :iefn he will put
due honor and distinction. For them he.
viii appear in defense. and they ..SSails
dwell Il. security This promise vas made
because at that time good King Ileze-
kiall ruled in Judah. The destruction Of
the northern and the preservation Of the
southern was but an express .cn of Gods
hatred Of sin and his love OF holiness as
represented in the life Of the rulers Of
s the two Kingdoms.
DESCRIPTION. CNerses and s. The
promise made TO judah might have led
some to. suppose that the southern king
dom was altogether acceptable to Cod
That was not the case. Though the
general tone was superior to that of
Israel securing the mercy Of God. there
were yet many vices. These Isaiah ex-
poses. He complains Of the corruptions
found there. The people Of judah have
also erred through wine. There are
drunkards at Jerusalem as there We're IN
Samara. Noluptuous living in each capi-
tai constituted a serious offeuses against
the nation and against God Even the
priest who rnfnfstered at holy affairs and
the prophets who were the teachers of
religion were ont Of the way through
strong drink they err in vision, and
/. they stumble in Judgment. This horrid
. custom #of drinking intoxicants had de-
based many of those whose business 1t
was to lead the people in the right Wy
The drinking habits had made the tables
loathesone Isaiah is very bold in giving
these descriptions of practices among his
own people.
MOCkERY-CVerses g and 100 Refer 4
zence is TEXT made to the effort TO re- !
claim the people from their evil ways
ana the TeGlltS liltSSF SSi1I1 10
was by the one method of teaching. Good /
and faithful men had instructed in the
law God would have thoughtful and
voluntary fol overs of that which is
good We would deposit the truths of
relig on in the mind, gain the affections
and bring the will in conformity. But
this method had failed. The people con-
tinued ashley were-ther mistakes We're
not rectified their hearts We're not re- 4
newed. Their lives We're not reformed.
They despised ther teachers, and even
Knocked Them. Remembering the law
concerning the instruction Of children.
.(Dent. visa they inquired with contempt
t the public teachers Of religion proposed
to treat men as little ones and give them
line upon line.@ percept upon precept. The
original Of the ninth verse indicates that
it was common to take up the very Ian
guage OF prophet and repea 1T after
him with ridicule
OBsTINACY-(yerse II and 12) The
nation would not haiken It obstinately
refused the message sent by the men
p,a,J C,nl the sinduisre0neS