Isaiah 41

Isaiah 41:1-14

1. Or when the report comes to Egypt, they shall, do; Genial, v. 7. 1. 16th. To palate. 2. 16th. Or die, I trust site, 1. 3. 16th. Canton, Gen. v. 15. v. 16th. 1. 1. Or shall bring. 2. Vers. 1. Arch. exff. 15. Before Chord 715.

Tyre was a city in Phoenicia, of great antiquity, and the grand mart of trade for all the commodities of the East and West. It stood on an island, about half a mile from the sea, strongly fortified by art and nature, and deemed impregnable: but when God hath a controversy with any people, their strength is weakneft. We have here,

1. Her prosperity. She was a mart of nations, enriched by the traffic of all people, whose merchants reported thither; at first by a colony from Eidon, a few leagues distant from Tyre, and therefore called her daughter, v. 12: though soon eclipsing her mother city. Thither the products of Egypt were carried, and her revenue increased with the harvest, which they river Shor, or Nile, by overflowing, produced, v. 5. A city full of wealth, and, as the sad effect of it, grown proud and haughty, v. 9. A joyous city, where pleasure as well as hailness abounded; and sitting as a queen on the seas, her seat of empire seemed established for ever: her citizens great as princes, and her merchants among the honourable of the earth, v. 8. Nate, The ships which plow the main produce a larger harvest to a land, than the plough which breaks the foil.

2. Her fall by Nebuchadnezzar, after a siege of thirteen years; and then when it could hold out no longer, the inhabitants dropped the place of every thing valuable, and failed away, leaving little but empty houses, and a naked rock. The ships of Tarthifh, which some suppose Tarteffin, in Spain, and others Tarfus, in Cilicia, or more generally the ships of the Sea of all nations, are called upon to bowl over her desiccations: no house being left standing by the conqueror, nor is there any more entering into the port, her traffic being utterly ruined, v. 1. From the land of Chittim it is revealed to them, the Tyrians are informed of the preparations made against them by the Babylonians; or there is no entering in from the land of Chittim, the merchants of Greece and Italy can no longer carry on their trade thither: it is revealed to them that Tyre is destroyed. In mournful silence the inhabitants would sit astonished at their overthrow, v. 2. and Zidon her neighbors, and nearly connected with her, be ashamed, having placed such confidence in Tyre, that it could not be taken; but the waves of the sea carry the tidings, and this proud city, late the strength of the sea, so fortified and strengthened by it, bemoans her desiccations; no longer full of inhabitants, and sending out her colonies to distant parts, but now a widow, bereaved of her children, v. 4. Not Egypt’s fall, though so potent a kingdom, would spread a greater terror, v. 5. or, as the words may be rendered, when the report cannot be the Egyptians, they will be in pain at the report of Tyre, trembling for themselves, when this bulwark between them and the Chaldeans is fallen. Hailing now to forsake the place, the inhabitants are enjoined to embark for Tarthifh, and her man for shall carry her away; those that should be seized by the conqueror, would be led into captivity; or this may signify her ships, whose oars and mariners would serve her instead of feet to escape, v. 7. Swift as a river the merchants of Tarthifh, who were at Tyre, or the people so called, are urged to haften away; because the place is no longer defensible, and is ready to fall, v. 10. Thus for a season her joy should be silenced. The oppressed virgin, the daughter of Zidon, that had never been conquered before, must pass over to the silos of Chittim, Greece or Italy; or the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily, where colonies of the Tyrians were planted; and yet even there thus shall have no rest, these countries being doomed to fall under the yoke of their enemies. Nate, (1.) When God purifies, there is no flying from our misery. (2.) They who think themselves most secure, feel the heavier anguish in their falls.

3. If it be asked, who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, v. 8. the answer is, one that is fully able to execute his designs, the Lord of Hults, who would abate their pride, and stain all human glory; that others, warned by their fall, might be admonished of the vanity of every temporal profession, and the folly of being proud, and trusting on that which can prove so little in the day of wrath. As he did of old, when Egypt was smitten under his mighty hand, v. 11. so hath he now given commandment to the destroyer, and is pleased to use the Chaldean sword. Though this people were not of note and figure till the Affarian founded it for them that dwelt in the wilderness, who drove out the original inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and translated thither the Chaldeans, who before dwelt scattered in the wilderness; they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palace of Babylon, greatly augmenting and fortifying it; he brought it, or he shall bring it, to ruin; these Chaldeans shall be instruments to execute the divine judgments.

1 Jer. xviii, 10. Nate, It shall be upon Tyre, as the king of an harlot.

15. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten “sevenly years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. 16. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hath been forgotten, made sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayst be remembered. 17. ¶ And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre,

and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. 18. And her merchandise, and her hire, “shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Isaiah 41:15-18

The desiccations of Tyre are not designed to be perpetual.

1. Seventy years are appointed for the term of her captivity, as of the Jews, during the days of one king, or kingdoms, for so long Nebuchadnezzar and his family reigned before Babylon was taken: and on the conquests by two males, there, among other captive nations, were permitted to retestle in their own country.

2. On their return, Tyre is represented under the character of a harlot, returning from confinement, or recovering from sickness, when all her paramount had forsaken her; and returning all her former arts to recover her trade, and to engage the return of her merchants, as a harlot with the harp, by her voice and music seeks to draw in her lovers, and enrich herself by the wages of her fornication: and so far she would succeed, as to become again a general mart, and to increase her wealth, as in her former days of prosperity. Nate, (1.) This world’s wealth carries a harlot’s misery, and one often seduces the heart into spiritual whoredom. (2.) Though our case be reduced never so low, we need not despair: when God will turn our captivity, he can bring back our lost prosperity.

3. A better state than that of her worldly prosperity closes the prophecy. In the days of the Messiah her gains should be employed in the service of his kingdom, to support the preachers of his gospel, and be consecrated to his glory, v. 18. which was fulfilled, Acts xxi. 3. when we find Christianity planted there, and according to the custom of the primitive church, 1 Cor. xv. 1. no doubt these being rich, contributed liberally to the necessities of the saints. Some suppose from their acquaintance with the Jews in Babylon, and their prophets, they contracted a veneration for their God, and his worship; and on their return sent liberal presents to the temple, but the former sense seems preferable. Nate, (1.) If God gives abundance, it becomes then a blessing, when he gives us withal a desire to employ it to his glory. (2.) The ministers of the Sanctuary have a just claim to a liberal maintenance, and they who honour the master they serve, will be happy to support his ministers for his sake. (3.) They who devote themselves to God’s work, must desire no great things in this world; if they have sufficient bread, and durable clothing, they want not niceties and elegance.