Division .^.Sff^ 
 Scction.j.tl.578 
 N©, Xj.i . 
 
Zbc /iDessaGcs of tbe Bible 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 Professor Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., of Yale University, and 
 Professor Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., of Brown University. 
 
 Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons take pleasure in announcing 
 that they have in course of preparation a series of hand-books which 
 will enable every reader of the Bible to appreciate and to obtain a 
 mastery of the essential facts and teachings contained in it. 
 
 This series is not a substitute for the Bible, but an aid to the rev- 
 erent, appreciative, and enthusiastic reading of the Scriptures, in 
 fact it will serve the purpose of an 
 
 ORIGINAL AND POPULAR COMMENTARY 
 ON THE BIBLE. 
 
 Technicalities and unsettled questions will be, as far as possible, 
 ignored. Each volume will be prepared by a leading specialist and 
 will contain such brief introductions as serve to put the reader into 
 intelligent relation to the general theme treated. The editorial re- 
 arrangement of the order of the Biblical books or sections will repre- 
 sent the definite results of sober scholarship. 
 
 I. Ube ObcssaqcB of tbe £arUer ipropbets. 
 
 II. Ube /Messages of tbe Xatcr Propbeta. 
 
 III. Ube fSicsBsigcs of tbe law ©(vera. 
 
 IV. Ube flDessages of tbe propbetical an6 fJrieatl^ "bfaa 
 
 toriana. 
 
 V. Ube ItCiCBsagcs of tbe ff»galm(st0. 
 
 VI. Ube /Messages of tbe Sages. 
 
 VII. Ube /Wessages of tbe Dramatfc Pocte. 
 
 VIII. Ube /iDessagcs of tbe Bpocal^ptic TKHrftere. 
 
 IX. Ube /iDessages of 3esus accorfcing to tbe S^noptteta. 
 
 X. Ube iCessagcs of 3cs\xs accorMng to 3obn. 
 
 XI. Ube /IDeeaagcs of paul. 
 
 XII. Ube aK99agc9 of tbe Bpostlea, 
 
Zbc flDeaeagce of tbe Bible 
 
 BY 
 
 Frank Knight Sanders, Ph.D. 
 
 Woolsey Professor of Biblical Literature in Yale University 
 AND 
 
 Charles Foster Kent, Ph.D. 
 
 Professor of Biblical History and Literature in Brown University 
 
 THE MESSAGES OF THE EARLIER 
 PROPHETS 
 
Zbc /iPeggageg of tbe JBtble 
 
 THE MESSAGES OF THE 
 EARLIER PROPHETS 
 
 ' ARRANGED IN THE ORDER OF 
 TIME, ANALYZED, AND FREELY 
 RENDERED IN PARAPHRASE, 
 
 BY 
 
 V 
 
 Frank Knight Sanders, Ph.D. 
 
 Woolsey Professor of Biblical Literature in Yale University 
 AND 
 
 Charles Foster Kent, Ph.D. 
 
 Professor of Biblical History and Literature in Brown University 
 
 THIRD EDITION 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 1899 
 
Copyright, 1898, 
 
 by 
 
 JOHN D. WATTLES & CO. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The statement has become almost proverbial that the 
 Bible is the "plain man's book," a book that can be 
 understood and used by those who lay no claim to 
 scholarship. True as this may be of the Gospels and 
 the historical books of the Bible, its application is not 
 universal. There are not a few passages, and even 
 whole sections, of the Bible, which, because of obscuri- 
 ties of style and arrangement, convey no intelligible idea 
 to many readers. 
 
 For these reasons, no part of the Scriptures suffers 
 more neglect and misapprehension than the prophetic 
 writings. Their choicest thought lies deep, and rewards 
 none but the patient and careful student. One who 
 merely reads in course a certain number of chapters 
 each day is largely cut off from a true appreciation of the 
 part that the prophet played in the progress of revela- 
 tion. Even the eager student, if he lack the clue to the 
 prophetic labyrinth, is forced to wander aimlessly and 
 without result through its mazes. 
 
 To seek to introduce to this fair and fruitful domain 
 of revelation the multitudes of zealous Bible students 
 who lack the time or the opportunity for gaining entrance 
 
Preface 
 
 for themselves, is the privilege and duty of the Christian 
 scholar. His task is not a difficult one. By rearran- 
 ging the prophetic writings in a truly chronological order, 
 and by indicating their interpretation through a para- 
 phrase, he can enable the general student to grasp their 
 meaning and their force. He can at the same time clear 
 up many incidental obscurities, can indicate the definite 
 results of active and sober scholarship in the past, and 
 can arouse a real enthusiasm for the detailed mastery of 
 these sublime products of inspired religious thought 
 
 The present volume is offered to the public as an 
 attempt to meet these needs of the Bible reader. The 
 limitations inherent in such work have not been over- 
 looked. It is clearly impossible to reproduce the beauty 
 and vigor of the language of the prophets, or to repre- 
 sent the wealth of poetic and oratorical embellishment 
 which is so characteristic a feature of it. A paraphrase 
 must chiefly aim at clearness. Whoever has once 
 caught the real spirit of prophetic thought will not fail to 
 study it in detail, and thus will acquire for himself an 
 appreciation of its remarkable quality. 
 
 Brackets are used td indicate passages which are gene- 
 rally regarded as later additions to the original text. 
 
 Frank Knight Sanders. 
 Charles Foster Kent. 
 
 September, i8g8, 
 
 vi 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 PAGH 
 
 The Beginnings of Hebrew Prophecy 3 
 
 Characteristics of the Prophetic Writings .... ii 
 How TO Make Use of a Paraphrase i6 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF AMOS 
 I. The Prophet, and the People to whom he Spoke 23 
 
 II. The Opening Address at Bethel (i : 2 to 2 : 16) 
 
 1. The Text 1:2 29 
 
 2. Introduction. The Sins and Condemnation of 
 Israel's Neighbors (i : 3 to 2 : 5) 29 
 
 3. The Sins and Condemnation of Israel (2 : 6-16) . . 32 
 
 III. No Excuse or Pardon for the Crimes of 
 Israel's Leaders (3, 4) 33 
 
 IV. Extracts from Sermons of Exhortation and 
 Warning (5, 6) 
 
 1. Ritual Useless to Deliver from the Consequences of 
 Moral Guilt (5) 3^ 
 
 2. Israel's Blind, Selfish Rulers Leading their Nation 
 
 to Certain Ruin (6) 39 
 
 V. Symbolic Visions of Impending Judgment (7 : 1-9 ; 
 
 8 : I to 9 : 6) 40 
 
 VI. The Immediate and Distant Future of the 
 Hebrew Race (9 : 7-15) 43 
 
 vii 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF HOSEA 
 
 I. The Prophet, and the Conditions Confronting 
 HIM 47 
 
 II. Earlier Sermons Delivered between 750 and 740 
 B.C. (1-3) 
 
 1. The Private Experiences of the Prophet (i : 2, 3a ; 
 3:1-3; cf. 2 : 2-23) 50 
 
 2. Living Sermons (i : 3(^-9) 52 
 
 3. The Relationship between Jehovah and Israel in 
 Retrospect and Prospect (2 : 2-23) 53 
 
 4. Predictions respecting Israel's Immediate and Dis- 
 tant Future (3 : 4, 5 ; i : 10 to 2 : i) 56 
 
 III. Later Sermons Delivered between 740 and 734 
 B. C. (4-14) 
 
 1. Jehovah's Stern Arraignment and Condemnation of 
 Israel and Israel's Leaders (4 : i to 5 : 14) . . . . 57 
 
 2. The Fitful Repentance of the Israelites Belied by 
 their Hideous Crimes (5 : 15 to 7 : 16) 61 
 
 3. Israel's Retribution Well Merited, Overwhelming, 
 and Imminent (8 : i to 10 : 15) 64 
 
 4. Jehovah's Love and Hopes for Israel (11 : i-ii) . . 70 
 
 5. Israel's Base Return for Jehovah's Loving Care 
 
 (ii : 12 to 12 : 14) 72 
 
 6. The Final Review of Israel's Mistakes and their 
 Inevitable Consequences (13 : 1-16) 74 
 
 7. The True Prayer of Repentance and its Answer 
 
 (14 : 1-9) 75 
 
 THE EARLIER PROPHETIC ACTIVITY OF 
 ISAIAH 
 
 I. The Young Prophet of Jerusalem 79 
 
 II. Isaiah's Call TO Service (6) 16 
 
 viii 
 
Contents 
 
 FAGB 
 
 III. Prophecies of Judgment upon Judah for the 
 Sins of the Nation (2-5 ; 9 : 8 to 10 : 4) 
 
 1. Sermons about Jerusalem from Jehovah's Point of 
 View (2-4) 88 
 
 2. Judah the Unfruitful Vineyard of Jehovah (5 : 1-24) 91 
 
 3. Israel's Ripeness for Judgment a Warning (9 : 8 to 
 
 10 : 4 ; 5 : 25-30) 94 
 
 iV. Incidents and Sermons Relating to the War 
 of Syria and Israel against Judah (7 : i to 9 : 7 ; 
 17; I) 
 
 1. The Situation (7 : i, 2) 96 
 
 2. The Speedy Ruin of Syria and Israel (17 : i-ii) . . 97 
 
 3. Faith, not Fear, the True Motive for Judah' s King 
 
 (7 : 3-17) 98 
 
 4. The Certain Consequences of the Pro-Assyrian 
 Policy (7 : 18-25) 100 
 
 5. A Vain Appeal from King to People (8 : 1-18) . . loi 
 
 6. Jehovah's Controversy with his People — a Retro- 
 spect (i : 2-31) 103 
 
 7. The Bright Future for those who Trust in God 
 
 (8 : 19 to 9 : 7) 105 
 
 V. A Prophecy regarding Phcenicia (23 : 1-18) .... 107 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF MICAH 
 
 I. The Peasant Prophet OF Judah iii 
 
 II. Jehovah's Certain Judgment against Samaria 
 and Judah (i : 2-16) 115 
 
 III. The Flagrant Crimes of Judah's Leaders 
 (2 : i-ii ; 3 : 1-12) 
 
 1. The Sins of the Wealthy and Powerful (2 : i-ii) . 118 
 
 2. The Sins of the Magistrates and Leaders (3 : 1-12) 120 
 
 IV. Visions of the Triumphant Future for the 
 Jewish Race Restored erom Exile (4, 5) .... 122 
 
 ix 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 V. Later Sermons Mourning JuDAH's Degeneracy 
 (6 : I to 7 : 6) 
 
 1. The Human and the Divine Conception of True 
 Religion (6 : i-8) 126 
 
 2. Jehovah's Complaint against Jerusalem (6 : 9-16) . 127 
 
 3. The Lament of Righteous Jerusalem (7 : 1-6) . . . 128 
 
 VL The Psalm of Penitent Israel (7 : 7-20) 129 
 
 THE LATER PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH 
 
 L The Task of the Prophet during the Years 
 
 722-700 B.C 133 
 
 II. Isaiah's Activity during Sargon's Reign, 722-705 
 
 1. The Earlier Events of Hezekiah's Reign 137 
 
 2. Edom's Anxiety and the Judgment upon Arabia 
 
 (21 : H-17) 141 
 
 3. The Symbolic Prediction of the Captivity of Egypt 
 and Ethiopia (20 : 1-6) 142 
 
 4. Moab's Past Calamity Soon to be Repeated (15 : 
 
 I to 16 : 14) 142 
 
 5. The Judgment upon Egypt and its Outcome (19 : 1-25) 144 
 
 III. Isaiah's Activity attheTime of Sennacherib's 
 Invasion of Palestine. 
 
 1. The Death of Sargon and Related Events .... 145 
 
 2. The Plea against the Egyptian Alliance (28-32 ; 
 
 18 ; 22 : 15-25) 147-156 
 
 (i) A Warning to the Magnates of Jerusalem {28 : 1-29) 
 
 (2) Jehovah's Purpose for Ariel, his Altar-hearth (29 : 1-24) 
 
 (3) The Utter Folly of Seeking an Alliance with Egypt 
 (30 : 1-33) 
 
 (4) Egypt's Help in Contrast to that of Jehovah (31 : 
 1 to 32 : 8) 
 
 (5) A Warning to the Careless Ladies of Jerusalem 
 (32 : 9-20) 
 
 X 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 (6) A Message to the Ethiopian Ambassadors — Jehovah 
 can Protect his People (i8 : 1-7) 
 
 (7) The Downfall of Shebna, the Vizier (22 : 15-25) 
 
 3. Assurances that Jehovah will Defend his People 
 (10-12 ; 14 : 24-27 ; 17 : 12-14) 156-163 
 
 (i) The Certain Overthrow of Assyria, Jehovah's Tool 
 (10 : 5-34) 
 
 (2) The Messianic Age to Follow Assyria's Downfall 
 (II : 1-16) 
 
 (3) Two Hymns of Thanksgiving (12 : 1-6) 
 
 (4) Two Fragments Concerning Assyria's Destruction 
 (14:24-27; 17: 12-14) 
 
 4. The Crisis at Jerusalem (22 : 1-14 ; 33 ; 36 ; 37) . 163-169 
 
 (i) Jerusalem's Indifference to God Invites Further 
 Judgment (22 : 1-14) 
 
 (2) Sennacherib's First Demand — Isaiah's Promise (36 : 
 I to 37 : 8) 
 
 (3) Jerusalem's Security against the Treacherous Foe 
 (33 : 1-24) 
 
 (4) Sennacherib's Second Demand, Hezekiah's Prayer, 
 and Isaiah's Confident Prediction of Jerusalem's Se- 
 curity (37 : 9-35) 
 
 (5) The Final Catastrophe (37 : 36-38) 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF NAHUM 
 
 I, The Prophet of Nineveh's Fall 173 
 
 11. Jehovah's Nature a Pledge of his Vengeance 
 UPON THE Wicked (i : 1-15 12:2) 177 
 
 III, The Capture AND Plunder of the Lion's Lair 
 
 (2 : I, 3-13) 179 
 
 IV. The Certainty of Nineveh's Fate (3 : 1-19) . . 181 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF ZEPHANIAH 
 
 I. The Prophet and his Surroundings 187 
 
 xi 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 II. Sermons concerning the Coming Judgment 
 (i : 2 to 3 : 13) 
 
 1. The Day of Jehovah a Peculiarly Distressful Day 
 
 for Judah (i : 2 to 2 : 3) 190 
 
 2. The Day of Jehovah a Day of Judgment against 
 Nations (2 : 4-15) 193 
 
 3. The Day of Jehovah a Means of Redemption for 
 Jerusalem (3 : 1-13) 195 
 
 III. The Song of Zion Redeemed (3 : 14-20) 196 
 
 JEREMIAH'S PROPHETIC ACTIVITY DURING 
 THE REIGN OF JOSIAH 
 
 I. Jeremiah, the Young Reformer 201 
 
 II. Jeremiah's Call and Commission (i) 205 
 
 III. Reform Sermons (2 to 6 ; ii : 1-8) 
 
 1. The Story of Judah, the Unrepentant Prodigal 
 
 (2 : I to 3 : 5) 207 
 
 2. Promises to Israel and Judah, if They Will Repent 
 
 (3 : 6 to 4 : 2) 2IO 
 
 3. The Judgment Approaching from the North (4 : 3 
 
 to 6 : 30) 211 
 
 4. Enforcing the Nation's Covenant with Jehovah 
 
 (II : 1-8) 215 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF HABAKKUK 
 
 I. The Date of the Prophecy 219 
 
 II. A Dialogue between the Prophet and Jehovah. 
 Theme: "How Long Shall the Wicked be Al- 
 lowed TO Triumph over the Righteous?" (1:1 
 to 2 : 4) 221 
 
 III. Reasons why the Downfall of the Chaldeans 
 
 is Assured (2 : 5-20) 223 
 
 IV. The Prayer of Faith— A Lyric Ode (3) .... 224 
 
 xii 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE REIGN 
 OF JEHOIAKIM 
 
 I. The Changed Situation 229 
 
 II. The Reaction against the Prophetic Teaching 
 (7 : I to 8 : 3 ; II : 9 to 12 : 6 ; 26 : 7-24) 
 
 1. Judah's Return to the Old Heathenism (ii : 9-17) 234 
 
 2. The Plot against Jeremiah at Anathoth (11 : 
 
 18 to 12 : 6) 235 
 
 3. A Temple Discourse — Condemnation of Judah 
 
 (7 : I to 8 : 3) 236 
 
 4. The Prophet's Impeachment and Trial (26 : 7-24) . 239 
 
 III. Messages of Denunciation and Warning (8 : 4 
 to 9 : 22 ; ID : 17-25) 
 
 1. Indifference in the Face of Certain Judgment 
 
 (8 : 4 to 9 : 22) 241 
 
 2. The Proper Attitude in the Face of the Great 
 Danger (10 : 17-25) 243 
 
 IV. The Approach of the Chaldeans under Nebu- 
 chadrezzar (46 to 49 ; 25) 
 
 1. Defeat of the Egyptians by Nebuchadrezzar at 
 Carchemish, in 605 B.C. (46 : 2-12) 243 
 
 2. The Divine Judgment upon the Nations Executed 
 
 by Nebuchadrezzar (25 ; cf. 47-49) 244 
 
 V. The First and Second Collections of Jere- 
 miah's Prophecies (36; 45) 
 
 1. Origin and Fate of the First Edition (36 : 1-26 ; 45) 245 
 
 2. The Second and Larger Edition (36 : 27-32) .... 248 
 
 VI. Reiterated Messages of Warning and Exhor- 
 tation (14 : I to 17 : 13) 
 
 1. Dialogue between the Prophet and Jehovah (14 ; 15) 249 
 
 2. Extracts from Prophecies Announcing Impending 
 Judgment (16 : i to 17 : 13) 253 
 
 xiii 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 VII. Illustrated Sermons (13 : 1-14 ; 18 to ao ; 35) 
 
 1. The Lesson from the Potter (18) 256 
 
 2. Symbolic Declarations of Coming Ruin (13 : 1-14) . 257 
 
 3. The Lesson of the Broken Earthen Bottle (19) . . 258 
 
 4. Humiliation and Despondency of the Prophet 
 (20) 259 
 
 5. The Lesson Drawn from theFidelity of the Rechabites 
 
 (35) 261 
 
 JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE REIGN 
 OF ZEDEKIAH 
 
 I. The Downfall of Judah and the Closing Years 
 OF Jeremiah 265 
 
 II. Sermons Connected with the First Captivity 
 (12 : 7-17 ; 13 : 15-27 ; 24 ; 29) 
 
 1. Exhortations to Repent before it is forever too Late 
 
 (13 : 15-27) 271 
 
 2. Dirge over Fallen Judah (12 : 7-13) 272 
 
 3. Threats and Promises to the Heathen (12 : 14-17) . 273 
 
 4. Character and Future of the Jews in Judah and in 
 Babylon (24) 273 
 
 5. A Letter to the Jewish Exiles in Babylon (29) ... 274 
 
 III. Dispelling False Hopes of Speedy Deliverance 
 FROM Babylon's Rule (27 ; 28) 
 
 1. The Folly of Rebellion (27 : 1-22) 276 
 
 2. Contest between Jeremiah and Hananiah (28) . . 278 
 
 IV. Condemnation of Judah's False Leaders (23; 
 33 : 14-26) 
 
 1. The Base Rulers of the Present, and the Promised 
 Messianic King of the Future (23 : 1-8 ; cf. 33 : 14-26) 279 
 
 2. False Prophets and False Prophecies (23 : 9-40) . . 280 
 
 xiv 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGB 
 
 V. Sermons AND Events Connected with the Final 
 Siege of Jerusalem (21 : i-io ; 34 ; 37 to 39) 
 
 1. Jeremiah's Message of Warning to Zedekiah 
 
 (21 : i-io) 283 
 
 2. A Second Message of Warning (34 : 1-7) 284 
 
 3. Condemnation of the Perfidy Shown by the Judeans 
 
 in the Treatment of their Slaves (34 : 8-22) .... 284 
 
 4. Faithful Prophesying in the Face of Persecution 
 and Death (37 ; 38 ; 39 : 15-18) 285 
 
 VI. Messages of Consolation (30 : i to 33 : 13) 
 
 1. An Earnest of Ultimate Restoration (32) 289 
 
 2. The Bright Future beyond the Dark Present 
 
 (33 •• 1-13) 291 
 
 3. Glories of the Restoration Contrasted with the 
 Present Humiliation (30 : i to 31 : 30) 292 
 
 4. The New Covenant between Jehovah and his 
 People (31 : 31-40) 296 
 
 Appendix 297 
 
 Index of Biblical Passages 301 
 
 XV 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 THE BEGINNINGS OF HEBREW PROPHECY 
 
 With Amos and Hosea, in the middle of the eighth 
 century before Christ, began that notable succession of 
 religious thinkers whose utterances have been given per- 
 manent form in the prophetic books of the Old Testa- 
 ment. As we know from their writings, they were men 
 of remarkable breadth, insight, and power. While their 
 greatest service to the world of their day, or of ours, 
 was in the sphere of constructive religious thought, they 
 were interested in the practical problems of human life, 
 and touched it at many points. Their conviction that 
 righteousness and sincerity were the fundamental ele- 
 ments of true life made them unsparing critics of social 
 wrongs, idolatry, formalism, and worldliness, preachers 
 of faith in God and love to man, and statesmanlike 
 advisers on questions of public policy. Their chief dis- 
 tinction was their modest boldness. They spoke in the 
 name of God, and claimed to give expression to his will. 
 They looked at life from the standpoint of the Divine, 
 approving or denouncing its varied phases according to 
 their harmony with the ideal revealed to them. 
 3 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 These men were called by their contemporaries 
 • ♦ prophets, ' ' or occasionally • ' seers. ' ' Another favorite 
 term was ' ' men of God. " " Prophet, ' ' the most fre- 
 quently recurring term, literally meant ' ' the speaker ' ' 
 (Exod. 7:1), and suggested that the one to whom it was 
 applied was commissioned to proclaim the will of God. 
 The prophets themselves claimed that they spoke with 
 the sanction and support of Jehovah. In the conscious- 
 ness of this support they dared "to declare unto Jacob 
 his transgression, and to Israel his sin." 
 
 The number of prophets whom we know through their 
 published utterances is strangely small. Between the 
 middle of the eighth century and the Babylonian exile 
 (586 B.C.) only eight or nine can be enumerated. Even 
 these appeared in two groups separated by nearly a cen- 
 tury of silence. The student of to-day is therefore 
 tempted to consider the prophet an isolated phenome- 
 non, called into existence by God to serve as his 
 mouthpiece at a time of especial need, when his people 
 required reassurance, guidance, comfort, or criticism. 
 
 To the men of that era, however, the prophet was a 
 familiar sight. Those to whom the title was freely given 
 were numbered by scores and hundreds. They formed 
 an important class in Hebrew society, to which the peo- 
 ple at large paid constant deference. So marked was 
 this respect that many adopted prophecy as a profession 
 4 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 who were morally and spiritually incapable of appre- 
 hending and of interpreting the will of God, and were 
 unwilling to meet the social consequences of proclaiming 
 his austere commands. For such as these the real 
 prophets had a profound contempt ; with them they held 
 many a bitter dispute ; from them they not infrequently 
 met with the most exasperating opposition, because the 
 people of Israel, not unlike other peoples, often followed 
 the advice of the prophets who echoed the popular desire. 
 The honor thus wrongly bestowed is a proof, however, 
 that the prophetic order was recognized as a permanent 
 national institution. For centuries before the days of 
 Amos, prophets had been ardent champions of popular 
 rights, zealous advocates of devotion to God, and cham- 
 pions of patriotism and other true ideals. Even Amos 
 and Hosea were merely unusual types of their class, with 
 ideas that were startling. They appealed to the popular 
 conscience ; they were not revolutionists, but reformers. 
 Their right to speak in God' s name was not seriously 
 questioned, for this was in the line of a prophet' s duty. 
 
 We can trace the history of the prophetic order as an 
 organization back to the times of Samuel. There are in- 
 dications that, before his day, there were individuals here 
 and there who were regarded as having the power to 
 determine the will of God. They were called " seers " 
 (i Sam. 9 : 9), and held in high respect by the people, 
 5 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 but their isolation prevented their wider effectiveness. 
 Samuel was a sort of link between the old and the new. 
 He was himself a "seer," but his practical mind 
 created a new sphere of influence. Apparently enlist- 
 ing those who were ready to give themselves to loyal 
 service for God, he organized a permanent order of reli- 
 gious patriots, whose first duty was to kindle a sense of 
 loyalty among the people. These men may well be de- 
 scribed as enthusiasts, and they used methods of arous- 
 ing themselves to religious fervor that to-day seem crude 
 and even objectionable. Yet it was a decided advance 
 in religious history when such enthusiasts submitted to 
 leadership. Their devotion and energy gradually found 
 expression in worthier ways. 
 
 We cannot definitely trace the history of the order 
 between the days of Samuel and the time of Elijah, 
 although we know that it had an unbroken record. The 
 biblical historians of these centuries direct our attention 
 to a few of Samuel' s successors, such as Gad, Nathan, 
 Ahijah, and Jehu. These leaders were, no doubt, the 
 ones who dignified and developed the function of the 
 prophet as an active member of society. The patriotism 
 of these men led them to become the annalists and his- 
 torians of the nation ; their farsightedness and moral 
 earnestness made them the valued advisers of kings and 
 people ; their honesty led them to expose that which was 
 6 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 wrong or unworthy ; their constant thought of God in his 
 relations to mankind developed a simple but profound 
 philosophy of history, to illustrate which they studied 
 their past experiences as a nation. Since they rep- 
 resented the Almighty they were not afraid to defy any 
 human power. Repeatedly they rebuked the king him- 
 self for forgetting his duty or his right. 
 
 The growing influence of the order became in itself a 
 danger, for it attracted many recruits who were of little 
 value. It is probable that voluntary- association as well 
 as such a selection by a recognized prophet as that of 
 Elisha by Elijah, increased the membership of the pro- 
 phetic bands. These bands formed little communities, 
 sometimes living together, having many interests in 
 common. Ahab had no difficulty in summoning before 
 him four hundred at one time (i Kings 22). Their sup- 
 port came, in part, from the gifts of those who sought 
 their advice. Inevitably there were members of the 
 order whose motives were mercenary. Micah's sarcastic 
 reference (Micah 3 : 5) to the prophets, who "bite with 
 their teeth and cry. Peace ; and whoso putteth not into 
 their mouths, they even sanctify war against him," is 
 paralleled by the evident lack of confidence of Jehosha- 
 phat in the four hundred prophets who unhesitatingly 
 predicted the victory which Ahab desired (i Kings 
 22 : 7). 
 
 7 
 
Introduction * Messages of the 
 
 In the days of Ahab and Jezebel a test was applied to 
 the prophetic organization which at once made promi- 
 nent a true representative of its noblest aims, and em- 
 phasized the difference between the spurious prophet, 
 who was merely a member of the order, and the real 
 prophet to whom Jehovah revealed himself. The zeal 
 of Queen Jezebel for her ancestral faith caused her to 
 determine to introduce the worship of Baal throughout 
 all Israel, as well as in Samaria, the capital, where a 
 magnificent temple had been erected for her use. To 
 the king and to many of the people this mattered little. 
 To the true prophets it meant treason to Jehovah, the 
 God of Israel. In order to overawe all opposition, Jezebel 
 began a persistent persecution of the prophets and their 
 sympathizers, which seemed to be successful (i Kings 
 19 : 14). Those who remained loyal to Jehovah were 
 forced to hide or keep their opinions a secret. This 
 supreme crisis produced the man to meet it The 
 prophet Elijah, after announcing by the prediction of the 
 drought and famine that Jehovah was displeased with 
 his people, dared to challenge the representatives of 
 Baalism to a test, and to demand from the people absolute 
 loyalty to Jehovah. He was only in part successful ; but 
 his policy of determined resistance to Baalism, and all 
 that it fostered, was continued by his disciple and ser- 
 vant, the prophet Elisha, to whose zeal and influence was 
 8 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 due the ultimate expulsion of the hated worship and its 
 votaries from Israel. Through their influence the nation 
 fully acknowledged Jehovah as its God. With that 
 declaration of loyalty there was renewed a consciousness 
 that he had chosen them to be his peculiar people, with 
 a unique destiny which they could not define, but in 
 which they firmly believed. 
 
 The next half-century seemed to justify this spirit of 
 faithfulness. It was a time of prosperity and peace in 
 both kingdoms under able rulers. Each nation grew 
 strong, secure, and wealthy. The ensuing commercial 
 development revolutionized social conditions. The 
 ruling classes used their power unscrupulously to acquire 
 riches. Greed, violence, injustice, fraud, became so 
 common that they excited little remark. Even prophets 
 and priests were found who shared in this carnival of 
 selfish greed. In the face of it all was a complacency 
 which tried the souls of the truly upright The people 
 were proud of their history, scrupulous about their re- 
 ligious duties, and confident that Jehovah their God 
 was loading them with blessings, and would bestow yet 
 greater ones. Their theory of religion made it a system 
 of observances, the hearty fulfilment of which would 
 ensure the protection and favor of God. That he would 
 measure the quality as well as the quantity of such wor- 
 ship they hardly seemed to realize. 
 9 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 Under these conditions, the advance of the conquering 
 nation of Assyria produced another momentous crisis in 
 Israel's religious life. This nation seemed invincible, 
 its intentions clear. Would Jehovah protect his people ? 
 If he failed to do so, was it not because the gods of the 
 invader were stronger ? Was it worth while to be loyal 
 to him ? Upon a true answer hung the faith of the 
 Hebrews. None but a prophet could give it. At this 
 juncture, Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah saved Israel's faith 
 by broadening it. They showed that the nation was 
 guilty in the sight of God, that he was going to make 
 use of the Assyrian world-power as an instrument of 
 scourging, but that his ultimate intention was to purify 
 the nation, and use it for his gracious purpose. 
 
 By this clear-cut assertion of the supremacy of the 
 moral element in the character of God the prophets 
 revolutionized religious thinking. They had to restate the 
 true conception of Jehovah, his purpose and methods, and 
 to reinterpret human experiences in their light. An era 
 of constructive thought ensued which is hardly to be sur- 
 passed in the world's history. To explain it as the mere 
 achievement of logical and earnest minds is impossible. 
 The only satisfactory explanation is that God was leading 
 and teaching mankind through his chosen messengers. 
 
 lo 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPHETIC WRITINGS 
 
 One of the first facts impressed upon the student of 
 prophetic literature is that the prophetic books in the 
 Bible are arranged on quite another principle than that 
 of historical order. Whether the ruling motive was that 
 of size or relative excellence is not clear. At all events, 
 the prophet Isaiah was the third prophet in order, not 
 the first ; Jeremiah was the seventh, not the second, 
 while Amos was probably the first to utter a public ser- 
 mon. Since the prophetic writings can best be under- 
 stood and appreciated in connection with the events to 
 which they allude, and out of which they sprang, it is 
 necessary for the student of biblical history and litera- 
 ture to rearrange them in the order of time. It will be 
 noticed, also, that the earlier prophetic books belong in 
 two distinct groups, three-fourths of a century apart, — the 
 first group of four, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah, 
 belonging to the latter half of the eighth century ; the 
 second group of four, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Nahum, 
 and Habakkuk, covering the half-century after 627 B. C. 
 
 No less obvious is the fact that these prophetic books 
 contain a number of separate utterances arranged in an 
 order which is frequently not chronological. Some in- 
 terpreters think that the Book of Amos contains not less 
 II 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 than ten or eleven distinct sermons, and the Book of 
 Micah almost as many. So far as it is possible to de- 
 termine the principle in accordance with which these 
 passages are arranged in the Old Testament, it seems to 
 be topical. The prophets of the sixth century, such as 
 Jeremiah or Ezekiel, were in the habit of dating their 
 oracles, so that it is comparatively easy to arrange them 
 in the order of utterance. The earlier prophets almost 
 never indicated the date of a sermon, so that the deter- 
 mination of this fact is less certain. Such a rearrange- 
 ment of prophetic addresses into their probable historical 
 order is essential before the student of prophecy can 
 enter completely into the heart of his subject. Without 
 it no one can intelligently grasp the changing phases of 
 Isaiah' s preaching during the forty years or more of his 
 active life, nor the increasing hopelessness of the utter- 
 ances of Jeremiah. Such a rearrangement is adopted in 
 this volume, in order that a clear conception of the de- 
 velopment of prophecy may be gained. 
 
 When the student calls to mind the long period of 
 years during which we know that Isaiah, Jeremiah, and 
 Micah were active, and notes the compact report of the 
 prophetic addresses of all those years, he is forced to 
 conclude that the writings to which we have access are 
 but a representative digest of the actual utterances. The 
 words were not probably taken down on the spot as 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 spoken, but reproduced from memory either by the 
 prophet himself or by a faithful disciple. The writing is 
 an accurate reproduction of the force and tenor of the 
 original saying, but not necessarily a word-for-word 
 repetition of it. What Jeremiah did, as related in the 
 thirty-sixth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, throws 
 much light upon this question. He was told to write 
 down upon a roll "all the words that I have spoken 
 unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against 
 all the nations from the day I spake unto thee, from the 
 days of Josiah, even unto this day ; ' ' that is, for twenty- 
 three years. In the present Book of Jeremiah that roll 
 would be represented by about a dozen chapters which 
 in turn record the sermons of twice as many years. 
 Manifestly, one discourse will often sum up the distinc- 
 tive ideas of a whole season of active preaching. 
 
 Closely allied to the preceding characteristic of the 
 prophetic writings is another. Many a paragraph in a 
 prophetic book is a fragment of an independent dis- 
 course. Isaiah 14 : 24-27, or 14 : 29-32, or the three 
 sections of chapter 21, are obvious examples of such 
 fragments. Such passages as Micah 2 : 12, 13, or 
 Hosea i : 10 to 2 : i, wh'ch are evidently out of their 
 original connection, are most readily explained in this 
 way. Much of the disjointedness of the Book of Hosea 
 may be due to the fragmentary character of the utter- 
 13 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 ances there collected. The curious alternation of 
 threats and promises in Micah 4 and 5 is explained by 
 Nowack as the combination, by an editor, of extracts from 
 two entirely different discourses, uttered at separated 
 periods. To adopt all these views is far from necessary, 
 but the student of prophetic literature must expect the 
 records of the utterances of the prophets to be more or 
 less fragmentary as w^ll as condensed. 
 
 From a literary standpoint the student of prophecy is 
 impressed by the artistic finish given to many an oracle. 
 The prophet was often both poet and orator. He was 
 anxious to persuade, and utilized any means which 
 would contribute to his purpose. Every rhetorical arti- 
 fice was used by him. The overstatement, "there is 
 no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land 
 (Rosea 4:1); the threat intensified by indefiniteness, 
 "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and 
 because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy 
 God, O Israel ' ' (Amos 4 : 12); the play upon words, 
 "the houses of Achzib shall be an achzah unto the 
 kings of Israel" (Micah i : 14) ; the metaphor, the 
 epithet, the rhapsody, the apostrophe, and many other 
 legitimate devices for enlivening and emphasizing 
 speech, all illustrate the prophet's remarkable skill in 
 the presentation of truth. 
 
 Still another prominent element in prophecy is its 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 practical character. The prophet was a preacher to his 
 own generation. Nearly every word he uttered had a 
 practical relation to the life of his day. If he referred to 
 the distant future, it was usually a word of hope to a 
 people who were facing disappointment or disaster ; if 
 he portrayed the universal acceptance of Jehovah as 
 God, it was in order to confirm his declaration that 
 Jehovah was the ruler, not of Israel alone, but of the 
 world. His greatest predictions were expressed in 
 forms well adapted to the thought of his time. The 
 triumph of God' s kingdom, for instance, is pictured as a 
 rallying of worshipers from all quarters of the earth to 
 Jerusalem, the holy city. The Messianic blessedness is 
 described as an em of plenty and peace. The student 
 of the Old Testament does not need to literalize such 
 declarations any more than the saying of our Lord about 
 the heavenly banquet with the patriarchs (Matt 8 : 1 1). 
 It is enough to add that he who interprets the 
 prophetic writings must expect to apply to them all the 
 usual literary tests before he can obtain a true apprecia- 
 tion of their beauty of form and strength of thought. 
 
 IS 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 HOW TO MAKE USE OF A PARAPHRASE 
 
 The following pages contain an analysis and para- 
 phrase of the prophetic writings in the order of their 
 original appearance. A paraphrase is a restatement of 
 a passage in literature which gives the exact sense of the 
 original in other words, for the sake of making it clearly 
 understood. To one who desires to grasp with clear- 
 ness the thought of these books of the Bible, and lacks 
 the time or training or tools for making a painstaking 
 study of each, a paraphrase may be invaluable. The 
 prophetic books are obscure for a variety of reasons. 
 The reader who takes up the Bible and turns to the 
 Book of Isaiah cannot easily put himself into the situa- 
 tion which occasioned the message he may begin to 
 read. In the absence of this historical context, how- 
 ever, the passage will probably fail to awaken his inter- 
 est, or to suggest a distinctive and helpful idea. It is 
 more than possible that the thought suggested to the 
 reader's mind will be one entirely foreign to the mind 
 of the prophet when he spoke. The terse and technical 
 language of the prophet is another cause for obscurity. 
 The Old Testament makes free use of a vocabulary 
 which requires explanation to one not accustomed to it. 
 *'I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your 
 x6 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 young men for Nazirites ; . . . but ye gave the Nazirites 
 wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, 
 'Prophesy not ;' " "The virgin daughter of Zion hath 
 despised thee and laughed thee to scorn ; the daugh- 
 ter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee ;" "The 
 remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall 
 again take root downward and bear fruit upward." 
 Such passages as these convey but a faint impression to 
 the average reader. A third source of obscurity is the 
 necessity for the rearrangement of prophetic passages 
 before a student can perceive the true connection and 
 sequence of ideas. Without this perception no compre- 
 hension of the constructive thought of the prophet is 
 attainable. 
 
 For all these reasons a paraphrase may be of supreme 
 service as an introduction to the study of prophecy. It 
 prepares the way by placing each prophetic utterance in 
 its proper setting, and by indicating its exact meaning. 
 It does not become a substitute for the Bible, but may 
 be used to make the Bible more intelligible. The fol- 
 lowing suggestions may promote its use. 
 
 The rapid reading of a paraphrase of a prophecy will 
 afford a correct and forcible impression of the prophet' s 
 thought. It emphasizes his theme, and outlines his 
 treatment of it, and thus ensures an intelligent reading 
 of the passage in the Bible. 
 17 
 
Introduction Messages of the 
 
 The paraphrase can then be carefully compared with 
 the original prophecy, paragraph by paragraph, until 
 the student has obtained a fairly clear idea of what the 
 prophet said, and his manner of saying it The para- 
 phrase will facilitate this by explaining in advance many 
 puzzling phrases. 
 
 A paraphrase is necessarily an interpretation. It 
 often chooses one out of several possible renderings, a 
 choice which the independent student may not ratify. 
 The decision is not made carelessly in the first place, 
 but should not be considered as final. The great value 
 of the paraphrase is the short cut which it affords to in- 
 dependence in the reading and interpretation of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 A paraphrase opens the way to the busy man or 
 woman to enter upon the most interesting phase of 
 Bible study, the comparison of prophet with prophet 
 in surroundings, method, distinctive ideas, and out- 
 look, and their arrangement in a developing series. 
 The prophets were independent thinkers, each putting 
 in his own way the divine message with which he had 
 been entrusted ; yet their teachings possess fundamental 
 unity, and a continuity which can be traced through 
 every chapter. They struggled with problems which 
 confront the human mind in every age, and possess 
 perennial attraction. When the student becomes able 
 
Earlier Prophets Introduction 
 
 to state to himself the ideas which they held in com- 
 mon, and the questions which they aimed to answer ; 
 to determine each prophet' s contribution to the discus- 
 sion, and to realize how God led them step by step to 
 the discovery of the broadest and most fundamental 
 truth regarding God and man and the universe, — he has 
 discovered the secret of making his reading of the whole 
 Old Testament a never-ending delight 
 
 19 
 
THE MESSAGE OF AMOS THE JUDEAN 
 TO NORTHERN ISRAEL 
 
THE MESSAGE OF AMOS THE JUDEAN 
 TO NORTHERN ISRAEL 
 
 THE PROPHET, AND THE PEOPLE TO WHOM 
 HE SPOKE 
 
 It was an eventful moment in the history of mankind, 
 as well as in that of the Hebrew race, when Amos, the 
 Judean shepherd, stood up at Bethel, the great royal 
 sanctuary of the northern kingdom, to preach, in the 
 name of Jehovah, to the assembled Israelites. The date 
 was about the middle of the eighth century B. C, 
 the opening days of which had been characterized by a re- 
 markable increase in the political and material prosperity 
 of the two Hebrew kingdoms, and the closing years of 
 which were destined to witness the deep humiliation of 
 Judah and the complete annihilation of Israel. Assyria, 
 the cause of these mighty changes, had not yet laid her 
 iron hand upon the petty states of Palestine, although she 
 had already given them repeated warnings. Their fate 
 was delayed only until the reins of power should fall 
 into the hands of strong and ambitious monarchs who 
 23 
 
Amos Messages of the 
 
 would turn westward the invincible legions of the great 
 empire. The more thoughtful of the Israelites could 
 not shut their eyes to the fact that Assyria, who in crip- 
 pling their old foe, the Arameans, had proved a savior 
 to them (i Kings 13 ; 5), was a dangerous neighbor. 
 The majority of the princes and people, however, trust- 
 ing to their military equipment, and to the protection of 
 Jehovah, which they confidently hoped to gain through 
 the wealth of their offerings, had succeeded in com- 
 pletely blinding their eyes to the perils of the situation. 
 The tribute and products of foreign art, which, as a re- 
 sult of the conquests and commercial policy of the 
 reigning king, Jeroboam II, for the first time since the 
 age of Solomon came to the Israelites in rich abun- 
 dance, aroused new ambitions and tastes. The mutual 
 regard for each other' s interests which had existed be- 
 tween rulers and people while they were struggling 
 together against common want and adversity, had disap- 
 peared. In the new-born desire to gratify their love of 
 display and luxury, the ruling classes were cruelly wrong- 
 ing those who were dependent upon them. 
 
 The mass of the people still conceived of Jehovah 
 very much as their neighbors the Moabites, or Edomites, 
 conceived of their national gods. While they faithfully 
 bore to his sanctuaries rich offerings, and abstained from 
 the worship of rival deities, they felt confident that he 
 24 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 
 
 would protect their interests as far as he was able. The 
 readiness with which the Hebrews in succeeding genera- 
 tions front time to time paid homage to other gods is 
 but one of the many indications that the conception of 
 Jehovah as the one and the supreme God in the universe 
 was not yet a tenet in their popular faith. The Hebrew 
 race had only learned their alphabet in the great school 
 of divine revelation. In accordance with the purpose 
 of the Eternal, great political transformations were soon 
 to take place. These were destined to open the minds 
 of certain humble consecrated men to the appreciation 
 of new and revolutionizing truths. Made prophets by 
 virtue of the possession of this broader conception of 
 Jehovah's character and demands, they came before 
 their contemporaries to proclaim a nobler ideal of life 
 and service. In contrast with the imperfect old, it was 
 an almost new religion. 
 
 The mass of the people clung tenaciously to the an- 
 cient half-truths of the past, which, in the light of the 
 fuller revelation, figured only as superstitions and falla- 
 cies. Assyria' s victorious advance shook their faith in 
 Jehovah' s willingness and power to deliver his people. 
 The prophets alone, whose souls were open to the influ- 
 ence of his divine spirit, realized that he was the 
 supreme God of the universe, and that the calamity, 
 which was soon to overtake their nation, came not be- 
 25 
 
Amos Messages of the 
 
 cause he was unable to avert it, but because the sins^of 
 his people rendered such a judgment necessary. Here 
 is found the explanation of the popular indifference and 
 contempt with which the messages of the pre-exilic 
 prophets were greeted. Their break with the past was 
 too abrupt, their ideal was too lofty, their teaching was 
 too pure, to gain general acceptance. Not until bitter 
 national experiences had prepared the way, did the 
 people begin to heed the warnings and the counsels of 
 their enlightened leaders. 
 
 The task which confronted Amos, therefore, was not 
 inviting. As he observed the injustice, the oppression, 
 the self-indulgent luxury, the indifference and im- 
 morality, which characterized the northern kingdom, 
 he found little encouragement that his word of denun- 
 ciation would be heeded. The fact that he was a humble 
 shepherd, who gained his living by following the lowliest 
 pursuit which poverty-stricken Judah offered, was any- 
 thing but a favorable introduction to the opulent north- 
 erners. His solemn face, his rude attire, and, above 
 all, his accent, which indicated that he was a native 
 of insignificant Judah, must have aroused at once a 
 violent prejudice against him in the minds of that gay 
 throng which streamed up to celebrate a great feast-day 
 at the wealthy and popular shrine at Bethel. His mes- 
 sage also was one of uncompromising denunciation ; for 
 26 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 
 
 while, on the barren uplands which extend from Tekoah, 
 his home, eastward toward the Dead Sea, he had 
 watched the patient sheep, and meditated long and 
 deeply upon the evils and dangers of the present situa- 
 tion, Jehovah had revealed to him an ideal of justice 
 which threw into startling relief the injustice rampant in 
 Israel. Simple, straightforward, fearless man that he 
 was, with no attempt at palliation he laid bare all its 
 social and religious corruption, and declared that, as 
 sure as Jehovah was a God of justice, he must and would 
 destroy that corrupt northern kingdom. The effect upon 
 the rulers, who were the especial object of his attack, 
 can be imagined. The fact that his charge was true 
 only increased their rage. The seventh chapter tells us 
 that the moment he referred to the approaching over- 
 throw of the reigning house, and thus gave an occasion 
 for an accusation of treason, Amaziah, the chief priest at 
 Bethel, reported to the king that Amos had conspired 
 against him, and that for the peace of the kingdom this 
 rebellious prophet must be suppressed. "The land is 
 not able to hear his words," was his suggestive confes- 
 sion. Apparently not waiting for an order from Jero- 
 boam, Amaziah forthwith commanded Amos to flee 
 back to Judah, and there gain a living by prophesying, 
 if he could, but never again to open his mouth at the 
 royal sanctuary of Bethel. ' ' I am not a professional 
 27 
 
Amos Messages of the 
 
 prophet, as your sneering words imply," was Amos' s ^re- 
 sponse, "nor do I belong to any of the prophetical 
 guilds ; but I am a plain man who earns his daily bread 
 by honest toil. From my lowly tasks Jehovah called 
 and commanded me to deliver a message to the north- 
 ern kingdom. In silencing me you are defying Jehovah. 
 Upon you, who represent the class I came to denounce, 
 and upon your family, shall be visited all the miseries 
 of conquest and captivity." It is not improbable that 
 that act of tyranny, which brought the mission of Amos 
 to an abrupt end, led him to preach with the pen when 
 his lips were silenced, and thus rendered his words im- 
 mortal. 
 
 He certainly is the first of that remarkable group of 
 prophets who speak to us through their writings almost 
 as clearly to-day as they did to the surging, impatient, 
 curious crowds of Hebrews who gathered about them 
 twenty -six centuries ago. In imagination, taking our 
 place in one of these audiences, we may listen to the 
 stem message of Amos, and follow his thought, even 
 though in translating it into nineteenth - century phra- 
 seology we lose much of the beauty and force of the rug- 
 ged, poetical Hebrew in which he wrapped his ideas as 
 he hurled them at his hearers. 
 
 28 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos i : 4 
 
 II 
 
 THE OPENING ADDRESS AT BETHEL (l I 2 tO 2 I 16) 
 
 I. The Text (1:2) 
 
 Jehovah, justly indignant because of the crimes of the nations, 
 is about to send upon the earth a destructive Judgment, so 
 severe that the most fertile spots shall become utterly barren 
 and desolate. 
 
 2. Introduction. The Sins and Condemnation of 
 IsraeV s Neighbors (i : 3 to 2 : 5) 
 
 Are you enraged, O Israelites, at the suggestion, con- Guilt of the 
 tained in my text, that upon you judgment is soon to be andThe°* 
 visited ? Listen a moment before you turn your backs awaSs^thera 
 upon me. I come to declare that, although Jehovah ^^-3-5) • 
 has repeatedly overlooked the offenses of your hated 
 enemies, the Arameans, their cup of transgression is at 
 last filled to overflowing. No longer will he withhold 
 well-merited punishment. An utter disregard of the 
 obligations, recognized by heathen nations even in time 
 of war, such as appeared, for example, in their inhuman 
 treatment of the conquered Gileadites, your brethren, is 
 a crime which cannot be condoned. Jehovah, whose 
 sway is not limited to the land of Canaan (as some of 
 you in your ignorance still suppose), will avenge those 
 awful deeds of cruelty. The family of the merciless 
 29 
 
Amos I : 4 Messages of the 
 
 conqueror Hazael shall be hurled from the throne of 
 
 Damascus ; the defenses of that proud city shall be 
 
 broken down, and the inhabitants of the land shall be 
 
 slain. Those of the condemned race who survive shall 
 
 be carried away into distant captivity. 
 
 Retribution Not the Aramcans only, but those uncircumcised 
 
 Philistines Philistincs, whom you hate so intensely, have sinned 
 
 ^^'^"^^' until Jehovah cannot forgive. Heathen though they 
 
 were, they knew that it was a crime to sell remorselessly 
 
 into galling slavery old men, women, children, — all, 
 
 whether friends or foes, who fell into their hands. 
 
 Jehovah, who rules the nations, will visit their guilt 
 
 upon their heads. Destroyed shall be their great cities, 
 
 slain shall be king and people. 
 
 Retribution For similar acts of cruelty the Tyrians shall receive 
 
 for the ■' ■ •' 
 
 Tyrians like recompense at the hands of Jehovah. Remorseless 
 
 fire shall consume their proud city with its palaces. 
 Retribution Naturally, in the same connection you think of the 
 Edomites Edomitcs. Their hour of retribution likewise is at 
 • '^» '2). j^^jj^j^ These unnatural kinsmen of yours lost no oppor- 
 tunity in your time of weakness to give you a mortal 
 thrust. They showed no mercy ; neither will Jehovah 
 spare them. 
 Retribution The Ammonites also belong to that accursed circle of 
 Ammonites cruel, implacable foes who have tried to drag you down 
 (i • 13-15). ^^^ drink your life-blood. No longer will Jehovah 
 
 30 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 2 : 4 
 
 overlook the deeds of brutality to which their thirst for 
 conquest has led them. At his command their cities 
 and palaces shall fall before a tempest of war and de- 
 struction, and their rulers shall be carried into captivity. 
 
 Moreover, Jehovah declares that the Moabites have Retribution 
 transgressed beyond the possibility of forgiveness. True, Moabites 
 you have succeeded in subduing them, and therefore ' 
 their most atrocious sins are not those of cruelty. You 
 all recall how, prompted by bitter hatred for their treach- 
 erous southern foes, disregarding the sanctity of the dead, 
 — held inviolable even by savages, — they dragged forth 
 the bones of an Edomite king, and burned them. Upon 
 their cities and rulers, therefore, shall be visited the same 
 bitter woes of war and conquest 
 
 I can see by your approval, O Israelites, that you wel- Retribution 
 come the news of the judgment which Jehovah is about judeans 
 to execute upon these heathen peoples. In so doing you ^^ ' "*' 
 accept the great truth that he rules, not only over Israel, 
 but also over these nations, and that, although he is long- 
 suffering, there comes a time when he must punish un- 
 checked evils. You also acknowledge the principle that, 
 as responsibility is proportionate to enlightenment, so 
 likewise is the punishment, if the responsibility is rejected. 
 Hence, you will agree that Jehovah is just in sending 
 retribution upon the Judeans, who, knowing his will far 
 better than those other nations, hav* treacherously failed 
 31 
 
Amos 2 : 4 Messages of the 
 
 to comply with his laws. They, like their heathen 
 neighbors, shall experience the horrors of conquest 
 
 3. The Sins and Condemnation of Israel (2 ; 6-16). 
 
 Crimes Hear now, O Israelites, the painful message that 
 
 dude pir- Jehovah has sent me to declare. Your cup of transgres- 
 don(2:6-8).gj^^ also is fuU to Overflowing, so that just punishment 
 can no longer be withheld. Like the royal culprit 
 David, you stand condemned in accordance with the 
 same principles which you have so readily accepted in 
 the case of others. The only difference between you 
 and your barbarian neighbors is that your sins are more 
 heinous. If you question this, behold the injustice and 
 the inhuman cruelty of your rulers. They do not hesi- 
 tate to sacrifice an honest man, if they think that they 
 can themselves gain a farthing thereby. Their insati- 
 able greed has exhausted every spark of mercy in their 
 hearts. The most shameless immorality is openly prac- 
 tised. Worst of all, like the Canaanites, they gratify 
 their lust under the guise of religion ; and, to make their 
 guilt complete, in sating their unholy appetites, they use, 
 as accessories, the possessions which they have unjustly 
 extorted from their needy dependents. 
 What Jeho- Compare with their base ingratitude all that Jehovah 
 done for this has done for them. When they were a disorganized 
 people (2 : 9- j^^^j^j^ of serfs, he delivered them from bondage in 
 
 32 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 3 : 2 
 
 Egypt ; he led them through the perils of the wilder- 
 ness ; he enabled them to subdue this land of Canaan, 
 possessed though it was by powerful peoples. For their 
 spiritual nurture, he sent to them prophets to teach, by 
 word of mouth, his will, and Nazirites to illustrate, by 
 their lives, the ideals of purity and of consecration. 
 
 Instead of learning the lesson which Jehovah sought Their base 
 to inculcate, they silenced his prophets and induced the (2 : 12). 
 Nazirites to break their holy vows of abstinence. 
 
 National annihilation awaits them at the hand of Je- P'^e retnbu- 
 hovah. In the coming day of judgment, neither the Israel 
 strongest, nor the swiftest, nor the best equipped, nor ' ^^'^ 
 the most courageous, shall escape the overwhelming de- 
 struction. 
 
 Ill 
 
 NO EXCUSE OR PARDON FOR THE CRIMES OF 
 
 Israel's leaders (3 and 4) 
 Give heed, O Israelites, to the solemn message which Responsl- 
 
 bility pro- 
 Jehovah sends to you, his favored people. "True, you portionate to 
 
 of all nations stand in a peculiarly intimate relation to (J^f^I^ 2"!"*^ 
 me. Do not deceive yourselves, however, by thinking 
 that for that reason you will be exempted from punish- 
 ment On the contrary, greater privilege brings with it 
 33 
 
Amos 3 : 2 Messages of the 
 
 greater responsibility, and therefore, in the light of your 
 base betrayal of the trust, severer judgment" 
 Theproph- Some of you question my right thus to address you in 
 tionofhis the name of Jehovah. Consider: Does anything come 
 prophesy to pass in the natural world without a sufficient cause ? 
 (3 '• 3-8) Conversely, does not a sufficient cause produce a corre- 
 sponding effect ? 
 
 The fact that I stand here preaching to you, although 
 
 so doing endangers my life, implies a cause, namely, 
 
 that Jehovah has given me a revelation concerning you. 
 
 When he commands, his prophet must obey. 
 
 Israel guilty You are the chosen people of Jehovah ! Letproclama- 
 
 even in the r r j r 
 
 eyes of the tion be made, and your heathen neighbors summoned to 
 (3 : 9, 10). witness the state of anarchy within your capital, and the 
 
 crimes of oppression and of legalized robbery which 
 
 your nobles are committing. 
 Fate await- While such enormities exist, think not for a moment 
 rupt rulers that your land, and those greedy rulers who are betray- 
 
 (3 : "-15).) 
 
 ing you, shall escape the common judgment. Worthless 
 shall be that which is left of all these princely palaces, 
 with their luxurious appointments ; overthrown shall be 
 the royal sanctuary here at Bethel, when the rapacious 
 world-conqueror who is advancing has completed his 
 work of destruction. 
 
 Voluptuous, thoughtless women of Samaria, who have 
 so completely lost all sense of pity for the afflicted that 
 34 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 4:13 
 
 you are constantly urging on your husbands to grind Guilt of the 
 
 , . , 1 1 , .,,,,, wives of the 
 
 their dependents the more, that, with the blood-money nobles 
 thus secured, they may pander to your vile appetites, ' 
 listen to your sentence. As surely as a God of justice 
 lives, brutal conquerors shall soon come to drag you 
 forth as captives. 
 
 Do you urge, O Israelites, that you are punctilious in Vanity of 
 bringing to Jehovah rich offerings, and that, therefore, moniai wor- 
 he cannot think of inflicting upon you a judgment such *^'P ^'^ • '^' 5) 
 as I predict ? Deluded fools ! Go on with your round 
 of ceremonies, regulated so as to conduce to your per- 
 sonal pleasure. In the eyes of Jehovah it is mere 
 mockery. 
 
 All this ritualistic service has only lulled your con- Jehovah's 
 
 , ^ , . ., ■■ , plain warn- 
 
 sciences to rest, so that you have been insensible to the ings un- 
 most obvious indications of divine displeasure. As you (4^^6-11). 
 must all remember, he has sent upon you famine, 
 drought, insect plagues, pestilence, and earthquake in 
 their most hideous forms, and yet you have not learned 
 the lesson he would teach and turned to him in peni- 
 tence. 
 
 You stand convicted of the most heinous charges ever inevitable 
 brought against a nation ; the fatuity of the defense pending" 
 which you have urged has been conclusively demon- ^* * "' '^^ 
 strated ; you have persistently refused to heed Jehovah' s 
 plain and repeated warnings ; therefore, prepare to meet 
 35 
 
Amos 4:13 Messages of the 
 
 the awful and inevitable judgment, which Jehovah, the 
 all-powerful creator and just ruler of the universe, is 
 soon to execute upon you. 
 
 IV 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM SERMONS OF EXHORTATION 
 AND WARNING 
 
 I. Ritual Useless to Deliver from the Consequences 
 of Moral Guilt (5) 
 
 A lament Let ring in your ears, O Israelites, the sad dirge which 
 
 shall soon be sung over your nation : 
 
 Fallen, never again to rise, 
 Is the virgin Israel ; 
 Prostrate upon her soil she lies ; 
 There is none to raise her. ^ 
 
 For grim war shall speedily do its devastating work, 
 and only a small fraction of your population shall sur- 
 vive. 
 Repentance, Would you escape your doom ? Then do not resort 
 
 not ritual, "' . ^ . 
 
 will save, to the public shrines with offerings in your hand. There 
 ^■'^^' is no salvation in so doing. Those sanctuaries, with 
 
 1 Here the prophet introduces the peculiar rhythmic parallelism consist- 
 ing of an alternating long and short member, which was regularly em- 
 ployed in the Hebrew elegy. 
 
 36 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 5:15 
 
 1 
 their corrupt services, are themselves objects of divine 
 wrath. Gilgal shall drink to her fill the gall of exile ; 
 Bethel, house of God, shall become a house of perdition. 1 
 The only and sufficient way to secure deliverance is to 
 go directly to Jehovah with the earnest prayer of contri- 
 tion. Lose no time, O perverters of justice ! lest his 
 vengeance overwhelm the northern kingdom, and it be 
 too late to appeal for mercy to him who, meting out 
 judgment to the strong as well as to the weak, rules su- 
 preme in nature and in human affairs. 
 
 Alas ! you, who are Israel's leaders, give no evidence Depravity of 
 of repentance. Your attitude toward one who denounces (5 : 1V13)! 
 your crimes is that of bitter hostility. Intent only upon 
 building palaces for yourselves, and upon gratifying your 
 luxurious desires, you extort from the poor ; you perse- 
 cute an honest man in the courts ; you grant the decision 
 to the one who gives you the largest bribe. So com- 
 pletely is evil in the ascendency that a wise man submits 
 to injustice without a protest I warn you solemnly that 
 you will never enjoy the fruits of your iniquitous con- 
 duct. 
 
 To whomsoever my words appeal I repeat, persevere Advice and 
 
 rr 11 I • 1 • • 1 • 1 • 1 /■ encourage- 
 
 m your efforts to do that which is right in the sight of ment for the 
 God, and he, the all-powerful and just, will not fail (5^ m, 15". 
 
 1 A rude attempt is here made to reproduce the play on words contained 
 in the Hebrew, " Ha -Gilgal galoh yigleh." 
 
 37 
 
Amos 5:15 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 The national 
 disaster im' 
 pending 
 (5:x6-ao). 
 
 Ceremonial 
 
 offerings, 
 
 without 
 
 righteous 
 
 conduct, a 
 
 mockery 
 
 (5:81-27). 
 
 you. Undauntedly strive to put down public evil, and 
 to purify the law courts ; perchance a faithful few may 
 yet survive the approaching destruction to enjoy Jeho- 
 vah's blessings and favor. 
 
 For Israel as a whole the immediate future has nothing 
 but woe. Instead of the present mad revels, wails of 
 lamentation shall rise from every class. Deluded are 
 those who long for the time when Jehovah will interpose 
 in human history. "The day of Jehovah" shall bring 
 no joy to this guilty people, but only misfortune and 
 retribution. 
 
 Hold not up your ceremonial services as a cloak to 
 cover your crimes, for Jehovah takes no pleasure in 
 empty forms. Put them away, for they are utterly re- 
 pugnant to him. The multitude of your burnt and your 
 meal offerings, and your elaborate ritual, are meaning- 
 less when not accompanied with righteous deeds. 
 Would you win his favor ? Then let your every act be 
 governed by the laws of justice. During the years of 
 your wilderness wanderings you could bring him no sac- 
 rifices, and yet was he not pleased with you? Con- 
 formity, not to ceremonial laws, but to those of right, is 
 the essence of true service. Since justice is completely 
 lacking in your national character, you shall be carried 
 into captivity, bearing the heathen gods with whom you 
 are now sharing the homage due Jehovah. 
 3S 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 6 : 14 
 
 2. Israel s Blind, Selfish Rulers Leading their Nation 
 to Certain Ruin (6) 
 
 A curse on you, voluptuous, careless rulers, upon Heartless 
 whom devolves the direction of these two powerful He- gence of th« 
 brew kingdoms ! Shutting your eyes to the grave dan- (6 :^Jf6). 
 gers which threaten, you enthrone injustice, and devote 
 your whole attention to gratifying your love of ease and 
 luxury. As if life were only one long revel, you sing 
 foolish songs, drinking yourselves drunk, anointing 
 yourselves with costly perfumes, wholly indifferent to the 
 ruin which hangs over this goodly land of Israel. 
 
 Therefore, when the foreign conqueror comes, these Sentence 
 dissolute leaders, who have betrayed their trust, will be ?ule?s and 
 among the first to taste the woes of captivity. Jehovah, Je^fyfu), 
 disgusted with all this vain show and criminal luxury, 
 has determined to bring upon Israel all the horrors of 
 war. Pestilence shall complete the direful work of the 
 sword, 90 that the few panic-stricken survivors shall not 
 dare to utter the name of Jehovah, lest still further judg- 
 ment be called down upon them. In the general col- 
 lapse, together shall crumble palace and hovel. 
 
 Think not for a moment that you will realize the im- Israel's con- 
 possible. You cannot persist in your course of injus- Aslyria^in- 
 tice and expect to enjoy the rewards of equity. Trust not 1^:^2.1^), 
 in your military strength and powers to save you ; for 
 39 
 
Amos 6 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 already Jehovah is arousing an invincible nation, which 
 will devastate your land, O Israelites, from your northern 
 to your southernmost border. 
 
 SYMBOLIC VISIONS OF IMPENDING JUDGMENT 
 
 (7:1-9; 8: I to 9: 6) 
 The lesson If you do not apprehend the full significance of my 
 
 of the locust , . ^ X^ , , .„ ^ 
 
 plague plam statements, O Israel, I will present the same truths 
 ^ ' ^ ^ ' to you in pictures, so that, with the aid of memory and 
 of imagination, you may see as well as hear, and thus 
 perchance be led to profit by my message. During those 
 troublesome days through which you have passed,' my 
 eyes, enlightened by Jehovah, beheld the dread sight of 
 a vast army of locusts sweeping over the land, devastat- 
 ing all before them. The calamity was the greater be- 
 cause it came just as the people were about to reap their 
 spring crops, upon which they depended for subsistence. 
 Recognizing that it was sent as a judgment, I besought 
 Jehovah to pardon, not because the punishment was un- 
 merited, but because Israel was so unprepared to survive 
 it Infinitely compassionate, he granted my petition, 
 and spared. 
 
 &Cf. 4:6-11. 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 8 : 3 
 
 Again the Almighty opened my eyes, not only to see, Fiery judg- 
 
 , 1 , , . . ^ r • ment averted 
 
 but to understand, the significance of a consuming (7 : 4-6). 
 drought, which like a mighty conflagration dried up the 
 great source of all waters, and threatened to burn up the 
 parched earth. Knowing that it was sent in judgment, 
 I besought him to spare, and again he answered me. 
 
 Still a third time Jehovah presented to my mind a vis- ^*''*f I '"*,**' 
 ion of himself standing with a plummet in his hand, plummet 
 When I understood the meaning of that symbol of im- w'anting 
 partial justice, no longer could I crave mercy for Israel, ^^ ' ^"^'* 
 that nation fallen so far from the standard of right 
 Therefore I listened to Jehovah's declaration that he 
 would no more pardon his people, but that rather he 
 would speedily bring upon their corrupt sanctuaries and 
 ruling house the fire and sword of the conqueror. 
 
 When Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, drove me forth, Israel ripe 
 
 forjudg- 
 
 denying to Jehovah's prophet free utterance, — his God- ment 
 given right, — there rose before me the vision of a basket ' ^ ' 
 of summer fruit, luscious, outwardly attractive, but dead 
 ripe, and destined within a few days to become a mass 
 of loathsome putrefaction. "Even thus," for so Jeho- 
 vah interpreted to me, " is Israel ripe^ for punishment" 
 Bitter cries of lamentation shall soon succeed present 
 festivity. Where now stands the joyful throng, heaps of 
 
 1 In the Hebrew KHz, '' end," represents a play on the word Kaits, 
 " summer fruits." 
 
Amos 8 : 3 Messages of the 
 
 corpses, hushed in death, shall lie. Know the ^ate 
 which awaits you, rapacious rulers and merchants, — 
 you who show no mercy to the poor and needy, you 
 whose chief aim is to cheat both God and your fellow- 
 men. As surely as Jehovah is omnipotent, your sins 
 shall be punished. Nature shall conspire with the hos- 
 tile foe to complete the destruction of your land. An- 
 guish inexpressible shall fill all hearts. Then, too late, 
 shall arise an intense longing to receive a prophetic mes- 
 sage from Jehovah ; but none shall then be vouchsafed. 
 The ardent devotees of the popular shrines, such as 
 Samaria and Dan, shall likewise share the common fate. 
 Divine ven- As I meditated upon the conditions which I found in 
 
 geance upon 
 
 the nation Northern Israel, the corruption of civil and religious 
 ^ * ^ * rulers, the hollow formalism of the national religion, the 
 blind popular confidence in ceremonialism, I seemed to 
 see Jehovah standing above the altar from whence the 
 smoke of their sacrifices rose. No blessing descended. 
 Instead came the command to smite the supports of the 
 great temple, which forthwith fell in overwhelming ruin 
 upon the heads of the worshipers. With that command 
 came the divine declaration that the sword should com- 
 plete the work of destruction. Neither in the depths of 
 the earth, nor on the dizzy heights, nor within lonely 
 mountain caves, nor in the distant lands of exile, should 
 escape be found from the hand of the avenger. He who 
 42 
 
Earlier Prophets Amos 9 : lo 
 
 rules supreme over the forces of heaven and earth, Jeho- 
 vah, at whose command land and sea are transformed, 
 has issued the mandate, — let no one hope for an instant 
 that that just decree shall fail of fulfilment 
 
 VI 
 
 THE IMMEDIATE AND DISTANT FUTURE OF THE 
 HEBREW RACE (9 I /-IS) 
 
 Urge no longer, O Israelites, the vain plea that Jeho- Israel an- 
 vah stands in such a peculiarly close relation to you that the same 
 he will not destroy you. In his sight you are on an arother^p!^o. 
 equality with the dark-skinned Ethiopians. True, he led ^'^^ ^^ * ^^* 
 you as a nation out of Egypt, but in precisely the same 
 way he guided your hated enemies, the Philistines and 
 the Arameans, as they set out from the lands of their 
 nativity, and finally gave them a home in Palestine. 
 
 Jehovah sees all of Israel* s guilt, and, since he is a God Punishment 
 
 r ' . , . . , , , • -I -, 1 . <^f the nation 
 
 of impartial justice, he can do nothing but destroy this shall be pro- 
 wicked, defiant state. Yet the Hebrew race shall not be to hs°guilt 
 completely cut off, for all are not equally culpable. To ^^ * ^'^°^* 
 eliminate the evil from the good, Jehovah will scatter 
 them among the nations, and captivity, like a sieve, will 
 separate the different elements in the nation. The defi- 
 ant reprobates, who lull the people to sleep with beguil- 
 
 43 
 
Amos 9 : 10-15 
 
 ing assurances that no danger impends, will receive their 
 just desert at the edge of the sword ; but over each 
 faithful one Jehovah will carefully watch, that none may 
 be lost. 
 Epilogue: [Jehovah declares that when captivity has done its 
 the faithful worlc of sifting, and when the Hebrew race has learned, 
 ous festora- through discipline, its solemn lessons, he will revive the 
 Sant^^^ humbled kingdom, over which David once reigned, and 
 f"-"7-i ) ^^^^ restore to it the prestige and wide rule of that glori- 
 ous era. In those coming days, so abundant shall be the 
 fruits of the soil that, before they are gathered in, it will 
 be time again to begin the sowing. Productive vine- 
 yards shall crown every hill-top. To enjoy this rich 
 bounty of nature, and to rebuild the old ruins, Jehovah 
 will recall his scattered people, and will establish them 
 in their land, from whence they shall never again be 
 torn.] 
 
 44 
 
THE MESSAGE OF ROSEA 
 
THE MESSAGE OF HOSEA 
 
 THE PROPHET, AND THE CONDITIONS 
 CONFRONTING HIM 
 
 Five or ten years after Amos the Judean delivered 
 his stirring sermons at Bethel, Hosea began to preach to 
 his countrymen. The geographical and historical allu- 
 sions, and the intense sympathy for northern Israel, 
 which appear in his every utterance, leave no doubt that 
 he was a northerner, and probably a Galilean. Love 
 for Israel' s fair fields and hills, for her people, as well as 
 for her God, was his master-passion. Although the 
 obscure broken sentences, which burst from his lips, 
 almost conceal the fact, Hosea was at heart a poet 
 Sometimes shutting his eyes to the conditions which con- 
 fronted him, he gave expression to his poetic insight, 
 and projected into the distant future the ideal of perfect 
 harmony and love between Jehovah and his creation which 
 filled his soul and dominated his every word and act His 
 fate it was, however, to stand by and see that ideal ruth- 
 lessly trampled upon by his perversely unappreciative 
 47 
 
Hosea Messages of the 
 
 countrymen. When he entered upon his prophetic 
 activity, a little before 740 B. C, the social, political, 
 and religious evils which Amos pointed out so plainly 
 were already beginning to sap the strength of the state ; 
 but the strong hand of Jeroboam II (Hosea i : 4) still 
 held the kingdom together, and the Israelites did not 
 realize how near was the national ruin, which Hosea 
 repeatedly proclaimed in his sermons, preserved in 
 Chapters I-III. 
 
 The two or three years immediately following the 
 death of Jeroboam II revealed Israel's fatal weakness. 
 The inefficient son who succeeded the old king was 
 murdered by Menahem, who maintained his position 
 on the tottering throne by purchasing with heavy tribute, 
 wrung from his unwilling subjects, the support of Israel's 
 most dreaded foe, Assyria. By this act, Israel's prestige 
 and that of its king were forever forfeited. With an un- 
 principled assassin on the throne, all law and order were 
 relaxed. The body politic became corrupt from top to 
 bottom. In this atmosphere the social evils which 
 Amos denounced increased rather than abated. 
 
 Private as well as public honor was lost Immorality 
 was openly practised unrebuked. The debasing customs 
 of the Canaanitish neighbors of the Israelites were 
 eagerly adopted. The hollow ceremonial worship of 
 Jehovah, which had served well enough as a national 
 48 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 
 
 religion in time of prosperity, broke down under the 
 test of adversity. The nation, which had lost faith in 
 itself and had begun to seek support in foreign alliances, 
 also began to lose faith in the Jehovah, whom, in their 
 thought, they had degraded almost to the level of a 
 heathen deity. Israel presented the sad example of a 
 nation in the state of moral, political, and religious 
 collapse, while slowly the irresistible, insatiable foe, 
 Assyria, was advancing to crush it Its condition 
 arouses to-day our contempt and pity. In imagination 
 it is possible to appreciate, in part, at least, what must 
 have been the anguish of the inspired poet, patriot, and 
 prophet, who was forced to witness the suicide of his 
 beloved nation. In the light of these facts we under- 
 stand why the extracts from his sermons, delivered dur- 
 ing these tragic days and preserved in Chapters IV-XIV, 
 are impassioned — often obscure — cries, now of denuncia- 
 tion, now of anguish, now of entreaty. Before the final 
 blow came, which ended Israel's life in 722 B. C, 
 Hosea' s voice apparently was silenced either by heart- 
 break or martyrdom ; for throughout these later chapters 
 there are no allusions to*the closing scenes in the great 
 tragedy. Gilead and the territory about the Sea of Gali- 
 lee, which, in 734 B. C. were conquered and annexed to 
 Assyria, were still a part of the northern kingdom 
 (Hosea 5 : i ; 6 : 8 ; 12 : 11) ; so that these sermons 
 49 
 
Hosea i : 2 Messages of the 
 
 were delivered between the years 740 and 734 B. C, 
 probably during the profligate, degenerate reign of 
 Menahem. The other tragedy, which darkened Hosea' s 
 life, and which laid bare the very depths of his soul, is 
 alluded to in his earlier sermons, and can best be pre- 
 sented as he hesitatingly tells his own sad story. 
 
 II 
 
 EARLIER SERMONS DELIVERED BETWEEN 
 750 AND 740 B.C. 
 
 I. The Private Experiences of the Prophet (1:2, 3a; 
 3:1-3; cf. 2 : 2-23) 
 
 Hosea's You are all familiar, fellow-Israelites, with my sad 
 
 Gomer personal experience. As I look back upon those hope- 
 I • ^' 3^) f^^ (j^yg Qf j^y youth when I wedded Gomer, the daugh- 
 ter of Diblaim, I can see that all the pain and agony 
 which have followed in the train of that act have not 
 been without their compensations. I felt that the same 
 Jehovah guided me then who ha's guided me since in my 
 work as a prophet True, I had no absolute assurance 
 that she whom I wedded would prove more faithful than 
 many of her sisters who, under the corrupt influences of 
 this age, have sinned so grossly ; but the love which J 
 50 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 3 : 3 
 
 gave her was strong and pure, and 1 trusted that she 
 would return it. 
 
 You all know how bitterly I was deceived, and yet you His at- 
 
 tempts to 
 
 can never know the agony I endured when I discovered reclaim his 
 the evidence of her faithlessness. If I had loved her less, Xl^^i-i)- ^ 
 I should have simply divorced her as our customs per- 
 mit Weak, false though she was, I could not forget the 
 solemn covenant into which we had entered, and aban- 
 don her to her fate; and so I forgave and overlooked her 
 gross infidelity, and tried by greater tenderness and acts 
 of love to woo her back to the path of rectitude. Alas ! 
 bitterly was I disappointed in my endeavor. In her 
 folly and perversity she spurned my love and fled from 
 my home to live a life of infamy. Undoubtedly, many 
 would then have only tried to forget her, but I could not 
 because of my great love. When I heard that she had 
 fallen so low that she had been put up for sale as a slave, 
 I ransomed her. Kindness having failed, the love within 
 my heart commanded me, as a last means, to strive by 
 discipline to lead her to true repentance. 
 
 You all know the result. Painful, yes, tragic, has The lessons 
 
 ■' ° which his 
 
 been my experience, and you doubtless feel for me only tragic ex- 
 perience 
 pity, if not contempt, because you think that I have taught him 
 
 squandered my affection upon such an unworthy object • ^^-^ 23 
 
 Pity I certainly deserve, and yet in this trying school of 
 
 affliction I have learned lessons which have made me 
 
 51 
 
Hosea 3 : 3 Messages of the 
 
 -^ 
 
 the prophet that I am. Now I realize the anguish which 
 the sin of a dear one brings to the heart which loves ; 
 now I understand how the flame of true love can burn 
 clear and strong even though the object of that affection 
 stumble and fall ; now I perceive clearly that judgment 
 is but an expression of love, for ofttimes chastisement is 
 the only method of reclaiming the fallen ; now I know 
 how eager, yes, willing, is a loving heart to forgive all 
 the bitter wrongs which it has received from the one 
 beloved, when once that sinner gives evidence of true 
 contrition. If you would understand my message, re- 
 call the personal experiences of the man who utters it. 
 
 2. Living Sermons (i : 3^-9) 
 Significance When Gomcr brought to me her first-born son, I gave 
 
 of the name , _ 
 
 Jezreei, him no swcct, pleasing name like my own,^ but, sent as 
 ^ " ^ ^ I was by Jehovah to preach to my nation, I called him 
 Jezreei. Naturally, the people, filled with curiosity, in- 
 quired why I associated with an innocent baby the name 
 of Israel' s blood-stained battle-field. Thereupon I de- 
 clared to them the truth, as it had been revealed to me : 
 «« The day will quickly come when Jehovah will punish 
 the reigning house of Israel for the bloody crime whereby 
 its founder Jehu secured the throne, slaying his royal 
 
 1 Hoshea, the same as Joshilft or Jesus, meaning "salvation." 
 52 
 
Earlier PropJiets Hosea 2 : 2 
 
 master on that plain of Jezreel. On the same historic 
 battle-field shall be broken the strength of the northern 
 kingdom." 
 
 When my faithless wife again bore a child, this time a Significance 
 
 •' 111°' ^"^ name 
 
 daughter, the anguish aroused in my heart by the knowl- Lo-ruhamah 
 edge of her infidelity led me more perfectly to appreciate 
 the divine indignation kindled by Israel's persistent 
 apostasy. Accordingly I gathered up that new reve- 
 lation in the one word, ' ' Lo-ruhamah, " — " unpitied, ' * — 
 and gave it to the little girl, thus making her likewise a 
 living prophecy to be read by all men at all times. By 
 this name I proclaimed that ' ' No longer, O house of 
 Israel, will Jehovah pity and pardon you as he has done 
 in the past." 
 
 To the youngest boy also I gave the name " Lo- Sj^^cance 
 ammi," whose meaning, "not my people," was so un- Lo-ammi 
 equivocal that even the most obtuse could not fail to 
 perceive that it was a declaration that Jehovah had com- 
 pletely repudiated the close covenant relations between 
 the nation Israel and himself. 
 
 3. The Relationship between Jehovah and Israel in 
 Retrospect and Prospect (2 : 2-23) 
 
 Indeed, almost too terrible to be credible are the grim 
 predictions contained in the names Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, 
 and Lo-ammi ; and yet while the nation Israel persists 
 
 53 
 
Hosea 2 : 2 Messages of the 
 
 Jehovah's in its apostasy no other relationship between her and 
 israe/sin- Jchovah than that which they suggest is possible. 
 (2! 2-5). Therefore I implore you, O fellow-citizens, in the name 
 of God, spare no effort whereby you may, perchance, in- 
 fluence this nation, our common mother, to turn from 
 her gross crimes, and from her apostasy, before she for- 
 feits forever the possibility of divine forgiveness. As I 
 was wedded to my wife Gomer, so Jehovah, at the begin- 
 ning of Israel' s national life, chose and entered into a 
 solemn covenant relation with Israel. On the one hand, 
 Jehovah covenanted to love and care for his people, 
 while the nation, on the other, agreed faithfully to serve 
 and obey him. How has that solemn contract been kept ? 
 You well know that, even as I heaped upon my wife 
 all the blessings a loving heart could suggest, so Jehovah 
 has been absolutely true to his obligations, delivering 
 Israel from innumerable perils, and bestowing upon her 
 freely the wealth of his infinite love. And this nation ? 
 Gomer is its true type ; for as soon as Israel became 
 established in Palestine she began to forget Jehovah and 
 to pay homage to the Canaanitish Baal. In her folly 
 she thought that the heathen God of fertility would 
 reward her infidelity by blessing her fields and flocks. 
 Thus like the most shameless wanton she sold herself 
 for hire, sinning and sinning again, until Jehovah recog- 
 nized, as did I in the case of my wife, that favors would 
 54 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 2:17 
 
 not turn the erring one from the path of guilt. Eternal 
 
 love must therefore, in the light of the circumstances, 
 
 find a higher expression in discipline. 
 
 By painful experience the wilful nation must be Israel must 
 ^ ^ ^ , be disci- 
 
 made to see the utter folly and wickedness of her course, piined 
 
 Therefore Jehovah declares that not mercy, but judg- 
 ment, impends. When her lands and vineyards are laid 
 waste, then shall Israel realize who was the real source 
 of her prosperity. Through hard adversity shall she 
 learn that she has sold herself to Baal for worse than 
 naught. Upon her head shall be visited the consequen- 
 ces of her dallying with this corrupt heathen religion. 
 
 Jehovah, however, will not punish Israel merely be- The disci- 
 
 . , , , - , pline in- 
 
 cause she deserves it, but as the last means of arousmg tended to 
 true contrition. When once that end is attained, hefrUkm^°°' 
 will speak to her heart with infinite tenderness. During ^^ * "^^'^Tf 
 her period of national affliction new hopes shall be kin- 
 dled, for she shall come back into the old relationship 
 with Jehovah, which characterized those earlier and 
 simpler days, when he delivered her from the bondage 
 of Egypt. The names of the heathen gods upon whom 
 she now calls shall be forgotten. Not even shall she 
 address Jehovah as "Ba'ali," my master, but by the 
 nobler and much more intimate name of "Ishi," my 
 husband ; for he will renew, on the basis of mutual fidel- 
 ity and love, the old covenant, comparable in its close- 
 55 
 
Hosea 2:17 Messages of^ the 
 
 ness and reciprocal obligations only to that which exists 
 between husband and wife. 
 The recon- Penitent, forgiven Israel shall then faithfully do the 
 
 ciliation and - ^r^^ ^ •" • n /- i • • 
 
 glorious Will of Jehovah. The benign influence of this harmoni- 
 
 which shall ous relationship between God and his chosen people wiU 
 
 raerrrepent- extend to all the animal world. In that distant day, when 
 
 ?r"i8-23) ^^^ divine will is done on earth, war and strife between 
 
 Jehovah's creatures will cease, and peace shall reign. 
 
 Moreover, the Eternal will gladly give command to the 
 
 heavens, and they will send down the refreshing rains 
 
 upon the earth, which in turn will put forth its fruits in 
 
 richest abundance for the beloved people. Then, O 
 
 Israelites, the name Jezreel, which to-day is a reminder of 
 
 impending retribution, true to the meaning of the word, 
 
 will well describe that nation ' ' whom Jehovah has sown. ' ' 
 
 Israel now designated as "Lo-ruhamah" shall be called 
 
 "the one who has obtained mercy, and they, who were 
 
 rejected; shall be addressed by-Jehovah as •* my people.'* 
 
 4. Predictio7is respecting Israel s Immediate and 
 Distant Future (3:4, 5 ; i : 10 to 2 : i) 
 
 Inthe^ab- jf is clear, O fellow-Israelites ! that you eagerly long to 
 
 sence of true _ _ J b ] b 
 
 contrition see that glorious day, with its peace and prosperity of 
 
 certain which you havc heard me speak. Know that Jehovah 
 
 ^^■'*^' is eager to institute it at once and that whether it is 
 
 realized now or in some distant time depends entirely 
 
 56 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 4 : i 
 
 upon your own action. But as I behold with enlight- 
 ened eyesight your defiant attitude, and how deep seated 
 are your sins, I predict that certain captivity awaits you. 
 For a long time you shall be deprived both of political 
 organization and religious services. 
 
 [In the distant future, after captivity has done its pre- An ultimate 
 
 restoration 
 
 paratory work, the Israelites shall return repentant, is also 
 craving forgiveness, and eager to serve Jehovah, and (3^5! i : w 
 submit to the rule of the Davidic king. Then shall their *° ^' '^* 
 numbers become as the sands of the sea, innumerable ; 
 Jehovah's decree of rejection will be revoked, and they 
 shall again be known as "the sons of the living God." 
 From the lands of their captivity the Israelites and 
 Judeans shall be gathered to Canaan, and at last, again 
 united, will elect over them one head. Then shall all 
 animosity disappear before the common joy of restora- 
 tion, of forgiveness, and of reconciliation with Jehovah. J 
 
 III 
 
 LATER SERMONS DELIVERED BETWEEN 
 740 AND 734 B.C. 
 
 I. Jehovah' s Stern Arraignment and Condemnation of 
 Israel and Israel s Leaders (4 : i to 5 : 14) 
 
 Give heed, O Israelites, to the awful charge which 
 Jehovah, as the plaintiff, brings against your nation. 
 57 
 
Hosea 4 : i Messages of the 
 
 General Whereas he had every reason to expect the fruits of 
 
 charge 
 
 against the fidelity and love, and the evidence of a true knowledge 
 X\Ttz). of him, he finds none of these; but false swearing, 
 
 murder, theft, and adultery, characterize the people. 
 
 Lawless deeds of bloodshed follow each other in rapid 
 
 succession. As a result, the very land itself is going to 
 
 ruin, and its inhabitants are perishing. 
 The masses Not the common people, however, but their leaders, 
 
 misled by 
 
 their re- are to blame for this shameful state of affairs.^ The 
 
 lead"r^s Ordinary citizens cannot be expected to be better than 
 
 (4 : 4-6a). thgjj. priests and prophets who have themselves fallen 
 
 into such heinous crimes. Through ignorance of the 
 
 real character and demands of the God whom they 
 
 blindly worship, the masses are perishing. 
 
 Condemna- Q vou faithless priests who, instead of teaching them, 
 
 tion of the •' 
 
 corrupt have turned your back upon the law, the sacred treasure 
 (^jTeb-^o). entrusted to your keeping, Jehovah declares that he has 
 revoked your commission ! Traitors, you have perverted 
 your high office ; you have grown fat on the sin offerings 
 of the people ; you have encouraged them in their 
 crimes. Little wonder that they are so corrupt. The 
 penalty of their guilt shall be upon their own heads. 
 Having given free rein to greed and lust, their appetite 
 
 1 Accepting the emendation demanded by the sense " my people are but 
 as their priestlings." Cf. G. A. Smith, •* The Twelve Prophets," I, 25/. 
 
 58 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 4 : 19 
 
 shall become an insatiable master ; childlessness shall 
 be their lot 
 
 Immorality and intemperance always dim the intellect, I'he gross 
 
 immorality 
 
 as is clearly illustrated by the way in which this people, of the masses 
 instead of seeking Jehovah, consult the inanimate sym- "* • " ^^ ■ 
 bols of the Baal cult. That corrupt religion, which 
 gives free license to the passions, has led them far astray 
 from the true God. In connection with the rites of 
 Baal, the men have committed abominable excesses. 
 In the light of such an example, Jehovah cannot hold 
 their daughters culpable, even though they have shame- 
 lessly bartered their chastity. Thus this stupid people 
 are rapidly rushing on to their ruin. [Although the 
 Israelites are so corrupt, let the Judeans avoid the 
 temptation and shun the northern sanctuaries, with their 
 debasing customs.] 
 
 How can Jehovah exercise his tender care toward Hopeless- 
 ness of try- 
 Israel, as he fain would, when the nation manifests such ing to save 
 
 a rebellious, defiant spirit ? These northerners have so kingdom 
 completely transferred their devotion to idols that there ^*' ' ^^'^^'' 
 is little hope of saving them. No sooner are they 
 through with one form of dissipation than they turn to 
 another, while their rulers exult in their shame. Yea, 
 and already they are in the power of the Assyrian tem- 
 pest which shall rudely awaken them to a sense of their 
 heinous apostasy. 
 
 59 
 
Hosea 5 : I Messages of the 
 
 Personal Hear, O pricsts and princes of Israel! your condemna- 
 
 orthf p5es"ts tion. You, who should be the shepherds of this people, 
 (5 ^ T-'^Y^ for the sake of your own profit have lured them on to 
 their ruin by encouraging them in the lewd practices, 
 which are observed in connection with such sanctuaries 
 as Mizpah and Tabor. The gross crime of this nation 
 has made return to Jehovah impossible, for they are but 
 the expression of the low state of morality which prevails, 
 and which indicates that the people possess no real 
 knowledge of Jehovah' s character and demands. Israel 
 and Judah both shall fall under their load of guilt. 
 Vainly do they outwardly worship him with their cere- 
 monial offerings, while their deeds reveal only treachery. 
 Prediction Any month the foreign invader may swoop down upon 
 desmTctfon you. Already, in imagination, I can hear the dread 
 Jhrcrime°s^ alarm announcing his approach. From the heights let 
 m^istakS of' the trumpet blast resound, calling the people to the de- 
 israei's fense of their homes. Vain, however, shall be their 
 
 rulers 
 
 (s : 7^-m)- efforts, for the overthrow of the northern kmgdom is de- 
 termined. Jehovah will execute dire vengeance upon 
 these despicable cheats, who rule over this wilful and 
 foolish nation, oppressing their subjects and perverting 
 judgment. Indeed, he has already begun to destroy 
 from within both the kingdoms of the north and of the 
 south. The short-sighted politicians of Israel, recog- 
 nizing the internal weakness of their state, have sent their 
 60 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 6 : 4 
 
 ambassadors to the land of the Tigris in the wild hope 
 of gaining health and healing from that beast of prey, 
 the Assyrian king. Bitterly shall they be disappointed. 
 Jehovah himself will pitilessly complete the judgment 
 upon Israel and Judah which he has begun, and no 
 human power can hinder him. 
 
 2. The Fitful Repentance of the Israelites Belied by 
 their Hideous Crimes (5 : 15 to 7 : 16) 
 
 As Jehovah has so often declared by his prophets, the True repent- 
 
 . ance alone 
 
 one hope of deliverance is through repentance. Until will save 
 he sees evidence of genuine contrition he will leave the ^ ' 
 Israelites to their fate. 
 
 Let the people not deceive themselves by thinking Their words 
 that all that is necessary is merely to come to Jehovah spoken, not 
 with the formulas of repentance upon their lips, and that ^e': r-4)! 
 he will forthwith avert his judgment and cure all their 
 ills. The spirit of their prayers reflects a fundamental 
 ignorance, both of the nature of repentance and of the 
 character of Jehovah. The Eternal himself is perplexed 
 to know what to make of a people like these ; for their 
 love, which he craves, and which is the only basis for 
 sincere contrition, is like the morning mist, which is 
 quickly dissipated by the rising sun. 
 
 And yet there is no excuse for their ignorance of Jeho- 
 vah' s demands, for he has taught them his will forcibly 
 6i 
 
Hosea 6 : 5 Messages of the 
 
 The true and oftcn by the mouth of his prophets, and by his un- 
 rJpenunce mistakable judgments, impressing upon them the eternal 
 mon^ai offer- truth that what he pre-eminently desires is not merely 
 S°|s^rv\cr" foi^nial service, but, glowing within their hearts and 
 (6 : 5» 6)- prompting each action, a warm love for him and for 
 their fellow-men. It is far more pleasing to him that 
 they become acquainted with his will and character than 
 that they conform in the minutest details to the dictates 
 of the ceremonial law. 
 The horrible But when Jehovah looks for the fruits of love, what 
 committed ^ does he find? Forgetting their peculiar relation to 
 evin^ceno Jehovah, like any heathen nation, they have broken 
 conVu^Sn ^ their solemn covenant and betrayed him. Go into any of 
 (6:7107:2), j-j^eij- cities, — as, for example, Gilead, — and you may see 
 the bloody footprints of the murderer. Assassins lie in 
 wait for their victims ; and, greater horror still ! on the 
 road to Shechem a band of priests are carrying on organ- 
 ized highway robbery. A gross licentiousness also is 
 corrupting all the people of Israel. Thus, when Jeho- 
 vah would fain heal the ills of this northern kingdom, 
 their crimes of treachery and robbery cry to heaven for 
 vengeance rather than for mercy. He, who sees all, 
 cannot overlook them. 
 Corruption Note also the wickedness and the treachery which is 
 
 of the court ^ 
 
 (7 : 3-7)- openly countenanced in the court. A consuming pas- 
 sion inflames all. You are, alas ! familiar with the 
 62 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 7 : i6 
 
 sickening picture of the king, shamelessly holding court 
 attended by drunken, unscrupulous cut-throats, waiting 
 only for a favorable opportunity to murder their royal 
 master, who himself had mounted the throne by the use 
 of the assassin' s knife. In all this unholy crew no one 
 has cried earnestly to Jehovah. 
 
 Thus the nation under their blind guidance, at the Evidences 
 
 . . , . , 1 . , • ■, , . of Israel's 
 
 present critical period upon which it has entered, is con- decay 
 stantly aping the heathen states about, and trying to save ' 
 itself by foolish and entangling alliances. The result is 
 that it is indeed a cake unturned. With its nobles at 
 the head of its social organization corrupt and oppressive, 
 the masses beneath defrauded and 'wronged, its religion 
 outwardly dead ceremonialism, inwardly rotten, its 
 political policy characterized by a long series of blun- 
 ders, its condition, indeed, is pitiable. In its foreign rela- 
 tions, although not knowing it, Israel has been the loser. 
 Already the signs of premature decay have begun to ap- 
 pear. Instead, however, of turning to Jehovah for help in 
 the time of need, these foolish Israelites, like a silly dove, 
 without any consistent political policy, seek disgraceful 
 alliances, first with Egypt and then with their arch-enemy, 
 Assyria. Jehovah' s judgment shall surely overtake them, 
 for their conduct represents open rebellion against him. 
 He would, it is true, have gladly delivered them, had not 
 they proved traitors in all their conduct Not one cry of 
 
 63 
 
Hosea 7 : 14 Messages ^of the 
 
 genuine contrition has escaped their lips. Only when 
 famine stares them in the face do they look upward, 
 and then it is to howl for food with which to sate their 
 sensual appetites. Alas ! no dependence is to be put 
 upon them. For their insolence their rulers shall fall 
 by the sword, while the Egyptians, their allies, in whom 
 they trust so much, will only jeer at their misfortune. 
 
 3. IsraeV $ Retribution Well Merited, Overwhelming^ 
 and Imminent (^ : i to 10 : 15) 
 
 ^c?id^their ^low a blast of warning, for the enemy, like an eagle, 
 opportuni- jg even now swooping down upon the land. The im- 
 
 ties to save . . 
 
 themselves, pending Calamity is no mere chance. It comes because 
 
 ites shall the inhabitants have broken their covenant with Jehovah 
 
 the woes°of and rejected his commands. Vainly do they claim that 
 
 (8°^-3)? t^^y stand in a peculiarly close relation to him. When 
 
 they had the opportunity to win his favor, they spurned 
 
 him who would have saved them in this time of need. 
 
 Therefore retribution alone awaits them. 
 
 fidll^ldn's Following their own rebellious course, they have raised 
 
 and idols no puppets to the throne and called them kings, but without 
 
 defense r r sr - , . . 
 
 (8:4-7). the divine sanction. In the same way, out of their silver 
 and gold they have manufactured idols to be torn down, 
 even as have been their artificial kings. Do you, who 
 worship Jehovah under the symbolism of a calf, know 
 that you only arouse his indignation ? Oh 1 when will 
 64 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 8:12 
 
 your minds be freed from the thraldom of these degrad- 
 ing superstitions inherited from the less enlightened past ? 
 The calf of Samaria is, like the pagan idols, a creation of 
 man' s hands. There is nothing divine about it Like 
 all things human, it shall be broken in fragments in the 
 general destruction which is about to sweep over Israel. 
 Dire shall be the consequence of long years of folly. 
 Completely shall the territory be devastated, for the grain 
 which escapes the blight shall the invader consume. 
 
 The absorption of the northern kingdom by foreign Evidence of 
 
 , , , , _ . , Israel's ap- 
 
 powers has already begun. Its prestige among the preaching 
 nations is gone. Blind to all reason, it has rushed into (s'.^s^-io). 
 the hands of the Assyrians and sought to strengthen its 
 weak position by foreign alliances, purchased with heavy 
 gifts. Vain is their attempt to escape Jehovah' s judg- 
 ment and to avert the national captivity which awaits 
 them.* 
 
 Do the Israelites urge that they are serving Jehovah The service 
 
 ^ . ^ *' ** at their al- 
 
 with rich offerings at their many altars ? Those services tars arouses 
 are made merely the occasion for feasting by the altars, indignation 
 while in the sight of God they are but excuses for further hts mercy*" 
 sin. Were Jehovah to express his will in the most ^^ * ^^*^'*)- 
 detailed law they would be utterly ignored by this peo- 
 
 1 Following the Septuagint, which reads " that they may cease for a little 
 from anointing a king," where the Hebrew has " they shall involve them- 
 selves with tribute to the king of princes." 
 
 6s 
 
Hosea 8:13 Messages of the 
 
 pie, who seek only their own pleasure. Their offerings, 
 therefore, far from turning aside his indignation, only 
 intensify the reasons why he must visit upon them the 
 most severe punishment, even exile. 
 The effects Let not the Israelites celebrate their harvest feasts with 
 
 of the com- 
 ing exile the same wild exuberance as do their heathen neigh- 
 social and bors ; for every acclamation of thanksgiving to Baal, the 
 (9 :^i-°6).^ ' ^ Canaanitish god of plenty, which rises from Hebrew lips, 
 is prompted by the basest of motives, and represents 
 gross apostasy from Jehovah. The present is no time 
 for rejoicing, for they are on the point of being driven 
 into exile. What will all this newly gathered grain and 
 wine mean to them when they are carried away into cap- 
 tivity, and forced to eat the unclean food, which is all the 
 heathen lands afford ? Then shall their feasts and cere- 
 monial worship be impossible. Far from the temple of 
 Jehovah, no more shall they partake of the meat sacri- 
 ficed to their God. All sense of communion with him 
 shall be but a memory of the past, and what they eat 
 shall be eaten in sorrow, and merely to supply their 
 animal needs. In Assyria or among the ancient tombs 
 of Egypt shall they find unhallowed graves, while their 
 beloved land lies desolate. 
 Signs of the Already the Israelites are beginning to reap the con- 
 
 approaching ' « ^^ x 
 
 dissolution sequcnces of their sins. Into such excesses have they 
 ^ " ^"^ ' fallen that their prophets have gone mad, so that they 
 
 66 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 9:12 
 
 utter no clear message, but only the incoherent mutter- 
 ing of frenzy. The true watchman of Ephraim, like 
 myself, is guarded by his God, and is ever laying bare 
 the faults of this people,* whom even the sanctity of the 
 temple dpes not deter from base acts of treachery. Re- 
 volting deeds of lust, such as shocked even the imper- 
 fectly developed moral consciousness of the age of the 
 judges, are common occurrences.^ These crimes shall 
 bring their own punishment. 
 
 In sad contrast with their present fruits was the Magnificent 
 
 - , ,.1 -1 -11 1 possibilities 
 
 promise of those earlier days in the wilderness when prodigally 
 Jehovah chose the people to be his own. But from the thro^ugh^^ 
 moment that they came into contact with the debasing d"uigenJe' 
 civilization of Canaan they yielded to the temptation. (9 : 10-17). 
 That process of moral deterioration has gone on until the 
 once virile nation has completely lost its character. 
 Sadder still, sinful indulgence of lust has rendered barren 
 the sacred organs of generation. Even should children 
 
 iThis contrast between the members of the degraded prophetic guilds 
 and the true prophets was frequently drawn. Compare, for example, 
 Micah 3 : 5-8. The passage is so elliptical that the exact meaning is 
 obscure. The literal translation of the Hebrew seems to be, " Ephraim's 
 watchman is with my God; a prophet is a fowler's snare upon all his 
 (Ephraim's) ways." The readings of the A. V. and R. V. are familiar. 
 For still another parallel translation, which, however, does not appear to 
 •uit the context as well, compare Smith, "The Book of the Twelve 
 Prophets," I, 280. 
 
 2 Cf. Judges 19 : 22-30 
 67 
 
Hosea 9:12 Messages of the 
 
 be born, they shall grow up only to meet death by the 
 sword of the conqueror. Northern Israelite though I 
 am, I cannot pray for anything but retributive judg- 
 ment Jehovah will not be slow in answering my 
 prayer, for all his love is transformed by their misdeeds 
 into loathing and indignation. Lawless, disobedient 
 vagabonds that they are, he will drive them forth to find 
 a home where they may among the nations. 
 The hollow Richly blessed with natural gifts was the land of 
 
 insincerity ^ 
 
 at the bot- Israel ; but its very fertility became a stumbling-block to 
 raei's re- its inhabitants, leading them to fix their attention upon 
 poiitkaUife material things, and causing them to express their re- 
 (10 : 1-4). ligious faith in the heathen symbolism of the Canaanites 
 whom they found in the land. The fundamental error 
 in Israel' s religion is the lack of sincerity. Jehovah can 
 do nothing but show his disapproval of it all by over- 
 turning their altars and pillars. Already this fickle 
 people, who have no real faith in their God, are also 
 beginning to lose their faith in the king whom they have 
 set up. Therefore the keystone of their political as well 
 as their religious organization is crumbling. As a re- 
 sult, public and private honor is wanting, every one is 
 trying to cheat his neighbor, and consequently the courts 
 are filled with lawsuits. 
 
 Far from saving them in the time of their nation's 
 danger, the calf set up by Jeroboam I at that house of 
 68 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea xo : 12 
 
 impiety, Bethel,, shall be a source of keenest anxiety to The impend- 
 the people of the district of Samaria, and to the degraded thfo*^o7the 
 priests of this steer-god, lest the prestige which it hasflgion^^ ^^ 
 enjoyed be lost Well do they tremble. To Assyria' s ^^° • ^"^^' 
 warlike monarch shall it be sent, that the gold, .with 
 which it is laden, may swell the heavy tribute, while 
 Israel' s puppet king shall float helplessly, like driftwood, 
 on the flood which is about to overflow the land. The 
 same wars of invasion shall destroy the idolatrous shrines 
 which have been the centers of Israel's apostasy, and 
 their altars shall lie utterly desolate. Then shall the 
 people long for death to deliver them from their shame 
 and woe. 
 
 Beginning with the disgraceful atrocity at Gibeah, Whatsoever 
 Israel' s history has been characterized by a long series soweth that 
 of crimes. Worst of all, there has been no moral or re- reap 
 ligious progress. Jehovah can do nothing with such a ^^° ' '^''^^' 
 people except punish, and the instrument which he shall 
 use will be the armies of the nations. Hitherto he has 
 allowed the burdens of life to rest easily upon the Israel- 
 ites. Their existence has been one round of festivals. 
 True development, however, comes only through labor. 
 Now these t\vo kingdoms shall experience the harder 
 side of life. In this time of discipline, O fellow He- 
 brews, is to be found your supreme opportunity. If you 
 faithfully discharge your duties, then shall you enjoy 
 
 69 
 
Hosea lo: 12 Messages of the 
 
 the warmth of Jehovah' s love, instead •£ being smitten 
 by his judgments. By efforts and persistence develop 
 your religious sensibilities, which have been allowed so 
 long to remain latent. There is yet time to win Jeho- 
 vah' s favor, and to save yourselves from your impending 
 fate. Alas there is great need of a change, for hitherto 
 your energies have been directed in quite different 
 channels, and you are reaping the fruits in the calamities 
 which are falling upon you. You must have learned to 
 your sorrow the folly of trusting to crooked diplomacy 
 and military equipment to save you. Soon you 'Shall 
 experience the shock of war, and your fortified cities 
 shall crumble into ruins, as did Beth-arbee, before the 
 army of the conqueror. Thus, O Israelites, in accord- 
 ance with the eternal laws of God, your nation, with its 
 hypocritical and artificial religion, its corrupt priests 
 and prophets, its idolatrous practices, its gross immor- 
 ality, its hollow insincerity, and its puppet kings, shall 
 go down to ruin, and its political organization shall dis- 
 appear like a mist of the morning. 
 
 4. Jehovah^ s Love and Hopes for Israel (il : i-ii) 
 
 Hear Jehovah* s protestation of his love and care for 
 
 Israel. In the earliest period of this nation' s existence, 
 
 when it was untrained and in bondage, my heart began 
 
 to go out toward it in tender love, and I called it from 
 
 70 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 1 1 •. 8 
 
 the thraldom of Egypt to freedom and to sonship. Alas ! The story of 
 the more clearly I made my will known by my prophets tender care 
 to these ingrates, the more they failed to do it. Never- grrtefui"isl 
 theless I did not lose patience, but, as a father teaches Se'elrUer^ 
 his child to walk, so I tenderly guided them in the path ^(^^l^^\, \ 
 of duty and true development When they were weary 
 and discouraged, I comforted them, although they were 
 too obtuse to realize that it was I who healed their 
 bruises when they fell. As they took up the sterner 
 duties of life I guided them, not with the whip and lash, 
 as does a cruel driver his yoke of toiling oxen, but with 
 words of encouragement and genuine affection, relieving 
 them as far as possible from the painful strain, and 
 supplying with never-tiring care their every need. 
 
 But all my efforts have apparently been in vain, for The punish- 
 they show no signs of contrition and obedience. Hence Israel's con- 
 discipline is the only alternative. Absorption into the nSe nlces- 
 great Assyrian empire shall be their fate. Instead of comrrst^to 
 responding to the calls of my prophets, their whole ten- Jehovah's 
 dency is away from me and from doing my will. There- (^^ '• 5-7)» 
 fore nothing remains but to let them experience the 
 terrors and the woes of war. 
 
 And yet, O people of my choice, how can I leave you The compas- 
 to your fate, richly merited though it is ? Must I destroy figs^of the^' 
 your cities, as I did those of the plain beside the Salt In JJe^ ^^^'^ 
 sea ? My heart revolts at the thought Compassion for ^" ' ^"^°^' 
 71 
 
Hosea 11:9 Messages of the 
 
 you fain would deter me from doing what common jus- 
 tice prompts. Divine mercy and patience as far exceeds 
 the human as infinity exceeds nothingness. Instead, 
 therefore, of coming to consume you entirely, I will 
 continue, even though I must burn out these impure 
 elements, to manifest myself to you as the one ever near 
 and ready to forgive and to save. 
 Promises of In the distant future, when exile has done its work of 
 restoration discipline, then shall Jehovah send forth a loud sum- 
 mons, calUng together his scattered people, and they 
 with eagerness shall come hurrying back from the dis- 
 tant lands where they have found a refuge. Then will 
 Jehovah restore them to their land and home. 
 
 5. Israel s Base Return for JehovaK s Loving Care 
 (II : 12 to 12 : 14) 
 
 Israel has Such is Jchovah' s feeling and purpose toward Israel, 
 from every but the people rcquitcd his mercy and love with decep- 
 
 other source r r i • i 
 
 than the true tion and dcscrtion. ^ They have preferred to play with 
 gestldb'ythe fire by purchasing cosdy alliance, first with Assyria, and 
 JheiraJT-"^ then with AssyriVs enemy, Egypt. In so doing they 
 ffr°i2'^to^°^ have not only involved themselves in political entangle- 
 12:6). ments, but have also committed sins against Jehovah 
 
 which will not go long unavenged. Their folly and 
 
 1 Since the references to Judah in the chapter add nothing new to the 
 prophecy, and interrupt the sequence of thought, they have been omitted 
 in the paraphrase. 
 
 72 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 12:11 
 
 wickedness is all the greater because they have had 
 before them the familiar example of their honored 
 ancestor Jacob, who, beginning at his birth, ever strug- 
 gled to secure Jehovah's blessing. He succeeded, as 
 you know, in gaining it in rich measure. O Israelites, 
 if you will only act in accord with the simple dictates of 
 love and of justice, and earnestly seek to win Jehovah's 
 favor, you likewise may yet enjoy his spiritual bless- 
 ings. 
 
 But no, the one ideal of the Israelites has been Themer-^^ 
 
 — , cenary anus 
 
 material gain, and the pursuit of it has degraded them and ?o^p^^ 
 to a level with these cheating Canaanites. They con- rendered 
 sider that they have attained their ideal, and in their impervious 
 
 moral 
 
 blind folly think that they have suffered no spiritual loss, ^^^f/^^^ 
 Mistaken fools ! Do they not realize that their life has (" = 7-m) 
 been a complete failure, and that in their moral develop- 
 ment they are exactly where they were centuries ago, 
 when they were wandering desert tribes? Therefore 
 Jehovah must cause them to go back to that simple 
 nomadic life, and begin their education over again. 
 This failure is not because he has neglected to send 
 to them faithful prophets, who by forcible illustrations, 
 as well as by spoken words, have striven long and 
 earnestly to instruct them. But it was all in vain, for 
 coupled with their mercenary ideals was their idolatrous 
 religion, blinding them to all truth, and making them 
 73 
 
Hosea 12 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 objects worthy of divine wrath.' The bitter conse- 
 quences of their guilt shall be theirs to endure. 
 
 6. The Final Revieiu of IsraeV s All's fa^es and their 
 Inevitable Consequences (13 : 1-16) 
 
 The idolatry In the earlier days, Ephraim, the great tribe of the 
 
 which pre- "^ '^ ° 
 
 vails in Is- north, was the acknowledged leader of the Hebrew race, 
 source of its but when its religion degenerated into Baalism, its death 
 (13^^1-6). began. The best energies of the northern kingdom are 
 still being devoted to the construction of idols and the 
 senseless worship of the calves which have been set up 
 at the popular shrines. A nation which is thus decayed 
 at the core cannot survive in these troublesome times. 
 WTien the Ass}Tian whirlwind strikes, it shall be scat- 
 tered like chaff to the four winds. And yet, how differ- 
 ent it all might have been ! Eg}-pt and the wilderness 
 wanderings presented greater dangers than the present ; 
 and still, under Jehovah' s guidance, they passed through 
 them all in safety. It was the wealth and luxur>' of 
 Canaan which led them to forget the God in whom they 
 had found an able helper. 
 
 Thus, in their time of stress, he who alone can deliver 
 
 1 Verses 12 and 13 interrupt the sequence of the thought, which is con- 
 tinued from verse 11 to verse 14, and, accordingly, have been omitted in 
 the paraphrase. They seem to expand the thought of verse 9, recalling how, 
 in the midst of adversity and danger, Jehovah ever led the ancestors of the 
 Israelites. It is not improbable that the present text has been disarranged 
 
 74 
 
Earlier Prophets Hosea 14:4 
 
 is their fierce antagonist How powerless are the weak The supreme 
 
 opportunity 
 
 kings whom they set up for Jehovah forthwith to cast lost because 
 down ! The present moment might have been one of Son's fou'y 
 triumph instead of judgment But as it is, can Jehovah ^^^ ' ^'^^^' 
 think for an instant of delivering? Instead, he must 
 stifle all feelings of pity and give over the culpable 
 nation to severest punishment Drought conquest and 
 pitiless war, shall speedily do their cruel work. Before 
 them the strong, the helpless, and the innocent, shall all 
 meet a common death. 
 
 7. The True Prayer of Repentance and its Answer 
 (14 : 1-9) 
 
 Fallen, sin-stained people, come back, I beseech you, what is- 
 to Jehovah, your only true God. Come, bringing not tude^towai-d 
 in your hands sacrifices and burnt offerings, but on your shouiTbe 
 lips true words of contrition. Let your prayer be, ^^'* " ^'^^' 
 " Cleanse us thoroughly from our sins. Accept as our 
 best offering the confessions and faithful vows which 
 we now make. At last we have learned that Assyrian 
 alliances will not save us, nor Eg)'ptian cavalry. No 
 longer will we pay divine homage to the idols which our 
 hands have made. To thy mercy, O thou Father of 
 mercies, we commend ourselves. ' ' 
 
 Hear the ready response which Jehovah would give to 
 such a prayer: "Although Israel is suffering grievously 
 75 
 
Hosea 14 : 4-9 
 The gra- from the effects of long years of sin, I will restore and 
 
 cious re 
 
 sponse bestow my love unreservedly upon this repentant people, 
 Jehovah for it is necessary no longer for me to think of judgment. 
 to°suchT^^ Under my benign influence their growth, so long arrested 
 fi!i"'T-6). ^y their course of crime, shall proceed rapidly, until 
 they shall stand before the world a powerful and at- 
 tractive nation. 
 The joys of "Then wiU those who live under its banners enjoy 
 
 repentance 
 
 and recon- prosperity and a glorious development. Then will Israel 
 (14 : 7, 8). recognize the folly of worshiping idols, and I in turn will 
 freely forgive and care for the repentant nation. At last 
 Israel will realize and confess that its true growth and 
 prosperity come from me, who am the eternal source of 
 all life and growth." 
 The Epi' [Whoever is quick to perceive and appropriate truth 
 
 (14 : 9). will find in these obscure prophecies rich and eternal 
 messages, illustrating above all the great fact that Jeho- 
 vah' s demands are altogether just, and that, for those 
 who conform to them, life is easy ; but, for those who 
 refuse to comply, it is beset with insuperable difficulties.] 
 
 76 
 
THE EARLIER PROPHETIC ACTIVITY 
 OF ISAIAH 
 
THE EARLIER PROPHETIC ACTIVITY 
 OF ISAIAH 
 
 THE YOUNG PROPHET OF JERUSALEM 
 
 While Amos and Rosea were executing in the 
 northern kingdom the mission with which God had en- 
 trusted them, a youth was approaching manhood in the 
 city of Jerusalem who was rarely qualified in personal 
 endowment and by favoring conditions to enter upon a 
 similar work in Judah, and to carry it to a higher stage 
 of development. The peer of these men of God in 
 loyalty, devotion, and courage, he was so situated that a 
 much wider sphere of service was open to him. If not 
 related to the royal family, he was at least of gentle 
 blood, and entitled by general consent to a place of dig- 
 nity and influence at the court and among the people. 
 During his whole career he played the part of a leader 
 in political as well as religious and social affairs. As a 
 loyal citizen of Jerusalem, he was peculiarly fitted to 
 perceive and express the important relation of the holy 
 city to the plan of God, unfolding for the nation. That 
 his natural abilities were of no ordinary character is 
 79 
 
Isaiah Messages of the 
 
 proved by the dignity, vigor, and beauty which charac- 
 terize all his utterances. It is entirely probable, how- 
 ever, that he availed himself of all the educational 
 resources of a brilliant era. 
 
 His boyhood was during a happy period of Judah' s 
 history, when the energetic and enterprising Uzziah was 
 on the throne of Judah. This king, enthroned when 
 but a youth, enabled his people to recover speedily from 
 the depression to which the stubborn conceit of his 
 father Amaziah (2 Kings 14 : 8-14) had reduced them. 
 With skill and judgment he developed Judah' s natural 
 resources, strengthened her defenses, and opened many 
 avenues of wealth. He compelled the petty nations 
 round about to resume their old relation as tributaries. 
 He even won back the port of Elath, on the eastern arm 
 of the Red Sea, secured a navy of '* ships of Tarshish" 
 (Isa. 2:16), and resumed the traffic with South Arabia 
 which Solomon had fostered. He thus made his little 
 kingdom secure, powerful, and prosperous, and gave his 
 people renewed confidence in themselves and in their 
 future. Judah, under King Uzziah, became a fair 
 counterpart of Israel under King Jeroboam II, whose 
 reign was practically contemporaneous. No wonder 
 that the soul of the young Judean prophet was stirred by 
 the sight of evils similar to those which had kindled the 
 prophetic ardor of Amos, — a thoughtless greed for 
 80 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 
 
 wealth, a consequent abuse of power and opportunity, a 
 forgetfulness of moral standards, all combined with a 
 scrupulousness for religious forms and with a pretense 
 of loyalty to Jehovah, — and that his study of the utter- 
 ances of Amos and Hosea to the northern people pre- 
 pared him for a prompt consecration of himself as 
 God' s spokesman to the people of Judah. 
 
 By his own statement (Isa. 6 : i) the prophet lets us 
 know that it was in the year of King Uzziah' s death that 
 he began his public career. He then definitely recog- 
 nized the duty imposed upon him by his divine sov- 
 ereign. He was then a young man, but probably 
 married. He was not immature nor lacking in prestige. 
 On the contrary, his earliest utterances breathe the same 
 serene and thoughtful confidence, and exhibit all the 
 characteristic qualities, which we find in the impassioned 
 addresses of forty years later. His growth during these 
 years was not so much an advancement in social posi- 
 tion nor oratorical skill, nor even in fundamental ideas, as 
 in his grasp of all the factors which were to be combined 
 to carry out the divine plan, and in his emphasis of those 
 which were of supreme importance. During the reigns 
 of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the prophet was a 
 prominent factor in the affairs of Judah, recognized, 
 although sometimes opposed, by both king and people. 
 He applied the touchstone of Jehovah's approval to 
 8i 
 
Isaiah Messages of tlte 
 
 their pursuits and plans. Like his prophetic predeces- 
 sors, he rebuked the ungodliness made manifest in the 
 superstition, formalism, and self-esteem of the people of 
 Judah, and denounced the social evils which were 
 spreading among them. He advanced beyond Amos or 
 Hosea in his application of the principles of prophecy to 
 national questions. Partly, perhaps, because of his in- 
 timacy with those who ruled the state, partly because of 
 his habit of mind, he was a statesman as well as a re- 
 former. He constantly urged a national policy based 
 upon the will of Jehovah, He thus restored the ad- 
 visory function of the prophet of Jehovah, so honored in 
 the life of Elisha, and gave it a broader definition in the 
 light of the higher prophetic ideals of his own age. He 
 was more, however, than reformer or statesman. That 
 which gave him power in either capacity, and trans- 
 formed his utterances from nothing more than a skilful 
 exhibition of rhetorical power into stirring and search- 
 ing appeals to conscience, was his wonderful grasp of 
 the nature and purposes of God, and his insistence upon 
 the recognition of God in every act of man. From his 
 inaugural vision of Jehovah he was a student of the 
 divine nature, plan, and methods, transmitting to his 
 disciples a well-ordered survey of the relations of God, 
 man, and the universe, which is entitled to recognition 
 as the first true theology which we can trace. 
 82 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 
 
 It would be impossible for the student of prophecy to 
 understand the life and work of this uncrowned king of 
 men by reading the Book of Isaiah in the present order 
 of chapters. When his utterances were first reduced to 
 written form, — in part, perhaps, by the great teacher him- 
 self, in part by his disciples, — they circulated among the 
 faithful in Israel in more or less fragmentary form. 
 Disciples here and there made collections of these pub- 
 lished prophecies, arranging them in little groups, each 
 bearing on a special theme. It thus happened that 
 when the Isaianic writings were all gathered into one 
 roll by some one who probably lived long after the 
 prophet had passed away, their order was distinctively 
 topical. Chapters i to 12, for instance, form a little 
 volume of discourses of very different dates on Judah 
 and Jerusalem. Chapters 13 to 27 seem to have been 
 grouped together because they deal with various foreign 
 nations. The historical student of to-day is forced to 
 ignore the present order of chapters or discourses alto- 
 gether. Nor does he seek to arrange them in the 
 probable order of composition. It is not unlikely that 
 the sixth chapter, which relates the inaugural vision of 
 the prophet, was written many years after the actual 
 experience, yet the one who seeks to reproduce and in- 
 terpret the prophet's career will study it first of all. 
 Similarly, the first chapter, which to-day makes a force- 
 
 83 
 
Isaiah Messages of the 
 
 ful introduction to the book of Isaiah' s prophecies, was 
 possibly written almost forty years after the opening of 
 his ministry. It is a capital resume of the earlier work 
 of the prophet, and can best be treated as such. 
 
 Under the generally acknowledged principle that the 
 prophecies can most helpfully be read and studied in 
 connection with the historical period to which each one 
 refers, a number of chapters in the Book of Isaiah are 
 at once relegated to the time of the Babylonian exile 
 or later. Whether the prophet Isaiah uttered these pre- 
 dictions, or some one else, does not affect this necessity 
 for studying them in connection with the history of the 
 exile and the return. Only then do they become intel- 
 ligible and convey to our minds the impression intended 
 by him who produced them. In accordance with this 
 principle, not only do we omit from present considera- 
 tion chapters 40 to 66, but also chapters 13 and 14, 24 
 to 27, and, with less assurance, chapters 21, 34, and 35. 
 The remaining thirty chapters can be arranged with 
 considerable certainty into two groups of prophecies 
 which relate to events during the actual lifetime of the 
 prophet. 
 
 The public career of Isaiah was not less than forty 
 years in length. The year 701 B. C. is the last year 
 which we can definitely determine. It would seem in- 
 credible that even sixty-six chapters should represent 
 84 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 
 
 the intense activity of those years, did we not remember 
 that a paragraph or chapter often summarizes in briefest 
 possible form the leading ideas of a year or more of 
 active ministry. From the material preserved to us we 
 might infer that his busiest years were at the opening 
 and at the close of his prophetic life, for the greater 
 number of these chapters belong to the years 739 to 
 732, and 705 to 701 B. C. 
 
 The first group includes about fourteen chapters, and 
 reflects the earlier activity of Isaiah down to the fall of 
 the northern kingdom (722 B. C), a period of seventeen 
 or eighteen years. From the standpoint of prophetic 
 biography these chapters are full of interest. Aside 
 from the story of his consecration to his exalted office, 
 they reproduce his earliest ministry, when his message 
 was of judgment upon the ungodliness and crime pre- 
 vailing in Judah, — a message parallel in many respects to 
 those of Amos and Rosea, and doubtless inspired in 
 part by them. About 735 B. C. came the crisis which 
 gave occasion for his first appearance as a political ad- 
 viser. The weak and timid King Ahaz, being besieged 
 in his own capital by the allied armies of the kings of 
 Northern Israel and Syria, secretly meditated a deliv- 
 erance by becoming a vassal of the all-powerful king of 
 Assyria, the famous Tiglath-pileser. The prophet ap- 
 pealed in vain to prince and people to show their trust 
 8s 
 
Isaiah 6 : i Messages of the 
 
 in Jehovah by relying upon him alone in their emer- 
 gency, and rejecting all temporary expedients for safety. 
 Disappointing as his failure was, it had important re- 
 sults, which affected the methods and principles of his 
 subsequent ministry. The most obvious consequence 
 was also, in all probability, the most important Since 
 the nation as such would not heed his message, he 
 seems to have retired from public activity and given 
 himself to the instruction of such kindred spirits as he 
 could gather round him. Thus the ten years of com- 
 parative silence which followed were, after all, years of 
 most influential service, and the period as a whole was 
 an essential preparation for the outwardly more glorious 
 achievements of later years. 
 
 Our study of the life and teachings of the prophet as 
 portrayed in his own utterances will naturally commence 
 with his reminiscences of that solemn hour when his 
 Lord was first revealed as a king, who called for a mes- 
 senger to men, and accepted him. 
 
 II 
 
 ISAIAH'S CALL TO SERVICE (6) 
 
 ui'thetempie J^^t after the death of my once-revered sovereign, 
 (6:1-3). Uzziah, while meditating in the temple on the outlook 
 before my beloved people, I suddenly found myself 
 86 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 6 : lo 
 
 standing in the very presence of Jehovah, enthroned in 
 majesty, his ample robes seeming to fill the space before 
 me. Around him stood a retinue of heavenly beings, 
 veiling in deep reverence their faces and forms, while 
 they joined in continual praise of his holiness, power, 
 and glory. 
 
 My first impression was one of fear. The thresholds His confes- 
 
 * sion of sin 
 
 trembled at the sound of their voices ; before my pro- and forgive- 
 
 fane eyes a protecting veil of mist arose. I longed to 
 
 unite my praises with those of the heavenly choir, but a 
 
 sense of my unworthiness checked me, and I said : 
 
 ♦ ' Alas ! I dare not take the holy name upon my lips, 
 
 for this vision of my heavenly sovereign reveals to me 
 
 my own sin and that of my people. ' ' No sooner had I 
 
 uttered this confession than I was given a glad assurance 
 
 of forgiveness and atonement. A seraph touched my 
 
 lips with a glowing coal from the altar, assuring me that 
 
 they were now cleansed. At once I seemed to hear His call 
 
 . (6 : S-ga). 
 
 Jehovah saying, "Who will be our messenger to men ?" 
 
 and with joy I offered myself for the service. Then he The eflfect of 
 
 . his preach- 
 
 uttered this depressmg word : "I appomt you, mdeed, ing upon his 
 to declare my will to this people. Do not overestimate, coumfymen 
 however, the effect of your preaching. The great mass ^ ' ^ ^^*^* 
 of your countrymen will refuse to listen to you. Nay, 
 the more earnestly you plead, the more will their obsti- 
 nacy deaden their capacity to receive spiritual impres- 
 87 
 
Isaiah 6 : lo Messages of the 
 
 sions. Your work will seem disheartening and fruitless. ' ' 
 Appalled by this prospect, I said : "Surely, O Jehovah ! 
 there will be a limit to this stubborn unbelief ; ' * but in 
 reply I received a message which wrung my heart : 
 "Not until Jehovah's desolating judgment of war and 
 captivity has been enforced against this sinful land. 
 Even when only a tenth of the people remains, the judg- 
 ment must be repeated, until nothing is left of the 
 A ray of stately tree of Judah but an unsightly stump." One 
 (6 : 13b). blessed ray of hope was given me : "As the stump of 
 the oak tree retains its vitality and sends up shoots, 
 which form a new tree, so will it be with Judah. The 
 faithful servants of Jehovah, though few in number, will 
 survive the judgment, and grow again into a people 
 fitted to carry out God's great plan." 
 
 Ill 
 
 PROPHECIES OF JUDGMENT UPON JUDAH FOR THE 
 SINS OF THE NATION 
 
 I. Sermons about Jerusalem from Jehovah' s Point oj 
 View (2 to 4) 
 
 ^eJtatto "' •^^^ ^°^^ ^^^^"^ Jehovah had called me to his service, 
 regarding as I was thinking of his plans for my people there 
 glory of came to my mind the well-known prediction that Mt. 
 (2:2-4). Zion, the site of the beautiful temple of Jehovah, will 
 
 88 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 2:18 
 
 y0t become the most conspicuous mountain in the world, 
 so that all nations will eagerly flock thither to be taught 
 true views regarding God and life. Their disputes will 
 then be settled by Jehovah' s just arbitrament. Since all 
 necessity for war will cease, their weapons will be fash- 
 ioned into implements of agriculture. 
 
 As I repeated in public this glorious hope, I could but JJ^^^J^' 
 add, ' ' O house of Jacob, does not such a destiny impel us not fulfil 
 
 r 1/-! such pleas- 
 
 so to serve our God that we may be found worthy to fulfil ing hopes 
 it ? For let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that ' 
 Jehovah is ready to use us, sinners that we are. He must 
 sorely discipline his beloved people, for they no longer 
 trust in him. Sorcerers and soothsayers and strangers 
 are their friends. They gloat over their accumulating 
 wealth and resources. They have even filled the city 
 with idols made by themselves. Every one of them de- 
 serves a humiliating retribution for his forgetfulness of 
 God ; they are beyond forgiveness. 
 
 You boast, O my people, of what will happen on Jc- "^il^/'^^y,, 
 hovah'sday. Alas! his coming in majesty will be a day a day of 
 
 - ,,.,.. ^ , . , humiliation 
 
 of terror and humiliation to you. Everythmg that seems for mere 
 to exalt itself or minister to human pride shall be (^: lo^i^" ^ 
 brought low, for at all costs Jehovah will maintain his 
 supremacy. He alone will be exalted. 
 
 The idols, so carefully made of costly material, will be 
 cast aside when Jehovah reveals his majestic presence in 
 89 
 
Isaiah 2:19 Messages of the 
 
 And a day the earthquake. You will try to hide away from him 
 
 when idola- 
 try will be in the recesses of the rocks. How puny human power 
 
 (2 : 18-21). will then seem to be ; how useless such hand-made 
 
 gods 
 
 The com- In the year that the boy king, Ahaz, ascended the 
 
 plete col- ^ <j 
 
 lapse of throne, I made known to Judah the catastrophe to be ex- 
 
 social order , _ , , n n i -i 
 
 in Judah pccted. " Jehovah will remove all who contribute to 
 {^^1'-^)- ^^^ order and stability of society. Weak and capricious 
 rulers shall have supreme power. All discipline or gov- 
 ernment will come to an end. In vain will you entreat 
 the one remaining householder to assume authority over 
 his fellows. You will all be driven to utter despair. ' ' 
 Because of The reason for this certain ruin is the flagrant wicked- 
 judgment of ness carried on so openly by those who should be the 
 upon^her protectors and exemplars of virtue. They cannot com- 
 rulers plain if their own evil doings bring evil upon them- 
 
 (3 :8-i2). selves. O my people, your leaders are misleaders ; they 
 only make you go astray. When Jehovah calls his 
 Hewiiivin- people before him for judgment, he will reckon with 
 
 dicate the ^ ^ J fe » 
 
 oppressed these cruel and selfish rulers, who neglect all interests 
 
 (3 : 13-15). 
 
 but their own. 
 
 The fate of ^t another time Tehovah bade me announce that his 
 
 the haughty ■' 
 
 and luxuri- righteous judgment would not fail to descend upon the 
 
 Jerusalem proud and vain ladies of Jerusalem, whose luxuries gave 
 
 /:i'). ° excuse for the exactions of their husbands. Theirs shall 
 
 be a terrible fate. Those who are now so haughty and 
 
 90 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 5 : i 
 
 coquettish will be stripped of their bewildering attire, 
 exposed to shame, and treated as wretched captives of 
 war, while the holy city will be disconsolate because of 
 the loss of her brave defenders. So few will be spared 
 that the women in that day will crowd around each sur- 
 vivor and plead for marriage, that they may be spared 
 the reproach of childlessness. 
 
 pWhen the desolating judgment has been completed, T^^^^'^X^ 
 the land will become abundantly fertile. The few who Jehovah will 
 
 , /- • • t 1 . t ,.^ . , delight to 
 
 are left to enjoy it, because predestmed to life in the dwell 
 holy city, will be truly holy, for Jehovah himself will 
 thoroughly purify them. Over the city will hover his 
 protecting presence, even as he once manifested himself 
 to his people in the desert He will also protect his 
 favorite dwelling-place from the scorching heat of mid- 
 day and from the driving storm. His constant presence 
 will make it a paradise.] 
 
 2. Judah the Unfruitful Vineyard of fehovah (5 : 1-24) 
 
 Determined to bring home to my countrymen their The song of 
 unfaithfulness to God, I offered one day to sing a melo- IndltTappS 
 dious song about a friend of mine who owned a vine- ff *.'i?-) 
 yard : 
 
 1 It is thought by many scholars that this paragraph formed no part of 
 the spoken message of the prophet at this particular epoch, but was added 
 as a suitable conclusion at the time when the separate sermons of chap- 
 ters 2 to 4 were gathered into their present literary form. 
 
 91 
 
Isaiah 5 : 2 Messages of the 
 
 A vineyard belongs to my friend, 
 On a hill that is fruitful and sunny ; 
 He digged it and cleared it of stones, 
 And planted there vines that are choice. 
 A tower he built in the midst. 
 And hewed therein also a wine-vat ; 
 And he looked to find grapes that are good. 
 Alas ! it bore grapes that are wild.i 
 
 I appealed to my auditors : "Ye men of Judah, your- 
 selves judge. Has this vineyard fulfilled my reasonable 
 expectations ? Am I not amply justified in laying it 
 waste and giving it no further care?" At their ready 
 assent I exclaimed, "O men of Judah, you have con- 
 demned yourselves. You are the plantation on which 
 Jehovah has lavished his affectionate care. He ex- 
 pected you to set an example of justice, but there is no- 
 thing to be seen but bloodshed ; he. looked for righteous- 
 ness, but he hears the bitter outcry of the oppressed."^ 
 judah'swUd Y)q jq-^ indignantly deny my charge ? Then let me 
 greed for show you the evils that are sapping the moral life of this 
 
 landed . ^ , 11^ , . . 
 
 estates nation. See the cruel greed for vast estates that incites 
 the wealthy to unjustly add to their possessions until a 
 few of them possess the whole land. Woe to them ! 
 Jehovah himself hath revealed to me that depopulation 
 and barrenness shall be the sequel. 
 
 1 The version is that of Professor Cheyne. 
 s The contrasts are heightened, in the Hebrew, by striking similarities of 
 sound in the words. 
 
 92 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 5 : 23 
 
 Again God' s curse is upon those nobles who spend Excessive 
 
 , ^ ..... Z drunkenness 
 
 day and night m reckless dissipation, too engrossed with (5 : n-i?)- 
 the pleasures of the table to give attention to Jehovah' s 
 interests. Alas ! not these alone, but the many who un- 
 thinkingly follow them, will have to suffer the distress of 
 captives. Nay, Sheol shall engulf in oblivion all their 
 pomp and glory. Where once was a beautiful city 
 flocks shall peacefully graze ; for at all costs Jehovah 
 will compel his people to recognize him as the righteous 
 and holy One. 
 
 Woe again to those who are so deliberate and per- Defiant 
 
 1 ' '111 T -1 /- , skepticism 
 
 sistent in doing evil that they even dare to defy Jeho- (5 : 18, 19). 
 vah's judgment, announced through his servants, until 
 it overtakes them ! Their very attachment to their sin 
 is a bond which fetters them for the inevitable judg- 
 ment 
 
 Jehovah cannot look with favor upon those who, for Sophistry 
 
 ^ and egoism 
 
 their own profit, juggle with moral distinctions that (5 : 20, 21). 
 abuses may flourish, nor upon those self-complacent 
 men of influence who will take no heed of prudent 
 counsel. The just God cannot approve of those on Judicial cor- 
 thrones of judgment whose only ambition is to be (5 122, 23). 
 praised for their ability in drinking and their skill in 
 producing drinks, while officially they accept bribes to 
 acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent 
 
 O my people, these sins are ruining our beloved na- 
 
 93 
 
Isaiah 5 : 24 Messages of the 
 
 Theconciu- tion. As swiftly as fire devours stubble, or as hay 
 5 . 24 . gj^j.-^g|g -j^ ^^ flame, will it lose strength and life ; for 
 its citizens will not listen to the warning voice of their 
 • King and Lord. 
 
 3. Israel's Ripeness for Judgment, a Warning 
 (9 : 8 to 10 : 4 ; 5 : 25-30) 
 
 Israel's dis- Jehovah has often spoken to his people of Samaria by 
 
 regard of 
 
 divine providential dealings which they should have recognized 
 
 (^Q^^s-if). and interpreted as warnings. But in their self-confi- 
 dence and bravado they simply boast that they can re- 
 pair all their losses to their own advantage, wholly ignor- 
 ing Jehovah's purpose. He it was who stirred up their 
 fierce eastern foes, the Syrians, and their Philistine ene- 
 mies on the west, so that repeatedly the strength of 
 their land was broken. Yet, since there was no repent- 
 ance, Jehovah* s menacing attitude had still to be main- 
 tained. 
 The sudden Upon these obsdnate people Jehovah brought an 
 which over- overwhelming calamity. He suddenly caused the lead- 
 (9° 13-17). ers, great and small, true and false, to perish. They 
 amply deserved this fate, for they misled and ruined 
 their people. The whole nadon shared in their corrup- 
 tion. God could spare neither the strong nor the help- 
 less. And even then he was forced to continue his 
 judgments. 
 
 94 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 5 : 28 
 
 For wickedness, which Jehovah permits to have its The horror* 
 way, is as unquenchable and destructive as a forest fire, anarchy* 
 A condition of anarchy arose at once in Israel. Faction ^^ ' '^'**^- 
 fought with faction, all ties of kindred being forgotten 
 in the mad strife. The only bond of unity was a com- 
 mon hatred of Judah. But not even this has sufficed to 
 open their eyes. 
 
 Woe to those men who use their power to cover, by A day of 
 the forms of justice, the most grievous wrongs against coming"fm- 
 ilie poor and helpless ! What will such do in the dayj^uSJf 
 of reckoning, when Jehovah summons the invader from (^° • '*■♦)• 
 afar ? Of what use then will be their ill-gotten wealth? 
 Nothing can they do but burrow for safety beneath the 
 corpses on the battle-field. Even this sweeping judg- 
 ment will not satisfy Jehovah's sense of justice. 
 
 * Nor did the earthquake avail. Jehovah raised his The earth- 
 hand, the mountains shook, the dead were like offal in Os^f 25). 
 the streets, yet the warning was unheeded. 
 
 So Jehovah will have to signal to a distant but well- God's dis- 
 
 . . . , , . ^ ., tantinstru- 
 
 known nation, summonmg it to be his agent of retribu- mem of 
 tion upon his stubborn people. Tireless and vigilant, (5 :^*i). 
 perfectly appointed for war, its weapons ready for use, 
 its horses and chariots prepared for action, swiftly will it 
 
 1 The proper position of this verse, which seems to be all that is left of a 
 stanza of equal length with the four preceding ones, is a matter of much 
 dispute among scholars. 
 
 95 
 
Isaiah 5 : 29 Messages of the 
 
 come, and will take possession of the land as a lion 
 seizes its prey. Its onset will be irresistible, and nothing 
 shall escape its grasp. With the rush and roar of a tidal 
 wave, these dread foes shall sweep over the country, 
 leaving only ruin and distress behind the^i. 
 
 IV 
 
 INCIDENTS AND SERMONS RELATING TO THE WAR OF 
 SYRIA AND ISRAEL AGAINST JUDAH 
 
 I. The Situation (7:1, 2) 
 In the closing days of Jotham' s reign over Judah (2 
 Kings 15 : 37), Rezon, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the 
 king of Israel, made an alliance, and declared war 
 against Judah, in order to force her to unite with them 
 in resisting the future advances of the aggressive king 
 of Assyria. Chapter 17 : i-ii was probably uttered by 
 Isaiah in view of the alliance before active hostilities had 
 been begun against Judah. The accession of young 
 Ahaz to the throne of Judah may have been coincident 
 with the first attack of the allies. They met with con- 
 siderable success, yet Ahaz would not yield. The two 
 kings determined, therefore, to capture Jerusalem by 
 assault, put an end to the Davidic dynasty, and set an 
 adventurer on the throne of Judah (Isa. 7 : 6). This 
 
 96 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 17:6 
 
 greater danger produced a panic in Jerusalem. Ahaz 
 did not fail to look to his defenses ; but he resolved to 
 save his throne by declaring himself a vassal of Assyria, 
 and imploring the protection of his more distant foe. 
 To people as well as prince this seemed a judicious step 
 to take in the circumstances. While it was being con- 
 sidered, the prophet Isaiah came forward to urge a policy 
 of conduct more befitting a nation whose God was Jeho- 
 vah of Hosts. 
 
 2. The Speedy Ruin of Syria and Israel (17:1-11) 
 O men of Judah, are you dismayed to hear that Syria The ap- 
 and Israel have made an alliance ? Alas that it should fate of Da- 
 be true ! Unhappy Ephraim will bitterly regret her for- (IJy?"^). 
 getfulness of Jehovah and her friendship with the idola- 
 tries of Damascus. Nor will it avail her politically. 
 Damascus will soon be an utter ruin. Where once were 
 populous cities there will be only a lonely pasturage for 
 flocks. The kingdom, so long a protecting bulwark of 
 Israel against all northern foes, shall cease to be. 
 
 But Jehovah plans that Israel too shall speedily lose A|''jjj^^'' 
 all that has made the nation renowned and wealthy, tobeexe- 
 She shall be enfeebled as if by a wasting disease, her Israel 
 people cut off as grain is gathered by the sturdy reaper, ^'^ ' '*' '' 
 and a mere remnant left, like the meager leavings of an 
 olive-picker. 
 
 97 
 
Isaiah 1717 Messages of the 
 
 Jffectfn *To^- '^^ ^^^^^ °^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^® ^^^^ "^^^ ^^^^ recognize the 
 motingthe divine author of life, Israel's Holy One, and will cease 
 
 worship of 
 
 Jehovah to reverence idolatrous emblems and altars. Your devas- 
 ^'^ '"^^ ' tation, O Israel, as complete as that^which befell the 
 inhabitants of Canaan at the hands of your forefathers, 
 is wholly due to your forgetfulness of God, your only 
 source of strength. The pains you take in the worship 
 of the Syrian Adonis are utterly futile ; your only reward 
 will be incurable distress. 
 
 3. Faith, not Fear, the True Motive for Judah' s King 
 (7:3-17) 
 Why Isaiah When Tudah' s affairs seemed to be coming to a crisis, 
 
 sought an ■' ° 
 
 interview Jehovah directed me to take my little son "Remnant 
 
 with king ^, ,,rT^ ,, , . ■, ,, 
 
 Ahaz (7 : 3). Shall Turn, whose name was a constant remmder to all 
 the people both of the coming judgment which God had 
 bade me announce so often and of the hope which he 
 would also extend under certain conditions, and go to 
 meet the king near the end of the aqueduct of the upper 
 pool, where he was anxiously inspecting the water supply 
 
 His encour- of the city in anticipation of the coming siege. My 
 
 aging mes- 
 sage (7: 4-9). message was one of comfort and encouragement "Be 
 
 prudent, O king ; commit yourself to no rash policy. 
 
 Do not fear these menacing foes. Their show of 
 
 strength is but the last flicker of two expiring torches. 
 
 Surely you are not afraid of that usurper, Pekah, who 
 
 98 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 7 : 13 
 
 has incited Israel to make this attack, nor of his ally, 
 Rezon. It is Jehovah' s will that their plans shall fail. 
 Who are these champions in comparison with him !* 
 Let your policy be dictated by faith, and not by fear. 
 Without faith "^ in God' s word, uttered through me, there 
 is no security for you. ' * 
 
 The king' s face betrayed his unwillingness to respond The king's 
 to my appeal. Evidently he had formed some plan of ness to re- 
 action to which he and his advisers were committed. (7 : 10). 
 He was not ready to approve of an attitude of defensive 
 neutrality, supported by a steady confidence in God' s 
 protection. So Jehovah led me to continue my message. 
 •♦ Do you hesitate, O king, to place implicit trust in Je- An assuring 
 
 1.1- ^j^Ti- • , . signoflfered 
 
 hovah, your God ? Let him convmce you by a sign and refused 
 that I am speaking in his name. Ask any sign you ^ " "' ^^ " 
 choose in the whole realm of creation." Unwilling to 
 commit himself, the king replied, evasively, "God 
 forbid that I should put Jehovah to the proof, ' ' where- 
 upon, indignant at such hypocritical indifference to 
 God' s appeal through me, I said : ' ' Listen to me, all ye The sign of 
 whom Jehovah appointed to rule and lead this nation, manuei 
 Is it so small a matter to ignore the thoughtful advice ^^ ' ^^'^^^' 
 
 1 Verse 8 ^ is generally regarded as an insertion, not a part of Isaiah's 
 real address at this time. 
 
 'There is a play on words here. *♦ Without belief there will be no 
 relief." 
 
 99 
 
Isaiah 7 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 of your faithful subjects that you delight in despising 
 Jehovah' s counsel as well ? He will give you a sign. 
 A young woman shall bear a son who shall truly repre- 
 sent the hopes we have inherited^ from the days of 
 David. His very name, 'God-is-with-us,' shall express 
 the secret of his power. Through your obstinate folly 
 he shall receive but a sorry inheritance. His youth 
 shall be spent amidst privations, his food being only 
 curds and wild honey ; for while he is yet young the 
 lands of Syria and Israel shall be ravaged, and the very 
 power on which you rely for deliverance from this present 
 danger shall be the means of inflicting upon Judah such 
 a blow as it has not known since the days of the great 
 disruption. 
 
 4. The Certain Consequences of the Pro-Assyrian 
 Policy (7 : 18-25) 
 
 Tudah will At various times thereafter I set forth to my people 
 
 be invaded 
 
 by both the inevitable results of the determmation of Ahaz to 
 AfJyria" enter into alliance with Assyria. " It can but result in 
 
 (7 : 18-20). 
 
 drawing us, as well as our neighbors, into the struggle 
 which Egypt and Assyria, in God' s providence, will soon 
 begin. Their armies, like swarms of insects in number, 
 shall penetrate into every obscure corner and hiding- 
 place of our land. The very force which Ahaz has 
 100 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 8 : 5 
 
 bribed to rid us of our enemies Jehovah will employ to 
 lay bare and humiliate his own people. 
 
 "So complete will be the ruin that the few remaining All judah 
 domestic animals will have free range, and from their turned into 
 yield of milk the sparse population will get the curds ^7^ 2^5^" 
 which, with wild honey, will be their only food. All the 
 choice vineyards, so prized by Judeans, will give place 
 to thorny thickets, where hunters will seek their game, 
 or to pasturage for cattle and sheep. ' ' 
 
 5. A Vain Appeal fr 0771 King to People (8 : 1-18) 
 
 Since the king and his advisers would pay no heed to 
 my suggestion of the only policy worthy of a nation 
 whose God was Jehovah, I was moved to take steps to 
 impress upon the people the uselessness of their panic. 
 I inscribed upon a huge tablet, in plain letters, the sug- The public 
 gestive words " Hasten-spoil-speed-prey," and fas- (8: 1,2). 
 tened it where all the people could see, securing two 
 reliable witnesses of my act. Some time later another The name 
 
 of his second 
 
 son was born to me. Acting still under divine direction, son and its 
 
 T , . , . .... , meaning 
 
 I gave him this same name, explaining it to mean that (8 : 3, 4). 
 before long Damascus and Samaria would be captured 
 and plundered by the Assyrian king. 
 
 But the faith of the populace was no sturdier than that The As- 
 
 synan ally 
 
 of their king. The danger from a visible foe seemed far to become 
 
 ,.,,,, . ^ an invader 
 
 more substantial to them than the promises of an unseen (8 : 5-8). 
 loi 
 
Isaiah 8 : 6 Messages of the 
 
 God. So this message came to me : " Since this people 
 despise the gently flowing water of Shiloah, fitting type 
 of God' s unobtrusive but beneficent^ presence in our 
 midst, and are faint-hearted at the sight of Rezon, Jeho- 
 vah must give them a needed lesson. The Assyrians, to 
 whom you wish to appeal, will advance like the flooded 
 Euphrates, inundating not only Israel, but also Judah, 
 all but engulfing this land, carrying destruction to every 
 quarter of even Immanuel' s land. 
 Although a « < Let that name be our inspiring watchword. God' s 
 
 people of i «-> 
 
 faith might presence is indeed with us. We might defy the peoples 
 defiance gathered from the ends of the earth to serve under 
 ( • 9-IO)- Assyria' s standard if our faith is strong. Their destruc- 
 tive plans can be frustrated with ease, since God is in 
 our midst" 
 Isaiah's cer- While under the immediate influence of God, in a 
 
 tamty that . 
 
 his advice State of prophetic ecstasy, I received this warning against 
 (8:11-15). the impulses of the hour: "With bated breath your 
 countrymen are discussing the schemes of Rezon and 
 Pekah. Do not share their absurd terrors, but rev- 
 erence Jehovah as the great central factor of human 
 life. To those who trust him, he, the Rock, will be an 
 altar of refuge ; to those who ignore his mercy, a stum- 
 bling-block and trap. ' ' 
 
 Alas ! as Jehovah predicted when he called me to his 
 service, I have not been able to draw this people close 
 102 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah i : 8 
 
 to God. They have not listened to my appeals. God His retire- 
 
 - -11 1 -1 ment from 
 
 counsels me to write these down and commit them to public life to 
 my little circle of faithful disciples. This done, I will f Jififmeiu of 
 wait patiently until by their fulfilment Jehovah vindi- J'/ons'^^'^'^' 
 cates his messenger. Meanwhile, I and my children, (^ '• ^6-i8). 
 our very names recalling constantly the messages I have 
 uttered of judgment, promise, and power, shall be living 
 witnesses to my people of Jehovah' s presence and pur- 
 pose. 
 
 6. Jehovah s Controversy with his People — 
 a Retrospect (i : 2-31) 
 
 Let all creation listen and shudder while I recount The nation's 
 how Jehovah has been forced to charge his people with toward" * 
 rebellion. They are less grateful and responsive to him (i \l%), 
 than an ox or an ass to its owner. So utterly corrupt 
 are they that they hate Jehovah for his very holiness, 
 and refuse to worship him to whom they owe their exist- 
 ence as a nation. 
 
 Why lay yourselves open to further punishment by Resulting in 
 your continued apostasy ? You are bruised and mangled calamity 
 from head to foot, — a mass of festering sores, left with- ' ^^ * 
 out attention. Our land is a desert, ravaged by foreign 
 troops, as desolate as the site of ancient Sodom. ^ Jeru- 
 salem is yet spared, but is as isolated as a watcher's 
 
 1 This alteration of the text is supported by many scholars. It then be- 
 comes a familiar simile. 
 
 103 
 
Isaiah i : 8 Messages of the 
 
 booth in a large vineyard or cucumber-field, or as a city 
 
 closely besieged. Only Jehovah' s mercy has prevented 
 
 our utter destruction. 
 
 ritel b°ut^^ Do you think to keep Jehovah's favor by a lavish use 
 
 active right- of sacrifices, O wicked people ! Listen to divine in- 
 
 eousness is ^ *■ 
 
 what God struction. Your costly and constant offerings of various 
 
 desires i • j j • i • • 
 
 (i : 10-17). kmds I do not wish. Your coming into my presence is 
 a mere form, your mechanical performance of your re- 
 ligious duties a desecration. Every one of your gifts is 
 detestable to me, your presence at sacred seasons unen- 
 durable, for you bring iniquity with you. Even your 
 prayers are offensive and useless, for your uplifted hands 
 betray stains of blood. Cleanse yourselves, put away 
 evil, do deeds of righteousness, give every human being 
 his rights. Then Jehovah can show you favor. 
 
 He is will- Let US comc to a mutual understanding. Do not 
 
 ingtopar- , . ^ ,. . -- • tt i 
 
 don all who despair of divine forgiveness. However grossly you 
 him ^ have sinned, you can be made free from stain, if you will 
 (I- 1 -20). jjevote yourselves heartily to Jehovah's service. If you 
 
 continue to rebel, you must take the awful consequences, 
 
 for Jehovah' s word cannot be broken. 
 Jerusalem's Q my beloved city, must I utter a wail for you as one 
 
 degeneracy 
 
 (1 : 21-23). dead ? ^ Instead of being a home for those who practice 
 ^ . righteousness, you shelter offenders against God's right- 
 
 1 A thought cleverly expressed in the Hebrew by putting verse 21 into 
 elegiac meter. 
 
 104 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 8 : 19 
 
 eous law. Nothing real and genuine is left. Your 
 princes have no principle. ^ They connive at extortion, 
 and neglect the cause of those who cannot bribe them. 
 
 Therefore the Lord Jehovah, the defender of Israel' s Jehovah's 
 
 purpose to 
 
 true interests, having discovered that Jerusalem' s real rest(ve her 
 adversaries are her own wicked people, will purge away 
 these evil-doers, and restore to authority true rulers who 
 have her best interests at heart. Thus the city, as of 
 old, shall become a stronghold of righteousness. 
 
 By this righteous judgment God shall redeem his city 
 and those faithful ones who turn to him repentant, but 
 the rebellious he will destroy. At that time, all remain- '. ■ • \,,' 
 ing confidence in sacred trees or other emblems of 
 nature worship shall disappear, for superstition will be 
 as dead as a sapless oak or a waterless garden. It will 
 destroy itself unheeded. 
 
 7. The Bright Future for those who Trust in God 
 (8 : 19 to 9 : 7) 
 
 During the dark days which followed the events The despair 
 already described, God gave me this message for my of the God- 
 faithful disciples. "When the people in defiant despair people^" 
 urge you to have recourse to necromancers and wizards, ^^ ' ^^'^^^* 
 be bold to point out to them the disloyalty and folly of 
 
 1 This chapter is full of similar plays on words, which cannot be ren- 
 dered. 
 
 105 
 
Isaiah 8 : 20 Messages of the 
 
 such action. They will then remember my teachings, 
 although it will be too late to profit by them. Wander- 
 ing through the land, discouraged and faint with hunger, 
 they will be goaded to fury by their sufferings. In 
 whatever direction they look for help, no ray of hope 
 A gleam of -will brighten the gloom. But for those who know Jeho- 
 
 hope (9:1). ^ ^ . , •' 
 
 vah's purpose, and can trust him, a brighter prospect 
 dawns. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali, already 
 feeling the depressing humiliation and hopeless prospect 
 of a captive land, shall be the first to see the light of the 
 The sure j^ew day. All shall share in the blessing ; there shall 
 
 deliverance •' ° 
 
 from the be no bounds to their joy, for the galling dominion of 
 
 dominion of 
 
 Ass>Tia Assyria shall be suddenly broken. Yes, every relic of 
 
 (9 • 2-5)- ^^ armies which trample on the liberties of Canaan, 
 
 and drench its soil with blood, shall be given to the 
 
 flames in anticipation of the glorious reign of our deliv- 
 
 Thedeiiv- erer. He shall be bom to rule and lead this people. 
 
 Prince of and, in grateful recognition of his character and deeds, 
 
 {^6%). his people shall name him, because of his wisdom, 
 
 • Wonderful Counselor ; ' because of his strength, 
 
 ' Hero-God ; ' because of his constant care of his 
 
 people, ' Father of Eternity,' and, to describe the 
 
 nature and effects of his rule, 'Prince of Peace.' 
 
 His authority will be everywhere recognized, and his 
 
 reign profoundly peaceful, for he will establish his 
 
 throne forever by the exercise of justice and righteous- 
 
 106 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 23 : 14 
 
 ness. Do you question this promise ? Jehovah' s honor 
 is pledged to its performance." 
 
 A PROPHECY REGARDING PHOENICIA (23 : I -1 8) 
 
 When Shalmaneser IV, about 725 B. C, was laying The coming 
 siege to Tyre, the prophet uttered this message concern- XyTe" ^ 
 ing that city of merchants: "Mourn, O homeward ^'^^' ^"^^" 
 bound merchantmen, over the disaster reported to you 
 at Cyprus. The harbors are closed against you. 
 Phoenicia, so long enriched by traffic, whose harvest- 
 fields were in Egypt, is helpless. The lonely sea will 
 not acknowledge her children nourished on her bosom. 
 Egypt herself shall be seized with a panic. 
 
 "OTyrians, make haste to flee to distant Tarshish. Because Je- 
 
 hovah 
 
 Tyre is no longer the happy, enterprising city of olden purposes to 
 times, the maker of kings, the home of merchants as her (23 : 6-9). 
 honored as princes. Jehovah has humiliated her be- 
 cause her greatness was never ascribed to him, the true 
 Source of all. 
 
 *' It will be useless to escape, for Jehovah' s power can She will 
 reach over the sea. Neither in her colonies nor in chance to 
 Cyprus will the fugitives from the ruined city find a(23Tio-i4). 
 resting-place. The recent ruthless spoliation of Chaldea 
 by the Assyrian takes away her hope of deliverance. 
 107 
 
Isaiah 23 : 15-18 
 Tyre's « ' for many years — the length of a dynasty — Tyre shall 
 
 future ser- ^ ^ .,, . , ■,-, i 
 
 vice for be in oblivion. Then she will sing the well-known 
 
 Jehovah ^ , ^ ^■, ^ 
 
 (23 : 15-18). harlot s ballad : 
 
 Take thy lute and go about the city, 
 Harlot, forgotten now by men ! 
 
 Play thou with skill, sing many a ditty 
 To win remembrance then.i 
 
 Thus regaining her traffic with mankind, she shall 
 consecrate her gains to Jehovah and to the use of his 
 faithful servants." 
 
 » Cheyne's version. 
 
 108 
 
THE MESSAGE OF MICAH 
 
THE MESSAGE OF MICAH 
 
 THE PEASANT PROPHET OF JUDAH 
 
 While the prophet Isaiah was studying his country' s 
 need from the point of view of a broad-minded states- 
 man conversant with her ambitions and in close touch 
 with her leaders, there arose in the obscure village of 
 Moresheth, near the border of Philistia, a man of God 
 who surveyed the tendencies and dangers of the time 
 from the standpoint of a man of the people. Realizing 
 even more keenly than his aristocratic colleague the 
 bitter and heartless tyranny of the upper classes, Micah 
 proposed a more drastic requital. In his earliest prophe- 
 cies, when he probably was yet a young man, and before 
 he had gained his broadest outlook, his message of judg- 
 ment was as unreserved as that of Amos. It is an 
 interesting illustration of the fact that God gradually 
 revealed his purposes even to his servants the prophets, 
 to note that, while Micah, viewing only the immediate 
 situation, affirmed in a way that carried conviction to 
 the heart of his hearers ^ the certain ruin of Jerusalem, 
 
 1 Compare with Micah 3 : la the explanation in Jen 36 : X7-X9. 
 Ill 
 
Micah Messages of the 
 
 Isaiah, his thoughts directed to the plans of Jehovah 
 for his people, affirmed with equal confidence that 
 Jerusalem was secure from hostile attack. Each was a 
 true prophet, but not a prophet of the whole truth. 
 
 The conditions of Judah, when Micah first began to 
 prophesy, were, indeed, such as to stir a prophet' s soul. 
 If Hezekiah ascended the throne about 727 B. C. he had 
 not been reigning long. Isaiah' s work as a social re- 
 former had met with scant success. Unable even to 
 prevent Ahaz and the people from entering into alliance 
 with Tiglath-pileser, he had, in the main, given himself 
 for the last dozen years to the instruction of his disciples. 
 The social wrongs, which he had first attacked, became 
 more and more marked. Misuse of power, indifference 
 to the claims of human brotherhood, and wanton luxury, 
 characterized the daily life of the city. To Micah, the 
 villager, the unjust treatment of the helpless poor by 
 men of wealth and power is the sin that cries aloud to 
 heaven. He has but little to say about idolatry or dis- 
 play or immorality. 
 
 Were the first three chapters all we have of Micah' s 
 utterances, it would be easy to draw the prophet' s por- 
 trait He would be much like Amos — brusk, earnest, 
 eloquent, — a rugged, simple, clear-eyed messenger of 
 judgment So strongly marked are these characteristics 
 that some scholars are inclined to deny that chapters 
 112 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 
 
 4-7 are from Micah. When we recognize, however, the 
 probability that Micah and Isaiah would become known 
 to each other, and that the younger prophet would 
 gradually come into sympathy with the broader and 
 more spiritual tone of his predecessors, especially of 
 Hosea, it is no longer difficult to understand his change 
 of tone and outlook. While it is not likely that such 
 different messages as those of chapters 1-3 and chapters 
 4-5, would be uttered in direct succession, it is wholly 
 probable that they would spring from the varied pros- 
 pect of two distinct periods of his life. 
 
 The Book of Micah represents utterances of very dif- 
 ferent dates. Chapters 1-3 can be dated with reasonable 
 assurance not far from 722 B. C, since the first chapter 
 represents the fall of Samaria as either imminent or 
 recent, while the other two supplement and explain the 
 first. Verses 12 and 13 of chapter 2 are evidently out of 
 place. They are a fragment of some separate sermon, 
 and break, in their present position, the very close con- 
 nection of thought They seem to belong with verses 
 6 and 7 of chapter 4, which refer to the restoration from 
 exile. Chapters 4 and 5 refer consistently to Judah' s fu- 
 ture, but are made up from a number of separate prophe- 
 cies. If they were gathered up by Micah himself, they 
 probably represent sermons delivered not far from 701 
 B. C. Chapter 6 is not easily dated. By many it is 
 113 
 
Micah Messages of the 
 
 referred to the reign of Manasseh, but the grounds for 
 the judgment are very slight It may quite as well be 
 earlier. The first six verses of chapter 7 reflect a condi- 
 tion of persecution which can hardly be earlier than 
 Manasseh' s time. The remainder of the chapter can 
 hardly have been put together earlier than the close of 
 the exile. It is usually considered a late appendix to 
 Micah' s prophecies. 
 
 The prophecies of Micah are remarkable for indepen- 
 dence of thought, and for beauty and force of expression. 
 Like Amos, he is a peasant only in his surroundings and 
 his point of view ; he is a master of artistic and effective 
 rhetoric. His use of paranomasia is unique, and his 
 reminiscences of earlier prophetic writings unobtrusive. 
 If it is safe, with the majority of students of his writings, 
 to consider that the bulk of this book can be ascribed to 
 him, it follows that he was fully worthy of a place by the 
 side of Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah. Unsparing in criti- 
 cism when plain speech was needed, he could dis- 
 criminate. Beginning as a prophet of judgment, he 
 became a prophet of restoration, of divine forgiveness, 
 and of Israel' s future glory. No man of God in the days 
 before the exile did more than Micah to give his people 
 confidence in the gracious purpose and the loving care 
 of Jehovah. 
 
 As he came to maturity in his village home, he could 
 114 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah i : 4 
 
 look across the busy Philistine plain and observe the 
 currents of commerce and war which flowed from the 
 coast region toward Jerusalem. With his keen apprecia- 
 tion of the abnormal social conditions in Judah, and his 
 grasp of the true ideals of Jehovah, and his acquaint- 
 ance with the movements of the day, we can understand 
 why he felt sure that the time had come to utter a warn- 
 ing message to his countrymen before it should be too 
 late to save their land from God* s invading army. 
 
 II 
 
 JEHOVAH'S CERTAIN JUDGMENT AGAINST SAMARIA 
 AND JUDAH (l : 2-16) 
 
 Listen, O nations of the earth, Jehovah of Israel sum- The whole 
 mons you to witness his dealings with the people ofmoned"™" 
 his choice, in order that you may understand his provi- holTh'sleif- 
 dential purpose for the world. He is about to manifest manifesta- 
 
 * ^ tion (i :2-4). 
 
 himself in judgment, coming from his dwelling-place on 
 high. His pathway is the tempest. Beneath his tread 
 the very mountains are dissolved, as wax melts before a 
 fervent heat, and the valleys are rent in every direction, 
 like water dashed over a precipice. 
 
 He comes to punish the sins of his own chosen people, 
 who deliberately ignore his will They cannot escape 
 "5 
 
Micah 1 : 5 Messages of the 
 
 The sins of responsibility ; for the capitaPcities, Samaria and Jeru- 
 judah the salem, which should be centers of moral stimulus and 
 cause (1 . 5). j-gijgJQ^g instruction for each portion of our nation, are 
 
 but sources of corruption and ungodliness.* 
 The sweep- This is the reason for Samaria* s sad overthrow. The 
 
 ing judg- 
 ment against proud city, a "watch-tower" for strength, far famed for 
 
 (1:6,7). beauty, shall become a lonely mound, with its sloping 
 sides turned into a vineyard. The huge stones of her 
 costly palaces shall fill the valley below, while the foun- 
 dations lie exposed to wind and weather. The idols in 
 which she trusted shall be shattered, their costly offer- 
 ings and adornments destroyed by fire. These treasures, 
 earned through her shameful unfaithfulness to Jehovah, 
 her true lord and husband, shall be devoted by her con- 
 querors to their deities, 
 fete t^hreat- When the significance of this judgment comes over 
 ens jerusa- me, I am in despair. No ordinary symbol of grief ex- 
 presses my emotion. I could walk about like a captive, 
 barefooted and scantily attired. I could rival the jackal 
 or the ostrich in their distressing cries, for Samaria's 
 punishment is but an index of a wickedness in which 
 she does not stand alone. The blow that falls upon her 
 must fall on Judah too ; it will be felt in Jerusalem itself 
 
 1 In verse 5 the reading " sins," instead of " high places," is made 
 probable, not merely by the ancient versions, but by regard for parallelism 
 and context. 
 
 116 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah i : 14 
 
 I seem to see a conquering army making its way Its approach 
 
 toward the capital. What distress it will bring upon the coast to jL' 
 
 border villages ! In their names ^ I can trace omens of bdngToI'to 
 
 disaster, woe, and despair. Let not Gath (Tell-town) S^^^^^^* J;^- 
 
 spread abroad the dreadful news. You who live in Ac- "^"°"y 
 ^ (i : 10-16). 
 
 cho (Weep-town), restrain your tears ; in Beth-le-Aphrah 
 
 (House of Dust), cover yourself with dust in token of 
 your grief and disgrace. O lady of Shaphir (Beauty- 
 town), pass along in the captive train exposed to shame. 
 The citizen of Saanan (March-town) will not come forth 
 to fight, for Beth-ezel's (Neighbor-town) lamentation 
 will fill you with despair. The inhabitress of Maroth 
 (Bitternesses) cannot contain herself because of her 
 anxiety, as she hopes for a good fortune which will 
 never come ; for Jehovah will bring the evil to the very 
 gates of Jerusalem, and none shall escape. Yoke the 
 chariot to the steed {rekesh), for your time of reckoning 
 has now come, O dwellers in Lachish, who have so often 
 tempted Judah to traffic with Egypt, and to trust in her 
 aid instead of that of Jehovah. To Moresheth "-Gath, 
 
 1 This paragraph contains a remarkable series of paranomasias or plays 
 apon the names of villages, some not to be identified to-day, supposably 
 in the track of the invader. These puns cannot be imitated in English 
 with success. Some depend on the sense, some on sound. The text 
 requires some emendation, but the general meaning is quite clear. 
 
 2 The play here is probably with the similarly sounding word tntort^ 
 sheth, which means " the betrothed one." 
 
 117 
 
Micah 1 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 O Judah, you will have to give a marriage portion as she 
 is dragged away by the conqueror. The resistance of 
 the warriors of Achzib to the enemy will be as disap- 
 pointing to the rulers of Judah as a dried-up water- 
 course 1 to the thirsty traveler. To thee, O inhabitress 
 of Maresha (Possession), I shall bring one who will 
 make thee his possession ; to AduUam * shall come for 
 refuge the nobles in whom Judah takes delight Alas ! 
 O mother Judah, make manifest your deep grief, for 
 your beloved children are destined to captivity in a dis- 
 tant land. 
 
 Ill 
 THE FLAGRANT CRIMES OF JUDAH's LEADERS 
 
 (2 : i-ii ; 3 : 1-12) 
 
 I. The Sins of the Wealthy a7id Powerful (2 : i-ii) 
 The greed of Woc to thosc men of wealth so covetous of great 
 
 the landed ** 
 
 proprietors estates that even in the hours devoted to sleep they are 
 (2:1, 2). , . „ . , , , 
 
 plannmg evil measures agamst the hapless peasantry, 
 
 which at daybreak they carry out with a merciless exer- 
 cise of force. Whatever they desire they seize, whether 
 land or houses. No scruples restrain them, but, by 
 
 1 The Hebrew reads, " the houses of Achzib shall be an acktab." 
 'The word " AduUam " suggests " ad ullam,'' to their yokt. 
 118 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 2 : 7 
 
 fraud and violence, they crush and ruin the freeholders 
 of Judah. 
 
 The message of Jehovah to a nation which permits Their pun- 
 
 , , , . , ,^ . , , ishment wiU 
 
 such brutal tyranny is clear. He promises that he too be in kind 
 will plan an evil, the issue of which you shall not con- ^^ ' ^'^^' 
 trol. It will be a distressing captivity, preceded by the 
 loss of all this property which you have wrongfully ac- 
 quired. In the day of your humiliation, your own lamen- 
 tation will be echoed in mockery by your brutal captors : 
 
 *' My people' s property one measureth off with the surveyor's line, 
 And none giveth it back ; 
 To our captors one divideth our fields, 
 We be utterly spoiled." ^ 
 
 Moreover, the land you thus lose will never be re- 
 stored to you in the year of general redistribution. By 
 bringing on the nation' s destruction, you have made this 
 impossible. 
 
 Do I hear you exclaiming, in angry repudiation of my Their pro- 
 charge : ''Cease this constant prating about us and our such 
 affairs. You utter nothing but reproaches. What is the (^2??") 
 justification ^ for pronouncing such a sentence ? Are we 
 not sons of Jacob ? Has Jehovah become unable to 
 
 1 A rearrangement of an obscure passage, following the SeptuagJnt, 
 which at least suggests the elegiac meter. 
 
 2 An uncertain interpretation. Some expositors take verse 7 with what 
 follows. 
 
 119 
 
Micah 2 : 8 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 The 
 
 prophet's 
 rejoinder 
 (a : 8-10). 
 
 The secret 
 of their ob- 
 tuseness 
 (. : II). 
 
 fulfil his promises ? Are we not doing our duty by him 
 as upright citizens ? ' ' 
 
 Ah, hypocrites, what sort of uprightness do you show ? 
 You ^ are the foes of God' s people, committing all man- 
 ner of outrage upon the peaceful and defenseless, regard- 
 ing them as prey, even separating mothers from their 
 children, and selling each into hopeless slavery in a for- 
 eign land. Begone to your justly deserved exile ! Such 
 outrageous deeds defile the land, which should be holy. 
 It is no resting-place for such as you. Your iniquity in- 
 vites only God's destructive judgment. 
 
 It is easy to understand your moral obtuseness. You 
 accept as divine only what you wish to hear. One who 
 predicts for you fleshly gratifications you welcome with 
 enthusiasm as Jehovah' s prophet ; one who utters warn- 
 ings for repentance and reform you ignore. 
 
 2. The Sins of the Magistrates and Leaders (3 : 1-12) 
 
 Themagis- Q ye that rule this people of Judah, who have the 
 plunder the power to promote their highest interests, to whom they 
 (3 : 1-4). look for just judgment, how utterly you misuse your au- 
 thority! Far from being defenders of the right, you 
 exult in oppressive and unjust deeds. You flay your 
 helpless victims as cruel conquerors treat their captives ; 
 
 1 Adopting a reliable emendation, which reads, " But ye to my people 
 are," etc. 
 
 120 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 3:11 
 
 you devour them like cannibals. You are entirely for- 
 getful of your duties ; you think only of yourselves. 
 But in the day when Jehovah manifests himself to give 
 to every one his just deserts, he will be deaf to your 
 agonized appeal for mercy. 
 
 Jehovah has a message too for the prophets who abet The 
 such wrong-doing. As long as their mouths are kept mefcenarj'^* 
 full they predict prosperity and happiness for their ^^ ' ^'^^' 
 patrons ; against those who refuse to bribe them they 
 encourage all manner of opposition. They are utterly 
 selfish and mercenary. ♦ ' Such insincerity will destroy 
 your moral vision. God' s messages you will be unable 
 to read. That great day shall be for you a day of 
 humiliation and mourning, for every one will know that 
 Jehovah repudiates you as his representatives." To The true 
 me, however, his true servant, he will give power from ?om?alted 
 on high, and wisdom and courage, that I may be able to ^^ " ^^* 
 declare to my people their unfaithfulness to God, and to 
 demand repentance and reform. 
 
 O rulers of Judah, among whom justice is divided, The leaders 
 and that which is straightforward made crooked, who use fes^sfy coT' 
 your legal authority to commit judicial murders in order judgmem 
 that you may acquire the means for building stately pal- (fi'^VJ)" 
 aces, you magistrates and priests and prophets, who do 
 your duty only when bribed, and lend yourselves to any 
 injustice, do you now dare to claim Jehovah's sanction 
 
 121 
 
Micah 3:12 _ Messages of the 
 
 and protecting presence ? Can you not see that no city, 
 however sacred in name, can stand on such foundations ? 
 This is Jehovah's message to you : "If you do not 
 amend your evil-doings, ^ so sweeping a destruction shall 
 come upon Jerusalem that all signs of habitation will 
 disappear. A part may be cleared for cultivation, a 
 part will lie in ruins. The temple mountain will be as 
 forsaken as a hill in the midst of a forest. ' ' 
 
 IV 
 
 VISIONS OF THE TRIUMPHANT FUTURE FOR THE 
 JEWISH RACE RESTORED FROM EXILE (4, 5) 
 
 The future Recall, O my people, the beautiful forecast of Zion's 
 
 supremacy 
 
 of Zion service to God and the world which many of you cher- 
 • ^*4^ jg^ jj^ ^j^g distant future the temple mount shall be 
 exalted above all the earth, every nation shall acknowl- 
 edge Jehovah's law. From every quarter they shall 
 flock to Jerusalem to be instructed in the true principles 
 and practices of religion. Warfare will then come to 
 an end, for even the most distant nations will accept 
 Jehovah's arbitration in their disputes. The weapons 
 of war will be converted into implements of husbandry, 
 the science of warfare will be forgotten, men shall every- 
 where dwell in secure possession of their property. 
 
 iThe reference to this prediction in Jeremiah 26 : 17-19 shows that it 
 was to be interpreted as conditional. 
 
 122 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 4 : lo 
 
 Alas ! as yet this is but a vision of what is to be. Now The con- 
 
 , . 1 1 • 1 • 1 11 trast of the 
 
 every nation has its own god, which it acknowledges ; present time 
 but we will both now and evermore be faithful to ^^ ' ^'' 
 Jehovah. 
 
 In that future day Jehovah promises that he will After exile 
 gather together the crippled and scattered exiles. He nant" shall 
 will heal and forgive them, and build them up into the powerful 
 mighty nation of his purpose, and over them he shall "^^f 6,%). 
 reign in Jerusalem forever. 
 
 "O Israel," he has promised, "I will surely gather its deiiver- 
 
 ^ ance from 
 
 together my scattered people. They shall assemble, a captivity 
 great multitude. From their prison shall the barrier- ^ * ^^' ^^ ' 
 breaker deliver them. They shall force their way 
 through the gates and follow their lord and king, 
 Jehovah, who will lead the van, as in the days of 
 yore. 
 
 But thou, O Jerusalem, strong in thy defenses, yet The Dayidic 
 standing in the land as solitary as a shepherd' s watch- must be pre- 
 tower on the frontier, do not lose heart entirely. The aLressing 
 Davidic kingdom shall recover its ancient glory, but not T^^^Zxo). 
 immediately. I perceive a time of deep distress and 
 anguish, ending in captivity. This is but the just ret- 
 ribution for your iniquities. Expelled from the city, 
 camping in the open field, carried off captive [even to 
 Babylon], you will be rescued by Jehovah and deliv- 
 ered from the power of your foes. 
 123 
 
Micah 4 : ir ' Messages of the 
 
 The hour of The time will come when the nations which now 
 
 Zion's 
 
 triumph attack Judah with scornful confidence, insulting both her 
 
 '^ ' "^^ ' and her sovereign Lord, shall find that they are but 
 
 sheaves for Zion to thresh. At Jehovah's summons 
 
 she will tread this human harvest, devoting to her Lord 
 
 the yield thereof. 
 
 The insulted Again the invading army assembles to besiege Jerusa- 
 
 be delivered lem, the city is hemmed in, its ruler utterly helpless, and 
 
 by the shep- • i /-^ • i • • c 
 
 herd Prince exposcd ^ to gross msult. Over agamst this picture of 
 fs : i-T»^ what we may at present expect, I place the appearance 
 of the promised King, the second David, destined to 
 come from the obscure village of Bethlehem, and yet to be 
 heir of Israel' s past glory. [Not until Immanuel appears 
 (Isaiah 7 : 14) and the exiles of Israel are gathered shall 
 this be].^ Born among the people, he will watch over 
 them like a faithful shepherd, ministering to their needs 
 and proving their sufficient defense because Jehovah' s 
 strength and majesty are his. His dominion will reach 
 unto the ends of the earth, he will be the Prince of 
 Peace (Isa. 9 ; 6). 
 Thedestruc- When the Assyrian then ventures to invade our land, 
 
 tion of ^ 
 
 Assyria's there will be no lack of brave defenders. Led by the 
 
 power 
 
 (s : 5^-6). shepherd prince, these shall shepherd Assyria with the 
 
 1 Another play on words. " With a rod {shevei) they smite the judge 
 {shophei). 
 3 This verse seems to break the close connection between verses 2 and 4. 
 124 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 5:15 
 
 sword. They shall not only drive the enemy from our 
 borders, but will be able to lay waste their country. 
 
 The Jewish race, when redeemed, shall be Jehovah's The "rem- 
 instrument in dealing with mankind. To some peoples beneficent^ 
 her influence shall be as beneficent as the dew, which is five (tf;™*]! 
 subject to none other than Jehovah's laws; to other 
 nations, she shall be as fiercely destructive and irresisti- 
 ble as a lion. O Israel, may your hand be strong to cut 
 off all your enemies ? 
 
 In Jehovah's day, he promises that all that has tended In Jehovah's 
 to demoralize our nation shall be done away. The demoralizes 
 agencies of your independence and pride— the war horses «Se ^^*" 
 and chariots and large cities and strong fortresses— will ^^ ' '°*'5^- 
 be completely destroyed. Your sorcerers and diviners 
 will no longer be available. All the symbols of false 
 forms of worship— the idols of metal or stone or wood, 
 the pillars and asherahs— will be removed. And then 
 will he take signal vengeance upon the nations which 
 ignore his sovereignty. 
 
 125 
 
Micah 6 : I ' Messages of the 
 
 LATER SERMONS MOURNING JUDAH*S 
 DEGENERACY (6 : I to 7 : 6) 
 
 I. The Human and the Divine Conception of 
 True Religion (6 : i-8) 
 
 The moun- q people of Judah, listen to the word of Jehovah. 
 
 tains sum- tr r j 
 
 moned to He summons you to defend yourself against his charges 
 
 hear the . i • i mi 
 
 controversy in the presencc of the mountains. O everlasting hills 
 
 h?JI?and' and enduring foundations of the earth, as intelligent wit- 
 
 (6^: ?,^ 2^!^ nesses, he calls upon you to hear the controversy. 
 Jehovah's Q my people, what complaint have you against me ? 
 
 accusation ^ ^ tit i -» tt 
 
 of Israel's In what respect have I burdened you? How can you 
 ungrate u - ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ without excuse, when you remember 
 (6:3-5)- jjQ^ J delivered you from cruel bondage in the land of 
 Egypt, gave you illustrious leaders, brought to nought 
 through Balaam, the seer, the crafty designs of Balak, 
 the Moabitish king, and manifested my righteous and 
 friendly purpose on both sides of the Jordan ?^ 
 The reply of Q Jehovah, we Cannot but admit our guilt, we have 
 scrence-' forgotten and neglected thee. How can we make our 
 SioJant^"* peace ! Shall we present ourselves in the temple ? 
 X^fS,i)' ^"^^ we bring more valuable beasts for the burnt offer- 
 ing ? Will it please thee if we offer rams by thou- 
 sands and oil in rivers ? Shall we make our last and 
 
 1'* From Shittim unto Gilgal " is regarded by many scholars as a gloss. 
 126 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 6:12 
 
 costliest gift — our first-born son ? Will such devotion 
 win thy blessing and expiate our sin ? 
 
 O my people, you need not have been in such igno- The proph- 
 rance of Jehovah' s desire. None of these things doth he (6 : 8). 
 really require of you. They have no moral value in 
 themselves. What he demands, as an evidence that you 
 desire to serve him, is that you practice strict justice in 
 all your dealings, cherish a spirit of sincere love toward 
 your fellow-men, and obey his revealed will in quiet 
 trustfulness. 
 
 2. Jehovah s Complaint against Jerusalem (6 : 9-16) 
 Hearken, people of Jerusalem, Jehovah has a message The prophet 
 
 ,TT- ' •, t 1- . ■, summons 
 
 to your City. Wise is the man who listens with rever- the city to 
 ence. Listen, O nation of Judah, and you who are re- ''***" ^^ * ^^' 
 sponsible for its well-being.* 
 
 Can I longer, saith Jehovah, overlook the amassing of Jehovah de- 
 
 □ ounces her 
 
 wealth by fraud ? Can I withhold justly deserved pun- as a city of 
 ishment from those who use scant measures and trade (6 ?^io-*i2).°^ 
 with lying scales and weights ? The city is given over 
 to evil deeds ; her rich men think only of the wrongs 
 they may commit with impunity ; her people can utter 
 only lies. 
 
 In such circumstances I am forced to do that which 
 
 1 An obscure verse. The emendation would read " Hear ye, O tribe 
 and its assembly (?) " 
 
 127 
 
Micah 6:13 Messages of the 
 
 Her punish- will help vou to repent So grievous is your sin that my 
 
 ment will be ^ "^ ^ 
 
 a siege judgment must be terrible. An army I will set about 
 '^^^^' the city. You shall suffer the horrors of a siege, the 
 lack of sufficient food, the impossibility of escape, the 
 capture of the property you try to save, and the confis- 
 cation of your harvests. 
 
 Well de- For your ideals and methods in religious and political 
 
 served be- «--ij c ^ • -, 
 
 cause of her affairs arc those of the dynasty of Omri. Its sacrifice 
 (6 : 16). of all other considerations to its selfish ambition for 
 power and splendor was the secret of its bloody end. 
 Since you have this same ambition, it will just as cer- 
 tainly bring to you overwhelming ruin, — as captives, you 
 will be the butt for the jests of strangers. ^ 
 
 3. The Lament of Righteous Jerusalem (7 : i -6) 
 
 Her lack of Alas ! I am like a garden after the fruit has been gath- 
 eous citizens ered, or a vineyard where only gleanings remain. There 
 (7 . «-4*J' jg nothing left worth picking. My choicest citizens, the 
 earnest, loyal, generous, and good men in whom I 
 would rejoice, are no more. Every one considers his 
 neighbor as his lawful prey, and hesitates at no crime to 
 gain his end. The leaders of the people conspire to- 
 gether for evil The best of them are like thorns, — use- 
 less except to inflict pain. 
 
 1 With a slight alteration reading, with the Greek version, " nations " for 
 *' my people." This gives a natural sense. 
 128 
 
Earlier Prophets Micah 7:11 
 
 The day of reckoning, which thy prophets foresaw, O The proph- 
 
 , - ,. ^ .,",;, /. ,. et's com- 
 
 city, cannot be far distant It will be a day of dismay ment 
 and confusion. No one will know whom they can trust. "^ "^ ' '' 
 All the usual bonds of friendliness and kinship will go 
 for naught Not even will one rely on his wife and 
 children. 
 
 VI 
 
 THE PSALM OF PENITENT ISRAEL (/ I 7-20) 
 
 In after years, when the blow that Micah predicted 
 had fallen, when Judah had been taken away to bitter 
 captivity, she recognized that she had suffered for her 
 sins. Then, in deep contrition, she utters these words 
 of penitence and hope. 
 
 [I will humbly seek Jehovah, who is my true deliverer. Israel's con. 
 
 ,-.„,,, , . fession and 
 
 He will surely hearken to my truly penitent prayer, hope 
 Although my oppressor exults over my destruction as if ^ 
 final, and I seem to be in the darkness of despair, still 
 Jehovah will bring me to the light ; he will manifest 
 again his righteousness by delivering me. Then shall 
 my enemy, who scoffs at Jehovah's power, receive his 
 true deserts. 
 
 On that day of pardon and deliverance, thy ruined The proph- 
 
 •' *^ ■' et s assur- 
 
 walls shall be restored, and thy border broadened. ^ ance 
 
 ^ (7 : xi-xs). 
 
 1 The Hebrew is a play, " yirhaq hoq." 
 129 
 
Micah 7 : 14. 
 
 From every quarter of the earth people shall flock to 
 Judea, for their lands shall be made desolate in the day 
 of retribution. 
 A prayer for Q Tehovah, let our prayer come unto thee. Be again 
 
 restoration '' * i . , . •• 
 
 to judah our tender shepherd. Let us feed m the rich pastures 
 7 . 14-17)- ^^ Bashan and Gilead, and in the forests of Carmel 
 Make once more a signal deliverance of thy people from 
 oppression, so that all the nations, humbled and terror- 
 stricken, shall bow in reverence before thy power. 
 
 A hymn of What nation worships such a God as thou art, O Teho- 
 
 praise , - . , 
 
 (7: 18-20). vah, who punishes in order to redeem and forgive, who 
 takes delight in doing good to men. Our sins thou dost 
 utterly remove from sight Thou dost fulfil in truth all 
 those promises which thou gavest to our fathers ; for thy 
 faithfulness and thy mercy never faiL] 
 
 130 
 
THE LATER PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH 
 
THE LATER PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH 
 
 THE TASK OF THE PROPHET DURING THE YEARS 
 722-700 B.C. 
 
 As long as King Ahaz sat upon the throne of Judah, 
 he and his people remained loyal vassals of Assyria. 
 Whether this was due to the shrewdness or to the weak- 
 ness of the king is uncertain. The situation was not 
 without its advantages politically. Judah was guaranteed 
 security and peace, and could give undivided attention 
 to her own concerns. Consequently the prophet Isaiah, 
 whose patriotism was as unquestioned as his far-sighted 
 judgment, accepted the situation, and did all in his 
 power to maintain it. He did not give up his expecta- 
 tion of a coming judgment upon his people through the 
 very nation which was then its patron ; but, in the inter- 
 est of cultivating a more abiding trust in the Holy One 
 of Israel, the supreme ruler of the universe, he decried 
 all purely human expedients for changing the situation. 
 
 The immediate religious results of this submission 
 were deplorable. To the people at large the political 
 supremacy of Assyria implied the superior power of her 
 133 
 
Isaiah Messages of the 
 
 gods. King Ahaz not only erected a new altar in the 
 temple patterned after an Assyrian model, but made 
 other changes of similar character, and introduced the 
 Assyrian worship of the heavenly bodies (2 Kings 23 : 12). 
 In this dishonor to Jehovah of Hosts he was heartily sup- 
 ported by many of his influential subjects. As Micah's 
 unsparing criticisms show, the frivolity and superstition 
 of the early days of Ahaz developed rapidly into a 
 deliberate disregard of moral obligations. The rapacious 
 nobles tolerated only those religious advisers who pan- 
 dered to their desires. Isaiah was for a while compara- 
 tively isolated. He got no hearing from king or nobles 
 or people. His attention was devoted mainly to his own 
 disciples. That he did not fail, however, to take advan- 
 tage of any opportunity to proclaim loyalty to Jehovah 
 and conformity to righteous ideals, is shown by the cap- 
 tious complaint of the revelers, in chapter 28, that his 
 advice was, to say the least, monotonous. 
 
 There is no trace of any prominent activity on his 
 part until after the year 715 B. C, when it is certain that 
 Hezekiah was on the throne.^ The acquiescence of the 
 Judeans in their vassalage to Assyria had been promoted 
 
 1 The date of Hezekiah's accession is an unsolved problem as yet. If the 
 sixteen years ascribed to Ahaz are allowed, it was about 719 (so Cheyne, 
 McCurdy) ; if 2 Kings 18 : 9, 10, is correct, it was 727 or 725 (so Kent, 
 Skinner, G. A. Smith) ; if 2 Kings 18 : 13 is accurate, it was 715 (so Cor- 
 nill, Kittel, Stade). 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 
 
 by the decisive victories gained by Sargon in 720 over a 
 coalition of northern communities headed by Hamath, 
 and over an Egyptian army at Raphia. But about 716 
 a new sovereign came to the throne of Egypt. He 
 acknowledged himself Assyria' s vassal in 715, but began 
 to use every secret means in his power of arousing a 
 spirit of discontent among the petty states of Palestine. 
 This found expression, about 711 B.C., in the town of 
 Ashdod, which deposed its authorized ruler. But, before 
 the revolt could gain much headway, Sargon despatched 
 a selected body of troops, and quelled the insurrection. 
 Judah, along with Edom and Moab, he suspected of de- 
 siring to revolt, but contented himself with receiving 
 their ready submission. 
 
 It is probable that Isaiah was responsible for the hesi- 
 tation of the people of Judah to take part in the revolt 
 He did his best to show the sure result of such a step by 
 wearing, in public, for several years, a captive's garb. 
 He succeeded in preventing any overt acts of rebellion 
 while Sargon lived. It seems probable, however, that 
 Egyptian intrigue found all this time a ready response in 
 Judah. An anti-Assyrian, pro-Egyptian party grew in 
 strength, which counted as its adherents not a few dis- 
 tinguished courtiers. 
 
 The events which gave these conspirators courage for 
 open disaffection were two important changes of dynasty. 
 135 
 
Isaiah Messages of the 
 
 The dreaded Sargon died by violence in 705 B. C. , and 
 was succeeded by Sennacherib, whose prowess had yet 
 to be proved. At about the same time there came to 
 the over-lordship of Egypt and Ethiopia a remarkably 
 clever and ambitious king, Tirhakah. Despite Isaiah's 
 utmost activity and earnest warnings against the folly 
 and wickedness of trusting in Egypt, active negotiations 
 began between Judah and the other Palestinian states 
 looking toward a combined rebellion against Assyria. 
 King Hezekiah yielded to the popular desire, and be- 
 came a prominent factor in this league. Isaiah' s pre- 
 dictions of what Assyria would do were wholly wasted. 
 In fact, for four years, Sennacherib was forced to give 
 his whole attention to a yet more serious situation in the 
 Far East. 
 
 When his people had taken the decisive step of refus- 
 ing allegiance and tribute, and were face to face with an 
 Assyrian invasion, Isaiah, true to his prophetic function, 
 began at once to strengthen them for the inevitable 
 shock. He aimed to center their hopes upon Jehovah, 
 who, in his providence, was using Assyria as a tool to 
 humble Judah, and cause her to recognize him as her 
 only deliverer. He declared that Jehovah would set 
 certain limits beyond which the boastful Assyrian would 
 not be allowed to pass. Jerusalem, the city of Zion, was 
 still needed for the furtherance of the divine purpose ; 
 136 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 
 
 hence Jehovah would protect it Judah need not fear, 
 if her people would only become truly loyal to him. 
 
 In 701 B. C, Sennacherib advanced to punish his re- 
 bellious subjects in Palestine, and to quell, once for all, 
 their fondness for revolt. It was the crisis in the history 
 of Judah. How at this time of stress the prophet com- 
 forted, warned, encouraged, and taught his people, his 
 own utterances will show. He not only inspired them 
 at critical moments with courage and confidence, but 
 made the apparent hopelessness of the situation a ground 
 for emphasizing Jehovah' s world-wide sovereignty and 
 irresistible purpose. When Sennacherib returned to 
 Assyria, leaving Jerusalem untouched, the political de- 
 liverance was insignificant in comparison with the tri- 
 umph achieved for religious progress. 
 
 II 
 
 isaiah's activity during sargon's reign 
 722-705 
 
 I. The Earlier Events of HezekiaK s Reign 
 
 It is probable that the earlier years of Hezekiah's 
 reign, whether it began in 727 B. C. or later, ^ were years 
 of comparative prosperity. The young king differed 
 
 1 See note, page 134. 
 
Isaiah Messages of the 
 
 greatly from his father, and was undoubtedly a pupil and 
 friend of the prophet Isaiah. One of his earliest official 
 actions seems to have been the public acknowledgment 
 of the nation' s fealty to Jehovah. He promoted certain 
 measures of religious reform, and probably encouraged 
 improvements in social administration. His military 
 policy was vigorous and sensible. He was readily 
 acknowledged as leader among the petty rulers of Pales- 
 tine. He was popular with his people. By exploiting, 
 after the manner of Uzziah, the resources of his country, 
 he was able to pay the annual tribute to Assyria, and 
 still to accumulate no little treasure. Meanwhile, he 
 judiciously strengthened his defenses, probably con- 
 structing the conduit (2 Kings 20 : 20), which insured a 
 good supply of water in case of a siege. On the whole, 
 his people were justified in taking heart and renewing 
 their impatience of outside control. 
 
 At what period of his life the events related in Isaiah 
 38 and 39 took place cannot be surely determined, in 
 the absence of certainty regarding the beginning or end 
 of his reign. The sickness of Hezekiah must have pre- 
 ceded by about a year the embassy of Merodach-baladan 
 (Isa. 39 : i). The latter event almost certainly took 
 place about 714, or about 704 B. C. At both of these 
 times Merodach-baladan was an active enemy of the 
 reigning king of Assyria. Judah was being enticed by 
 138 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 38 : i-8 
 
 her immediate neighbors to revolt, and was enough of a 
 leader in Southern Palestine to make the flattering 
 advances of the Babylonian far from ridiculous. In 
 view of the fact, however, that Hezekiah seems to have 
 avoided making any treaty, and to have been impressed 
 by Isaiah's point of view, we may relate these incidents 
 as if they happened just before the outbreak in Ashdod, 
 about 712 B. C, which was put down so quickly by 
 Sargon' s general. 
 
 Hezekiah was taken with an apparently mortal illness. Hezekiah's 
 Even the prophet Isaiah believed that it was Jehovah's recovery """^ 
 will that he should die, and advised him to give his last s^, ^^i'.^^ Jom- 
 inj unctions to his successor. But the good king longed "^^^^l^^^^ 
 to live, and plead with God for grace. At once the an- 
 swer came. Before the departing prophet had left the 
 palace he received this comforting message for Hezekiah : 
 " I, the God of thy father David, have listened, and will 
 heal thee. Thou shalt continue to worship me for fif- 
 teen years to come, and I will make thy capital secure. " * 
 At the king's request, this promise was confirmed by a 
 striking sign. A strongly marked shadow falling on the 
 step-clock set up by Ahaz was made to alter its position 
 by ten steps, as if the sun had retreated in the heaven. 
 
 This poem of thanksgiving reflects the thoughts of 
 
 I The first part of verse 6 is probably a gloss, suggested, perhaps, by 
 37 : 35. 
 
Isaiah 38 : 10 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 His psalm 
 of thanksgi 
 ing : his an 
 guish and 
 despair 
 (38 : 9-14). 
 
 The em- 
 bassy of 
 Merodach- 
 baladan to 
 HezekiahJ 
 (39 : I. 2)- 
 
 Isaiah's re- 
 proof and 
 prediction 
 (39:3-7) 
 
 Hezekiah when face to face with death. ["Alas ! must 
 - 1 be cut off in the prime of Hfe, and go to Sheol, no 
 more to worship God or know mankind. My life is as 
 unstable as a shepherd' s tent ; it is concluded as quickly 
 as a weaver finishes his task ; in a day all is over. I 
 cannot but mourn ; I beseech thee, O Jehovah, to re- 
 deem me. 
 
 "And what can I say of his wonderful deliverance. 
 Help me to make worthy my remaining life. For my 
 welfare was this bitter experience ; thou hast delivered 
 and forgiven me. I thank thee that thou dost spare me 
 to live and praise thy name. ' ' ] 
 
 No sooner had the news of this recovery had time to 
 reach Babylonia than Merodach-baladan, a claimant of 
 the throne of Babylon, and hence a foe to the king of 
 Assyria, to whose authority he would not bow, seized the 
 opportunity to send a formal embassy to Hezekiah to 
 bear a royal gift, and to offer his congratulations. They 
 were given secret instructions to negotiate a treaty with 
 the king of Judah, or at least to stir him to rebellion 
 against the Assyrian king. Flattered by this attention, 
 Hezekiah sought to prove the value of his friendship by 
 exhibiting to the envoys all his royal resources. 
 
 The prophet Isaiah, knowing their real motive, ques- 
 tioned the king about them. He answered evasively, 
 but admitted that he had shown them his treasures. 
 140 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 2 1 
 
 13 
 
 Then the prophet pointed out to him his wickedness and 
 folly, for his willingness to enter into such alliances and 
 his pride in his own resources were directly opposed to 
 a sincere trust in Jehovah. His foolish display of wealth 
 to these distant Babylonians God would punish by a 
 Babylonian invasion. 
 
 Hezekiah perceived the weakness of the plan, and re- Hezekiah's 
 signed himself to Jehovah' s will, hoping that peace and cenci*"^' 
 stability would at least remain with him. ^39 = 8). 
 
 2. EdonC s Anxiety and the Judgment upon Arabia 
 (21 : II. 17) 
 
 About the year 711 B. C, when the inhabitants of 
 Ashdod and Gath broke out in open rebellion against 
 Sargon, according to an Assyrian inscription, Edom, 
 Moab, other Philistine cities, and Judah, were also com- 
 promised. It was probably at this time that Isaiah uttered 
 these sayings upon the nations which meditated revolt. 
 
 Hear the men of Edom ^ asking the prophet whether Edom's 
 their troubles will soon be over. By such a riddle as ?h"e'p?ophet's 
 their men of wisdom will understand, the prophet J^p'^ „ . 
 answers that there is mingled hope and despair in pros- 
 pect This is all that he can see at present 
 
 O men of Tema ! go forth with provisions to succor 
 the caravan of merchants from Dedan, which, avoiding 
 
 1 Dumah may be a sort of anagram for Edom. 
 141 
 
Isaiah 21 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 Thedestruc-the armed bands of invaders, is forced to encamp at 
 
 tion coming 
 
 upon North night in the barren desert For within a year the tribes 
 (21^: 13-17). of North Arabia, famous though their bowmen be, shall 
 be humbled and almost destroyed. 
 
 3. The Symbolic Prediction of the Captivity of Egypt 
 and Ethiopia (20 : i -6) 
 
 In the very year that the army sent against Ashdod by 
 Sargon appeared, Jehovah gave me a message against 
 Egypt and Ethiopia. In obedience to his will, I, a 
 noble of the court, had walked the streets of Jerusalem 
 for many months in captive' s garb to illustrate the cer- 
 The hapless tain result of the popular desire to rebel. Then I was 
 
 ? light of 
 'aiestine's told to say : * ' This symbolic prophecy has been de- 
 helpers signed to impress the fact that Egypt and Ethiopia shall 
 (20 : 1-6). ^^ j^^ ^^ .^^^ ^y^xXo, to Assyria. What then will be the 
 dismay and terror of the inhabitants of this region when 
 those on whom they are relying for support in their re- 
 bellion against their over-lord are so utterly helpless ! * * 
 
 4. Moab' s Past Calamity soon to be Repeated 
 (15 : I to 16 : 14) 
 
 Recall, O men of Judah, the word of prophecy uttered 
 many years ago ^ against Moab. 
 
 iSee 16: 13. By Hitzig and many interpreters it is thought that this 
 earlier prophecy referred to the subjugation of Moab about 775 B. C, by 
 Jeroboam II. It is notable for its paranomasia (16 cases). 
 142 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 16:14 
 
 Moab's two chief cities have been captured and^oab's 
 destroyed in a night. As the news spreads northward, calamity 
 with bared heads and shorn beards her people crowd ^ '^ 
 around the altars, or throng the roofs and market-places, 
 overcome with grief. Even the warriors are unmanned. 
 Alas for Moab ! Her homeless fugitives, spreading the 
 woeful tidings as they go, hasten toward Edom. But 
 even a more terrible fate is in store for the bloody 
 capital. ^ 
 
 Send your tribute now to the king of Judah. Plead ^^'^ useless 
 with him to adopt wise measures to give you protection Judah 
 until the danger is over, offering perpetual submission to 
 the righteous dynasty of David. But Moab cannot be 
 accepted. Her arrogance is too deep-seated. 
 
 Nothing, then, but sorrow, awaits Moab. Her far- A vision of 
 famed vineyards are ruined. All sounds of joy andruL" 
 feasting are stilled. In time the men of Moab will be ^^^ * ^'"^* 
 fully convinced of the uselessness of pleading with Che- 
 mosh, their god, for relief. 
 
 This word which Jehovah spake so long ago is ap- Her present 
 plicable to-day. He bids me add that within not more (f°f?3, 14). 
 than three years Moab' s recovered glory shall become 
 contemptible, and what is left of her people shall be 
 feeble. 
 
 1 Dimon is probably an alteration of Dibon, so as to make a play on the 
 word for blood {dam). 
 
Isaiah 19 : i Messages of the 
 
 5. The Judgment upon Egypt and its Outcome 
 (19 : 1-25) 
 
 Jehovah's Judgment impends upon Egypt. Jehovah, riding on 
 judgment the swift-flving cloud, is about to cause her idols to 
 
 ■will destroy , . , 11 , ,, - - 
 
 Egypt's in- quakc With terror, and her people to collapse from fear. 
 
 andTertUity Vexed by internal anarchy and strife, and at a loss to 
 
 (19 : i-io). j^j^Q^ what to do, they will resort to sorcery, but without 
 avail. Jehovah will give them up to a cruel foreign 
 conqueror. The great river Nile also shall be dried up, 
 and its branches and canals become shallow and stag- 
 nant. The verdure on its banks shall wither, the fish- 
 ermen, who throve through its bounty, shall mourn, all 
 those whose livelihood depends upon its products shall 
 be sad. 
 
 Her wise ^ spirit of folly shall seize upon the sages of Egypt, so 
 
 lead her to renowned for their wisdom, and so proud of their de- 
 destruction . . f. 
 
 (19 : 11-15). scent. The prmces of Zoan and Memphis, the bul- 
 warks of the ancient empire, shall, by foolish adventures, 
 lead their people to ruin. In the desperate bewilder- 
 ment of all classes in the state, the whole body politic 
 shall, like one intoxicated, reel to destruction. 
 Egypt's 1 But in Jehovah' s day, when Egypt has distinctly 
 
 tions with recognized Jehovah's share in this judgment, and stands 
 
 Judah 
 
 ^ Verses 16-25 are in prose, and are regarded by some scholars as an ap. 
 penclix composed by Isaiah at the close of his life, by others as post-exilic 
 
 144 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 19: 25 
 
 in such awe of him that she can scarcely endure the 
 mention of Judah, his abode, she will understand and 
 own his grace. 
 
 Her five sacred cities, headed by Heliopolis, shall 
 adopt the language of Canaan, and swear allegiance to 
 Jehovah. 
 
 Her acceptance of the worship of Jehovah shall be 
 symbolized by an altar in her midst and a pillar on her 
 border. These shall be a token of Jehovah' s protection. 
 In time, through many experiences of chastisement and 
 deliverance, her people shall learn to know him truly. 
 
 A highway for traffic shall be open through Palestine 
 from Eg)'pt to Assyria, her hereditary foe. The three 
 nations shall form a league for the blessing of the world. 
 Egypt shall be called Jehovah's people, Assyria his 
 handiwork, and Israel his heritage. 
 
 Ill 
 
 ISAIAH*S ACTIVITY AT THE TIME OF SENNACHERIB'S 
 INVASION OF PALESTINE 
 
 I. The Death of Sargon and Related Events 
 
 The influence of Isaiah was potent, as long as Sargon 
 lived, to check the plans of the pro-Egyptian party in 
 Judah. Even the short-sighted nobles could realize that 
 145 
 
Isaiah 14 : 28 Messages of the 
 
 the weak king Shabataka, who had delivered over to 
 Sargon the leader of the revolt at Ashdod, could give 
 them no protection against the invincible Assyrian. His 
 sudden death in 705 B. C. completely changed the situa- 
 tion. In every quarter of his empire great districts rose 
 in revolt. In Palestine plans for united action were at 
 once begun. Perhaps at this juncture should be dated 
 the short but vigorous fragment in chapter 14, which 
 tradition ascribed to the death-year of king Ahaz.* 
 The fate of Q Philistia, do not give yourself up to universal rejoic- 
 compared ing bccause the power from which you have suffered so 
 ju?ah^^' °^ greatly has been shattered. It will only be exchanged 
 (14 : 28-32). ^^^ something just as deadly. Under Jehovah's protec- 
 tioh, his own people will be perfectly secure, but thy 
 children will be cut off. Lament aloud, for on your 
 northern border the smoke shall arise from villages 
 aflame, when the serried ranks of Assyrian soldiery ap- 
 proach ! What answer shall we give to Philistia' s am- 
 bassadors ? ' ' We put our trust in Jehovah, whose pur- 
 poses for Zion cannot be annulled." 
 
 The prophet' s influence could no longer prevent open 
 expressions of sympathy with the spirit of revolt. The 
 
 iCheyne refers it to the year 719, when Sargon had just received a re- 
 verse at the hands of Ummanigas, king of Elam, aided by Merodach- 
 baladan, so serious that he did not venture to attack Babylonia again for 
 eleven years. If 719 was the death-year of Ahaz, this identification would 
 seem very probable. 
 
 146 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 28 : i 
 
 party which favored an alliance with the other Pales- 
 tinian states, and with Egypt, led by the astute and am- 
 bitious Shebna (22 : 15), gained the upper hand in the 
 council of state. A formal alliance with Tirhakah 
 seemed to give assurance of a successful resistance to 
 any attack from Assyria. Doubtless some time inter- 
 vened before the decisive steps were taken. The proba- 
 bilities were discussed again and again. Isaiah's 
 addresses preserved in chapters 28-32 belong to this 
 period. He complained of the secrecy of the negotia- 
 tions of the conspirators, and of their senseless and 
 wilful disregard of the divine share in Judah' s affairs. 
 He argued so powerfully against the folly of trusting in 
 Egypt that he finally won a partial victory. Shebna was 
 removed by king Hezekiah from his position as prime 
 minister, and replaced by Eliakim, who probably repre- 
 sented the political ideas of the prophetic party. The 
 exact date to be given to each utterance is unknown. 
 Probably chapter 28 is as early as 704, while chapters 
 30, 31, may be dated in the latter part of 702 B.C. 
 
 2. The Plea against the Egyptian Alliance 
 (28-32; 18; 22: 15-25) 
 
 (i) A Warning to the Magnates of Jerusalem (28 : 1-29) 
 Years ago, just before Samaria's fall, I delivered this 
 prophecy, announcing the fate soon to overtake that city 
 147 
 
Isaiah 28 : i Messages of the 
 
 Samaria's of rcvelcrs : " Woc to beautiful Samaria, whose tower- 
 
 immment ' 
 
 (723 B.C.) crowned summit and vine-decked slopes remind one of 
 
 destruction '■ 
 
 (28 : 1-4). a reveler whose flushed temples are wreathed by a chap- 
 let of flowers ! Her carousal is nearly over. Jehovah is 
 about to send one who, like a destructive tempest or an 
 overwhelming flood, shall sweep over her, dashing to 
 earth her crown of pride. As quickly as one devours an 
 early fig shall the rapacious Assyrian destroy the loveli- 
 
 Her possible ness of Samaria. In the distant future, however, when 
 
 future 
 
 (28 : 5, 6). Jehovah is the glory of his people, he will not only 
 satisfy their craving for beauty, but will be the source of 
 justice and valor." 
 J«''"saiem Apply this prediction to yourselves, besotted nobles 
 no better and leaders, Jerusalem to-day is an image of Samaria 
 Samaria then. Even priest and prophet are reeling homeward 
 * ^' from the sacrificial feast at which they have been plot- 
 ting treason. When I, making my way into your midst, 
 appealed once more in Jehovah' s name for faith in his 
 protecting care and a rejection of entangling alliances, 
 The peevish you Said, in tipsy derision : " Whom does this fellow pre- 
 
 complaint ot , -> . t i • r -, tt • 
 
 the drunken sume to tcach ? Are we newly weaned mfants ? He is 
 
 (^8^9^10). forever prattling monotonously his wearisome advice !" ^ 
 
 Let me warn you that Jehovah, whose servant you are 
 
 1 The Hebrew of verse lo, " (jav la ^av, gav la ^av ; qav la qav, qav la 
 qav ; z'er sham, z'er sham," is an imitation of baby-talk. Some think 
 that the words have no meaning, being merely imitative. 
 148 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 29 : i 
 
 mocking, will teach you through instructors whose words Isaiah's 
 will sound just as intolerable, and whose power will be (28 : 11-13). 
 irresistible. 
 
 You rulers who scoff at divine protection, and think o^ly » 
 
 *^ policy based 
 
 by your cunning but faithless diplomacy to save your- upon faith 
 
 \ r 1 • J lA-i"^ God can 
 
 selves from destruction, and to prevent the Assyrian be perma-j 
 army from reaching you, let Jehovah remind you through ^aT: 14-22). 
 me that he called our nation for some great purpose, 
 that this purpose is unalterable, and that faith in him is 
 our only safety. Any course of action which does not 
 conform to justice and righteousness will be utterly use- 
 less. The judgment shall visit you repeatedly ; you will 
 understand it then only too well. The bed you are 
 making will never fit you. Reluctantly will Jehovah 
 have to carr}' out his decree of destruction upon his own 
 people, if you persist in your evil course. 
 
 Let me utter a parable. Does not the farmer, with a God's 
 wisdom which Jehovah himself has implanted, cast in with men— 
 the appropriate seed after plowing, and vary his mode (28^23-29). 
 of threshing in accordance with the grain ? So Jehovah 
 will deal with his people in the way which is best 
 adapted to their character. 
 
 {2) Jehovah's Purpose for Ariel, his Altar-hearth (29 : 1-24) 
 
 Ho ! Ariel, city of David and altar-hearth of God ! 
 let a year or two pass by ; let such feasts as these run 
 149 
 
Isaiah 29: 2 Messages of the 
 
 jerasaiem's their accustomcd round.' Soon shall the light-hearted 
 
 coming *=* 
 
 siege and people moan and bemoan ^ their fate, for Jerusalem shall 
 
 sudden de- f f , , , , , . , . . ^ . 
 
 liverance be mdeed an altar laden with victims. Besieged by a 
 (29 . I- )• great army, humiliated and almost exhausted, thou shalt 
 suddenly be delivered by Jehovah' s power. Thy ene- 
 mies shall vanish like a dream ; from their visions of 
 spoil they shall be rudely awakened. 
 Why her Are you dazed by this message, O people? Are your 
 
 not realize eyes blinded to its significance ? Is not Jehovah' s word 
 (29:9-16). a book which some of you will not read, while others 
 cannot ? Your religious attitude is wholly formal ; no 
 wonder that his dealings with you seem so wholly inex- 
 plicable. Your self-styled leaders, plotting in secret, 
 seem to actually suppose that they are outwitting God. 
 What stupid perversity ! 
 The future The time will soon come when the land shall be mar- 
 
 blessings of 
 
 Israel velously fruitful, when all shall see and hear Jehovah* s 
 
 (29 : 17-24.) 
 
 will, when the common people shall have much joy, 
 when tyrants and scorners and crafty men shall cease. 
 He who was Abraham' s redeemer will not leave Israel 
 to shame and fear. He will so manifest himself that all 
 shall reverently receive instruction concerning him. 
 
 1 This sermon was probably uttered on some great festal occasion. 
 
 2 So Cheyne imitates the two words of similar sound in the Hebrew. 
 
 150 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 30 : 1 5 
 
 (3) The Utter Folly of Seeking an Alliance with Egypt 
 (30 : 1-33) 
 Woe to my rebellious sons who are cementing an alii- Egypt is a 
 
 •' ^ weak reed to 
 
 ance with Egypt in defiance of my will, seeking the pro- lean upon 
 
 (30 ; 1-7) . 
 
 tection of Tvrhakah ! Although he is active in despatching 
 messengers from one end of his land to the other, yet 
 nothing but shame will come to those who trust in his 
 help. What is the use of sending ambassadors with 
 costly gifts to brave all the dangers of the desert, in 
 order that we may win the aid of such an inefficient 
 people ? Egypt' s help amounts to nothing ; she is 
 Madame Brag-and-stay-at-home. 
 Jehovah has bidden me write these prophecies down The sad con- 
 
 • 1 1 •• c -i- 1 -i- -1 1 sequences of 
 
 as a testimonial to the spirit of disobedience shown by the rebei- 
 my people. They wish to hear only congenial and tk)n^orthe^'* 
 pleasant oracles. "Do not dwell so much," you say, J'^°?8.j^j^ 
 "upon the Holy One of Israel and what he requires." 
 And now, since you prefer to rely upon your crooked 
 policy, rejecting God' s word to you, this wilful sin, of so 
 little moment in your own minds, shall bring disaster 
 just as surely as a bulge caused by a breach in a lofty 
 wall tends toward its sudden and awful collapse. Your 
 destruction will be like that of a potter's vessel, — so 
 shattered that no fragment is found large enough to carry 
 a live coal or hold a sup of water. Have I not re- 
 peatedly, in Jehovah's name, urged that, by keeping 
 151 
 
Isaiah 30 : 15 Messages of the 
 
 aloof from entangling alliances, and by calmly relying 
 upon him, you would show yourselves truly strong ? 
 But you reply, " No, we will fly from all danger on the 
 swift horses of Egypt." You shall fly indeed in a panic- 
 stricken mob before a handful of pursuers, until your 
 paltry remnant is left as solitary as a beacon on a hill- 
 top. 
 The bless- Jehovah is waiting to see whether, after all, you will 
 a timely re- force him to execute judgment ; he is listening for your 
 might entail Cry of penitence. Though he may bring you to distress, 
 (30 . I -2 ). y^^ j^^ himself will be your teacher and guide. You will 
 cast away with loathing your costly images. Then he 
 will abundantly bless you with rain and rich crops, and 
 well-fed oxen, and running streams. So bright and 
 joyous will be that happy time that the moon will seem 
 to shine with the brilliance of the sun, and the sun to 
 be sevenfold brighter. 
 Jehovah Before the glorious prospect can be fulfilled, Jehovah 
 
 ™"St first .^ , . .r . . ■ . , . 
 
 destroy the must manifest himself m destructive might against the 
 (30^27^33). Assyrian. His aspect will be like a fierce tempest, and 
 his righteous judgment resistless as a torrent, sifting 
 nations like chaff, checking them as with a bridle ; but, 
 while his majestic voice is heard in the thunder and 
 the stroke of his arm in the lightning, there will be a 
 song of rejoicing among you, as at the Passover pro- 
 cession in honor of the Rock of Israel, for your foe he 
 152 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 31 : 9 
 
 will destroy. Such a holocaust as he delights in shall be 
 offered. The pyre is deep and wide, and the wood 
 abundant Jehovah' s breath shall kindle it 
 
 (4) Egypfs Help in Contrast to that of Jehovah 
 (31 : I to 32 : 8) 
 
 When, notwithstanding my appeals, the alliance had P^yPj '* ** 
 been made, I uttered this last message : ' ' Woe to those human 
 who put their trust in the horses and chariots of Egypt 
 as if the coming conflict was to be a mere measuring of 
 strength between two empires. They forget Jehovah, 
 and that he is carrying out an unchangeable purpose. 
 If he chooses, both they and their helper shall perish. 
 
 ' ' What a defender he would be ! As undaunted as a Jehovah an 
 lion calmly guarding his prey, though surrounded by a tecror"^°' 
 group of shouting shepherds ; as tender and watchful as ^^' * *' ^'' 
 a tiny mother-bird hovering over her nest 
 
 "O children of Israel, return to him against whom ye He will 
 
 gladly sue* 
 
 have sinned. As soon as you realize his true character, cor his re- 
 your hand-made idols of silver and gold will be cast Jf°(3i°:|f£j)[ 
 away with contempt Then you need not fear the 
 Assyrian. Jehovah himself will fight in your behalf, for 
 Jerusalem is his altar-hearth." * 
 
 2 [But he will never be contented with merely saving 
 
 1 The word for " fire " in the Hebrew probably suggests the mystic name 
 applied to Jerusalem at the beginning of chapter 29. 
 
 8 Many scholars regard this section as a later appendix, perhaps post- 
 exilic. 
 
Isaiah 32: i Messages of the 
 
 judah under this nation from destruction. It will be transformed, 
 ^e^^ova s j^^ Yxng shall govern righteously ; its officials of state 
 ^^ ' ^" shall give just judgments ; every noble shall be a pro- 
 tector and comforter of the needy. Their moral percep- 
 tions shall be clear, and their expression of them prompt 
 The true character of each man shall be recognized. 
 The fool will expose himself by his atheism and his 
 selfishness, and the knave will reveal his knavish ' tricks 
 and his impositions upon the defenseless poor, while 
 the truly noble man will be known by his noble deeds.] 
 
 (5) A Warning to the Careless Ladies of Jerusalem (32 : 9-20) 
 
 The light- Self-indulgent women of J erusalem, careless of stern 
 women will realities of the present or future, let me tell you that, in 
 
 mourn over ,. , .„ ., , r 
 
 the ravaged a little ovcr a year, you will assume the garb of 
 (32%-i4). rnourners, wailing for your ravaged vineyards and deso- 
 late fields and ruined city. The temple-hill shall be- 
 come a lurking-place for wild beasts, a pasturage for 
 flocks. 
 The peaceful It is not Jchovah' s will, however, that this desolation 
 (32T15-20). be made permanent Under the renewing influence of 
 his spirit the land shall once more become fertile and 
 its people righteous. They shall rest tranquilly and 
 
 iThe word rendered in A. V., "instruments," sounds very much like 
 the word for " churl." 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 18:7 
 
 securely. First there shall be a destructive judgment, 
 then a happy, industrious, and peaceful community. 
 
 (6) A Message to the Ethiopian Ambassadors ,— Jehovah can 
 Protect his People (i8 : 1-7) 
 
 Not many months passed before the report came to 
 Palestine and Egypt that Sennacherib was collecting a 
 mighty army to chastise us for our rebellion. Tirhakah 
 did not delay to send ambassadors to Hezekiah announ- 
 cing that his army would be in readiness, and encourag- 
 ing the king to make a manful resistance. In the very 
 presence of the king and court, I gave them this answer : 
 
 Ah ! ambassadors of that distant Ethiopia, where The charge 
 buzzing insects abound, who have come in swift skiffs voys of 
 of reed,* depart again to your people, tall and glossy of (isJT-S- 
 skin, universally feared, ever victorious, secure in their 
 well- watered land, and say, ' ' O dwellers upon the earth, 
 when you hear the signal for battle, listen." For Jeho- Jehovah is 
 vah has revealed to me that he is looking on in perfect inl'^his time 
 quiescence, waiting while the Assyrian harvest matures. ^^ ' *'"^'' 
 Just before it is fully ripe, when her plans of conquest 
 seem to be complete, her hosts shall be cut down as 
 branches are cut with knives ; their dead bodies shall be 
 left as carrion for unclean beasts and birds. Then 
 Ethiopia shall pay homage to Jehovah on Mount Zion. 
 
 1 The word " saying," inserted in verse 2, should be inserted at the very 
 end of the verse. 
 
Isaiah 22: 15 Messages of the 
 
 (7) The Downfall of Shebna, the Vizier (22 : 15-25) 
 
 At last my pleadings had effect with the king. He 
 
 began to have less faith in the alliance with Egypt I 
 
 was then directed to denounce his wily chief-minister, 
 
 Shebna, the leader of those who had intrigued for Egypt, 
 
 and who had been my constant opponent Deeming 
 
 himself secure against all hostility, he had even dared to 
 
 have a stately sepulchre built on a prominent site near 
 
 Jerusalem. Going thither, and confronting him, I said : 
 
 Shebna to be n gy ;vhat right do you, a man of foreign birth, assume 
 
 deposed, ' to make yourself a sepulchre here ? Jehovah will 
 
 and ban- ^ i • , 
 
 ished seize you, and carry you away, together with your 
 
 15-19 . gpjgj^^-^j horses and chariots. You shall be deposed 
 
 The promise fj-om your office, and Eliakim, one whom God approves, 
 
 (22 : 20-23). will be appointed in your place. He shall administer 
 
 his trust for the good of his people, and shall have 
 
 supreme authority, and shall confer honor upon his 
 
 family. (His whole family, worthy and unworthy, shall 
 
 be supported by the credit of his name, until by their 
 
 abuse of trust it no longer supports them.) " 
 
 3. Assurances that Jehovah will Defend his People 
 (10-12 ; 14 : 24-27 ; 17 : 12-14) 
 
 As soon as king Hezekiah, by appointing Shebna to 
 the less important office of secretary, replacing him by 
 Eliakim (36 : 3), had proved his loss of confidence in 
 156 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah lo : 7 
 
 the policy of foreign alliance, and his desire to act as 
 befitted one who ruled in the fear of Jehovah, Isaiah 
 began to emphasize the certainty of divine protection. 
 He still assumed that the situation was critical and the 
 national distress acute, but inspired confidence by dwell- 
 ing upon the impossibility of destruction, because Jeho- 
 vah is still in need of Zion and all that it represents. 
 
 Hezekiah could not withdraw from his relations with 
 the surrounding states of Palestine. The vassal king of 
 Ekron, Padi, dethroned by his revolting subjects, had 
 been sent to Jerusalem for safe keeping. This dan- 
 gerous commission insured Assyrian attack. With 
 energy and skill he strengthened the defenses of Jeru- 
 salem. The inscription of Sennacherib adds that he 
 reinforced the garrison with a force of Arabs and other 
 mercenaries. While these measures were being taken, 
 we may suppose that the following oracles of encourage- 
 ment were delivered. 
 
 (i) The Certain Overthrow of Assyria, JehovaK s Tool {10 -. 5-34) 
 
 Behold the Assyrian, the instrument * by which I chas- Jehovah's 
 tise nations which deserve punishment, commissioning frSed with 
 him to conquer and subjugate for me. In his pride hepu^o"eLd 
 forgets the source of his power, and is only bent on satis- (io'^^.^) 
 
 1 The expression "in whose hand" is meaningless, and spoils the par- 
 allelism. 
 
Isaiah lo: ^ Messages of the 
 
 fying his own ambition for conquest, saying boastfully, 
 "Am I not invincible? Are not the governors I ap- 
 point the equals in authority of any hereditary king? 
 Have I not captured the strongest cities of Syria ? If 
 their deities could not save them, shall Jerusalem and 
 her idols escape ? ' ' 
 Jehovah will Such insulting annoyance must be rebuked for the 
 aJl-ogance'^ sakc of Jchovah' s honor. When, therefore, his people 
 ^^° ■ ^^^' have been sufficiently purified by chastisement, Jehovah 
 
 will suitably punish the Assyrian' s pride. 
 The Assyri- Again he ascribes his remarkable success to his own 
 tionof strength and wisdom, ignoring Jehovah's guidance. 
 w[sdom ^" "Moved by my sagacious insight," he declares, "I 
 (lo: 13, 14). ^j^^^gg the boundaries of nations, secure their wealth, 
 and remove their inhabitants, terror-stricken, with as 
 much ease as one gathers eggs from an abandoned 
 nest. ' ' 
 He is but a What an absurd claim that he is his own master ! 
 10. 15 • ^^ .^ ^^^ Jehovah's tool ! Suppose that an axe or a 
 saw were to boast of its sharpness or strength apart from 
 its user, or that a cane should try to brandish the man 
 who owns it. 
 TheeflFectof Jehovah will exhibit his power by stripping the As- 
 putdng forth Syrian of his greatness, so that he shall be as a sick man 
 (Jo°T?i9). who has lost his strength. Though his armies may 
 seem as numerous and mighty as a forest, Jehovah's 
 158 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah lo : 28 
 
 flame will so consume them in a single day that a child 
 may count those that are left. 
 
 Convinced at last of Assyria' s true place, the ' ' rem- The rem- 
 
 nant will be 
 
 nant of my people shall steadfastly rely upon Jehovah steadfastly 
 alone ; for although, as our fathers said, Israel is to be as l^o: 20-23). 
 numerous as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of this 
 people shall return. Jehovah's righteous judgment is 
 decreed. 
 
 So then, O fellow-disciples, do not fear this approach- ^^^ ^'^^'^• 
 ing foe, even though he may treat you as harshly as fore need not 
 Pharaoh did your fathers in the land of Egypt. In a (10 : 24-27). 
 little while Jehovah's judgment will be completed by his 
 destruction. He will smite Assyria as Ephraim smote 
 the Midianites at the rock of Oreb. He will overthrow 
 her even as the hosts of Pharaoh were overthrown at 
 the raising of Moses' rod. And then his burdensome 
 tribute and the subjection to his authority shall cease 
 forever. 
 
 He will surely advance upon Jerusalem. I seem to The rapid 
 see his rapid and resistless march straight down from the less advance 
 north through the passes of Benjamin.^ He has reached Hai fowSS* 
 Ai and passed by Migron. Before he attempts to get \l^!'t%^.^). 
 
 iThe last four words of verse 27, "because of the anointing," make no 
 better sense in the Hebrew than in the English. The text is certainly cor- 
 rupt. Perhaps it should read, " There cometh up from the north the De- 
 stroyer " (Smith), or " He hath come up into Benjamin " (Mitchell). 
 
Isaiah lo : 28 Messages of the 
 
 through the pass of Michmash, he stores his surplus 
 baggage. At Geba he bivouacs for the night. Now 
 the road is easy and short The inhabitants of Ramah 
 and of Saul's Gibeah flee in terror. O daughter of 
 Gallim, shriek aloud ; listen and fear, O Laishah ; take 
 up the cry, O Anathoth. The inhabitants of Madmenah 
 and Gebim hurriedly gather their possessions for instant 
 flight He does not halt until, at Nob, he overlooks the 
 city, and brandishes his clenched hand in anger against 
 Mount Zion. 
 His sudden g^j. jugj. ^^ ^^ moment of his triumph, Jehovah shall 
 
 destruction ' •' ^ •' 
 
 (io:33»34)- Strike him down. The lofty Assyrian cedars, like a 
 forest for multitude, shall be cut down by one more 
 majestic still. 
 
 (2) The Messianic Age to Follow Assyrians Downfall (11 : 1-16) 
 The royal The Assyrian cedar sends forth no shoot from its 
 
 scion of 
 
 David's line withered stump, but out of the stock of the almost 
 
 ruined Davidic family I see a fair and fruitful Branch 
 
 His charac- sprouting, an ideal king. By Jehovah himself he shall 
 
 teristics ^ ° , r i- • r 
 
 (11:2), be endowed with the perfect qualities of a ruler, — 
 
 wisdom and insight, prudence and heroism, acquaintance 
 
 Their practi-vvrith God' s will and a willingness to do it Taking de- 
 
 cal manifes- 
 tation light in every manifestation of true character, and en- 
 
 dowed with keen discernment, he shall not judge from 
 
 appearances, nor from testimony, nor will he tolerate 
 
 160 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 11:15 
 
 any abuse of justice. The wicked will have cause to 
 fear him, for righteousness shall be his garment. 
 
 Then shall begin an era of peace, when even nature The reign of 
 will be redeemed, when wild animals will lie peaceably fi^re-g). 
 at the side of their natural prey, so docile that they 
 will follow a little child. Side by side will the cow 
 and bear, with their young ones, graze. Even the 
 poisonous serpent will become the harmless playfellow 
 of the child. The spirit that prompts to destruction 
 shall be unknown in Palestine, for every one shall know 
 Jehovah. 
 
 Then shall the whole world give honor to the habita- The whole 
 
 world will 
 
 tion of the king, for they shall come up to him to re- seek this 
 ceive instruction. (i°f 10). 
 
 [In that day Jehovah shall, for the second time, put The'retum 
 
 '- •' -^ ' ^ of the exiles 
 
 forth his power to redeem his people from many differ- (" : ", 12). 
 ent countries, signaling the nations to restore the scat- 
 tered exiles. 
 
 After the restoration, all internal strife between the two Samana and 
 
 ,., Ill -1 TT-. ,./- , Judah shall 
 
 kmgdoms shall entirely cease. Uniting their forces, the co-operate 
 reconciled brethren shall pounce upon the Philistines on ' ^^' 
 the west, and plunder the desert tribes. They shall 
 subdue their neighbor nations, so that by Israel's su- 
 premacy the world may be made to serve Jehovah. 
 
 Jehovah shall miraculously prepare a passage-way for 
 the returning exiles from Egypt and Assyria by drying 
 161 
 
Isaiah 
 
 15 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 The miracu- up the arm of the Red Sea, and by so dividing up the 
 
 lous high- ^ , , ,, . , , ^ 
 
 way for the great Euphrates that one may walk across m sandals. ] 
 
 journey 
 
 (II :i5.i6). 
 
 A song of 
 
 faith 
 
 (12 : 1-3). 
 
 A song of 
 praise 
 (12 :4-6). 
 
 It is in 
 accordance 
 with Jeho- 
 vah's world' 
 plan 
 (14 : 24-27). 
 
 It will be 
 sudden and 
 complete 
 (17: 12-14). 
 
 (3) Two Hymns of Thanksgiving (12 : 1-6) 
 Then, O redeemed community, you shall sing. ' ' I 
 will praise thee, O God, for now that thy anger is turned 
 thou dost comfort me. God has been my helper ; 1 will 
 give him my trust. Let us constantly rejoice in his 
 presence. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Praise Jehovah, hallow his name, magnify him among 
 men. Sound his praise, for he hath wrought wondrous 
 things. Great is he in power and goodness, a friend and 
 protector in your midst." 
 
 (4) Two Fragments concerning Assyrians Destruction 
 (14 : 24-27; 17:12-14) 
 
 Surely it is my sworn purpose to break the power of 
 the Assyrian on the hills of Canaan, so as to free my 
 people from this galling tribute and stern authority. I 
 do this in pursuance of my eternal plan for the universe ; 
 it is necessary for the good, not merely of Judah, but of 
 the world. My purpose is fixed ; it cannot be altered. 
 
 Listen to the noise of the advancing hosts of Assyria, 
 recruited from many nations. It is like the roaring of 
 the surging sea. Though they seem like an overwhelm- 
 ing flood, Jehovah will rebuke them with his voice of 
 thunder. They flee, they scatter and perish. At even- 
 162 
 
Earlier Prophets 2 Kings 18 : 16 
 
 tide all are in fear of them ; before morning they have 
 disappeared. So Jehovah does to those who would 
 plunder his people. 
 
 4. The Crisis at Jerusalem (22: 1-14; 33; 36; 37) 
 
 Sennacherib, in the year 701 B. C, marched with a 
 huge army to the west. Advancing along the Mediter- 
 ranean coast, he soon received the submission of half the 
 petty princes of Palestine. Proceeding to Philistia, he 
 captured Ashkelon. Passing on to Ekron, he not only 
 besieged that city, but inflicted a defeat at Eltekeh upon 
 an Egyptian army sent to its relief. Meanwhile a de- 
 tachment of the army had been despatched to Judah. 
 It was irresistible and destructive. It captured forty-six 
 ••cities," a huge body of prisoners, and a vast amount 
 of spoil. Hezekiah was shut up in Jerusalem "like a 
 bird in a cage." At this juncture, overpowered by fear, 2 Kings 
 the king, his people, and his mercenaries, submitted, 
 and sued for pardon. Sennacherib laid upon him a very 
 heavy fine. According to the Assyrian report, he even 
 forced Hezekiah to send some of his own family to the 
 harem of his conqueror. The troops departed. The 
 city, although stripped of its treasures, seemed secure 
 from further danger. A thrill of reckless joy swept 
 over the people. They gave themselves up to unre- 
 stricted feasting and merriment. The prophet Isaiah, 
 163 
 
Isaiah 22 : i Messages of the 
 
 however, who felt no sympathy with this outbreak, ut- 
 tered this warning word : 
 
 (i) Jerusalem's Indifference to God Invites Further Judgment 
 (22 : 1-14) 
 
 The proph- What, O citizens, do you mean by this demonstration 
 
 et s distress '' ■' 
 
 at the on the house-tops ? Is it a time for joy, when our de- 
 
 pressions of liverance has been so ignoble ? Your warriors have not 
 joy (22 . 1-4)- i^ggj^ gjg- j^ • j^ battle, but ignominiously taken prisoners. 
 
 Alas ! I am overcome by inconsolable anguish, 
 da ^ of ^""^^ ^°^ ^ ^^^ ^'^'^ before us a day of tumult and trampling 
 
 calamity and confusion, 1 when the Assyrian auxiliaries shall lay 
 (22 : 5-7). 
 
 siege to the city, when your most fertile valleys shall 
 
 be full of troops. 
 
 Their readi- A while ago, when you realized the defenseless condi- 
 
 ness to do . ^ , , , . , , , . ^ i 
 
 anything but tion of Judah, With what zeal you mspected the armories, 
 
 Jehovah carefully examined the defects in the wall of the citadel, 
 
 (22 : 8-11). arranged for a good water supply, and tore down houses, 
 
 in order to strengthen the wall ! All this you did, but 
 
 you were regardless of Jehovah* s relation to the welfare 
 
 of the city. 
 
 This sin un- The danger in which we stand should have impelled 
 
 pardonable n • i t^ 
 
 (22 : 12-14). you all to mourning and fasting and reflection ; but what 
 do I see ? — riotous mirth and feasting. Truly Jehovah 
 assures me that your sin is inexpiable. 
 
 1 A series of three remarlcable assonances in the Hebrew. 
 164 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 37 : 4 
 
 (2) Sennacherib's First Demand— IsaiaK s Promise (36 : i to 37 : 8) 
 Soon after receiving, at Lachish, the submission and 
 tribute of Hezekiah, for some reason, not altogether clear, 
 Sennacherib determined after all to take possession of 
 Jerusalem. He sent several officers with a small army 
 to demand its unconditional surrender. To the Judean 
 representatives the Assyrian spokesman urged that Egypt 
 could not be depended upon, and that Hezekiah had 
 offended his own deities. He also set forth the extreme 
 folly of resisting the demands of a king who was not 
 only powerful, but commissioned by Jehovah, Israel's 
 god. When entreated to discuss the subject in the 
 Aramean tongue, he preferred to make his plea in He- 
 brew, so that the multitude could understand, and 
 said : 
 
 "Listen, O people ; let not Hezekiah persuade you 
 that he or his god can deliver you from our power. 
 Make peaceable submission now, and you shall dwell in 
 peace and safety until we conclude our campaigning, and 
 remove you to a better land. How can you possibly 
 escape ? Is there a single country whose god has de- 
 livered it from our hand ? ' ' The people kept silence, 
 and the representatives of king Hezekiah brought him 
 the words. Dismayed and despairing, he sent a notable 
 deputation to Isaiah, saying, ' ' This is a day of distress 
 and chastisement and rejection. We cannot meet this 
 
 165 
 
Isaiah 37 : 6 Messages of the 
 
 crisis by our wisdom. Will not Jehovah rebuke these 
 insolent words by delivering us ? " 
 
 The prophet replied : ' ' This is Jehovah' s message. 
 Ignore these boastful words. Sennacherib shall not 
 harm thee. I will so fill him with a spirit of uneasiness 
 that he shall hear a mere rumor of Tirhakah' s approach, 
 and hurry homeward, there to meet with a violent 
 death." 
 
 So Hezekiah refused the demand of Sennacherib, and 
 the envoys departed to inform him. 
 
 (3) Jerusalem's Security against the Treacherous Foe (33 : 1-24) 
 Woe to the Woe to you, O treacherous and aggressive foe, for you 
 
 faithless 
 
 Sennacherib shall be paid in kind when your hour cometh ! 
 
 ^' ' O Jehovah, be thy people's defense and strength. 
 
 t^°TehSvah Thou canst readily scatter and spoil our enemies. To 
 (33 : 2-6). fear thee is our true wisdom and a pledge of our deliver- 
 ance from all evil. 
 Judah's dis- Bchold the warriors of Assyria boasting, our ambassa- 
 dufon"^ dors in distress, the land laid waste, the perfidious Sen- 
 
 (33 • 7-12). jiacherib, the disheartened country ! What a sad 
 prospect ! But Jehovah resolves to assert himself, and 
 scatter these invaders, whose very breathings of pas- 
 sionate vengeance shall be fires to consume them. 
 
 Note this act of judgment, you that are far away or 
 near. To those in Zion who have constantly scorned my 
 166 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 37 : lo 
 
 teachings, it brings only terror. "How," they exclaim, Thejudg- 
 
 ° ° •' ^ , ment and its 
 
 ' ' can we live in the presence of such a God, who is a diverse 
 consuming fire?" Absolutely secure are the truly (33 : 13.16). 
 righteous in thought, word, and deed. They inhabit 
 a fortress which can never be starved into surrender. 
 
 In the coming day the King for whom we all are look- The coming 
 ing shall be seen in his beauty. We shall be reminded (33 : 17-24). 
 by contrast of this time of terror, of how officers exacted 
 the tribute, and of how they surveyed the city. No 
 more will the speech of the fierce invaders grate upon 
 our ears. Jerusalem, the center of our worship, shall be 
 peaceful and unharmed, protected by Jehovah ; for he is 
 our Judge, Lawgiver, and King, and he will be also our 
 Deliverer. Jerusalem has been as helpless as a ship 
 with tacklings loosed, and mast unshipped, and sails un- 
 spread ; but soon her people shall seize upon abundant 
 spoil ; even the cripples shall bear their share. There 
 shall be in her no more sickness, for all shall have their 
 sins forgiven. 
 
 (4) Sennacherib^ s Second Demand, HezekiaWs Prayer, and Isaiah's 
 Confident Predictioti of Jerusalem' s Security (37 : 9-35) 
 
 As Isaiah had predicted, the Assyrian monarch soon 
 heard that Tirhakah was advancing against him with a 
 great army. Jerusalem was one of the strongest for- 
 tresses in Western Asia. Not wishing to run the risk of 
 167 
 
Isaiah 37 : 12 Messages of the 
 
 leaving it in his rear, he made one last effort to subdue 
 it by intimidation. A second demand was sent ' ' Do 
 not be deceived into thinking that your god can deliver 
 you out of my hand. What nation or what king has ever 
 been saved in that way ? ' ' 
 
 It was a supreme crisis. A refusal to surrender meant 
 a terrible revenge, if the angry king returned. 
 
 Hezekiah received the letter, and, taking it to the 
 temple, prayed that Jehovah would hear these re- 
 proaches and boasts, and deliver his nation from the 
 Assyrian' s clutches for his own name' s sake. 
 
 Then Isaiah brought to him this word of God : " Hear 
 the answer to your appeal. Jerusalem, undefiled, laughs 
 you, O Assyrian, to scorn ;i she defies you. Against 
 whom have your reproaches been uttered and your pride 
 expressed ,but against Israel' s Holy One ! When you 
 boast of the ease with which you have triumphed over 
 obstacles of every sort, can it be that you do not know 
 that it was all because I conferred upon you the power ? 
 All that you do is under my control. To prove it, I will 
 force you, like an unruly animal, back to your place. 
 This, O Hezekiah, shall be your sign ; For two years the 
 
 1 From verses 22-29 ^^e utterance takes the form of a splendid elegy, for 
 example, 
 
 " Thee she despises and at thee is mocking— Zion, the virgin ! 
 Behind thee her head she is wagging — the maiden, Jerusalem." 
 
 168 
 
Earlier Prophets Isaiah 37 : 38 
 
 regular operations of agriculture will be suspended, then 
 prosperity will come. The promises that I have so often 
 reiterated shall then be fulfilled. Meanwhile this king 
 shall not besiege the city at all. He shall return as he 
 came ; for I will defend Jerusalem for my sake, and in 
 order to fulfil the promises given to David. ' ' 
 
 {$) The Final Catastrophe (37 : 36-38) 
 
 While Sennacherib' s main army was on the borders 
 of Egypt, a sudden pestilence broke out which caused 
 185,000 to die in one night. Affrighted by such an 
 evil-omened event, the king withdrew in haste to As- 
 syria, making no further attempt to subdue Jerusalem. 
 Some twenty years later he was murdered, while at wor- 
 ship, by his own sons. 
 
 169 
 
THE MESSAGE OF NAHUM 
 
THE MESSAGE OF NAHUM 
 
 THE PROPHET OF NINEVEH's FALL 
 
 The prophecy of Nahum the Elkoshite is notable in 
 many ways. It is a poem of great vividness and force ; 
 it portrays with the touch of an eye-witness the horrors 
 of offensive warfare in ancient times ; it sets forth the 
 consciousness of a nation rather than the counsel of a 
 prophet ; it breathes out bitter vengeance rather than 
 hopefulness. Whatever it utters after the manner of the 
 other prophets is a sort of foil which adds to the impres- 
 siveness of the denunciations. 
 
 Of the author we know practically nothing. Even his 
 name, "Consolation," maybe merely a suggestion of 
 the character of his message to Israel. The village, 
 Elkosh, has been variously identified with Al-Kush, 
 somewhat north of the site of ancient Nineveh ; with 
 Elkese, a village of Galilee, mentioned by Jerome ; and 
 as a village of Southern Judah. The first-mentioned 
 locality is attractive in its suggestion that Nahum was an 
 Israelite, expatriated a century before, but still loyal to 
 
Nahum Messages of the 
 
 his ancestral ideals, and that, as an eye-witness, he de- 
 scribed with faithfulness the closing scenes in the career 
 of fated Nineveh. Much, however, can be urged to 
 break the force of these reasons, and, in fact, the ques- 
 tion is unimportant and indeterminable. 
 
 The utterances preserved in the Book of Nahum are 
 not easily adjustable to a particular time. They repre- 
 sent the feelings of nearly a century. When Sen- 
 nacherib, in 701 B. C, suddenly returned to Assyria, he 
 did not leave behind him an independent Judah. 
 Jerusalem was inviolate, but the nation was a vassal, and 
 so remained for three-quarters of a century. The 
 prophecy was not delivered earlier than 660, for 
 Nahum uses as an illustration the case of Thebes 
 (No-amon, 3 : 8), which was captured, in spite of her 
 fancied strength, by Asurbanipal in 663 B. C. On the 
 other hand, it cannot be later than 606, the year of 
 Nineveh' s destruction. Between these dates the prophet 
 must have lived. The only clue to the exact date of the 
 predictions is their contents, which describe a hopeless 
 outlook for haughty Nineveh. 
 
 Such an outlook could hardly have been imagined 
 before the closing years of Asurbanipal' s long (668-625) 
 and brilliant reign. Egypt then successfully revolted. 
 The resolute and hardy mountaineers, the Medes, be- 
 came dangerous foes. The Scythians swept down from 
 174 
 
Earlier Prophets Nahum 
 
 the distant north, spreading unparalleled desolation 
 through the wide and fertile Mesopotamian plains. 
 While none of these foes ventured to attack the capital 
 city, they robbed it of much of its prestige. When the 
 great king died, his nation came to an end as speedily as 
 did Northern Israel after the death of Jeroboam II. 
 Almost at once, according to Herodotus, the Medes at- 
 tempted an assault of Nineveh, but were obliged to 
 abandon the attempt because they were summoned back 
 to defend their own homes. Nearly eighteen years later, 
 about 608 B. C. , they tried again, and within three years 
 captured the city, and put an end to the Assyrian em- 
 pire. 
 
 It seems probable that the words of Nahum were 
 called forth by one of these two crises. Scholars are 
 fairly divided upon this point. In either case, they 
 were probably antedated by the sermons of Zephaniah ; 
 but, since Nahum' s theme ' ' expresses the feelings not 
 of this or that decade in Josiah' s reign, but the whole 
 volume of hope, wrath, and just passion of vengeance 
 which had been gathering for more than a century, and 
 which at last broke out into exultation when it became 
 certain that Nineveh was falling, " Mt may with pro- 
 priety be read in immediate connection with the great 
 crisis in Judah' s relation to Assyria. 
 
 1 George Adam Smith, in " The Book of the Twelve," II, 88. 
 
 ^75 
 
Nahum Messages of the 
 
 The Book of Nahum contains two prophecies of 
 Nineveh's downfall, introduced by an impressive por- 
 trayal of Jehovah's attributes. The attempt has been 
 recently made^ to show that the introductory portion 
 (I : 1-15 ; 2 : 2) is, in its present form, a rearrangement 
 of what was originally an alphabetical acrostic poem. 
 This is interesting, if proved to be true. Since, how- 
 ever, the rearrangement did not seriously affect the 
 course of thought, the whole question will be ignored in 
 the paraphrase. It may be added that Nahum delights 
 in imitative words and in paranomasia which baffle re- 
 production. 
 
 Is the short prophecy but a wild cry for vengeance ? 
 Must we pity, or honor, a prophet of Israel for giving ex- 
 pression to it ? The answer is not difficult when we re- 
 member that, to a devout man of Judah, eager to promote 
 God' s will as taught by the earlier prophets, Assyria was 
 the one great obstacle in the way. Before Israel could 
 accomplish any service for God, her oppressor must 
 cease. The glow from her burning palaces became 
 the rosy dawn of a new day. From only a superficial 
 point of view was his message one of vengeance. To 
 Judah it carried comfort, encouragement, and confidence. 
 
 1 The work of Gunkel and Bickell is clearly set forth in " The Book of 
 the Twelve," II, 81-84. Their results are accepted in the main by NowacW 
 And Cornili. 
 
Earlier Prophets Nahum i : 9 
 
 II 
 
 Jehovah's nature a pledge of his vengeance 
 UPON THE WICKED (i : 1-15 ; 2:2) 
 
 Jehovah is a God of vengeance and a jealous God. Jehovah's 
 He asserts himself in defense of his rightful dignity butes 
 against those who have long been ill-treating his people. * ^' ^^^' 
 He inflicts deserved chastisement upon those who hinder 
 his righteous purpose. He makes every allowance, he 
 delays his disciplinary action to the very last, but 
 eventually he gives the wicked their deserts. 
 
 The whirlwind and the storm are tokens of his pres- Their mani- 
 ence ; he treads upon the darkening clouds. At his through" 
 voice of thunder the great deep is rolled back, and the °i^J'^b!6). 
 rivers made dry. With the hot wind of the desert he 
 parches the most fruitful fields. Terrific earthquakes 
 and trembling mountains are signs of his awe-inspiring 
 presence. Who can brave his just anger in all its fierce- 
 ness ? It devours like molten lava, which beats down 
 every obstacle in its swift rush. 
 
 He protects those who put their trust in him, butThecom- 
 overwhelms those who are rebellious, ^ and thrusts them jehovah% 
 into darkness. What do you think of Jehovah ? He isj" f^tz)!' 
 
 1 Adopting the reading " those who rise up against him " in place of 
 " the place thereof." 
 
Nahum i : 9 Messages of the 
 
 thorough-going in his correction. Although his foes are 
 as hard to destroy as a tangled thorn-hedge soaked with 
 moisture, he will devour them as fire consumes dry 
 stubble. Out of thee, O Nineveh, Sennacherib came 
 forth long ago, who defied Jehovah and plotted evil ; 
 but, though his foes were like the ocean for multitude 
 and in power, Jehovah would overcome them. He 
 promises to give thee such an affliction that it need not 
 be done a second time. 
 A promise to ««i am now about to deliver thee, O Judah," saith 
 
 Judah of 1 <- 1 • T 
 
 speedy de- Jehovah, " from the oppressive yoke of the Assyrian ; I 
 
 liverance .,, . , . ,, 
 
 (i : 13). Will loose thy fetters. 
 
 Assyria's Q Assyria, Jehovah himself commands that your 
 
 sentence ... ., ij-i ji 
 
 (i : 14). nationality cease, and that your temples, dishonored by 
 
 the loss of their idols, become your shameful tomb. 
 Peace and Behold, O Judah, your fallen foe ! The messenger is 
 
 exaltation . • , , , j • j- r tt u 
 
 for Judah hastening with the glad tidings of peace. Hold your 
 feasts of rejoicing and pay your vows, for the enemy 
 shall never again raid through your borders ; his end 
 has come. Jehovah will exalt the dignity and strength 
 of Judah to the standard of that of Israel in her best 
 days. The plundering of her choice possessions shall 
 be no more. 
 
 178 
 
Earlier Prophets Nahum 2 : 5 
 
 III 
 
 THE CAPTURE AND PLUNDER OF THE LION's LAIR 
 (2: I, 3-13) 
 
 O Nineveh, your time has come. Your destroyer is ^\^^^'^llj 
 in sight Guard well the fortifications, keep sharp watch to Nineveh 
 of the road by which the enemy advances, gird your- 
 self for bitter, bloody warfare, for the death-struggle is 
 at hand. 
 
 How brave a show the hostile army^ makes with the Appearance^ 
 copper-covered shields and scarlet mantles of the war- ing army 
 riors, and the dazzling glitter of the chariots, with their 
 burnished plates gleaming as they dash to and fro, 
 while the horsemen prance about, brandishing their long 
 lances. 
 
 In the wide stretches outside the inner walls, the a ski^rmish 
 armed chariots meet in deadly conflict ; they hurry urbs (2:4). 
 across the open ground swift as the lightning, glisten- 
 ing in the sunlight as if they were fiery torches. 
 
 Now the king bestirs himself, and summons those The_hurried 
 whom he has honored with rank and authority to the effectual 
 
 , , preparations 
 
 defense. They, half stupefied with debauchery, stumble for defense 
 as best they may to the walls ; but it is too late. The ^'^'^'' 
 battering-ram is in place, its protecting roof shielding it 
 
 1 Probably referring to the invaders. 
 
Nahum 2 : 6 Messages of the 
 
 The capture Crash go the iron gates ! Those at the royal palace 
 (2 : 6, 7). are overwhelmed by terror and despair. Huzzab ' is dis- 
 covered, seized, and carried off in shameful guise, while 
 her maidens, mourning like doves, beat their breasts. 
 The flight of Through all her history, Nineveh has been like a huge 
 
 the inhab- « ^ o 
 
 itants (2 : 8). reservoir into which flowed the nations of the earth. 
 But these are not her children, to whom she may look 
 for defense. When the breach is opened, they disappear 
 like the rush of water through a broken dyke. Nothing 
 stops their precipitate flight Although summoned to 
 make a stand in defense of the city, no one looks back. 
 
 The sacking Now, O invaders, take the vast spoil of silver and 
 
 of the city ^ 
 
 (2:9,10). gold, treasures without number, heaps of precious 
 articles. There is no limit to them. Alas ! great Nine- 
 veh is absolutely laid waste.' Every survivor is over- 
 come with weakness ; their faces are ghastly pale with 
 fear. 
 
 To Jehovah Can this trembling city be the lair of the dreaded lion 
 
 IS this judg- ° ■' 
 
 ment due which no One dared molest ? He foraged at his pleasure 
 for his whelps, and filled his cave with prey. The ex- 
 planation is simple. Jehovah has at last determined to 
 bring her to judgment He will destroy that invincible 
 
 1 An obscure word. It refers probably to the queen. 
 3 The remarkable trio of similarly sounding words, "bukah, umebukah, 
 umebuUakah," is rendered by G. A. Smith void and devoid and desolate ; 
 by Ewald, desert and desolation and devastation ; by Gandell, sack and 
 sacking and ransacking. 
 
 180 
 
Earlier Prophets Nahum 3 : 7 
 
 army, the secret of her power to bully and plunder all 
 nations. No more shall her haughty ambassadors cajole 
 or threaten ; her spoliation is at an end. 
 
 IV 
 
 THE CERTAINTY OF NINEVEH's FATE (3 : I- 1 9) 
 
 Woe to the city of blood and falsehood and endless The well 
 
 deserved 
 
 robbery ! Her time of reckonmg has come. An army capture of 
 is at her gates ! Hear the crack of the charioteer' s whip the^harlot 
 and:^the rumbling of the wheels, the galloping horses, *^'*^ ^^ ' ^"'♦^* 
 and the rattle of the chariots bounding along. See the 
 r horsemen as they charge, their swords flashing in the 
 air, their polished spears glistening. The contest is 
 fierce, the battle-field a charnel-house, the bodies of the 
 slain heaps over which the victors stumble. And why 
 this carnage ? Because she has used her prestige and 
 her charms in alluring and bringing to ruin every nation 
 under heaven. She is a corrupter of the world. 
 
 At last, O Nineveh, you must reckon with J^^ovah Jehovah will 
 himself. He will deal with you as pitilessly as your own as she de- 
 brutal soldiery has been wont to deal with hapless cap- (3 : 5-7). 
 tives. Since you have delighted to play the harlot, a 
 harlot's punishment shall you have. Shamefully ex- 
 posed and covered with filth, you shall be pilloried for 
 all to gaze at, — a fate so terrible that many shall shrink 
 181 
 
Nahum 3:7 Messages of the 
 
 from looking upon you, so well deserved that none shall 
 be found to pity you. 
 Her de- Dq you listcu scomfully to this threat, saying in your 
 
 prove use- heart, ' ' My defenses are secure. Who can capture me 
 ^' 'by assault ? ' ' Are you stronger than the mighty Thebes, 
 the capital of Upper Egypt, situated on the broad Nile, 
 which she considered a sure defense, while Ethiopia and 
 all the provinces of Egypt lent her aid, and Put and the 
 Lybians came to her assistance ? Yet, all these availed 
 nothing ; she was carried off captive. The cruel As- 
 syrian soldiers massacred her weaker population, while 
 her nobles were laden with fetters and only spared 
 from slaughter that they might become abject slaves. 
 So shall you be drunken with the cup of God* s wrath, 
 and be entirely powerless to make a defense. In vain 
 will you seek a safe refuge from your enemy. Your 
 fortresses, apparently so strong, shall be like ripe figs 
 which drop the moment they are touched. Your de- 
 fenders lose all courage at the news that the entrances 
 to your land have been forced and the fortresses burned. 
 At the critu The danger is now at your doors. Make every prepa- 
 
 cal moment ._f- ^ / , , ,/. 
 
 her de- ration for defense. Take care that the supply of water is 
 
 colnpteteiy ample ; strengthen the defenses. Hasten to tread the 
 
 (3'': 14-17). cl^y ^^^ mold the bricks to repair all breaches. Put 
 
 forth your utmost effort. It is of no avail ! When you 
 
 are most active, fire shall consume your palaces, and the 
 
 182 
 
Earlier Prophets Nahum 3: 19 
 
 sword your people. However many your numbers, 
 however numerous your traders, they shall depart as 
 quickly as the locust which sheds its skin and flees. 
 Your princes and officers too shall be like the locusts 
 which, though torpid when the day is cold, come to life 
 with the first rays of the brightening sun, and take their 
 rapid flight. So will these worthies seek shelter at their 
 first opportunity. 
 
 Your real kings, O Assyria, are long since dead ; your Her fall 
 nobles are at rest. All have been slain, your people and "n-^ 
 hopelessly scattered on the mountains. There is no re- (3Ti'^%x 
 covery for the nation ; your wound is fatal, your ruin 
 irretrievable. Yet no one will mourn for you. Rather 
 will every man that hears the rumor of your downfall re- 
 joice and exult, for where can one find a people on the 
 earth which has not felt your unceasing brutality ! 
 
 183 
 
THE MESSAGE OF ZEPHANIAH 
 
THE MESSAGE OF ZEPHANIAH 
 
 THE PROPHET AND HIS SURROUNDINGS 
 
 During the closing years of Hezekiah's life, whether 
 they were two or ten, the prophetic party led by Isaiah 
 appears to have had undisputed control in Judah. They 
 carried through a reform of public worship the extent of 
 which cannot be certainly determined. The remedy 
 most in favor for the existing evils of worship and of 
 government seems to have been a centralization, as far 
 as possible, of all authorized activity at Jerusalem. 
 
 Be that as it may, not long after Manasseh ascended 
 the throne there was a reaction, supported by the king 
 himself, in favor of the earlier freedom of worship, with 
 all the objectionable practices which Isaiah had con- 
 demned. We can only conjecture the cause of this re- 
 action. Isaiah had probably passed away ; the hopes 
 which his glowing promises had excited may have been 
 too definite and literal, or the prophetic reforms may 
 have been too precipitate and sweeping. At all events, 
 a bitter and bloody persecution of the prophets and their 
 187 
 
Zephaniah Messages of the 
 
 adherents was sanctioned. Possibly Micah 6 : 9 to 
 7 : 6 reflects this melancholy period. 
 
 The years of quiet isolation that followed were fruitful 
 years for prophecy. Heroic men (2 Kings 21 : 10 ff.) 
 who proclaimed the judgment of God upon such ruthless 
 wickedness were not wanting ; but the greater number 
 of the men of God used their enforced seclusion as a 
 time for arranging and copying the valued sermons of 
 the earlier prophets, for putting into practical and most 
 effective form the precepts of national and social life 
 which had been handed down from Moses, for tracing 
 out and editing the records of the nation' s history, and, 
 especially, for reflecting upon and reformulating the 
 principles of the divine government over men. Thus, 
 when another opportunity came, they were ready to 
 grapple with Judah' s spiritual problems from a broader 
 point of view. The utterances of Zephaniah, Jeremiah, 
 and Habakkuk, are the fruitage of this half-century of 
 thinking. 
 
 The reigns of Manasseh and his son Amon lasted 
 about fifty years. They were vassals of Assyria, and, 
 with one slight exception, entirely submissive. Manas- 
 seh even introduced the star worship of Nineveh, and 
 made it popular. In 639 B. C. , Amon' s little son, Jo- 
 siah, was placed on the throne by a revolution, the exact 
 reason for which is not clear. Whatever its cause, it 
 188 
 
Earlier Prophets Zephaniah 
 
 gave the prophetic party renewed recognition. The 
 little king came under the influence of the prophets, and 
 was educated into sympathy with them. 
 
 Close to the king at this time was Zephaniah, himself 
 a relative through his direct descent from Hezekiah. 
 His royal birth, however, did not prevent his unsparing 
 condemnation of the share of the princes of the blood in 
 the nation's degeneracy. Like his favorite author, 
 Isaiah, he was a clear-eyed citizen of Jerusalem, re- 
 ferring repeatedly to its different quarters, its types, and 
 its perils. Though but little older than the young king, 
 Zephaniah' s earnest, thoughtful face must have inspired 
 those who knew him with confidence in his zeal and 
 wisdom. His prophecies show that he was an eager stu- 
 dent of the writings of Isaiah, although the altered cir- 
 cumstances of his age gave his thoughts a different form. 
 
 It was about the fourteenth year of King Josiah's 
 reign, in 625 B. C, that Zephaniah was impelled to give 
 his powerful support in public addresses to the reforms 
 which Josiah was aiming to carry through. He com- 
 plains that the nobles and other leaders are still main- 
 taining all the abuses of the past, so that even the 
 professed believers in Jehovah are becoming skeptical 
 of any success in bringing about reform. Such a state 
 of affairs was in itself a trumpet-call of God to the truly 
 prophetic soul, yet such a one would delay to utter his 
 189 
 
Zephaniah i : 2 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 message until he could see an indication of God' s prepa- 
 ration for his work. 
 
 Just as the prophets of the eighth century saw in the 
 Assyrian the scourge of God, so Zephaniah beheld some 
 unnamed "guests" (1:7) preparing to partake of Jeho- 
 vah' s sacrificial banquet It is generally agreed that he 
 had in mind the Scythians, a people like the Tartars, 
 who, according to Herodotus, broke out from the north- 
 ern mountains like a storm-cloud, and ravaged all West- 
 ern Asia as far as Egypt Since they made their way, 
 about 626 B.C., to the very border of Egypt, they must 
 certainly have been a menace to all Palestine. 
 
 It was to bring home to his people the awful nearness 
 of God's purifying judgment, and to urge them to repent 
 before it should be too late, that the young prophet 
 lifted up his voice in the streets of his city. 
 
 II 
 
 Jehovah's 
 wrath 
 against all 
 created 
 things 
 
 SERMONS CONCERNING THE COMING JUDGMENT 
 
 I. The Day of Jehovah a Peculiarly Distressful Day for 
 Judah (i : 2 to 2 : 3) 
 
 Jehovah, the righteous One, supreme Ruler of the 
 
 universe, is forced to announce a message of judgment 
 
 against all who oppose his will or his ways. • • I will 
 
 sweep away," he declares, "everything on the face of 
 
 190 
 
Earlier Prophets Zephaniah i : lo 
 
 the earth, man or beast, fowl or fish, that contributes to 
 the spread of wickedness in the earth. 
 
 ' ' Especially in my city, Jerusalem, will I stretch out my its manifes- 
 
 . • /■ T% 1 tation in 
 
 hand to smite. I will cut off every vestige of Baal wor- Jerusalem 
 ship. I will purge from the official roll both the idola- ^^ "* ^" 
 trous priests and the unfaithful priests of my sanctuary. 
 I will cut off all those who worship the heavenly bodies, 
 as well as those who pretend to worship Jehovah, while 
 they continue to render homage to cruel Moloch. The 
 same judgment will overtake those who have openly re- 
 nounced allegiance to me." 
 
 Hush! it is Jehovah's judgment day. He draweth Jehovah's 
 
 ■* ° ^ sacrificial 
 
 near to off"er Judah as a sacrifice. His guests for the feast (i : 7). 
 sacrificial feast — those dreaded, unknown foes from the 
 north — he hath already purified, and they await his 
 bidding. 
 
 When the sacrifice is ready, I, the Lord Jehovah, will ^^jf ^''^h"* 
 seek out for punishment all those who are responsible nobles and 
 for Judah' s wickedness. I will visit retribution upon (1:8,9). 
 those nobles and princes who encourage all manner of 
 extravagance, clothing themselves in costly foreign ap- 
 parel, and upon the officials that use their nearness to 
 the king as a license for violence and spoil, dishonoring 
 the name of their royal master. 
 
 On that fatal day, when the guests come to the ban- 
 quet, a great wail of despair and terror shall conte from 
 191 
 
Zephaniah i : lo 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 The mer- 
 chants 
 (i : lo, ii). 
 
 The dis- 
 heartened 
 and skepti- 
 cal "be- 
 lievers " 
 (i : 12, 13). 
 
 The charac- 
 teristics of 
 Jehovah's 
 day 
 (I : 14-18). 
 
 the fish-gate in the northern wall, where they will enter, 
 and from the newly built quarter of the city, where the 
 wealthy live ; and shrieks of alarm shall come from the 
 heights. Howl, O dwellers in the merchant quarter, for 
 when the foe appears your treasures and goods will be 
 the first to be seized. 
 
 On that day, saith Jehovah, I will search Jerusalem 
 through and through. None shall escape, for all the 
 dark retreats shall be carefully searched. I will lay hold 
 of those who have lost their zeal, who are listless, self- 
 indulgent, skeptical of all achievement, and indifferent 
 about God. Their wealth others shall take ; their 
 houses shall be despoiled ; whatever they have planned 
 for their selfish and cowardly ease they shall lose. 
 
 This fateful day of Jehovah comes speedily. It is 
 almost at hand. Listen ! It shall be a day when even 
 the hardened warrior will weep, for then the wrath of 
 God against evil shall be outpoured, bringing distress 
 and hardship, devastation and destruction, a day when 
 all nature in sympathy shall be shrouded in clouds. On 
 that day will be heard the blast of the war-trumpet and 
 the waH-iors' battle-cry ; for the army which Jehovah has 
 invited to the feast shall capture the fortresses and strong 
 cities. Jehovah will bring men from distress to helpless 
 perplexity. They have sinned beyond forgiveness, and 
 shall be punished without pity. Nothing can deliver 
 192 
 
Earlier Prophets Zephaniah 2 : 7 
 
 them from the judgment. It is to be world-wide and 
 complete. 
 
 Therefore, O nation which has too long been indiffer- A warning 
 ent to Jehovah, take this opportunity to repent sincerely anceS" 
 and serve him, before his anger bursts forth in fury and (2^1-3). 
 scatters you like chaff. 1 Seek him also, you that are 
 humble and obedient. Strive earnestly to excel in 
 righteousness and meekness, that you may be secure 
 in that fearful day. 
 
 2. The Day of Jehovah, a Day of Judgment against 
 Nations'^ (2 .'4-15) 
 
 In the day of Jehovah his judgment will be carried out Against 
 against the nations, who have deserved his wrath, and first fj'f 4-7* 
 upon Philistia, near the sea. Gaza, the busy city of traffic, 
 and Ashkelon, shall each become an utter desolation. » 
 Ekron and Ashdod shall be taken by storm, and com- 
 pletely ravaged. The Philistines shall cease to be a 
 nation. Their fertile land shall be turned into pasturage, 
 a resort for the shepherds of Judah, when Jehovah brings 
 back his own people from captivity to dwell in the land. 
 
 1 Verses i and 2 are very obscure. The above seems to be the general 
 meaning, but it involves one or two uncertain readings. 
 
 2 This whole passage was probably written originally in the elegiac 
 meter (see p. 36). Now only verses 4, 5, 13-15, are intact. 
 
 8 The assonance here defies imitation. Gazzah gazubah ; Ekron 
 te'aqer. 
 
Zephaniah 2 : 8 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Against the 
 spiteful and 
 arrogant 
 children of 
 Moab and 
 Ammon 
 (2:8-11). 
 
 Against 
 Ethiopia 
 (2:12). 
 
 Against 
 haughty 
 Nineveh 
 (2 : 13-15)- 
 
 Jehovah 1 has been listening all this while to the bitter 
 insults of the people of Moab and Ammon against 
 Judah, and he has seen their seizure of her territory. 
 Wherefore he will destroy them as completely as Sodom 
 or Gomorrah of old, turning over their fertile territory to 
 nettles and barren salt-pits. When the men of Judah 
 are restored to their native land, they shall also possess 
 these countries. Jehovah will do this because of the 
 pride and arrogance of these heathen peoples. By such 
 deeds he makes himself known to the nations. They 
 will thus see how impotent are their gods, and will wor- 
 ship him alone. 
 
 O people of distant Ethiopia, you also shall be the 
 victims of the avenging sword which Jehovah will order 
 to be drawn from its sheath. 
 
 Especially will he reckon with the haughty mistress 
 of nations, Assyria. He will extend his hand to smite 
 her, and make her an utter desolation. Behold, then, 
 the light-hearted city, Nineveh, so confident of her 
 strength, so superior in resources, so incomparable, 
 
 How hath she become a desolation, 
 A lair of wild beasts ! 
 Every one passing by her hisseth, 
 Shaking his hand. 
 
 » Verses 8-11, not being in meter, are regarded by some scholars as an 
 interpolation. 
 
 194 
 
Earlier Prophets Zephaniah 3 : 7 
 
 3. The Day of Jehovah, a Means of Redemption for 
 Jerusalem (3 : 1-13) 
 
 Woe to Jerusalem, rebellious against Jehovah, pel- Jerusalem 
 luted by bloodshed and iniquity, filled with outrage and judgment 
 oppression ! She is disobedient ; she refuses instruc- ^ * ^' ^ ' 
 tion ; she has no faith in God ; she draws not near to 
 him. 
 
 What wonder that she is so, when we consider her Her leaders 
 leaders ! Her princes are as ravenous as lions, her corrupt 
 judges as voracious and insatiable as wolves of evening, ^^'^' '^^' 
 her prophets are arrogant boasters and men of immoral 
 conduct ; her priests, instead of guarding the sanctuary, 
 profane all things holy, and, instead of maintaining the 
 pure interpretation of the law, do violence to it. 
 
 Jehovah makes Jerusalem his dwelling-place. He re- She is in- 
 peatedly exhibits his righteousness through his word and the evi- ^° 
 works, but the wicked man sees nothing of all this, and jehovlh^s 
 is unaffected by it. Repeatedly he claims, "I have ''^^'■^^'^'" 
 
 •' ^ ' ' - and purpose 
 
 executed judgment on other nations from which Judah (3 : 5-7)- 
 might have taken warning. I thought that she would 
 humble herself, and receive instruction, and keep in 
 mind henceforth my commands, but only the more 
 zealously did her people do evil." 
 Therefore, wait until the great day of Jehovah' s mani- 
 
 195 
 
Zephaniah 3 : 8 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 The day of 
 universal 
 judgment 
 coming 
 (3 : 8). 
 
 Causing the 
 nations to be 
 converted 
 (3 : 9» 10) • 
 
 Judah, re- 
 duced to a 
 remnant, 
 shall serve 
 Jehovah 
 (3 : 11-13). 
 
 festation, when he comes to bear witness of what he has 
 seen. On that day there will be a universal judgment 
 of all nations ; for it is his fixed purpose to execute upon 
 them that penalty which they richly deserve. 
 
 ["Then," Jehovah declares, "will I purify the 
 peoples, that they may be worthy to invoke my name, 
 and may serve me whole-heartedly. Even from far dis- 
 tant Ethiopia shall my people come with offerings. ' ' ] 
 
 On that day, O chosen people, so completely will you 
 forgo evil deeds that no recollection of them will call 
 up a blush of shame ; for all your self-confident and 
 haughty ones shall be removed, and those who are left, 
 though few in number, and lowly and poor, shall be 
 trustful, honorable, truthful, peaceful, and happy. 
 
 II 
 
 THE SONG OF ZION REDEEMED (3 : I4-20) 
 [Sing and shout aloud for joy, O Jerusalem. Your 
 
 judgments are over, your foes defeated ; Jehovah, your 
 king, is in your midst ; all your troubles are at an end. 
 In that day Jerusalem will have no cause for fear or 
 
 Jehovah's 
 protecting 
 presence 
 with Zion 
 (3 : 14. 15)- 
 Removes all 
 
 (3T16, 17). despondency, for Jehovah, who dwells in Zion, is 
 mighty to deliver her out of every trouble. He will 
 rejoice over every chance to show his love and happi- 
 ness. 
 
 196 
 
Earlier Prophets Zephaniah 3 ; 20 
 
 *'At that time," Jehovah promises, "I will gather Restoration 
 
 , , _ , . , . J , . and glorifi- 
 
 together the Israelites now dispersed among the nations, cation for 
 who are longing for the sanctuary and for the sacred ^ce ^ ^^^ 
 feasts. I will then do all that I have ever promised. I ^^ • ^^' ^°^' 
 will heal and restore my afflicted ones, and will make 
 them respected and renowned wherever they have been 
 humiliated."] 
 
 w 
 
JEREMIAH'S PROPHETIC ACTIVITY 
 DURING THE REIGN OF JOSIAH 
 
JEREMIAH'S PROPHETIC ACTIVITY 
 DURING THE REIGN OF JOSIAH 
 
 JEREMIAH, THE YOUNG REFORMER 
 
 A brisk walk of an hour northward from Jerusalem 
 along one of the great highways which radiate from the 
 sacred city, brings one to the little town of Anata, the 
 Anathoth of the Hebrews. It is unattractive to-day, with 
 its few poor hovels, and it must have been insignificant 
 also in antiquity (cf. Isa. lo • 30). Although shut off 
 from Jerusalem by hills, it figured as one of the northern 
 military out-posts of the capital. In the days of Solo- 
 mon, Abiathar, a descendant of the priestly house of 
 Eli, was banished thither (i Kings 2 : 26) ; and it is re- 
 ferred to elsewhere (Josh. 21 : 8) as the residence of 
 certain priestly families. 
 
 To one of these families belonged Hilkiah, the father 
 of Jeremiah. It is easy to imagine that, on the day of 
 his birth (which he later, in a time of deep despondency, 
 bitterly cursed), heavy clouds shut out the warm sun- 
 shine, and the descending rains converted the filth, 
 which is never wanting in an Oriental town, into slippery 
 201 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 slime, — a true suggestion of the unpleasant environment 
 amidst which he was destined to spend his long life. 
 
 Concerning his boyhood, we have some hints in the 
 opening chapters of his prophecy. In the character of 
 his parents he recognized an important element in his 
 preparations for the work of a prophet. Possibly some 
 one of his ancestors belonged to that group of disciples 
 who drank in and treasured the teachings of the great 
 Isaiah. Jeremiah's sermons demonstrate that he was 
 also a careful student of the earlier prophets. With 
 Hosea, whose language and ideas made the deepest im- 
 pression upon him, he must have recognized the closest 
 kinship, in experience as well as in thought. For both 
 lived in the deep shadow of a great national catastrophe 
 which they were powerless to avert ; both were rejected 
 by their contemporaries, and both, capable of the most 
 intense happiness, were denied all the joys which their 
 age held dear. 
 
 During Jeremiah' s boyhood, spent in the latter days 
 of Manasseh* s reactionary reign, that which was purest 
 and best in his nation's experience was found in the 
 past. The heathenism which reigned all but supreme in 
 court and in temple made the life of a true prophet a 
 living sacrifice. If, however, the revelation already 
 vouchsafed to the Hebrew race was to be preserved, and 
 if that nation was to move forward instead of hopelessly 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 
 
 reverting to heathenism, such a sacrifice was absolutely 
 necessary. 
 
 Appreciating facts like these, it is not difficult to 
 understand the soul struggles reflected in the chapter 
 which tells of Jeremiah's call. 
 
 When the final decision was made, about the year 
 626 B. C, he must have been still a young man of 
 twenty or twenty-five, since for over forty years following 
 that event he continued to preach uninterruptedly to his 
 countrymen. Those forty years witnessed more startling 
 changes than any other four decades in Hebrew history. 
 During the entire period, Jeremiah was in reality the 
 most prominent figure in Judah's life. His prophecies, 
 so full of historical allusions, are the best and fullest 
 sources for the knowledge of that period. Through all 
 the varying changes of party and political fortunes, he 
 proclaimed the same eternal truths, adapting them, as 
 necessary, to new conditions. Naturally he frequently 
 repeats himself. As with Hosea's sermons, the situa- 
 tion and the prophet' s feelings were too intense to favor 
 logical development and literary finish ; but through all 
 of Jeremiah' s sermons one may trace the evidence of an 
 ever-deepening appreciation of the sublimest truths 
 vouchsafed to man. Despised, often persecuted, with- 
 out the consolations of wife or children, sometimes dis- 
 couraged, but never daunted, this great soul, faithful to 
 203 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 the commands of Jehovah, gave his all as a voluntary 
 offering for his race and for humanity, thus presenting 
 the most conspicuous example in the old Hebrew state 
 of service perfected through suffering and complete self- 
 surrender. 
 
 His earliest sermons, which are preserved in the col- 
 lection made during the fourth year of Jehoiakim, reveal 
 the important part which he enacted in connection with 
 the movement which culminated in the great reformation 
 of 62 1 B.C. under Josiah. 
 
 At first the prevailing idolatry, which survived from 
 the days of Manasseh, almost appalled him ; but this 
 condition only brought out into brighter contrast later 
 successes, crowned by the public acceptance of the Book 
 of the Covenant, — practically our present Book of Deu- 
 teronomy. Associated with him was a faithful band of 
 prophets like Zephaniah, and priests like Hilkiah, all 
 united in one noble purpose to reform the religious life 
 of their nation. 
 
 The foes from the north, described in chapters 4-6, 
 are probably the dread Scythians, who, about 626 B.C., 
 came sweeping down the coast of the Eastern Mediter- 
 ranean, furnishing in the terror-stricken Judeans an 
 audience, and in themselves an effective text, for such 
 prophets of reform as Zephaniah and Jeremiah. The 
 short section preserved in verses 1-8 of the eleventh chap- 
 204 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 1:1-9 
 
 ter, probably contains extracts from sermons preached by- 
 Jeremiah about the year 621 B.C., in connection with 
 the institution of reform measures under Josiah. They 
 are the only reminders of what must have been one of 
 the most active and happy periods of the prophet' s life. 
 
 II 
 
 Jeremiah's call and commission 
 
 These are the thoughts which Jehovah placed in my The call to 
 heart when he first called me to be his prophet : "From (iTlf^s). 
 your earliest days I have surrounded you with holy in- 
 fluences, and have stood in peculiarly intimate relation- 
 « ship with you. Now I have commissioned you to be 
 my ambassador to proclaim my will to the nations. ' ' 
 
 To this call to service I replied : "Alas, O Lord, I The re- 
 am not gifted as a speaker, and my youth and inexperi- (?°6-8). 
 ence unfit me for the great task." But Jehovah en- 
 couraged me with the assurance : "Whatsoever I shall 
 ask you to do, that will you be able to accomplish. Be 
 not afraid of those whom you will be called upon to ad- 
 dress, for I will ever be present to deliver you." 
 
 Then, symbolizing my preparation for the prophetic The divine 
 office. Jehovah touched my mouth, and declared that he ("iTpf'oj?" 
 had placed his word therein. He further added that my 
 205 
 
Jeremiah i : lo Messages of the 
 
 mission would be to denounce and to proclaim the de- 
 struction of the nations to which I was sent, but that I 
 should also announce their ultimate restoration. 
 A vision of Then there rose before my troubled mind the vision 
 
 assurance i • , /- i r ■% i 
 
 (i : II, 12). of an almond- tree, which first awakens from the deep 
 
 slumber of winter, and which stands as the symbol of 
 
 watchfulness. With that vision came the assurance from 
 
 Jehovah that thus would he ever be watchful to speedily 
 
 fulfil his word which I sjiould proclaim. 
 
 A vision of Again before my mind rose the picture of a huge cal- 
 
 wheiming dron in the north about to spill its seething contents 
 
 {?:^i3-^i6V upon the land. This, I soon learned, symbolized the 
 
 fiery flood of war which Jehovah was about to turn upon 
 
 Judah ; for by foreign powers would the sentence which 
 
 he was about to pronounce upon his apostate and 
 
 idolatrous people be executed. 
 
 Further When the divine command came to declare the truth 
 
 assurance of 
 
 divine revealed to me, there came also the assurance that, al- 
 
 [1° 17-19?. though king, princes, priests, and prophets, would 
 
 bitterly oppose me, like a strong fortress I should 
 
 stand out against them, invincible, because guarded by 
 
 Jehovah. 
 
 206 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 2 : 10 
 
 III 
 
 REFORM SERMONS 
 
 I. The Story of Judah, the Unrepentant Prodigal 
 (2 : I to 3 : 5) 
 
 Jehovah commanded me to go, and in his name re- The inno- 
 mind the men of Jerusalem of the innocency which eaS days° 
 characterized the earlier days of their nation's history, ^^ • ^'3^ 
 and which the eternal heart of love holds in such fond 
 remembrance. Then the bond of mutual affection be- 
 tween him and the people whom he set aside as 
 sacred to himself was unbroken. Woe to the nation 
 which then presumed to wrong his chosen ones ! 
 
 Listen, O Hebrew race, to the charge which Jehovah Subsequem 
 
 ° •' infidelity 
 
 brings against your fathers. Following their own wicked (2 : 4-13). 
 inclinations, they soon forgot all his tender care for 
 them. This fruitful land, which he gave them as a 
 heritage, they proceeded forthwith to pollute. The 
 priests, whose duty it was to instruct the people in the 
 law of Jehovah, have questioned his very existence ; the 
 rulers, whose duty it was to lead the people, have dis- 
 honored him ; the prophets, whose duty it was to pro- 
 claim his will, have spoken in the name of Baal. The 
 entire heathen world does not present such a strange 
 anomaly. Though their deities are vain creations, no 
 207 
 
Jeremiah 2:11 Messages of the 
 
 pagan peoples have exchanged their gods for those of 
 their neighbors. Let heaven and earth behold with 
 wonder and with horror. This people have forsaken Je- 
 hovah, the source of all life, and have placed their trust 
 in idols, the worthless works of men' s hands ! 
 The punish- Was it because Israel, like a slave, was subject to the 
 merited caprices of his master that his land has been wasted 
 • ^* ^7;- ^y foreign conquerors, and his cities burned and left 
 uninhabited ? You all know the real reason. The 
 Egyptians shall likewise devour your strength, O Ju- 
 deans, for you have deserted Jehovah, and these shall 
 be the consequences. 
 Judah's Why have you sought entangling alliances, first with 
 
 political and ^ •^,, . . ° ^ .?. 
 
 religious Egypt and then with her foe, Assyria, irreverently turn- 
 ("ri?-28). ing your backs upon Jehovah, who is your true pro- 
 tector? He declares: "From your earliest days you 
 have broken my commandments, and have refused alle- 
 giance to me, preferring the vile service of the gods of 
 your heathen neighbors. The fault is not mine ; for I 
 created you perfect, and established you in this land. 
 Whence this sad perversion of your character? The 
 moral stain is too deep to be removed by external cleans- 
 ing. It is folly for you to say that you are sinless. 
 Degenerate are all your tendencies. Like a beast, your 
 animal passions rule you, leading you into gross idolatry. 
 Rulers, priests, prophets, and people, have, in secret at 
 308 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 3 : 5 
 
 least, descended to fetish worship. As among the 
 heathen, each city has its patron god. In the time 
 of danger and distress, they shall be cruelly deceived who 
 trust in these creations of their own hands. 
 
 "Having sinned so deeply, do you dare plead your Their 
 case against me ? All my efforts to discipline and in- (2 ; 29-37). 
 struct you have met with contempt. The prophets whom 
 I sent to teach you have fallen victims to your sword. 
 And yet, have I ever neglected my people Israel ? You 
 are the ones who have forgotten me through these long 
 years, devoting yourselves to idolatrous exercises, suck- 
 ing out the blood of the innocent. Most hateful of all 
 is the self-complacency with which you assert that you 
 have done no wrong. I, Jehovah, will reveal your per- 
 fidy. The new alliance with Egypt will bring to you 
 only disaster. 
 
 "How contrary to instruction and the commands of Empty 
 
 ,,... 11TT 1 • r 1 words insuf- 
 
 the law It is for a man to take back a divorced wife ; and ficient 
 yet you think that you can forsake me, and indulge in pardon'^^ 
 all the lewd rites connected with the worship of idols, ^^ ' ^"^^* 
 and then return to me guiltless. In vain do you cry, 
 ' My father,' trusting that because of the kindness which 
 I showed you in your youth, and because of my compas- 
 sion, I will forgive you, even though your wicked deeds 
 give the lie to your professions." 
 
 209 
 
Jeremiah 3 : 6 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Judah the 
 more 
 culpable 
 (3 : 6-11). 
 
 Pardon and 
 restoration 
 for Israel 
 (3 : 12-15). 
 
 Extension 
 of the old 
 covenant 
 (3 : 16-18). 
 
 2. Promises to Israel and Judah, if they will Repent 
 (3 : 6 to 4 : 2) 
 
 On another occasion, during the reign of Josiah, Jeho- 
 vah gave me this message : ' ' Thou hast seen the apos- 
 tasy of the northern kingdom, and how it has failed to 
 learn the lesson of repentance. Judah' s treacher>^ how- 
 ever, is more unpardonable than Israel's apostasy, for 
 the men of the south were warned by the terrible fate 
 which overtook the northern kingdom, and yet, while 
 they hypocritically profess to be contrite, they per- 
 sistently go on sinning. 
 
 ' • O northerners, when once you acknowledge the error 
 of your ways, I will forgive your sins ; and, again ac- 
 cepted as my covenant people, I will bring you back to 
 Jerusalem. I will also set over you righteous rulers and 
 teachers to guide and instruct you. 
 
 "When the numbers of the faithful remnant of the 
 Hebrew race have increased, the narrow limitations of 
 the old covenant, which was symbolized by the ark, will 
 be broken down, and the ancient forms of worship will 
 be abandoned ; for then Jehovah will no longer be con- 
 ceived of as dwelling in one especial place. Jerusalem 
 shall be the center of his world-wide rule, which shall be 
 joyfully recognized by all peoples. No longer shall 
 men oppose their own stubborn wills to that of the 
 Eternal. [Then shall the Judeans, who are soon to be 
 210 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 4 : 3 
 
 scattered, be gathered from the lands of their captivity 
 to inhabit and enjoy this fair portion of the earth which 
 was assigned to their ancestors.] 
 
 "Thus it is my purpose not only to give you aTmecon- 
 princely heritage, O Israelites, among the people of the one and 
 earth, but also to adopt you as my own. Alas ! O conduion 
 nation Israel, how your apostasy is defeating my gracious ^^ " ^9-2S)- 
 intentions ! Yet, the moment you truly repent, I will 
 remove all traces of your sins. Approach me with the 
 genuine prayer of contrition, saying : 'We come unto 
 thee, who art the true, the only God, The heathen 
 deities whom we have worshiped are a delusion. Thou 
 art indeed the saviour of our nation. Grossly have we 
 and our fathers sinned against thee in devoting our best 
 gifts to base idols, disobeying thy gracious commands. 
 In shame we hide our faces. ' 
 
 "If thus, O Israel, you will confess your sins, con- The fruits of 
 firming your words by your deeds, then shall the heathen (4 : 1, 2). 
 world beholding such loyalty be speedily attracted to 
 Jehovah, and with you enjoy his rich blessings." 
 
 3. The Judgment Approaching from the North 
 (4 : 3 to 6 : 30) 
 
 Give heed, O Judeans, to Jehovah' s words of warn- Repent 
 
 . while there 
 
 mg : "Overcome your evil tendencies, and open your is time 
 hearts to my transforming influences, lest I bring upon ' ^' ^'' 
 211 
 
Jeremiah 4 : 4 Messages of the 
 
 you that overwhelming destruction which you so richly 
 merit" 
 The ap- Spread the alarm ! The dread foe, who is to execute 
 
 proach of 
 
 the foe Jehovah' s judgment, is already at hand. Flee, O Judah, 
 ^"^ ■ ^"' ■ to your walled cities. Like a fierce lion this destroyer 
 of nations is rapidly advancing to devastate your lands. 
 Lament, for no mercy will be shown. Surprise and 
 horror because of the magnitude of the calamity which 
 threatens shall overwhelm all classes. Yet there is no 
 mistake on the part of Jehovah. Your deeds have 
 called down this fate upon you. Repent, do right, 
 and the catastrophe may yet be averted. 
 Destruc- As the prophet of the people, I am overcome with 
 
 tion, over- 
 whelming, terror and grief, so sudden and horrible is the disaster 
 
 well- 
 
 merited, and which impends. Yet I cannot intercede for them, since 
 unavoidable -^ j^ ^^^ ^^ ^j^^.^. ^^jj^^ ^^j n^XMX^ is affccted by the 
 
 fearful judgment. It is Jehovah's purpose, by the 
 hands of these pitiless foes, to render the land a barren 
 waste, although he will spare a few. Vain shall be the 
 measures by which the people will seek to deliver them- 
 selves. Amidst unutterable woes, shall proud Jerusa- 
 lem fall before the murderous invaders. 
 ve^saUor- ^^ ^ righteous man could be found in this wicked city, 
 Terasakm J^^^^ah would gladly spare it ; but so vitiated is the at- 
 preciudes mosphere that all are affected by the prevailing hypocrisy 
 (5 : 1-9). and impiety. The leaders are as corrupt as the mis- 
 
 212 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 5:31 
 
 guided masses. In view of their black record in the 
 past, and their present disobedient attitude, Jehovah can 
 do nothing else than give over his careless, adulterous 
 people as a prey to these hunters of men. 
 
 Advance, therefore, destroyers. Northern Israel andThecom- 
 Judah alike have spurned Jehovah, and laughed to scorn destroy the 
 his prophets who warned them of coming retribution, peipfe 
 The Lord will confirm the words of his messengers ; but ^^ " ^°*^9^* 
 woe to those who doubt The instrument with which he 
 will execute vengeance is a powerful ancient nation, 
 courageous, bloodthirsty, and speaking a foreign tongue. 
 Like a locust scourge, these insatiable invaders will de- 
 stroy everything before them. Only a remnant of Jeho- 
 vah' s people will survive to taste the bitterness of 
 slavery in a foreign land. 
 
 Can you not see and appreciate the danger which im- The per- 
 pends ? Do you feel no awe in the presence of Jeho- edness J'th J 
 vah, who rules supreme in the natural world ? Alas ! of°hdr^°'^ 
 there is no reverence in their hearts. Sin has blinded (r.^ai^i) 
 their eyes. They are so intent upon defrauding their 
 fellows that they disregard their duties both to God and 
 to their neighbors. Superlative impiety ! The prophets 
 in the name of Jehovah tell lies, and abet the priests in 
 their unjust practices, while the masses rejoice in such 
 leaders as these. 
 
 Sound the alarm throughout the whole land. Jerusa- 
 213 
 
Jeremiah 6 : i Messages of the 
 
 It will soon 
 be too late 
 for deliver- 
 ance 
 
 lem' s fate is sealed. The hills upon which the city is 
 built shall again be uninhabited ; the quiet resort of 
 
 (6"! -8). shepherds, as in the days before it was built. Already 
 the besiegers are completing their plans for the capture 
 of the wicked condemned capital. Will you not avail 
 yourselves, O Jerusalemites, of an opportunity to save 
 by repentance your homes from bitter desolation ? 
 
 Only retri- Let the w^ork of destruction begin at once, and be 
 
 bution 
 
 awaiting complete. They heed not. The message of the true 
 misled peo-' prophet has become odious to them. Their con- 
 p e ( . 9-21). ^-gj^p^-^Q^g attitude toward truth arouses only righteous 
 indignation. There is no hope, for greed rules them all. 
 The official priests and prophets teach falsely. Instead 
 of boldly pointing out the guilt which is proving the na- 
 tion' s ruin, they have lulled the people into their present 
 fatal indifference by saying, "All is well," while, in 
 fact, nothing is well. For their perfidy they feel no 
 compunctions. Therefore they shall share a like fate 
 with their victims, the masses. In vain has Jehovah 
 pointed out clearly, by the mouths of his true prophets, 
 the cause which he wishes his people to follow, and 
 which alone can bring them to peace ; but they have 
 defiantly refused to listen. After such conduct, let them 
 not think that his favor can be purchased with rich obla- 
 tions and sacrifices. 
 
 I assure you in the name of Jehovah that a great 
 
 214 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 6 : 30 
 
 nation is sweeping down upon you from the distant The ap- 
 
 preaching 
 
 north. A cruel, merciless host are they, all-engulfing invader 
 
 ,...,, , . All (6 : 22-26). 
 
 and as irresistible as the surging sea. Already a rumor 
 
 respecting them has reached your ears and chilled your 
 
 hearts. You would do well bitterly to lament, because 
 
 of the terrible flood of invasion which may burst upon 
 
 you at any moment. 
 
 Jehovah has commissioned me to test the character of The nation 
 
 , X 1 /- 1 • , n • incapable of 
 
 this nation, and I have found it completely wanting, niorai eleva- 
 All are rebellious in their attitude toward Jehovah, and (6 : 27-30). 
 deceitful in their relations with each other. It is useless 
 to attempt to eliminate the evil elements from the good, 
 for they are indissolubly united. The result is that the 
 whole nation is worthless, and has already been rejected 
 by Jehovah. 
 
 4. Enforcing the Nation' s Covenant with Jehovah 
 (II :i-8) 
 
 The aim of my earlier sermons was partially realized. Jeremiah as 
 
 an apostle 
 
 In the face of impending calamity, the people, outwardly of the 
 at least, turned to Jehovah, and listened to the injunc- (in°i^8). 
 tions of his faithful priests and prophets. The new law- 
 book, distinctly defining the duties and obligations of 
 the prophet of Jehovah, was brought forth from the 
 temple, publicly read, solemnly accepted by the as- 
 sembled Judeans, and promulgated as a law. At that 
 215 
 
Jeremiah ii : i-8 
 
 time Jehovah prompted me to remind the people of that 
 sacred covenant, from the earliest times the basis of the 
 peculiar relation between him and their race, and to en- 
 join upon them, under penalty, carefully to heed its 
 every injunction. To the divine command I was re- 
 sponsive, and went forth on a preaching tour through 
 the cities of Judah, and especially in the streets of Jeru- 
 salem, to explain and enforce the terms of the old cove- 
 nant made with our forefathers when they came from 
 Egypt. In my teaching I pointed out how they, alas ! 
 disregarded Jehovah' s earnest exhortations to obedience, 
 although it was the supreme duty and privilege of the 
 later and more enlightened generation to avoid the grave 
 mistakes of the past, and to enjoy to the full the bless- 
 ings attendant upon doing his will 
 
 216 
 
THE MESSAGE OF HABAKKUK 
 
THE MESSAGE OF HABAKKUK 
 
 THE DATE OF THE PROPHECY 
 
 Respecting the date of the short prophecy which 
 bears the superscription, "The Oracle which Habakkuk 
 the Prophet did see," neither the title nor contemporary 
 records give any testimony. The distinct reference to 
 the Chaldeans, in the first chapter, as an active world- 
 power, with which the Judeans are already well ac- 
 quainted, indicates that it must be later than the great 
 battle of Carchemish in 605 B. C. , when the supremacy 
 of southwestern Asia passed for the first time into the 
 hands of these new conquerors. The same chapter re- 
 flects the amazement and horror with which the people 
 of Palestine viewed the rapid advance of the Chaldeans. 
 There is little doubt, therefore, that the present prophecy 
 comes from the closing years of the seventh century 
 B. C. The conditions in Judah, referred to in the open- 
 ing verses, are those which we know resulted from the 
 weak, reactionary policy of the selfish Jehoiakim. The 
 prophet was one of that remarkable group of inspired 
 
 ai9 
 
Habakkuk Messages of the 
 
 workers who, like Jeremiah, had witnessed the glorious 
 reformation of Josiah and the peace and prosperity 
 which followed in its train, and who had survived to see 
 all that glory swept away and their beloved land spoiled 
 by foes from within and from without 
 
 As a patriot and a faithful follower of Jehovah, he 
 voices the cry of anguish and doubt which must at that 
 time have burst from many lips ; as an inspired 
 prophet, he answers that cry with the firm assurance 
 of faith. The lyric ode, preserved in the third chapter, 
 and dedicated "to Habakkuk the prophet/' has so 
 many affinities, in language and in thought, with post- 
 exilic psalms, that it is regarded by many as the work of 
 a later writer. Whether the conclusion be accepted or 
 not, it must be admitted that it completes the thought 
 of the book, and therefore amply justifies its present 
 position. In sublimity of thought and of diction, it is 
 surpassed by few passages in the Old Testament 
 
 220 
 
Earlier Prophets Habakkuk 1:1-12 
 
 II 
 
 A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PROPHET AND JEHOVAH. 
 
 THEME "HOW LONG SHALL THE WICKED BE 
 
 ALLOWED TO TRIUMPH OVER THE 
 RIGHTEOUS?" (l : I to 2 : 4) 
 
 How long in vain, O Jehovah, shall we beseech thee The proph- 
 to put an end to the deeds of bloodshed and wrong desp2?° 
 which constantly offend our eyes and chill our hearts ? ^^ * ^"'*^' 
 Surely thou seest that it is impossible for a righteous 
 man to secure justice before the public tribunals. Why 
 dost thou thus allow evil to triumph over right ? 
 
 Open your eyes, O prophet, and behold the nation Jehovah's 
 rapidly advancing through which I purpose forthwith to (^^:^.ii). 
 inaugurate a new epoch, undreamed of in human his- 
 tory. Already these energetic, pitiless Chaldeans are 
 launched on their career of spoliation and of conquest 
 Like fierce beasts of prey, their cavalry are sweeping all 
 before them. Kings, armies, and strong fortresses are 
 powerless to check their destructive advance. Their 
 rule, however, shall not endure forever, for they make 
 their own might their god. Overwhelming pride shall 
 prove the source of their downfall. 
 
 Yea, Lord, we know that thou art eternal, and that we The proph- 
 shall not be utterly destroyed. We recognize that thou, perpie^xi> 
 who art just and omnipotent, hast sent forth this new ^'■"~^'^^' 
 221 
 
Habakkuk i : 12 Messages of the 
 
 world-conqueror as thy instrument of judgment ; and 
 yet, how canst thou, the altogether Righteous, remain 
 silent while these impious Chaldeans, by deceit and 
 violence, destroy men and nations far less deserving of 
 such a fate than are they, the destroyers ? How long 
 wilt thou allow them, unchecked, to prey upon helpless 
 peoples, growing fat upon the plunder which their mer- 
 ciless armies have stripped from the victims of their 
 swords ? I can only wait and watch until Jehovah gives 
 me an answer to these crushing questions, which are 
 pressing upon the hearts of the faithful, and which are 
 threatening to destroy all faith in his power or in his 
 willingness to deliver in the time of danger and stress. 
 Jehovah's Inscribe the message, O prophet, upon tablets, and 
 comfort make it so plain that its contents can be apprehended at 
 (2 • 2-4). ^ glance ; for it shall soon be confirmed by the events of 
 history. ' ' Pride dominates these rapacious Chaldeans, 
 therefore their ultimate downfall is certain ; but the 
 righteous, because of their moral integrity and believing 
 fidelity, which are the absolute essentials of life, though 
 now crushed and oppressed, shall surely survive the 
 present crisis." 
 
 222 
 
Earlier Prophets Habakkuk 2:13 
 
 III 
 
 REASONS WHY THE DOWNFALL OF THE CHALDEANS 
 IS ASSURED (2 : 5-20) 
 
 The Chaldeans are intoxicated with self-pride. Like Their false 
 the drunkard, they have only a false, distorted view lust for 
 of reality. Their appetite for rapine and conquest is (""'^s"!). 
 as insatiable as is Sheol itself. The time will speedily 
 come when the nations which are now the victims of 
 their rapacity shall taunt them, saying, "Woe to this 
 robber, laden with unrighteous plunder ! At last his 
 day of retribution has come. He himself, at the hands 
 of the peoples spoiled by him, shall experience the 
 wrongs which he has so ruthlessly inflicted. ' ' 
 
 Woe to that selfish nation which seeks to add to its Their selfish, 
 
 11 111-1 1 unprincipled 
 
 own Strength and resources by plundermg other peoples, policy 
 The crimes thus committed will cry out to heaven ' ^'^^ 
 for redress, and certain vengeance shall overtake the 
 Chaldeans. 
 
 Woe to that unprincipled nation which rears its proud Their base 
 capital through the toil and life-blood of conquered ambitions 
 races. It is not in accordance with Jehovah's purpose "^'^^' 
 
 that men should thus vainly sacrifice their energy and 
 their innocence to attaining material power and posses- 
 sions. Instead, it is the Lord' s will that the knowledge 
 223 
 
Habakkuk 2 : 14 Messages of the 
 
 of his character and grace become the common and 
 treasured possession of every human being. 
 Their heart- Woe to that merciless nation which causes the peoples 
 
 less treat- 
 
 ment of their about to reel and to fall insensible, like one who has 
 "a^^is-iy). drunk a poisonous drug, that it may exult in their down- 
 fall. It, in turn, shall know the taste of Jehovah's 
 wrath ; and all its present glory shall be changed to 
 humiliation and shame. The wanton crimes committed 
 against this fair land of Canaan shall be visited upon its 
 guilty head. 
 Their foolish Woe to that supcrstitious nation that trusts in images 
 (2:18-20). of wood and stone, dead, dumb idols, made by the 
 hands of artisans, and incapable either of instructing or 
 of delivering their devotees. How utterly different is 
 Jehovah, the God of spirit, who abides in his holy sanc- 
 tuary ! Let all creation stand in silent awe before him. 
 
 IV 
 
 THE PRAYER OF FAITH A LYRIC ODE (3) 
 
 The invoca- I heard thy message, and I was affrighted. 
 
 tion (3 : s). -pj^y work revive yet again, O Jehovah ; 
 
 Ere long reveal thyself strong to deliver ; 
 
 Mercy forget not when judgment thou sendest 
 
 The Almighty will come as of old, 
 The Supreme from his ancient abode, 
 224 
 
Earlier Prophets 
 
 Habakkuk 3:12 
 
 With his glory the heavens are spread 
 And his praise fills the earth, far and wide ; 
 For his splendor is like the clear light ; 
 He has rays coming forth from his hand, 
 And therein has he hidden his strength. 
 The dread pestilence goes on before, 
 Burning fever pursues in his track ; 
 Now he stands, and behold the earth rocks, 
 At his glance mighty nations do quake, 
 And the mountains eternal fall down. 
 Low before him the ancient hills bow. 
 God to-day, as of old, is the same. 
 
 Egypt's sons in sad plight I behold 
 
 Lo, the men of wild Midian fear ! 
 
 Art thou, Lord, again wroth with the streams, 
 
 That in terror before thee they flee ? 
 
 Is thy fury now turned toward the seas, 
 
 That thou drivest thy swift steeds, the clouds, 
 
 Which thy chariots of victory draw ? 
 
 That thou barest thy bow for the strife. 
 
 So that cleft are the seas by thy stroke ? 
 
 In thy presence the mountains retire. 
 The great floods seek in fear to depart. 
 The abyss also lifts up his voice. 
 The proud heights raise toward heaven their hands, 
 Both the sun and the moon cease their course, 
 At the gleam of thy bolts, as they fly. 
 At the flash of thy spears, as they glance. 
 Since in anger thou treadest the earth, 
 And in fury thou smitest thy foes. 
 225 
 
 The re- 
 sponse 
 (3 : 3-6). 
 
 The" purpose 
 of Jehovah's 
 advent 
 (3 : 7-iS). 
 
Habakkuk 3 : 13-19 
 
 To deliver thy sons art thou come, 
 
 To dehver thine own art thou here. 
 
 Wicked foes hast thou cast to the earth, 
 
 Their last hope hast thou torn from their hearts. 
 
 Their defenders are smitten with spears — 
 
 They who come as a tempest to smite 
 
 And devour the afflicted with joy. 
 
 Thou hast trodden the sea with thy steeds ; 
 
 Finite man in thy presence is weak. 
 
 Effect of the 
 revelation 
 upon the 
 prophet 
 (3 : 16-19). 
 
 I heard the message, and fain would I tremble. 
 Quivering seized me, beholding the vision. 
 Courage departed, my bones lost their power. 
 Terror and fear, at first, wellnigh o" ercame me. 
 Calmly and peaceful I wait, while destroyers 
 Ruthlessly ravage the lands of my nation. 
 Yea, though the fig-tree put forth no new blossoms. 
 Though on the vines no fresh fruitage is springing, 
 Though the green olive rewards not the labor, 
 Though the tilled fields do not yield a fair increase, 
 Though the last flocks be destroyed in the sheep-folds, 
 Though all we cherish be swept from our country 
 Yet, as for me, glory I in Jehovah. 
 I will rejoice in Jehovah, my Saviour, 
 God is my strength, my delight, my defender ; 
 He will uphold, will protect, will exalt me, 
 Filling my soul with a joy never dying. 
 
 226 
 
JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE 
 REIGN OF JEHOIAKIM 
 
JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE 
 REIGN OF JEHOIAKIM 
 
 THE CHANGED SITUATION 
 
 The twelve years of the reign of Josiah which followed 
 the reformation were the brightest in the history of 
 Judah. Immunity from foreign attacks enabled that 
 worthy prince and his able advisers to organize the re- 
 sources of his little kingdom, and to extend its influence 
 until the southern part of the territory, formerly belong- 
 ing to the northern Israelites, fell under his sway. More 
 important still, the prophetic party, who included in 
 their ranks all who truly worshiped the Jehovah of the 
 prophets as opposed to the Jehovah of whom the igno- 
 rant masses conceived, found in Josiah a strong cham- 
 pion ; for he advanced, by the influence of the throne, 
 and, if need be, by the sword, the principles inculcated 
 by the prophets in their sermons and by the priests in 
 the written law. The effect of a half-century of idolatry 
 could not, however, be effaced in one moment, nor even 
 in a decade. 
 
 The tendencies toward a more sensuous nature-wor- 
 229 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 ship were inborn in the popular heart, while the austere 
 moral demands of the new prophetic religion were too 
 exalted to be clearly appreciated by the masses, and too 
 counter to all their cherished traditions not to arouse 
 their secret antagonism. 
 
 While prosperity crowned the efforts of the reforming 
 party, blind popular discontent found no open expres- 
 sion ; but when Josiah, who had gone out against the 
 Egyptian king, Necho, confident that Jehovah would 
 give him the victory, fell, slain on the plain of Megiddo, 
 that opposition became apparent. 
 
 After Necho had brushed aside the foolhardy king, 
 who sought to hinder him in his eastward march, he 
 hastened onward to meet more important foes. The 
 prophetic party improved this respite to raise to the 
 kingship Shallum, a younger son of Josiah, who as- 
 sumed, on ascending the throne, the name of Jehoahaz. 
 They undoubtedly hoped that he would be able to 
 revive the shattered fortunes of the kingdom, and carry 
 on the religious policy so nobly instituted by his father ; 
 but the disaster on the plain of Megiddo destroyed their 
 influence with the majority of the people. The masses 
 clamored for the old regime which had been set aside 
 by Josiah, while the return of Necho within a few 
 months deprived the prophetic party of the last vestige 
 of power. Recognizing that Jehoahaz represented the 
 230 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 
 
 supporters of his enemy, Josiah, the Egyptian king car- 
 ried off the young Judean monarch in chains to the land 
 of the Nile. Jeremiah refers touchingly to this incident 
 in chapter 22 : 10-12 of his prophecy. "Lament not 
 over the death of Josiah, but wail for his son Shallum 
 (Jehoahaz ; cf. 2 Kings 23 : 30, and i Chron. 3:15), 
 who has been carried away into the land of captivity, 
 where he shall die, never again rejoicing his eyes with a 
 view of his native land." 
 
 Jehoiakim, Josiah' s eldest son, was appointed king by 
 Necho in place of Jehoahaz. For the patriotic prophetic 
 party a worse choice could not have been made. Not 
 only was the new king lacking in sympathy with reform 
 and in ability as a ruler, but he also soon showed him- 
 self a foe to the true prophets and a champion of the 
 old, half-heathen party which had survived from the 
 days of Manasseh, and which now was in the ascen- 
 dency. He seems to have lacked completely all patri- 
 otic ambitions. Although he reigned at a time when 
 Canaan was the coveted possession for which the 
 Egyptians, led by Necho, and the Chaldeans, led by 
 Nebuchadrezzar, were struggling, he made national in- 
 terests entirely secondary to his personal greed and to 
 his passion for splendid buildings. In vain Jeremiah 
 exhorted him to rule righteously, that his family might 
 enjoy the blessings promised them, and that the over- 
 231 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 whelming judgment, which Jehovah would otherwise 
 visit upon Jerusalem and Judah, might be averted 
 (21 : II to 22 : 9). 
 
 In chapter 22 : 13-19, the prophet presents an esti- 
 mate of the young king' s character, which is confirmed 
 by other references : ' ' Woe to that ruler who builds his 
 palace with funds gained by unjust exactions and unfair 
 decisions, who forces his subjects to toil for him, and 
 pays them nothing ; whose dominant ambition is to rear 
 a large and magnificent residence. Do you think, 
 Jehoiakim, that it is essential that you as a king sur- 
 pass all other potentates in the splendor of your palace ? 
 Your father was deemed by all a successful king, — and 
 why ? Because he was a just ruler, giving his first atten- 
 tion to those who needed his help. This is Jehovah' s 
 will. But you are intent only upon securing dishonest 
 gains. You hesitate not at murder and cruel oppression. 
 
 "Therefore, this shall be your fate : your dead body 
 shall be cast out like that of a beast. Neither your kin- 
 dred nor your family shall mourn your death. No one 
 shall be found to say a kind word concerning you, when 
 you are dead." 
 
 Under such a ruler as Jehoiakim, Judah began to 
 
 take that sudden and fatal plunge which ended in her 
 
 ruin. It was an age when the most optimistic could do 
 
 little but mourn. To the patriot and the enlightened 
 
 232 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 
 
 prophet, who was enabled to estimate the true trend of 
 events, the folly and the crimes of the period appeared 
 by contrast all the more lamentable because outlined 
 against the almost ideal reign of Josiah. We have 
 reason to believe that Jeremiah preached constantly 
 throughout the reign of that noble prince ; but when he 
 collected his earlier sermons, in the fourth year of Jehoia- 
 kim, it was for the purpose of laying them before this 
 king. Naturally, the addresses of denunciation and 
 warning, such as would be best adapted to the moral 
 needs of that depraved ruler, were selected. The result 
 is, that we have little information respecting what must 
 have been the brighter and more hopeful side of Jere- 
 miah' s character and work. 
 
 In the reign of Jehoiakim the circumstances were even 
 more hopeless than when he entered upon his career of 
 reform under Josiah. Now the people stood in the full 
 light of the reformation, enforced by the teachings of the 
 prophets. Their return to idolatry, therefore, was a de- 
 liberate turning of the back upon higher truth. In so 
 doing, they showed their sodden contempt for the ex- 
 hortation of the true prophets. Instead of enjoying the 
 support of Josiah, Jeremiah was constantly the victim of 
 the secret opposition or the open persecution of Jehoia- 
 kim. Most of all Jeremiah must have felt the lack of 
 the companionship of that earnest body of true priests 
 233 
 
Jeremiah 11:9 Messages of the 
 
 and prophets whose place was filled for the most part by 
 fawning tools of the king. These men, prophesying in 
 the name of Jehovah, undermined the influence of the true 
 ambassadors of the Highest, and ultimately wrecked their 
 state. Earlier hatred of Jeremiah broke forth into per- 
 sonal persecutions. Fiercer denunciations and a more 
 hopeless tone now characterize his prophecies. A deep 
 despondency not infrequently seized him. Through 
 those trying years, however, he continued fearlessly to 
 proclaim the eternal truths which make his sermons 
 messages for all times. 
 
 II 
 
 THE REACTION AGAINST THE PROPHETIC TEACHING 
 I. Judah' s Return to the Old Heathenism (11 : 9-17) 
 Unpardon- Gradually the conviction forced itself upon me that the 
 (11 : 9-17). reformation of Josiah had not taken hold upon the 
 hearts of the people. First in secret, now openly under 
 Jehoiakim, they have revived the degenerate heathen 
 customs and superstitions which the Book of Deuter- 
 onomy forbade. The old Canaanitish gods continue to 
 command the homage of the Judeans, and of those who 
 survived from ancient Israel. Thus they again are 
 grievously transgressing the terms of the sacred covenant 
 between their nation and Jehovah. Each city has its 
 234 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 1 1 : 23 
 
 patron god, while even in the streets of Jerusalem, 
 under the shadow of Jehovah' s temple, as in the days 
 of Manasseh, altars are set up to Baal. Let them not 
 think that they will escape Jehovah's judgment for this 
 shameful treachery and apostasy, or that their idols will 
 deliver them. It will be useless for the faithful prophet 
 to intercede, since Jehovah will grant no mercy to such 
 shameless offenders. Their presence and their offerings 
 in the temple, instead of securing his favor, only pollute 
 his sanctuary the more. The destruction of this once 
 fair nation, from which Jehovah expected so much, has 
 already begun, and its apostasy will bring it rapidly to 
 completion. 
 
 2. The Plot against Jeremiah at Anathoth (ii: 18 to 12:6) 
 
 Not suspecting treachery, I retired from the revolting Treachery of 
 
 . Jeremiah's 
 
 sights of opposition, which confronted me m Jerusalem, feiiow- 
 to the quiet of Anathoth, my native town. Little did I (iiT?8-23). 
 dream that my friends would try to intimidate me into 
 silence, and would even lay plans to drag me down to 
 death. If Jehovah had not opened my eyes to the 
 danger, like an innocent lamb I should have fallen a 
 victim to their deceitful hate. Indignant at the outrage, 
 I prayed: "O thou righteous Judge, punish the perpe- 
 trators of this crime." Soon the assurance came that an 
 overwhelming judgment would ere long overtake them. 
 235 
 
Jeremiah 12:1 Messages of the 
 
 His com- As I meditate upon these and similar wrongs, O right- 
 
 (12 : 1-4 ; cf. eous Lord, perplexing questions disturb me. How canst 
 17 • 14-1 • ^j^^^ permit men to commit crimes like these with appa- 
 rent impunity ? Thou knowest how I have labored and 
 suffered for thee. How long wilt thou grant prosperity 
 to them, while I have only persecution ? Let misfortune 
 fall heavily upon those who deserve it so richly, and who 
 defy thy divine authority. 
 Greater Xo my Cry of despondeucy, Jehovah replied : "If you 
 
 (12 : 5, 6). are daunted and discouraged by the attack of your towns- 
 men at home, how will you bear the assaults of the in- 
 furiated populace at Jerusalem, and the woes which will 
 befall you as a prophet of truth when war relaxes all law 
 and order ? Still closer shall strike the blow. Your own 
 kinsmen are plotting against you, and are trying to 
 frighten you from the path of duty. Trust them not" 
 
 3. A Temple Discourse — Condemnation of Judah 
 
 (7 : I to 8 : 3) 
 
 The^scene Early in the reign of Jehoiakim, Jehovah's spirit 
 
 within led me, on a great feast day, to take my stand 
 
 near one of the chief gates of the temple court, where 
 
 the people were pouring in from all parts of the land of 
 
 Judah, and in his name to deliver this message: "If 
 
 your beloved state is to be preserved from destruction 
 
 amidst the deadly perils which threaten on every side, 
 
 236 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 7 : 14 
 
 there must be a radical reform in your religious life. Notcere- 
 
 monialism, 
 
 Deceive not yourselves by pointmg to this temple, and but moral 
 by saying that it is the Lord's, and is therefore invio- wiiilave 
 lable; think not that you can shield yourselves from dis- ^^' ^"^'' 
 aster by ceremonial service. I will tell you plainly the 
 form of service which alone is acceptable to me : in the 
 courts impartially dispense justice toward the weak and 
 defenseless in the community, be kindly considerate, 
 hold human life sacred, and abstain from all idolatry. If 
 you conform to these reasonable demands, then will I 
 give to your state that immortality which you crave 
 for it. 
 
 "Alas! you are trusting to fatal fallacies. You sin Their pres- 
 against all the laws in the Decalogue, and persuade leads to 
 yourselves that you can then come up to this sanctuary (yVs-i")?" 
 with blood-stained offerings in your hands, and be ab- 
 solved from all your crimes. Do you consider that my 
 holy temple was designed to be an assembling place for 
 highwaymen ? Such, at least, you make it. Recall the 
 complete destruction, at the hands of the hated Philis- 
 tines, which overtook my ancient sanctuary at Shiloh, 
 where, for so many years, my ark rested. That shrine 
 was as sacred as is this one ; but, because of the wicked- 
 ness of your fathers, I caused it to be transformed into 
 the ruin which you behold to-day. Even so, because of 
 your crimes, will I level this temple to the earth. You 
 237 
 
Jeremiah 7:15 Messages of the 
 
 shall be carried away into captivity, as have been your 
 northern brethren. 
 Intercession < « Let no One intercede for this people, for it will be in 
 
 useless while -i i •, i 
 
 they persist vain. Men, women, and even the children, devote them- 
 idoiaT/y sclvcs zcalously to the worship of other gods, as though 
 (7 : 16-20). ^^^^ 5Qig 2S.m. was to arouse my indignation. They have 
 
 succeeded in so doing, and my consuming wrath shall be 
 
 visited upon all which they hold dear. 
 Morality, ' « Continue to bring your sacrifices to the temple, if the 
 
 not cere- >^ i i i • 
 
 moniaiism, practice givcs you pleasure. Only do not deceive your- 
 jXJvah ^ selves by thinking that it means anything to me. When 
 (7 . 21-2 ). J jg^ your fathers forth from Egypt, I laid upon them no 
 commands concerning offerings and sacrifices. My only 
 injunction was that they conform in their lives to the 
 standards of faith and practice which I had and which I 
 should reveal to them. To make clear my will I have 
 sent to them many and faithful prophets ; but they have 
 paid no attention to my commands, and the later gen- 
 erations have been more defiant than the earlier. There- 
 fore, expect not, O Jeremiah, that they will heed your 
 words, for they have lost the power of appreciating truth. ' ' 
 Thejudg- Condemned are you as a nation, O Judeans. Tophet, 
 (7^: 29-8 : 3). down in the valley of Hinnom, where many a Jewish 
 child has been burned to death by its parents as a victim 
 to the loathsome heathen superstitions which you still 
 cherish, shall be the scene of the great judgment 
 238 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 26 : 1 3 
 
 ' ' Valley of slaughter ' ' shall it ever after be called, be- 
 cause there shall lie exposed the corpses of the thousands 
 slain. The dead also shall share in the universal retri- 
 bution, for their bones shall be dragged from their graves 
 to moulder beneath the stars which they worshiped. 
 The few who survive shall in their misery envy the dead 
 their immunity from suffering. 
 
 4. The Prophet's hnpeachment and Trial {26 : 7-24) 
 
 While Jeremiah was delivering this scathing sermon of Effect of his 
 denunciation, the wild rage of the crowds, which pressed discourse 
 close about him, was aroused. At the close, the people, ^ " ^ ^ ' 
 led by the official priests and prophets present, laid hold 
 on him, charging him with treason and blasphemy in 
 prophesying that the temple and Jerusalem were des- 
 tined to be laid in ruins. 
 
 Being informed of the popular demonstration against The charge 
 the prophet, the princes hastened from the palace to the the prophet 
 temple, and took their seats by the entry of the new defense 
 gate of the sanctuary for the purpose of hearing the ^^ ' '°'*5)- 
 case. The priests and prophets present forthwith 
 demanded that Jeremiah be put to death, because he 
 had dared to predict the destruction of their city. To 
 the charge he replied : "I was divinely commissioned to 
 prophesy as I have. Your duty it is to heed and obey, 
 for then the doom which impends will be averted. To 
 239 
 
Jeremiah 26 : 14 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Citation of 
 precedents 
 and ac- 
 quittal of 
 Jeremiah 
 (26 : 16-24). 
 
 that end has Jehovah sent me. I am in your power. 
 Put me to death if you wish. Only remember, that in 
 slaying a God-sent prophet, you will bring upon your- 
 selves and upon your city a grievous burden of guilt." 
 
 Influenced by the words and the calm demeanor of the 
 prophet, the princes, seconded by the people, acknowl- 
 edged the truth of his defense, and declared him 
 unworthy of death. At this crisis also certain of the 
 older and more experienced men recalled two well- 
 known precedents : "In the days of Hezekiah, Micah, 
 the Morashtite, in public predicted in equally unequiv- 
 ocal language the complete destruction of Jerusalem. ^ 
 Instead of putting him to death for blasphemy, the king 
 and the people of Judah listened to his warnings, and 
 the judgment which he predicted was averted. If we 
 put Jeremiah to death we would commit a heinous crime 
 against our nation. 
 
 "You all shudder when we remind you of the fate of 
 Uriah of Kirjath-jearim, who, a short time ago, uttered 
 the same prophecy against this city and land. Prompted 
 by a resentful spirit, Jehoiakim our king and his coun- 
 sellors sought to put him to death. Hearing of it, 
 Uriah fled to Egypt, but Jehoiakim brought him back 
 and slew him, and cast his body into the potter' s field. 
 We have shed enough of the blood of the prophets." 
 
 I Micah 3 : 12. 
 240 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 8:12 
 
 By these arguments and through the powerful in- 
 fluence of his friend Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, 
 Jeremiah was saved from death at the hands of the mob. 
 
 Ill 
 
 MESSAGES OF DENUNCIATION AND WARNING 
 
 I. Indifference in the Face of Certain Judg7nent 
 (8 : 4 to 9 : 22) 
 
 When a man falls down, his first effort is to get on his Moral in- 
 feet again. This people are in the depths of moral the nation ° 
 degradation, and yet, instead of attempting to rise, they ^^ :4-i2). 
 only endeavor to deceive themselves into believing that 
 they have not fallen. No one of them thinks of repent- 
 ing, and of admitting that he has broken God's laws. 
 Instead, they pervert their divinely given instincts, and 
 set up their own wisdom as final, while their scribes 
 deliberately falsify the written law, so that it conceals 
 rather than reveals Jehovah' s will. Priest and prophet 
 unite in so misleading the people that they are incapable 
 of distinguishing between the words of the true and 
 those of the false prophets. With their perverted law 
 and messages, the leaders have lulled themselves as well 
 as the nation into a fatal sense of security, so that they 
 unblushingly commit the grossest crimes. 
 
 Since there is no hope of reforming, Jehovah can do 
 241 
 
Jeremiah 8:13 Messages of the 
 
 A dread nothing else than destroy these wicked servants, root 
 
 awaitsThem and branch. When they hear the roar of the mighty foe 
 
 * ^^"^^^' advancing from the north, their false sense of security 
 
 will be changed to terror and despair. Then Jehovah 
 
 will spare not, but will complete the judgment. 
 
 Lament of As I behold the dread fate awaiting my country, I am 
 
 the prophet ,,-,.•, ■■ ^ • •,•■•■ 
 
 over the Overwhelmed with sadness. I can picture the doubts 
 
 (8 : 18-9 : 6). and the remorse which will then take possession of all 
 
 hearts. When it is too late, they will bitterly regret the 
 
 supreme opportunities which they are now spurning. Is 
 
 there no way of saving this nation at once from its sins 
 
 before it is forever too late ? Anguish inexpressible fills 
 
 my heart because of the sickening tragedy which I am 
 
 forced to witness. Gladly would I endure the privations 
 
 of desert life, if I could escape the sight of the crimes 
 
 which are daily enacted in every part of the land. When 
 
 my countrymen open their mouths it is to utter lies ; 
 
 they are adept only in deceiving ; their entire energy is 
 
 devoted to doing iniquity, so that they find no time to 
 
 think of God and of truth. 
 
 The impend- Such shocking degeneracy can only be remedied by 
 
 cause°foT ^ the most drastic measures. Jehovah will send invasion, 
 
 wa"mng drought, desolation, and exile to accomplish the work of 
 
 (9 : 7-22). purification. Soon these woes will descend upon your 
 
 land, and then in the presence of disaster and death you 
 
 will all join me in bitterest lamentation. 
 
 242 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 46 : 4 
 
 2. The Proper Attitude in the Face of the Great Dattger 
 (10 : 17-25) 
 
 Hold yourselves in readiness to leave, as captives, Prepare for 
 this city which you regard as impregnable. In imagi- (10! 17-22). 
 nation I can hear the piteous wails which you will utter 
 when the calamity overtakes you, and the bitter re- 
 proaches you will heap upon your impious, incompetent 
 rulers, because they have betrayed you. Already the 
 dread news comes from the north that the foe is ad- 
 vancing, carrying desolation in his track. 
 
 In the presence of such a danger, let this be your Prayer in 
 prayer : ' ' Thou, O Lord, art infinite, and we are helpless peopiI°^ '^^ 
 in thy hands. Discipline us as thou seest best, but re- ^'° ' ^^-^s)- 
 strain thy anger, lest we be completely consumed. 
 Rather visit thy fury upon the heathen who defy thee, 
 and seek to destroy us, thy people. ' ' 
 
 IV 
 
 THE APPROACH OF THE CHALDEANS UNDER 
 NEBUCHADREZZAR 
 
 I. Defeat of the Egyptians by Nebuchadrezzar at 
 Carchemish in 605 B. C. (46 : 2-12) 
 
 Marshal all your forces, O Necho ; put them in battle The first 
 
 1 • , . ,. , , picture of the 
 
 array ; brmg your cavalry mto Ime ; complete the final battle 
 arrangements ; now for the onset What ! your army ^'^^ ' ^'^^ 
 243 
 
Jeremiah 46 : 5 Messages of the 
 
 turns back ! your mighty warriors flee ! Terror seizes 
 the Egyptian host. Vain are their efforts to escape ; 
 beside the Euphrates have they fallen. 
 The second Behold Necho' s mighty army, rolling on like a swollen 
 Sgyp^t^s torrent, devastating everything which lies in its track. 
 ^Jl': T^-12). In his pride the Egyptian king expects to overrun the 
 whole earth, destroying and conquering all the nations. 
 Let the host advance — cavalry, chariots, bowmen, Ethio- 
 pians and warlike Lybians — to meet their fate, for this 
 day Jehovah has determined to execute vengeance upon 
 them for the many wrongs which they have perpe- 
 trated. Vain are your efforts, O Egyptians, to retrieve 
 your fallen fortunes. Your prestige among the nations 
 is gone. Before a mightier foe you shall bite the dust 
 
 2. The Divi7ie Judgment upon the Nations Executed by 
 Nebuchadrezzar (25 ; cf 47-49) 
 
 Occasion of In the year 604 B. C. , soon after the Chaldeans con- 
 (25:1,2). quered the Egyptians at Carchemish, and Nebuchad- 
 rezzar ascended the throne of Babylon, Jeremiah deliv- 
 ered the following prophecy in the presence of the 
 Judeans. 
 judah's For twenty-three years I have faithfully and zealously 
 
 rejection of ' ' 
 
 Jehovah's delivered to you, O Judeans, the messages which Jeho- 
 
 (25 : 3-7). vah has given me. Other prophets have been equally 
 
 true, but all our calls to repentance have been fruitless. 
 
 244 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 25 : 38 
 
 Therefore Jehovah has given to Nebuchadrezzar rule Nebuchad- 
 over powerful peoples, and has selected him as his ser- Jehovah's 
 vant to subjugate and to destroy you, O rebellious po'inted to' 
 nation. He is "the foe from the north," of whom I so jJS^^ent^ 
 often warned you and your wicked neighbors. [For a ^=^5 : 8-14). 
 limited period (seventy years) the Chaldeans shall exer- 
 cise absolute sovereignty over Palestine. Then shall 
 come their hour of retribution, and other world-powers 
 shall absorb them.] 
 
 Jehovah also commanded me, by giving the wine-cup Extent and 
 
 /- 1 • r • IT/-/- • /-I 1 significance 
 
 of his fury m turn to the different nations of the earth, ofNebu- 
 symbolically to indicate that the conquests of Nebuchad- rule "^"^^"^ * 
 rezzar are to be universal, that they are in accordance ^^^ ' ^s-38). 
 with God' s will, and that they are intended to punish the 
 crimes of the victims. Rulers, as well as subjects, shall 
 experience the horrors of this world-wide judgment, so 
 long delayed and so terrible in its realization. 
 
 V 
 
 the first and second collections of 
 Jeremiah's prophecies 
 
 1. Origin and Fate of the First Edition (36 : 1-26 ; 45) 
 
 In the memorable year 604 B. C, Jeremiah was com- The work of 
 manded by God to write down on a roll of parchment all (36 : 1-4). 
 the prophecies against Israel and Judah and the foreign 
 245 
 
Jeremiah 36 : 2 Messages of the 
 
 nations which he had delivered hitherto. The aim in so 
 doing was that he might continue to teach, although it 
 was no longer permitted or safe for him to preach in 
 public ; and that perchance the people, in the face of 
 the danger which threatened from the east, might yet be 
 affected by the warnings which his sermons contained, 
 and so seek that forgiveness which Jehovah was eager to 
 grant, when once they repented. Accordingly, Jeremiah 
 summoned his faithful scribe, Baruch, who wrote as the 
 prophet dictated. 
 Public read- When the work was complete, Jeremiah, who could 
 p°r?phecies not go himself, commanded Baruch, in the hope of in- 
 (36 : 5- )• fluencing the people, to read the roll in their presence 
 as on a fast-day they were gathered from all parts of 
 Judah at the temple. 
 Baruch's Baruch did as directed, but he, like his master in the 
 
 ment beginning of his ministry, was overwhelmed with deep 
 
 (45 . 1-5;- despondency, and complained that his life was bereft of 
 all joy and peace, and that only sorrow and pain were his 
 lot. To this wail Jeremiah replied in the name of Jeho- 
 vah : "True, your lot is a sad one, but it is a time of 
 universal judgment. Being a citizen of this guilty land, 
 you must expect to suffer. Do not hope for prosperity, 
 and you will not be disappointed. Jehovah, however, 
 promises that, in the midst of all perils to which you 
 will be exposed, your life shall be preserved." 
 246 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 36 : 23 
 
 In the spring of the following year, when the people The second 
 of Judah were gathered together at the temple again to ing of 
 observe a solemn fast, that they might secure Jehovah' s prophecies 
 favor in the time of danger which followed the victory ^^ " ^' ^°^" 
 of Nebuchadrezzar at Carchemish, Baruch read from the 
 collection of Jeremiah' s prophecies. 
 
 A certain noble, Micaiah, the grandson of Josiah' s Readme 
 
 ° •' before the 
 
 famous chancellor, Shaphan, and the nephew of nobles and 
 Ahikam, who earlier befriended Jeremiah when he was (3^6 Tn-ie). 
 attacked by a mob (26 : 24), was impressed by the read- 
 ing. Possibly feeling added responsibility because the 
 reading took place in his room, he reported it at once to 
 the other nobles who were assembled in the hall of the 
 chancellor at the palace. They then summoned Baruch, 
 and commanded him to read the roll again. The con- 
 tents seemed so important that they decided to lay them 
 before the king. When they were assured that there 
 was no fraud, but that Baruch had written as Jeremiah 
 had uttered the prophecies, they advised him and his 
 master to conceal themselves where no one could find 
 them. Then, leaving the roll in the room where they 
 had heard it read, they reported its purport to Jehoiakim. 
 He thereupon ordered it to be brought ; and it was read 
 in his presence. As fast as it was read, however, he 
 showed his contempt by cutting off the different sections 
 of the roll with his knife, and by casting them into the 
 247 
 
Jeremiah 36 : 23 Messages of the 
 
 fire which burned on a brazier near by. Fear of the 
 king restrained his nobles from expressing any horror at 
 his impiety. Three of them, however, endeavored to 
 dissuade him from destroying the roll, but in vain. He 
 gave orders to seize Jeremiah and Baruch, but they were 
 in concealment, so that his efforts to apprehend them 
 were unsuccessful. 
 
 2. The Secojid and Larger Edition (36 : 27-32) 
 Prophecy Again the divine command came to Jeremiah to re- 
 jehoiakim place the roll of his prophecies, which had been burned 
 
 (36 : 27-31). . , 
 
 by the king, and to add this new prophecy concerning 
 
 Jehoiakim : "Since he has defied Jehovah in showing 
 
 his contempt for the message of his prophet, he shall 
 
 have no descendants to occupy the throne of Judah, 
 
 while his corpse shall be denied an honorable burial. 
 
 Upon him and upon his people will come all the woes 
 
 which have been predicted." 
 
 The work of Comforted by the assurance of Jehovah's unfailing: 
 
 re-editing ^ j t> 
 
 (36 : 32). support, Jeremiah, with Baruch, his scribe, prepared a 
 new edition of his prophecies, much fuller than the one 
 which Jehoiakim destroyed. 
 
 248 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 14 : lo 
 
 VI 
 
 REITERATED MESSAGES OF WARNING AND 
 EXHORTATION 
 I. Dialogue between the Prophet and Jehovah (14 ; 15) 
 The people of Judah break forth into universal lamen- A drought 
 
 _,. ., - .... ,. _, the occasion 
 
 tation. Wails of anguish rise from every lip. The of the 
 nobles, as well as the poor, suffer from thirst, for all the ([^^ 2"^. 
 customary supplies of water are exhausted. So parched 
 is the ground that the work of the husbandman is fruit- 
 less. The beasts of the field, overcome by hunger and 
 consuming thirst, forget their natural instincts. All 
 nature seems to gasp for breath. 
 
 This calamity is deserved, O Lord. We cannot urge Prophet's 
 our deserts, but can only appeal to thy merciful char- mScy^ and 
 acter, as we cry to thee for deliverance. Many are our (1417-9°" 
 sins against thee, and thou alone art our Saviour in a 
 time of distress like the present. Why art thou silent, 
 O Jehovah, as one who is indifferent or powerless, while 
 we are thus grievously affected ? We know that thou art 
 ever present. Sinful though we are, we are thy people. 
 Save us, gracious Lord, for grim death stares us in the 
 face, if thou avert not this terrible drought. 
 
 Then answered the just Ruler of the universe : •' Too Jehovah's 
 long and too persistently have this people followed their (14 : 10-12). 
 own rebellious, base inclinations, to be lightly exculpated 
 249 
 
Jeremiah 14:11 Messages of the 
 
 from the effects of their crimes. Crave not pardon for 
 
 them. Their fasting and offerings will not win my favor, 
 
 for their deeds call for judgment. War, famine, and 
 
 pestilence shall execute it." 
 
 Prophet's Thy words, alas! are true, O Lord ; but consider how 
 
 (14T3. this people have been misled by the false prophets, who 
 
 have declared in thy name that war and plagues would 
 
 not, could not come, thus, by vain promises of peace, 
 
 luring the ignorant masses on to their destruction. 
 
 Jehovah's Again Came Jehovah' s response : "Without commis- 
 
 ^'^P^ophets sion from me have the false prophets spoken. Deceptive 
 
 mustJuffir" is their message. By the sword and by famine, which 
 
 (14 : 14-17)- they declare will never come, shall these traitors to God 
 
 and the community die ; unburied shall their bodies lie 
 
 beside those of their wives and children, the victims of 
 
 their protector' s perfidy. Well, O true prophet, do you 
 
 weep day and night over the irremediable corruption 
 
 which is destroying your nation." 
 
 Prophet's In imagination I behold the carnage of war and the 
 
 pe^Ui^n victims of famine ; but wilt thou, merciful Jehovah, give 
 
 (14 : 18-22). ^^ ^^^^ ^^ complete destruction ? In the name of my 
 
 people, I beseech thee to consider how cruelly we have 
 
 been deceived by our lying prophets. Miserable sinners 
 
 though we are, in thy mercy reject us not. Although 
 
 we have broken our part of the covenant with thee, for 
 
 thine own honor among the nations redeem thy promises 
 
 250 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 15 : 10 
 
 to us thy people. Thou art the Creator and the Ruler 
 of the universe. All things are possible with thee, and 
 to thee we look for pardon and for deliverance. 
 
 To my earnest cry Jehovah answered: " Though my Jehovah's 
 holiest prophets of old were present to join their peti- " No more 
 tions with yours, it would be in vain. I cannot deliver J^s^i-p, 
 this wicked, rebellious people. Already their judgment ^^"^'^^• 
 is decided. Death, war, famine, and captivity shall 
 each claim their victim. The scars left on the character 
 of the nation by the idolatrous practices introduced by 
 Manasseh are too deep to be effaced. Fruitless have 
 been the methods of discipline whereby I have sought to 
 reclaim my people. Their stalwart husbands and sons 
 have been mown down before the foreign conqueror, and 
 yet those who survive have not profited by the warning. 
 Therefore they must all share a like fate. Let them not 
 delude themselves with the hope that the might of the 
 irresistible Chaldeans can be broken.^ I have already 
 given my people over into the hand of their foes, whom 
 they will serve in the land of captivity. " 
 
 Alas that I was ever born ! for it is my fate con- Prophet's 
 stantly to kindle opposition. I have wronged no man, compraint 
 and yet I am the object of universal hatred and attack. ^^^ ' ^°'' 
 
 Then to my heart came Jehovah' s message of comfort: 
 
 1 Verses 12 to 14 are here introduced immediately after verse 9. If they 
 are from Jeremiah, this was probably their original position. 
 
 251 
 
Jeremiah 15:11 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Jehovah's 
 assurance 
 (15 : II). 
 
 Prophet's 
 further 
 complaint 
 (IS : 15-18). 
 
 Jehovah's 
 further 
 assurance 
 (15 : 19-21) 
 
 "Be not discouraged, for I will uphold and vindicate 
 you. The time will soon come when those who now 
 attack you will eagerly solicit your intercessions." 
 
 O Lord, thou knowest how I am wronged, and how 
 doubts all but overcome me. Forget not thy servant, 
 who for thee has suffered unjust calumnies. Take 
 vengeance upon my persecutors. Gladly I received thy 
 revelations, and consecrated myself to thy service. 
 Recognizing the solemnity of the commission which 
 thou gavest me, I have avoided all scenes of festivity. 
 Thy message of judgment has completely filled my 
 heart and dominated my life. Why hast thou not vin- 
 dicated me ? After all thy assurances, wilt thou leave me 
 to be the object of my enemies' derision ? 
 
 To my cry of despair Jehovah replied : "If you will 
 dismiss your doubts and overcome your human weakness, 
 you shall continue to be my ambassador, speaking to your 
 nation with full authority from me. In time they will 
 believe your words. Do not pervert the truth that you 
 may thereby win popular favor. I will give you strength 
 to endure all their hostile assaults, and I will deliver and 
 gloriously vindicate you, if you prove faithful" 
 
 252 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah i6: ii 
 
 2. Extracts from Prophecies Afutouncing Impending 
 Judgment (i6 : i to 17 : 13) 
 
 Do you sometimes wonder, O Judeans, why, contrary Prophet's 
 
 _ -. , , , , , . - life a con- 
 
 to our customs, I live alone, without the consolations of stant sermon 
 
 wife and children ? It is in accord with Jehovah's will, ^^ ' ^''^'' 
 for any children whom I might beget would only grow 
 up to experience the horrors of war, famine, and cap- 
 tivity, which shall overtake all the inhabitants of this 
 accursed land. That I may still further impress by my 
 daily life the message which is constantly on my lips, I 
 never share in the universal custom of mourning with 
 the friends of the dead, for it is unseemly that I, his 
 prophet, should manifest a pity for you, his defiant, 
 condemned people, which Jehovah himself does not 
 feel. Soon a disaster shall overtake you that shall be so 
 overpowering that, in your dumb anguish, no one shall 
 think of lamentation or of consolation. In accordance 
 with the same divine prompting, I never indulge in 
 joyful merry-making, for it ill befits Jehovah's prophet 
 to join with you as you dance on the edge of a chasm 
 which will speedily engulf you, destroying all sources of 
 mirth and rejoicing. 
 
 Anticipating your queries as to why Jehovah has de- Causes of 
 termined thus to destroy you, he has commissioned me caiamhy 
 in his name to declare that it is because of your apos- ^^^ ' ^°"^^^' 
 tasy. Stubbornly you have refused to obey his law, 
 253 
 
Jeremiah i6: ii Messages of the 
 
 while with all your hearts you pay homage to gods other 
 than the true one. Ample opportunity will be given 
 you zealously to serve these heathen deities in the lands 
 of exile. Expect, however, no mercy from Jehovah. 
 Exile [The future is not entirely hopeless, for, though exile 
 
 (16 : 14-18). is surely coming, he purposes ultimately to bring the 
 scattered Israelites back to the land of Canaan, and, in 
 so doing, to accomplish a work which will completely 
 eclipse the famous deliverance from Egypt] 
 
 Jehovah will, for the present, give up his people as a 
 
 prey to pitiless foes, who will unsparingly wreak upon 
 
 them the vengeance which they so richly merit Many 
 
 are the perils and pains of the present, yet thou, O 
 
 All nations Lord, dost deliver me, for I put my trust in thee. Even 
 
 ultimately to . ^ . . . . . . . 
 
 recognize SO, whcn their mistaken superstitions, inherited from the 
 (i6*:T9-2i). past, are dispelled, heathen peoples from distant parts 
 of the earth shall turn unto thee with reverence and 
 faith. At last the scales shall fall from their eyes, and 
 they shall realize the folly of worshiping as deities crea- 
 tions of their hands. Then wilt thou reveal to them 
 thy omnipotent power, and they shall appreciate thy 
 true character. 
 The penalty Alas ! the crimes of the people of Judah have left an 
 (17 : 1-4). indelible impression upon the national character. All 
 their inherited tendencies are toward idolatry. The 
 Omnipotent himself is powerless to turn them from their 
 254 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 17:13 
 
 wicked course. He can only destroy. Hence he an- 
 nounces his determination to deliver his beloved city 
 and people to the ravages and violence of the foreign 
 conqueror. 
 
 If you would escape the impending calamity, give The one 
 heed to the principles which regulate Jehovah's uni- escape 
 verse. Doomed to destruction is he who looks to finite ' ^ 
 man for defense, and who ignores the power divine. 
 Barren and joyless shall be his life. But he who puts 
 his confidence in God shall prosper, and be unaffected 
 when danger and disaster approach. It is indeed strange 
 that all do not perceive and profit by these truths ; but 
 the natural tendencies of mankind are perverse. They 
 may deceive each other, but not Jehovah, who sees 
 everything in the human heart, and rewards accord- 
 ingly. How vain and foolish, therefore, is the conduct 
 of those who amass great fortunes by false means, think- 
 ing in their ignorance that they will profit thereby ! 
 Thou, O Jehovah, art the true glory and hope of thy 
 people. Disgrace and oblivion shall be the fate of all 
 who forsake thee, the source of life, peace, and joy. 
 
 255 
 
Jeremiah i8 : i Messages of the 
 
 VII 
 
 ILLUSTRATED SERMONS 
 I. The Lesson from the Potter {i?>) 
 Jehovah's Rejected by rulers and people, I was led, in my time 
 
 influence in ^ , , - , 
 
 human of discouragemcnt, to learn from the potter important 
 (il^ri^io). lessons concerning the providential rule of the world. 
 As I watched him shaping the pliant clay, remodeling 
 the imperfect vessels until they conformed to his ideal, 
 Jehovah revealed to me the manner in which he is able 
 to mold at his will the nations. At the same time I 
 realized that man may render God's work imperfect. 
 The fulfilment of all predictions, either of good or of 
 evil, are conditioned upon the conduct of those respect- 
 ing whom they are made. 
 Judah's Therefore, O Judeans, learn and apply the practical 
 
 future hope- •' i , -n i 
 
 less, simply lesson. Jchovah has announced that he will destroy 
 will not your nation, but the desolation is conditioned on your 
 (l8°:Ti-i7). continued sinning. Change those conditions by repent- 
 ing, and, in accordance with his eternal purpose, you 
 will yet be delivered. Alas ! you are doomed, because 
 you are so set in your evil ways that you make no effort 
 to reform. Heathendom offers no such example of hor- 
 rible apostasy as do his people. Contrary to all natural 
 analogies, they have abandoned their traditions to adopt 
 256 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 13:5 
 
 gross superstitions. Therefore they give Jehovah no 
 opportunity to show his mercy. Nothing remains but to 
 give them over to that judgment which they have brought 
 upon themselves. 
 
 Instead of being moved to repentance, the leaders of Plots 
 
 . against the 
 
 the people urged them to pay no attention to the un- prophet 
 pleasant truths presented by Jeremiah, assuring them 
 that many other priests, wise men, and prophets, would 
 be left to give them religious instruction, if this trouble- 
 some prophet were put out of the way. They even took 
 measures to accomplish this end by preferring false 
 charges against him. 
 
 Aroused beyond the point of human endurance by Prophet's 
 
 prayer for 
 
 their machmations, Jeremiah prayed in his anger : vengeance 
 *'Thou seest, Lord, how these men have tried by base ^ • ^9 23)- 
 treachery to take my life. Thou knowest also how I 
 have repeatedly interceded for them. I do so no more. 
 Visit upon them all the horrors of war. Show no pity." 
 
 2. Symbolic Declarations of Coining Ruin (13 : 1-14) 
 
 At the instigation of Jehovah, I purchased a linen Symbolism 
 
 . ^ of the linen 
 
 girdle, and wore it for a time about my waist, carefully girdle 
 preserving it from all contact with anything that might ^^'^"^ ' 
 soil it Then the divine command came to bury it 
 beside the river Euphrates, and leave it there for a time. 
 The result can be imagined. When I dug it up again, 
 257 
 
Jeremiah 13:7 Messages of the 
 
 the girdle, which I had cherished so carefully, was 
 ruined, so that it was worthless. 
 
 Application jj^jg jg ^^ explanation of my strange proceeding. 
 
 judeans T\\Q linen girdle represents the people of Israel and 
 Judah whom Jehovah chose and brought into a pecu- 
 liarly intimate relationship with himself, protecting them 
 from contact with whatever might defile, that they might 
 worthily represent and glorify him. But they stubbornly 
 refused to obey his commands, and paid their homage 
 to other gods. Therefore, as my girdle was ruined by 
 being buried beside the Euphrates, so shall they lose all 
 their strength and beauty as a nation ; for Jehovah has 
 determined to cast them aside, and to allow them to 
 languish in captivity beside the same great river. 
 
 Symbolism Jehovah further directed me to utter in the presence 
 
 of the filling •' , ^ . , „ 
 
 of the wine- of the people the trite proverb, "Every jar shall be 
 (?": 12-14). filled with wine." When they contemptuously retorted, 
 "Of course it will," I added, giving a deeper meaning 
 to the commonplace, "Jehovah will fill all the inhab- 
 tants of the land with the wine of his righteous judg- 
 ment, so that kings, priests, and prophets shall reel like 
 drunken men. None will he spare." 
 
 3. The Lesson of the Broken Earthen Bottle (19) 
 
 On another occasion, that I might impress my message 
 upon unwilling hearers, I was divinely impelled to provide 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 20 : 3 
 
 myself with an earthen bottle, and to invite certain of the The com- 
 
 plete ruin of 
 
 representatives of the people and of the priests to go down the nation 
 with me into the valley of Hinnom, beside the gate of the 
 potsherds, and there to proclaim to them : " O leaders of 
 Judah, Jehovah declares that because of the hideous 
 heathen orgies which you and your fathers have prac- 
 ticed here at Tophet, in this valley of Hinnom, he will 
 bring upon you a judgment far exceeding anything yet 
 known to human experience. This scene of your crimes 
 shall witness your punishment You shall know the 
 extreme horrors by plague and siege. Even as I break 
 this earthen bottle into a thousand fragments, so will 
 Jehovah shatter Jerusalem ; every place where heathen 
 rites have been practiced shall become like Tophet here, 
 defiled with all loathsome uncleanness. " Returning, 
 Jeremiah preached the same sermon in the temple court 
 in the presence of the assembled people. 
 
 4. Humiliation and Despondency of the Prophet (20) 
 When Pashhur, the chief officer of the temple guard, imprison- 
 heard Jeremiah uttering these prophecies, he beat him, Jeremiah 
 and put him into stocks in the watch-room of the north- ' ^' 
 em gate of the temple court, leaving him there until 
 morning. 
 
 The next day, when released by Pashhur, the prophet, 
 as did Amos at an earlier time in similar circumstances, 
 259 
 
Jeremiah 20 : 3 Messages of the 
 
 Sentence directed against the official a prophecy applicable also to 
 hur and the the nation of which he was a prominent representative : 
 
 nation ^, . . , , , _ 
 
 (20 : 3-6). "The most appropriate name for you would be 'Terror 
 on every side,' for you shall be encircled and overtaken 
 by terrible perils. You shall see your friends die by the 
 swords of the Chaldeans. Those of your nation who 
 survive, together with the treasures of the city, shall be 
 carried off as spoil to Babylon. You, who by your false 
 predictions have misled the people, shall be among that 
 unhappy band of captives who shall die and be buried 
 in the land of your enforced exile." 
 ^laint ofTh Thou, O Jehovah, who art irresistible, didst persuade 
 prophet me to assume the duties of a prophet, in the fulfilling of 
 which I am being subjected to ridicule and indignities. 
 I have but one message, and that is, "Judgment and 
 destruction are coming." No wonder that the people 
 dislike the message and the messenger. And yet if I 
 resolve to say nothing I am still more unhappy, for, 
 whenever I behold their needs and mistakes, it is painful 
 to refrain from declaring the truth which thou hast re- 
 vealed to me concerning this erring people. Foes attack ; 
 perils thicken ; trusted friends fail, and seek to betray 
 me ; yet. while I am often disheartened, I am never 
 afraid, for thou, the Almighty, art defending me. My 
 persecutors, I know, will ultimately be overtaken by 
 disgrace and calamity ; but I sometimes long, O thou 
 260 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 35 : 13 
 
 Vindicator of the righteous, to see that judgment speedily- 
 executed. As I think of my unhappy lot, I also often 
 wish that I had never been born to such a life of sorrow, 
 and I curse the day of my birth. 
 
 5. The Lesson Drawn from the Fidelity of the 
 Rechabites (35) 
 
 During the latter days of Jehoiakim' s reign, when the An example 
 Aramean hordes set loose by Nebuchadrezzar had driven (35 : i-n). 
 the wandering Rechabites from their haunts east of the 
 Jordan to seek refuge within Jerusalem, I was impelled 
 to conduct them into one of the rooms connected with 
 the temple, and publicly to offer them wine to drink. 
 As I had anticipated, they absolutely refused to partake, 
 saying : "As a tribe we drink no wine, for so our hon- 
 ored ancestor Jonadab commanded us. Inspired by an 
 intense antipathy for the corrupt and idolatrous agricul- 
 tural civilization which flourished in Canaan, he further 
 enjoined upon us not to build houses, nor till the soil, 
 nor cultivate the vine, but to cherish the simple nomadic 
 life and customs, that we might thus enjoy the blessing 
 of long life. Those injunctions we have faithfully 
 heeded, and we are now here in the city simply that we 
 may escape the horrors of war." 
 
 Will you not, O Judeans, heed and profit by the exam- 
 ple of the Rechabites ? In accordance with the command 
 261 
 
Jeremiah 35 : 14-19 
 judah of their forefather, Tonadab, they regulate their entire 
 
 stands in , . 
 
 unfavorable life, Conforming in every detail to the instructions laid 
 (35 : 12-19). down by him. You, however, have been instructed 
 plainly and repeatedly respecting the commands of your 
 God, and yet you have persistently disobeyed his will 
 and paid homage to other deities. Will you not abandon 
 your course of crime and apostasy, and, as penitents, 
 return to him ? But no ; your faces and your acts do 
 not reveal the least contrition. You give Jehovah no 
 opportunity to avert the painful sentence which he has 
 pronounced against you. When he longs to send bless- 
 ings, your deeds and attitude compel him to destroy you. 
 Since these barbarian Rechabites have obeyed the com- 
 mands of their ancestor, their tribe shall continue to 
 flourish long after your disobedient nation has gone 
 down to ruin. 
 
 262 
 
JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE 
 REIGN OF ZEDEKIAH 
 
JEREMIAH'S ACTIVITY DURING THE 
 REIGN OF ZEDEKIAH 
 
 THE DOWNFALL OF JUDAH AND THE CLOSING 
 YEARS OF JEREMIAH 
 
 Jehoiakim only lived to see the beginning of the 
 calamities which resulted from his folly and selfish in- 
 difference. He died in 597, during the first siege of his 
 capital by the Babylonians, leaving to his queen and 
 young son Coniah, or Jeconiah, who assumed the name 
 of Jehoiakin, a baneful heritage of war. Possibly the 
 dirge preserved in 22 : 24-30 was uttered by Jeremiah in 
 connection with the accession of the boy king. "Jeho- 
 vah declares that, even though Coniah was his most 
 cherished and valuable possession, he would deliver him 
 into the power of the Babylonians. Both the king and 
 the queen mother are condemned to die in exile. 
 Worthless, as a ruler, is the son of Jehoiakim. Neither 
 he nor his descendants shall sit again on the throne of 
 Judah." 
 
 Three brief months, while Jerusalem held out against 
 its besiegers, Jehoiakin reigned. Then he was dragged 
 265 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 to Babylon at the head of the prominent Jews, who con- 
 stituted the first group of captives. Henceforth Jere- 
 miah' s interest was divided between his countrymen in 
 Babylon and those remaining in Judah. Among the 
 former were most of his friends and the best elements in 
 the nation. Those who remained and directed the 
 counsels of Zedekiah, the well-meaning but inefficient 
 son of Josiah, whom the Babylonians appointed as a 
 vassal king over the kingdom of his father, were as self- 
 confident as they were ignorant of the art of statesman- 
 ship. In their sordid natures there was little respect for 
 the messages of the true prophet. Besides, the circum- 
 stances of the period called forth a group of designing 
 men, who counterfeited the formulas and style of the 
 true prophets so perfectly that the unsuspecting masses 
 were constantly misled by messages which purported to 
 be divine. Whether these so-called * ' false ' ' prophets 
 were in every case pure impostors, or honest and merely 
 self-deceived, cannot be determined. Their communi- 
 cations voiced so completely the hopes of the people 
 that it is obvious why the masses accepted them, while 
 they rejected the stern, unwelcome warnings of men 
 like Jeremiah. 
 
 Hence the environment of the aged prophet was then 
 even more unpleasant than during the reign of Jehoia- 
 kim. Zedekiah, it is true, retained a genuine respect 
 266 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 
 
 for him, but the character of the king was so weak and 
 his power so slight that his secret regard bore little fruit. 
 On the other hand, Jeremiah' s influence with the Jews 
 who remained in Judah was diminished ; he himself 
 became the object of open and persistent persecutions. 
 At first he succeeded in keeping the people from again 
 rushing into foolish rebellion against Babylon. The 
 empty promises, however, of Babylon's rival, Egypt, 
 and the deceptive messages of the false prophets, at last, 
 in 587 B. C, led the nation to take the fatal step. 
 
 Jeremiah, whose inspired insight enabled him to ap- 
 preciate the absolute impossibility of Judah' s coping 
 successfully with the powerful armies of the great con- 
 queror, Nebuchadrezzar, had but one message for king 
 and people. "If you would save yourselves and 
 nation, surrender at once." Naturally, he did not 
 change this advice when Babylonian armies encircled 
 Jerusalem and overran Judah. That he would thereby 
 incur the charge of being without patriotism was in- 
 evitable. Tragic indeed is the picture of the aged 
 prophet, branded as a traitor and subjected to shameful 
 indignities at the hands of the nobles, simply because 
 his loyalty to God and to his nation would not allow him 
 to be silent. Through it all he wavered not, although it 
 was a thankless return for his life of complete self-sacri- 
 fice. As the end of the state which he loved so in- 
 267 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 tensely drew near, an inspired hope concerning its 
 future filled his soul, and found ever clearer and more 
 frequent expression. If no prophet suffered more than 
 he, certainly none saw farther into the very heart of the 
 Eternal and recognized the character and loving purpose 
 revealed there. Sitting among the ruins of Jerusalem, 
 he proclaimed the new and universal kingdom of God 
 which was to be established in the heart of the indi- 
 vidual. Like all true prophets, he uttered his brightest 
 predictions in the time of greatest national distress. 
 Amidst the closing scenes he moved with the same 
 simple grandeur. When the end came, and the king of 
 Judah and his guilty advisers were carried off to Baby- 
 lon, Jeremiah, who had constantly preached loyalty to 
 Nebuchadrezzar, was allowed to remain behind with the 
 few Jews who rallied at Mizpah about his friend, the 
 faithful Gedaliah. For a brief time the little colony 
 basked in the sunshine of a just rule. Jeremiah was the 
 accepted pastor of the flock. Fugitives came streaming 
 back, and prosperity promised again to abide with them, 
 when suddenly all their peace was destroyed by the 
 treacherous murder of Gedaliah and his supporters by 
 the hand of certain renegade Jews. Despite the advice 
 and exhortations of Jeremiah, the survivors of the mas- 
 sacre, fearing the wrath of the Babylonians, fled to 
 Egypt Thus it was that the closing days of the 
 268 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 
 
 prophet were spent among the refugees in Egypt. At 
 the Jewish colony in Tahpanhes, on the borders of Pales- 
 tine, he made his home. 
 
 Among his countrymen in the land of the Nile he 
 found a needy, although very unpromising, field for his 
 prophetic activity. Repeated national disasters had 
 sadly shaken their faith in the God of Israel, while the 
 polytheistic tendencies amidst which they now found 
 themselves proved wellnigh irresistible. As a result, 
 the masses went back to the worship of the ancient 
 deities identified with the sun, and especially the moon, 
 — "the queen of heaven." With all his early energy 
 and courage, Jeremiah attacked the widespread apos- 
 tasy. To impress upon the doubting Jews the fact that 
 the national calamity which had overtaken them was in 
 perfect accord with Jehovah's eternal purpose, he pre- 
 dicted that the Egyptians also would soon fall before 
 God's messenger of judgment, Nebuchadrezzar. 
 
 Fearlessly he declared to those who had turned from 
 Jehovah to the old heathen deities that they would be 
 destroyed, and that only those who were faithful to their 
 nation' s God would again see the land of their nativity. 
 A bitter defiance is reflected in their answer to the 
 prophet, which suggests that the tradition that he met a 
 martyr' s death at their hands is not without foundation. 
 Surely, having given to his nation and God his life work, 
 269 
 
Jeremiah Messages of the 
 
 and all that the world counts dear, it was in a sense 
 a fitting sequence that he should pour out his life's 
 blood upon the same altar. 
 
 The conditions of his age were such that he lived 
 almost constantly under the shadow of his nation's sins, 
 and the calamities which followed in their train. At the 
 same time he was a man "tempted in all points as we 
 are." Through all his varied experiences his humanity- 
 found frequent expression. That element, so conspicu- 
 ous in his character, only deepens our admiration and 
 love for him. But his humanity never turned him from 
 the path of duty. With that calm courage which comes 
 not from earth, but from heaven, he heroically accepted 
 every responsibility, however great. Little wonder that 
 the Almighty confided to him the deepest spiritual 
 truths vouchsafed to any man before the advent of the 
 Son of man. By life as well as by word of mouth he 
 proclaimed them. Oppressed, despised by his own, he 
 "saw seed" in the generations which followed. Cer- 
 tainly no other prophet made such a deep impression 
 upon later Judaism as did Jeremiah. He is one of the 
 two or three inspired men who, perfected by suffering and 
 by faithful service, stood on the threshold of the com- 
 pleted New Testament revelation. 
 
 270 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 13 : 15-21 
 
 II 
 
 SERMONS CONNECTED WITH THE FIRST CAPTIVITY 
 
 I. Exhortations to Repent before it is forever too Late. 
 (13 : 15-27) 
 
 Give heed, O Judeans, and humble yourselves before Seek jeho- 
 the Lord. Pay homage to him, and secure his favor this tim^e^f" 
 before he causes this black storm-cloud, which lowers i^lT^l•^^). 
 over you, to break in all its fury. But no ; I can per- 
 ceive from your actions that even now you will not bow 
 your proud heads. Nothing remains for me to do but to 
 mourn over the disaster, and the complete captivity 
 toward which you, the chosen people of Jehovah, are 
 hurrying. 
 
 Let the queen regent and the youthful king, Jehoiakin, Tudah's 
 
 , , f. . ., -, .-,,. humiliation 
 
 descend from the tottermg throne, for the crown is fallmg (13 : 18-21). 
 from their heads. Already the cities of Southern Judah 
 are besieged by the foe, and there is no one to restore 
 them. Already a large portion of the population is 
 being carried away captive, and the rest will soon be 
 compelled to follow. Behold, the long-heralded northern 
 foe draws near to Jerusalem. Where are the powerful 
 people entrusted to your care, O sacred city ? What will 
 you think of your boasted alliances with heathen nations 
 when you are subjected to their harsh rule? Unutterable 
 271 
 
Jeremiah 13:21 Messages of the 
 
 woes shall soon overtake you. If you seek the cause of 
 your disgraceful humiliation, you will find it in the black 
 record of guilt with which your past is darkened. 
 Nothing but But it is useless to attempt to turn you, O Judeans, from 
 
 just retribu- . . , , 
 
 tion your evil course, for your smful habits have crystallized 
 
 13 • 23 27 . jj^^^ character. It were easier for the negro to become 
 white, or for a leopard to lose his spots. Hence, since you 
 are incapable of repenting, eager to pardon and save you 
 though he is, Jehovah can only punish your neglect and 
 treachery toward him by laying bare before the world all 
 your guilt and infidelity, and by scattering you as exiles 
 among the nations. 
 
 2. A Dirge over Fallen Judah (12 : 7-13) 
 
 The rejected Jehovah has handed over this nation, which he loves 
 nation ^'^ ^ SO deeply, and for which he has done so much, to be 
 (i«;7-i3). spoiled by cruel enemies. The continued defiance of 
 his people has at last exhausted even the patience of the 
 Infinite. Now foreign foes shall complete the devasta- 
 tion begun by the selfish, traitorous rulers of Judah, who 
 have preyed upon rather than protected their charge. 
 Already plundering foes, unconsciously carrying out the 
 divine purpose, have laid waste the whole land, and 
 granted no peace nor mercy to its inhabitants. In vain 
 do you sow your grain, O Judeans, expecting to reap the 
 272 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 24 : 3 
 
 harvest ; for the hand, not only of man, but of God him- 
 self, is against you. 
 
 3. Threats and Promises to the Heathen (12 : 14-17) 
 
 To those heathen foes, who are attacking his people, Fate of the 
 Jehovah declares that he will cause them also to taste the conditioned 
 horrors of exile. At length, however, he will be moved by " Jnduct^"^ 
 that deep love and pity which he feels toward all man- ^^ ' ^'^"^7)- 
 kind, and will restore them each to his native land. If 
 they will seek to act in accordance with his will as re- 
 vealed to his chosen people, and will manifest as much 
 zeal in worshipping and serving him as they did in in- 
 fluencing the Hebrews to acknowledge fealty to Baal, 
 then shall they share with his restored people in the 
 permanent enjoyment of his blessings. If they do not 
 heed his gracious offer, then complete national annihi- 
 lation shall be their fate. 
 
 4. Character and Future of the Jews hi Judah 
 arid in Babylon (24) 
 
 After the armies of Nebuchadrezzar had swept over The two 
 
 Till,. ,. 1 .. .. baskets of 
 
 Judah, levelmg everythmg and carrymg mto captivity figs (24 : 1-3) 
 the youthful Jehoiakin, the nobles and the artisans, I 
 beheld in a vision two baskets of figs. The one basket 
 contained fresh, ripe, luscious figs ; the other, worthless 
 figs, unfit to be eaten. 
 
 273 
 
Jeremiah 24 : 4 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Interpreta- 
 tion of the 
 vision 
 (24 : 4-10), 
 
 Superscrip- 
 tion 
 (29:1-3)- 
 
 Settle down 
 for pro- 
 tracted resi- 
 dence in 
 Babylon 
 (29 : 4-9). 
 
 With the vision came this message from Jehovah : 
 ' ' The basket of good figs represents the Jewish captives, 
 whom I have sent to Babylon, that they, by hard expe- 
 rience, may learn valuable lessons. I will watch over 
 them. Out of their present affliction shall come great 
 good, for I purpose to restore them to this land, never- 
 more to be disturbed. At last, in sincerity, they shall 
 turn to me as their God, and I will again recognize them 
 as my chosen people. The hopelessly bad figs represent 
 the princes and the people, who are left in Judah with 
 Zedekiah, and those who have found refuge in Egypt. 
 Like worthless flotsam and jetsam they shall be cast about 
 upon the face of the earth, objects of scorn and reproach 
 to its inhabitants. They shall be the victims of war, 
 want, and pestilence, until these dread agents of destruc- 
 tion have completed their fatal work. 
 
 5. A Letter to the Jewish Exiles in Babylon (29) 
 
 This is the text of a letter from Jeremiah to the elders, 
 priests, prophets, and people, held captive in Babylon, 
 which was delivered by the hands of a messenger sent 
 by Zedekiah to the Babylonian king : 
 
 "It is Jehovah's will, O Jewish captives in Babylon, 
 
 that you make permanent homes for yourselves in the 
 
 land of your enforced sojourn. Cultivate the soil, build 
 
 up your families and increase. Be loyal to the cities of 
 
 274 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 29 : 23 
 
 your adoption, for your prosperity is bound up with 
 theirs. Be not deceived by your false prophets, when 
 they declare in the name of Jehovah that you will 
 speedily be allowed to return ; for their words are a 
 delusion. 
 
 For two generations (seventy years) the Babylonians Promise of 
 shall hold you in captivity. Then shall Jehovah lead rTtum""^'^ 
 you back to your native land, and realize both his loving ^^^ = ^o-m)- 
 purpose toward you and the fond hopes which you 
 cherish. Above all, you shall then seek him contritely 
 and faithfully, and he will not be found slow to respond. 
 
 Far preferable will be your lot to that of Zedekiah and Fate of those 
 the worthless crew who are left behind in Judah. i^ ju^dSi^^" 
 Calamity after calamity shall overtake them, and they ^^^ * ^^'^9)- 
 shall be the object of the scorn and attacks of the people 
 among whom they will be scattered, for they turn a 
 deaf ear to the earnest warnings of Jehovah' s faithful 
 messengers. 
 
 Put no confidence in your lying prophets. Hear the judgment 
 divine sentence which will speedily be carried out ^venake\°he 
 against Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, the son p^rophets in 
 of Maaseiah. The treason which they preach shall be /^^H^'j°° 
 reported to Nebuchadrezzar, and you shall be witnesses 20-23). 
 of their execution. Their crimes of deceit and adultery, 
 and the judgment which overtook them, shall become a 
 proverb among you. 
 
 275 
 
Jeremiah 29 : 24 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Shemaiah the Nehelamite has written to the priest 
 Zephaniah here in Jerusalem, declaring that the Lord 
 has called him to the chief priesthood instead of 
 Jehoiada, the present incumbent, and intimating that 
 his first duty will be forcibly to silence the "mad 
 prophets ' ' who seek to dissuade the people from their 
 hope of speedy deliverance from Babylon. Why did 
 he not personally attack me, for I have urged you to 
 settle in Babylon with a view to a continued residence 
 there? This is Jehovah's declaration respecting that 
 base, intriguing prophet : "He has no commission from 
 me, and he is seeking to mislead you with his lying 
 words. He is a traitor against me, and as a penalty 
 neither he nor any of his descendants shall survive to 
 enjoy the blessings which I have in store for my people." 
 
 Ill 
 
 Let the 
 nations 
 submit to 
 Nebuchad- 
 rezzar 
 (27:1-11). 
 
 DISPELLING FALSE HOPES OF SPEEDY DELIVERANCE 
 
 FROM Babylon's rule 
 
 I. The Folly of Rebellion (27 : 1-22) 
 Early during the reign of Zedekiah, in the year 
 595 B.C., when the states of Palestine were sending 
 embassies to each other for the purpose of forming a 
 coalition against Nebuchadrezzar, Jeremiah was inspired 
 to make five yokes, and to give one to each of the foreign 
 276 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 27: 22 
 
 messengers who came plotting rebellion. These they 
 were to present to their masters the kings of Edom, 
 Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, with the following 
 message from Jehovah : "I am the creator and supreme 
 ruler of the earth. I give authority to w^hom I please. 
 Nebuchadrezzar, the Babylonian king, is performing a 
 service for me. To him and his family I have granted 
 for a period supreme control over the people in this part 
 of the earth. The nation which does not submit to his 
 rule shall experience the miseries of war, famine, and 
 pestilence. Therefore heed not the deceptive messages 
 of your perverse religious leaders, for, if you listen to 
 their encouragements to revolt against Babylon, they 
 will betray you. Rebellion means certain exile. Con- 
 tinue to submit to Nebuchadrezzar, and you will be 
 allowed undisturbed to enjoy your lands." 
 
 Jeremiah gave the same warning to Zedekiah and the Let not 
 
 Judah be 
 
 people of Judah: "Remain loyal to Babylon. It is beguiled into 
 suicide to rebel. Those prophets who encourage you to (27^: 12-22). 
 do so are deceivers, and speak without any commission 
 from Jehovah. Their prediction that the vessels of the 
 temple, which have been carried to Babylon, will soon 
 be brought back is an idle dream. Even the few paltry 
 ones which were left behind will before long be borne 
 off to Babylon, where they shall remain until Jehovah 
 sees fit to restore them." 
 
 277 
 
Jeremiah 28:1 Messages of the 
 
 2. Contest between Jeremiah and Hananiah (28) 
 
 Later, in the same critical year, Hananiah, a certain 
 prophet from the town of Gibeon, publicly in the temple 
 contradicted Jeremiah, declaring in the name of Jehovah 
 of hosts, and using the characteristic formulas of the 
 true prophets, that within two years Jehovah would 
 bring back the vessels of the temple, together with 
 Jehoiakin and the Jews carried to Babylon, and that he 
 would break the power of Nebuchadrezzar. "Would 
 that your prediction might be realized," was Jeremiah's 
 rejoinder, " but remember, O Judeans, that many 
 prophets in the past have uttered similar popular proph- 
 ecies, which, alas, have proved false. The sole proof 
 of the truth of a prediction is not whether its content is 
 pleasing, but whether it is fulfilled. ' ' 
 Acted Stung by the implications contained in Jeremiah's 
 
 prophecies . __ . , „ , , i • i i • 
 
 (28 : 10-17). reply, Hananiah tore off the yoke, which his opponent 
 was wearing about his neck as a symbol of the captivity 
 which he predicted, and broke it into pieces. Then 
 turning to the people, Hananiah declared : "Even thus 
 will Jehovah within two years break that rule which 
 Nebuchadrezzar now exercises over the nations." 
 Abashed by the boldness of his opponent, Jeremiah 
 departed without replying. Soon, however, he returned 
 with this new word from Jehovah : "True, O Hananiah. 
 278 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 23 : 4 
 
 you have broken the yoke of wood, but a yoke of iron 
 shall take its place. Even so the nations may for a 
 moment throw off the comparatively easy rule of Baby- 
 lon, but the penalty of their rebellion shall be a much 
 more grievous servitude. Since you, O prophet, have 
 sought to betray this people by a false message, within a 
 year shall you die the death of a traitor. ' ' In the seventh 
 month of the same year the divine sentence was executed. 
 
 IV 
 CONDEMNATION OF JUDAH'S FALSE LEADERS 
 
 I. The Base Rulers of the Present, and the Projnised 
 Messianic King of the Future (23 ; 1-8 ; cf 33 : 14-26) 
 
 An unenviable fate awaits you, O rulers of Judah, for, Guilt and 
 
 1 r r • , r ,, 1- 1 • r -I i Punishmcnt 
 
 mstead of faithfully guardmg the mterests of the people of kings and 
 entrusted to your charge, you have preyed upon them. (23 : \, 2). 
 Their present disorganized condition is due to your in- 
 competency and culpable misrule. Jehovah will hold 
 you responsible for all these heinous wrongs which you 
 have perpetrated. 
 
 The same God of justice declares that he will gather Ultimate 
 
 /■ • 1 /• i 1 • -1 -. 1 1 restoration 
 
 the faithful ones among his exiled people, and restore of the faith- 
 them to their land. There they shall again grow to be a appointment 
 great nation. Over them he will place rulers, who ^vill (^J^^^'.g^'^'f^ 
 considerately and wisely guide them, so that they shall 33 '• 14-26). 
 279 
 
Jeremiah 23 ; 4 Messages of the 
 
 never again experience the terrors of invasion or the 
 pangs of famine. In the coming years, when Jehovah' s 
 purpose is fully realized, he will cause to arise from the 
 princely house of David — which now, alas ! is so degen- 
 erate — a king who shall have all the vigor of the original 
 stock. In striking contrast to the character of the corrupt 
 leaders who are now wrecking Judah, shall be that of 
 the righteous ruler whom Jehovah will place over his 
 people. His reign shall be marked by impartial justice 
 and prudent action. Success shall crown all his efforts. 
 Under his benign rule Israel and Judah, as of old, shall 
 be united, and shall enjoy uninterrupted peace and 
 prosperity. His name "Jehovah is our righteousness" 
 shall be a pledge that Jehovah, who alone is able, has 
 vindicated the righteousness of his people before the 
 world. ^ For the day is coming when the deliverance 
 from Egypt shall be completely eclipsed by the exodus 
 from the lands of the captivity. 
 
 2. False Prophets and False Prophecies (23 : 9-40) 
 Corruption When I meditate upon the ideal of righteousness 
 prophets and which Jehovah has revealed to me, and upon the failure 
 
 its eflFects . , . , ,, . ^ . , 
 
 (23 : 9-15). of this people to realize it, I am completely overcome. 
 Prophet and priest have profaned their high calling. 
 
 1 Note that in the parallel passage 33 : 16 the designation "Jehovah is 
 our righteousness " is applied to Jerusalem. 
 280 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 23 : 28 
 
 The prophets of Jerusalem are even worse than those of 
 Samaria who prophesied in the name of Baal ; for, while 
 they pretend to be Jehovah' s representatives, they do not 
 hesitate to commit gross deeds of immorality. Instead 
 of turning the people from their sins, they confirm them 
 in their evil course by word and by example. The 
 crimes of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah were not 
 more hateful in the sight of Jehovah. Wretched in- 
 deed shall be the fate of these base prophets when 
 Jehovah's certain judgment overtakes them. 
 
 .Heed not their words, for, having no message from Warnings 
 Jehovah, they speak only what conserves their own fSe"^ 
 selfish interests. They are constantly predicting deliv-^J"? 16*22). 
 erance from the attacks of the Babylonians, and en- 
 couraging those who reject Jehovah's commands. 
 Being hypocritical deceivers, they insinuate that all 
 prophets are base like themselves. They have aroused 
 Jehovah's hot indignation by their faithlessness and 
 treachery. 
 
 They deceive men, but not the omniscient Ruler of Jehovah 
 
 penetrates 
 
 the universe. He sees how they beguile the people by their de- 
 claiming to have had prophetic dreams. The true mes- "j^/^sig). 
 sage from Jehovah, instead of easing the conscience, 
 ever sets before the people a higher ideal of living, 
 thereby laying bare, by contrast, their own imperfec- 
 
 281 
 
Jeremiah 23 : 29 Messages of the 
 
 tions. It is a flame which burns out the dross, rather 
 than a veil which covers up their guilt. 
 Command Tehovah disowns and denounces those impostors who,' 
 
 not to •' . - , . . 
 
 use the without any communication from him, take their cue 
 exp?es^sions, from cach Other. By employing the familiar terminology 
 by'^mbuse of the prophcts, they deceive the masses, and work in- 
 (23 : 30-40). calculable harm to their nation. They have dragged 
 the prophetic expression, "the burden of Jehovah," in 
 the mire until it is unfit for use. If the people sincerely 
 inquire, "What is the burden of Jehovah?" let them 
 know that they themselves are a burden which God will 
 no longer bear. A grievous judgment shall descend 
 upon the prophet or priest who shall henceforth presume 
 to preface his predictions by the old formula, "the 
 burden of Jehovah." The simple message in itself is 
 enough to commend it. In inquiring concerning the 
 divine will, use some other simpler expression, like 
 ' ' What has the Lord answered ? " or, " What has he 
 said ? ' ' but woe to the individual or people who em- 
 ploys the worn-out, perverted term ! 
 
 282 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 21 : 10 
 
 SERMONS AND EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE 
 FINAL SIEGE OF JERUSALEM 
 
 I. Jeremiah's Message of Warning to Zedekiah 
 (21 : i-io) 
 
 During the earlier days of the final siege of Jerusalem, The occa- 
 king Zedekiah sent two of the nobles, Pashhur, the son (21 : i, 2). 
 of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the priest, to Jeremiah to 
 inquire whether Jehovah would deliver the Judeans 
 from Nebuchadrezzar, who was attacking them. 
 
 To the king' s question Jeremiah replied in the name Jeremiah's 
 of Jehovah : "In vain do you take up your weapons in mercy, no ^ 
 order to defend yourself from the attack of the Baby- esTape " 
 lonians. Prompted by righteous indignation, the Al- ^^^ • 3'^°)- 
 mighty himself will fight against you with his dread 
 weapons of pestilence and famine. The king and those 
 who survive he will deliver into the power of Nebuchad- 
 rezzar to be slain. The only way in which you can save 
 your lives is by surrender to the foe before the end 
 comes ; for Jehovah has determined to show you no 
 mercy, but, instead, to hand you over to these, his agents 
 of punishment." 
 
 283 
 
Jeremiah 34 : i 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Future of 
 Zedekiah 
 and of his 
 people 
 (34 : 1-7)- 
 
 The fact 
 (34 : 8-11). 
 
 The divine 
 sentence 
 upon the 
 shameless 
 princes 
 (34 : 12-22). 
 
 2. A Secotid Message of Warning (34 : 1-7) 
 
 A little later, while Nebuchadrezzar, with his armies, 
 was laying siege to Jerusalem and the few cities of 
 Judah which still held out against him, Jeremiah re- 
 iterated the divine declaration that for the Judeans there 
 was no possibility of escape. Respecting Zedekiah, he 
 added : "You shall go as a captive to Babylon, but 
 your life shall be spared, and you shall die and be 
 peacefully buried. ' ' 
 
 3. Condemnation of the Perfidy Shown by the fudeans in 
 the Treatment of their Slaves (34 : 8-22) 
 
 In a moment of contrition, aroused by the imminent 
 danger which threatened from the swords of the besieg- 
 ing Babylonians, Zedekiah and his nobles made a 
 solemn agreement before Jehovah that they would ob- 
 serve a neglected law, and set at liberty the Hebrew 
 slaves in their possession. At first they carried out their 
 obligations ; but later, when the danger was temporarily 
 averted through the withdrawal of the besiegers, they 
 broke their sacred promises, and forced their former 
 slaves into the old state of illegal bondage. 
 
 When these facts were known, Jeremiah was inspired 
 to declare in the name of Jehovah : ' ' One of the ele- 
 ments in the holy covenant entered into by your fore- 
 fathers, when I delivered themfromtheslavery of Egypt, 
 284 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 37 : 3 
 
 was that in the seventh year they would set free every 
 Hebrew slave held by them. That agreement they 
 failed to keep. Of your own free will you recognized 
 the obligation, and made a solemn covenant with me, in 
 fulfilment of which you for a brief period liberated your 
 slaves. But, since you have not permanently set your 
 brothers free, you shall yourselves be free to experience 
 the bitter woes of war and captivity. Those grandees 
 of Jerusalem and the common people, who have shame- 
 lessly broken that holy covenant with me, which they 
 symbolized by passing between the severed parts of a 
 calf sacrificed for the purpose, shall soon fall before 
 their bloodthirsty foes, and their bodies shall lie un- 
 buried where they fall. Before many days the Baby- 
 lonian army shall return to complete the conquest and 
 destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. King and princes 
 shall be taken captive, and this land of your nativity 
 shall be left desolate and uninhabited." 
 
 4. Faithful Prophesying in the Face of Persecution and 
 Death {-^7 ; 38 ; 39 : 15-18) 
 
 During the latter part of the weak, godless reign of Conquest of 
 Zedekiah, at the time when the siege of Jerusalem by the Babyio- 
 the Babylonians was temporarily relieved by the ap- inevitable 
 proach of an Egyptian army under Hophra, the Judean ^^^ ' ^'^°^' 
 king sent two officers to Jeremiah to inquire what Jeho- 
 285 
 
Jeremiah 37 : 6 Messages of the 
 
 vah had in store for them. The prophet replied : "The 
 Egyptians will secure for you only momentary deliver- 
 ance. Soon they will retire, and the Babylonians will 
 advance to conquer and destroy your city. Deceive not 
 yourselves with false hopes. Even though you should 
 defeat these foreign foes, they will nevertheless accom- 
 plish your ultimate destruction, because Jehovah has 
 decreed it." 
 Arrest and During the same intermission of the siege, Jeremiah 
 
 confinement ° . 
 
 of Jeremiah set out for his native town of Anathoth to take possession 
 ■^^ ' " ^ ' of some property which he had recently inherited. At 
 the eastern gate of the city an official on guard arrested 
 him on the charge of deserting to the Babylonians. 
 Disregarding Jeremiah' s denials, the officer brought him 
 before the rulers of the city. They improved the oppor- 
 tunity to be revenged upon the plain-spoken prophet. 
 After scourging him, they shut him up in the house of 
 Jonathan the scribe, which had been converted into a 
 temporary prison. There he remained for many days. 
 His partial At last, when the siege was renewed, Zedekiah in- 
 Zedeklah^ quired of the prophet, who had been conducted into his 
 (37 • 17-21)- pj-esence, whether there was any message from Jehovah. 
 Unhesitatingly Jeremiah repeated his former declara- 
 tion : "You shall surely be conquered by Nebuchad- 
 rezzar." Improving the opportunity, the aged patriot 
 then demanded why it was that he had been im- 
 286 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 38 : u 
 
 prisoned, while the deceitful prophets, who had be- 
 trayed the nation into its present plight, were allowed 
 to go free. At Jeremiah's earnest solicitations, Zede- 
 kiah committed him to a more congenial place of con- 
 finement in the guard-house, and, while the supply 
 lasted, gave him a daily allowance of bread. 
 
 During his period of confinement, Jeremiah did not Thrown as 
 cease to declare that to remain in Jerusalem meant aaweii^tVdie 
 violent death, and that the only way to save one' s life ^^^ " ^'^^' 
 was to surrender to the Babylonian, since the ultimate 
 fall of the city was inevitable. 
 
 Hearing of his advice, certain of the nobles, who 
 were most hostile to him, demanded Jeremiah' s death, 
 urging that he was a traitor, and that his predictions 
 weakened the courage of the soldiers and of the people. 
 Zedekiah, confessing that he was powerless to oppose his 
 imperious nobles, handed over his prisoner to them. 
 They seized Jeremiah, and, without the semblance of a 
 trial, let him down into a dry well in the court of the 
 guard-house. There he was left in the mire to die. 
 
 When a certain Ethiopian eunuch by the name of Rescued at 
 Ebed-melech learned what had been done to Jeremiah, tioVof an*' 
 he informed the king concerning the danger from starva- eunuch*" 
 tion which threatened the intrepid prophet At the ^^^ * ^*^3^* 
 command of Zedekiah, the Ethiopian, assisted by a 
 small detachment of men, carefully drew up Jeremiah 
 287 
 
Jeremiah 39 : 15 
 
 Messages of the 
 
 Message of 
 assurance 
 for Ebed- 
 melech 
 (39 : 15-18). 
 
 Jeremiah's 
 final inter- 
 view with 
 Zedekiah 
 (38 : 14-28). 
 
 from the well. Until the fall of the city, the prophet re- 
 mained in the court of the guard-house. 
 
 While there he received a divine message for his 
 brave deliverer, Ebed-melech, to the effect that, although 
 the ruin of the city was imminent, he would be deliv- 
 ered from the foes whom he feared. Since he had 
 proved true to Jehovah in serving his prophet, his own 
 life would be preserved amidst the common dangers. 
 
 In his perplexity Zedekiah again summoned Jeremiah 
 into his presence. After the prophet had been assured 
 that no harm would be done to him, whatever should be 
 the nature of his reply, he declared that the one way in 
 which the king could save his city and his own life was 
 by surrendering to the Babylonians. Although recog- 
 nizing the truth of Jeremiah' s advice, the weak, selfish 
 Zedekiah hesitated to accept it because, as he confessed, 
 he feared the scorn of those of his subjects who had 
 already deserted to the camp of Nebuchadrezzar. As- 
 suring him that these fears were groundless, Jeremiah 
 exhorted him to deliver himself and his wives and inno- 
 cent children from the horrible calamity which other- 
 wise awaited them. Zedekiah, however, was hope- 
 lessly dominated by his defiant princes. Instead of 
 acting in accordance with Jeremiah' s wise counsel, he 
 made the prophet promise not to reveal to the nobles 
 the nature of their interview. This promise Jeremiah 
 288 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 32 : 22 
 
 redeemed, and remained under the protection of the 
 king until the final capture of Jerusalem. 
 
 VI 
 
 MESSAGES OF CONSOLATION 
 
 I. An Earnest of Ultimate Restoration (32) 
 During the final siege of Jerusalem, while Jeremiah Symbolic 
 was confined in the court of the guard-house, his cousin land 
 visited him, with the request that he purchase a certain 
 part of the family estate at Anathoth. Recognizing in 
 this demand a divinely given opportunity for impressing 
 his prophetic message in the presence of many wit- 
 nesses, he caused a formal bill of transfer to be drawn 
 up, and paid the stipulated sum, although the land was 
 already in the possession of the besieging Babylonians. 
 Then he gave command to Baruch to store away the 
 deed where it would be preserved for many years. 
 "For," as he added, "Jehovah has revealed to me 
 that land in Judah shall again possess a marketable 
 value. ' ' 
 
 After the transaction had been completed, Jeremiah ^^^T^'^ '°*" 
 prayed this prayer : "O Creator and Ruler of the uni- assurance 
 verse, merciful and just, all-wise and all-powerful, faith- ' ^ ^^ ' 
 fully didst thou lead thy people in the past They, alas ! 
 289 
 
Jeremiah 32 : 23 Messages of the 
 
 sinned so grievously against thee that their present woes 
 are but their just deserts. What, therefore, O Lord, is 
 the full significance of thy command to me to buy this 
 land which already is in the hands of relentless foes ?" 
 
 Then Jehovah strengthened Jeremiah's wavering 
 faith, declaring : "Do you think, O prophet, that there 
 is anything too difficult for me, the supreme ruler of 
 mankind, to accomplish ? True, I will give the city over 
 to the Babylonians, and they shall completely destroy it 
 as a just punishment for the apostasy and persistent 
 idolatry of its inhabitants. I will not, however, forget 
 my people, but will gather them from the lands of 
 their captivity, and cause them peaceably to inhabit 
 those very cities which are now being laid desolate. 
 More than that, they shall then unite in giving me their 
 sincere and reverential worship. Then also will I enter 
 into a solemn covenant with them, promising to estab- 
 lish them permanently in the land, and to bestow upon 
 them all the blessings which my loving heart suggests. 
 Then, throughout all the territory of Judah, men shall 
 again buy and sell the land now wasted by Babylonian 
 armies, giving written contracts even as you have just 
 done." 
 
 290 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 33 : 13 
 
 2. The Bright Future beyond the Dark Presejtt 
 (33 ' 1-13) 
 On another occasion, while Jeremiah was still con- Reiterated 
 
 „ , . , f. , , , , . , assurances 
 
 fined m the court of the guard-house, he received a ofrestoration 
 second message of promise from Jehovah : " Useless are ' ^"^^ 
 the frantic efforts of the men of Jerusalem to defend 
 their tottering capital. Their bodies shall form a 
 ghastly rampart about the doomed city. For a time I 
 will give it up to judgment, but when war has done its 
 purifying work I will rebuild and repeople it, and reveal 
 to its inhabitants ideals of peace and righteousness un- 
 dreamed of before. I will gather the scattered captives 
 of Judah and Israel, and will establish them on their 
 native soil, as in the days of the united kingdom. I will 
 pardon the sin of the past, and remove its evil effects 
 from their character. Then will my name be honored 
 among all people, because they shall see the glorious 
 restoration of this city and land which I shall have ac- 
 complished. Instead of the present wails of despair, 
 songs of thanksgiving shall rise to me from the lips of 
 the happy, contented people whom I shall bring back 
 to inhabit Jerusalem and the now desolate to^vns of 
 Judah." 
 
 291 
 
Jeremiah 30 : i Messages of the 
 
 3. Glories of the Restoration Contrasted with the Present 
 Humiliation {^o : 1 to 31 -.28) 
 
 Prophecies During the closing years of Jeremiah's activity, after 
 in the future Jerusalem had been captured and destroyed, the divine 
 command came to him to collect his various prophecies 
 respecting the future of his nation and preserve them in 
 written form ; for it was Jehovah' s unchangeable purpose 
 yet to bring back his exiled people to the land of their 
 fathers. 
 Present Thesc are the extracts from his sermons concerning 
 
 terror to be ° 
 
 succeeded Israel and Judah, which the prophet preserved : "True, 
 peace terror now chills every heart Fear blanches the faces 
 
 ' '*'"^" of strong men. Never has the Jewish race experienced 
 such calamities as at the present ; but it shall not last 
 forever. Jehovah will break the galling yoke of the 
 conqueror, and deliver his people from their painful 
 servitude. In the coming days, again united under a 
 king of the royal house of David, they shall serve 
 Jehovah. Fear not, therefore, O chosen race, called to 
 perform a service for your God, since you have his 
 assurance that he will destroy the nations who now hold 
 you as captives, and that he will surely preserve you, 
 after completing the purifying and educating process to 
 which you are now subjected. 
 
 • ' Piteous is your present condition, with no champion 
 292 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 31:3 
 
 to plead your cause, and no ally to help you. The dis- Present 
 
 * ' J M. * -wounds and 
 
 asters, however, which have fallen upon you, come at anguish, 
 the command of Jehovah as a punishment for your per- ingandjoy 
 sistence in sin. The tables shall soon be turned, and ° * " 
 those who oppress you shall themselves feel the pains of 
 conquest and captivity, while you shall be restored to 
 Canaan. Out of its ruins another Jerusalem shall rise 
 which shall equal the ancient city. Songs of thanks- 
 giving and peals of laughter shall again be heard within 
 these now ruined walls, while through its deserted streets 
 shall surge a large and proud populace. The Hebrews 
 will again be united under a ruler of their own race. 
 Being chosen by Jehovah, he will know the divine will 
 and worthily execute it. Then, O outcasts, you will be 
 again in the old sense Jehovah' s people. 
 
 ' ' In that same glorious day you will at last appreciate The aim of 
 
 , . ■ r- r t • 1 , th^ present 
 
 the true significance of the present experiences and the judgment 
 principles which rule God's universe. Jehovah's judg- dersto^od'^" 
 ment falls when it is deserved. Its aim is to discipline. (30^23, 24). 
 When that end is accomplished, and not before, will 
 your affliction cease. 
 
 "In the coming years, when Jehovah's gracious pur- Restoration 
 pose shall be realized, all surviving Israelites, united, shall northern 
 again be known as his people. From the earliest days (31^^ J'4). 
 of their history, his love toward them has ever been 
 strong and constant As in those innocent days of 
 293 
 
Jeremiah 31:4 Messages of the 
 
 Israel's youth, he will again give her cause for merri- 
 ment. On the long-deserted hills of Samaria, vineyards 
 shall be planted. From hill to hill the watchmen shall 
 send forth the cry, 'Let us go down to worship at 
 Jehovah's sanctuary in Jerusalem !* He will gather his 
 scattered people from far and near. No physical in- 
 firmity shall prevent them from coming at his call. A 
 sad but hopeful throng will he lead back, making easy 
 and attractive the way for their weary feet ; for his love 
 for his people is like that of a father for a child. In 
 this universal restoration, the northern Israelites will 
 not be overlooked, for Jehovah has not forgotten that 
 in the earlier days they were the strongest and most 
 prominent of the Hebrew race. 
 The restored "Let the whole world know that he, like a shepherd, 
 Hebrew ^ will assemble those whom he has scattered so widely, 
 again enjoy Slaves though they are, he will secure their liberation. 
 Sknty^"*^ Leaving their sorrows behind, they shall return to enjoy 
 (31 : 10-14). undisturbed the rich products of Canaan and the social 
 
 and religious privileges which it affords. 
 
 Pardon for " Jehovah has heard the bitter cries of lamentation 
 
 InVnor^thern which have for nearly a century and a half gone up 
 
 (l^^^ijfa^). from faithful northern Israelites because the citizens of 
 
 their once powerful nation are either dead or scattered to 
 
 the four winds. At last let them be comforted and 
 
 refrain from weeping, for their prayers shall be answered 
 
 294 
 
Earlier Prophets Jeremiah 31 : 28 
 
 in the return of the captives. Through all the long 
 years, while they have felt themselves crushed under the 
 ban of Jehovah' s displeasure, he has been disciplining 
 them. Now that they are truly repentant, the love and 
 compassion which go out toward them from the heart 
 of the Eternal will find expression in acts of restoration 
 and blessing. The way is open for you to return, O 
 exiles, if you will. Come back, wayward people, to 
 your cities. Fear no more dangers, for under Jehovah' s 
 strong protecting care the men will be able to devote 
 themselves undisturbed to their daily tasks, while the 
 women will suffice to guard them from all attacks. 
 
 "When Jehovah has restored his people to the cities of Conditions 
 Judah, as of old, they shall make pilgrimage to Jerusalem, restoration 
 the site of the temple of the God of justice and holiness, realized 
 The hearts now hungering shall be satisfied with peace ^^^ ' ^^'^ ^' 
 and plenty. As I came back to the dread present, my 
 prophetic soul was enraptured by the visions of the 
 blessings in store for my race. With them came the 
 assurance from Jehovah that, as he up to the present had 
 devoted himself to destroying and uprooting the two 
 Hebrew kingdoms, so henceforth he would restore and 
 guard them." 
 
 ^S 
 
Jeremiah 31 : 29-34 
 
 4. The New Covenant between Jehovah and his 
 People (31 : 29-40) 
 
 bifit^°o/the ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^' which is soon to dawn, the old fallacy 
 individual that men are morally responsible for the sins of their 
 ancestors, or for those of the community, will be dis- 
 proved. No longer will the individual be able to avoid 
 the consequences of his own crimes, but each shall be 
 rewarded according to his acts. 
 «)^eSant Jehovah will also establish a new covenant with his 
 
 within the restored people. It shall not be an external compact 
 (31 : 31-34). between himself and the nation collectively, like that 
 which was established when he led the Israelites forth 
 from Egypt, and which they have broken, but a per- 
 sonal covenant between himself and the individual. 
 Then the laws which formulate Jehovah' s demands, to 
 which the nations solemnly subscribe, shall be written, 
 not upon stones, but indelibly impressed upon the minds 
 of each faithful Israelite. Thus shall the close, con- 
 fidential relationship between Jehovah and his people 
 be re-established. Since the divine law will be im- 
 pressed upon the mind of every one, it shall no longer 
 be necessary to impart it by public and private instruc- 
 tion. All, the humblest as well as the noblest, shall 
 know the will of the Lord, and shall be personally con- 
 scious of having received his full forgiveness. 
 
 • - _ 296 
 
APPENDIX 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 BOOKS OF REFERENCE 
 
 The extant literature for the study of the prophetic books 
 is so numerous as to be confusing. The works which follow 
 are mentioned for their helpfulness to the student who seeks 
 to obtain a mastery of prophetic thought. Technical studies 
 and works not translated into English are omitted. 
 
 For the history of the two centuries spanned by the contents 
 of this volume the student may be referred to Professor C. F. 
 Kent's " A History of the Hebrew People : The Divided 
 Kingdom," 1897, (Scribner,) or to the still briefer sketch 
 by Professor C. H. Cornill of Konigsberg, *' History of the 
 People of Israel," 1898. (Open Court Publishing Co.) A 
 more elaborate work is Kittel's " History of the Hebrews," 
 Vol. n, 1896. (Williams & Norgate.) 
 
 The father of the study of prophecy to-day was Professor W. 
 Robertson Smith, whose articles on the prophetic books in the 
 "Encyclopedia Britannica," and whose " Prophets of Israel," 
 (D. Appleton & Co.), second edition, 1895, are almost as 
 valuable as ever. For brief surveys of the Minor Prophets in 
 turn, Farrar's " Minor Prophets," 1889, (Revell,) orCornill's 
 "Prophets of Israel," 1895, (Open Court Publishing Co.,) 
 are acceptable, the former being more detailed than the latter. 
 Kirkpatrick's " Doctrine of the Prophets, " 1892, (Macmillan,) 
 is of great value for its concise presentation of the character- 
 istic teachings of each prophet. Without derogation to any 
 299 
 
Appendix 
 
 of these, however, it may be said that the two volumes by 
 Professor George Adam Smith, entitled "The Book of the 
 Twelve Prophets," 1896-98, (Armstrong, "The Expositor's 
 Bible,") are the best aid to the interpretation of the Minor 
 Prophets to be purchased in English. One may also mention 
 the very valuable analyses in Driver's " Introduction to 
 the Literature of the Old Testament," sixth edition, 1897. 
 (Scribner.) 
 
 For the study of Amos there are two excellent commen- 
 taries : one by Professor Driver, "Joel and Amos," 1897, 
 (Macmillan,) the other by Professor Mitchell, "Amos: An 
 Essay in Exegesis." For Hosea and Micah the most available 
 commentaries are by Professor T. K. Cheyne in the Cam- 
 bridge Bible series. For Nabum, Habakkuk, and Zepha- 
 niah an admirable commentary has been written for that same 
 series by Professor A. B. Davidson. Among the countless 
 aids for the study of Isaiah, one may mention the clever 
 sketch by Driver in the Men of the Bible series, entitled 
 "Isaiah, His Life and Times," 1888, (Revell,) the commen- 
 taries by Professor Skinner, "Isaiah, Chapters 1-39," 1896, 
 (Macmillan,) and by Professor Mitchell, "Isaiah: A Study 
 of Chapters I-I2," 1897, (Crowell,) and the expository, yet 
 historical, treatment by Professor George Adam Smith, "The 
 Book of Isaiah, I -39," 1889. For Jeremiah, Professor Cheyne 
 has written a spirited sketch, in the Men of the Bible series, 
 entitled "Jeremiah, His Life and Times." A moderately 
 good commentary is that by Rev. A. W. Streane in the Cam- 
 bridge Bible series. 
 
 300 
 
INDEX OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES 
 
INDEX OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES 
 
 ISAIAH 
 
 CHAPTERS PAGES 
 
 1 103-105 
 
 2 to 4 88-91 
 
 5 : 1-24 91-94 
 
 5 : 25-30 95 
 
 6 86-88 
 
 7 to 8 : 18 98-103 
 
 8 : 19 to 9 : 7 105-107 
 
 9 : 8 to 10 : 4 94-95 
 
 10 : 5 to 12 : 6 157-162 
 
 13 to 14 : 3 See page 84 
 
 14 : 24-27 162 
 
 14 : 28-32 146 
 
 15 and 16 142-143 
 
 17 ■• I-" 97-98 
 
 17 : 12-14 162-163 
 
 j8 155 
 
 19 144-145 
 
 20 142 
 
 21 : i-io See page 84 
 
 21 : 11-17 141-142 
 
 22 : 1-14 164 
 
 22 : 15-25 ^56 
 
 23 107-108 
 
 24 to 27 See page 84 
 
 28 to 32 147-155 
 
 33 166-167 
 
 34 and 35 See page 84 
 
 36 to 37 : 8 165-166 
 
 37 : 9-38 167-169 
 
 38 and 39 139-141 
 
 JEREMIAH 
 
 1 205-206 
 
 3 to 6 207-215 
 
 7 to 8 : 3 236-239 
 
 8 : 4 to 9 : 22 241-243 
 
 CHAPTERS PAGES 
 
 10 : 17-25 243 
 
 11 : 1-8 215-216 
 
 11 : 9-17 234-235 
 
 11 : 18 to 12 : 6 235-236 
 
 12 : 7-17 272-273 
 
 13 : 1-14 257-258 
 
 13 • 15-27 271-272 
 
 14 and 15 249-252 
 
 16 to 17 : 13 253-255 
 
 18 256-257 
 
 19 258-259 
 
 20 259-261 
 
 21 : 1-10 283-284 
 
 21 : II to 22 : 9 231-232 
 
 22 : 10-12 231 
 
 23 : 1-8 279-280 
 
 23 : 9-40 280-282 
 
 24 273-274 
 
 25 244-245 
 
 26 239-241 
 
 27 276-277 
 
 28 278-279 
 
 29 274-276 
 
 30 : 1 to 31 : 28 292-295 
 
 31 : 29-40 296 
 
 32 .' 289-290 
 
 33 : 1-13 291 
 
 33 : 14-26 279 
 
 34 : 1-7 284 
 
 34 : 8-22 284-285 
 
 35 261-262 
 
 36 : 1-26 245-248 
 
 36 : 27-32 248 
 
 37 to 39 285-289 
 
 40 to 44 268-270 
 
 45 245 
 
 46 : 1-12 243-244 
 
 46 : 13 to 49 : 39 244 
 
 50 to 52 . Late exilic. See page 84 
 
 303 
 
Index of Biblical Passages 
 
 CHAPTERS PAGES 
 
 HOSEA 
 
 1 to 3 50-57 
 
 4 and 5 : 14 57-61 
 
 5 : 15 to 7 61-64 
 
 8 to 10 64-70 
 
 II : i-ii 70-72 
 
 II : 12 to 12 72-74 
 
 13 74-75 
 
 14 75-76 
 
 AMOS 
 
 1,2 29-33 
 
 3. 4 33-36 
 
 5 36-38 
 
 6 39-40 
 
 7:1-9 40-41 
 
 8 to 9 : 6 41-43 
 
 9 : 7-15 43-44 
 
 MICAH 
 I 115-118 
 
 2 : i-ii 118-120 
 
 CHAPTERS 
 
 PAGES 
 
 2 : 12, 13 123 
 
 3 120-122 
 
 4 and 5 122-125 
 
 6 : 1-8 126-127 
 
 6 : 9 to 7 : 6 127-129 
 
 7 : 7-20 129-130 
 
 NAHUM 
 
 i;2:2 177-173 
 
 « : i» 3-13 179-181 
 
 3 181-183 
 
 HABAKKUK 
 
 1 to 2 : 4 221-223 
 
 2 : 5-20 223-224 
 
 3 224-226 
 
 ZEPHANIAH 
 
 1 to 2 : 3 190-193 
 
 2 : 4-15 193-194 
 
 3 : 1-13 195-196 
 
 3 : 14-20 196-197 
 
 304 
 
Zbc f)i3tovtcal Series 
 
 FOR BIBLE STUDENTS 
 EDITED BY 
 
 Professor Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., of Brown Univer- 
 
 sity, and Professor Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., 
 
 of Yale University. 
 
 IN response to a widespread demand for non-technical 
 yet scholarly and reliable guides to the study of the 
 history, literature, and teaching of the Old and New 
 Testaments, and of the contemporary history and litera- 
 ture, this series aims to present in concise and attractive 
 form the results of investigation and exploration in these 
 broad fields. Based upon thoroughly critical scholar- 
 ship, it will emphasize assured and positive rather than 
 transitional positions. The series as a whole is intended 
 to present a complete and connected picture of the social, 
 political, and religious life of the men and peoples who 
 figure most prominently in the biblical records. 
 
 Each volume will be complete in itself, treating com- 
 prehensively a given subject or period. It will also refer 
 freely to the biblical and monumental sources, and to the 
 standard authorities. Convenience of size, clearness of 
 presentation, and helpfulness to the student, will make 
 the series particularly well adapted for (i) practical text- 
 books for college, seminary, and university classes ; (2) 
 hand-books for the use of Bible classes, clubs, and 
 guilds ; (3) guides for individual study ; and (4) books 
 for general reference. 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 Publishers - - - - - - New York 
 
t;be t)i6torical Series 
 
 FOR BIBLE STUDENTS 
 
 HISTORY OF THE HEBREW PEOPLE 
 I. Ube 'C^nite^ Tftingbom. Fifth edition. 
 II. Ubc ^>irt^e^ Iking&om. Fifth edition. 
 
 Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and. 
 History, Brown University. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE 
 
 III. Ube JBabislonian, Persian, an^ (Breeh fJerfofes. 
 
 Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and 
 History, Brown University. 
 
 IV. Ubc ^accabean an^ "IRoman periob (including New Testament 
 
 Times). 
 James S. Riggs, D.D., Professor of Biblical Criticism, Auburn 
 Theological Seminary. 
 
 CONTEMPORARY OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY 
 
 V. Ibistoris of the Egiepttana. 
 
 James H. Breasted, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Semitic Lan- 
 guages and Egyptology, the University of Chicago. 
 VI. Ibistoris of tbe JBabsIoniana an& Bss^riane. 
 
 George S. Goodspeed, Ph.D., Professor of Ancient History, the 
 University of Chicago. 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT HISTORIES 
 
 VII. Ube Xifc Of 5esua. 
 
 Rush Rhees, Professor of New Testament Interpretation, New- 
 ton Theological Seminary. 
 
 VIII. Ube Hpostolic Hge. 
 
 George T. Purves, Ph.D., D.D., Professor of New Testament 
 Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological Seminary. 
 
 OUTLINES FOR THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL HISTORY AND 
 LITERATURE 
 IX. jFrom Earliest Ulmes to tbe Captivitie. 
 X. iprom tbe firile to 200 H. ®. 
 
 Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., Professor of Biblical Literature, Yale 
 University. 
 
^■i 
 
 Date Due 
 
 1 
 
 w i?***^ 
 
 
 
 
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