viii. 5-8. _Forasmuch as this people refuseth, &c._
For "rejoice _in_ Rezin and Remaliah's son," read "rejoice
_concerning_ Rezin and Remaliah's son," _i.e.,_ rejoice in the
disaster which had befallen the allied powers who had inflicted such
disasters upon Judah, and had threatened it with utter destruction.
We have here a prophecy given in symbols. One of them is explained by
the prophet himself. He explains that by "the river" he means the
King of Assyria. Commentators are generally of opinion that by "the
waters of Shiloah" is meant the Davidic dynasty, which God, on
certain conditions, had pledged Himself to maintain. But this put
them to hard shifts to explain the rejoicing of the people. It is
better to regard "the waters of Shiloah" as symbolical of the help
which God offered His people. The contrast then becomes intelligible.
Because that help was unseen--apprehensible only by faith--it seemed
to the multitudes, when compared with that which the King of Assyria
was visibly rendering them, in the overthrow of Syria and Israel, to
be as little worthy of consideration as is the little stream of
Shiloah[1] in comparison with that mighty river, the Euphrates.[2] We
have, then, here _the case of men who are rejoicing in a success that
is godless,_ that has been obtained by the rejection of God; and we
are here told what the end of that success must be. Thus we find a
theme that bears upon our life to-day.
1. Whatever be our life-work, there are two ways of seeking success
in it--with God, or without God. 2. If we take God to be our ally, we
must do our work on _His_ terms and plans. But these are frequently
contrary to our natural expectations, and opposed to what the world
calls "common sense." As helps to a speedy and great success, they
seem to most men as despicable as the little stream of Shiloah in
comparison with the broad river Euphrates. 3. Consequently the vast
majority of men reject them, and seek for success without God, and
contrary to His methods (H. E. I. 4198). 4. In this way, they
frequently speedily attain to a success which appears to be a
complete justification of the wisdom of their policy. When the
prophecy contained in our text was uttered, the forces of Syria and
Israel were being swept away by the triumphant Assyrian host, and no
doubt Ahaz and His court felt they could afford to laugh at Isaiah,
who had steadily opposed the alliance which appeared to have been so
advantageous. 5. But the triumph of the wicked is short. The unholy
success in which bad men rejoice contains within itself the seeds of
peril and pain, of retribution, and ruin (H. E. I. 4609, 4612). The
ally in whom Ahaz had trusted presently became his oppressor; it was
a verification in actual life of the fable of the horse that took a
man for its ally. So it is to-day with all who prosper without God
and against God. Their prosperity is, strictly speaking, unnatural,
and everything that is unnatural speedily brings on disorder. For
example, a family has been enriched by godless plans; to those who
have no fear of God in their hearts, there is nothing so perilous as
wealth; it is used for the gratification of the baser passions; by
this gratification health is broken down; when the physical frame is
shattered, conscience, that has been suppressed, breaks forth into
freedom and activity, and remorse turns the gilded palace into a
hell. The illustrations of the working of this great law are endless.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.--1. In the conduct of daily life, as well as
in our spiritual concerns, let us walk by faith, not by sight. God's
help, though it may seem inconsiderable as Shiloah's stream, is yet,
like that stream, constant. Our reliance upon it will never issue in
disappointment. By means of it we shall certainly attain to all the
prosperity that would be for our real welfare (H. E. I. 3984-3986,
5059, 5060). 2. Let us not envy the prosperity of the wicked
(H. E. I. 4943-4948, 4961-4966). It is short-lived, like the mighty
flood of Euphrates itself. Out of that very prosperity heart-aches
innumerable will spring. The rejoicing that is so exultant and
scornful to-day, to-morrow will be turned into lamentation and woe.
Then those who triumphed without God will find that in defeat they
are without Him: this will be their description, "Without God, and
without hope in the world." 3. When Jesus of Nazareth was called to
choose between the stream and the river, His decision was prompt and
unhesitating (Matt. iv. 8-10). Up to the very end of His life His
choice seemed to have been a foolish one (Matt. viii. 20); on Calvary
it seemed to have been madness: but all history since has been a
vindication of its wisdom (Phil. ii. 9, 10).