Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:1

TO Ariel] by Ezekiel 43:15-16. appeares that this was a name of the Altar of burnt offerings, or of the upper part of it; it signifie, the Lyon of God: either because there might be some Lyons shapes upon the Altar: or, because God shewed himselfe terrible in his Temple, and roared by his word against his enemies, Joe 3:16. Amos 1:2. Or because that Gods peace, whereof the Altar was a signe and instrument, is all the defence of the Church. For Ariel sometimes signifieth, the Champions, and valiant defenders of a Country, 2 Samuel 23:20. Now here he foretels the ruine of the Temple, as Jeremiah 7:14. Ezekiel 9:6.

The City] as by Ariel is meant the whole Temple, and consequently that part of the City where it stood, namely, Mount Moriah. So by this other part is meant that other hill, namely, the hill of Sion, where the City of David stood. To signifie the whole City of Jerusalem; or severally, the State, and the Church, vers. 2 Adde ye] that is to say, feed your selves on with these vaine hopes, that yeeres shal run on alwaies in the same manner. An ironicall kinde of speech against prophane men, as Ezekiel 12:22. Amos 6:3. 2 Peter 3:4. Let them kill] continue on your outward service, which is but hypecrisie, upon which notwithstanding you rely against all my threatnings, see Jeremiah 7:21.

Isaiah 29:2

I will distresse] I wil cause my Temple to be besieged as well as the City, making no difference between the one which is my holy habitation, and the other which is the common dwelling place of the people.

Isaiah 29:3

I will cmpe] as Captaine Generall of the Chaldeans that shall besiege thee.

Isaiah 29:4

And shall speake] thy pride shall be humbled, and thy bravery cast down, thou shalt yeed to thine enemies, and petition to them with a great deale of basenesse, see Jeremiah 46:22. A familiar spirit] which answered with an obscure sound, and low kind of murmuring, out of such persons as he possessed, see Isaiah 8:19.

Isaiah 29:5

Of thy strangers] thy men of warre which thou shalt hire, or shall be sent thee from abroad, shall all be dispersed, and shall not be able to relieve thee It shall be] all this reliefe which shall come from Egypt, and other places, shall not be able to withstand the Chaldeans, and shall yeeld thee no comfort, but a very short and transitory one, see Jeremiah 37:5; Jeremiah 37:7.

Isaiah 29:6

Thou shalt] namely, Jerusalem. With thunder] a figurative description to say, Heaven and Earth shall concur to their ruine.

Isaiah 29:7

As a dreame] in regard of thee, to whom this siege and ruine shall happen beyond all thought, judgement, and expectation. And also in respect of the Chaldeans themselves who will never be satisfied with tormenting thee; and the more prosperous successe they shall have, the more eager they will be against thee.

Isaiah 29:9

Stay your selves] let every one attentively and with admiration consider these calamities of my people, and the causes of them Drunken] they are asleepe, lulled in their vices, troubled and darkned in their understanding, that they cannot give heed to these threatnings, and so be converted and saved, Isaiah 28:7-8.

Isaiah 29:10

Hath powred] that is to say, he hath punished their voluntary blindnesse with a greater astonishment, depriving them quite of the light of his Spirit, against which they have rebelled: giving them over to the Spirit of darknesse Your Rulers] the Italian, Your heads; for the false Prophets did intrude into the publique government, while Jerusalem was besieged,Jeremiah 26:8. see Isaiah 3:2. The Ses] namely, Prophets, 2 Sam. 9 9.

Isaiah 29:11

The vision] you shall apprehend nothing by my word which shall be preached to you by my Prophets, whereby you may be lively touched, instructed, and so converted; which shall happen as well through your malicious ignorance, as through my just judgement Is sealed] see Isaiah 8:16 Revelation 5:1; Revelation 5:5.

Isaiah 29:13

And their feare] none of their seeming piety comes from the heart, but is drawn from them by the absolute command of some good King as Hezekiah, Josiah, &c. Or it is nothing but an observation of humane traditions.

Isaiah 29:14

Shallbe hid] shall be confounded, and shall not dare to make any more vaine ostentations. Or, it shall vanish away, and come to nothing.

Isaiah 29:15

To hide] that designe their enterprises secretly within themselves, and never informe themselves of the will of God, nor doe not communicate their said designes to him in their prayers, desiring therein his aide and blessing. Or, who in their sins and secret malices doe thinke they can hide themselves from Gods knowledge.

Isaiah 29:16

Your turning] doe you thinke to be masters and absolute rulers, of what you intend and turne up and down in your minds, as the potter is of his clay, which he hath upon his wheele, to doe therewith what he will? Shall the worke] can you thinke you can withdraw your selves from Gods knowledge and government, who hath you and all your actions under the conduct of his Soveragine providence, as the potter hath his clay?

Isaiah 29:17

And Lebanon shall] it appeares by Isaiah 32:15. that this is an Evangelicall promise, the meaning whereof is. Under the Messias his Kingdom, which will shortly be made manifest, all those vices which my people have at this present, shall be corrected, and their calamities restored. For the men which are like wild Trees of the Wood; such as Lebanon brings forth, shall by my grace and Spirit be regenerate, and become faire fruitful Trees, such as grow upon Mount Carmel, and shal be multiplied in number like unto a thick wood.

Isaiah 29:18

Shall the deafe] men that are naturally uncapable of the mysteries of faith, shall be enlightned, and instructed in the true knowledge of Gods word Of the Booke] he hath a relation to what he had said, v. 11. & 12.

Isaiah 29:19

The meeke] an ordinary title of beleevers.

Isaiah 29:20

Is consumed] that is to say, there shall be none of them in the true mysticall Church, see Isaiah 28:14.

Isaiah 29:21

That make] namely, that suborne false Prophets, or induce true Prophets to falsifie Gods words Isaiah 30:10. For him] namely, for Gods true servants, which reprove them for their sins in places of publique assemblies where the Prophets used to come, er. 17. 19. & 19. 2, & Ams 5. 10.

Isaiah 29:22

Jacob] namely, the old Patriarch, who is brought in, rejoycing at the conversion of his posterity, in stead of the shame which he had suffered for their former evill life Shall not now] namely, after I have purged and re-established my Church.

Isaiah 29:23

The work of] namely, those that through my gac and Spirit have been reerated to newnesse of life, Psal. 100. 3. Ephes. 2. 10. Shall sanifie] namely, shall honour and doe reverence to it, as being most holy.

Isaiah 29:24

That murmured] namely, against God and his Prophets rebelling against them and contradicting them. A teme taken from the peoples frequent acts in the wildernesse.