Isaiah 33:21-22 But there the glorious LORD will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars… I. THE SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL. Its value is shown — 1. In the riches of the blessings that it confers. "There," i.e., in the church, "shall the Lord be unto us a place," &c. (1) The first idea suggested to the mind of a Jew by the neighbourhood of a great river, would be that of unfailing plenty. By this the salvation of the Gospel is especially distinguished. (2) The next idea suggested by "a place of broad rivers and streams" is that of beauty. Running water is everywhere a great addition to the beauty of the landscape. The richest herbage clothes the banks of every stream, &c. The highest qualities of man are brought out only by Christianity; and all that is good thrives best under its influence. (3) After plenty and beauty, the chief idea is perpetuity. The river rolls on with the same calm and even current from age to age, and yields to the successive generations of mankind the same unfailing supply. 2. The salvation of the Gospel is remarkable for its freedom from attendant evils. All the blessings of the present life have some considerable drawback to their full enjoyment. The possession of wealth is apt to lead either to wastefulness and dissipation, or to avarice; power tempts to arbitrary and despotic conduct; and those who are gifted with genius are exposed to the assaults of malice and envy; — most worldly good things lead their possessor into danger, and all of them are attended by care. But it is not so with the salvation of the Gospel: "The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it"; or, as it is expressed in the text, it resembles "a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby."(1) The good of the Gospel salvation is unmingled with evil, because it requires man to do nothing injurious to himself. (2) The pleasures of the Gospel are attended and followed by no sting, while it extracts their bitterness from all ordinary griefs. II. THE GLORY OF GOD AS MANIFESTED IN HIS BESTOWING SALVATION ON HIS PEOPLE. He is "glorious," because He is unto us a place of broad rivers. &c. (W. Dickson.) Parallel Verses KJV: But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. |
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