“Rehoboam sat upon the throne of David, but had no resemblance to him in character. He built high places and pillars, and planted groves, and committed the abominations of the heathens, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel, upon every hill and under every green tree. Jehovah sent Sisak, king of Egypt, who conquered all the cities and Jerusalem itself, and carried away both the royal treasure and that of the temple into his own country. Jehovah had foretold this by the prophet Shemaiah[[50]] and the king and the princes of Judah humbled themselves. And when the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, he said, I will not destroy them, but I will grant them a little deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out upon them by the hand of Sisak. Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know what it is to serve me, and what to serve the kingdoms of the countries.
“Abijah followed him. He trusted in Jehovah, and was successful in a great battle against Israel, in which he defeated an enemy who was at least twice as numerous.[[51]] He entered the battle with the words, ‘With us is the Lord our God and we have not forsaken him, and the priests which minister unto the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites in their occupations.’[occupations.’]
“His successor Asa, by the same faith, smote again a mighty host of invaders from Arabia and Ethiopia, as the prophet Azariah had foretold. How greatly was the power of Jehoshaphat increased, by his zeal against idolatry, and his obedience to God, and in how humbled a condition did he return from a war in which the prophet Micaiah had warned him not to engage! He unfortunately gave to his son, Jehoram, Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter, to wife; and when the iniquity of Israel was thus communicated to Judah, by this seed of Jezebel, punishment, oppression and distress soon followed, till Joash, who had escaped her murderous hand, was brought forth from the temple where he had been concealed by Jehoiada, and placed upon the throne of David. Uzziah was prosperous against all his enemies, as long as the prophet Zechariah lived; but a grievous leprosy fell upon him when he daringly presumed to approach the Lord, and offer him incense after the manner of the priests. To him succeeded Ahaz, the worst and most infatuated of the sons of David, who being given up to Syrian idolatry and superstition, closed the temple and sought aid of Assyria. But how strikingly was his apostasy punished, when he was compelled to give the treasures of the temple to these very allies!
“Even down to this time, how triumphantly had the retributive providence of God been manifested in the history of our people! What wonderful accomplishment of the prophetic word, even in years, names, and individual occurrences! But about this time Isaiah arose, towering with an eagle’s flight, now encouraging king and people with the promise of divine favour, now humbling them with denunciations against their sins, and above all predicting, in clearer language than any preceding prophet, HIM who was to be the consolation and the glory of Israel—the Messiah! He who, when he received his prophetic commission, saw Jehovah seated on a throne, high and lifted up, and the seraphim around him crying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts[[52]]—whose lips were touched with a live coal from the altar; and whom the Lord himself sent to speak in his name, was well fitted either to denounce captivity and punishment to the people, or to describe the glorious days of Emanuel, the son of the virgin.
Behold the Lord, the Lord of Hosts
Shall lop the bough with a loud crash,
And the high tops shall be hewn down
And the lofty shall be made low.
He fells the thickets of the forest with the axe,
And Lebanon falls by a mighty hand.