Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
VERSE 1. IN that day, &c.] To wit, When the Lord ſhall go forth to puniſh the Inhabitants of the earth for their wickedneſs, as was ſaid in the laſt verſe of the foregoing Chapter, the Lord with his ſore, and great, and ſtrong ſword, that is, by his infinite power uſed with great ſeverity, ſhall puniſh Leviathan, that is, the Whale or Whirlpool, ſee the Notes Job 41.1. and Pſal. 104.26. the piercing ſerpent, or as it is in the Hebrew, the ſerpent croſſing like a bar; for the underſtanding whereof we muſt know, 1. That all Creatures that glide along, whether by earth or water, with feet or fins, are by the Hebrews called Serpents: and 2ly. That the Whale or Whirlpool is here called a barlike ſerpent, either becauſe it ſhooteth ſwiftly from one ſide of the ſea to the other, even as a bolt ſhoots ſwiftly into the ſtaple, or a bar from one ſide of the door to the other; or becauſe by reaſon of the huge bulk of his body, and his mighty ſtrength, he ſeems invincible, not to be over-born, moved, or ſtirred by any ſtrength of any Creature, no more than a gate or door can be moved, that is ſhut up with bars of Braſs or Iron: And 3ly. that this is rendred by our Tranſlators, the piercing Serpent; either with reſpect to his ſwift piercing through the waves of the Sea, as is before ſaid; or to his devouring or breaking through any thing that ſtands in his way. And ſo likewiſe he is called a crooked Serpent, becauſe he paſſeth through the waters wrigling to and fro, with winding and crooking motions; and the Dragon, the better to ſet forth his ſtrength and terror, even Leviathan that crooked ſerpent; and he ſhall ſlay the dragon that is in the ſea. But now the great queſtion is, who this Leviathan was, that is here threatned. Clear it is, that this is meant figuratively of ſome mighty and dreadful Enemy of Gods people. But all the difficulty is in determining who this great enemy here intended was. Some underſtand it of the King of Egypt, and that the rather, becauſe he is elſewhere termed Leviathan; See the Notes Pſal. 74.13, 14. and a whale in the Seas, Ezek. 32.2. and a Sea-Dragon, Ezek. 29.3. The great Dragon that lieth in the midſt of his rivers. Again ſome apply it to the King of Aſſyria, and others to the Babylonian Monarch, whoſe Dominions lay upon the great River Euphrates. And indeed, if we would reſtrain it to one particular, this laſt ſeems moſt probable. But I rather think, that it is to be underſtood generally and collectively of all cruel and mighty Tyrants, that are enemies to the Church, who for their vaſt Dominions, wherein they rule at their pleaſure, for their Serpentine ſubtilty, their crooked irregular ways, and ſavage cruelty in devouring and deſtroying men, are compared to theſe huge Sea-Monſters. Yea, conſidering, that the Prophet ſeems here to look beyond the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, by the Medes and Perſians deſtroying that Empire, even to that greater deliverance of Gods People by Chriſt, whereof the other was but a type, I ſee not, why the Devil may not be alſo mainly hereby intended, as he makes uſe of wicked Tyrants, as his inſtruments (with reſpect whereto, the expreſſion is uſed by the Apoſtle, The God of peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly, Rom. 16.20.) who for his great power and ſubtilty, and his Dominion over the wicked all the world over, may well be termed a Leviathan, the piercing Serpent, and the Dragon, as he is called, Rev. 12.9. and the crooked Serpent, becauſe he winds and turns himſelf ſo many ways, to deceive and deſtroy men. And taking the words thus, it is in effect all one, as if it had been ſaid, That Chriſt ſhould deſtroy the Devil and his Kingdom, with all his inſtruments.
Ver. 2. In that day ſing ye unto her, &c.] That is, when God hath deſtroyed his peoples mighty enemies, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, then ſhall ye with much joy, ſing this following ſong concerning the Church, the Lord's Vineyard; ſee the Notes, Chap. 5.1. A vineyard of Red wine; that is, the beſt and moſt generous Wine: for ſuch their red Wine was accounted in the land of Judea; whence is that of Solomon, Prov. 23.31. Lo…k not thou upon the wine when it is red; and thoſe expreſſions, Gen. 49.11. and Deut. 32.14. where Moſes calls their Wine, the blood, and the pure blood of the grape; ſee the Note, Pſal. 75.8. It is all one in effect, as if it had been ſaid, Behold, the Lords Vineyard, that before brought forth nothing but wild grapes (ſee the Note, Chap. 5.2.) and hath thereupon lain a long time deſolate and trodden down, is now become a Vineyard that yieldeth the choiceſt Wine. And the meaning is, That Gods people were now become a holy and a righteous people, yielding fruit very acceptable to God; which may be meant, partly of Gods people after their return out of Babylon, but eſpecially of the Church of Chriſt in the days of the Goſpel. However, in the whole there ſeems to he an alluſion to the cuſtom of thoſe times, when at their Vintages they uſed to ſing Songs with a great deal of jollity, by way of extolling the excellency and the fruitfulneſs of their Vineyards.
Ver. 3. I the Lord do keep it, &c.] That is, though of late I have ſeemed wholly regardleſs of her, yet now I will watch over her, to keep and preſerve her; and I will water her with the gracious ſhowrs and dews of my Word and Spirit, Deut. 32.2. and with a conſtant ſupply of whatever is requiſite to bring her into a fruitful and flouriſhing Condition.
Ver. 4. Fury is not in me, &c.] As if it had been ſaid, ſay ſome good Expoſitors, My people being now humbled and reformed, my fury and anger againſt them is quite over: who would ſet the briars and thorns againſt me in battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together: that is, If any therefore ſhall ſet themſelves againſt my people, now under my protection, like pricking briars and thorns, to ve… and moleſt them, it will be indeed but as if ſo many briars and thorns ſhould be ſet againſt me in battel, that am a conſuming fire; I would ſoon not only break through them, and trample them down, but alſo burn them up and deſtroy them; ſee the Note, Chap. 10.17. But I rather take this, as ſpoken not of the enemies of his Church, but of his Church and People themſelves; and that it is added by way of preventing an objection that might ariſe in their minds, concerning the Lord's tender care over his people, his Vineyard, in his continual keeping it and watering it. Becauſe they might think, that this promiſe could not conſiſt with that which the Prophet had ſo often told them, concerning thoſe ſad calamities and devaſtations that were coming upon them; to this the Lord anſwers, Fury is not in me; to wit, towards my Church and People. It is, as if he had ſaid, I am not in my ſelf ſubject to be tranſported with furious paſſions, and ſo prone, eaſily and without any juſt cauſe, to break forth in wrath againſt men, and to be implacable therein; but on the contrary, I am ſlow to anger, and very ready to ſhew mercy: and eſpecially it is thus with me, in regard of my people; when I am offended with them, it is with the anger of a loving Father; it is not in fury, and rage, and implacable wrath; and therefore when I ſhall chaſtiſe you, it ſhall be with a purpoſe to reform, and not to deſtroy you; ſo that this being effected in you, I ſhall ſoon make good this promiſe to you. As for the next words, who would ſet the briars and thorns againſt me in battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together; the drift thereof is (I conceive) to imply either 1. That if he were furiouſly bent againſt them to deſtroy them, they would be but as ſo many briars and thorns before a conſuming fire; he could eaſily make an end of them; ſo that they might thereby ſee, that it was of his mercy and free grace towards them, that they were not conſumed: Or 2. That if he were contending (which he had much rather) with the prophane ones of the world, that he eſteemed no better than ſo many briars and thorns, his wrath ſhould freely break forth againſt them, and utterly conſume them. But with his Vineyard, his inheritance, his own adopted people, he would not, he could not deal thus. Or 3. That if he were to deal only with the wicked amongſt his people, that were as ſo many briars and thorns ſetting themſelves in battel-array againſt him, he would ſoon deſtroy them, and as willingly as the Husbandman deſtroys the briars and thorns in his Vineyard; but with his beloved Vineyard he could not do ſo: If he were purpoſed to deſtroy the briars and thorns amongſt them, yet he would be careful to do that ſo, that he might not deſtroy the Vines together with them: Or 4. That if he ſhould find none but briars and thorns amongſt his people, then indeed he ſhould ſoon deſtroy them; but when they ſhould be a reformed people, he would be far from proceeding in ſuch fury againſt them.
Ver. 5. Or let him take hold of my ſtrength, &c.] 1. By taking hold on Gods ſtrength, may be meant a ſerious Conſideration of the infinite ſtrength and power of God, either to deſtroy his enemies, or to bleſs his faithful Servants. 2ly. An apprehending this ſtrength and power of God by faith, when men believe it, and apply the truth hereof unto themſelves: And 3ly. that uſing of all holy means, whereby they may appeaſe his wrath, and ſo ſtay his hand from ſmiting, or burning them up, ſuch as are repentance, and fervent prayer; and whereby they may engage his ſtrength to be put forth for their protection and benefit in every regard. And this is required here, as a means of mens making their peace with God, and preventing their being conſumed with the fire of his Indignation; and that with a promiſe that it ſhall be effectual thereto; that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me; and it may be taken, as ſpoken either to his enemies, thoſe wicked ones that were in his ſight as ſo many briers and thorns, that God would be reconciled even to them, if they would thus ſtay his hand, and make their peace with him: Or elſe to his own people, as an evidence that he was not furiouſly bent againſt them to deſtroy them, becauſe though he could eaſily burn them up, as ſo many briers and thorns, yet he rather deſired that they ſhould thus ſtay his hand, and be at peace with him.
Ver. 6. He ſhall cauſe them that come of Jacob to take root, &c.] To wit, his Iſrael, his Vineyard, the Poſterity of Jacob, See the Note Pſal. 80.9. as is further clear by the following words, Iſrael ſhall bloſſom and bud; and the meaning is, That though this people ſhould be for a time like a tree, that ſeems in the winter to be dead and withered, only there is life in the roots; yet like ſuch a tree, it ſhould at length grow up again and flouriſh exceedingly, and fill the face of the World with fruit, to wit, the fruit of her mighty encreaſe; which though it were initially fulfilled at the deliverance out of Babylon, yet not fully till the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church of Iſrael.
Ver. 7. Hath he ſmitten him, as he ſmote thoſe that ſmote him? &c.] That is, Hath God ſmitten his Iſrael, his people, as he ſmote thoſe that were their enemies, that ſmote them? as if it had been ſaid, Certainly no: God doth not proceed with the ſame ſeverity and rigor, when he contends with his people, as he doth when he comes to take vengeance on their enemies, whom he hath uſed as his Inſtruments to ſmite and correct his people. And the ſame is repeated again in the next clauſe, though that be not ſo clear as the former; or is he ſlain according to the ſlaughter of them that are ſlain by him? that is, (ſay ſome) Is his Iſrael ſlain according to the ſlaughter of thoſe that are ſlain by him? that is, The Babylonian, Iſraels enemy; as if it had been ſaid, That God did not ſlay his people with that cruelty or envy, as that great Leviathan, the Babylonian, ſlew the Jews and others, againſt whom he prevailed: Or, as others ſay, Is his Iſrael ſlain according to the ſlaughter of them that are ſlain by him? to wit, by Iſrael, that is, for his ſake. But rather, by them that are ſlain by him, is meant them that are ſlain by God; and ſo that which is intended, is, That God had not ſlain his people according to the ſlaughter wherewith he had ſlain his and their enemies (of whoſe ſlaughtering he had ſpoken of before, ver. 1. and Chap. 26.14.) namely, in wrath and fury, utterly to deſtroy them. The drift of all this is ſtill to make good that which was ſaid, ver. 4. That God was not furious againſt his people.
Ver. 8. In meaſure, when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate it, &c.] Here is ſhewn wherein God deals otherwiſe with his vine, his own people, than with their enemies, even when he doth ſmite and correct his people for their ſins; he will do it in meaſure; that is, gently, and with much moderation, not according to what he is able to lay upon them (See the Note Job 23.6.) nor according to what their ſins have deſerved, Ezra 9.13. but with reſpect to their ſtrength, that their ſufferings may not be greater or of longer continuance than they are well able to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. whereas when he falls upon his and their enemies, he lays on without any regard, or ſtint, or meaſure. As for thoſe words, when it ſhooteth forth, therein, as before, Gods people are ſpoken of as a Vineyard: The words indeed may be read as they are in the margin, In meaſure, when thou ſendeſt it forth, thou wilt debate with it; and ſo this expreſſion may be uſed with reſpect to Gods ſending forth his people into captivity, to wit, that even then God would debate with this his Vineyard moderately; though he ſeemed to have caſt them quite off, yet he had ſtill thoughts of peace towards them: as it is with a Father that turns away his Son, or a Husband, that for ſome offence diſmiſſeth his Wife for a time, when yet both the one and the other intend after a while to receive them back again. But if we read the words as they are in our Bibles, In meaſure, when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it; the meaning ſeems to be, that though God may contend with his Vineyard when her branches grow luxuriant, or when ſhe is ſpringing and growing up very fairly, yet he will do it in meaſure; though he may cut off her branches, he will not grub her up by the root; yea, even in pruning her, he will do it warily, ſo as not to ſpoil the heart of the Vines. And to the ſame purpoſe tend the following words, he ſtayeth his rough wind in the day of the eaſt wind; that is, If he bring ſome terrible ſtorm upon her, like a rough Eaſt wind (which is particularly named, becauſe that wind in thoſe Countries uſed to be moſt violent) yet he will ſo allay or ſlacken the boiſterouſneſs of this Storm, that it ſhall not break up the Vines by the roots, though it may beat down or break off ſome of her branches.
Ver. 9. By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, &c.] This is mentioned as another great difference betwixt Gods ſmiting his people, and his and their enemies, to wit, that whileſt he ſmites their enemies meerly in a way of vengeance to deſtroy them, he ſmites his people out of pity and fatherly love, that he may pardon and reform them; and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin, that is, all the fruit that God propounds to himſelf in correcting his people, and all the benefit that redounds to his people thereby, is the reforming of them, when he maketh all the ſtones of the altar as chalk-ſtones that are beaten aſunder; that is, when Jacob, Gods people, ſhall manifeſt the truth of their repentance, by pulling down and breaking to ſhivers with much zeal, even as men break Chalk-ſtones in pieces to make Lime, all their Altars and other idolatrous Monuments; the Groves and Images, (or Sun-Images) ſhall not ſtand, that is, they alſo ſhall be hewed and broken down. But ſee the Note Chap. 17.8.
Ver. 10. Yet the defenced City ſhall be deſolate, &c.] As if it had been ſaid, though God will not proceed, as is before ſaid, with his people, as he doth with their enemies, in puniſhing them, but will onelyonly ſeek the reforming of them; yet that they may be reformed, he will be forced to correct them with great ſeverity. The defenced City ſhall be deſolate, that is, Samaria and Jeruſalem, and other the ſtrong Cities, both in Iſrael and Judah, ſhall be laid waſte, and the habitation forſaken, and left like a wilderneſs; that is, all other their habitations in the Land ſhall be left without Inhabitants; there ſhall the calf feed, and there ſhall he lie down, that is, Gods people ſhall be caſt out, and bruit Beaſts ſhall be brought in to feed and dwell there in their ſtead; and conſume the branches thereof, that is, they ſhall browſe upon the Plants and Shrubs that ſhall grow up where their Houſes and Cities had wont to be. Some, I know, underſtand this of Gods proceeding in greater fury againſt the enemies of his people, than againſt his people; but that doth not ſuit ſo well with our Tranſlation. And again, ſome think that the ſtate of Iſrael being compared to a Vine, the deſtruction of the People is here intended, by ſaying that Beaſts ſhould conſume the branches thereof, according to a like figurative expreſſion, chap. 10.33, 34. for which ſee the Notes there. But methinks the words in this place ſeem rather to ſet forth the deſolation of their Country, than the deſtruction of the Inhabitants.
Ver. 11. When the boughs thereof are withered, they ſhall be broken off, &c.] According to what is noted in the foregoing Verſe, ſome underſtand this alſo figuratively of the withering, breaking off, and burning the boughs of Gods Vine, his Iſrael. But rather this is added farther to ſet forth the deſolation of their Town and Cities, by ſhewing, that as the Beaſts ſhould crop the Shrubs that grew there, when they were green, (as was ſaid in the former verſe) ſo being withered, the boughs thereof ſhould be broken off for firing: as is expreſſed in the following words, the women come and ſet them on fire.
For it is a People of no underſtanding, &c.] that is, a fooliſh People, that will be made wiſe by nothing but ſtripes; See the Notes Chap. 5.12. and Deut 32.28. Probable it is, that this they are charged with, more eſpecially with reſpect to their brutiſh ignorance in forſaking the living God to go after Idol-gods; therefore he that made them (See the Notes Chap. 22.11. and Deut. 32.6.) will not have mercy on them; and he that formed them will ſhew them no favour; that is, (ſay ſome who underſtand it of thoſe whom God by this ſeverity intended to reform) God will not at all ſpare them, but will proceed with ſome more than ordinary ſeverity againſt them, even as far as the rigour of fatherly chaſtiſement may extend. But I rather think that this is ſpoken of the body of the People of the Jews, upon whom God poured forth his wrath without any mixture of mercy, though withall he ſhewed mercy to a remnant amongſt them, as is ſhewn in the following verſe.
Ver. 12. And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, &c.] to wit, when God ſhall have proceeded with ſo great ſeverity againſt his own People (as is ſaid in the two foregoing Verſes) and ſhall have thereby in ſome meaſure reformed them; (but ſee alſo the Note Chap. 11.11.) that the Lord ſhall beat off from the channel of the river unto the ſtream of Egypt, that is, from Euphrates (See the Note Chap. 7.20.] unto the River Sihor, which lay before Egypt, Joſh. 13.3. or unto the River of Nilus, either of which may be meant by the River of Egypt, See the Notes Chap. 23.3. and Gen. 15.18. And the meaning ſeems to be, that God would ſever and take out his People from the Nations amongſt whom they were ſcattered, in all thoſe Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus, Aſſyria and Egypt (for when the Jews were carried captives into Babylon, many of them fled into Egypt, See the Note Chap. 11.11.) even as the Husbandman by beating ſevers the Fruit from the Trees; or as by threſhing he beats out the grain from the ears and ſtraw; or as by winnowing he beats out the corn from the chaff. Some indeed do underſtand this of the Lords beating out the Iſraelites from their dwelling places all over the Land of Canaan, (which we find ſometimes bounded by the River Euphrates and the River of Egypt) and others of the beating over of all thoſe Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus, by the Medes and Perſians, when they ſubdued Babylon. But the former expoſition is far the cleareſt, and beſt agrees with that which followeth, and ye ſhall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Iſrael, to wit, as Fruit is gathered up that is beaten off the Tree, or as the Corn is gathered up when it is threſhed, and winnowed, and laid up in Garners: the meaning whereof is, that though they were exceedingly diſperſed, yet they ſhould be gathered together into one body, and placed again in their own Land. And this expreſſion of their being gathered one by one, is uſed purpoſely to intimate, 1. the paucity of thoſe that ſhould be delivered, in compariſon of thoſe that were at firſt carried away and ſcattered abroad; according to a like expreſſion, Jer. 3.14. I will take you one of a City, and two of a Family, and will bring you to Zion. And 2. the exact bringing in of all that were to have a ſhare in this deliverance, though they were ſevered never ſo far aſunder, that God would pick them up, one out of one place, and another out of another, not one of them ſhould be neglected and loſt, as it is ſaid alſo Ezek. 39.28. I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. But withall we muſt know, that under this bringing home of the Jews to their own Land, a greater myſtery was intended by the Prophet, whereof that was a type and ſhadow, even the bringing in of God's elect People to the Church in the days of the Goſpel, firſt the Jews, and afterward the Gentiles, diſperſed throughout the whole World, as was ſaid of Chriſt, Joh. 11.52. that he ſhould gather together in one, the children of God that were ſcattered abroad.
Ver. 13. And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, &c.] See the foregoing Note: that the great trumpet ſhall be blown; that is, As by the ſound of trumpets a King gathers an Army, or a Captain calls his Souldiers together that were ſcattered abroad, ſo will I (ſaith the Lord) gather my people together that are diſperſed in ſeveral Countries: which though it were primarily meant of God's bringing home the Jews after the Babylonian captivity, into their own Country, yet under this, (as is already ſaid in the foregoing verſe) the ſpiritual gathering in of Gods People to the Church of Chriſt is chiefly intended. And therefore as by the trumpet is meant the Proclamation which Cyrus made for giving liberty to the Jews to return home into their own Country, Ezra 1.1, 2. ſo alſo the preaching of the Goſpel, that Evangelical Trumpet, which was to be ſounded all the World over, for the bringing in of Gods Elect to Chriſt, which may therefore the more fitly be called a great Trumpet. And in this expreſſion there may be an alluſion, either 1. to the ſilver Trumpets whereby the Iſraelites uſed to be called together to the Tabernacle; or rather 2. to the Jubilee Trumpet, by the ſounding whereof there was liberty proclaimed to Captives, and freedom for all to return to their Inheritances and Poſſeſſions, which had been alienated for a time from them. Or 3. to that Heavenly Trumpet, wherewith at the laſt day all Gods Elect ſhall be gathered together, to enter upon the full fruition of their purchaſed inheritance, Mat. 24.31. As for the following words, they ſet forth who they were, that amongſt others ſhould be gathered in by this Trumpet, and they ſhall come which were ready to periſh in the land of Aſſyria; that is, that were in Aſſyria, (which yet may be alſo meant of the Empire of Babylon) as a loſt People, diſperſed, without hope of being ever reſtored to their own Country; and the outcaſts in the land of Egypt, to wit, ſuch as fled thither, contrary to Gods expreſs command, when they were invaded and overcome by the Babylonians, as is ſaid in the foregoing Note; and ſee the Notes alſo Chap. 16.3. and Pſal. 14.7.2. and ſhall worſhip the Lord in the holy Mount at Jeruſalem, and not Idol-gods as they had formerly done; and under this the coming in of Gods Elect to the Church of Chriſt is comprehended.