Isaiah 42:10-12 - Homiletics

The duty of sympathizing with the joys of others.

Compassion for those who suffer is a strong and powerful feeling, well developed in human nature, and widely spread among all classes and conditions of men. A real feeling of glad sympathy with those who are exceptionally prosperous is a far rarer emotion, and seldom attains any great intensity. Yet, in the nature of things, the two duties would seem to be co-ordinate and to balance each other. "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" ( Romans 12:15 ). In the present passage of Isaiah the whole world seems to be called upon to sympathize with Israel's deliverance from captivity, and its consequences, which were the re-establishment of a visible Church of God upon the earth—a Church which would be a perpetual witness for him, and out of which, in a certain sense, would be developed that "Church of Christ," against which the gates of hell would not prevail, and which would continue "even to the end of the world." No doubt the whole world was interested in these results, and might thus be regarded as having reason to rejoice for their own sake; but the call made upon them is not rested on any such grounds. It bases itself simply on the general duty of good will which men owe to their fellows. Here we may note two forms of the duty.

I. AS INDIVIDUALS , WE SHOULD REJOICE IN THE JOY AND PROSPERITY OF OUR NEIGHBOURS . Condolence is common; congratulation is less frequent. Our neighbours' successes and triumphs too often raise in us a certain feeling of jealousy and discontent, which prevents us from offering congratulations, or makes those that we offer insincere. "Why are they so much more favoured than ourselves? What have they done to deserve their advancement?" All such thoughts ought to be put aside. "It is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the earth." All prosperity is from God-at the least, allowed by him. We are bound, by the love that we ought to bear to our fellow-men, to be glad when good befalls them—to put ourselves and our own claims and deservings out of sight, and simply to rejoice in their joy.

II. AS MEMBERS OF A NATION , WE SHOULD REJOICE IN THE JOY AND PROSPERITY OF NEIGHBOURING NATIONS . The indifferent Beni-Kedar, the hostile Idumaeans, are required by God to sing a song of praise for Israel's restoration to their own country. The isles and maritime tracts of the West are to do the same. Nations are, all of them, members of the one human family, intimately connected one with another, and bound to have friendly feelings one towards another. Petty quarrels and differences, such as crop up between near relations, and still more between neighbouring peoples, should not be allowed to overpower the general sentiment of good will, or to prevent the exhibition of sympathy when occasion arises. National enmities would be greatly softened if nations generally would show satisfaction in each other's successes and prosperity, even if such an exhibition of satisfaction were limited to cases where the success gained by the one in no way interfered with the interests of the other.