Isaiah 54

Isaiah 54:1-5

Chap. LAW

The death of Christ is the life of the church, and of all that truly belong to it; and therefore very fully, after the prophet had foretold the sufferings of Christ, he foretold the flourishing of the church, which is a part of his glory. Whatever reference this hath to the Jewish church, it is evident, Gal. iv. 26, 27. that it hath further to the church of Christ among the Gentiles. 1. God promises, that though the bad bitherto been in a state of undecided, he would, as an husband, grow her a numerous offspring, ver. 1—5. 2. That though sometimes he might form to withdraw from her, and suffered the taboo of his favour, yet he would return to mercy, and not contend with her any more, ver. 6—10. 3. That though for a while she was in jarrow, and under oppression, yet she should at length be advanced to greater honour and founder than ever, ver. 11, 12. 4. That knowledge, righteousness, and peace, should flourish and prevail, ver. 13, 14. 5. That all attempts against the church should be haffled, and she secured from the malice of her enemies, ver. 14—17.

1. SING, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for ‘more are the children of the desolate; than the children of the married wife, faith the LORD. 2. ‘Enlarge the place of thy tree, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy flakes. 3. For thou shalt break forth on the right hand, and on the left; and ’thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4. Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. 5. For ’thy maker is thine husband, (the LORD of hoffs is his name;) and ’thy redeemer the holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Jerusalem, during her captivity, like a widow bereaved of her children, lamented her sad desolation; but when God restored her palaces they were quickly repopled, and they soon, under the divine blessing, increased exceedingly. But this prophecy seems more particularly to relate to the gospel church, and the quotation the apostle makes, Gal. iv. 26. is the sure key for the interpretation of it. We have here,

1. The low estate of the church, signified by a barren woman, or one desolate, bereft of husband and children; which may fully represent her state when Christ came into the world, and till the day of Pentecost, when the Gentiles universally were in blindness; and among the Jews very few received the gospel he preached unto them.

2. The joy arising from the glorious increase which should be made to the church, by the preaching of the apostles, and in future times. More are the children of the desolate, the Gentiles, than the children of the married wife, in which relation the Jewish church had stood, and few of them, comparatively, believed. Enlarge the place of thy tree, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; the church of old being reduced within to small a compass, but now, by the accordion of the Gentile converts, it spreads on every side; therefore, spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy flakes; where the same image of a tent, to which the church is compared before, is contained, and the ministers are especially called upon to spare on labour or pains, but to spread abroad the gospel, and confirm the disciples, that they may grow stronger in faith, as they grow more numerous, and God promises abundantly to bless their labours, v. 3. Nate, (1.) It is a matter of great joy to every true member of Christ, to see his kingdom flourish, and his gospel preached. (2.) They who enjoy fewer means and ordinances, are yet often seen to exceed others in their growth in grace, who possess much greater privileges. (3.) It will be the labour of every faithful soul, to lengthen the cords, and strengthen the flakes, to spread the knowledge of Christ, and build up each other on their most holy faith.

3. The Lord encourages his church against all fear and shame. Unlikely as such a work appeared, the may trust God’s promise, and wait confidently the accomplishment. For thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, &c. when her members were low, and none of the wise and noble embraced the gospel; but quickly the scene was changed, when the Roman empire became Christian, and men of all ranks embraced the religion of Jesus.

4. The blessed author of this happy change is Christ, the Maker, Husband, and Redeemer of his church; for in these glorious and endeared relations he stands, able to the uttermost to protect and preserve her, as the Lord of hoffs; faithful to his promises, as the holy One of Israel; and having universal

domination, as the God of the whole earth, to enlarge her borders according to the council of his own will. Nate, (1.) There is a union between Christ and believing souls nearer than that between husband and wife: they indeed are one body, but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. (2.) If our Maker be our husband, then we are deeply bound in love and duty to approve our fidelity to him. (3.) Our Redeemer is mighty, and the more firmly we trust him, the more surely we shall stand.

6. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou waft refused, faith thy God. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the LORD thy Redeemer. 9. For this is at the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

Isaiah 54:6-10

We have here, comfort promised to the disconsolate church of God.

1. She is represented by a woman forsaken of her husband, either dead, or divorced by him, and grieved at parting; and as a wife of youth refused, which made the separation more painful. And this seems to regard the flame of the church, when, at the beginning, Christ was taken away by death, and the disciples were so disconsolate: or it describes the defects which ensued on the first publishing of the gospel, when so many of the preachers and prophecies were cut off by the sword of perfection, which is signified by the little wrath, saving words, as the word means, v. 8. when God’s face was hid, and for a small moment he seemed to foresee his people, v. 7. Nate, (1.) A child of God may be at times in great bitterness of soul, under the sense of his displeasure. (2.) Whatever we feel of chastisement, we must own it little, in comparison of what we have deserved. (3.) We must not be discouraged under present afflictions, however Sharp; they are but for a moment; a little faith and patience will bring us through them.

2. God promises a gracious return of mercy. With great mercies will I gather thee, from the dispersion during the perfections, as was fulfilled in the days of Constantine, when the prophecies of Christianity was established peaceably throughout the Roman empire. Yes, With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer; for all his dispositions, however dark for a season they may appear, are perfectly consistent with his everlasting love towards his people: and because of the relation he stands in towards them as their Redeemer, he will not suffer any of his chosen to perish. Nate, (1.) It is purely of the Lord’s mercies we are not continued, and not for any desert in us. (2.) Nothing can be a more reviving consideration to the dejected heart, than that God’s kindness is everlasting; and though he may cash us down with affliction, he will not cast us off in displeasure. (3.) Our present sufferings, however severe, are, comparatively with what we deserve, light and momentary; but they will be succeeded with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

3. To confirm the faith of his people in the unmetability of his counsel of peace with them, and the perpetuity of his regard, he confirms it by an oath. As he engaged to Noah, that the waters should never again deluge the earth, so hath he sworn to his people, that he will never in wrath rebuke them, so as to cast them off utterly, or renounce his relation to them, v. 9. and sooner shall the mountains that lift their tumultions to the skies be removed, or all the mightiest monarchies of the earth, prefigured by these, be dissolved, than his kindness depart, or his covenant of peace fail: yea, when these mountains are departed, the hills fled, and all created nature sunk in ruins, still the everlasting covenant of peace shall stand, faith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. As it springs from the mercy of God, not the meries of man, the fulfilment of it is sure for ever, for he changeth not.

4. O thou afflicted, toffed with tempels, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with fapphies. 12. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. 13. And all thy children shall be caught of the LORD, and great shall be the peace of thy children. 14. In righteousness shall thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee. 15. Behold, they shall

Isaiah 54:9-22

1. a Pl. caie. 1a. 2. Ov. caie me. a Job vii. 11. de a. 1. a Doer. 10. p. Chap. liv. 3. 6. Hah. Lev. nd my loul from the pit. a Pl. xxxii. 6. a Chow chi. 11. Me. vii 10. a Pl. vii. 6. de aci. 9. a Inven. 11. de cor. 12. a Recial. 10. 10. a Pl. Inven. 6. a. a Pl. xxxii. 6. a Kings 10. 1. a Judy 11. a Pl. chi. 6. a Inven. 9. de maili. 1.

2. ¶ The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness. 10. I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 11. I said, ‘I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12. Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a Shepherd’s tent: ‘I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off 5 with pining sickness: from day ever to night will thou make an end of me. 13. I reckoned till morning, that as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day ever to night will thou make an end of me. 14. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: ‘I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fall with looking upward; ‘O LORD, I am oppressed, I undertake for me: 15. What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go to doily all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16. O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so will thou recover me, and make me to live. 17. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast so in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. 18. For the grave can not praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 20. The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments: ‘all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. 21. For Isaiah had said, ‘Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the land, and he shall recover. 22. Hezekiah also had said, ‘What is the sign, that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

In grateful acknowledgment of the divine mercy shown him in his recovery, Hezekiah composed this sacred thanksgiving; and such memorials are not only profitable to keep alive our own gratitude, but stand as monuments of God’s mercy, and an encouragement to trust him for future generations. We have here,

1. The desperateness of his case. I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave; though in the prime of life, he saw the gates of the grave open to receive him: I am deprived of the residue of my years, which, in the course of nature, he might have expected to have lived; but his grief was more than he was removed in the midst of his childhood, than in the midst of his days. I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living; no more frequent the courts of his house, and join in the ordinances of his worthy, encouraging by his example the piety of his people. I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world, or time, and be no longer able to serve the interests of God among his subjects, or be the instrument of advancing their reformation and happiness; and also no more enjoy the company of those near and dear to him, with whom, in the house of God, he used to hold heart communion. Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a Shepherd’s tent, or my habitation; the tabernacle of his body, ready to return to dust, as the Shepherd’s tent, is quickly and easily removed. I have cut off like a weaver my life, who, when his piece is finished, cuts it out of the loom; and his fine might be regarded by him as the cause of his days being shortened. He will cut me off with pining sickness, or, from the thrum, alluding to the metaphor of the weaver, and acknowledging the hand of God in the affliction, in whose hands are life and death. I reckoned till morning, or, set my time till morning, concluding it impossible longer to survive; that as a lion, so will he, or it, break all my bones; the Lord’s afflicting hand, or his disease, the pains of which were as acute as if he had been torn and gnawed by a lion. From day even to night with thou make an end of me; though beyond expectation he saw the light of another day, he had no hopes of seeing a third. Note (1). When we are in distress, we are too apt to sink into despondence. (2) A solicitude for God’s glory, and his interest among men, is the only truly laudable motive that can make a good man prefer abidance in the body to a departure to his Lord. (3) The gates of the grave stand open day and night; it becomes us frequently to think of passing through them. (4) Our most settled abode here is but as a poor Shepherd’s tent, and our passage through time swells as the weaver’s shuttles: it should therefore awaken our solicitude to secure a more durable manhood, that when the days of time are cut off, we may be enabled with joy to step forward into eternity.

2. His fervent prayer in his distress. Like a crane or a fowl-

leon, so did I chatter; sometimes aloud, in extremity of pain, sometimes low, worn out with anguish, or so interrupted and broken with his prayers, through the torment he endured. I did mourn as a dove, bemanning himself over his transgressions: mine eyes fall with looking upward; ready to close to death, despairing of relief. O Lord, I am oppressed, or, it oppresseth me, my disease: undertake for me, to pluck me from the bars of the pit; or it may be rendered, I have no righteousness; be surety for me, as containing his humble confession, and his dependence for pardoning grace on that Redeemer, who, in the fulness of time, should be his people’s surety. Note, (1) Nothing can make a dying bed easy, but confidence in the fullest of our divine surety to undertake for us in the great day. (2) Till our eyes are closed, our lips ought not to be silent; yea, when our tongue can no longer perform its effect, to this dear Redeemer should our soul aspire, till we breathe it forth into his bosom.

3. His grateful acknowledgments. What shall I say? where words are wanting to express the gratitude I feel. He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: sure in every word of his promise, and now by experience he can bear testimony thereto. I will go soily all my years to the bitterness of my soul; meditating upon the mercies received, and ashamed of his own sinful distrust. Or rather, I will go cheerfully all my years, after the bitterness of my soul; the thrum blown over, peace and prosperity shall crown all the years God doth prolong. O Lord, by these things men live; by the word of divine promise, and the gracious providence of God: and in all these things is the life of my spirit; the power, providence, and grace of God appearing thus wonderfully for him, grace renewed life to his soul as well as his body, killing him with faith, and love, and joy. He instances several particulars that call for especial praise:

(1) His recovery: So will thou recover me, and made me to live; or, so hast thou recovered me, and made me to live; and every new life bestowed justly calls on us to ascent the gracious giver.

(2) The pleasing contrast of ease for pain, health for sickness. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: or, as it may be rendered, behold, into peace hath he changed my great bitterness.

(3) The love of God here in his case made the mercy unspeakably sweetest, and more endeared to him. Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, the grave: we, with tender love thou hast embraced my soul from the pit of corruption; snatching me from it, as a tender parent, when I was rushing into the horrible pit. Now, Health reduced to doubly pleasing, when we can see it in love to our souls.

(4) His sins pardoned, fully, freely, for ever: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. And herein every redeemed soul is called upon to join the thanksgiving of this pious king; for, (1) Our souls and bodies, by reason of sinological and actual, in heart and life, are forfeited, and ready to fall into the bottomless pit of eternal provision. (2) The transcendently rich and gracious love of God in Christ Jesus hath interposed to pluck us from ruin, and to this alone we are unblessed. (3) Whom God loves in Christ, he pardons; and not only forgives, but forgets their provocations, he they never to great, numerous, or aggravated. (4) All the bitterness which a single of guilt and danger awakens in the conscience, God’s love removes, and fills the soul, O blessed change I with joy and peace in believing. (5) The souls thus rescued shall never tuile of death; the pit of corruption is for ever shut, and the golden gates of life and immortality unfolded.

4. His resolution to continue himself, and excite others to join him, in this confluent and delightful work of praise. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: silence there reigns; no grateful songs aseued from the dust, and no more service can be rendered to God’s interests here before, by those who are departed. They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth; there God can be no longer glorified by faith or hope in his promises; but the living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: those whose bodily lives are through mercy renewed, and their souls spiritually alive also, these would join him in God’s praise. The father to the children shall make known thy truth; transmitting to posterity the memorial of God’s faithfulness, to encourage their trust, and awaken their gratitude. The Lord was ready to save me; instant as I called, relief appeared: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life; I, and all the faithful rejoicing in my mercies, will render the childish culture of our songs to the house of the Lord. Note, (1) Since in the grave we can no more glorify God, what now our hand throats to do for him, let us do it with our might. (2) Who shall praise him, if they do not, who have been recovered from going down to the pit? (3) Whilst life and breath endure, in long should our praises fall, and then we shall go where they will never end. (4) Godly parents will not fail to transmit to their children the memorial of their fathers mercies, and to encourage them to trust the same promises which themselves have proved so faithful.

5. At the close of this history it is remarked, as in a Kings xx. 7, 8. that the sign, v. 8. was given at Hezekiah’s request.

an.1 Babam Christ 14a. a b c 7. a b c 7. b 7.

Babylons and a lump of figs, at Balaiah’s command, laid on the half, either as a means to procure his recovery, or as a sign to affirm him of it. Note, (1.) Though in Sickards our dependance must not be on the medicines, yet we are to truth God in the use of means. (2.) The great comfort of health is ability to attend on God’s worship, and be employed actively in his service; and this is the great end for which a good man wishes to live.

Isaiah 54:11-17

Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou city of God! We have,

1. The church in dithers. O thou afflicted, with periccupations without, and heretical teachers within: or, O thou abiding! for of the poor the church ever chiefly crucified, and railed with tempests, as a feeble bark, ready to be swallowed up in the thorny billows; and not conferred; he kind friend to support, no magistrate to protect her from oppression, as was the safe under the pagan emperors, and is still under the papal tyranny; but God will be his people’s everlasting friend, and never leave nor forsake them. Therefore,

2. He engages to raile up his church, a glorious church, and set it above the enmity of every loc.

[1]. He will raile it up a glorious church. The foundations, parentees, windows, gates, shall be of the most precious jewels, emblematic of Christ, and the gifts and graces of his Spirit, which should be abundantly dispensed, compared with which, all the splendor of this world’s brightest gems vanishes, as the stars before the rising sun. Particularly, 1. Divine wisdom shall be plentifully dispensed. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; not only by the word and the ministry, but by the illumination of the Spirit of truth, who shall lead them into all truth, opening their understanding, and giving them that experimental knowledge of Jesus and his salvation, which no other teacher can communicate to the soul. 2. Abundance of peace shall be disliked. Great shall be the peace of thy children; internal peace of conscience from a taste of God’s love, external peace and harmony among the faithful, when, loving each other out of a pure heart fervently, all constations and disputes shall be for ever banished. 3. In righteousness shall thou be established; in the doctrine of julkification by the righteousness of Jesus, and in the practice of business, the inflicted fear and effect of it, which is the great ornament and support of the church, and without which it must quickly decay.

[2]. No for shall be able to prevail against her; God will defend her. 1. From all fear and terror. Then shall be for from oppression, for then shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee. However great the fury and threatening of the oppressors, God will not only restrain their violence, but keep the minds of his people in perfect peace, whilst stayed upon him; and a great mercy it is to be delivered from the power of worsening fear. 2. Every attempt made against them should end in the destruction of their enemies. Behold, they shall surely gather together: the enmity of Satan and the world is unpleasible against the saints, and they will seek to trouble their people: but not by me; as they have God against them, their designs must prove abortive. Whatever shall gather together against them, shall fall for thy sake; he may never be mighty or insane, they will only on their own rails; God in love to his people will call them down. 3. As all the power which wicked men possess comes from God, he can, whenever he pleades, restrain the exercise of it. If the death forgo, the military weapons, or the wailer employs them to destitute, they are both the creatures of God, raised up by his possessions, and subject to his over-ruling power; and therefore whatever desolations they are permitted to work in the earth, they shall be restrained from hurting God’s people. No weapon that is found against the shall proper; all the secret contrivances, as well as the second opposition against God’s church, shall be disappointed. 4. Every accusation shall be refuted, to the confusion of the accuser. Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, either fleeting or calumnism and blacken their character, to misrepresent them to the civil magistrate, to claim authority over men’s confederates, or to lay to their charge their sins at God’s bar, for which, according to the law, they must be cast and punished, thus shall condemn, having a full answer to every accusation. In Christ the law is satisfied; by well-doing, the malicious inflammation of foolish men will be put to silence, and God, as shall in the great day, will make our righteousness appear, in the light, condemn the enemy and avenger, and give a version for his people against every accuser.

[3]. All these invaluable privileges are the heritage of the Jesus of the Lord. It is as sure to them as the others that are not to be their; and you only have the duty to be in the protection of the people and the people, but look for an independent interest, and understand, that should not mean, attempt for them to happen; and their duty to it is clear and acknowledged, for they understand it is of our faith the Lord; a simple right to the right, that can justify them from every charge, and standing in

this before the throne of judgment, God will vindicate their cause and character, and give them the reward of the purchased possession, which their dislike and glenbachs favour hath obtained for them.