Let us look steadily at the _facts_ before us, and then, perchance,
we may discern the _lessons_ associated with them. Isaiah desires to
know how long his strange and sad mission is to continue; and the
answer is, until its utter failure to save his fellow-countrymen from
their sins and their impending doom has been demonstrated, until
nothing but the mere life-germ of the nation is left. Here really are
three facts, full of instruction for us to-day. I. _Isaiah's mission
and the calamities he desired to avert by it were to work together._
There was thus a twofold appeal to the men of that generation; and at
its close God might have repeated the challenge, "What could I have
done more?" (chap. v. 4). Both by offers of mercy and manifestations
of righteous anger He sought to deliver them from the doom towards
which they madly hastened. Thus God deals with the world to-day: His
preachers of righteousness and His judgments because of
unrighteousness work side by side; this fact is a conclusive proof
that God is not willing that the sinner should die. This is true of
nations, and it is true of individuals. II. _Isaiah was to prosecute
his mission to the end, notwithstanding the proofs that his efforts
to deliver his fellow-countrymen were vain._ This is always the duty
of God's messengers: they are to deliver their message, and reiterate
it. Whether it is popular or unpopular is a thing of which they are
not even to think! the one thing they have to consider and remember
is, that it is true. III. _In the midst of all the calamities of his
time, Isaiah was sustained by the assurance that the nation he loves
should not utterly perish._ Nothing could hurt "the holy seed" that
constituted its true life. The Church of to-day is full of
imperfections; the forces of unbelief are marshalling themselves
against her; it may be that she will again be tried by fierce
persecutions: but the Lord's true prophet can survey all these
possible calamities with calmness; he knows that "the holy seed"
which constitutes her true life cannot be injured by them.
Here, then, is instruction and encouragement for the Lord's prophet
to-day. He is to preach the preaching which God has bidden him,
regardless of everything but the fact that God had sent it forth. He
is not to modify his message, to make it more palatable to his
hearers. He must not cease to deliver it, although he sees that his
hearers are hardening themselves against it, and so are bringing upon
themselves a heavier doom. Comfort he will need, but he must find it
in the fact that there is a "holy seed" to whom his ministry will be
a blessing, and in whose salvation, if he be faithful to the end, he
shall share.
In this passage there are also some supplementary lessons of general
interest. 1. We have here an illustration of _the persistence and
success of the Divine purposes._ God selected the descendants of
Abraham as the instruments through whom He would bless the world
(Exod. xix. 5, 6). Their history has been one long struggle against
this purpose; but it has not been a frustration of it: their very
waywardness and wickedness have afforded occasions for the
manifestation of His character, and the consequent revelations both
of His goodness and of His severity have been blessings in the world.
In spite even of their rejection of His Son they are still His
people, and He will at length make them a holy people (Rom.
xi. 28-29). 2. _God does not hesitate to use any means that will help
to conform His chosen ones to His own ideal._ It is a solemn thing to
be chosen of God: that choice may involve possibilities from which
flesh and blood shrinks.[2] The way to avoid those possibilities is
to find out what God's purpose concerning us is, and endeavour to
conform ourselves thereto: then we shall find His choice of us a
well-spring of constant blessing. 3. _God does not despise the merest
germs of goodness._ Insignificant, comparatively, as was "the holy
seed" in Israel, He watched over it with ceaseless care. Comfort
there is here for those who lament that there is in them so little of
which God can approve. That little He will not despise (1 Kings
xiv. 13; Isa. xlii. 3); He sees what possibilities of excellence
there are in His chosen ones;[3] and those little germs of excellence
He will nourish until they have developed into that which will
satisfy even Himself.