xxxi. 6. _Turn ye unto Him from whom the children of Israel
have deeply revolted._
Had mankind adhered to the Divine idea, no such word as this would
have been necessary. Divine communications would have consisted
probably of counsels, directions, predictions, progressive
revelations of truth. The demand that man turn shows that he has gone
astray. All Divine communications suppose the existence of sin and
the need of salvation. Happily for us, they show the way in which
salvation may be obtained. The parts of the human race are as the
whole. The people God distinguished by separating them from the
nations, with special connection to Himself, followed the universal
tendency to wander from Him. They forsook His law. When trouble came,
they sought help anywhere. At the time of this prophecy they were
looking to Egypt instead of to the Lord. The prophet remonstrates,
and invites them to make a friend of God against Assyria. The text
may be addressed to sinners now. Here is--