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which became a great mountain.

(2) A little feeble child, like Moses in the bulrushes, becoming the founder of a great nation, and doing wonderful deeds as a general, a lawgiver, and organizer. (3) Almost all the greatest inventions and discoveries have been rejected and despised at first,- the printing-press, the steam-engine, railroads, telegraphs, etc. REASONS Why Christ was rejected then. APPLICATION to our day.

II. THE SAVIOUR BEARING OUR GRIEFS (ver. 4). By sympathy (John 11:33-36; Luke 19:41, 42. (2) 16, 17). In four ways in our time. (1) By sympathy them work out our good (Rom. 8: 28; Heb. 12: 10). weight of glory (2 Cor. 4: 17, 18). (4) By the Gospel's ness, and pain among men (Rev. 21: 3, 4).

In two ways when on earth. (1) By healing their diseases (Matt. 8: (Heb. 4:15, 16). (2) By making (3) by making for us an eternal power in lessening poverty, sick

III. THE SAVIOUR BEARING OUR SINS (vers. 5-9). Here we study the meaning, the necessity, and the power of the atonement, the central fact of Christianity.

Illustrations. (1) The story of Zeleucus, king of the Locri. (2) The sufferings which one person voluntarily takes upon himself to help others do not illustrate the atoning power of Christ's death, but they do take away the objections sometimes made to the atonement, as if causing the innocent to suffer for the guilty. For (1) the innocent suffers for the guilty of his own free will. (2) He inflicts it on himself. (3) It is the highest manifestation of love and heroism.

IV. THE SAVIOUR TRIUMPHING BY MEANS OF HIS SUFFERING (vers. 10–12).

NOTE that in each of these verses the source of the triumph is in the atonement. To leave that out of the Gospel is like leaving the steam out of the steam-engine or the light out the sun. For a vivid idea of the progress of the triumph of Christianity, see Dr. Dorchester's Religious Progress; or, as more condensed and useful to carry into the Sunday school, Rev. A. F. Schauffler's small, illustrated, but vivid and telling volume, The Growth of Christianity.

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THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. — ISA. 55 : 1-11.

GOLDEN TEXT.-Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. — Isa. 55: I. TIME. - Between B.C. 713 and 698, the last half of the reign of Hezekiah. It naturally follows soon after the last lesson.

PLACE. The kingdom of Judah; centring at Jerusalem, its capital.

PLACE IN BIBLE HISTORY.-The history of the times when this prophecy was spoken is contained in 2 Kings, chaps. 18-21; 2 Chron., chaps. 29-33.

INTRODUCTION.

In chap. 53 (our last lesson), the foundation truths of redemption were brought before us in the meritorious sufferings and atoning death of the Great Surety-Substitute. In chap. 54 we have the result of Messiah's fierce travail-pangs in the birth of a glorious church. It is a magnificent picture of the purchase secured by the Redeemer's agony. The tent that represents the former economy is not only enlarged to admit the vast spiritual progeny, but is marvellously transformed into an enduring palace or temple whose "stones are laid in fair colors, its windows of agates, its gates of sparkling gems, and all thy boundary walls of jewels." What remains but to give the joyous welcome to this House Beautiful, and the feast spread therein.- Condensed from Macduff.

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1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, 2 and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

1 John 4:14; 7: 37. Rev. 21:6; 22: 17. 2 Matt. 13: 44, 46. Rev. 3:18.

EXPLANATORY.

I. The Gracious Invitation. - Vers. 1-3. I. Ho. The word "Ho" is perhaps corrupted from hold. It is an interjection, and signifies the same as Halloo! Oho!

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Attend! A call to excite attention. Webster. Every one. Without limit or distinction. None are so far away, so defiled, so unworthy, but the invitation is given to them. This is far better than if each one were called by name; for there might be more than one of the same name, and we might not be quite sure that we were the ones invited. But every one" certainly includes us. That thirsteth. That has any desire for these things. The invitation is useless to those who have no desire. No wants are so keen, none so imperiously demand supply, as those of hunger and thirst. When long continued, nothing is more distressing: hence the figure is often used to denote any intense desire for anything. Few persons in America ever know what thirst means. But in oriental lands one need not look alone at caravans crossing the desert for illustrations, when their water-supply has given out, when they are tantalized by an appearance of trees and water ahead, and push on with quickened, though feeble, sore, and convulsive march, knowing that they must drink or die; and then perhaps faint with exhaustion and disappointment at finding that they have for hours been painfully chasing a mirage. On many a waterless day's journey, the effects of heat and thirst make a man as ravenous as a wild beast when he approaches water. He plunges and snaps after it with involuntary, unreasoning, purely physical movements, and drinks and drinks, till he is as sick and distressed with fulness and torments therefrom as he was just before tortured with thirst. - Prof. I. H. Hall. Such is the thirst men should have for salvation; such would be their thirst if they realized its value. Come ye to the waters. The flowing streams, the cool springs, the copious showers. In countries like Palestine, where the want of water is frequently experienced, where so many months are without rain, and where an abundant supply would be so great a blessing, this image would be well understood. These waters typify whatsoever satisfies the thirst of the soul. Jesus Christ alone has the living waters which can satisfy the thirsts of the soul; and he satisfies them all. Just as many-sided as man is, so many-sided is the religion of Christ, to meet the wants of each. Man is the cup-bearer. His greatness depends on the number, the quality, and the capacity of these cups (or desires) he bears. But Christ is the cup-filler; he gives that which will fill them all. No part nor desire of the soul goes away thirsty from Christ. Man thirsts (1) for forgiveness, (2) for a new life and heart, (3) for a worthy object and aim of life, (4) with a noble ambition, a longing for more, (5) for knowledge, (6) for power, (7) for the communion of saints, for sympathy, and love, (8) for eternal life. And for these, and all others, Jesus Christ brings the living waters that spring up to everlasting life. P. And he that hath no money. The poorest can obtain these living waters. It is not always nor everywhere that one can come to the waters without money. Throughout the lands of the Bible, a spring of water has for ages determined the site of a village or city, and that necessarily. The people of one village often resent the approach of strangers to their fountain, and exact payment.-Prof. Hall. But Christ welcomes all to his blessings. Come ye. Salvation is free to all; still there is something to be done by him who would enjoy it: he must "come" and take it (so Matt. 11:28; John 5: 40; 6: 35; Rev. 22: 17). There must be voluntary acceptance of the salvation by him who would be saved. The fountain may be overflowing, but it will not quench the thirst of any one, unless he comes to it and drinks. Todd. Buy. Not, pay a price, but obtain, called buying because usually a price must be paid for such things. And eat. Satisfying hunger is now joined with quenching thirst. Food and drink are essential to the life of the body: so are

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the spiritual blessings Christ gives essential to the life of the soul. Our Lord resumes both these figures that of water in John 4:14; 7:37; that of feasting in various parables, (eg, Matt. 22: 1-10; Luke 14: 15-24), and also in his representation of his own flesh as the bread of life (John 6: 32-58). The central idea is, the best and most needful things for the body made the symbols of the best and most vital blessings for the soul. The abundance and freeness of the former represent the yet richer abundance and freeness of the latter. Cowles. Buy wine and milk. Regarded by the Jews as the choicest articles of diet, both satisfying and delicious. The pure, unfermented juice of the grape is one of the most healthful and delightful articles of diet, and is best taken directly from the grapes themselves. New wine, or must, as it is sometimes called, containing, as it does, a large quantity of saccharine, especially in the eastern world, has, like the grapes themselves, always been regarded as favorable to longevity. The juice of the grape before fermentation contains, it is said, 30 per cent more nutriment than milk. Rev. R. S. Crampton. Milk contains all the elements necessary for the growth of the animal framework. - American Cyclopædia. The sense here is, that the blessings of the Gospel are fitted to nourish and support the soul, as well as make it glad and cheerful.- Barnes. Without money and without price. The freeness of the offer is again repeated, that there may be no mistake, and the poorest and most needy may feel sure of a welcome. The best things in this

2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make 2 an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure 3 mercies of

David.

4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander 5 to the people.

1 Matt. 11: 28.

2 Isa. 54:8; 61: 8.
Rev. 1:5.

3 2 Sam. 7:8, etc. Ps. 89:28. Acts 13:34.
5 Dan. 9:25. Hos. 3: 5.

* John 18: 37

world are those which money cannot buy, and which are absolutely free to all. Fresh air, and sunlight, and pure water, and health, and character, and contentment, and love, and forgiveness, and joy, and peace, cannot be purchased; but all may have them who will. Money has its uses, but it never brings the things which are best worth having. The poor can have the choicest treasures of the rich, whatever else they lack. It is only the lower plane possessions which are dependent on money. - Rev. H. C. Trumbull. Much more is this true of salvation; since salvation is spiritual, and belongs to the character, it cannot, from its very nature, be bought. Forgiveness, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the blessings of atoning love, heaven, must be received as free gifts from God, or they cannot be received at all.-P.

2. Wherefore do ye spend money? Why will ye weigh money? There is reference to the primitive custom of weighing instead of counting money. Alexander. Even at the present day, silver is paid out of the Bank of England by weight, and not by count. Todd. For that which is not bread. For that which will not satisfy. Men expend labor and toil and energy in obtaining riches, honors, worldly good, pleasure, and many other things, which yet do not satisfy the heart, or give the conscience peace, or bring salvation. And your labour for that which satisfieth not. There never was a more simple and true description of this whole world than in this expression of Isaiah. The immortal mind will not be satisfied with wealth, pleasure, or honor: it never has been. There is a void in the heart which these things do not, cannot fill. Nothing but God can meet the boundless desires of the soul. - Barnes. Alexander conquered the world, but it did not satisfy his soul; and, if he could have conquered all the worlds that stud the heavens, he would still have wept for more. For God has not created a single human soul so small and poor that all the material universe can fill it. All literature is full of expressions of the failure of worldly things to satisfy the soul.-P. Eat ye that which is good. Come and obtain that which will satisfy the hungers of your soul. Let your soul delight itself in fatness. "Fatness" in the Scriptures is used to denote the richest food (Gen. 27; 28-39; Job 36: 16; Ps. 65: 11), and hence is an emblem of the rich and abundant blessings resulting from the favor of God (Ps. 36:9; 63:5).— Barnes. The blessings which Christ gives are not merely good, they are full of the choicest delights of which human nature is capable; "as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (1 Cor. 2: 9, 10).

3. Incline your ear. Listen, be attentive. Many fail of eternal life because they will not pay attention to the claims of religion. Come unto me. Go to him for salvation and help. But it is more than this: it implies a moral approach, a nearness of sympathy, and feeling, and character, till at last we are one with him. And your soul shall live. Life is more than mere existence: it is the natural, healthful, and joyous activity of every part of the being. It is eternal life; it stands opposed to spiritual and eternal death. Í will make an everlasting covenant with you. An agreement with promises which can never be broken. This covenant constitutes permanent relations between God and men; God, on his part, becoming their Father and friend, their refuge and portion; they, on their part, engaging in like manner to be his people in humble trust and true obedience. Even the sure mercies of David. Even according to and including those blessings which I promised so surely to David, and of which the Messiah was the great central element. The account of this covenant may be seen in 2 Sam. 7: 12-29, and 1 Chron. 17: 7-27; re-stated substantially in Ps. 89: 1-4, 19-37 (see Luke 20: 41-44).

II. The One Who Gives this Invitation. - Vers. 4, 5. 4. Behold, I have given him. There is no need to say who he is. It can only be the Messiah. Cook. He

5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations 2 that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for 3 he hath glorified thee.

6. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is

near:

7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: 5 and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

1 Eph. 2: 11, 12.

2 Isa. 60: 5.

3 Acts 3:13.
Ps. 32:6. Matt. 5: 25. John 7: 34. Heb. 3:13.
Ps. 103: 8, etc.; 130: 7.

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has just been referred to in the "sure mercies of David," one of which mercies was the promise of the Messiah. For a witness to the people. One who stood forth to bear solemn testimony in regard to God, - to his law, and claims, and plans; and one who was therefore designated to be the instructor, guide, and teacher of men. - - Barnes. What man needs is one who, being the Son of God, knows all the universe, natural and spiritual, and who, therefore, can bring infallible testimony about God, and heaven, and the life to come, and all the things we wish to know about the far country to which we are going. A leader. The idea is, that he would sustain the relation of a sovereign. One of the important offices of the Messiah is that of king. Commander. Supreme head; fountain of all authority. The "Son of David" is not only King of Israel, but Supreme Governor of the nations (Matt. 28: 18-20). Cook. One of the greatest needs of the human soul is a wise and powerful leader, an infallible guide, an invincible king to lead us safely through this dangerous world to the final victory and reward. — P.

5. Behold, thou. The Messiah. Shalt call a nation that thou knowest not. The word "nation" denotes, not the Gentiles at large, but the Christian church, called mainly from among them, the holy nation and peculiar people, to whom the kingdom of God would now be given (Matt. 21: 4; Rom. 9: 2–4). — Birks. It is a nation which at the date of the prophecy was not in existence, and therefore was not then known. Nations that knew not thee. The heathen nations that were strangers to thee. Shall run unto thee. Indicating the haste and anxiety which they would have to partake of the benefits of the true religion. Barnes. Because of the Lord thy God. Because God has given them to thee, and calls them with his effective voice. Christ crucified and exalted is the power that draws them.-P. For the Holy One. The same as the Lord thy God, in the aspect of his goodness and his work in making men holy. For he hath glorified thee. God had so exalted the Messiah, had made him so glorious in character, and works, and teachings, and power, that nations were attracted to him. And by that coming the Messiah is glorified in the world. How true this verse is to-day! How glorious Christ is among the nations! How many nations are being attracted by the fruits of Christianity! And yet this is but the beginning of his glory. - P.

III. How and When to Accept the Invitation.-Vers. 6, 7. 6. Seek ye the Lord. The only way to find is to seek. Seek what? The Lord himself, in whom is all good; and himself in personal communion and love better than all the good he can bestow. While he may be found. Implying that there may be times when he cannot be found. But the occasion is in us, not in the Lord. We become hardened, we wander far away, we do so wrong that our hearts will not seek, and we are punished by the withdrawal of God from us, so that we may call in vain. Call ye upon him while he is near. In one sense God is always near us, but there is another kind of nearness. We may live in the same house with persons, and yet in sympathy, in mutual understanding and helpfulness we may be as far away as if a Chinese wall was built between us. We cannot help them because we cannot get near them. So at times God is nearer to us than at others; we feel his presence, the heart is receptive, it seems easy to pray, to love, to enjoy. Every person almost has these times when God seems near. Then, of all times, we should seek the Lord. - P.

7. Let the wicked forsake his way. His evil course of life, "HIS THOUGHTS," his purposes, wrong objects of pursuit, his selfish and sinful aims and plans of life; two phrases being designed to include all that pertains to the outer and inner life of man. He must make his heart right, and his outer life also; not his heart only, but his life; not his life only, but his heart no less. - Cowles. This verse is a continuation of the foregoing call, and at the same time an explanation of the way in which it was to be obeyed. - Alexander. No one can come to Christ unless he does forsake his wicked ways and thoughts. The

8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10. For as the rain 2 cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

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unrighteous man. Literally, the man of iniquity, every one who does wrong and belongs to the kingdom of evil, inwardly and secretly as well as in outwardly wicked ways. His thoughts. Not merely or primarily "opinions," views of things, but the moral purposes, the chosen objects for which one lives; the preferences, determinations which control all his subordinate activities. - Cowles. Let him return. Man in the Scriptures is everywhere described as having wandered away from the true God. Religion consists in returning to him for pardon, consolation, protection, and support. Barnes. The farther we go in sin, the farther we are morally from God, in nature, in life, in sympathy, in aims. We must return, "turn back again to God, and come again toward his nature, life, work, and love. This is repentance, this is the new heart. And he will have mercy upon him. He is assured that however far away he has gone, however aggravated his sin, God will not reject him. This takes away one great hinderance to returning to God. And this is the first essential condition of restoring men to God. A religion without forgiveness is of necessity a failure in saving men. For sinners cannot come to God freely, as children, leaving the past behind them, without first having the assurance that God will receive and forgive. · P. Our God. The God of his people, the Christian's God, the true God. Pardon. From Latin "per," through, thoroughly, perfectly, and “donare," to give, to present; hence to completely give over the debt or penalty due; to treat a person as if he had not sinned. Abundantly. When we consider our sins, that they are as high as heaven, as deep as hell, as broad as the universe, as long as eternity, as many as the moments we have lived, we see the need of God's pardoning abundantly. Every one can be sunk out of sight in the infinite ocean of his love. - P.

IV. Reasons for Accepting the Invitation. — Vers. 8-11. FIRST REASON, God's readiness to forgive and receive (ver. 7). SECOND REASON, - The richness and vastness of Goa's mercy.

8. For my thoughts. Plans, purposes, views, ideas. Are not your thoughts. The contrast here is not between the holiness of God's ways and the unholiness of the thoughts and ways of sinners, but between the largeness of his ways of grace, the vastness of his thoughts of mercy, and the selfishness of the sinner, or the low conceptions of the penitent when first he turns to God. This is the earliest and simplest exposition. "Let the sinner forsake his evil ways and turn to the Lord," not as to one who is a hard master, but one who is rich in mercy, whose name is Love. As the depths of his wisdom, so the heights of his grace are unsearchable. Birks. Neither are your ways. Thoughts put into action. My ways, saith the Lord. Do not judge of God as to what he will do to the sinner by what you see among men. How revengeful they are to those who have wronged them, how cruel to their enemies, how unforgiving of injuries, how slow to forget! Such is not God's way.

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9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, etc. This is a natural and beautiful illustration of the previous verse. All the wonderful revelations of astronomy, and the telescopic vision of worlds beyond worlds and suns beyond suns but show the greatness of the mercy and pardoning love of God. - P. These verses affirm God's mercy to be great above man's rather than that his moral nature is unlike man's. - Cowles.

THIRD REASON, The certainty of God's promises (vers. 10, 11). The thoughts and ways of God are wonderful even in the works of nature, but far more in the kingdom of grace. The rain, the snow, the fruitful soil, the herbs and fruit that clothe the earth with beauty and sustain the life of men, are emblems of deeper truths that affect the soul, and types of the powerful operation of the word of God. - - Birks.

IO. For as the rain cometh down. The hearts of men by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven, - barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, lovely. — Barnes. And the snow from heaven. The snow from heaven

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