Prophetic Expositions, vol. 1

ANOTHER SIGN—Isaiah 11:1-6

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” PREX1 170.2

The chronology of the fulfilment of this prediction, is, when Jerusalem’s warfare is accomplished, and her iniquity pardoned; and when she has received her full measure of ruin and desolation. But she is yet trodden down of the Gentiles, therefore she is not yet pardoned. The sign which is to precede the pardon of Jerusalem, and the end of her warfare, is a voice crying in the wilderness, speaking comfort to God’s people, and also declaring to the world the termination of that warfare. Does any such sign us this appear at the present time? Look at the ten thousands who congregate in the wilderness, and have been doing so for some four months past, to listen to this very theme. The Second Advent Camp-meetings have excited the deepest interest in the community. PREX1 170.3

But the facilities for congregating the people in the wilderness, and for transporting with rapidity the bearers of this message, are to be noticed:— PREX1 171.1

“Prepare ye THE WAY of the Lord.” But how is the way of the Lord to be prepared, for giving speedily the midnight cry? The answer is,—“Make straight in the desert A HIGH-WAY for our God.” The highway is to be made in or through the desert. Through pastures, swamps, morasses, and woods; through waste and by-places. Is such a thing as this done? But how is this peculiar highway to be prepared? PREX1 171.2

“Every valley,” through its length, not every valley in the world, “shall be exalted;” each valley shall be filled up:—“Every mountain and hill” in its course “shall be made love,” so that it shall be a level highway:—“The crooked” places “shall be made straight,” in order to have a straight way:—“And the rough” cragged places “plain.” And when this sign appears, the next thing which will happen, is, “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” Have we such highways now prepared? and do they facilitate the gathering of immense multitudes in the wilderness, for the very purpose of hearing words of comfort to the saints and the peace of Jerusalem? Some may think this view fanciful-but it is in the book of God, and has a meaning. What is that meaning? all have aright to ask. It is clear, that whatever partial reference it had to John the Baptist, it was not all fulfilled in him; for the warfare and desolation of Jerusalem yet continue; nor have all flesh yet seen the glory of the Lord together. John was the fore-runner of the Lord at his first advent-he came as the friend of the bridegroom, and rejoiced because of the bridegroom’s voice: so also the bridegroom still has friends to proclaim in the desert, “Behold, he cometh.” PREX1 171.3

Look also at this description. Nahum 1:15, and 2:3, 4: “Behold, upon, the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: the wicked shall no more pass through thee, he is utterly cut off.” PREX1 172.1

The idea that this prophecy relates to the destruction of old Nineveh, is the opinion which generally prevails. But a few moments’ reflection will set this matter right. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, as was Babylon of the Chaldean. Both capitals have long been laid in ruins. The Assyrians were God’s instruments ⁷ of vengeance, and first carried the house of Judah captive to Babylon, while the Assyrian king had dominion of that city. God has a cup of indignation both for Babylon and Nineveh, which they have not yet drunk at the Lord’s hand. The burdens of different lands, as proclaimed by the prophets, have not yet been fulfilled; nor will they be until the seventh vial of God’s wrath is poured out, and Great Babylon comes into remembrance before him, to give her the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. The chronology of Nahum’s prophecy is, when “the mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is burned at his PRESENCE, the world and all that dwell therein.” Verse 5. Has this taken place? Was it fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem? Again, in the 15th verse, the wicked is no more to pass through Judah, when the prophecy is realized, but is to be utterly cut off. Is this done? The feet of him that publisheth these good tidings, is to be seen upon the mountains before it is fulfilled. Rev. Mr. Nicolayison, a missionary at Jerusalem, is a firm believer in the speedy appearing of Christ at hand. A friend of the cause was at Jerusalem last spring, and had several most interesting conversations with him on the subject, and supplied him with our books and publications. So that upon the mountains of Jerusalem, stand the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace. PREX1 172.2

Chap 2:3, 4: “The chariots shall be with FLAMING TORCHES in the day of his preparation; and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways; they shall seem like torches and run like the lightnings.” Do we have any chariots, wheeled carriages, at this day, propelled with fire, or a flaming torch? Do those chariots seem, when at full speed, in the night, like torches? Do they rage in the streets and justle one against anothers? And finally, “DO THEY RUN LIKE THE LIGHTNINGS?” If so, then it is the day of God’s preparation “to burn the earth and the world, and all that is therein.” Reader, look at this point carefully, and see if the prophecy does not have a literal fulfilment in our own day. Put Isaiah 40th chapter, and Nahum 2:3, 4, together. PREX1 173.1