(literally," He shall be quick-scented) in the fear of Jehovah ;" explained by the following clause“And He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears". That is, possessed of a perfect discernment, reaching even to the searching of the heart and secret thoughts, he will not be in danger of erring from judging by appearance or hearsay-evidence, as must the best earthly kings and rulers: but, at first sight and intuitively, distinguishing the good and pious from the wicked and ungodly, His decisions will be accordingly.

Whence, again, a prominent characteristic of His reign and government will be righteousness"; and especially in protecting suffering innocence, vindicating the oppressed and punishing their oppressors :-"But with righteousness shall He judge (maintain the cause of) the poor, and reprove (or plead1) with equity for the meek of the earth”: which words "poor" and "meek", both implying "affliction" from persecution', are another indication of a fact which all the prophecies of that period agree in foretelling-that the times immediately preceding the next appearing and the kingdom of Christ will be times of great tribulation, arising from the then dominant power of Anti

1 So the verb, in this voice, ♫ is rendered in the E.V. Job xvi. 21, and xix. 5; and in Hithp. Micah vi. 2. N.B. Both the verbs of this clause are repeated from ver. 3.

2

and. So again Zeph. iii. 12, where the latter word is rendered "afflicted". Compare Ps. ix. 12 (13), and x. 12, 13, margin.

Christianity. Confirmed by the sequel of this verse-" And He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth," (where the word "the earth" indicates the world-wide extent of the apostacy at the time1) "and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked", or "The Wicked One" (Heb. sing.). On which last words we have an inspired comment, identifying them and the whole prophecy with the Second Advent of the Messiah, in the Apostle's quotation of them in his notable Prophecy of "The Man of Sin" in 2 Thess. ii., whom he also styles "The Wicked One"; and "whom", he says, "the Lord shall consume with the spirit (or breath) of His mouth,"-(the very words of Isaiah) -“and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming."2

With which we may compare the vision of the same event in the Apocalypse (ch. xix. 15) where, of the Saviour coming in power, it is said—“ And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword" (the emblem

'So Hengstenberg-"The ground of this designation ("the earth")—in the New Test. constantly "the world”—seems to be that the ungodly on earth are so much superior in number and power that the little band of the pious entirely disappear before them.'

סִפְוָתֵיהּ יְהִי מְמִית אַרְמִילוּס רַשִׁיעָא The Chaldee Paraphrast has 2

Spa, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked Armillus, (i.e. The Destroyer of the people 'Epnpóλaoç) the last enemy of the Jews who, according to their writers, is to appear at Rome, wage cruel wars with them, and shall at last be slain by the bare word of the Messiah Ben David. (Buxtorf Lex. Chald. in voce; and Eisenmenger's Entdecktes Judenthum, Th. ii. pp. 705-715: referred to by Hengst. and Henderson).

!

66

of His Word) "that with it He should smite the nations"—the Anti-Christian Confederacy just before mentioned-" and He shall rule them with a rod of iron and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God". In which view--and not alone in reference to the great assize of mankind, which (we are taught in the next chapter of that same Book) follows at a considerable interval-the Second Coming of Christ will be "The Day of Judgment": and of judgment as the primary exercise and manifestation of that 'righteousness" which Isaiah speaks of as the characteristic of His kingdom. First manifested in the destruction of the AntiChristian - here represented in their Head, the emphatic "Wicked One"; the consummater of ungodliness, and of opposition to The Christ of God: after which the righteousness, thus vindicated, becomes the pervading principle of His government,—“And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins", that is (according to the frequent use of this emblem, the girding up of the loins, to denote strength and readiness for action) "A zeal for "justice" and "truth" shall make Him active and strong in executing the great work which He shall undertake''. This-rightly estimated as the most illustrious attribute of earthly kings, in measure as it actuates their government-will be His prominent and distinguishing characteristic,

actuating all his deeds. Not only purposing righteously, but (as another prophet says) "executing judgment and justice in the earth", whence also called "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS".1

Happy prospect for our World! The dawn of that day when, with the end of all misrule, cruelty injustice and oppression shall for ever cease; and all nations shall be united as one family under the one sceptre of the perfectly righteous, just, and beneficent "Prince of Peace"! When the cry for liberty shall no more be heard in an emancipated earth; and revolution be no more looked to as the hope of an enslaved people; or the desire felt for a change of rule, under the reign of Him whose executive will consult only for the interests of Truth and Equity; and, to crown all, of whose kingdom-"His government and peace" (as the last prophecy has told us) "there shall be no end".

II. But not alone man or the inhabitants of earth are interested in this happy consummation— this age of blessedness to come. All creation shall partake in the glorious emancipation: shall own the presence and confess the power of its Lord and king as the Prophecy proceeds to say, ver. 6-9 : 6. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,

"And the leopard shall lie down with the kid:

"And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, "And a little child shall lead them.

1 Jerem. xxiii. 5, 6.

7. "And the cow and the bear shall feed;

"Their young ones shall lie down together:
"And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8. "And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, "And the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice'

den.

9. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of THE LORD, "As the waters cover the sea."

1

This description 'which' (it has been truly said) 'for beauty and exquisite choice of imagery far surpasses the sublimest passages in which the classical poets celebrate the renewal of the golden age' expositors for the most part understand to be metaphorical throughout:-'the animals specified (to quote the words of one of them) denoting persons resembling them in their natural dispositions and habits; and their living together in peace and harmony adumbrating that state of true union, fellowship, and peace, which those enjoy who submit to the reign of the Redeemer and conform to the laws of His kingdom verified in every age in proportion to the extent in which genuine Christianity has exerted its influence'?. 'But nevertheless' (as observed by another-an eminent Theologian who will not be accused of enthusiasm or indulging in fanciful theories3) 'the literal interpretation-defended by several Jewish interpreters, and which first presents itself to every

1 For examples see Bp. Lowth's note.

Dr. Henderson in loco.

Professor Hengstenberg, Christology, in loco.