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That this should have been applied to the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib's army, need not surprise us, until we recollect, that the people of Israel were then in no sense multiplied to the Messiah. But all doubt will be removed, when we recollect, that according to former prophecies, a greater foe than the Assyrian- the very apostate mentioned above, as transgressing the word," " and cursing his king and his God”—shall perish at the time of Israel's final deliverance, after having been their oppressor, shall perish in or near this same country which is here pointed out, as then involved in the gloom of the rising storm-shall perish in the very spot where Midian met his fate, and by the same interposing hand of Providence-nay, shall be "slain in tumult," "and consumed with fire"-and shall be an occasion of everlasting joy to the people of God: when we learn all this from other prophecies, we cannot doubt to what conflict and victory the prediction before us is to be applied: and, we remark, the kingdom of the acknowledged Messiah succeeds:

6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder;

rout of the enemy, as in the day of Midian. Bishop Stock, however, agrees with Lowth, only substituting "with its rattling," for "in the conflict."

Bishop Horsley observes: "This verse must remain in some ob scurity, till the sense of the word IND is more clearly ascertained. Bishop Lowth'scaliga caligati,'

is certainly the best guess that has been yet made, but yet it is not quite satisfactory." Future prophecies will show, that agreeably with the text as thus rendered, the destruction of the last enemy is brought about, partly by civil tumults-"every man's hand against his brother," and partly "by fire from heaven."

And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, '
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,' Prince of Peace.

2

7. His dominion shall become great,

And to its peace there shall be no end;

Upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
To order it, and to establish it.

With judgment, and with righteousness,
From henceforth, even for ever.

4

The zeal of Jehovah Sabaoth shall do this.

The victory, we observe, before described, is connected with the erection of the kingdom of the Virgin's Son, who is to be, or as we may read, "that has been, or shall have been born." Long before, as we now know, Immanuel had been born. In the land of Zebulon and Naphtali, on the sea shore, and in Galilee, his glory had been particularly manifested. But they, the Israel of that day, knew him not; he was "a stumbling-stone and rock of offence to both houses of Israel." The Chorazin, and Bethsaida, and Capernaum, that then were, could not rejoice in his glory; their despised and slighted mercies had made it

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more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for them." We must, therefore, look to the second advent, when HE shall come, and they shall call him blessed." "His name shall then be called," not "Beelzebub," "the Nazarene," "" the deceiver," names with which wicked ignorance greeted him on his first visit to our earth; but he will be acknowledged "wonderful Counsellor," or rather " wonderfully counselling;"

Or "Wonderful Ruler."

Or "God-Man."

" Or "Father of the future age,"

"Pater futuri seculi."-VULG.

'Or" affection."

that is, passing his decrees, and giving his directions, as the great Governor of his people, in a wonderful manner. He appears not now as the feeble destitute man, but as the "mighty God;" or as, I think, the term will bear, "GOD-MAN."1 "The everlasting Father," or "Father of the everlasting age," as some expound it; or, as the words will bear," my Father again," or " a second time;" "MY SECOND FATHER." A true title of our blessed Lord, inasmuch as he is to his people "the second Adam;" both their federal head, and the author and source of a new being and nature. "Behold, I and the children, which God has given me." How he is " the Prince of Peace," has been illustrated chapter the second, verse the fourth; and in several of the psalms it was before revealed, that he should inherit the throne and kingdom of David. But all this must necessarily relate to the second advent; and we may observe, that the rule of omnipotent Providence cannot be called the throne and kingdom of David; but he must "be King in Jeshuron."

SECTION V.

Remarks on the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Chapters. THE same oracle is repeated and enlarged in the tenth and eleventh chapters. The prophecy begins, verse the fifth, with a prediction of the judgment about to be inflicted on Israel; and, in a measure, on Judah, by the

1 And much am I confirmed in this persuasion, by what I have, since writing this, read in Bishop Horsley's Biblical Criticism. "The mighty God," rather "God the

mighty man." certainly signifies often "a mighty, or strong man," but sometimes simply "man :" it may be compared to "vir" among the Latins.

instrumentality of the Assyrian king. His pride and arrogancy are finely pictured, and the miraculous destruction of his army, verse 16-19. This is the power, we shall bear in mind, that has already dispersed the ten tribes. The vengeance on this their triumphant enemy is, therefore, made the occasion of a prophecy concerning them. It is introduced in verse the twentieth, by a phrase which very frequently, in the language of the sacred writers, calls our attention to the great emphatic day of Christ's appearing:

20. And it shall come to pass in that day:

The remnant of Israel shall no more,

Nor the escaped of the house of Jacob, lean upon his smiter;
But they shall lean upon Jehovah,

The Holy One of Israel in truth.

21. A remnant shall return,

A remnant of Jacob to the mighty God,'

22. For truly thy people, O Israel,

Shall be as the sand of the sea.

A remnant shall be restored by him;
A consummation is determined.

HE overfloweth in righteous vengeance.

For a consummation, even that determined, 23. The Lord Jehovah Sabaoth will make In the midst of the whole earth. †

A remnant no more trusting in him, that afterwards proves their oppressor, is hardly applicable to the remnant left in Jerusalem by the sword of the Assyrian; besides, the prophet distinctly marks it as a "" remnant

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that returns." Again, the assertion that they shall no more trust in man, but on the Holy One of Israel in truth, can as little apply to the remnant that returned from Babylon. Their present dispersion is a proof that they did not "lean on the Holy One of Israel in truth." The expression of the prophecy is, we are also to observe, shall "return to the mighty God," or " God-Man;" one of the titles given, in the former chapter, to " Immanuel,” "the Virgin's Son:" so that we are clearly guided to the period, when, after Israel's restitution, (not Judah's only,) those whom divine vengeance has spared shall acknowledge their Messiah.

The meaning of the twenty-second and following verses, though somewhat obscure, I conceive to be, that not all the natural Israel are the objects of promised salvation; no, not all, who in the last age shall be found in various regions of the earth. "A remnant" only "shall be restored by the great Deliverer." To anticipate what was afterwards told to Daniel, "Every one that is found written in the book," "a consumption is determined;" that is, a "wearing out," or "wasting down," as it were, of the family of Abraham, by a long and severe course of judgments, till only the chosen seed be left. He overfloweth;" that is, every adversary that, as a scourge of God, does overflow the country where they dwell; but, emphatically, the last great adversary of Israel, who, as we know from other prophecies, when Israel shall be brought back to their land, in the last days, shall" overflow like a flood."+ This inundation of the foe, of whom the king of Assyria, on the expedition foretold in the beginning of the prophecy, might be regarded as a type -this last invasion would be permitted in righteous ven

* Compare also chap. iv. 3

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+ Psalm xxix. xlvi. I.

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