Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 45
CHAP. XLV.
VERSE 1. THus ſaith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, &c.] Though Cyrus was a Heathen idolatrous King, yet the Lord calls him his Anointed: 1. Becauſe he was ordained and appointed of God to be King of Perſia and Babylon, no leſs than the Kings of Judah that were anointed with oyl; See the Note, Ezra 1.2. And 2ly. becauſe he was as it were conſecrated and ſtrengthned of God to be a Saviour and Deliverer of his people, and was therein a type of Chriſt; whoſe right hand I have holden, that is, whom I will guide and ſtrengthen, carrying him on ſuccesful, and cauſing him to proſper in all his great undertakings; See the Notes, Chap. 41.13. and 42.6. to ſubdue Nations before him, that is, the Babylonians and many other Nations that were under the command of Babylon, or, that oppoſed him in his way thither; and I will looſe the loins of Kings, that is, Diſarm, degrade and weaken them; See the Notes, Chap. 11.5. and 23.10. and Job 12.18. to open before him the two-leaved gates, and the gates ſhall not be ſhut; that is, So that they ſhall preſently open to him the Gates of their Cities and ſtrong holds, together with their Palaces and private Houſes; they ſhall not dare to ſhut a door againſt him, but upon the terror of his approach all ſhall fly open before him.
Ver. 2. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places ſtraight, &c.] That is, Thou ſhalt over-run the Countries where thou comeſt, as if there were nothing in the way that might in the leaſt hinder thee; See the Notes, Chap. 40.3, 4. I will break in pieces the gates of braſs, and cut in ſunder the bars of iron; that is, No ſtrength ſhall be able to withſtand thee.
Ver. 3. And I will give thee the treaſures of Darkneſs, and hidden Riches of ſecret places, &c.] That is, The Treaſures of thoſe Nations whom he ſhould overcome, which he ſhould find locked up and hidden in ſecret places; as amongſt others the Treaſures of Croeſus, the King of the Lydians, ſubdued by him, of whom Hiſtories report that he was a King of mighty Wealth, far above any of thoſe times: that thou mayeſt know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name, am the God of Iſrael; that is, That thou mayeſt know, that I that have ſo long before-hand foretold what thou ſhouldeſt do, even naming thee by thy name, as it is above, ver. 1. and Chap. 44.28. am the only true God, and that I own Iſrael to be my peculiar people; See the Note, Ezra 1.2.
Ver. 4. For Jacob my ſervants ſake, and Iſrael mine elect, &c.] That is, Meerly that thou mighteſt deliver them out of their Bondage in Babylon: I have even called thee by thy Name, that is, ſay ſome, I have in a ſpecial manner owned thee, and honoured thee; See the Notes, Exod. 33.17. But rather it is meant of his mentioning him by name, as is noted in the foregoing verſe, long before he was in the World: I have ſurnamed thee, to wit, by ſtiling thee my ſhepherd, Chap. 44.28. and mine anointed, as above, ver. 1. though thou haſt not known me, that is, ſay ſome, Savingly; or rather, though then thou couldeſt have no knowledg of me, but wert afterward by the great things I did for thee, brought to that knowledg which thou hadſt of me.
Ver. 5. I girded thee, &c.] That is, ſay ſome, I raiſed thee to thy regal Dignity, See the Notes, Chap. 22.21. and Job 12.18. or rather, I gave thee Power and Might to do the great things thou wert to do; or, I raiſed thee up and fitted thee to make War with the Babylonians and other Nations; though thou haſt not known me, that is, Though at that time thou wert altogether ignorant of me (ſee the foregoing Note) Or, though thou little kneweſt who it was that ſtrengthned and proſpered thee, and what my Purpoſe and Counſel was in all that thou didſt; See the Note, Chap. 10.7.
Ver. 6. That they may know from the riſing of the Sun, and from the Weſt, that there is none beſides me, &c.] That is, That from Eaſt to Weſt, or all the World over (for under Eaſt and Weſt all other parts of the World may be intended) all people may by this great work of my Deliverance of my people out of Babylon by thee, be brought to know, that I am the only true God. This was Gods end in this mighty work; and this was in a great meaſure effected, partly by the ſpreading of the fame of this great work of God far and near in thoſe days; and partly by the knowledg which people ſhould come to have of it in future times from the Scripture where it ſhould be recorded. But ſtill we muſt remember, that the greater work of mans Redemption by Chriſt, whereof the Deliverance out of Babylon was a Type, is here alſo intended.
Ver. 7. I form the light, and create darkneſs, &c.] This is mentioned as another thing whereof the Nations ſhould be convinced by that great work of Gods delivering the Jews out of Babylon, to wit, that as he alone did cauſe the light of the day, and the darkneſs of the night, ſo he alone was the cauſe of all the Proſperity and Adverſity that befalls men; which are uſually, indeed, in the Scriptures, expreſſed by theſe terms of light and darkneſs; See the Notes, Eſth. 8.16. and Pſal. 112.4. And to explain this, are the following words added, I make peace, and create evil; See the Note, Chap. 41.23.
Ver. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteouſneſs, &c.] Under this command a promiſe is implied of Cyrus his deſtroying the Babylonian Empire, and delivering Gods people from their Bondage there, and ſending them home again into their own Country; which is here called Righteouſneſs, becauſe it was a work of great Righteouſneſs in God thus to puniſh the wicked Babylonians, and to deliver his poor oppreſſed people, and becauſe thereby he approved his Faithfulneſs and Juſtice in performing what he had before-hand promiſed them. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which followeth, let the earth open, to wit, to receive the ſhowrs from above, or to let forth that which is to ſpring up, as it follows; and let them, to wit, the earth watered by the Heavens, bring forth Salvation, and let Righteouſneſs ſpring forth together. As for this figurative Expreſſion whereby this promiſe is expreſſed, Drop down ye Heavens from above, and let the skies pour down Righteouſneſs; let the earth open, and let them bring forth Salvation; and let righteouſneſs ſpring forth together; that is uſed to imply, 1. By whoſe command this ſhould be done (and that to the end Gods people ſhould not look upon this deliverance promiſed as an impoſſible thing, in regard of the deſperate Condition wherein the Jews ſhould be at that time) namely, That God from Heaven would ſuddenly and miraculouſly cauſe it to be done. And, 2ly. how wonderfully great this Deliverance ſhould be, and what an abundant diſcovery there ſhould be made therein of the goodneſs, righteouſneſs and faithfulneſs of God; for it is all one in effect as if God had ſaid, I the Lord, who do cauſe the Heavens to water the Earth, and the Earth thereupon to yield all kind of Fruit abundantly, will from Heaven afford you ſo great Salvation, and ſo abundantly manifeſt my Righteouſneſs therein, that it ſhall be with you, as if the Heavens did rain whole ſhowrs of it upon you; and as if a plentiful crop of it did every where ſpring out of the earth: See the Note, chap. 44.3. And herein alſo may be comprehended the raiſing up of Cyrus, as a branch of Righteouſneſs ſpringing up (according to the like Expreſſions elſewhere, for which ſee the Note, Chap. 4.2.) by whom this great Salvation ſhould be wrought for them. But however, under this promiſe of the Deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, that greater Deliverance is alſo promiſed, whereof this was a type, namely, the Redemption of Gods people from the Bondage of their natural Eſtate by the Lord Chriſt; and that as the happy effect of that typical Deliverance: for, indeed, had not the outward Polity of the Jews been preſerved by their Deliverance out of Babylon, Chriſt could not have ſprung up out of the ſtock of David, to be a Saviour for his redeemed, as God had promiſed. I know this paſſage is expounded by ſome in ſomewhat a different way. For, 1. ſome underſtand it thus, That Heaven and Earth ſhould concur to afford their help for the effecting of that great Deliverance which God had now in hand. And, 2ly. others underſtand it both of the abundant bliſs, ſafety and righteous dealing, which Gods people ſhould enjoy by the favour of Cyrus to them; and likewiſe of that fulneſs of all ſpiritual Bleſſings, which the Church ſhould enjoy under the Kingdom of Chriſt. But the Expoſition formerly given, I conceive, is the beſt; yet ſee the Notes, Pſal. 72.6, 7. and 85.11. As for the laſt clauſe, I the Lord have created it, it ſeems added with reference to that which went before, ver. 7. and that to aſſure them, that how impoſſible ſoever that might ſeem to be, which he had promiſed, yet it ſhould certainly come to paſs; to which purpoſe he ſpeaks of it as done already, I the Lord have created it; as if he had ſaid, I the Lord, who do by mine Almighty power what I pleaſe, will effect this.
Ver. 10. Wo unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker, &c.] To wit, either by way of oppoſing what God hath determined to do; or by way of murmuring againſt any Diſpenſation of his Providence. And this might be ſpoken as by way of declaring in general the evil and danger of oppoſing or muttering againſt any Counſel or Acting of Divine Providence, upon occaſion of that which God had ſaid before, that all that was done in the World, was done by his all-ruling Providence, ver. 7. I form the light, and create darkneſs, &c. yet it ſeems rather to have been intended more particularly either againſt the Babylonians, to ſhew that nothing but miſery and wo would be the Iſſue of their oppoſing what God intended to do; or rather againſt the murmuring of the Jews in Babylon, eſpecially as to that which God had now promiſed to do for them▪ Becauſe the poor Captives in Babylon might think with themſelves, Why ſhould the Lord bring us his peculiar people under the tyrannical Bondage of ſuch a barbarous Nation, if he meant afterward to deſtroy them, and to deliver us, and ſend us back into our own Country? Or, why ſhould he defer our Deliverance ſo long? Or, why ſhould he not raiſe up one of our own Nation to do it, as he hath formerly done (even this alſo ſome add) but bring a Prince from ſo remote a Country to ſet us free? And ſo likewiſe for that which God had promiſed concerning that great Deliverance by Chriſt, becauſe men might argue within themſelves, Why was Chriſt ſent no ſooner? or why ſhould the Jews be caſt off, and the Gentiles called into their room? Againſt theſe, and all ſuch Arguings with God, this is here oppoſed; Wo unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker; and then he adds, let the potſherd ſtrive with the potſherds of the earth: ſhall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, What makeſt thou? that is, What intendeſt thou to make of me? Or, why doſt thou undertake that which thou art not able to effect? or rather, Why haſt thou made me thus? as the Apoſtle hath expreſſed it, Rom. 9.20. Or thy work, He hath no hands; that is, He hath no hands to do what he hath undertaken; or rather, He hath no hands fit to undertake ſuch a work; or ſurely he that made me thus rudely and bunglingly, either had no hands, or made no uſe of his hands. And the drift of this is to ſhew, that if it would be an unreaſonable and monſtrous thing to think, that the clay ſhould quarrel with the Potter about his Workmanſhip, or call him to an account concerning the work he made of it; much more unreaſonable would it be for man, whom God formed out of the earth as the Potter doth his Veſſels of clay, to contend with his Maker about any thing he doth to him; and that the rather, becauſe the clay was not made by the Potter; whereas man had not only his form and ſhape, but his very being from God; and therefore it muſt needs be free for the Creator to do whatever he pleaſed with his Creatures. But ſee the Note alſo Chap. 29.16.
Ver. 10. Wo unto him that ſaith unto his Father, What begetteſt thou? &c.] That is, Why doſt thou beget me? To what end doſt thou do it? Or, why haſt thou begotten me ſo weak, ſo ſickly, ſo unhandſome, ſo deformed, or of ſo mean inward parts as I am? Or, why haſt thou begotten me ſubject to the ſame Miſeries as other men are? The drift of the words is the ſame with that in the foregoing verſe, to wit, to imply, that it is as baſe a thing to call God to an account for any thing he doth, as it is for a Child to quarrel with his Parents about their begetting him.
Ver. 11. Thus ſaith the Lord, the holy one of Iſrael, and his Maker, &c.] To wit, as the Potter makes his Veſſels of clay; for to that ſaid before, ver. 9. he alludes. But ſee the Notes, Chap. 1.4. and 43.1. As for that which follows, Ask me of things to come, concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me: it is differently underſtood by Expoſitors; for ſome underſtand it, as ſpoken to the Idolatrous enemies of Gods people, and that Ironically; as if he had ſaid, If you would know what I mean to do with my people, the work of my hands, or what the work is I mean to do for them, you had beſt enquire of me by my Prophets (wherein alſo there may be again a covert deriding of them, becauſe their Idol-gods were not able to foretel future things, as he the God of Iſrael was, as before, Chap. 41.22. &c. and in ſeveral places afterward) and if you like not what you ſhall hear I mean to to do, you had beſt command me to do otherwiſe, and ſo hinder me from doing what I intended; or Ask of me, &c. that is, You had beſt call me to an account, and lay your Command upon me, not to deliver my people by Cyrus, as I have ſaid I will do. But others again hold (which ſeems to me more probable) that this is ſpoken to Gods people; and that either, 1. as ſeriouſly adviſing them what they ſhould do in their fears and low Condition, namely, That they ſhould ſeek to him their Father and Maker; and commit themſelves to his care, and expect help from him. Ask me of things to come, &c. as if he had ſaid, Inſtead of ſeeking to Soothſayers and Magicians, enquire of me; for which ſee alſo the Note, Chap. 8.19. Therefore you are overwhelmed with grief in your Miſeries, becauſe you will not ask Counſel of me; whereas, if you would enquire of me, in this you might, as it were, command me; ſo ready I would be to inform you; and ſo you might hear what might comfort you, how careful I am for you, and what a good iſſue I will give to your troubles. Or rather, inſtead of murmuring againſt me, and ſtriving with your Maker, ask what you will of me, and ye ſhall be as ſure of it, as if it were at your command: Or elſe, 2ly. by way of upbraiding them for their murmuring at Gods delay of the promiſed deliverance, that ſtriving with their Maker, whereof he had ſpoken, ver. 9. Ask me of things to come, concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me: as if he had ſaid, If the clay may not contend with the Potter, nor the Child with his Parents, why do you then that which is no better than a quarrelling with me about my ordering you that are my Children, and the work of my hands? you had beſt call me to an account to know how I mean to order my people for the future, and preſcribe me what I ſhould do, as if there were danger leſt I ſhould diſregard them.
Ver. 12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even my hands have ſtretched out the Heavens, &c.] See the Note, Pſal. 104.2. and all their hoſt have I commanded; that is, I made them by my word and command, and by my command they are continually ordered: And the drift of inſerting this here, is to ſhew, That therefore he muſt needs be all-ſufficient, both for the managing and effecting of whatever he had undertaken to do; and that it was a high degree of folly and boldneſs for them to queſtion or mutter againſt any thing done by him, as thinking that he that governed all things as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, would not in a ſpecial manner take care of his own peculiar people, that were in a more ſpecial manner the work of his hands.
Ver. 13. I have raiſed him up in righteouſneſs, &c.] To wit, Cyrus above named, ver. 1. See the Notes, Chap. 41.2. and above, ver. 8. and I will direct (or make ſtraight) all his ways; that is, I will guide and proſper him, and facilitate all his deſigns; to wit, in his expedition againſt Babylon: he ſhall build my City, that is, he ſhall order it to be built, and give my people much towards the building of it; he ſhall let go my Captives, not for price nor reward, ſaith the Lord of hoſt; that is, He ſhall give liberty to my people that are now Captives in Babylon by my diſpoſing Will and Providence, and ſhall ſend them home into their own Country freely, without any ranſome or conſideration received for it. But now ſtill we muſt remember, that under this Type of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus, that greater work of our redemption by Chriſt from our ſpiritual Bondage, is principally here intended; for he indeed was raiſed up of God in righteouſneſs, (See the Note Chap. 42.6.) for the effecting of this great work, and had all his ways made ſtraight before him, (See the Note Chap. 40.4.) And by him the ſpiritual Jeruſalem, the Church, the City of God, is built, Mat. 16.18. Upon this rock will I build my Church; and of his redeemed ones it may well be ſaid, that he delivered them, not for price nor reward; becauſe inſtead of receiving any thing from them, he gave himſelf as a ranſom for their redemption.
Ver. 14. Thus ſaith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandiſe of Ethiopia, &c.] That is, The wealth, which the Egyptians get by their labour, and the Ethiopians by their Merchandiſe; and of the Sabeans, men of ſtature, That is, of great ſtature, tall, big and goodly men, ſhall come over unto thee; That is, ſhall be brought into thee; and thy ſhall be thine: That is, not only the riches of the Nations before mentioned, but even the Nations themſelves ſhall be thine, they that were before thine enemies, ſhall become thy Servants. Some, and that very probably, do underſtand this as ſpoken to Cyrus, of whom it is clear that he ſpake in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that as a recompence of the ſervice he ſhould do for God, in deſtroying the Babylonians, and ſetting free his People, both theſe mighty Nations, and the wealth of their rich Countrys, ſhould together with Babylon fall into his hands. But others again take it to be ſpoken to Gods people, to wit, That theſe Nations ſhould bring in their wealth to them, and be ſerviceable to them: which they think was partly fulfilled, when theſe Nations, at the commandment of Cyrus firſt, Ezra. 1.4. and of Artaxerxes afterward, Ezra. 7.20. &c. did out of the tributes which they were to pay to the Emperor of Perſia, afford them all things requiſite for their return home into their own Country, and for the work they had to do, when they came thither: But eſpcially in the days of the Goſpel, when both theſe and other Nations did joyn themſelves to the Church, and imployed their riches for her advancement. See the Notes, Pſal. 45.12. and 68.31. and 72.9. &c. And indeed they that underſtand this as ſpoken to Cyrus, do withal hold, that it is principally meant of Chriſt, of whom Cyrus was a Type. Nor needs it ſeem ſtrange that the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus, and the redemption of Gods People by Chriſt, ſhould be thus ſtill joyntly intended together, becauſe the main end of God's delivering the Jews out of Babylon, was, that Chriſt, the promiſed Meſſiah, might ſpring up of that Nation, and ſo his Kingdom might be eſtabliſhed in the World. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which followeth, and they ſhall come after thee, in chains ſhall they come over, to wit, as captives are wont to follow the Conqueror in his triumphs; and they ſhall fall down unto thee, they ſhall make Supplication unto thee, ſaying, ſurely God is in thee, and there is none elſe, there is no God, to wit, beſides; for as this may be literally underſtood of the Nations crouching before Cyrus, and acknowledging that God was apparently w…h …im, proſpering him in all his enterpriſes; ſo it may be myſtically underſtood of the Gentiles ſubmitting to Chriſt, and to the Church in Chriſt, as acknowledging God Hypoſtatically in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.19. and Col. 2.9. and both God and Chriſt, with the Church, even the true God, beſides whom there is no God.
Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hideſt thy ſelf, O God of Iſrael, the Saviour.] Here the Prophet breaks forth into an admiration of the hidden depths of Gods Diſpenſations; for therefore is God ſaid to be a God that hideth himſelf; 1. Becauſe of the ſecrecy and unſearchableneſs of his Councels in the actings of his providences, (as in the raiſing up Cyrus againſt Babylon: God's purpoſe for the deliverance of the Jews thereby would not have been thought of; and when it was done, Gods hand in doing it, had not God revealed it, would not have been ſeen.) And 2ly. Eſpecially, becauſe though God be the ſure Saviour of Iſrael, his People, yet he often ſtands a-loof for a time, and appears not as a Saviour; becauſe he proſpers their enemies, and ſuffers his People to be miſerably oppreſſed by them, as if he regarded them not. And thus by this clauſe the Prophet doth covertly perſwade the Jews, not to murmure againſt God, according to what was ſaid before, ver. 9, 10. But patiently to wait upon him for Deliverance in their loweſt condition.
Ver. 16. They ſhall be aſhamed, &c.] Thus the Prophet applieth that which was ſpoken in the foregoing verſe in general terms, to the particular condition of Gods People, They ſhall be aſhamed, and alſo confounded all of them: to wit, the idolatrous Babylonians, as the following words explain it; they ſhall go to confuſion together that are makers of Idols; this ſhall be at laſt the end of all their flouriſhing greatneſs. See the Note, Pſal. 42.17.
Ver. 17. But Iſrael ſhall be ſaved in the Lord, &c.] That is, by the Lord: with an everlaſting Salvation; That is, ſay ſome, in all ages: or ſo that they ſhall never periſh; they ſhall be ſaved unto eternity; which is alledged therefore by Expoſitors as an evidence, that the eternal Salvation purchaſed by Chriſt for his People, is here alſo comprehended, whereof the deliverance out of Babylon was only a Type; ye ſhall not be aſhamed, nor confounded World without end. That is, ye ſhall not always find your ſelves diſappointed of that Salvation which ye expect from your God; as he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe it ſhould be with thoſe that worſhipped Idols.
Ver. 18. For thus ſaith the Lord that created the Heavens, God himſelf that formed the Earth, and made it, &c.] See the Note above, ver. 12. yet ſome think, that Gods creating all things is here mentioned as an evidence that he was the only true God, and that therefore they that worſhipped him, ſhould not be confounded, as all idolaters ſhould be; as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe: he hath eſtabliſhed it, See the Note, Pſal. 93.1. He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; to wit, by the Children of men. And the drift of mentioning this, may ſeem to be hereby to imply, that if God hath been thus careful to provide an habitation for all mankind, much more will he be ſure to provide an habitation for his own peculiar People that muſt continue on the Earth ſo long as the Earth ſhall ſtand. This, I conceive, is moſt probably the drift of this place. Yet ſome, I know, do by the Earth here underſtand the land of Canaan, which God had provided for the habitation of his people, the Children of Iſrael.
Ver. 19. I have not ſpoken in ſecret, in a dark place of the Earth, &c.] Becauſe the Oracles of the Heathens were uſually in dark caves and dens of the Earth, places fit for deceit: See the Note, Chap. 8.19. And becauſe, when People reſorted thither for ſatisfaction in any thing they deſired to know, the Devil was wont cunningly to return them anſwers, as dark as the Caves wherein they were given, obſcure and ambiguous, that might always be underſtood ſeveral ways, that ſo, whatever the event was, it might be thought he had foretold the truth; therefore in an alluſion hereto, the Lord intending to profeſs to his People, that he had not ſpoken to them after ſuch a manner, doth thus expreſs himſelf, I have not ſpoken in ſecret, in a dark place of the Earth; as if he ſhould have ſaid, I have always from time to time made known my will to you openly, plainly and perſpicuouſly; and not as the idolatrous nations were informed by their Oracles. And it may well be, which ſome have thought, that it was with reſpect to this of the Prophet, that Chriſt ſpake that of himſelf, John 18.20. I ſpake openly to the World: I ever taught in the ſynagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jews always reſort, and in ſecret have I ſaid nothing. However the drift of this paſſage ſeems probably to be, to make known to Gods people, that tho' the Lord might ſeem to hide himſelf from them, as was ſaid before, ver. 15. by the ſtrange diſpenſations of his providence towards them, yet having ſo clearly and openly revealed his will to them, that if they ſerved him faithfully, and fled unto him in their ſtreights and troubles, he would certainly deliver them, on this they might with confidence rely, however things went: and that becauſe, as his promiſes were clear and plain, ſo they were ſure and faithful; which is intended in the following words, I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain; I do not encourage my people to ſeek unto me in vain, and to no purpoſe, by promiſing that which they ſhall not find in due time exactly performed: I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſs, I declare things that are right. That is, I ſpeak nothing but what is true and juſt, and what in the event they ſhall find to be ſo.
Ver. 20. Aſſemble your ſelves, and come: draw near together, ye that are eſcaped of the nations, &c.] That is, ye of the Heathens, both Babylonians and other idolatrous nations, that have eſcaped the deſtruction that Cyrus had made amongſt you. And the reaſon why the Lord doth thus ſummon theſe nations together, that were ſpread abroad all the world over, is, that they might ſay what they could in the defence of their Idol-gods, now when they had ſeen how unable they were to defend Babylon againſt the wrath of the God of Iſrael. And accordingly ſome conceive, that the following words, they have no knowledg, that ſet up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot ſave, are added by way of correction, as if he ſhould have ſaid, Why do I ſummon theſe to ſay what they can? Alas, theſe that worſhip ſtocks and ſtones, are very bruits, and have no knowledg. But rather this ſeems to be added, as a declaration of that which the Heathen nations had experimentally ſeen by Gods deſtroying Babylon, and delivering his people, namely, how ſottiſhly ignorant they were that ſerved Idol-gods, that could not ſave them. Some indeed take the firſt words, Aſſemble your ſelves, and come, draw near together, ye that are eſcaped of the Nations, to be a prophecy of the converſion of the Gentiles by the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, and that theſe are appealed to, as thoſe that were able experimentally to ſpeak in this caſe, having been won from the vanity of ſerving Idols, to the Worſhip and Service of the true God. But the former Expoſition is clearly the beſt, as is very evident by the following Verſe.
Ver. 21. Tell ye, &c.] Some conceive that the Heathen Nations are here enjoined to declare to others, what they had learnt or found by experience concerning the true God; and ſo to invite them to come in and join themſelves to his Church and People: But rather here the cauſe is ſhown why the Nations were ſummoned in the foregoing Verſe to aſſemble together; and accordingly I conceive that in theſe firſt words, Tell ye; either the Nations are appointed to tell one another of the Aſſembly intended or enjoined, as the following words ſeem to import, Tell ye, and bring them near; or elſe that they are challenged to tell and ſay what they could by way of defending their Idol-gods; yea, after they had met and conſulted together about it, which is certainly intended in thoſe words, bring them near, yea let them take Counſel together. And then in the following words the particular is expreſſed, whereby they are challenged to prove their Idol-gods to be true Gods; who hath declared this from ancient time? that is, Which of your Idol-gods have foretold things to come, long before they came to paſs, as I have foretold this concerning the deſtruction of Babylon, and the deliverance of my people, and ſo other things before mentioned, even from Abraham unto this time? Who hath told it from that time? that is, from ancient time, as was before ſaid; but ſee alſo the Note, Chap. 44.8. have not I the Lord? and there is no God elſe beſides me, a juſt God and a Saviour; that is, a true God, a God indeed, able to ſave thoſe that ſeek to him. It is the very ſame Argument whereby often before it was proved that Idol-gods were no true Gods, namely, becauſe they could not foretel future things, nor ſave thoſe that ſerved them, as the true-God did. See the Notes, Chap. 41.22, 26. and 43.9, 12.
Ver. 22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved all the ends of the earth, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Look not to your Idol-gods, that cannot ſave you; but look unto me, that is, own me to be the only true God, worſhip me, and ſeek unto me, and truſt in me (ſee the Notes, Pſal. 123.1, 2.) and ſo ye ſhall be ſaved; to wit, both temporally from your ſtreights and dangers here in this World, and Eternally hereafter; and doubtleſs this is ſpoken with reference to Gods purpoſe of calling the Gentiles to be his people, as is clear by the following verſe.
Ver. 23. I have ſwore by my ſelf, &c.] Upon occaſion of the foregoing invitation of all Nations to own the true God, to let them ſee that it would be their wiſeſt courſe ſo to do; here the Lord makes his Purpoſe and Decree concerning his bringing in of all Nations to be his People; and becauſe this might ſeem ſtrange and incredible, eſpecially to the Jews that looked upon themſelves as choſen of God to be his peculiar people, therefore he confirms it with an Oath, I have ſworn by my ſelf, having no greater to ſwear by, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 6.13. the word is gone out of my mouth in righteouſneſs, that is, ſay ſome, upon good and righteous grounds; (it being unqueſtionably a moſt juſt and righteous thing that all men ſhould own and worſhip the true God) or rather, in truth and faithfulneſs, as being fully reſolved to do what I ſay; and ſhall not return, that is, the word I have ſpoken is a Decree irrevocable, I will never reverſe it; or, it ſhall certainly be accompliſhed, it ſhall not return without effect, as men often do that go out upon ſome enterpriſe, but are not able to effect what they deſigned; that unto me every knee ſhall bow, every tongue ſhall ſwear; that is, I will ſo manifeſt my ſelf to be the only true God, the multitudes of all Nations that have formerly worſhipped Idol-gods, and ſworn by them, ſhall then know and worſhip me, and ſwear by my Name, or ſwear Fealty and Allegiance to me, ſee the Note, Chap. 19.18. This is undoubtedly the true meaning of this place: The Apoſtle indeed cites this place as a proof that all mankind throughout the World ſhall at the day of Judgment be brought into ſubjection under the power of God in Chriſt, and ſhall ſtand crouching before him, as being forced to acknowledg him their Lord and Judg, Rom. 14.10, 11. We ſhall all ſtand before the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt; for it is written, As I live, ſaith the Lord, every knee ſhall bow to me, and every tongue ſhall confeſs to God. But conſidering that the bowing of all Nations before God in Chriſt at the laſt day by way of owning his Soveraignty and Dominion over them, was a full accompliſhment of that univerſal ſubjection of all Nations to him, which was begun in the converſion of the Gentiles; What wonder is it that this which is here foretold by the Prophet concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and their owning of the Soveraignty of God in Chriſt, ſhould by the Apoſtle be applyed to the whole Worlds acknowledging of it, and being forced to ſubmit to it, when he ſhall come to judg both quick and dead of all Nations?
Ver. 24. Surely, ſhall one ſay, &c.] It is in the Margin, Surely he ſhall ſay of me, In the Lord is all righteouſneſs and ſtrength; and according to this Tranſlation the meaning is, that the faithful among the Gentiles, even every one of them, that ſhall turn unto God in Chriſt, and ſhall own and ſerve him, ſhall upon all occaſions be ready to acknowledg and profeſs with much rejoicing, that in him is abundance of Righteouſneſs; that is, Juſtice, Truth and Faithfulneſs, and an All-ſufficiency of Power to do for them whatever he pleaſeth; this they ſhall find experimentally, and ſo to their comfort ſhall ſee how much better it is with them, than when they ſerved Idol-gods; but now if we read it as it is in our Tranſlation, Surely ſhall one ſay, In the Lord have I righteouſneſs and ſtrength; there the meaning ſeems to be, that thoſe Converts before ſpoken of, ſhould be ſtill ready to glory in this, that all their righteouſneſs, both imputed and inherent, and all the ſtrength they had to obey Gods Commandments, was wholly from the Lord; of themſelves they had nothing that was good in them, nor were able to do any thing that was good in Gods ſight: As for that which follows, even to him ſhall men come, and all that are incenſed againſt him ſhall be aſhamed; ſome underſtand the firſt branch of it, even to him ſhall men come, of the Converts before mentioned, to wit, that they ſhould come in, embracing the advice before given them, ver. 22. and join themſelves to God and his people, (ſee the Note Pſal. 65.4.) though before Aliens and Heathens; and then the ſecond Clauſe, and all that are incenſed againſt him, ſhall be aſhamed, they underſtand of thoſe wicked Wretches that did obſtinately deſpiſe God, and oppoſe him and his Truth, to wit, that they ſhould be deſtroyed, and thereby be brought to ſhame and confuſion of face. But then, others again underſtand both branches of theſe that will not ſtoop to God, but ſtand out againſt him, and provoke him to Wrath, to wit, that they ſhould perforce come before Gods Tribunal, and there ſhall be put to Everlaſting Shame and Confuſion.
Ver. 25. In the Lord ſhall all the Seed of Iſrael be juſtified, and ſhall glory▪] Some hold the genuine ſenſe of this place to be, That the innocency of the main body of the Jews, or of the faithful amongſt them, ſhould be juſtified by the Lords Pleading their Cauſe againſt their Enemies, by reſcuing them out of the hands of their Oppreſſors, and taking vengeance on them that had ſo ſorely wronged and vexed them; and that they ſhould glory and triumph in this, according to that Jer. 51.10. The Lord hath brought forth our righteouſneſs; come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. And indeed the word (juſtified) is ſometimes ſo taken, as Chap. 50.8. He is near that juſtifieth me, ſaith the Prophet, to wit, againſt the falſe aſperſions of mine Adverſaries, Who will contend with me? But becauſe there is in the foregoing Verſes, ſuch a clear Prophecy of the Calling and Converſion of the Gentiles; I rather do underſtand it with the general current of Expoſitors, of that Juſtification whereby thoſe that come to God in Chriſt are diſcharged from their Sins, and owned as Juſt in his ſight; and ſome conceive that this is added by way of confirming that triumphing of the faithful, in the foregoing verſe, Surely ſhall one ſay, In the Lord have I righteouſneſs; and affirming that ſo it ſhould indeed be; In the Lord ſhall all the ſeed of Iſrael be juſtified, and ſhall glory. See the Note Chap. 44.5. yea, and it may well be, which ſome conceive, that by calling thoſe Converts that ſhould be juſtified and glory in the Lord, the ſeed of Iſrael, the Prophet did purpoſely ſeek to prevent the Jews any thought that he intended that God would caſt off the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his people in their ſtead; No, God would own them ſtill as his firſt-born People, and the Gentiles ſhould be ingrafted into their Stock, and made the Children of Abraham, the Seed of Iſrael, together with them.