x. 20. _And it shall come to pass, &c._
Consider, +I. What is said of their former error.+ When it is said
that they "shall no more stay upon him that smote them," it surely
implies that they had done this before: this was their error. They
had stayed upon another--upon Assyria as a refuge and defence against
the confederacy that threatened Ahaz (chap. vii. 1-12, viii. 4-9),
just as at other times they relied upon Egypt as a defence against
Assyria,--and they were to be delivered for this tendency to trust in
human help, and were to be taught to "stay upon the Lord, the Holy
One of Israel, in truth." Three things are here implied and
expressed. 1. _They had exercised an improper dependence._ To this we
are all naturally prone. We need help, and are apt to seek it in some
creature rather than in the Creator. The evil of this course is, that
thus we are kept away from God (H. E. I., 169-177). 2. _Their
dependence had been disappointed._ That on which they stayed, not
only failed them, it injured them (2 Chron. xxviii. 20; Jer. xvii. 5,
6). Creature confidence brings a curse upon us in two ways. (1) By
disappointments (Prov. xxiii. 5; Ps lxii. 9, cxlvi. 3, 4; Isa.
ii. 22). (2) By Divine rebukes (Jer. ii. 17-19; Jonah iv. 6, 7).
3. _Their folly was to be corrected by their sovereign._ They were to
be taught wisdom by the things they suffered. But, alas! men often
harden themselves against even such instruction (Isa ix. 13; Jer.
v. 3; Amos iv. 6-11). Here we see the depravity of human nature in
rendering inefficacious all these Divine chastisements. When this is
the case, there is a danger of one of two things: either that God in
anger will throw down the rod (Hos. iv. 17), or that He will fulfil
His own threatenings (Lev. xxvi. 21, 23, 24, 27, 28; H. E. I.,
145-147). God has a merciful design in all your crosses, trials, and
afflictions (H. E. I., 56-74). When this is accepted, and afflictions
thus sanctified, the penitent sufferer will put his trust in God
only. Thus the prodigal was starved back "He began to be in
want"--and it was a blessed want that led him to think of his
father's house, and resolved him to return. You have no reason to
complain when your earthly props are taken away, if thus you are
induced to take fresh hold of God.
+II. What is said of their renewed experience.+ "But shall stay upon
the Lord, the Holy One of Israel." Glance at three views of it.
1. _It is an enlightened confidence._ Confidence is the offspring
both of ignorance and wisdom; ignorance leads some persons to entrust
precious deposits to strangers or to villains, but the wise man seeks
first to know those in whom he is asked to trust. It is foolish to
trust without inquiry, and to refuse to trust the trustworthy. The
Christian stays himself upon God, because he has ascertained what His
character is (Ps. cxix. 107; 2 Tim. i. 12). 2. _Their confidence is
very extensive._ It covers all times (Ps. lxii. 8; Isa. xxvi. 4); all
events that can awaken our anxiety; every condition in which we can
be found; all that appertains to life and godliness, not only grace,
but glory; not only our journey's end, but also the way. Thus it
should be with us, but it is not always so. Strange to say, while we
readily trust God for eternal life, we often find it difficult to
trust Him for what we need in this life. How foolish is this (Rom.
viii. 32; Ps. lxxxiv. 11)! 3. _It is a blessed confidence_ (Prov.
xxix. 25; Ps. cxxv. 1; Isa. xxvi. 3; Jer. xvii. 7, 8; H. E. I.,
1191-1934; P. D., 1157, 1160).
+III. The reality of their change.+ "They shall stay upon the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, _in truth._" This confidence is
distinguishable, 1. _from mere pretensions._ There are those who
profess to know God, but in works deny Him. It seems strange that
persons should act the hypocrite here, for what do they gain (Job
xx. 5, xxvii. 8)? 2. _From imaginary confidence._ Persons may not
endeavour to deceive others, yet they may deceive themselves (Prov.
xxx. 12). How unreal may be the confidence that seems most assured.
(Comp. Mark xiv. 27-31, with verse 50.) Therefore--
"Beware of Peter's word,
Nor confidently say,
I will never deny Thee, Lord,
But grant, I never may."
_William Jay: Sunday Evening Sermons and Thursday Evening Lectures,_
pp. 290-296.