Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings.
Three things worthy of note
I.Peace proclaimed. Glorious to the ears of the men of Jerusalem must have been the intelligence that their great enemy was destroyed, that the Assyrian hosts were crushed, and now peace had come. A proclamation of national peace is “good tidings.” But the proclamation of moral peace is still more delightful. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! “ (Rom_10:15). “My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you.”
II. Worship enjoined. “O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows.” “During the Assyrian invasion the inhabitants of Judah were cut off from all access to the metropolis; now they would be at liberty to proceed thither as usual in order to observe their religious rites, and they are here commanded to do so.”
1. War disturbs religious observances. As peace in nature is the time to cultivate your ground and sow your seed, peace in the nation is the time to promote growth m religion and virtue.
2. In war men are disposed to make religious vows.
III. Enemies vanquished. For the wicked shall no more pass through them; he is utterly cut off.” (Homilist.)
Peace proclaimed
“Atthe close of the last war with Great Britain,” says an American writer, “the prospects of our nation were shrouded in gloom. Our harbours were blockaded. Communication coastwise between our ports was cut off. Our immense annual products were mouldering in our warehouses. Our currency was reduced to irredeemable paper. Differences of political opinion were embittering the peace of many households. No one could predict when the contest would terminate, or discover the means by which it could much longer be protracted. It happened that one afternoon in February a ship was discovered in the offing, which was supposed to be a cartel, bringing home our commissioners at Ghent from their unsuccessful mission. The sun had set gloomily before any intelligence from the vessel had reached the city. Expectation became painfully intense as the hours of darkness drew on. At length a boat reached the wharf, announcing the fact that a treaty of peace had been signed, and was waiting for nothing but the action of our Government to become a law. The men on whose ears these words first fell rushed in breathless haste into the city to repeat them to their friends, shouting as they ran through thestreets, ‘Peace! Peace! Peace!’ Every one who heard the sound repeated it. From house to house, from street to street, the news spread with electric rapidity. The whole city was in commotion. Men bearing lighted torches were flying to and fro, shouting, ‘Peace! Peace! Peace!’ When the rapture had partially subsided, one idea occupied every mind. But few men slept that night. In groups they were gathered in the streets, and by the fireside, beguiling the hour of midnight by reminding each other that the agony of war was over, and that a worn-out and distracted country was about to enter again upon its wonted career of prosperity. Thus, every one becoming a herald, the news soon reached every man, woman, and child in the city, and filled their hearts with joy.”
