_THE PROPHET, BEWAILING THE CAPTIVITY OF HIS PEOPLE, SEETH IN A VISION THE FALL OF BABYLON BY THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. EDOM, SCORNING THE PROPHET, IS MOVED TO REPENTANCE. THE SET TIME OF ARABIA'S CALAMITY._ _Before Christ 714._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF THE DESERT OF THE SEA.— The _sixth_ discourse contained in this chapter represents, under a mystical name, Babylon, (the rulers whereof made great desolations in the world, and much distressed many other nations as well as the Jews,) besieged and overthrown by the Medes and Persians, a... [ Continue Reading ]
GO UP, O ELAM; BESIEGE, O MEDIA!— The prophet, in a rapture, had various images succeeding one another before his sight. He had just beheld the Babylonians raging against Asia and Judaea. Presently, this scene being removed, he beholds the city of Babylon itself flourishing in strength and glory; th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE ARE MY LOINS FILLED WITH PAIN, &C.— We have here a symbolical description of the greatness of the Babylonish calamity; the prophet exhibiting in himself, as in a figure, an emblem of the extreme distress, consternation, and horror, which should ensue upon this occasion. See ch. Isaiah 15:5... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS HATH THE LORD SAID UNTO ME— The Holy Spirit, having proposed to make Isaiah, and by him the church, most certain of this memorable event, confirms the preceding revelation by an elegant emblem, offered to the prophet in vision; which confirmation makes the other part of this prophetic. This... [ Continue Reading ]
O MY THRESHING, &C.— These words, which form the conclusion of the prophesy, contain an address of the prophet to the church, signifying that he had faithfully related to them what God had revealed to him. The church is elegantly called the _threshing-floor,_ where the true wheat is separated from t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF DUMAH— The neighbouring nations insulting the people of God for the common calamities to which they were exposed together with them, though they boasted themselves to be the elect and favourite people of the Lord, the prophet introduces the Idumaeans, in the time of common calamity, in... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN UPON ARABIA— While God revealed to his prophet the fate of foreign nations, among others he declared that of those Arabians who inhabited the western part of Arabia Deserta or Petraea; that they should be oppressed and driven into flight by the Assyrians, a calamity which should fall upon... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF TEMA— Or, _O ye inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring ye water to him that is thirsty; prevent, or meet the fugitive with bread,_ Isaiah 21:15. _For they flee._ We have here a figurative description of this judgment. The prophet beholds the Arabians seized with great... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS HATH THE LORD SAID, &C.— Hitherto the prophet had spoken figuratively: he now ceases to do so. This period contains, _first,_ the circumstance of the time connected with the execution of this judgment, and the greatness of the judgment itself. Nothing can be more clear than the former: With... [ Continue Reading ]