Isaiah 66

Isaiah 66:1-4

The first verse of this chapter is applied by Stephen to the disheartening of the temple by the planting of the Christian church, Acts vii. 4. 5. 6. which may serve as a key to the whole. We have here, 1. The contempt God puts upon ceremonial services, in comparison with moral duties, and an intimation therein of his purpose, that is put on and as them, ver. 1—4. 2. The Salvation God will in due time work for his people, out of the hands of their oppressors, ver. 5. Speaking never to the persecutors, ver. 6. and comfort to the persecutors, a speedy and complete deliverance, ver. 7—9. a joyful settlement, ver. 10. 11. the aversion of the Gentiles to them, and abundance of satisfaction therein, ver. 12—14. 3. The terrible vengeance which God will bring upon the enemies of his church and people, ver. 15—18. 4. The happy establishment of the church upon large and pure foundations, its uniform attendance on God, and triumph over its enemies, ver. 19—24. And we may well expect that this evangelical prophet, here in the close of his prophecy, would (as he did) ask as far forward as to the latter days, to the best day, to the days of eternity.

1. THUS saith the LORD, ’ The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my foothold: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2. For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but ’ to this man will I look, even ’ to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, ’ and trembleth at my word. 3. ’ He that killeth an ox, is at of he few man: he that sacrificeth a lamb, at if he ’ cut off dog’s neck: he that offereth an oblation, at if he offered fume’s blood: he that burneth incense, at if he blessed an idol: yea, they have choled their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. 4. I also will choose their § oblations, and will bring these fears upon them; ’ because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

The grand delusion of the Jewish people was the confidence they placed in their outward privileges and ritual services, their temple and sacrifices. The audiences there herein, the prophets and evangelists warn them of the vanity of these things, and that the temple they so highly prized, would soon be reared from its foundations, as is was by the Chaldeans, and more entirely afterwards by the Romans.

1. The prophet rebukes their mean and unworthy notions of God, as if confined to the temple they had boals, whom heaven, and the hearts of heavens cannot contain. They saith the Lord, Heaven is my throne, where most transcendently he displays the infinite brightness of his glory; and the earth is my foothold, subject to his government, and at his disposal. Where is the house that ye build unto me? what can contain his immensity, or be worthy of his dignity, who is excited about all blessing

Blessed Christ bleeding and praise; and where is the place of my right? who needs no repose, and can take no satisfaction in the wretched fabrics of puny mortals: for all those things hath mine hands made; heaven and earth, and the inhabitants of both: and all those things have been, or are, faith the Lord; were created by his power, and fuddh by his providence: how impossible therefore for this eternal Creator of all to need a temple made with hands, or this omnipresent Deity to be circumscribed within these narrow bounds!

2. The temple he delights in is not that which consists of hewn, thorns, and cedars overlaid with gold; a far nobler mansion he hath formed for himself. To this man will I look, even to him that is pure and of a contrite spirit, and tremblest at my word; which some interpret of Christ, in whom dwell all the fulness of the godhead bodily; but more generally may be applied to every believer, who is an habitation of God through the Spirit, and whose character is here delineated; pure in his own eyes, forcible of his abject spiritual wants and wretchedness, of a contrite heart, broken with conviction of his guilt and danger; and tremblest at my word, with that reverence and godly fear which hath inspires; such a heart is the living temple of the Deity.

3. Their sacrifices are rejected, abolished, abhorred: they were ever detestable, when offered by those whose ways were wickedness; but now to persist in them, and depend upon them for acceptance with God, when the one great sacrifice once offered put a period to the ritual service, was utterly abominable. Murder, idolatry, and the most unclean and forbidden sacrifices, as the offering of a dog, or the blood of swine, were not more highly criminal, and abhorred of God, nor would be attended with deeper and more condign punishment, than the continuance of their incense and oblations, which was now in effect to temple under foot the blood of the Son of God, to reject his gospel, and do despite to the spirit of grace. Note, Many think they take great pains to save their fouls by their duties and services, and will not be persuaded, that their truth in these only brings upon them more sure destruction.

4. God gives them up to their own inventions, and woe to that God whom he abandons! Yes, they have cholen their own away; clearing to the law for righteousness, they willfully and obstinately rejected Christ and his salvation; and their soul delighteth in their abominations; they are pleased with their own heavens, and flatter themselves God approves them, when he said he abhors them. Therefore, says he, I also will choose their abhoshes, giving them up to their own deceived hearts; and will bring their fears upon them; the calamities they dreaded, especially the horrible devastations of the Romans, who they marred would take away their place and nation. John xi. 28. which, which they crucified the Redeemer to prevent, they thereby most effectually drew upon their heads the judgments which they sought to avoid: because when I called, mine did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear; dead to the preaching of Christ and his avolition, they hardened their hearts in unbelief and impenitence. But they did end before mine eyes; reviling, blaspheming, perfecturing, and at last murdering the Lord Jesus, and utterly rejecting his gospel; and chose that in which I delighted not; not only the ways of wickedness and sin, but the false confidences of a legal righteousness, and the vain interpretations of real tradition. Note, (1.) They who are deaf to God’s warnings, will be made to feel his wrath. (2.) Willful rejection of the light is justly punished by God’s leaving a sinner to the delusions he hath chosen, and giving him up to a reprobate mind. (3.) Nothing more is needed to kindle up a hell within sinners hearts, even on this side the grave, than to bring their own fears upon them.

5. ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ‘ye that tremble at his word, your brethren that haunt you,’ that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be allumed. 6. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendeth recompense to his enemies. 7. Before she travailed, she brought forth: before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. 8. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? faith the LORD’s shall I cause to bring forth, and shall she wreck? faith thy God. 10. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that crowns for her: 11. That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her confessions: that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12. For thou faith the LORD, should, ‘I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: Then shall ‘ye

suck, ye shall ‘be born upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13. As one whom his mother comforteth, so ‘will I comfort you: and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14. And when ye see this, ‘your heart shall rejoice, and ‘your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known towards his servants, and his indignation towards his enemies.

Isaiah 66:5-14

The prophet turns from the disobedient, against whom God’s judgments were denounced, to those who trembled at his word, and encourages the humble and contrite with the assurances of God’s regual, and his blessing upon them.

1. God will appear to vindicate them against their persecutors. Your brethren that haunt me, that call you out for my name’s sake; as the Jews did the apostles and disciples of Christ, tho’ their brethren, excommunicated them from their synagogues, and were their bitterest and most unpleasible enemies, stirring up the Gentiles against them in every place; saying, Let the Lord be glorified; pretending zeal for his blemour, and many really thinking, that he who killed them did God service: but he shall appear to your joy, supporting and strengthening them against all opposition, giving success to their labours, and comforting them in all their tribulation: and they shall be ashamed; all their devices baffled, the gospel spreading, in spite of their opposition, and speedy destruction hailening upon their own heads. Note, (1.) A Christian’s bitterest foes are often those of his own house. (2.) Church rulers have been in general the chief persecutors, and cover with the fair pretext of zeal for religion, the enmity of their hearts against those more faithful ministers, whose boldness, diligence, and exemplary lives reproach their fools, negligence, and carnality. (3.) They who suffer for their fidelity, shall find the comforts of God an abundant support and recompense.

2. Heavy will be the vengeance of God on their enemies, v. 6. A voice of noise from the city, the throats of the wounded, the grans of the dying, and the throats of the conquerors: a voice from the temple, of lamentation, when set on fire by the Romans; or that which Josephus reports was heard in the temple shortly before its destruction, when the doors flow open of their own accord, and a voice issued from the holy place, crying, Let us depart hence. A voice of the Lord that rendeth recompense to his enemies, by whose direction and order all these judgments came upon them.

3. To the wonder and joy of his people, and, the confusion and astonishment of his enemies, God will enlarge and establish his church in the earth, v. 7—8. Before she travelled, she brought forth: before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. The church of Christ is represented as a pregnant woman, that immediately, with little or no pain, brings forth her son; so speedily and easily, by the preaching of a single sermon, Acts ii. 41. were multitudes regenerate and converted to Christ. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? so strange and uncommon. Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? since the creation the zealous go on in gradual succession, and the fruits require time to ripen them: or shall a nation be born at once? which is usually the words of ages: for as soon as Zion travelled, she brought forth her children; no sooner began the gospel to be preached, than multitudes both of men and women, as the drops of dew from the womb of the morning, were added to the church daily, Pj. cx. 3. Acts iv. 4. Shall I bring to the birth, in conviction, and not bring forth, in conversion and regeneration? Shall I cause to bring forth, in one place and age, and that the womb, faith thy God? that there should not be a constant succession of spiritual births! No: God’s work is perfect; when he begins he will make an end, and, till time shall be no more, he will add unto the church daily such as shall be saved. Note, (1.) Whatever labour, pains, and prayer ministers use, so as to be said to prevail, in birth, till Christ be formed in their hearers, it is God’s work alone to regenerate the soul, and every real convert is born of him. (2.) God will maintain his church in the world to the end of time, and we may expect the fulfillment of this prophecy more eminently hereafter, both respecting Jews and Genuine, Heb. i. 10, 11. Rom. xi. 25, 26.

4. All the friends of Jerusalem are called to rejoice with her, as we congratulate each other on the birth of a son. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that crowns for her. They also love God, love his church and people; have their interests at heart, pray for their peace and prosperity, take delight in her communion, and mourn over her leprosy, afflictions, desterfions, and persecutions, and therefore they cannot but partake in her joys as their own. That ye may joul, and ye satisfied with the breath of her confessions: as full breasts afford the funestest nourishment to the instant, and abundantly supply its wants; so plemtous, so precious, shall the condolences of God’s right be to the soul that by faith feeds on the sincere milk of the word, and on those great and precious promises contained in the command of God’s everlasting love: that ye may milk out, and be delighted

Spine, Christ, 1st. with the abundance of her glory; a glorious Saviour, a glorious Spirit, a glorious provision of promises, a glorious hope, a glorious inheritance: these are the delight of the believing soul, and there is abundance for all who seek it; they may come and milk out from these breasts of glory, to the satisfying the most boundless desires of their souls.

5. God will give them most abundant cause for joy in the gathering the Gentiles, and the ruin of every enemy. For thus just the Lord, I will extend peace to her as a river; to plentiful, so perpetual; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace among themselves, and, like a river full to its margin, it shall flow uninterrupted into the boundless ocean of eternal joy: and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream; multitudes of converts shall be made, and these of the mighty and noble, numerous as the drops of water in the river; or as Egypt by the overflowing of the Nile, the church shall be enriched with their abundance of good things. Then shall ye seek the milk, the riches, of the Gentiles, or the breasts of the church’s confessions: ye shall be borne upon her sides, or at her side, as the nurse carries her infant charge, tenderly and safely; and he dandled on her knees, as the mother with fond delight dandles her darling boy. And this represents the tenderness with which young converts must be treated, and the delight of the church, her members, and especially her mindless, in those that are born unto her. If one whom he makes a symphonic, he will I comfort you; with that unutterable affection that mothers only know, yea, with tenderness infinitely greater than theirs, will God comfort his people. If he chides, their forrows melt his heart, and he returns with the kills of his love to dry up the falling tear: if they fall, he racks them up, fooths their anguish, and heals their hurt: if they are afflicted, he feels with more than human sympathy, with his kind arm supports their reclining head, refreshes them with his confessions, and recovers them from the bed of tranquillising. And ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem, in the church and her ordinances, where God especially manifests his favour towards his people: and when ye for this, experiencing the wondrous grace of this compassionate God and Saviour, your heart shall rejoice, with joy unfeasible and full of glory, and your heart shall flourish like an herb: you shall both be strengthened and comforted with divine confessions, springing up within the heart, as an herb in a well-watered garden, and which will be as marrow to the bones, Prov. xviii. 22. And the band of the Lord shall be known towards his fortunes; his care and protection of them, and kindness towards them, shall be manifested to their comfort and honour, and his great glory; and his indignation towards his enemies, upon whom his vengeance will fall to remarkably and terribly, that they who behold it will own, that it is the finger of God.

6. 15. For behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

7. For by fire, and by his sword, will the LORD piered with all flesh: and the stain of the LORD shall be many. 17. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens, behind one tree in the midst, razing fowne flesh, and the abomination, and the mople, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.

8. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and see my glory. 19. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarthith, Pul, and Lord, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. 20. And they shall bring all your brothers for an offering unto the LORD, out of all nations, upon horses, and in chariots, and in it listers, and upon mules, and upon swift beads, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. 21. And I will also take of them for priests, and for Levites, saith the LORD. 22. For as the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

9. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

10. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

11. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

12. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

13. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

14. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

15. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

16. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

17. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

18. For the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, to shall your seed and your name remain. 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new-moon to another, and from one lothuch to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

[4.] God Chap. EXVI. for

4. God will appoint the ministers of his sanctuary out of these Gentile converts. I will also take of them for priests, and for Levites, faith the Lord. Though the Aaronical priesthood is destroyed, God reserves this prerogative to himself, to appoint his own ambassadors, and no man who is not called of God, as was Aaron, has any right to minister, no ordination of man being able to make those ministers of God, who are not first inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take this office upon them. Let those who dare make that profession, in order to intrude into the sacred office, whilst conscious of their utter unacquaintedness with any inward call, tremble at the complicated guilt they incur, by lying not only against their own consciences, but against the Holy Ghost.

5. There shall be a succession of such gospel ministers to the end of time. For as the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, faith the Lord; the gospel dispensation, which succeeded the Mosaical, wherein all things are become new, a new covenant established, new institutions made, new commandments given, and these to abide for ever; so shall your seed and your name remain; a spiritual seed, both of ministers and people, who shall have a name in the earth, and in whom the church will be maintained and preserved against all the powers of darkness.

6. The solemn, frequent, and constant returns of worship in the gospel church, are described in terms borrowed from the Jewish dispensation. Their new moons indeed and sabbaths are abolished, but in their stead the Lord’s-day is appointed for the religious assemblies of Christians for prayer, the preaching of the word, and joining in the Lord’s Supper; and all true believers are careful to maintain and keep up these stated opportunities of worship, not for taking the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of time is.

Lastly, They shall with joy behold the Redeemer’s triumphs in the final and eternal destruction of his enemies and theirs. They shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; either of the Jews who should be massacred by the Roman sword, whom the Christians would see lying unburied on the earth; or of the Antichristian powers overthrown and destroyed, Rev. xix. 19—21. by the word of God: or rather at the resurrection-day, the saints of God going forth from their graves, shall see the wicked, loathsome and abhorred as purrful carcasses, cast into the everlasting burnings of hell: for their worm shall not die; eternal horrors gnawing incessantly their guilty consciences: neither shall their fire be quenched; consuming, yet unconsumed; cursed with immortality; amidst the unutterable tortures of those raging flames no death, though courted, shall come to their release; but, tormented day and night for ever, they shall have no rest: and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh; the saints of God beholding them with abhorrence, applauding the justice of God in their damnation, and admiring the distinguishing grace of their Redeemer, which plucked them as brands from the burning. Note, (1.) Let sinners hear and fear; sin will certainly receive its wages at the last; and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of that God who is a consuming fire. (2.) In eternity God will be magnified for his judgments executed on the wicked, as well as for his grace manifested to his people; and they who join the songs of angels in celebrating redeeming mercy, will find matter for their praises also even in the mitentes of the damned; for when the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever, the saints of God will cry Allelujah! Rev. xix. 2, 3.

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