ared the judgment of God on apostate, idolatrous, and
wicked nations; having emphasized the great principle of retribution,
even on nations that in his day were prosperous and powerful; having
rebuked the sins of the people among whom he dwelt, and exposed
hypocrisy and dead-letter piety,--lays down the fundamental law that
chastisements are sent to lead men to repentance, and that where there
is repentance there is forgiveness. Severe as are his denunciations of
sin, and certain as is the punishment of it, yet his soul dwells on the
mercy and love of God more than even on His justice. He never loses
sight of reconciliation, although he holds out but little hope for
people wedded to their idols. There is no hope for Babylon or Tyre; they
are doomed. Nor is there much encouragement for Ephraim, which composed
so large a part of the kingdom of Israel; its people were to be
dispersed, to become captives, and never were to return to their native
hills. But he holds out great hope for Judah. It will be conquered, and
its people carried away in slavery to Babylon,--that is their
chastisement for apostasy; but a remnant of them shall return. They had
not utterly forgotten God, therefore a part of the nation shall be
rescued from captivity. So full of hope is Isaiah that the nation shall
not utterly be destroyed, that he names his son Shear-jashub,--"a
remnant shall return." This is his watchword. Certain is it that the
Lord will have mercy on Jacob whom he hath chosen; his promises will not
fail. Judah shall be chastised; but a part of Judah shall return to
Jerusalem, purified, wiser, and shall again in due time flourish as
a nation.

Isaiah is the prophet of hope, of forgiveness, and of love. Not only on
Judah shall a blessing be bestowed, but upon the whole world.
Forgiveness is unbounded if there is repentance, no matter what the sin
may be. He almost anticipates the message of Jesus by saying, "Though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." God's mercy is
past finding out. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!"
So full is he of the boundless love of God, extended to all created
things, that he calls on the hills and the mountains to rejoice. Here he
soars beyond the Jew; he takes in the whole world in his rapturous
expectation of deliverance. He comforts all good people under
chastisement. He is as cheerful as Jeremiah is sad.

Having laid down the conditions of forgiveness, and expatiated o