I. THE PUNISHMENT OF ITS ENEMIES.

1. Because of their strength. The enemies of Israel, especially Babylon, were very strong. But they contained within themselves the elements of their own destruction. It is a property of the world, in all its aspects, to appear strong and real and stable. This illusion must be dissipated in order to the free spiritual development of God's children; therefore Christ has said, "Be not afraid; I have overcome the world." How many and how great have been the foes of the Church, and the individual saint! yet has God reduced them to nothingness.

2. Because of the manner of their punishment. Evidently more than one nation is referred to here, and they are dealt with in sovereign authority. "The nations are but as a drop in a bucket."

(1) Their guilt towards Israel determines the measure of their requital. The Church is the centre and pivot of the world's destiny. In it and for its sake the world is judged (cf. Matthew 25:40, 45).

(2) The degrees of punishment will correspond to the guilt. Even in vast concerns and through long time God observes an exact and equitable rule of award.

II. ITS OWN RECOVERY. This was to be not only partial but complete, and was to be a terror to the onlooking nations.

1. Nothing could be more unlikely at the time this was spoken. This was a part of the wonder of God's saving power, and a vindication of his agency.

2. That which men despised and neglected God raised up. He thereby proved the freedom of his grace, and demonstrated the impossibility of salvation by works. The matchless condescension and infinite love of God were proved in this, that Zion deservedly rejected is nevertheless restored. The power was of God. Nothing is so abject as a spiritual organism without the Spirit of God; nothing is so glorious or sufficient when the Spirit of God is present.

3. The historic accomplishment of this was to be outdone by the spiritual. Evidently the reference is through the immediately impending event to the spiritual future of the Messiah. God's goodness has ever some higher possibility sheathed in its first expressions. The imperfect efforts of Nehemiah and his colleagues but shadow forth the achievements of the cross. The new Israel will be incomparably more holy, powerful, and blessed than the old. Daily are the miracles of his saving mercy being performed; "the chief of sinners," the fallen, the outcast, are being welcomed into the company of the redeemed and regenerate. - M.

I. The text gives us GOD'S LAW OF CORRECTION; and remember, first of all, that it is a law. It is not a passion; it is not a surprise on the part of the Ruler Himself: it is part of His very goodness; it is quiet, solemn, inexorable, everlasting. The steadfast law of the universe is, that though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished. This is s law, it is not a caprice; it is a necessity of goodness, and not a burst of passion. All things fight for God; they are very loyal to Him. The stars in their courses utter His testimony; the winds as they fly are vocal with His name; the earth will open her mouth with eager gladness to swallow up the populations that lift their hands against Him. Let us begin with things known, with the patent and indisputable facts of life, — and amongst those facts you will find the hell which follows broken law, the earth that casts out the sour that is not holy, — and thence proceed step by step into the holy place where the altar is, and the speaking blood, and the Father, and the strange light of eternity. There is but one true line of progress: it begins with Moses, it ends with the Lamb — Moses and the Lamb: Law and Grace; and in the last eternal song we shall find in one grand line, "Moses and the Lamb," a marvellous harmonisation, the up-gathering and reconciliation of all things; the old ark built again; the law within, the mercy-lid covering it. Law and Mercy — Moses and the Lamb — these combine the whole purpose of the movement of the Divine mind and love.

II. So far we have looked at the stern fact of law: we now come to WHAT IS SAID ABOUT IT. It is a law of measured correction: "I will correct thee in measure." At this point grace gets hold of law and keeps it back. Law can never stop of itself. The law is the same at the end as at the beginning. It cannot palter, it cannot compromise, it cannot make terms; it grinds, bruises, destroys. If a sinful world were left absolutely to the operation of law, it would be crushed out of existence. But the law is under mercy. We are spared by grace, by grace we are saved. The grace was accomplished before the sinner was created. The atonement is not the device of an afterthought: the Lamb was slain from before the foundation of the world. Have we penetrated the gracious meaning of that astounding mystery? Before we can understand anything of the atonement, we must destroy the very basis and the relations of understanding, as it is too narrowly interpreted; we must think ourselves back of time, of space, of foundations, worlds, sinners. Great is the mystery of godliness — God manifest in the flesh. "Correction in measure" is God's law now. May the time not come when the measure will be withdrawn and the correction will take its unlimited course? That will be hell, that will be destruction.

III. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS "MEASURE"? It is the Gospel. There is a higher law than the law of death. The law of life is not changed: it is enlarged over all the sins and shortcomings and crimes of life. "Where sin abounds, grace doth much more abound." Grace says, "There has been great sin: now for my enlargement." And she enlarges her offers of mercy, and her signs of pity, and her opportunities of return, until the sin flee away — that which is great becomes little. Life is more than death, as the heaven is high above the earth. Death is only a partial law; the universal law is life, and it is for God to set that infinite law in motion. Here we enter upon the mysteries of Deity; here we touch the altar of the atonement. I will accept my chastening; I deserve it. This is my sweet, great faith — that no punishment ever overtakes me that is not a sign of God's watchfulness, and of God's care over my life. I have never suffered lose, social dishonour, inward compunction, without being able to say, "This is the Lord's doing, and not man's. The man did not know what he was doing to me; he was seized by God and set to do this work for my punishment — my education." Let us have no whining, no complaining, no retaliation. The man that smote you was sent to smite you. Avenge yourself by deeper confession, by larger, loftier prayer.

(J. Parker, D. D.)