become at last the medium of His salvation for the covenant-people, who
at first had rejected it, chap. xi. 12, lx. 9, lxvi. 20, 21. The end is
the restoration of the paradisaic condition, chap. xi. 6-9, lxv. 25;
the new heavens and the new earth, chap. lxv. 17, lxvi. 22; but the
wicked shall inherit eternal condemnation, chap. lxvi. 24.

[Footnote 1: _Vitringa_: There are no predictions in reference to the
temporal deliverance of the Jewish Church, in which the Prophet shews
himself more than in those which relate to the downfall of the
Babylonian Empire, and the deliverance of the people of God by Cyrus.]

[Pg 10]

THE PROPHECY--CHAP. II.-IV.
THE SPROUT OF THE LORD.

It has been already proved, in Vol. i., p. 416 ff., that this discourse
belongs to the first period of the Prophet's ministry. It consists of
three parts. In the first, chap. ii. 2-4, the Prophet draws a picture
of the Messianic time, at which the Kingdom of God, now despised,
should be elevated above all the kingdoms of the world, should exercise
an attractive power over the Gentiles, and should cause peace to dwell
among them; comp. Vol. i., p. 437 ff. In the second part, from chap.
ii. 5-iv. 1, the Prophet describes the prevailing corruption, exhorts
to repentance, threatens divine judgments. This part is introduced, and
is connected with the preceding, by the admonition in ii. 5, addressed
to the people, to prepare, by true godliness, for a participation in
that blessedness, to beware lest they should be excluded through their
own fault. In the third part, chap. iv. 2-6, the prophet returns to the
proclamation of salvation, so that the whole is, as it were, surrounded
by the promise. It was necessary that this should be prominently
brought out, in order that sinners might not only be terrified by fear,
but also allured by hope, to repentance,--and in order that the elect
might not imagine that the sin of the masses, and the judgment
inflicted in consequence of it, did away with the mercy of the Lord
towards His people, and with His faithfulness to His promises.
Salvation does not come without judgment. This feature, by which true
prophetism is distinguished from false, which, divesting God of His
righteousness, announced salvation to unreformed sinners, to the whole
rude mass of the people,--this feature is once more prominently brought
out in ver. 4. But salvation for the elect come