Isaiah 65:16

That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. That he who - rather, "He who," etc. BLESSETH HIMSELF IN THE EARTH - (Psalms 72:17; Jeremiah 4:2.) Shall bless himself in the God of truth - very God, as opposed to false gods: Hebrew, Amen: the very name of Messiah (2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14), faithful to His promises (John

16._He who blesseth himself in the earth. _Here the whole world is contrasted with a corner of Judea, in which the worship of God might be said to be shut up. Since the time when God has been manifested everywhere, he is not now worshipped in one particular district, but in all places without distinction; as Christ also teacheth, (John 4:21,) “The hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father;” and Paul also saith, “I wish that men in every place may lift up clean hands, without wrath and disputing.” (1 Timothy 2:8.) Thus the word “earth,” by which he denotes, in this passage, the whole world, is employed by him in an indirect contrast with Judea. Shall bless himself in the true God. Shall swear by the true

11-16 Here the different states of the godly and wicked, of the Jews who believed, and of those who persisted in unbelief, are set against one another. They prepared a table for that troop of deities which the heathen worship, and poured out drink-offerings to that countless number. Their worshippers spared no cost to honour them, which should shame the worshippers of the true God. See the malignity of sin; it is doing by choice what we know will displease God. In every age and nation, the Lord leaves those who persist in doing evil, and despise the call of the gospel. God's servants shall have the bread of life, and shall want nothing good for them. But those who forsake the Lord, shall be ashamed of vain confidence in their own righteousness, and the hopes they built thereon. Wordly people bless themselves in the abundance of this world's goods; but God's servants bless themselves in...

THAT HE WHO BLESSETH HIMSELF IN THE EARTH - That is, he who shall invoke blessings on himself. SHALL BLESS HIMSELF IN THE GOD OF TRUTH - Or by the true God. He shall not seek a blessing from a false god; but he shall come before the true God, and seek a blessing at his hand. AND HE THAT SWEARETH - Every oath that is taken in the land shall be by the true God. There shall be no swearing by idols; but the true God shall be everywhere acknowledged. BECAUSE THE FORMER TROUBLES ARE FORGOTTEN - The former punishments and calamities shall be passed away. The favor of God shall be restored. His pure worship shall be re-established, and his name shall be celebrated again in the land. The image here is one of returning prosperity and favor; a state when the happiness will be so great that all the former trials will be regarded

SECTION XI.—GOD'S ANSWER TO THE EXILES' PRAYER (Isaiah 65:1.) EXPOSITION ISAIAH 65:1 ISRAEL'S SUFFERINGS THE JUST MEED OF THEIR SINS. God's mercy is such that it even overflows upon those who are outside the covenant (Isaiah 65:1). It has been offered to Israel, but Israel has rejected it. Their rebellion, their idolatries, and their pride have caused, and must continue to cause, their punishment ...

THAT HE WHO BLESSETH HIMSELF IN THE EARTH,.... That is sensible he stands in need of blessings, and wishes for them, and prays he might have them; or that takes notice that he is blessed with them, and acknowledges them, and is thankful for them: SHALL BLESS HIMSELF IN THE GOD OF TRUTH; shall pray to him for blessings he wants, and ascribe what he has unto him, and give him the praise and glory of them; by whom is meant, either God the Father, in opposition to idols, the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, those lying vanities, which were not gods by nature, and to whom the God of truth, or the true God, is often opposed, and whom the Targum here calls the living God; or rather the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ: for the words may be rendered, "shall bless himself in God Amen" f; that is, in God, who is the "Amen", which is one of the names of Christ, Revelation 3:14

CHAPTER 65 Jehovah's Answer: The Rebellious and Their Judgment, the Faithful and Their Blessings 1. _The divine rebuke to the apostates (Isaiah 65:1) _ 2. _The elect seed (Isaiah 65:9) _ 3. _The judgment of the apostates (Isaiah 65:11) _ 4. _The blessings of Jehovah's servants and the contrast (Isaiah 65:13) _ 5. _The glories and blessings of the future (Isaiah 65:17) _ The first eight verses give a description of the iniquities practiced by apostate Israel. Judgment will overtake them in the day of veng

THE COMING GOOD FORTUNE OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Yahweh again is the speaker. My people shall rejoice in the satisfaction of their wants when ye, rebellious ones, are wailing in your need. Nought shall be left of you but your name, which My people shall employ as a curse, saying, - As Yahweh slew those so may He slay thee.-' But My people shall be called by a new name (_cf._ Isaiah 62:4). The fulfilment of My promises shall make My faithfulness a proverb. The former trials shall be forgotten because, to men's exultation, I shall change existing conditions so that it is as though I had created the earth anew. I will transform Jerusalem so that she shall be joy personified, and in her people will I find My joy. There shall be no more mourning in Jerusalem, for none shall die in infancy or prematurely: all shall live a hundred years....

THAT. So that. HE WHO BLESSETH, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4). TRUTH. faithfulness. Compare 2 Corinthians 1:20. SHALL SWEAR, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 6:13)....

Contrast between the fate of these idolaters and that of Jehovah's servants....