Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 7:9

And the head of Ephraim [is] Samaria, and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

9. If ye will not believe ( ta’mn) ye shall not be established ( t’mn, 2Sa 7:16). One of Isaiah’s paronomasias; “ glubet ihr nicht, so bleibet ihr nicht” (Luther); “if ye will not have faith, ye shall not have staith ” (G. A. Smith). Cf. 2Ch 20:20. The words mark an epoch in the history of revelation; never before probably had the distinctively religious principle of faith been so plainly exhibited as the touchstone of character and of destiny (cf. Gen 15:6; Hab 2:4). Here as throughout Scripture faith means trust in the positive revelation of God, the faith required of Ahaz being whole-hearted acceptance of God’s word through Isaiah. The doctrine is one of the foundation truths of this prophet’s ministry (cf. Isa 28:16, Isa 30:15; and see Introd. p. lv.).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And the head of Ephraim – The capital city of Ephraim, or of Israel.

Is Samaria – This was long the capital of the kingdom of Israel. For a description of this city, see the notes at Isa 28:1. The meaning of the prophet is, that Samaria should continue to be the head of Ephraim; that is, Jerusalem should not be made its capital.

If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established – There is considerable variety in the interpretation of these words, though the general sense is evident. The Chaldee renders them, If ye will not believe the words of the prophet, ye shall not remain. It is probable that Ahaz, who was greatly alarmed, and who trembled at the formidable power of Syria and Israel united, received the annunciation of the prophet with much distrust. He was anxious about the means of defense, but did not trust in the promise of God by the prophet. Isaiah, therefore, assures him, that if he did not believe him; if he did not put confidence in God, and his promises, he should not be protected from Syria and Ephraim. They would come and destroy his kingdom. You have no occasion, is the language of the prophet, to fear. God has resolved to protect you, and no portion of your land shall be taken by your enemies. Nevertheless, in order that you may obtain deliverance, you must believe his promise, and put your confidence in him, and not in the aid of the Assyrians. If you do this, your mind shall be calm, peaceful, and happy. But if you do not do this; if you rely on the aid of Assyria, you shall be troubled, alarmed, unsuccessful, and bring ruin upon yourself and nation. This, therefore, is an exhortation to confide solely in the promises of God, and is one of the instances constantly occurring in the Old Testament and the New, showing, that by faith or confidence in God only, can the mind he preserved calm when in the midst of dangers.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Isa 7:9

If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established

Faith in the Divine Word and promises the alone ground of the believers establishment and happiness

There are only two sources from which human hope or happiness can be derived, and these are sense and faith.

I. SENSE AS THE SOURCE OF HUMAN HAPPINESS. It is self-evident from the history of what is past and from observation and experience of what is present that, amidst all the enjoyments, whether more gross or more refined, the objects of sense can possibly furnish to flatter or gratify the passions, nothing is to be found that can give establishment to the human heart, or settle and compose the restless spirit. There are three things which render it impossible that any mere worldly object or pursuit should render us happy.

1. The difficulty of acquiring what, in imagination or forethought, we have placed our happiness upon, and in the possession of which we have fondly dreamed of enjoying all that our hearts could desire.

2. When with infinite labour we seem to have surmounted every difficulty and to have gained the point we had in view, our promised happiness is snatched from us in a moment, and we feel our disappointment and distress rendered more poignant from the flattering prospects that lay before us, and the ideal estimate we had formed of what we have lost.

3. But let us suppose that we could acquire with ease, and enjoy with security, for a limited time–to our dying day–the objects we so eagerly pursue; how do we know that we shall preserve our relish for them? Our very wishes give us not our wish.

II. FAITH ALONE HOLDS FORTH THOSE OBJECTS THAT CAN ESTABLISH THE HUMAN HEART OR QUIET THE RESTLESS SPIRIT. Nothing can give establishment to the mind of man but what can effectually remove the cause of our present disordered state and prove a never-failing source of inward peace and self-enjoyment.

1. What is the cause of this disorder; of this disquietude and restlessness, amidst all the objects of sense; of this vacancy of the human mind, amidst all the profusion of nature? The cause is evidently a departure from the original constitution of our nature. For no creature can be unhappy, continuing in that state, in which, he was placed by perfect wisdom and goodness.

2. The remedy which faith provides for the cure of this evil. It directs us to the righteousness of God, manifested without the law, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe; for there is no difference. The doctrine that holds forth a finished salvation by the blood of Christ, as the alone ground of a believers hope, is, of all others, the best fitted to beget not only a humble submission, but a cheerful resignation to our gracious Lord in the various allotments of His providence concerning us. Who that believeth all this with all his heart could for a moment entertain a doubt that his bodily and temporal concerns would be safe in His hands? (T. Gordon.)

Stability through faith

1. The promises of God are not at all times easily, steadily, and firmly believed.

2. God, in the communication of His Word, does not regard us as mere machines. The Word cannot profit unless it be mixed with faith in those who hear it. In the Christians life there are three kinds of stability.

I. THERE IS A STABILITY OF JUDGMENT. This regards the truths of religion. It is of great importance to have a judgment clear and fixed as it respects the great concerns of the soul and eternity, and the doctrines of the Gospel of Christ; for as we think we feel, as we feel we desire, as we desire we act, and as we act our characters are formed, and our conditions determined. There are some things in revelation concerning which a mans mind, so to speak, need not be made up. Little or no injury will arise from his hesitation or suspense. But this is not the case with all. There are some things which must be fundamental, and therefore sustain others; and according to the firmness of the foundation will be the firmness of the whole superstructure. Now what is to lead us into this stability but faith? It cannot be human authority among men. What one patronises another denies, and here you would soon find yourself like a man in a labyrinth, who on this side and on that is calling out, Is this the way? and knows not what direction to take with safety and comfort. Or, if you depend upon reason, this may do something from observation and analogy; but if you receive the revelation of God only as far as you can understand it, you will make your faith commensurate with your knowledge. Thus obstructions and difficulties will arise continually, and you will be strangers to all satisfaction and repose. No, we must believe all that the Lord has spoken to us in His Word, and because He has spoken it. I had a little talent and a little learning, said Dr. Watts before his death; but now I lay them all aside, and endeavour to receive the Gospel as the poor and unlearned receive it.

II. THERE IS A STABILITY OF PRACTICE. This regards the duties of religion. By faith we stand. In order to see the strength and beauty of the sentiment contained in our text, let us place the believer in three positions.

1. In a place of secrecy. When alone, how do we act? Faith is a principle that always operates alike upon the mind, i.e., its motives are the same in private as in public. Faith shows us the future and eternal consequences of our actions. Faith brings God and places Him before us Hence the closet is visited as the temple. The good fight of faith is carried on amidst many struggles, unobserved by any human being, but all well known to Him who is the Captain of our salvation.

2. In cases of prosperity and indulgence. How easily is a person drawn aside from the path of duty by the honour which cometh from men, by a regard to the friendship of this world, or by earthly riches! We are therefore told that the prosperity of fools destroys them. But the believer in Christ is not a fool: faith makes him wise unto salvation, wise both for time and eternity. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

3. In a condition of suffering and danger. What an agonizing trial was Abraham called to endure, when God bade him take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, and offer him up for a burnt offering! yet faith enabled him to do it. Moses had a hard task to accomplish, when he went and stood before Pharaoh, but we are told, he had respect unto the recompense of the reward; by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. And how was it with Daniel? There was something dreadful in being cast into the den of lions; but what was this to a man who saw that God would shut the lions mouths, so that they should not hurt him? What was this to a man who by faith heard the voice of Him who said, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him. Faith also views the Saviour as acting and as suffering for us.

III. THERE IS A STABILITY OF HOPE. This regards the comforts of religion. How is it that Christians can rejoice amidst their sorrows? The Scripture assigns the reason when it tells us of the joy of faith. Faith appropriates. (W. Jay.)

Isaiahs commission and King Ahaz

Isaiah had a very heavy commission from God. He was to go and speak to people who would not hear him, and to be to them a messenger rather of death than of life. Though the message itself would be full of life, yet they would refuse it, and so bring upon themselves a ten-fold death. As a sort of experiment in his work, he was called upon first to go and speak to King Ahaz, that wicked king. He knew in his own soul that what he had to say would be rejected; but, nevertheless, at the command of God, he went to speak to the king. He was told where he would meet him. God knows where to send His faithful servants. He knows how to adapt the message with great speciality to the individual case of each person who is within sound of the preachers voice; and He knows how to adapt even the voice itself to the ear of every hearer. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

No fixity without faith

These words furnish us with a warning and an encouragement.

I. GOD DESERVES TO BE BELIEVED.

1. He is God; and being God, He cannot lie.

2. His Word always has been true.

3. He has no motive for being untrue.

4. The honour of God is involved in His veracity.

5. Suppose even for a moment that we could not trust in the truthfulness of God, what would be left for us to trust to? When rocks move, what stands firm?

II. SOME ARE NOT WILLING TO BELIEVE GOD. That is clear by the fear expressed in the text: If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. Believing is a matter of the will. Gods grace works faith, not upon us, but in us. God works in us to will and to do; and in the willing He leads us up to believing. We voluntarily believe; and certainly men voluntarily disbelieve. Why is this, this strange unwillingness of some men, nay, in a sense of all men, to believe in God?

1. They are willing to believe other things.

2. Another thing is significant, that men cling tenaciously to faith in themselves.

3. Instead of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, some prefer an emotional religion.

4. Some stubbornly suffer under unbelief.

5. I notice, too, that such people demand this and that of God, beyond what He has revealed.

III. FAITH IS NOT A THING TO BE DESPISED. Have you never heard people say, Oh, they preach up faith, you know? Well, what is faith? Well, it is just believing so-and-so. Faith is a most wonderful thing, for–

1. It is a fair index of the heart.

2. A sure proof of a change of mind.

3. It inaugurates purity of life.

4. It is faith that leads to prayer, and prayer is the very breath of God in man.

5. It is faith that glorifies God.

IV. THOSE WHO REFUSE TO EXERCISE FAITH WILL MISS MANY GREAT PRIVILEGES. I might mention many, but the text gives us the one which I will dwell upon: If ye will not believe, surely he shall not be established.

1. It means, first, that those who believe not will miss establishment in comfort.

2. Ye shall never enjoy establishment in judgment. There are many persons who do not know what to believe; they heard one man the other day, and they thought that he spoke very cleverly, and they agreed with him. They heard another the next day, who was rather more clever, and he went the other way, so they went with him. Poor souls, driven to and fro, never knowing what is what! If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established; you shall be like the moon, that is never two days alike; you shall seem to believe this, and to believe that, and yet really believe nothing.

3. Next, we want an establishment in conduct.

4. So it is also with establishment in hope.

5. We want to be established in spiritual vigour and strength. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

The principle of true permanence

The principle of true permanence is here shown to be a holding of Divine truth. He who confides in God will abide. (B. Blake, B. D.)

Holding and being held

If Judah does not hold fast to his God, he will lose his fast hold by losing the country in which he dwells, the ground beneath his feet. (F. Delitzsch.)

Ahaz a representative of double-mindedness

Ahaz was a mixed character. He has been convicted in history of being an idolater as well as a professor of the true religion. He was therefore the representative of double-mindedness, a halting between two opinions, that double-mindedness which is unstable, and which cannot excel. Probably Isaiah, marking the workings of his countenance under the delivery of this communication, saw signs of fear, doubt, hesitancy: the king did not spring at the word with access of energy and with the confidence of inspiration; so the prophet, quick to detect all facial signs, blessed with the insight that follows the spirit in all its withdrawment, said instantly, If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Unbelief undermines character

To take an illustration from architecture, materialism cuts out the foundation of the soul structure just where the strain comes. We are told that the lamentable disaster to the Campanile of St. Marks at Venice was due to the action of the Loggia architects in cutting out the stone coping in its whole length, thus making a wound on the side, where the pressure was severest, half a yard deep and half a yard high. If this be true, it is not remarkable that the massive tower came down bodily. Neither is the downfall of many a man remarkable to us when we come to know how his faith in God had been utterly destroyed. (Sunday School Chronicle.)

The power of faith

Lord Wolseley said, Give me 20,000 fanatics and I would march across Europe. Grotius, in describing the success of the Dutch in snapping the Spanish yoke, gives this as the secret of their prowess, Believing that they could do it they did it. (Sunday School Chronicle.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 9. See Clarke on Isa 7:8.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Is Samaria; or rather, shall be Samaria; and the sense is the same as in the foregoing verse, Samaria shall continue to be the chief city of the kingdom of Israel, and Pekah shall not conquer Jerusalem, as he hoped and designed to do.

Ye shall not be established; if you do not believe this and the other promises of God, but, in distrust of God, shall seek to the Assyrians for succour, to which I perceive you are inclined, instead of that deliverance and settlement which you expect, you shall be distressed and consumed thereby; the accomplishment of which threatening is recorded 2Ch 28:20. And by this threatening he implies, that if they did rely upon Gods word and help, they should be established. Only he delivereth it in the form of a threatening, rather than of promise, partly because he foresaw that they would choose the worse part, and bring the judgment threatened upon themselves; and partly because this was most necessary for them, to affright them out of their present security and infidelity.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

9. believe, . . . beestablishedThere is a paronomasia, or play on the words, inthe Hebrew: “if ye will not confide, ye shall notabide.” Ahaz brought distress on himself by distrust inthe Lord, and trust in Assyria.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And the head of Ephraim [is] Samaria,….. Samaria was the metropolis or chief city of Ephraim, or the ten tribes of Israel:

and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah’s son; Pekah, son of Remaliah, was king of Samaria, as of all Israel. The sense is, that, until the sixty five years were ended, there should be no enlargement of the kingdom of Israel; Judah should not be added to it; Samaria should continue, and not Jerusalem be the metropolis of it; and Pekah, during his life, should be king of Israel, but not of Judah.

If ye will not believe; the Targum adds,

“the words of the prophet;”

surely ye shall not be established, or remain g; that is, in their own land, but should be carried captive, as they were after a time; or it is, “because ye are not true and firm”; in the faith of God, as Kimchi interprets it; or, “because ye are not confirmed” h; that is, by a sign; wherefore it follows:

g “non permanebitis”, V. L. Cocceius. h “Quod non confirmamini”, Junius & Tremellius.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

9. Meanwhile (107) the head of Ephraim is Samaria. As it is a repetition by which he confirms what he formerly said, that God had set bounds to the kingdom of Israel for an appointed time, I have rendered the copulative ו, ( vau,) meanwhile. Otherwise, it would have been absurd to say that the metropolis of the kingdom would be preserved, after that the kingdom had been destroyed, as he lately foretold. The meaning therefore is, “In the meantime, till the sixty-five years are fulfilled, Israel enjoys a kind of truce. His head shall be Samaria. Let him be satisfied with his boundaries, and not aim at anything beyond them; for such shall be his condition, until he be utterly destroyed, and be no longer reckoned to be a people. ”

If you do not believe. The particle כי ( ki) is placed in the middle of the sentence, to mark the reason or cause; and, therefore, some render it, “If you do not believe, the reason is, that you are not believers.” They limit the former clause to the prophecy of Isaiah, but extend the latter to any part of the word of God, as if he had said, “If you have no faith in my sayings, this gives a general proof of your unbelief.” But in that way, the verb תאמינו, ( thaaminu,) which is in Hiphil conjugation, will not differ from the verb תאמנו, ( theamenu,) which is in the Niphal. It is not without reason, however, that the Prophet has changed the termination; and, from many passages of Scripture, it is abundantly evident that the Hebrew verb אמן, ( aman,) in the Niphal conjugation, signifies to stand, or, to remain fixed in its condition. I interpret it, therefore, as if he had said, “This is the only support on which you can rely. Wait calmly and without uneasiness of mind for what the Lord has promised, that is, deliverance. If you do not wait for it, what else remains for you than destruction?”

The particle כי, ( ki,) therefore, as in many other instances, means truly; for he declares that they cannot stand, if they do not rely on the promise; and indirectly he expresses still more, that God will stand, though they disbelieve his word, and, as far as lies in their power, endeavor to destroy its stability; but that they will not stand, unless they rely on the promise which has been made to them.

Hence we ought to draw a universal doctrine, that, when we have departed from the word of God, though we may suppose that we are firmly established, still ruin is at hand. For our salvation is bound up with the word of God, and, when this is rejected, the insult offered to it is justly punished by him who was ready to uphold men by his power, if they had not of their own accord rushed headlong to ruin. The consequence is, that either we must believe the promises of God, or it is in vain for us to expect salvation.

(107) And the head of Ephraim. — Eng. Ver.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

FAITH, THE CONDITION OF FIRMNESS

Isa. 7:9. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Established is what every man wishes to befixed in fact and in feeling; established like a great oak which, because its roots take fast hold of the soil, is able to grow broader and higher and more luxuriant year by year. Such growth is impossible to a tree that is frequently transplanted. Notwithstandingnay, in perfect harmony with the desire for progress that is in us all, we all desire to be established.
But no man can be established unless he believes. It is a universal law: No faith, no firmness. There are two tilings essential to establishment, to blessedness and peace in life: First, that we should find a good foundation, and then that we should rest upon it calmly and immovably. These are the conditions of social, commercial, political, and scientific blessedness and prosperity. In every realm of human activity, if we would be strong in fact and in feeling, it is essential that we should find something trustworthy, and then that we should trust (H. E. I. 18821888).
We are only stating this general truth in its highest form, when we say that if men do not believe in God as He has revealed Himself in His Word, they cannot be established.

1. God has revealed Himself in His Word as the righteous Ruler of nations, who will exalt the nations that seek after righteousness, and bring swift vengeance upon those who follow courses of evil. What will happen if a statesman, like Ahaz, does not really believe this? He will become a mere politician; he will do what seems to him expedient. This will often be iniquitous, and this at no distant period will inevitably lead to disaster and ruin (P. D. 2544).

2. God has revealed Himself as the supporter and rewarder of individual men who are resolved always and simply to do what is right. Confidence in God as thus revealed to them was the secret of the courage and endurance of the martyrs (Dan. 3:16-18), and of countless sacrifices for truth and righteousness known only to God, but which He will never forget. But if a man does not really believe this truth, how easily is he swept away by temptation, whether it presents itself threateningly or seductively!

3. God has revealed Himself as, for Christs sake, pardoning absolutely all who repent and believe. Into the hearts of those who accept this revelation there come peace and joy, but into their hearts only. Want of faith in this revelation is the secret of all painful efforts to merit the Divine mercy.

4. God reveals Himself as the Saviour of His people from sin, as their Sanctifier from all the stains of iniquity. Want of faith in this revelation is the secret of the trouble that fills and oppresses many devout souls. They will never travel towards Zion with steadfast feet and rejoicing hearts until they do indeed believe it (Jud. 1:24-25).

5. God reveals Himself in Christ as the Good Shepherd who is with His people always. How troubled, because of the possibilities of life and the mystery of death, are those who do not with any vital faith accept this revelation which He has been pleased to give us! But the twenty-third Psalm is the song of those who do believe it (P. D. 11561160).

The practical application of all this is very simple, but supremely important. First, let us inquire whether God is worthy of our trust; and then, if the inquiry should lead us to an affirmative conclusion, let us trust Him. This trust will transform our whole life. No terrors shall have power to dismay us. The misery of Ahaz and his people (Isa. 7:2) we shall never know (H. E. I. 19111919); but ours shall be the rejoicing confidence of the spiritual hero of whom Ahaz was such an unworthy descendant (Psa. 27:1-6; P. D. 1177).

STABILITY THROUGH FAITH

Isa. 7:9. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Thus closes the address of Isaiah to Ahaz and his people on a very memorable and trying occasion. Its meaning is, Take God at His word; place entire reliance upon Him, and not upon an arm of flesh. If ye will not do this as a country, the state cannot be safe; and if you will not do this as individuals, your minds cannot be composed and established. Now, let us pass from the house of David naturally to the house of David spiritually, and pursue the train of thought set in motion. Let us consider the stability of faith, and the peace it induces. In the Christians life there are three kinds of stability.

I. There is a stability of judgment. This regards the truths of religion. It is of great importance to have a judgment clear and fixed, as it respects the great concerns of the soul and eternity, and the great doctrines of the Gospel of Christ; for as we think we feel, as we feel we desire, as we desire we act, and as we act our characters are formed and our conditions determined. Instability concerning these great truths is both perilous and painful; but whence is stability to come? Not through human authority; for what one patronises, another denies. Not through human reason (H. E. I. 537, 1087, 20222024; P. D. 2926, 2929, 2931, 2934). There must be a revelation received by faith; divine declarations, believed because God has made them. This leads to an experience which tends still further to establish the Christian in the faith (H. E. I. 1087, 11421148).

II. There is a stability of practice. This regards the duties of religion (1Pe. 1:5). In order to see the strength and beauty of the sentiment contained in the text, let us place the believer in three positions.

1. In a place of secrecy. To many this is a place of temptation. Not so to the believer. Faith brings God and places him before us (Gen. 16:13; Gen. 39:9).

2. In prosperity and indulgence (Pro. 1:32). But faith brings to the Christian the earnests of a better country, the firstfruits and foretastes of it, and thus gives him a victory which others can never achieve (1Jn. 5:4).

3. In a condition of suffering and danger (Heb. 11:24-27; Dan. 6:10; H. E. I. 19111919).

III. There is a stability of hope. This regards the comforts of religion (Rom. 15:13; 1Pe. 1:8; Psa. 23:1; Psa. 23:4; Psa. 23:6).

1. Beware of unbelief. It is a grievous offence against God; it is hurtful and perilous to man. Every sin renders our salvation impossible by the law, but only one sin renders it impossible by the Gospel, and that is unbelief; not by any decree or threatening of God, but by its natural tendency and result. For there is only one remedy that can restore a perishing sinner, and if this be rejected, destruction is inevitable (H. E. I. 443).

2. Labour and pray for an increase of faith (Mar. 9:23 : 2Ch. 20:20).William Jay: Sunday Morning Sermons, pp. 101109).

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(9) If ye will not believe . . .The prophet reads the thoughts that were working in the kings mind. He had no faith in these predictions terminating at a date which he was not likely to live to witness. By look, or possibly by words, he showed his incredulity, and Isaiah offers to meet it, in the consciousness of a Divine power that will not fail him. From Heaven to Hades, Ahaz may take his choice. The method of giving a sign by predicting something in the near future as a pledge for predictions that belong to a more remote time is specially characteristic of Isaiah. (Comp. Isa. 37:30; Isa. 38:7.) There is something significant in the Lord thy God. Ahaz, idolater as he was, had not formally abandoned the worship of Jehovah. The tone of authority in which Isaiah speaks may be either that belonging to his consciousness of his mission, or may imply some previous relation to the young king as a counsellor and teacher. (See Introduction.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

“Handfuls of Purpose”

For All Gleaners

“If ye believe surely ye shall not be established.” Isa 7:9

In all these outlines it is presumed that the preacher will read the text and first give the literal interpretation. Many of them are accommodations of singular or pithy sayings, and this fact must not be overlooked by those who use the “Handfuls.” Here is a case in point. The prophet had declared that within a given time Ephraim should be broken, that it should be no longer a people. The king would not believe this prophecy, and his incredulity was plainly visible in his face. The special use which may be made of the text is that faith is always necessary to real consolidation of character and success of policy. This is the larger meaning of that which at the time was a merely local and personal incident. Let a man have the impression that he is not going to succeed in what he undertakes, and the probability is that he will fail. On the other hand, let him have a strong conviction that failure is impossible, and his courage will rise in proportion, and all his faculties be set into active exercise under a very solemn and joyous inspiration. This holds good of all personal culture; of all educational efforts; of all social and public reforms; and indeed of the whole range of spiritual life. First of all, let us be assured that the object of our policy is right Unless we have that assurance we have no right to have any faith in it. Note the very right of faith is denied. To have faith in wrong is to squander faith. No wrong can ever come to ultimate success. It will have its risings and fallings, and maybe its many indications of coming to baleful fruition; but the word of the Lord is against it, and all heaven frowns upon it, and all providence will meet it in continual repulsion. The end of evil is overthrow, how strong soever may be the faith of those who have undertaken to support it. No faith can stand against the living God. Having assured ourselves that we are right in our purpose and our methods, what we need is faith, trust, confidence, courage. Do not imagine that even good things intended for our adoption and exercise will prosper unless we accompany their acceptance with the exercise of the requisite energy. The seed is good, and the ground is good, but the seed must be sown or the harvest can never be reaped. Man did not make the seed; man did not make the ground; but man must bring the seed and the ground together under proper conditions; at that point human energy interposes and discharges its responsibility. This text is a word of inspiration and solid comfort to all men who are engaged in carrying out reforms that often wear a hopeless aspect. Believe in God, and he will bring the battle to victory. Consult God at every step in the development of your reforms, and do nothing out of vanity or mere conceit, and the end shall be contentment and blessedness. Many men profess the Gospel who do not believe it. Many men work in a spirit of sentimental hope instead of a spirit of moral courage. Some workers disable themselves by excessive sighing. Instead of giving themselves resolutely to the work, they vaguely hope that the end will be good, and they sentimentally trust that nothing will happen to frustrate the purpose of God. All such feeling is below the dignity of the occasion. Let our daily prayer be, “Lord, increase our faith,” then our part of the work will be done well, and God will not forget to do his part, and bring his purposes to consummation.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

Isa 7:9 And the head of Ephraim [is] Samaria, and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Ver 9. And the head of Samariah, Remaliah’s son.] In contempt he hath neither his name nor title of a king given him, but is fairly warned to keep within his bounds; he is not like to hold long that he hath. It is dangerous meddling with Jerusalem. Zec 12:2-3 ; Zec 12:6

If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. ] Jehoshaphat said as much, 2Ch 20:20 and our Saviour somewhat like. Joh 8:20 Isaiah saw the king and people still fluctuating and trembling, notwithstanding the divine promise, and telleth them what to trust to; unless they will trust in God, they will never he soundly settled. Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear, and maketh a man walk about the world like a conquerer. There is an elegance here in the original that cannot be translated. a

a Valde brevis sententia est, sed gravis admodum. – Oecolampadius.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)