The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-12-25
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
HIS EAMEs-THElR SIGNIFICANCE
BY REV. n. <. WILLIAMS.

OE UuGO US % C1lltO - OS1 u,
unto US Son is given; and the
government shall be upon his
shoulder; and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mightv.God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace" lsa' 9:6.
This prophecy was spoken by
Isaiah during the reign of Ahaz,
king of Judah. Ahaz was one
of the most wicked kings that
ever reigned over the kingdom
Judah. Perhaps, I would be
we'll within the truth to say that
he was the most wicked of all
the kings of Judah. For he
walked in the ways Of the kings
of Israel, and also made molten
images for Balaam. Moreover be
burnt incense in the valley of the
son of Hinson, and burnt his chill
dren in the fire, after the abomlna-
ton of the heather whom the Lord
had cast out before the children
of Isreal. He sacrificed also and
burnt incense in the high places,
and on the bills, and under every
green tree"
It could not be that God would
let him go unpunished. Sin must
be punished in the individual,
and the nation as well. God
delivered him into the hand of
the king of Syria; and they
smote him, and carried away a
great multitute of captives, and
brought them to Damascus. And
be also delivered into the hand
of the king Of Isreal, who smote
him with a great slaughter. "
sThere were slain in judah an
hundred and twenty thousand in
one day, which were all valiant
men; because they had forsaken
the Lord of their fathers. - The
nation is bowed in great shame,
and is IN fear Of foreign invasion,
and further conquest.
God sends Isaiah to comfort
Ahaz by assuring him that the
confederacy formed on the part
of Syria and Ephraim shall not
stand, neither Shall it come to
pass Gods promise was condi-
toned u~on the fact whether or
not Ahaz would believe in him
and trust him for deliverance,
which thing Ahaz silently re-
fused to do. Then God spake
again unto Ahaz, saying, s'Ask
thee a sign of Jehovah thy God;
ask it either in the depth or in
the heighth above" s'But Ahaz
said, I will not ask, neither will
Tempt Jehovah. - But what he
does do is, s'to burn niucense unto
other gods. and provoke to ang-
er the Lord God Of his fathers, :"
believing that if he can win their
favor. he will be able to drive
back the threatening enemy.
Ahaz forms an alliance with As
syria, but the prophet points
out to him that punishment from
God can not be averted. The
prophet declares unto hum that
the ssvery power whose aid he
is himself bent on invoking shall
be the scourge to chastise both
king and people The prophet
tells ofa day of darkness and
anguish that is full of threaten
ings and scourgings.
In the chapter in which our
text occurs the prophet strikes
a more hopeful strain. He seems
to awaken to a glorious vision,
in which he portrays something
of the blessedness of the Mes
siah's rule. The words of this
prophecy give hope and buoy
ancy to the nation. They shall
be overwhelmed, crushed, and
laid low by Assyria; but cat
length the darkness shall be dis
PEELED; a great light shall shine
forth over all the land; the rod of
the oppressor shall be broken; a
child shall be born, who shall bear
marvellous names, and shall rule
over the full kingdom of David
in justice and righteousness for
ever"
The prophecy Of these verses
go far beyond it's immediate ap
plication to Judah under Ahaz.
They speak of him who is ''the
light of the world" They tell
of him who is s'the true light
which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world They
tell of the coming of the ''Sun
of righteousness, who shall rise
with healing in his wings. They
speak of the Word that twas
made flesh and dwelt among us
and we beheld his glory. glory
as of the only begotten from the
Father, full of grace and truth. -
They speak of him concerning
whom the angels sang, "peace
on earth good will toward men. !"
AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED
Wonderful. indeed. is our God
and his ways past finding out.
Ever since the advent of Jesus
has he been the study of man,
and never has he come within
the compass of the finite MUD.
Daniel Webster, when asked
whether he understood Jesus,
answered: 'sNo, how could +?
Icould not believe in him if I