Isaiah 35

a cord of it broken; i. e. no part of ifs walls or houses shall receive any damage from the enemy. (Compare xxxvii. 83. liv. 2.) r’ ■. ■ • That there is no necessity of confining the judgments.denounced in the last chapter to the single country of Idumea, but they may belong to later times and occurrences, hath been shewed in the Argument and notes upon that chapter. And by the same reason the new face of things here described, may be applied to the flourishing state of the church, or the golden age of the gospel, to commence from our Saviour’s appearing, and to be more fully completed when all his enemies shall be destroyed. Indeed, Mr.White tells us, that interpreters would never have dreamed of this sense, had they consulted the prophet’s words: but I must put him in, mind,. that both Christ and tho apostles have applied several pa^ sages in this chapter to tho gospel-times, as will appear in the following notes: nay, our Saviour appeals to this very prophecy to prove himself the Messias described by the prophets. (See Matt xi. 3 — 5.) And if Mr. White does not think Christ’s argument to be good, he himself ought to bo reckoned among the dreamers of the c*>- cumcision, whom ho so much despiselh.

Isaiah 35:1

Jt HE wilderness, and the solitary place, shall be glad for them. That is, for the judgments inflicted upon, God’s enemies. When the prophets denounce God’s judgr ments against incorrigible sinners, they often speak of them as matter of rejoicing to the righteous, that they take satisr faction in seeing the Divino justice made manifest. (See Psal. lviii. 9, 10. Jer. li. 10. 48. Rev. xviii. 20.) By the wilderness is meant the church w r hich before was in a desolate and forlorn condition, but now shall spread and flourish. So the church is described as dwelling in the wilderness, Rev. xii. 14. thereby to denote its obscure and afflicted state. Both places, perhaps,allude to the Israelites sojourning in the wilderness, who are called the church in the wilderness, Acts vii. 37.

Isaiah 35:2

It shall blossom abundantly. Spiritual blessings are often set forth under the emblems of fruitfulness and plenty. (See note on iv. 2. and compare xxx* 23. xxxii. 15. xli.19. lv.12. lxv.10.) The glory of Lebanon, the excellency of Carmel and SJiaron.] See xxxiii. 9.

Isaiah 35:3

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm t the feeble knees. The prophet exhorts those that are strong to comfort the feeble-minded, such as by reason of the continuance of their afflictions began to despair of God’s mercy.

Isaiah 35:4

Behold, your God will come with vengeance — he will come and save you. The destruction he brings upon your enemies will be the means of your deliverance. (Compare 2 Thess. i. G, 7.) This may be applied to Christ, who is God as well as man. (See the note on vii. 14. and compare lxi. 2.)

Isaiah 35:5

Then the eyes of the. blind shall be opened, Sec. Our Saviour proved himself to be the Messias to John’s disciples, by appealing to this prophecy, as literally fulfilled in the miracles which he wrought: (Matt. xi. 2 — 5.) so that they certainly relate to the times of the gospel. And yet this doth not hinder but that the w r ords may be capable of a farther accomplishment: viz. that God will remove all that blindness and prejudice which hindered men froin coming to the acknowledgment of the truth. (Compare xxix. 18. xxxii. 3. xlii. 7. Acts xxvi. 18.) The gospel-promises have different degrees and seasons of completion, as hath been observed upon ii. 2. and shall be farther observed in the Preface. Ver. G. Then shall the lame man. leap as a hart.] If we understand this expression figuratively, it denotes that the church and its members shall renew their strength, as if a man should return to his youthful vigour after a decrepit old age. (Compare xl. 31.) And the tongue of the dumb shall sing.] See the note on xxxii. 4. For in the wilderness shcdl waters break out.] This signifies the plentiful effusion of God’s grace. (See note on xxx. 24.)..,

Isaiah 35:7

In the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass, ivith reeds and rushes. By dragons, are meant a kind of serpent that. chooses to live in dry and barren places. (See note on xiii. 22. and compare Psal. xliv. 19.)

Isaiah 35:8

And a highivay shall be there. The removing all obstacles to the restoration of God’s people, is elsewhere expressed by preparing the way of the Lord, and making straight a highway for our God, xl. 3. (See likewise xlii. 16.) This and the foregoing verse, the parched ground shall become a pool, &c. seem to be exactly parallel with the tenth and eleventh verses of the forty-ninth chapter; By the springs of water shall he guide them, and I will make all my mountains away, and my highways shall be exalted; the prophet in both places alluding to the two great conveniences of travellers, which are good roads and plenty of waters. This place probably relates to the restoration of the Jews in the latter ages, as many parts of the succeeding prophecies do, though they may have an immediate aspect upon their return from Babylon. And it shall be called, Tlie way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it J] This way shall be appropriated to the use of God’s people; for holiness signifies an entire separation, or setting a thing apart for some particular use. So Jerusalem is called Holy, because no more strangers shall pass through it, (Joel iii. 17.) i. e. no army of enemies shall subdue it. (Compare Obad. ver. 17. and Jer. xxxi. 40< &nd lii. 1. of this prophecy.) But it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.’] If we follow this translation, tho word those must Telate to the ransomed of the Lord in the next verse. But I think the words may be better translated thus, But he (i. e. God) shall go along with them in the way, and the simple shall not err therein.

Isaiah 35:9

No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon. God hath promised to make a covenant ivith the beasts of the field, that they shall not annoy or hurt his people, when they return to their obedience. (See xi. 8. Hos. ii. 18. Ezek. xxxiv* 25.) This denotes in general the protecting them against persecution, and all outward violence: the cruelty of men is sometimes compared to the rage of wild beasts. (See Psal. xxii. 12. 21. 2 Tim. iv. 17.) • •

Isaiah 35:10

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs. An allusion to tho expressions of joy which were used by the Jews, when they went up to Jerusalem at their solemn festivals. (See xxx. 29.) And everlasting joy upon their heads.] The phrase alludes to the crowns, or garlands, which were put upon the heads of persons newly married; (see Cant. iii. 11.) and were used at other times of public rejoicing. (Compare 1 Thess. ii. 19.) The place may filly be applied to the time of Christ’s marriage with the church. (See Bev. xix. 7. xxi. 2. and the notes upon Ixi. 10.) Sorrow and sighing sliall flee away.] Compare xxv. 8. Ixv. 19. Bev. xxi. 4..

But there the glorious Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams, &c. God will be as great a* security to this city as any broad TiveT or deep stream, which is both an ornament and a defence: (compare Psal. xlvi. 4, 5.) and none of our enemas talleT or lesser ships shall be able to annoy us. (See the following note.) < t

Tliy tacklings are loosed; they could not will strengthen their mast, &c. Having compared the Assyrian army to a naval force, (ver. 21.)he persists in that metaphor, and describes t hem as in a shipwrecked condition; the spoil of which wreck shall be divided among the citizens of Jerusalem, and the weakest of them should have some’share in it.'.

And the inhabitant shall riot say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. -The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not be sensible of those maladies under which they lately languished: but the removal of those evils shall give them comfortable assurance that God hath forgotten their former iniquities. •