Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
VERSE 1. BEhold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, &c.] This following Prophecy ſome would have reſtrained to the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes, and the Deſolation which Salmanaſſer was ſhortly to bring upon it; and others, to the Land both of Judah and Iſrael, with reſpect to the Deſtruction thereof, firſt by the Aſſyrians, and afterwards by the Babylonians. But that this Prophecy is more comprehenſive than ſo, is evident by thoſe Expreſions, v. 4. The World languiſheth and fadeth away; and verſe 21. The Lord ſhall puniſh—the Kings of the earth upon the earth. Nor yet can it be meant (as ſome others would have it) of Gods deſtroying the whole World at the day of Judgment, becauſe ver. 13. the Prophet addeth a paſſage concerning a remnant that ſhould be delivered from this common Deſtruction. It is therefore far more probably field by the moſt of Expoſitors, that the Prophet having in the foregoing Chapters (from Chap. 13. hitherto) denounced many ſore Judgments againſt Judah and Iſrael, and the neighbour Nations round about them ſeverally, as the Moabites, the Syrians, the Egyptians, &c. doth here now denounce Deſolation and Deſtruction againſt them all jointly together; Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waſte, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, What ſhould I ſpeak any longer of the Deſtruction of particular Cities and Countries? The Lord hath purpoſed to bring Ruine and Devaſtation upon the whole earth in a manner. It is true indeed, that becauſe the Prophet in foretelling this to the Jews, did more eſpecially aim at the awakening of them, and the calling of them to Repentance; therefore in this general denuntiation, he inſerts many paſſages with reſpect to them particularly (who were included amongſt the reſt) as appears ver. 2, and 5. where there is mention of their Prieſts, and Laws, and Covenant. But yet queſtionleſs the Prophecy is intended concerning that havock that was to be made amongſt the Nations before ſeverally threatned; and it may be others alſo, even all that were ſeated in thoſe parts of the World, firſt by the Aſſyrians, and then by the Chaldeans, and then after that by the Medes and Perſians. There is a Prophecy much like to this, Jer. 25.9. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waſte, that is, He will empty the earth of the Inhabitants thereof, and of all wherewith it is repleniſhed and adorned; and leave it quite deſolate, See the Note Chap. 3.26. It is as if he had ſaid, That the earth was even over-burthened with an innumerable company of wicked wretches; and therefore God would eaſe her of her burden, and turneth it upſide down; which is in the Hebrew, and perverteth the face thereof; that is, It ſhall be ſo ruinated, that it ſhall not have the face that formerly it had; and ſcattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof; that is, ſome fleeing, and ſome being carried away Captives, they ſhall be diſperſed abroad amongſt ſeveral Nations.
Ver. 2. And it ſhall be as with the people, ſo with the Prieſt; as with the ſervant, ſo with his maſter, &c.] That is, The Judgments threatned ſhall fall upon all ſorts and Conditions; none ſhall be ſpared in regard of any preheminence they have above others.
Ver. 3. The land ſhall be utterly emptied, &c.] See the Note before, ver. 1.
Ver. 4. The earth mourneth, &c.] That is, The Inhabitants of the earth; See the Note above, ver. 1. Or, the earth it ſelf, by reaſon of the ſad plight whereinto it is brought; See the Note Chap. 3.26. And fadeth away, to wit, as plants that wither away; See the Note Chap. 1.30. The World languiſheth and fadeth away, that is, All the Nations round about Judea againſt whom the foregoing Prophecies were denounced, lye deſolate and forſaken; See the Note upon the like Expreſſion, Chap. 13.11. and ſee alſo Chap. 16.8. The haughty people of the earth do languiſh, that is, The great and lofty ones amongſt the people, ſee the Notes Chap. 2.11, 12. yet becauſe it is in the Hebrew, the heigth of the people doth languiſh; therefore ſome do underſtand hereby the Jews, whom God had advanced by ſpiritual priviledges above all other people.
Ver. 5. The earth alſo is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, &c.] To wit, by the Blood and Carcaſes of men ſlain; Or rather by the abominable wickedneſſes that were committed by the inhabitants, as it is ſaid of the Land of Canaan, Levit. 18.25. that it was defiled by the horrid ſins that were committed therein by the Canaanites. In the Expoſition there ſeems to be an Alluſion to thoſe things that by the Law of God were to be looked upon as polluted; becauſe they had touched any perſons or things legally unclean. By the earth, ſome underſtand the Land of Iſrael and Judah particularly, placing the Emphaſis of the words in this, That this land had not been kept pure, as a land ſo peculiarly conſecrated to God ought to have been. But I ſee not why it may not ſtill be underſtood, as in the foregoing verſes, of the whole earth generally; yet indeed it is very clear, that though the Prophet doth here foretel Judgments that were coming upon all the Nations round about; yet all along he doth ſtill turn his ſpeech more eſpecially to the Jews to whom he directed his Prophecy. And ſo he ſeems to do in the words immediately following, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Laws, changed the Ordinance, broken the everlaſting Covenant, that is, They have wittingly and willingly run on in a way of doing whatever they liſted themſelves, without ever taking any care to obey the Commandments of God; for though ſome would extend this to the Heathens ſinning againſt the Laws of Nature, which God had written in their hearts; yet methinks this is clearly added with reference to Gods people in particular. And though ſome by the Laws would have the negative Precept within the bounds whereof they would not be kept; and by the Ordinance, the affirmative Commandments, which they minded not to obey; yet more commonly by the Laws, Expoſitors underſtand the moral Laws; and by the Ordinance, the Ceremonial Statutes, which they are ſaid to have changed, either becauſe they kept not to the rule therein preſcribed, but changed and altered things as they pleaſed themſelves. However by the everlaſting Covenant which they had broken, is certainly meant that Covenant of Grace, which God had made with Abraham and his Seed, and was to have been by them inviolably obſerved for ever.
Ver. 6. Therefore hath the curſe devoured the earth, &c.] That is, The Curſe and Wrath which God denounced againſt all that rebel againſt him, and which the Iſraelites had imprecated upon themſelves in caſe of diſobedience, Deut. 27.26. ſhall utterly conſume both the Inhabitants of the earth, and all beſides that is thereon. Yet becauſe in the following verſes the Prophet ſpeaks of the miſeries which the barrenneſs of the earth ſhould bring upon them; therefore ſome Expoſitors do underſtand this of the particular curſe, Deut. 28.16, 17, 18. and they that dwell therein are deſolate, that is, They are left in a deſolate Condition, ſtripped of all their former Comforts and Enjoyments; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, that is, Deſtroyed with fire and ſword by hoſtile Invaſions; or rather, conſumed and deſtroyed by the flaming fire of Gods wrath; See the Notes Chap. 9.18. and 10.16. yet ſome underſtand it of their being burnt up with that heat and drought, which ſhould be the cauſe of the burning up of the fruits of the earth, whereof afterward the Prophet ſpeaks; and few men are left, the generality of the people being cut off by Gods Judgments, or carried away into Captivity.
Ver. 7. The new wine mourneth, &c.] This Expreſſion is uſed to imply, either 1. That they ſhould have a mournful Vintage, their Vineyard yielding them ſo little Wine; or, 2ly. That their Wine ſhould be waſtfully ſpilt or ſwilled down by the Enemy: And ſo the next, the time languiſheth, implies, either 1. That their Vines ſhould fade away, and yield little fruit; or, 2ly. That they ſhould be cut or trodden down by their enemies; See the Note, Chap. 16.8. All the merry-hearted do ſigh, that is, all that having abundance, lived plenſantly and merrily, or all that uſed to be jovial and merry with drinking Wine, inſtead of ſinging ſhall now ſigh and mourn. And in all this now the Prophet doth covertly tax their former intemperance and exceſſive jollity; as if he ſhould have ſaid, You that have ſpent your days in ſuch immoderate pleaſures and jollity, ſhall ſhortly find, that the caſe will be ſadly alter'd with you.
Ver. 9. They ſhall not drink wine with a ſong, &c.] That is, Their drunken feaſting and revelling ſhall ceaſe; ſtrong drink ſhall be bitter to them that drink it; that is, Though they ſhould have ſtrong drink, they ſhall take no delight in it for very anguiſh and ſorrow of heart; their miſeries and Calamities will imbitter all their Comforts.
Ver. 10. The City of confuſion is broken down, &c.] Some underſtand this of Jeruſalem particularly; becauſe, ſay they, the Prophet doth ſtill ſeek to apply the Judgments here denounced particularly to the Jews to whom he propheſied. But it may better be underſtood collectively of the ſeveral Cities in thoſe Countrys, againſt which the Prophet doth here prophecy. And they may be called Cities of confuſion, either with reſpect to the baſe confuſion and diſorder that was in them, there being nothing therein well ordered, as it ought to be; or elſe with reſpect to that Confuſion and Deſolation that was coming upon them; the City of Confuſion is broken down, that is, Every City deſtined to Confuſion and Deſtruction, ſhall be broken down by the enemy; every houſe is ſhut up, that no man may come in; that is, All houſes are ſo blocked up with the ruines of them, that there is no way to enter into them; or, they all lye deſolate, the Inhabitants being ſlain or carried away Captives, ſo that there is no coming out, or going into them.
Ver. 11. There is a crying for wine in the ſtreets, &c.] To wit, of people bewailing the want of it, or the loſs or ſpoiling of it by the Enemy; all joy is darkened, &c. that is, Their joy ſhall be over-clouded with ſorrows, or turned into ſorrows; See the Note, Chap. 13.10.
Ver. 12. In the City is left Deſolation, &c.] That is, not only in the Country, but even in the Cities too, there ſhall be nothing left but Deſolation; all that is therein ſhall be deſtroyed: and the gate is ſmitten with Deſtruction, ſo that there is no going in, nor coming out there, but even in the gates, where there uſed to be the greateſt concourſe of people, there ſhall be utter Deſolation.
Ver. 13. When thus it ſhall be in the midſt of the land among the people, &c.] That is, When there ſhall be ſuch Deſolation made, as is aforeſaid, among the people, both of Iſrael and the neighbouring Nations round about them, there ſhall be as the ſhaking of an Olive-tree, &c. See the Notes, Chap. 10.22. and Chap. 17.6. where the ſame is ſaid of the Jews, that is here ſaid both of Jews and Gentiles together. The drift of theſe words is to ſhew, either 1. That the Deſtruction made amongſt theſe people ſhould be ſo great, that there ſhould be but a very ſmall remnant left undeſtroyed. Or, 2ly. That though there ſhould be ſuch Deſolation made in thoſe parts of the earth, both Judea and the Countrys round about, yet there ſhould not be ſuch an utter riddance made of the people, but that there ſhould be a ſmall remnant left and reſerved, out of whoſe Poſterity God meant to gather a Church of his Elect, that ſhould praiſe his Name.
Ver. 14. They ſhall lift up their voice, &c.] That is, This little remnant before mentioned, both in Judea and the Countrys round about, that ſhall eſcape that common Deſtruction and Deſolation that is coming upon the whole earth in a manner, in thoſe parts of the World, ſhall with great joy of heart lift up their voices to ſhout, and to praiſe God for their wonderful Deliverance; they ſhall ſing for the Majeſty of the Lord, that is, They ſhall with ſongs of Praiſe extol God, for the diſcovery that he hath made of his glorious Majeſty, his infinite Power, and Juſtice, and Goodneſs, and Mercy, both in puniſhing thoſe multitudes that ſhall then be deſtroyed, and in preſerving that ſmall remnant of them that ſhall eſcape in that common Deſtruction; they ſhall cry aloud from the Sea, that is, From the Iſlands that are in the Sea; or from the Countrys beyond the Sea, even from the uttermoſt parts of the earth, the ſhouting and ſinging ſhall be heard of thoſe that with ſuch a loud voice ſhall praiſe the Lord for their deliverance. But now the great queſtion is, Of whoſe, and of what Rejoycing this is meant? Many learned Expoſitors there are, that do underſtand it meerly of thoſe that ſhould eſcape that general Deſtruction threatned in this Chapter, both in the land of Judea, and all the Countrys about them. And ſome underſtand hereby thoſe that were delivered from Salmanaſſer, or Sennacheribs invaſion in the days of Hezekiah; and others, far more probably, of thoſe that eſcaped when the Babylonians made ſuch havock, both in Judea, and in all the Countrys round about, that were over-run and ſubdued by their victorious Armies. But becauſe the Prophet ſeems here to foretel, that the joy of the remnant that ſhould be reſerved, not only amongſt the Jews, but alſo amongſt the Heathens about them, ſhould be ſo exceeding great, and (in the following verſes, that they ſhould in their joy praiſe the Lord God of Iſrael which the Heathens never did, till they embraced the Chriſtian Faith;) therefore I conceive he intends here, not only the joy and ſhouting, and ſinging of thoſe that ſhould be delivered from the general devaſtation (whoſe joy might be ſaid to be heard from the parts beyond the Sea, becauſe thither many of them might be ſold for Captives) but alſo principally the joy and ſinging of their Poſterity, that ſhould exceedingly triumph and praiſe God for the wonderful diſcovery of his Majeſty, his incomparable Power and Mercy in the great work of mans Redemption by Chriſt, and in calling them into the Kingdom of Chriſt by the preaching of the Goſpel; as likewiſe their lifting up their voice freely, and without fear, in ſpreading abroad the glad tidings of Salvation far and near, wherever they had any opportunity to do it. As for the laſt clauſe, they ſhall cry aloud from the Sea; ſome tranſlate that, they ſhall cry aloud from the Weſt; (becauſe the Mediterranean Sea lay on the Weſt of Judea) And accordingly they underſtand it, of the rejoycing of thoſe believing Jews, that ſpreading the Goſpel in the Weſtern parts of the World (whither they fled upon the laſt Devaſtation of Judea by the Romans) did exceedingly rejoyce, when they ſaw the Roman Empire ſubmit to the Scepter of Chriſt. But it is hard to ſay, that this is here particularly intended.
Ver. 15. Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires, &c.] Theſe may be the words of the Prophet, ſtirring up Gods people to go on in praiſing God, as in the foregoing verſe he had foretold they ſhould do; but yet they are commonly taken to be the words of the remnant before ſpoken of, who eſcaping that publick Deſolation that was coming upon the earth, ſhould not only themſelves praiſe God with a loud voice, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe; but ſhould alſo, as is here ſaid, ſtir up others to do the ſame, even from the experience of their deliverance. Some render the words, as in the Margin of our Bibles, Glorifie the Lord in the valleys; and they hold, that the valleys are named, either becauſe the Valleys are uſually moſt inhabited, by reaſon of the conveniency of water and plenteous feeding that is there to be had; or elſe to imply, that even in the darkeſt Corners of the earth, in the baſeſt and obſcureſt Countries of the World, the Praiſes of the Lord ſhould be heard. But they are beſt rendred, I conceive, as in our Tranſlation, Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires; that is, Ye that are in the fires of great Tribulations and Troubles, conſider of this great work that God hath done upon the earth, and be thereby ſtirred up to glorifie God, by truſting in him, and rejoycing in hope of being delivered by him; and let all do this all the world over; which is implied in the following words, even the Lord God of Iſrael in the Iſles of the Sea. See the foregoing Note.
Ver. 16. From the uttermoſt part of the earth have we heard Songs, &c.] As if the Prophet had ſaid, What do I ſpeak of glorifying God in the Valleys, and in the Iſles of the Sea? We the people of God have heard Praiſes ſung to our God, even from the uttermoſt parts of the earth. Only we muſt know, that though the Prophet ſpeaks of this, as of a thing done already, to imply the unqueſtionable certainty of it; yet his meaning is, That this ſhould be done hereafter; the time was coming when they ſhould hear Pſalms of Praiſe ſung unto God, even from the remoteſt parts of the earth. And though we may ſay, that there was an initial accompliſhment of this, when the Jews were delivered out of Babylon, and other Nations were at the ſame time ſet free, that had been held in bondage by the Chaldeans; yet I conceive, the full performance of this, was not till the Gentiles were brought in to the Church, and ſo joyned with the Jews in ſinging Pſalms of Praiſe unto God. And accordingly we muſt underſtand the following clauſe, wherein the ſubject-matter of thoſe their Songs of Praiſe is ſet forth, even glory to the Righteous, to wit, either 1. That they ſhould glorifie the Righteous God, becauſe he had by his righteous Judgments reſcued poor Priſoners and Captives from the bondage of their proud Enemies, that had tyrannized over them; or, becauſe he had manifeſted himſelf to be a righteous God by performing his promiſes concerning Chriſt, and the calling of the Gentiles: Or, 2ly as ſome would have it, That they ſhould ſpread abroad the Glory of Chriſt their Redeemer, who is indeed often termed the Righteous in the Scripture, as 1 Joh. 2.1. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous. See alſo Iſa. 53.11.
But I ſaid, My leanneſs, my leanneſs, &c.] Some would have this rendred, as it is in the Margin, My ſecret to my ſelf, my ſecret to my ſelf; and that the meaning ſhould be, That he concluded confidently of that which God had ſecretly imparted to him; to wit, That the wicked ſhould be deſtroyed, and the Righteous ſpared; Or, that the Prophet durſt not reveal that which was ſecretly made known to him, but kept it to himſelf; namely, that of thoſe that ſhould thus praiſe God and Chriſt, there ſhould be ſo few of his own Countrymen the Jews, the Gentiles being for the generality admitted to be Gods peculiar people; which is altogether improbable. That Tranſlation therefore, which we have in our Bibles, is far the better, But I ſaid, my leanneſs, my leanneſs. And ſo the words contain a very pathetical Expreſſion of the Prophets grief for the deſperate wickedneſs of his own people, and the wrath and vengeance which it would certainly bring upon them; it is all one in effect, as if he had ſaid, that he did even continually waſte and pine away with grief, notwithſtanding the great joy which he foreſaw would accrue to that eſcaping remnant, of which he had ſpoken, when he took notice how great the wickedneſs of Gods people was, and how dreadful the Judgments were, which this would bring upon them, which is the more evident by the following Complaint, Wo unto me, the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherouſly, yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherouſly: which ſeems clearly to be meant of that peoples treacherous dealing with God, to whom they ſtood obliged for ſo many ſingular mercies, and to whom they had ſo often engaged themſelves; yet I cannot but add, that it is not altogether improbable, which ſome ſay, that thoſe words, My leanneſs, my leanneſs, &c. might be ſpoken as in the perſon of the Nation of the Jews, to ſet forth what a thin and ſmall company there ſhould be of them amongſt the people of God, when the Church ſhould be mightily enlarged by the flowing in of the Gentiles; Or, that the Prophet might thereby bewail the ſad Condition the Church ſhould be in, even in the days of the Goſpel, by the baſe and treacherous dealing of thoſe that lay in her own boſom.
Ver. 17. Fear, and the pit, and the ſnare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the earth.] See the Note above, ver. 1. There ſeems to be in the words an Alluſion to that which was uſually done in the hunting of wild beaſts, wherein, firſt the beaſts are rouſed with a fright and fear, by the out-cry and hallowing of the Huntſmen, and the barking of the dogs; and then fleeing away, they fall into ſome pit that was digged for them; or, if they eſcape them, they are taken in ſome toils or ſnares that were ſet for them. But the meaning is, that God would follow the Inhabitants of the earth with variety of Judgments (even while he ſpared that ſmall remnant, to whom, in the foregoing words he had promiſed to ſhew mercy) ſo that the generality of them ſhould be utterly deſtroyed; if they eſcaped one Judgment, another ſhould ſurprize them, as is more fully expreſt in the following verſe, And it ſhall come to paſs, that he who fleeth from the noiſe of the Jews, ſhall fall into the pit, &c. See the Note, Job 20.24.
Ver. 18. For the windows from on high are open, &c.] To wit, The windows of heaven, as it was in Noahs deluge, Gen. 7.11. to which the Prophet ſeems here to allude. The meaning is, That God would pour down his Judgments from heaven upon them, as once upon the old World, or upon Sodom and Gomorrha; See the Note Pſal. 42.7. and the foundations of the earth do ſhake, as it were for fear; ſee the Notes 2 Sam. 22.8. and Job 9.6. Both Expreſſions joyned together, clearly imply, That God would arm both Heaven and Earth againſt them, ſo that his Vengeance ſhould break forth upon them, both from above and from beneath; and therefore there would be no eſcaping for them.
Ver. 19. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean diſſolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.] Having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, the foundations of the earth do ſhake; with reſpect hereto he now addeth, That the earth and all things thereon ſhould be utterly broken and ſhattered to pieces. But the meaning is, That the Kingdoms and States of the earth, againſt which the Prophecy in this Chapter is directed, ſhould be utterly and irrecoverably deſtroyed, and left wholly in Confuſion and Deſolation.
Ver. 20. The earth ſhall reel to and fro like a Drunkard, &c.] That is, It is near to ruine; Or, the Inhabitants thereof are at their wits end, and know not which way to turn themſelves; See the Note, Chap. 19.14. and ſhall be removed like a Cottage, to wit, like ſome Shed or Tent, which Travellers ſet up to lodg in by night, and then in the Morning pull it down, and carry it away with them. It may be meant of the Ruine and Overthrow of States, Towns and Cities, or the carrying away of the people into Captivity; and the Tranſgreſſion thereof ſhall be heavy upon it, that is, Their grievous ſins, the cauſe of all their miſery, ſhall bring heavy Judgments upon them; and it ſhall fall, and not riſe again; that is, it ſhall be utterly ruined, and ſhall never recover its former Splendor and Glory.
Ver. 21. And it ſhall come to paſs in that any, that the Lord ſhall puniſh the hoſt of the high Ones, that are on high, &c.] Some by the hoſt of the high ones, whom God would puniſh, do underſtand the Devils, whom the Apoſtle terms ſpiritual wickedneſs in high places. Others underſtand hereby the darkning of the Sun, and Moon and Stars, the Hoſt of Heaven, or any prodigious ſigns in them; thereby to ſtrike the inhabitants of the earth with terror, of which the Prophet ſpeaks in the following verſe; or Gods deſtroying the Idol-images of theſe Heavenly lights, ſee the Notes Chap. 17. and 19.1. And again others underſtand it of the Church and People of God, whom God had advanced on high above all other Nations, and whom God would puniſh, as well as others. But there is no juſt ground for any of theſe Expoſitions. That which is moſt probable, and is approved by the beſt Expoſitors, is, that by the hoſt of the high ones, that are on high, is meant, either the Kings and Princes of the earth in general, together with their forces, that are lifted up high above other men, and that ſhine gloriouſly in the world, like the heavenly lights in the Firmament (and then the following words, and the Kings of the earth, upon the earth, ſeem to be added by way of explaining theſe) or elſe more particularly, thoſe proud Aſſyrian and Babylonian Monarchs and Potentates, ſuch as were Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar, with their mighty Armies, that were Kings of Kings, as one of them is called, Dan. 2.37. And then by the following words, And the Kings of the earth, upon the earth, are meant thoſe petty Kings, that were Vaſſals to the other; of whom the Prophet ſpeaks, as of Princes that had their Thrones on the ground, in compariſon of the other, their great Lords, that ſeemed to have their Thrones above the Clouds and the Stars. And ſo the drift of the whole verſe is to ſhew, that there was none amongſt the wicked ſo high, but God would pull them down.
Ver. 22. And they ſhall be gathered together, as priſoners are gathered in the pit, and ſhall be ſhut up in the Priſon, &c.] That is, As Malefactors are brought in from ſeveral places, and clapped up together in the Goal; ſo ſhall theſe great ones, mentioned in the foregoing verſe, be gathered together, and kept in ſafe cuſtody. And the meaning of this may be, either 1. That they ſhould be held and bound ſo faſt by the Almighty Power of God, in that low and baſe eſtate whereinto they ſhould be brought, that they ſhould be no more able to extricate themſelves out of it, than Priſoners are able to make an eſcape out of ſome ſtrong Dungeon, where they are laid together. Or, 2. that they ſhould be together carried Captives into Babylon; their multitude ſhould no way ſecure them. Or, 3. that they ſhould be ſlain and laid up together in the grave, the pit whereinto people are frequently in Scripture ſaid to be gathered. But now if the words ſhould be underſtood this laſt way, then the following clauſe, and after many days ſhall they be viſited, muſt neceſſarily be meant of a farther Viſitation in wrath, to wit of God's delivering them up at the Day of Judgment, when they ſhould be raiſed out of the pit of the grave, to the eternal Torments of Hell. Or elſe that clauſe muſt be read, as out of Junius we have it in the Margin of our Bibles, And after many days ſhall they be found wanting; that is, they ſhall no more of a long time be found lifting up themſelves in a way of enmity againſt God. All which being not improbable, I doubt not but that this laſt clauſe is added as a promiſe of Grace and Favour, And after many days ſhall they be viſited, to wit, in Mercy. And it may be meant, either, 1. Of the deliverance of thoſe before threatned, from the Babylonian bondage; to wit, that they or their Poſterity ſhould after many years be ſet at liberty by the Medes and Perſians; See the Note, Chap. 23.17. Becauſe they had long provoked, by their wickedneſs, therefore they ſhould be a long time kept there in ſore Bondage; but yet at length, after many days, deliverance ſhould come. Or 2. of God's viſiting their Poſterity in wonderful Mercy under the Kingdom of Chriſt, by ſending him into the world, and cauſing the way of Life through him to be made known to them by the Preaching of the Goſpel; for that this is here included, the following verſe doth clearly ſhew.
Ver. 23. Then the Moon ſhall be confounded, and the Sun aſhamed, &c.] That is, When after this execution of Divine Vengeance on his enemies, in a manner all the world over, God ſhall at laſt viſit them in mercy, as was ſaid in the cloſe of the foregoing verſe, (which though it may be meant initially of God's delivering his people out of Babylon, yet it muſt needs be principally meant of God's gracious viſiting his people under the Kingdom of Chriſt in the days of the Goſpel) with ſuch exceeding glory and brightneſs ſhall the Greatneſs and Majeſty of God ſhine forth in this Kingdom of Chriſt, that the Sun and Moon ſhall be aſhamed to ſhew their faces; their brightneſs ſhall be as no brightneſs, yea as mere darkneſs in compariſon of that; when the glory of this Sun of Righteouſneſs, and Day-ſpring from on high ſhall ſhine forth in the world, it ſhall darken all the glory and magnificence of all earthly ſtates and worldly things, even as a greater light doth darken the leſs; When the Lord of Hoſts ſhall reign in Mount Zion and in Jeruſalem, and before his ancients gloriouſly; That is▪ when God in Chriſt ſhall in his Church, gathered out of all Nations, (of which Zion and Jeruſalem was a type) reign ſo gloriouſly, and diſcover ſo much of his excellent glory in their protection, and ſpiritual Government, the holineſs which he ſhall work in them here, and the glory and happineſs which he ſhall clothe them with in Heaven hereafter; and his Saints taking notice thereof, ſhall be ſtill admiring it, and praiſing his name. For though his ancients are only here mentioned, his Magiſtrates and Miniſters; yet under theſe, as their repreſentatives, the whole body of God's people is underſtood. See the Notes, Chap. 4.2, 3, 4, 5.