Isaiah 66

‘AXX* tkarbv fiiv Tratg itta irapa nwlpi k&v$‘ErpitT araXktov, fitya y/;?noc A boy of a hundred years old played about with his mother, an overgrown child. The words of tho text seem to imply/that the millcnian state shall not be free from all manner of sin, though there shall be no place there for idolatry and apostacy. Accordingly some learned men suppose, that the lukewarm Laodicean stato of the church, which is described, and reproved, Rev. iiii 14, &c. is to be contemporary with some part of the millcnium. In the beginning of the chapter God answers the complaints of the Jows concerning the destruction of the temple, which they so passionately bewail, Ixiii. 18. Ixiv. 11. and instructs them in the evangelical way of worshipping God mi spirit and in truth, and not by sacrifices, or a carnal worship. He then assigns the causes of his rejecting “the Jews, and calling the gentiles, but promises in due time to unite them into one glorious and flourishing church..* Because when I called, none did answer, &c] Seelxv.I2. the kingdom or power of tho Mcssias bo manifested In’ a distinguishing protection of his people, and destruction of his and their enemies. • * Ven 15. For, behold, the Jjord will come with fire.] God is called a consuming fire, Deut. iv.24. and his vengeance often resembled to tire, which consumes every thing in an instant. (See ix. 5. xxx. 30. see the following verse.) And with his chariots like a whirlwind.] An allusion to the old way of fighting with chariots. (Compare v. 28. xxi. 7. 9.) God is elsewhere described, as making the clouds his chariot, (Psal. civ. 3. Habak, iii. 8.) and as compassed about with tempests and-darkness, (Psal. xviii.10.) Vor. 1G. For by fire, and by his sword, will the lord plead with all flesh, &c] This seems to denote the discomfiture of Gog and Magog, who are to be destroyed by fire. See Ezek. xxxix. G. 9. They are described in the thirtyeighth and thirty-ninth chapters of that prophecy, as coming in a great body against the land of Israel after the restoration of the Jews, and their return into their own land, and their receiving an utter overthrow. Or, this may be understood of the battle of Armageddon, (Rev. xvi. 14.xix. 19.) where the armies of Satan and antichrist are to be vanquished by the Lamb and his followers: or of the discomfiture of Satan’s army, mentioned Rev. xx. 8, 9. which shall be destroyed by fire from heaven. The Scriptures do in general declare there shall be a great destruction of Christ’s enemies here upon earth, before the general judgment,, or consummation of all things: compare with the context here, chap, xxxiv. lxiii. 1. 6. Psal. ex. 5, 6. Jer. 1. li. a great part of which chapters certainly relate to the latter times, Ezek. xxxviii. xxxix. Joel iii. 11. 14. Micah v. 8, &c. Zeeh. xii. 2, &e. xiv. 1. 13. Rev. xiv. 20. xvi. 14. xix. 19. But we must hot be too positive in assigning the.particular place, time, or manner, how these prophecies shall be fulfilled, because the events are secrets, whose causes lie hid as yet in the depths of Providence, And the very great obscurity of the prophecies, which are supposed to relate to these matters, is to me a convincing argument that they are not yet fulfilled.

Isaiah 66:1

JL HE heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and ivliere is the place of my rest?. A temple in the Jewish notion was God’s place of residence, or his habitation, where he resided as a king in a palace: accordingly the che-r rubims were his throne, the ark was his footstool, the priests were his immediate attendants, and the shew-bread and sacrifices were the provision for his table. Such a notion of a temple was common both to Jews and gentiles; [only with this difference, that the gentiles thought the seating up an image a necessarypart of the dedication of 4 temple, to secure, as they imagined, the presence of the deity to whom it was dedicated. Templi nxdla ratio, quod non coronat Simulacrum, saith Isidore.] Such a notion seems to confine God’s presence to a certain place, and therefore was not so suitable to the greatness of the Divine majesty. It is under this acceptation of the word, that God reproves the Jews for laying such stress upon their, templeworship, and comforts them undfcr the loss of it, which theyspeak of with so much concern, lxir. 11* And it is under the same notion that the Christian apologists join temples with images, and profess that their religion allows of neither. Ver. 2’. For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LordJ] I fill heaven and earth, which are the works of my hands, and are still sus«- tained and supported by me. All those things are mine.) so the Septuagint translate the latter part of the sentence * But to this man ivill I look, even to him that is poor; and of a contrite spirit, &c] Such a one is a living tcmplaof God. (Sec lvii. 15.) •

Isaiah 66:3

He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a -man.) Without this devout temper of mind, killing an ox. for ^ burnt-offering is no more acceptable to God, than if a mart, offered his son in sacrifice to Moloch. * He that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck.’] The price of a dog was forbid to be brought into the houso of tbc Lord, by way of vow, or free-will-offering. (See Deut. xxiii. 18.) He that offereth an oblation, is as if he offered sivine’s blood.] Which being one of the principal sacrifices among the gentiles, was in a particular manner abominable, to God. (See the notes upon lxv. 4.) He that burnetii incense, as if he blessed an idoL] Or, maketh a memorial with incense, as the margin reads. The verb zachar, to commemorate, signifies any act of Divine worship. (See the note upon lvii. 8.). Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their sold de~ lighteth in their abominations.] Compare lxv. 12. This may relate to their idolatrous practices, mentioned lxv. 3, 4. 11. and ver. 17. of this chapter. Or their rcry ccremo*- nious worship may be reproved in these terms, because* since the revelation of the gospel, God had rejected it, and declared it, to be a plain contradiction to his will, and an affront to his authority.

Isaiah 66:4

I will also choose their delusions.* I will punish them in their own way, and set over them the scribes and pharisecs, who shall govern them by their traditions instead of the word of God; or I will suffer false Christs and false prophets to deceive them. (Sec Matt. xxiv. 24. John v. 43.) And I will bring their fears upon them,] This was exactly fulfilled, when they crucified Christ for fear of the Romans, (John xi, 48.) which very sin was punished by an utter destruction from that very people.

Isaiah 66:5

Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, &c. Hearken to this, you Jews, that embraced the gospel upon the preaching of Christ and the apostles: Your brethren have hated you for my sake, and cast you,out of their synagogues, (compare Luke vi. 22.) and in derision called upon God to do some extraordinary thing in your behalf: but God’s providence at the destruction of Jerusalem shall interpose visibly for your deliverance, and leave them to perish in their city. This was remarkably verified when the Christians had a Divine warning to leave the city, and thereupon retired to Pella, and escaped the common destruction. (See Euscb. Hist. Eccl. lib. iii. cap. 5. Epiph. Haeres. xxx.).

Isaiah 66:6

A voice from the city, a voice from the temple > &c. The prophet seems to hear the noise of the ruin of the city and temple sounding in his ears: The voice from the citymny fitly be expounded of that story which Josephus relates, (de Bell. Jud. lib. vii. cap. 12.) concerning one Jesus the son of Anani, who, for a considerable time before the war began, or the city was besieged, went about the streets, crying, Woe, woe, unto Jerusalem I and neither threat- -enings nor stripes could prevail with him to be silent. And the voice from the temple.was verified in that voice, which, Josephus tells us in the same chapter, was heard in the temple a little before the final destruction of it, saying, Let us depart hence..

Isaiah 66:7

Before she travailed, she brought forth. Here begins a new paragraph, containing a description of the •sudden increase of the Christian church, upon God’s rejecting the Jews, and destroying their temple and worship. The very destruction of the Jewish polity making way for the growth of the gospel, inasmuch as it abated that opposition which the Jewish zealots all along gave to the spreading of it; and the abolishing the Jewish worship contributed very much to the abrogating the law of Moses, and burying it with silence and decency. (See Rom. xi. 11.) The church is described here as a travailing woman, the mother of all true believers. (See liv. 1. Gal. iv. 26.) Before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child.’] The expressions import how suddenly and quickly Christianity was spread and propagated over the world. And this latter sentence alludes to the Hebrew women being delivered of their male children, before the midwives could come to them, (Exod. i. 19.) The propagating the kingdom of Christ, is, in like manner, described by a woman’s travailing, and bringing forth a man-child, Rev. xii. 1, 2. 6. which place plainly alludes to the words here.

Isaiah 66:8

Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?. The suddenness of this event is as surprising, as if the fruits of the earth, which are brought to perfection by slow degrees, should blossom and ripen all in one day. And the fruitfulness of this spiritual increase is as wonderful, as if a whole nation were ♦ born at once, or by one woman. We may understand the former part of this sentence of the speedy propagation of the gospel through the world, and the latter part of it of the sudden conversion of the Jews, and their union with the gentiles into one’ church, when God will remove theiniquiUj of the land in one day, as it is foretold, Zech. iii. 9. (Compare Micah v. 3.) These two events, though distant in time, ye’t will agree very much in the swiftness of their progress. For as soon cts Zion travailed, she was delivered of her children.] Without pain or difficulty, no ill accident interposing to hinder their birth: as it follows,

Isaiah 66:9

Sliall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? &c. Shall I disappoint a work, of which 1 myself was the author, when every thing is ripe for execution, and the effect just ready to be produced? (Compare xxxvii. 3.) The prophet still carries on the comparison between the natural and spiritual. birth. (Compare Gal. iv. 19.)

Isaiah 66:10

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem — all ye that love her. Xct all that wish her well congratulate her for the favours God hath shewed to her, and particularly let the gentiles rejoice with the Jewish church; (seeDeut. xxxii.43.) for her advancement shall redound to their benefit. (See ver. 12.) Rejoice with her, all ye that mourn for her.] See the note on lvii.18.

Isaiah 66:11

That ye may suck, and be satisjied with the.breasts of her consolations. Or, Because ye shall suck, &c. She will nourish the faithful with her doctrine, a£ a tender •mother docs her children with her breasts. The prophet persists in comparing the church to, a child-bearing woman. And be delighted with the abundance of her glory.] You shall share in the glory God hath conferred upon the Jewish church, and shall be edified by the gifts and graces that God will plentifully bestow upon her. (See below,.ver. 19. and Rom. xi.12.).

Isaiah 66:12

-For I will extend peace to her like a river. All manner of prosperity. (Compare xlviii. 18. Ix. 5.). And the glory of the gentiles like a flowing stream.]. The riches of the gentiles shall flow in upon you, by their liberality and charity: (see Ixi. G.) or, I will impart to her all that grace and knowledge, for which the church of the gentiles value themselves: St. Paul says, (Rom. xi. 11.) that the Jews will he provoked to emulation by the gentile believers, by their coming into the church in great numbers, and the Jews seeing them favoured with all the privileges of God’s people and themselves utterly rejected; and that this will be a principal means of working their conversion. And when they are converted, they will be extraordinary instruments in God’s hands, for the converting the remainder of the heathen world. (See ver.- 19. compared - with lx. 4, 5. and Rom. xi. 12. 15. 25. 31.). Ye shall be borne upon her sides, &c] Compare lx. 4. and see the note on ver. 11. of this chapter…

Isaiah 66:14

And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb. You Jews shall recover your ancient strength and beauty, and be renewed in as wonderful a manner, as if dry withered bones should recover their youth and moisture: or, as if the deadbones in a charnel-house should have life and vigour infused into them: (compare Ecclus. xlvi. 12. xlix. 10.) then will be fulfilled that resurrection qf the dry bones,, spoken of by Ezekiel, xxxvii. 1; &c. for that vision relates to the restoration of the Jewish nation, after it had Iain for many ages in a dead, hopeless condition. In like manner, St. Paul calls the receiving the Jews into the church, Life from the dead, Rom. xi. 15. Andthehand of the J^ord shall be known towards his servants, and his indignation towards his enemies.] -Then shall 4F2

Isaiah 66:17

They that sanctify, and purify themselves in gardens. Concerning sacrificing in gardens, see the note •upon lxv. 3. But there were several sorts of lustrations or purifications used among the heathens, from whence the Jews learned their idolatrous customs: some of which were performed by washings, for which purpose they had fountains in their sacred groves and gardens. Behind one tree in the midst.] Several critics agree, that by the Hebrew word achad is meant the sun, which, Macrobius saith, (Saturnal, lib. i. cap.23.)was called by the Assyrians adad, a word which he tells us there signifies one, and therefore is probably derived from the Hebrew, achad. If we follow this interpretation, the words may be best translated thus: Behind [the chapel] (or shrine) of the $un, in the midst [of the garden].. Eating swine s flesh.] See the note upon lxv. 4. And the>abomination.] The same which is called broth of abominable thi?igs, lxv* 4. (Seethe note there.) And the mottse.] The heathens used some sort of meats.by way of purification,,or lustration, and chiefly such as were not used in common food; such were several of those meats forbidden by the law, and called abominable by Mo-.sos: (Deut. xiv. 3.) of this kind probably was the mouse, which was expressly forbidden (0 be eaten, Lev. xi. 29. Jarabliehus Syrus, in Photius, cod; 94.’ reckons mice among the several sorts of animals, by which the heathens practised magic or divination, and saith, that some, derived the word Nvcrriiptov from Mvc. Concerning the reasons for applying these ancient idolatries to later times, see the notes upon lxv. 4. Maimonides observes, (More Nevochim, lib. iii. cap. 29. p. 424.) from the books of the Zabians, who were ancient idolaters, that they used to offer to the sun, the idol mentioned in this •very verse, seven bats and seven mice, wiiich he thinks was the reason why these creatures were reckoned abominable in the law of Moses, and forbidden to be eaten..

Isaiah 66:18

For I know their works, and their thoughts. The word know is not in the Hebrew: some supply tho ellipsis thus, should I bear their works? &e. Such a kind of deficiency is supplied in that manner by our translators, Numb. xiv. 27. < I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall see my glory.] This may most probably be understood of the gathering of the Jews and gentiles into one church. (See the note upon liv. 7. and compare Rev. xiv. G.)

Isaiah 66:19

And I will set a sign among them. A signal to gather the believing Jews together from their several dispersions. (§ee xi. 12. lxii. 10.) Asign(othm the Hebrew) is the same with an ensign, or standard, and so it is used, Psal. lxxiv.4. And I will send those that are escaped of them unto the nations.] The escaped oflsmel are mentioned before: (iv. 2.) and mean those that are escaped of the nations; (xiv. 20.) i. e. who are returned home out of their several dispersions. Some of these, God saith he will send to be preachers and apostles to the unconverted gentiles, as St. Paul, when he was converted, was ordained to be an apostle of the gentiles; whose conversion, according to Mr. Mode, carries in it an earnest, and an emblem of the general conversion of that nation. (See his WoTks,p.S91.) Without question their -conversion will be a signal instance of the pow r er of God’s grace, and a convincing argument to others of the truth of the gospel, as hath been observed upon ver. 12. To Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, &c] They shall go out and make conversions in all the parts of the world: Tarshish denotes the eastern parts; (see note upon xi. 16.) Pul and Lud the south; Tubal and Javan the north; and the islands the west. Pul and Lud that draw the bow.] Some suppose Pul to be tho same people who are elsewhere called by the name of Phut, which is usually joined with Lud; and is rendered Lybia, or the Lybians, by most interpreters. (See Jer. xlvi. 9. Ezek. xxvii. 10. xxx. 5.) But Bochart thinks Pul to be the same with Phil, or Philis, a city upon the river Nile; and then these two names will denote tho Egyptians and Ethiopians. To Tubal and Javan.] Tubal is elsewhere joined with Meshech: (see Gen. x. 2. Ezek. xxxviii. 2.) and they are* generally thought to denote the Tartars, Scythians, and those who live in the most northern parts of the w r orld. By Javan are meant the Ionians, Grecians, and the neighbouring nations, who live on the north side of the Mediterranean Sea. • To the isles afar off.] This expression denotes the west-

Isaiah 66:21

They shall build houses, and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit ofthem.~. A blessing promised to the Jews upon their conversion, in contradiction to that curse which Moses denounced against them for their disobedience; (Deut. xxvlii. 30.) and it implies both security from the invasion of enemies, and from untimely death. (Compare lxvi. 8.)

Isaiah 66:22

For as the days of a tree are the days of my people.) Not like the fading of a leaf, to which our present mortal state is often compared. The Septuagint translate it, As the days of the tree of life, shallbe thedaysof my people, expressing the sense and import of the words.

Isaiah 66:23

They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble. As those do who enjoy not the fruits of their labour. (Sco ver. 21, 22.) %±

Isaiah 66:24

And it shall come to pa$$, that before they call, I will atiswer. God will prevent them with his blessings; and gratify their desires before they ask.: a sure token of his favour and love towards them, as his rejecting men, and casting them off, is expressed by his hiding away his face from them, and refusing to hear thoir prayers. (See Prov. i. 28; Isa. i. 15. Jer. xiv.12. Lam. Hi. 8. 44.)

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, &c. Concerning the metaphorical sense of these expressions, sec the notes upon xi. 6. xxxv. 9. But since the renovation here spoken of extends to the whole creation, (see Ronu viii. 21.) they may imply the correcting the noxious qualities Of fierce or venomous creatures. [And dust shall be the serpent’s meat.] The curse pronounced upon the serpent, Gen. iii. 14. shall then be fully accomplished: Christ having put all enemies under his feet, and especially tho devil, who is the head of them. See Micab vii. 17. Rom. xvi. 20. 1 Cor. xv.27.]