INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 40 This chapter treats of the comforts of God's people; of the forerunner and coming of the Messiah; of his work, and the dignity of his person; of the folly of making idols, and of the groundless complaints of the church of God. The consolations of God's people, by whom to b... [ Continue Reading ]
COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE, SAITH YOUR GOD. The Babylonish captivity being predicted in the preceding chapter, for the comfort of God's people a deliverance is promised, expressed in such terms, as in the clearest and strongest manner to set forth the redemption and salvation by Jesus Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK YE COMFORTABLY TO JERUSALEM, AND CRY UNTO HER,.... Or, "speak to or according to the heart of Jerusalem h"; to her very heart, what will be a cordial to her, very acceptable, grateful, and comfortable; and let it be proclaimed aloud, that she may hear and understand it. By "Jerusalem" is meant... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VOICE OF HIM THAT CRIETH IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Not the voice of the Holy Ghost, as Jarchi; but of John the Baptist, as is attested by all the evangelists, Matthew 3:3 and by John himself, John 1:23, who was a "voice" not like the man's nightingale, "vox et praeterea nihil" a voice and nothing e... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE EXALTED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE MADE LOW,.... Which is not to be understood literally, but, as Kimchi says, parabolically and mystically: the meaning is, that in consequence of John's ministry, and our Lord's coming, such who were depressed and bowed down with the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED..... Christ himself, who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and his own glory, as the glory of the of the only begotten of the Father; the glorious perfections of his nature, seen in the miracles wrought, and in the doctrines taught by him; the glory... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VOICE SAID, CRY,.... Not the same voice as in Isaiah 40:3, nor the voice of an angel, as Aben Ezra; but a voice from the Lord, as Jarchi; the voice of prophecy, says Kimchi; it is the Lord's voice to the prophet, or rather to any and every Gospel minister, giving them an order to prophesy and p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRASS WITHERETH, THE FLOWER FADETH,.... And so does man, and all his glory and goodliness: BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD BLOWETH UPON IT: alluding to some impetuous and blasting wind blowing upon herbs and flowers, to the withering and fading of them; see Psalms 103:15, legal ordinances ceased... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRASS WITHERETH, THE FLOWER FADETH,.... Which is repeated, to raise attention to it, as being a matter of importance, and for the confirmation of it: BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOR EVER; the Apostle Peter adds, by way of explanation, AND THIS IS THE WORD, WHICH BY THE GOSPEL IS PREACH... [ Continue Reading ]
O ZION, THAT BRINGEST GOOD TIDINGS,.... Or, "O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion n"; which rendering of the words is more agreeable to the latter part of the verse, SAY UNTO THE CITIES OF JUDAH, c. and to some parallel places, Isaiah 41:27 and to the type, the deliverance of the Jews from Ba... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE LORD GOD WILL COME WITH A STRONG HAND,.... Some understand this of the second coming of Christ, which coming is certain, such assurances being given of it by promise and prophecy; and will be attended with power, which will be requisite to raise the dead, summon all nations before him, a... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL FEED HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD,.... Christ has a flock, a flock of men, a distinct and peculiar people, and it is but one, and that a little one, and yet a beautiful one, though often a flock of slaughter; which is his by his Father's gift, and his own purchase, and appears manifest in the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HATH MEASURED THE WATERS IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND?.... The following account of the power, wisdom, and all sufficiency of God, and which is to be understood of Christ, is to show that he is equal to the work of redemption and salvation he has engaged in, and was about to come and perform, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HATH DIRECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD,.... In the creation of all things, in garnishing the heavens, and moving upon the face of the waters? not anyone, angel or man; there were none with him, nor did he need any to guide and direct him what to do s: OR BEING HIS COUNSELLOR, HATH TAUGHT HIM? or,... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH WHOM TOOK HE COUNSEL, AND WHO INSTRUCTED HIM,.... This is the same as before, only repeated in other words, the more strongly to deny that any mere creature counselled, taught, and instructed the Spirit of Christ, in the ordering and managing the works of creation: AND TAUGHT HIM IN THE PATH O... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE NATIONS ARE AS A DROP OF A BUCKET,.... Not only the Chaldeans and Babylonians, and other nations most known, and most troublesome to the Jews, but all the nations of the world; these, in comparison of God, of his infinite and immense Being, are but as a drop of water that hangs upon the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LEBANON IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO BURN,.... The trees of it, as the Targum; these are not sufficient to burn a sacrifice with, suitable to the dignity and majesty of God, and as his justice can require for offences committed: NOR THE BEASTS THEREOF SUFFICIENT FOR A BURNT OFFERING, though it was a mo... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL NATIONS BEFORE HIM ARE AS NOTHING,.... As if they were nonentities, and were not real beings in comparison of him, who is the Being of beings, the author of all beings which exist in all nations; who are all in his sight, and are not only as grasshoppers, as is after mentioned, but even as nothi... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM THEN WILL YE LIKEN GOD?.... There is nothing in the whole creation that can bear any resemblance to him, or he to them; since all nations are as a drop of the bucket, as the small dust of the balance, as nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity: "or what likeness will ye compare unto him... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORKMAN MELTETH A GRAVEN IMAGE,.... Or, "the founder"; he melts some sort of metal, as iron, brass, copper, or lead, which he casts into a mould for an image, and afterwards graves, or gets it graved: AND THE GOLDSMITH SPREADETH IT OVER WITH GOLD; or, "the finer"; he stretches out plates of gol... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS SO IMPOVERISHED THAT HE HATH NO OBLATION,.... Who is so poor that he cannot bring an offering to his God, yet he will have one; and though he cannot purchase a golden or silver one, or one that is gilt, and adorned with either; yet he will have a wooden one, as follows. Some render it, "h... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE YE NOT KNOWN?] This is the speech of the prophet, directed to the idolaters, appealing to their own natural knowledge, who, from the light of nature, might know that idols were nothing, had no divinity in them: that it is God that made the earth and governs the world, and who only ought to be w... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS HE THAT SITTETH UPON THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH,.... Or, "the globe z" of it; for the earth is spherical or globular: not a flat plain, but round, hung as a ball in the air; here Jehovah sits as the Lord and Sovereign; being the Maker of it, he is above it, orders and directs its motion, and gove... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT BRINGETH PRINCES TO NOTHING,.... The great men of the earth, kings, rulers, and nobles, these he brings to the dust; and all their counsels, schemes, and purposes, come to nothing; and their monarchies and kingdoms too in time. Where are now the Babylonish, Persian, and Grecian monarchies, and... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THEY SHALL NOT BE PLANTED,.... As trees are, like the cedars in Lebanon, though they may seem to be such; but be like the grass of the field, and herbs of the earth: or, "even they shall be", as if they were "not planted c", they shall not grow and flourish; or they shall be plucked up, and be... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM THEN WILL YE LIKEN ME, OR SHALL I BE EQUAL, SAITH THE HOLY ONE?] Or be upon a level with? since the greatest of men on earth are brought to nothing by him, and are no more: this is repeated from Isaiah 40:18 and supported with fresh strength of argument, to show that there is nothing whatev... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH,.... From the earth, and the inhabitants of it, even those of the greatest power and influence in it, to the heavens above, those that are visible to the eye: AND BEHOLD WHO HATH CREATED THESE THINGS; that are seen in the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars; consider the Cre... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY SAYEST THOU, O JACOB, AND SPEAKEST, O ISRAEL,.... The Jews, supposed to be in captivity, are here meant, according to Jarchi and Kimchi; whom the prophet reproves, for murmuring at the calamities and afflictions there endured by them; but it may be the church and people of God, in Gospel times,... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU NOT KNOWN? HAST THOU NOT HEARD?.... From the history of the church in all ages; from the experience of all good men; from their own knowledge and observation; from the Scriptures, and the prophets, the interpreters of them; both that what is before suggested is wrong, and that what follows... [ Continue Reading ]
HE GIVETH POWER TO THE FAINT,.... Who are ready to faint under afflictions, because they have not immediate deliverance, or their prayers are not answered at once, or promises not fulfilled as they expected; to such he gives fresh supplies of spiritual strength; he strengthens their faith, and enlar... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THE YOUTHS SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY,.... Such as are in the prime of their strength, and glory in it, yet through the hand of God upon them, by one disease or another, their strength is weakened in the way; or they meet with that which they are not equal to, and sink under, and are discouraged,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD,.... As children on their parents, to do them honour, to obey their commands, and receive food and blessings from them; as servants on their masters, to know their pleasure, do their work, and have their wages; as clients on their patrons, to have advice of them, put... [ Continue Reading ]