ISAIAH CHAPTER 60 The glory and blessings of the new church after a short affliction. ARISE; a word of encouragement accommodated to the Jewish or Hebrew style, wherein, as by _lying down_ is described a servile and calamitous condition, ISAIAH 47:1; so by _rising_, and standing up, a recovery out o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DARKNESS; either affliction and misery, a known metaphor; or ignorance and idolatry; as also all kinds of errors and immoralities, with which all that are out of the church are smutted and polluted: compare EPHESIANS 4:18,19. SHALL COVER THE EARTH; either, 1. General, all the inhabitants of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GENTILES SHALL COME; either to congratulate thy deliverance, or to note the respect that should be shown them by other nations upon their deliverance; or rather, shall be allured by thy light to come to thee: as travellers in a dark night, and out of their way, when a light discovers itself do m... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFT UP THINE EYES ROUND ABRUPT; or in a circle; into all parts of the earth: it seems to relate to the apostles and disciples, with their successors, carrying the gospel into all parts of the world. And in regard it would be as it were a thing incredible, he bids them _lift up their eyes_, as if th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALT THOU SEE, viz. with a great deal of delight, the multitudes of thy children running to thee. FLOW TOGETHER; as when one river meeting with another and joining waters, run sweetly together, as one and the same river: this notes the abundance of their united joys and delights; or they shall... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MULTITUDE OF CAMELS, i.e. the abundance of wealth and treasure that is brought upon camels; this being the creature the Eastern people used for carriage of their gold and spice, and other rich treasure, which are said to cover them; the like phrase with that JUDGES 6:5: or whereby is understood... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE FLOCKS OF KEDAR; the people whereof descended from Ishmael, and lived in Arabia Petrea, who were principally shepherds. _The rams_; q.d. nay, the chief of the flock, viz. for sacrifice; this Nebaioth being put for the people thereof, and sprang from Ishmael also, GENESIS 25:13; rich as the o... [ Continue Reading ]
In the 4th verse he spake to them as upon some high watch tower, whereby they might behold as in a circle all the parts of the world. Now espying from all parts, he brings them in calling out with admiration, WHO ARE THESE? partly with reference to the number, or partly with reference to the persons... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ISLES: see ISAIAH 41:1, ISAIAH 49:18. _The ships_, viz. to convey them to me. OF TARSHISH, i.e. those that traffic by sea, as before; see ISAIAH 2:16; these lying most convenient for that employment. In naming this he implies by a synecdoche all that had commerce with other nations. _First_; pre... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF STRANGERS, viz. such as were not Israelites; and he puts sons of strangers by a usual Hebraism for strangers, properly termed _alienigenae_: see ISAIAH 56:3. This was literally fulfilled in repairing the walls of Jerusalem; he spake before of the temple, now of the city; and spiritually... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE; for that end and purpose; or by reason of the conflux of people that shall be continually flocking thither, arguing abundance of peace and security, and great enlargement of the church, and that the Christian church shall be always open to the godly, to receive all comers freely. THE FORC... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WILL NOT SERVE THEE; do offices of kindness; so is the word used, ISAIAH 19:23; or rather, that will not submit to Christ's sceptre. SHALL PERISH; shall be no more _sui juris_, but subdued to thee; and as refusing subjection to Christ, shall perish everlastingly; as they all perished in the del... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GLORY OF LEBANON; the box, the fir, the pine, and the cedar, on account whereof Lebanon grew so famous; a metonymy of the efficient: kings and great ones, the glory of the world, and also persons of a lower rank, the PINES, FIRS, AND BOX TREES, as also the choicest persons, endued with the speci... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS; either their posterity, acknowledging their fathers sins in afflicting thee; or themselves; for it is the manner of the Hebrews to put the sons of a thing for the thing itself. BENDING; humbling themselves, as penitents; this being the sign of reverence and respect; and that either for lov... [ Continue Reading ]
FORSAKEN, both of God, i.e. as to outward appearance; and of her inhabitants, being upon the matter depopulated. HATED; either slighted and neglected, or suffering actual miseries and slaughters: thus was she dealt with, LAMENTATIONS 1:2. NO MAN WENT THROUGH THEE; thy streets were left desolate. _An... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT ALSO SUCK, & c.; a metaphor taken from children sucking nourishment from the breast. The sense is, that the church should draw or drain the wealth of nations, and the riches and power of kings, and whatever is most excellent, and that it should come freely and affectionately, as milk flow... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BRASS I WILL BRING GOLD: here is the effect of the former promise, Thy poverty shall be turned to riches, all things shall be altered for the best; an allusion to the days of Solomon, when gold was as brass: thus, on the contrary, when they change for the worse in the state, it useth to be expre... [ Continue Reading ]
That this and what follows must necessarily be understood of the church triumphant (though there only it will be complete) I see no necessity, neither will obtrude my judgment, but leave it to the judicious, as being more proper in a comment: none to offer violence to this quiet state thou shalt att... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SUN SHALL BE NO MORE THY LIGHT, & c.; these shall not be at all esteemed in comparison of the spiritual light of the church; and this is laid down as the assurance of the church's _comfort_, as the former was for her safety, so that God will not only be a shield, but a sun to her, PSALMS 84:11;... [ Continue Reading ]
Literally he means the Jews mourning in Babylon, but especially the uninterrupted happiness of the church: the Hebrew here for ENDED signifies _recompensed_; their days of rejoicing shall abundantly recompense all their days of mourning.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY PEOPLE ALSO SHALL BE ALL RIGHTEOUS, i.e. the greater part; the word in this use hath been shown frequently; or, _altogether_ righteous, completely righteous. As this respects the Jews, the sense may be, they went into captivity wicked, but most of them being dead, and many of the survivors tarry... [ Continue Reading ]
A LITTLE ONE SHALL BECOME A THOUSAND; though of very small beginning, and contemptible, yet shall greatly multiply. Though the church at first will be but a very few, yet will it increase into many thousands; this plant or seed will spring up to many. Some understand it, that many shall be converted... [ Continue Reading ]