The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Isaiah, Volume 2 (of 2)

The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Isaiah, Volume 2 (of 2)

This volume upon Isaiah xl.-lxvi. carries on the exposition of the Book of Isaiah from the point reached by the author's previous volume in the same series. But as it accepts these twenty-seven chapters, upon their own testimony, as a separate prophecy from a century and a half later than Isaiah himself, in a style and on subjects not altogether the same as his, and as it accordingly pursues a somewhat different method of exposition from the previous volume, a few words of introduction are again necessary. The greater part of Isaiah i.-xxxix. was addressed to a nation upon their own soil,with their temple, their king, their statesmen, their tribunals and their markets,responsible for the discharge of justice and social reform, for the conduct of foreign policies and the defence of the fatherland. But chs. xl.-lxvi. came to a people wholly in exile, and partly in servitude, with no civic life and few social responsibilities: a people in the passive state, with occasion for the exercise of almost no qualities save those of penitence and patience, of memory and hope. This difference between the two parts of the Book is summed up in their respective uses of the word Righteousness. In Isaiah i.-xxxix., or at least in such of these chapters as refer to Isaiah's own day, righteousness is man's moral and religious duty, in its contents of piety, purity, justice[Pg x] and social service. In Isaiah xl.-lxvi. righteousness (except in a very few cases) is something which the people expect from Godtheir historical vindication by His restoral and reinstatement of them as His people. It is, therefore, evident that what rendered Isaiah's own prophecies of so much charm and of so much meaning to the modern consciencetheir treatment of those political and social questions which we have always with uscannot form the chief interest of chapters xl.-lxvi. But the empty place is taken by a series of historical and religious questions of supreme importance. Into the vacuum created in Israel's life by the Exile, there comes rushing the meaning of the nation's whole historyall the conscience of their past, all the destiny with which their future is charged. It is not with the fortunes and duties of a single generation that this great prophecy has to do: it is with a people in their entire significance and promise. The standpoint of the prophet may be the Exile, but his vision ranges from Abraham to Christ. Besides the business of the hour,the deliverance of Israel from Babylon,the prophet addresses himself to these questions: What is Israel? What is Israel's God? How is Jehovah different from other gods? How is Israel different from other peoples? He recalls the making of the nation, God's treatment of them from the beginning, all that they and Jehovah have been to each other and to the world, and especially the meaning of this latest judgement of Exile. But the instruction and the impetus of that marvellous past he uses in order to interpret and proclaim the still more glorious future,the ideal, which God has set before His people, and in the realisation of which their history shall culminate. It is here that the[Pg xi] Spirit of God lifts the prophet to the highest station in prophecyto the richest consciousness of spiritual religionto the clearest vision of Christ. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 43672
Author: Smith, George Adam
Release Date: Sep 8, 2013
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Editor: Nicoll, W. Robertson (William Robertson), Sir, 1851-1923