Isaiah 59

Isaiah 59:1-8

In this chapter we have sin appearing exceeding sinful, and grace exceeding gracious; and as what is here said of the same’s sin, ver. 7, 8. is applied to the general corruption of mankind, Rom. iii. 19. is what is here said of a Redeemer, ver. 20. is applied to Christ, Rom. xi. 20. 1. The particular sins are influenced which they and things from God’s people, ver. 1—8. 2. They are told both what the judgments were which they had brought upon their own hands, ver. 9—11. and what the sins were that provided God to send these judgments, ver. 12—15. 3. It is here promised, that notwithstanding this, God would stand deliverance for them, purely for his own name’s sake, ver. 16—19. and would reserve mercy in store for, and entail it upon them, ver. 20, 21.

1. BEHOLD, the LORD’s hand is ’not shortened, that it cannot save: neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and ‘your sins have ’ hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3. For ‘your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, ‘your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverfeners. 4. ‘None calleth for justice, ’nor are pleadeth for truth: they truth in vanity, and speak lies; they ‘conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5. They hatch cokatrice-eggs, and weave the spider’s web; he that catchs of their eggs death, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6. ‘Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7. ‘Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, walting and destruction, or in their paths.

2. The way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their going: ’they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

They had complained before of God’s inattention to their failing, and prayers: God here farther convinces them that the fault was in themselves.

1. It was their sins, not want of power or grace in him, that occasioned the continuance of their afflictions. Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, he is the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever, length of time, or strength of loss, make no difference with him; neither it has ear heavy, that it cannot hear; his regard for, and attention to his people, is unchangeable, and they who cry to him in simplicity will find him ever near to answer and relieve them; if our prayers return not with a blessing, it is because we ask amity, or grow weary and faint in our minds. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Here is the grand obstacle, and this remaining, how can we hope to spend with him? Sc. P. lxxi. 18. Note, (1.) Though God may be really our God, yet by our perverfeners we may provoke him to withdraw; and for their sins he justly leaves his own people in katterers to lament his absence. (2.) Sin is the accorded thing that breeds all our forrows: oh that we saw it in its true colours, and hated it as it deserves! (3.) It is in vain for us to hope for an answer of peace to our prayers, whilst allowed iniquity vast off the intercourse between God and our souls.

2. God had charged them with sin in general, here a variety of particulars is allodged, fully vindicating the divine procedure against them.

[1.] Their hearts were desperately wicked; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, this is ever apprehended in their minds; they conceive mischief, as the embryo is formed in the womb, so in their hearts the purpose of sin ripens into act, and they bring forth iniquity. They hated cokatrice-eggs, and weave the spider’s web; their schemes are curiously formed, with much art and labour, and though they appear fair without, they are big with passion, and the most pernicious consequences. He that catchs of their eggs death; whoever accidentally embraces the false doctrines they brooch, or is induced to follow the evil practices they patronize, brings upon himself swift destruction: and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper; either the foot that occasionally treats in the way of such, is in danger of being flung, or the very attempt to croft them in dangerous, as exposing those who do it to their malignity and malfunction. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works. They who believe their lies will be fatally disappointed, and be left naked before the wrath of God; as will especially be the case of all who fit up their own works and duties as the ground of their acceptance with God, which can no more have for a robe of righteousness, than a spider’s web for a garment.

[2.] Out of the abundance of their heart, their mouth speaketh; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath muttered perverfeners; false and fraudulent in their dealings, backbiters and whisperers; or it may refer to the heretical tenets they broached and openly supported, to the great ruin of mens souls.

[3.] Their actions corresponded with their evil hearts: your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, either shed in passion, or under pretext of justice, or rather with the blood of martyrs, who, opposing their wicked ways, suffered for their fidelity. This left upon their confidence deep defilement, and cried for vengeance. Their feet run to evil, eager in the pursuit, and impatient to gratify their malice and revenge, they made haste to shed innocent blood: walting and destruction are in their paths; they spread defileations around them, running both body and soul, and their ways will conduct them at last to everlasting perdition.

[4.] All truth and justice is banished; none calleth for justice; the injured dare not complain, because power is with their oppressors, and none will interest themselves in their behalf, or for them righted: nor any pleadeth for truth, supposing the cause of oppressed innocence, or vindicating the truths of God from the errors and hereofes with which these wicked men have obscured and perverted them. They trust in vanity, deceive themselves as well as others with false confidences; or they trust in lies, hoping, by bold and confident assertions, to carry the cause against truth and justice. The way of peace they know not; how should they, when all their thoughts, words, and deeds, are opposite to God and godliness? and there is no judgment in their going, no justice in their dealings with men, no disarmament of the right way before God, no apprehension of their own danger: they have made them crooked paths, all their ways are perverse before God; whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace; no true peace of confidence, or build satisfaction, but misery, like their shadow, must attend them, and the wrath of God, present and eternal, abide upon them. Note, Many cry peace to their souls, whose ways inevitably tend to everlasting perdition.

9. Before Child Age. 1. Jan. viii. 12. 4. Dont. servi, 19. Jan. v. 14. Lun. iv. 14. 6. Pl. xvii. 2. 8. servii. 3. 4. Chap. servi., 14. Exch. vii. 18. 4. Chap. i. 4. 6. Pl. x. 2. 1. Mat. xii. 16. 1. Or is an concentrated ber a hive. 6. Pls., iv. 6.

10. ¶ Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: ‘we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10. * We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11. We roar all like bears, and * mourn fore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, for it is far off from us. 12. For our * transgressions are multiplied * before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: 13. In transgrefions and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and * uttering from the bears words of fasthood. 14. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15. Yes, truth falseth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Isaiah 59:9-15

Tho’ in general there appears to have been a grievous departure from God, yet in every age a few faithful are found, and they are here represented confessing and bewailing the prevailing sins and misery of their people.

1. Their misery was great under the power of their oppressors. No justice could be obtained from man, and God in righteous judgment refused to vindicate their quarrel and execute vengeance on their foes. Their expectations were grievously disappointed, they waited for light, but behold obscurity, for brightness, or brightness, some eminent interposition of God to rescue them from their afflictions, but we would in darkness, in this soft darkness, their troubles increasing rather than diminishing, and their hopes sinking fast into black despair, v. 9. Totally as a loss what way to dize is their courts, like blind men they groped for the wall; and, though they had God’s word, as a light shining in a dark place, they neglected or misunderstood it, so that in the noon-day they stumbled as in the night; they were ready to give up all for loss; in desolate places, dejected, and retiring to mournful solitudes to pour out their gnefs, or in families, where they had abundant means of grace, yet not quickened by them: others render the words, in impulsive, as dead men, their state desperate and irrecoverable as that of the dead, v. 10. under which calamities, bitter were their groaning, roaring as bears, or mourning as doves; they saw no prospect of deliverance, and God seemed to have utterly withdrawn from them his salvation, v. 11. Not, (1.) When power is in the hands of oppressors, little justice can be expected. (2.) They who hope for the light of God’s countenance, yet walk in the way of iniquity, must needs be disappointed. (3.) None so blind as those, who in the midst of gospel day, hate the light of truth: justly doth God leave them to the darkness they have chosen. (4.) Sinners are ever swinging to extremes, in prosperity secure, in adversity despairing. (5.) When the mourning of the sufferer is more for his sins than his calamities, there is then hope of relief.

L.

2. The faithful, who in the name of the people lament their suffering, confess their sins as the just cause of them: all the charges God had brought against them are acknowledged to be altogether righteous and true. Their transgressions were many, great, and aggravated, especially as a professing people; for which their consciences condemned them, and which it were folly to attempt concealing from God, v. 12. particularly in transgrefions and lying against the Lord, being false to their vows, and faithless in breaking their allegiance to him, or misrepresenting his truth, as now is done, by robbing the Redeemer of the givens of his godhead, and denying his notorious righteousness and atonement: and departing away from our God, from his commands, worship, and ordinances; speaking oppression and revolt, not merely rebels themselves, but daring to utter their treasonable designs against God’s honour and glory, in order to seduce others to join in their defection, and where they have power, oppressing those that are zealous to oppose their false doctrines and pernicious ways; conceiving and uttering from the heart words of fasthood, contriving how to propagate their errors, and esteem in maintaining them, v. 13. Justice had stated to exert herself, and truth was no longer regarded; by which all the bonds of civil society were dissolved; or it may respect the State of the decayed churches of general families, where the true doctrines of the gospel are generally exploded and trampled upon. Those who should be the first to let them maintained, are the chief apostates from them, whilst the few that remain true to the principles of free grace in Jesus Christ, are oppressed without redress, and find no advocate, and the door of admittion into the ministry shut against them, v. 14. So that truth falseth, yes, and he that departed from real zealous benefit a prey; when fasthood and iniquity are become fashionable, it is dangerous to be singularly faithful; it ruins a man’s interests in

the world, and exposes him to the persecution of his brethren, who cannot bear the reproof of his words and ways so opposed to their own; or it may be rendered, is reckoned a madman, treated as an entomolast, as melancholic, or disturbed in his senses, for such his conduct makes him appear to those, who, destitute of all zeal for God’s glory themselves, and only anxious about worldly advantage, regard others, who act on principles so utterly different, as fools or mad. And the Lord save it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment; he observed it, and was justly displeased at the abounding iniquity, peculiarly criminal in a people professing godliness.

16. ¶ And * he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore * his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17. For * he put on righteousness as a breath plate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for cloathing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. 18. * According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fory to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies, to the islands he will repay recompense. 19. So shall they tear the name of the LORD from the well, and his glory from the rising of the sun: when the enemy shall come in * like a flood, * the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20. ¶ And * the Redeemer shall come to * Zion, and * unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21. As for me, * this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words, which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

Isaiah 59:16-21

We have heard before how sin abounded, we see here how grace much more abounds.

1. God beheld their deplorable case with an eye of pity. He saw that there was no man, none, comparatively speaking, for some few, as appears, lamented their unhappy case, but in general, there was no man who cared to espouse the sinking cause of justice and truth, or laid to heart the evil of their ways; and wondered that there was no intercessor to stand in the gap, and plead, like Abraham for Sodom, if it were possible to avert the impending judgments. At this God is said to wonder; for, speaking after the manner of men, considering what means and mercies he had vouchsafed them, such a general apostasy was strange. Not, It is very bad with a nation, when her praying advocates cease, or are few; it is to be feared then destruction is near.

2. To save them from utter ruin, God is pleased graciously to interpose. Therefore his arm brought salvation to him; when they had no power nor resolution to help themselves, he magnified his Strength in their weakness, and by himself, and for his own glory, unfit to save them, which may be applied to the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon, but according to the following verses, more eminently refers to the great salvation of Jesus, who by his own arm vanquished the spiritual enemies of his people, and wrought out a complete salvation for them; and his righteousness is sustained him, his own divine righteousness was his support, and enabled him effectually to accomplish the redemption of his people; or his faithfulness to his promises, notwithstanding their provocations, engaged him to deliver them; for he put on righteousness as a breath-plate, being in his own person perfectly pure and holy, all the fiery darts of the enemy were repelled, and when the prince of the world came to tempt him, he found him invulnerable; or by his righteous procedure, in delivering his people, and destroying their enemies, he eminently secured his own honour and faithfulness; and an helmet of salvation upon his head, clad in that divine panoply, which renders him terrible to his foes, and most adorable and amiable in the eyes of his friends: and he put on the garments of vengeance for cloathing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak, zeal for his own glory, and his people’s cause, vengeance against his enemies and theirs, which now to the uttermost he resolves to execute. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fory to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies, to the islands he will repay recompense, a just retaliation for the wrongs they have committed against his people, and which will extend to all, even the most distant nation, that have any way oppressed or persecuted them. Not, (1.) Let not wicked men think with impunity to trample on the faithful, their day is coming, big with wrath and fury, the day of vengeance of our God. (2.) Let not the persecuted saints of God faint under their trials, their Lord is at hand, and he will assuredly save them to the uttermost.

3. The glory of God in this salvation shall be spread far and wide. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun: from east to west the knowledge

Before Child

In the first time, knowledge of the Redeemer’s work shall be spread, and God be magnified for his grace, who hath valued and renowned his people, and he will also continue to proceed and preserve them for ever. When the enemy shall come to him a fraud, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him; which some interpret of a flood of heresy and persecution, which under the reign of notchcraft shall break in upon the nations: others of the creation of the Turks and Tartars in the call, and the Goths and Vambals in the well; and it may more generally be applied to the floods of unguedness that the great enemy of mankind in every place is looking to raise, in order to overwhelm the cause of God and truth: but in vain, for the Lord will, in his appointed time, break the Mahomedian and Populi yoke, and by his Spirit, wherever the gospel is preached, such continually glorify his grace in the salvation of sinners from the power of sinner, and the dominion of sin.

2. This Salvation will most eminently be manifested in that day of the Redeemer’s appearing, when he shall take to him his great power and reign: and hereunto the apostle applies the words, Rom. xi. 25. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and save them that turn from transgression as Texas, from the Lord, when having gathered in the fulness of the Gentiles, his ancient people the Jews shall at last be converted to him, and turning from their long courts of transgression, and their inveterate rejection of the Messiah, they shall receive him, and enter into the common fold of the church, where all difficulties between Jews and Gentiles will cease. As for me, this is my command each them, for God hath not cast away his people, whom he foreknew, but there are covenant blessings still in force for them; my Spirit, which is upon thee, and my words, which I have put in my mouth, the Redeemer having received his message from his Father, and the Spirit without measure for the discharge of his office as Mediator, and in order to furnish his ministers and people out of his fulness unto the end of time, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feet, nor out of the mouth of thy feet’s feet, forth the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. God will have always a church, and maintain the ministry of his gospel in the world, and by his Spirit will confidently make it effectual to the conversion of many souls; and especially in the last days a more abundant out-pouring of this word and Spirit will be there, and the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. Note, (1.) The church of Christ is founded on a rock, against which the floods shall not prevail. (2.) It is by the ministry of the word that the church is maintained and preserved. (3.) The word is made effectual by the Spirit, which accompanies it to the heart, and Christ hath promised, in the power of his grace, to be with his ministers always, even to the end of the world. (4.) When the Spirit of God is pleased to convert the soul, his work is for ever; he will keep those whom he calls, and they shall never perish.