_Arise_, &c. The prophet here addresses the church of God, which he supposes to be sitting sorrowful, and exhorts her to awake and arise from a state of darkness and mourning, and enter into a state of light and happiness, “now that her salvation, so long desired and hoped for, is at hand, and _the... [ Continue Reading ]
_For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth_ Ignorance, idolatry, and all kinds of errors and vices; _and gross darkness the people_ Like that of Egypt; the most palpable blindness and infatuation as to divine things; _but the Lord_ Christ, _the bright and morning-star, the day- spring from on high... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Gentiles shall come to thy light_ Or, 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 make to it; so the doctrine of the gospel shall shine so bright, and be made so conspicuous by preaching and miracles, that wel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lift up thine eyes round about_ Or, in a circle, into all parts of the earth. He seems to refer to the apostles and disciples, with their successors, carrying the gospel into all quarters of the world. And because it would be, as it were, a thing incredible, he bids them _lift up their eyes_, as if... [ Continue Reading ]
_The multitude of camels_ The treasure that is brought upon camels. By these, and such like figurative expressions in several verses of this chapter, is implied the coming in of all nations to Christ, and therefore they are brought in as presenting the chief commodities of their respective countries... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who are these that fly as a cloud_ These metaphors import the number, as well as speed, of those that should be begotten by the apostles' doctrine. “By this new crowd of believers hastening to the church,” Vitringa understands “the Greeks and Asiatics, and those of the west groaning under the Ottom... [ Continue Reading ]
_Surely the isles shall wait for me_ The countries remote from Judea, and especially the islands and continents of Europe, generally intended by the term _isles. And the ships_ To convey them to me; _of Tarshish first_ Those that traffic by sea. In naming this, he implied all places that had commerc... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the sons of the stranger_ Namely, such as were not Israelites born, but of Gentile race; and he puts _sons_ of strangers, by a usual Hebraism, for strangers; _shall build up thy walls_ As Gentile proselytes to the Jewish religion assisted the Jews in repairing the walls of Jerusalem upon their... [ Continue Reading ]
_The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee_ As Lebanon furnished cedars, and other choice timber, for building and beautifying Solomon's temple, so shall different nations contribute what is most excellent and suitable among them for supporting, establishing, enlarging, and adorning the church of Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sons of them, that afflicted thee_ Their posterity, or themselves, for it is the manner of the Hebrews so to speak; _shall come bending unto thee_ Humbling themselves as penitents, and thus manifesting their respect and reverence for thee. They shall acknowledge their former errors, or the erro... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whereas thou hast been forsaken_ Both of God, as to outward appearance, and man; _and hated_ Either slighted and neglected, or suffering actual miseries and slaughters; _so that no man went through thee_ Thy streets were left desolate and thou wast in a manner depopulated. The state of the Christia... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles_ A metaphor taken from children drawing nourishment from the breast. The sense is, that the church should draw, or receive, the wealth of nations, and the riches and power of kings, and whatever is most excellent; and that it should come freely and affe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Violence shall no more be heard_, &c. Neither the threats and triumphs of those that do violence, nor the outcries and complaints of those that suffer it, shall be heard again, but every man shall peaceably enjoy his own. _Wasting nor destruction_ Of persons or possessions, anywhere _within thy bor... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sun shall be no more thy light_, &c. The light of the sun and moon shall not be at all esteemed in comparison of the spiritual light of the church, which shall be so glorious as to eclipse all the light formerly enjoyed by her, the divine glory and majesty illuminating her much more brightly th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy people shall be all righteous_ Through righteousness imputed to them, Romans 4:3; Romans 4:23; implanted in them, Ephesians 4:22; and practised by them, 1 John 3:7; in other words, through the justification of their persons, the renovation of their nature, and their practical obedience to God's... [ Continue Reading ]