Isaiah 59

— the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee.] Those foreign nations, which are severed from thee by diverse seas. Bp. Hall.

Isaiah 59:7

7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister &c.] “Kedar” and “Nebaioth” were sons of Ishmael settled in Arabia: “Ephah” was a son of Mithan, Gen. xxv. 4. These people abounded in camels, and such beasts of burden, and their substance chiefly consisted in cattle. W. Lowth. What is said of the animals’ ministering and going up, Vitringa understands as implying, that they shall offer themselves voluntarily; which gives a very elegant and poetical turn to the image: it being a general notion that prevailed with sacrifices among the heathen, that the victim’s being brought without reluctance to the altar was a good omen; and the contrary a bad one. Bp. Lowth.

8. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? A flock of birds resembles a dark cloud. W. Lowth. The Prophet speaks of men’s ready submission to the Gospel, and the great number of those that should come in upon the preaching of it. Abp. Tillotson. He alludes to the rapidity with which doves return to their habitations; considering also the purity and innocence of this bird, to what can

the elect of God be better compared, or the Church, than to the dove-cote? This is the force of the word translated “window.” The Holy Spirit frequently uses this emblem; see Ps. lxviii. 13; Hos. xi. 11. Vitringa.

Isaiah 59:9

9. Surely the isles shall wait for me, &c.] By “the isles” are meant the heathen nations: and their “waiting for” Christ expresses that readiness, with which they entertained the Gospel when first preached to them, as if they had been long in expectation of it. So Christ is said to be “the desire of all nations,” Hag. ii. 7. Wogan.

Isaiah 59:13

13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, &c.] This expression denotes that all the cedars and other choice trees of Lebanon should contribute to the rebuilding and beautifying of God’s temple; which implies in a spiritual sense, that every thing should tend to adore and render perfect the Church; which is called the house and building of God, 1 Tim. iii. 15; 1 Cor. iii. 9. W. Lowth.

— I will make the place of my feet glorious.] The temple of Jerusalem was called the house of God, and the place of his rest or residence. His visible symbolical appearance, called by the Jews the Shechinah, was in the most holy place, between the wings of the cherubim above the ark. This was considered as the throne of God; and the ark itself as his footstool: see Ps. xcix. 5; 1 Chron. xxviii. 2. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 59:14

14. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; &c.] See notes on chap. xlv. 14; xlix. 23.

The church’s blessings after affliction. CHAP. LX, LXI. The office of Christ. eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

Isaiah 59:17

17. For brass I will bring gold, &c.] As it is said of Solomon’s times, that gold and silver were so plentiful, that there was no use of inferiour metals, 1 Kings x. 21. 27; so, in pursuance of the same metaphor, the New Jerusalem is described. Rev. xxi. 18, as made of “pure gold.” The Prophet adds here, that in those happy days, that golden age, as we say commonly, the very officers of the publick revenues, and collectors of taxes, (a sort of men generally blamed as guilty of exaction and oppression, see Luke ii. 13,) shall be lovers of peace, and observers of justice. He goes on to describe complete security from all sort of violence, &c.; and, ver. 21, we read, “Thy people also shall be all righteous;” such characters can belong only to the New Jerusalem: (W. Lowth.) the description of which, Rev. xxi. 23, &c. is entirely taken from this chapter of Isaiah. Jos. Mede.

Isaiah 59:22

22. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.] The evangelical Prophet is very particular throughout this chapter in describing the sudden and mighty increase of Christianity, its triumphant progress through all nations, and its prevalence over all the other religions of the world; and this wonderful enlargement of it he takes occasion here to represent as so much the more admirable, on account of the small appearance it should make at first, and the slender and unpromising beginnings with which it should set out. Bp. Atterbury. It is well known, by the instrumentality of how incompetent persons, a few fishermen, of no authority, address, or education, and in how short a compass of time, this great revolution, the greatest that ever was in the religious world, was effected. In about forty years the Gospel was preached in almost every region of the world then known: this speedy propagation of it could never have been effected by persons so unequal to the task, had not the same Divine Spirit, who foretold it, assisted them in it, ac-

cording to the promise here given, “I the Lord will hasten it in his time.” Bp. Newton.

We see the truth of this prediction in the event. The Church, which was confined to a small spot, the land of Israel, is now become catholic, or universal, and in some measure hath “filled the whole earth,” Dan. ii. 35, so that “a little one is become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.” But still this prophecy will not receive its final completion till the coming of that glorious kingdom, which we daily pray may come; when the will of our heavenly Father shall be done upon earth, as it is now in heaven. And O! let all who look for these things, pray, that the Lord may “hasten it in his time;” and with “the Spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst, come. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly,” Rev. xxii. 17. 20. Wogan.

Chap. LXI. ver. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; &c.] That these words are meant of Christ, He Himself declared; when, having read them in the synagogue at Nazareth, He said to those who heard them, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears:” see Luke iv. 21. Bp. Beveridge.

— the Lord hath anointed me] See note on chap. xlv. 1.

— to preach good tidings unto the meek;] Or, “to the poor,” as the word is rendered by the Septuagint, whom the Evangelists follow. W. Lowth. See notes on chap. xi. 4; xxvi. 6.

This preaching to the poor was very different from the way of the Jewish doctors and teachers; they would scarce instruct any one but for great reward; the poorer sort they had in great contempt: see John vii. 48, 49. Abp. Tillotson.

— to proclaim liberty to the captives, &c.] The proclaiming of liberty to them that are bound, and the year

The forwardness, and blessings of the faithful. Before CHRIST about 608. b Chap. 58. 12.