Isaiah 9 - Introduction
_WHAT JOY SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF AFFLICTIONS, BY THE KINGDOM AND BIRTH OF CHRIST. THE JUDGMENTS UPON ISRAEL FOR THEIR PRIDE, FOR THEIR HYPOCRISY, AND FOR THEIR IMPENITENCY._ _Before Christ 740._... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHAT JOY SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF AFFLICTIONS, BY THE KINGDOM AND BIRTH OF CHRIST. THE JUDGMENTS UPON ISRAEL FOR THEIR PRIDE, FOR THEIR HYPOCRISY, AND FOR THEIR IMPENITENCY._ _Before Christ 740._... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS THE DIMNESS, &C.— The prophet having said, in the 20th verse of the preceding chapter, that they who directed not themselves according to the canon of the divine law should have _no light;_ two things were involved in his discourse: The first, that there would be very many among the Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST MULTIPLIED THE NATION, &C.— The prophet, in the remainder of this discourse, sets forth, _First,_ A consequence of this great benefit, that is, the joy of the pious for so great a blessing, vouchsafed to them; and _secondly,_ He enumerates three causes of this joy; Isaiah 9:4. With respect... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST BROKEN THE YOKE OF HIS BURDEN— _His burdensome yoke._ The following discourse illustrates the preceding; for it sets forth the great and mighty benefits connected with the appearance of the Messiah, among which the first mentioned is a taking off of the yoke from the shoulders of the p... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVERY BATTLE OF THE WARRIOR, &C.— _So that every clashing of the noisy warrior, and the garment rolled in blood, shall be thrown to be burned; fuel for the fire._ Vitringa; who observes, that another cause of rejoicing, connected with the former, is _peace on earth,_ Luke 2:14 which should follo... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, &C.— Though our prophet is every where most excellent, he is peculiarly so in this passage, which contains an emphatical description of the person and kingdom of the Son of God; the kingdom of peace; the eternal and universal kingdom, in which the faithful should have th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SENT A WORD INTO JACOB— We have here the third section of the fifth discourse, which reaches to the fifth verse of the next chapter; it is divided into _four_ parts, and exhibits so many divine judgments concerning the state of the people of Ephraim, to be solemnly denounced upon them by th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE PEOPLE TURNETH NOT, &C.— We have here the second crime of this refractory people, who, _impenitent_ and _stupid,_ regarded not the chastisement of the Lord, nor turned to him at his reproof. Therefore, in the 14th and 15th verses, a total subversion of their state and polity is denounced. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LEADERS, &C.— We have here a defence of the divine judgment taken from the universal corruption of the people; wherein God sets forth the justice of his proceeding, and shews that not from choice, but for the iniquities of the people, he is compelled to punish.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WICKEDNESS, &C.— _For wickedness burneth as a fire,_ (_and it shall devour the briers and thorns_) _and it burns up the thickets of the forest, and they mount up curled, like,_ &c. We have here in the 18th verse the third fault, the power of reigning and barefaced impiety, which is said to burn... [ Continue Reading ]