IN Isa. 8:9 to 9:7 is a prophecy which, borrowing figures and force from events in the reign of King Ahaz, presents striking predictions of last-day conditions, with solemn warnings to those who believe God and who hope in Him. (Where the text differs from the common version it is the American Standard Revision). That the prophecy has especial reference to the Christian will be seen by comparing verse 14 with Rom. 9:33, and 1 Peter 2:8; verse 17 with 1 Thess. 1:10, and Heb. 9:28; verse 18 with Heb. 2:13. Note, also, the expression "My disciples," a term expressive of Christ's followers. The "latter time," "the harvest," and the establishment of the kingdom of Christ all point to the last days. Matt. 13:39; Rev. 14:14; 2 Tim. 4:1.
The Prototype.
The position of Israel, and later Judah, was that of a buffer between the great powers on the northeast in Asia and southeast in Africa. Her riches were a constant temptation to the cupidity of the kingdoms and tribes on either side. And Judah's temptation was in case of disagreement or attack by the powers on one side to ally herself with the powers on the other. Hence she turned from Assyria to Egypt and from Egypt to Babylon and from Babylon to Egypt; and in all cases it proved her weakness and loss. Almost invariably they left her stripped and bare. To meet Judah's strength other nations united. In the days of Ahaz it was Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of the Ten Tribes, then utterly apostate.
God would comfort His people now as He did then in telling them that no power could combine to overthrow those who in righteousness trusted in Him. Now capitalists are combining to exploit government and people. The working men feel that they must combine to meet the forces of capital; and those who feel that evil times are coming are solicited and tempted to join with the forces on one side or the other of the conflict.
God's Warning.
Here is the word of God's prophet to those who in association would crush the righteous:—
"Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us."
Here is God's advice to His people concerning these combinations:—
"For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid."
When God speaks to His people "with a strong hand," His own mighty support is assured, as the hand is a symbol of power. The people who associate together "make an uproar" (R. V.), but God speaks in mighty power. Keep aloof from all combinations that in any way put themselves in the place of God, or that do injustice. God thus sets before us8
Our Duty.
"Sanctify Jehovah of Hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary [a safe place]; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense [to the disobedient, 1 Peter 2:8] to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
"Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion."
Not to men are we to look in these fearful times of trouble, not to schemes of men to solve the unsolvable problems; but to Jehovah of Hosts who is able to save. Set Him up as your King, your Ruler. Love Him with all the heart, mind, soul, and might. Bind up as a precious treasure in your life the witness of His Spirit, and let that Spirit seal His law in its every precept upon your heart. Men have trampled upon it, have sought to tear from the perfect code the very precept which reveals our God as the Creator of heaven and earth, have put in the place of the Sabbath it enjoins a spurious counterfeit, upheld by the combination of tradition and civil law. Make God's law your rule of action, seal it among His disciples, wait upon Christ for strength, and look for His coming; and God's "strong hand" will make His trusting ones "signs and wonders" of character which are kept in the midst of corruption.
Another Danger Spiritually.
From the spiritual side a danger confronts humanity. Ignorant of His law, repudiating His Word, magnifying the old falsehood of Satan, "Ye shall not surely die;" "Ye shall be as God," the great religious world stands where it is open to "the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved." 2 Thess. 2:9, 10.
Chief among these workings of Satan stand all these occult sciences based on the inherent immortality of man, led in the ancient world by Necromancy, and in the modern world by Spiritism. The strongest, most familiar, of the delusions which turn men from God and center faith upon poor self is used by the prophet as a type of all the rest. Here is the warning against yielding to any or all, the divine rule by which they are to be tested, and the sad consequences to those who reject God and place their hope in the deceptions of Satan:—
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it, sore distressed and hungry [Amos 8: 11]; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and turn their faces upward; and they shall look unto the earth, and, behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and into thick darkness they shall be driven away."
God's true church suffers during the time when men turn from their only hope of salvation. Then she weeps and they rejoice (Isa. 22: 12, 13); but in that day, when her triumph is assured, they will mourn over their blasted hopes while she will rejoice in her God (Isa. 65: 11-16). And so the prophet continues to portray the future of the two classes, those who are loyal to the government of God and hence to all men, and those who reject God, associate together, and follow the devices of Satan:—
"But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali [when the tribes were carried captive]; but in the latter time hath He made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations. [The partial fulfilment at the first advent was a prophecy of "the everlasting Gospel" to all the nations. Rev. 14: 6.] The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. [Isa. 60: 1, 2; Rev. 18: 1, 2.] Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast increased their joy; they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou hast broken as in the day of Midian [when God fought for Gideon and his faithful three hundred; they needed to wield no sword, only to break their pitchers, hold aloft their torches, and shout for God Judges 6: 33 to 7: 22]. For all the armor of the armed men in the tumult, and the garments rolled in blood, shall be for burning, for fuel of fire."
The triumph of all who truly triumph in the fearful struggles of these evil times rests in Christ Jesus, the King of Righteousness, the King of Peace. Those who trust Him will share His kingdom. They shall win it, not because of their plans, or combinations, or alliances, or confederations; not because of human laws, or votes, or politics; the zeal and power of Christ Jesus alone will accomplish it. Thus it is written: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." Reader, to His salvation, His truth, His hope, His everlasting kingdom, which knows neither injustice nor suffering, we invite you.
A Bible Carpenter. Mark 6:3.
THE BOYCOTT AND THE BLACKLIST.
[The same principle is involved in the boycott and in the blacklist. They are employed for the same purpose. The boycott has come to be a special weapon of union labor, while the blacklist is a punishment especially used against offending employees by great corporate employers. The Anthracite Coal Strike Commission expressed an emphatic opinion against both. We copy brief extracts, as follows:—]
The right and liberty to pursue a lawful calling and to lead a peaceable life, free from molestation or attack, concerns the comfort and happiness of all men, and the denial of them means destruction of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of the benefits which the social organization confers. What is popularly known as the boycott (a word of evil omen and unhappy origin) is a form of coercion by which a combination of many persons seek to work their will upon a single person, or upon a few persons, by compelling others to abstain from social or beneficial business intercourse with such person or persons. Carried to the extent sometimes practised in aid of a strike, and as was in some instances practised in connection with the late anthracite strike, it is a cruel weapon of aggression, and its use immoral and antisocial.
To say this is not to deny the legal right of any man or set of men voluntarily to refrain from social intercourse or business relations with any persons whom he or they, with or without good reason, dislike. This may sometimes be unchristian, but it is not illegal. But when it is a concerted purpose of a number of persons not only to abstain themselves from such intercourse, but to render the life of their victim miserable by persuading and intimidating others so to refrain, such purpose is a malicious one, and the concerted attempt to accomplish it is a conspiracy at common law, and merits and should receive the punishment due to such a crime.
Examples of such "secondary boycotts" are not wanting in the record of the case before the commission. A young schoolmistress, of intelligence, character, and attainments, was so boycotted, and her dismissal from employment compelled for no other reason than that a brother, not living in her immediate family, chose to work contrary to the wishes and will of the striking miners. A lad, about fifteen years old, employed in a drug store, was discharged, owing to threats made to his employer by a delegation of the strikers, on behalf of their organization, for the reason that his father had chosen to return to work before the strike was ended. In several instances tradesmen were threatened with a boycott—that is, that all connected with the strikers would withhold from them their custom, and persuade others to do so—if they continued to furnish the necessaries of life to the families of certain workmen who had come under the ban of the displeasure of the striking organizations. This was carrying the boycott to an extent which was condemned by Mr. Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers of America, in his testimony before the commission, and which certainly deserves the reprobation of all thoughtful and law-abiding citizens. Many other instances of boycott are disclosed in the record of this case.
In social disturbances of the kind with which we are dealing, the temptation to resort to this weapon oftentimes becomes strong, but is none the less to be resisted. It is an attempt of many, by concerted action, to work their will upon another who has exercised his legal right to differ with them in opinion and in conduct. It is tyranny, pure and simple, and as such is hateful, no matter whether attempted to be exercised by few or by many, by operators or by workmen, and no society that tolerates or condones it can justly call itself free.
Closely allied to the boycott is the blacklist, by which employers of labor sometimes prevent the employment by others of men whom they have discharged. In other words, it is a combination among employers not to employ workmen discharged by any of the members of said combination. This system is as reprehensible and as cruel as the boycott, and should be frowned down by all humane men. Happily there was little evidence of its existence among the operators in the anthracite region, one case only having been distinctly proved, and in that the refusal to employ the tabooed men continued but for a short time. Wherever it is practised to the extent of being founded upon an agreement or concerted action, it, too, comes within the definition of the crime of conspiracy, and as such should be punished. There is also a civil remedy open to one who suffers from having been blacklisted, in an action against those who are a party to it, to recover damages compensatory of the injury received.
