Isaiah 29
SIBVer. 1, 2. Jerusalem is called ARIPL, from the altar of burnt-offering which devoured the offerings sacrificed upon it.—Notwithstanding all their sacrifices, and pretended devotions, both city and temple shall be brought into great straits,—and filled with fire, blood, and carcasses of men, sacrificed to my justice. 3, 4. By the enemies whom I will appoint against you, your present haughtiness and scoffing shall be turned into great debasement, distress, and submission
Isaiah 29:5-8
Both perhaps not only denounce the sudden destruction of their enemies, by the fearful judgments of God, but also the ruin of the Jews’ auxiliaries and armies, and their own terrible distress, while their enemies were quite insatiable in devouring and destroying
Isaiah 29:9-12
With amazement ponder and bewail your condition, and cry for deliverance; for all ranks are besotted with corrupt principles, unsteadiness, and stupidity; and neither ignorant nor learned either understand or regard the warnings of God
Isaiah 29:13-16
Because their religious devotion is merely in outward appearance, while the most abominable wickedness reigns in their heart, and merely an observance of the commands of Hezekiah, or the traditions of the elders, I will punish them with astonishing miseries, baffle all the deep-laid projects of their politicians, and give up their doctors to amazing stupidity. All their subtle devices, for perverting the order which I have fixed, shall be as easily altered as clay by the potter, and as ineffectual to accomplish their designs as clay without a potter.—17—21. Amazing changes shall happen on fields and nations: the long barren Gentile world being converted to Christ, and rendered fruitful in good works, while the Jews shall be rejected by God from his church. The unconcerned and ignorant Gentiles shall be brought to the knowledge of God in Christ; and, amidst affliction and poverty, shall rejoice in himself and his favours: while their proud and powerful enemies, who watched for opportunities of doing mischief, and who hated reproof, and persecuted the prophets and ministers of God, and, for a trifling consideration, perverted justice, shall be destroyed. 22—21. And, notwithstanding the distresses or rejection of the Jews, the church shall be gloriously enlarged, to the great comfort of the pious Jews and honour of God; and multitudes of the most wicked and obstinate opposers shall be converted, especially in the millennial period
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXIX.—Formal hypocrites may go on long in a round of external duties; but dreadful and debasing is the vengeance of God which awaits them, and which awaits the chastisers even of his provoking people. His judgments make the stoutest hearts to bow or to break. Fearful is their condition who are drunk with the love of pleasures, honour, or wealth, or with corrupt principles and prejudices; or who are so abandoned to spiritual stupidity, that the best means can neither enlighten nor awaken them. Alas, how wicked, how villainous is it to approach God in outward forms of devotion, while we hate him in our heart, and worship him only from regard to the authority of men! Absurd and fruitless is every scheme which is carried on independent of, and in opposition to God. But thrice happy is it to have external calamities balanced with subsequent spiritual blessings; and that the casting away of the Jews has issued in the reconciling of the Gentile world to him;—and, in some future period, how much more shall their fulness!