Isaiah 19

Isaiah 19:1

God’s ruling upon a swift cloud denotes his coming speedily and irresistibly to execute fearful judgments

Isaiah 19:2

After the death of R R Sethon the country was divided into twelve petty governments; all which, after a long civil war, Psammitichus subdued. It may also relate to the civil war between Amasis and Pharaoh Hophrah, &c

Isaiah 19:4

God shall give them up to the tyranny of Psammitichus, Nebuchadnezzar, the Persian kings, &c

Isaiah 19:13-17

Infatuated by their giddy tempers, the princes shall follow pernicious counsels, and lead the subjects into ruin. Neither shall any, high or low, do any thing proper for their relief, but shall be quite dispirited and terrified by the threatenings and judgments of God. The report of the destruction of Israel and ravage of Judah by the Assyrians, and the overthrow of Judah by the Chaldeans, or the prophecies uttered in the land of Judah, shall throw the Egyptians into the utmost consternation and fear of the like miseries

Isaiah 19:18-23

Nevertheless their terrible and long-continued distresses shall at last issue in the conversion of a great many of them, even in the city of their idols, to the Christian faith; and they shall make a solemn and open profession thereof, and shall, through Jesus Christ, avowedly worship the true God every where in the country. After God has, by his angel’s cutting off Sennacherib’s army, and by Alexander’s victories, delivered them from their Assyrian and Persian oppress sion, Jesus, the infinitely mighty Saviour, shall deliver them from Satan, and their lusts, and their heathen abominations. By God’s wonderful providences they shall be gradually brought to the saving knowledge of, and openly worship, him, and solemnly and candidly devote themselves to his service. And in the apostolic, and especially the millennial, period, they, and the eastern nations, who had warred with and oppressed them; and the Jews, who had sinfully courted and been sadly oppressed by both; shall harmoniously embrace the gospel, and unite in the service and distinguished favours of God

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XIX.—God pours the greatest contempt on men’s idols; on every thing which they mordently loved or trusted. At his will created comforts concur to aggravate our ruin, and created supporters fail or fight against us. Forcenters of faction, cruel tyrants, and infatuated and giddy princes, are the greatest plagues to nations. And, when one sinner or sinful society is cut down, it becomes survivors to consider and tremble. If men persist in their wickedness, God is determined to destroy them. But strange, and often unaccountable to us, are his providential dispensations. He often deals most sharply with those for whom he has the greatest mercies in reserve. Deeply he wounds, in order that he may graciously heal. He be leaves men of all that they have in this world, that he may give them his gospel, his covenant, his ordinances, his Christ. He can form the most glorious, intelligent, devout, and harmoniously laid, societies of believers out of those whom Satan had singularly besetted, set corrupted, and miseries depressed. And it is comely when the servants of the same God, purchased by the same blood of his Son and begotten by the same Spirit, lay aside all their animosities, and with one heart, one mind, and one mouth, glorify God!