Isaiah 59:16

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. AND HE SAW THAT (THERE WAS) NO MAN, AND WONDERED THAT (THERE WAS) NO INTERCESSOR. "No man" - namely, to atone by his righteousness for the unrighteousness of the people. "Man" is emphatic, as in : no representative man able to retrieve the cause of fallen men (; Isaiah 63:5; ; ). NO INTERCESSOR - no one to interpose, 'to help and to uphold' ...

16._He saw that there was no man. _Isaiah continues the same subject, but expresses more, and relates more fully what he had briefly noticed; for what he said in the preceding verse, that “it displeased the Lord that there was no judgment,” might have been obscure. In this passage he repeats that the Lord saw that “there was no man” (145) to render assistance to the Church, and that he _wondered. _He makes use of the verb ישתומם (_yishtomem_) in the Hithpahel conjugation, (146) for the purpose of denoting that the Lord was the cause of his own astonishment; as if he had said, “He made himself astonished.” _He wondered that none came forward. _Some think that מפגיע (_maphgiang_) means an intercessor; but I think that the meaning is this, that there was none who endeavored to reliev

16-21 This passage is connected with the following chapters. It is generally thought to describe the coming of the Messiah, as the Avenger and Deliverer of his church. There was none to intercede with God to turn away his wrath; none to interpose for the support of justice and truth. Yet He engaged his own strength and righteousness for his people. God will make his justice upon the enemies of his church and people plainly appear. When the enemy threatens to bear down all without control, then the Spirit of the Lord shall stop him, put him to flight. He that has delivered, will still deliver. A far more glorious salvation is promised to be wrought out by the Messiah in the fulness of time, which all the prophets had in view. The Son of God shall come to us to be our Redeemer; the Spirit of God shall come to be our Sanctifier: thus the Comforter shall abide with the church for ever, John...

Verse Isaiah 59:16. _AND WONDERED THAT_ THERE WAS _NO INTERCESSOR_] This and the following verses some of the most eminent rabbins understand as spoken of the Messiah. Kimchi says that Rabbi Joshua ben Levi proposes this objection: "It is written, 'Behold, he will come in the clouds of heaven as the son of man,' Daniel 7:13; and elsewhere it is written, 'He cometh lowly, and riding upon an ass,' Zechariah 9:9. How can these texts be reconciled? Thus: If the Jews have merit, he will come unto them in the clouds of heaven; but if they be destitute of merit, he will come unto them riding upon an ass." Now out of their own mouth they may be condemned. They were truly destitute of all merit when Jesus Chri...

AND HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO MAN - That is, no wise and prudent man qualified to govern the affairs of the people. Or, that there was no man qualified to interpose and put an end to these evils; no one qualified to effect a reformation, and to save the nation from the calamities which their sins deserved. The reason why God provided a Redeemer was, that such was the extent and nature of human depravity, that no one on earth could arrest it, and save the world. A similar expression occurs in Isaiah 41:28. AND WONDERED - This is language adapted to the mode of speaking among men. It cannot be taken literally, as if God was amazed by suddenly coming to the knowledge of this fact. It is designed to express, with great emphasis, the truth, that there was no one to intercede, and that the wicked world was lying in a helpless

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 59:1 A GENERAL REBUKE OF ISRAEL FOR ITS MANIFOLD SINS, The command given to the prophet in Isaiah 58:1 to "show God's people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins "—partly executed in Isaiah 58:4 and Isaiah 58:13—is now further carried out by a scathing denunciation of various forms of wickedness, more or less prevalent in Israel, the effect of which has been to separate between Israel and God, to "shorten God's hand" and "make his ear

AND HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO MAN,.... Whose works are good, as the Targum adds; no good man, or faithful and righteous one, that had any regard to truth and justice; that was an advocate for truth, and opposed error, and set on foot a reformation; or was concerned for any of these things, and mourned over the general corruption; not that it must be thought there was not one individual person, but very few, comparatively none; since mention is made before of some that departed from evil, and made themselves a prey: AND WONDERED THAT THERE WAS NO INTERCESSOR; to stand up, and pray for them, as the Targum; so it seems a spirit of prayer and supplication will be greatly wanting in the times of latter day darkness, and before latter day glory breaks out: or, "that there was no interposer" h; none to appear on the side of truth and justice, and on the behalf of those that become a prey to oth...

59:16. _And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him._ Man's extremity was Christ's opportunity. There was no one left to save poor fallen manhood, no one who could lift a hand or a finger for our rescue; therefore, Jesus came, and fought, and bled, and died, and conquered on our behalf. Isaiah 59:17. _For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun._ Christ

CHAPTER 59 Apostasy and Confession, Jehovah's Intervention and the Coming of the Redeemer 1. _The deplorable condition of the people (Isaiah 59:1) _ 2. _The confession (Isaiah 59:9) _ 3. _Jehovah's intervention (Isaiah 59:16) _ 4. _The coming of the Redeemer (Isaiah 59:20) _ The corruption of the people during the end time is first described. But grace is at work and a part of the people confess their sins. They confess that they are in darkness, that they are blind, that they stumble and are like dead men. They confess that salvation is far from them. They confess their lying, their departure from God

ISAIAH 59:15 _ b_ - ISAIAH 59:21. YAHWEH HIMSELF BECOMES THE CHAMPION OF THE Right. Yahweh is indignant that Right is absent. He sees there is none to interpose (_mg._) for her, so His own power brings the deliverance He desires, His victorious might sustaining Him in His strife. He arrays Himself as a warrior, Victory His cuirass, Deliverance His helmet, Vengeance His garments, and the Wrath of Indignation His cloak. Thus equipped, He proceeds to render to every deed its recompence, fury to His foes, shame (LXX) to His enemies. His administration of justice among His people shall bring Him world-wide glory, for His vengeance shall be swift and sudden like the movement of a stream pent in a gorge (_cf. mg._) and driven fiercely before the breath of Yahweh. To Zion He shall come as a re