Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
VERSE 1. ANd in that day, &c.) That is, in the day when God ſhall have brought all the evil forementioned upon you, ſeven women, that is, many women (ſee the Note, 1 Sam. 2.5.) ſhall take hold of one man; that is, whereas it ſtands not with the modeſty uſually found in that ſex to woo thoſe whom they deſire to make their husbands, but rather they expect to be ſued to by them, and much leſs can they endure a husband that hath more wives than themſelves; yet ſuch ſhall be the extream ſcarcity of men in thoſe times by reaſon of the havock which the ſword of the Chaldeans ſhall have made amongſt them, that many women ſhall of their own accord deſire this, and with ſo much importunity preſs their requeſt upon one man, as if they would extort a conſent from him, and would take no denial; for this is implied in that which is here ſaid, that they ſhould take hold of him, even that they ſhould proſecute their ſuit with ſo much vehemency, as if they would force themſelves upon him. I know the words may be underſtood of many women contending for one man, each one intending to have him to her ſelf alone. But becauſe Polygamy was uſual amongſt that people in thoſe times, and becauſe this doth beſt ſet forth what a ſcarcity there ſhould be then of men, I do rather underſtand it of many deſiring to be his wives jointly together. And leſt he ſhould deny them, as being loth to bring ſuch a charge of wives and children upon him, eſpecially in ſuch a time of penury and want, therefore they are ſaid to add that which follows, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; that is, we will no way be any charge to thee, but will our ſelves maintain both us and ours, only let us be called by thy name; that is, accept us to be thy wives, that it may be ſaid that thou art our husband, and we are thy wives, ſee Gen. 48.16. & Joh. 19.25. & Jer. 14.9. There is in this expreſſion an alluſion to that ancient cuſtom of calling the wife by the name of her husband, to take away our reproach; to wit, the reproach of not having husbands, or not having children; for becauſe God had promiſed fruitfulneſs in child-bearing as a great bleſſing unto that people, Deut. 7.14. There ſhall not be male or female barren among you; therefore they looked upon barrenneſs as a great curſe and reproach to them; whence it was that Rachel ſaid upon the birth of her ſon Joſeph, God hath taken away my reproach; ſee the Note, 1 Sam. 1.6. Yea, and the younger ſort living without husbands, as if no man regarded them, was counted a diſhonour; and therefore we find it mentioned as one of the ſad effects of Gods judgments upon his people, that their maidens were not given in marriage, Pſal. 78.63.
Ver. 2. In that day, &c.] Leſt the foregoing threatnings concerning the deſtruction and deſolation that was to come upon the people of God, ſhould quite diſcourage the faithful that were amongſt them, and cauſe them to queſtion, how then the Covenant which God had made with his Church ſhould be ratified, and how the Promiſes which he had made to them concerning the ſtability and increaſe of his Church ſhould be accompliſhed; to chear them up is this promiſe here inſerted, as the like was before done, Chap. 1.25, 26. concerning which ſee the Notes there. In that day, to wit, when God ſhall have brought all the forementioned judgments upon them, and thereby ſhall have ſwept away thoſe that were incorrigibly wicked, and ſhall have exceedingly purged thoſe that ſhall be left, though then the people ſhall be brought to ſo low a condition, that their eſtate ſhall ſeem to be hopeleſs, yet even then in that day ſhall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious. And this is three ſeveral ways expounded by Interpreters, though indeed they are all much to one and the ſame effect. 1. The moſt of Expoſitors do by this Branch of the Lord underſtand the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the promiſed Meſſias, and that eſpecially becauſe the ſame, or the like Title, is ſo often given to him elſe-where in the Scripture, as Chap. 11.1. And there ſhall come forth a rod out of the ſtem of Jeſs, and a branch ſhall grow out of his roots. And Jer. 23.5. I will raiſe unto David a righteous Branch. And 33.15. At that time will I cauſe the Branch of Righteouſneſs to grow up unto David. And Zach. 3.8. Behold I will bring forth my ſervant the BRANCH. And Chap. 6.12. Behold the man whoſe name is the BRANCH. And accordingly they underſtand this Prophecy thus, that after thoſe forementioned calamities, when the ſtock of Davids family ſeemed in a manner quite withered and dead, the Lord ſhould ſuddenly and unexpectedly cauſe a Branch to ſprout forth from that ſtem, that ſhould be beautiful and glorious; which is all one as if he had ſaid, that from that family thus decayed, and in a manner quite dead, God would raiſe up to his people a Captain and Commander that ſhould turn their ſorrow into joy, and bring them into a happy condition again; for by this Branches being beautiful and glorious to the remnant of Iſrael, may be meant, the amiableneſs, and the glory and majeſty of Chriſt, as well in regard of the tranſcendent dignity of his perſon, being the only begotten Son of God, that thought it not robbery to be equal with God, and every way repleniſhed abundantly for the diſcharge of his work; as likewiſe in regard of the eminency of his office, and the wonderful bliſs which thereby redounded to his people, he being their head; and ſo the fountain from whence all grace, life and ſalvation was derived to them; and ſo the meaning in effect is this, that Chriſt ſhould reſtore the remainder of his ſpiritual Iſrael to glory and honour by his ſalvation and grace.
Again, 2ly. others underſtand this place thus, That the grace and favour of God, or the gifts and benefits, and graces which God ſhould beſtow upon his people, ſhould ſpring up and be viſible amongſt them, though before in ſuch a deſolate condition, as a branch beautiful and glorious. And indeed we find an expreſſion much to this purpoſe, Pſal. 85.11. concerning which ſee the Note there.
But, 3ly, very many of our beſt Expoſitors do by the branch of the Lord, underſtand the Church and people of God; which agreeth with that Chap. 5.7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hoſts is the houſe of Iſrael, and the men of Judah his pleaſant plant. And 44.3, 4. I will pour my ſpirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thine off-ſpring, and they ſhall ſpring up as among the graſs, as willows by the water-courſes. And ſo they take the meaning of that which is here foretold to be this, that whereas the people of God after the calamities before threatned, and eſpecially after the Babylonian Captivity, ſhould be as a piece of ground waſted and dried, and parched, never likely to become a people any more, much leſs to recover their ancient ſplendor and glory; yet after that, out of theſe poor remainder of Iſrael, a branch of the Lord ſhould ſpring forth beautiful and glorious; that is, this poor deſpiſed people ſhould as a new Church ſprout out afreſh, and be reſtored to as glorious a condition as ever. And however this was partly accompliſhed in the rebuilding of the City and Temple of Jeruſalem at their return out of Babylon, and more eſpecially in their ſpiritual glory, becauſe they that ſhould be preſerved out of the prophane rabble that were deſtroyed, ſhould be purged from their Idolatry and other wickedneſs, and ſo ſhould become glorious in Gods ſight; yet doubtleſs it was principally fulfilled in the glory they attained, when they became the people and Kingdom of Chriſt. So that (as is ſaid before) it is much at one, whether we underſtand this of Chriſt, who was the glory of his Church, or of the Church in whom Chriſt was glorified. And to be ſure very fit it was that Gods people ſhould for their comfort be put upon the expectation of thoſe glorious days of the Goſpel, becauſe even after their return from Babylon the ſtate of the Church ſhould be ſtill in many regards ſo mean and contemptible. As for the following clauſe, And the fruit of the earth ſhall be excellent and comely for them that are eſcaped of Iſrael; ſome underſtand this alſo of the excellency and lovelineſs of Chriſt, and that he is called the fruit of the earth with reſpect to his manhood. See the Note, Pſal. 85.11. And others by the fruit of the earth, as before by the branch of the Lord, underſtand the Church and people of God, to wit, that thoſe poor remainders of Gods Iſrael that ſhould be left in the land after their return out of Babylon, ſhould again grow up to an eſtate of great excellency and glory, like ſome fruit-bearing plant that ſhould ſuddenly ſpring out of a dry parched ground, and bring forth rich and goodly fruit, which they chiefly apply to that ſpiritual glory which they ſhould attain by Chriſt their promiſed Meſſias in the days of the Goſpel. But the moſt of Expoſitors do by the fruit of the earth here underſtand the rich and plenteous gifts of Gods bounty and grace, which after that time the people of God ſhould enjoy, as namely,
1. That the land ſhould yield her fruit in wonderful plenty, excellent and goodly (under which all other things tending to their outward happineſs and glory may be comprehended), which whether it were occaſioned by the lands lying fallow in moſt places ſo many years together, during the Babylonian Captivity, or by the extraordinary bleſſing of God upon it, did tend much to their bliſs and glory in outward reſpects; whence is that Ezek. 36.35. And they ſhall ſay, This land that was deſolate is become like the garden of Eden, &c. See the Note alſo, Pſal. 72.16.
And, 2ly, that they ſhould excel and become moſt amiable and lovely for the manifold graces of God in them, the fruits of the Spirit, wherewith they ſhould be moſt richly adorned; for thus the Scripture is wont to ſpeak of the holineſs and righteouſneſs of Gods people, as of a ſpiritual fruit, ſpringing from an inward principle of grace in the heart, and appearing gloriouſly in their lives and converſation; and thence is that Chap. 45.8. 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 up together. And that Chap. 61.3. where the people of God are called the trees of righteouſneſs, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. See alſo again the Note, Pſal. 85.11.
Ver. 3. And it ſhall come to paſs, &c.] Here the Prophet ſets forth what that glory chiefly was, which God ſhould confer upon his Church, to wit, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jeruſalem; that is, thoſe that were left alive, not in Babylon (for many of thoſe did chuſe to continue there, deſpiſing the liberty that was tendered then for their return into their own land) but in Zion and Jeruſalem, being returned thither from their Captivity in Babylon (under which may be comprehended even thoſe that after their return dwelt elſewhere in the land, becauſe they alſo went up yearly to Zion to worſhip there), ſhall be called holy, that is, ſhall be a holy people, ſee the Note, Chap. 1.26. when God had deſtroyed the wicked that were amongſt them, and purified thoſe that were left, by his ſpirit, theſe ſhould now be a holy Nation, even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem; that is, every one whom God had fore-appointed to ſurvive the calamities of thoſe times, and to be found living amongſt thoſe that ſhould return from Babylon to Jeruſalem. Now if it be objected againſt this Expoſition, That it was not thus with the Jews when they returned out of Babylon to Jeruſalem. It is evident by the ſtory of thoſe times, that even amongſt the little remnant of Gods people, there were many wicked ones; and therefore they were far from being all holy. To this I anſwer, That there was a great Reformation then wrought in the whole body of the people, in that they were greatly purged from their Idolatry, and other groſs ſins, that were formerly rife amongſt them, which was a kind of ſhadow of that thorow Reformation which God intended to work in his Church. And 2. That ſo far as this Prophecy hath reſpect to that real work of Reformation and Sanctification, which is here alſo promiſed, it muſt be intended to the intire holy change that was to be wrought in the Church in all ſucceeding ages; which as it was began at that time of the purifying of the people of God, when they were delivered out of the Babylonian Captivity, and brought home to their own Country; for it was to be further carried on in the days of the Goſpel, till at laſt it ſhould be perfected at Chriſts ſecond coming. And if thus we underſtand this Prophecy, then by that remnant in Zion and in Jeruſalem, that ſhall be called holy, we muſt underſtand all the members of the Myſtical Church, who are all truly ſanctified by the ſpirit of Chriſt; and accordingly then the following clauſe, even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem, may be meant of ſuch as God had decreed unto holineſs here, and ſo unto life eternal in Heaven; concerning which ſee the Notes, Exod. 32.32. Pſal. 69.28. and 87.6.
Ver. 4. When the Lord ſhall have waſhed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, &c.] That is of the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and ſpiritually, the viſible Members of the Church. Yet it may well be, that the Prophet doth the rather uſe this expreſſion, with reſpect to that which he had ſaid, chap. 3.16. concerning the women daughters of Zion, which had a great ſtroak in bringing thoſe ſad judgments upon Zion, whereof he had before ſpoken. And ſhould this be ſo, obſervable it were, that the bravery and vanity wherein they had ſo prided themſelves, is here turned into filth. Having before ſaid, that the remnant of Gods people ſhould be pure and holy, beautiful and glorious, excellent and comely; here the Prophet ſheweth when, and how this ſhould be done, when the Lord ſhall have waſhed away the filth of the daughters of Zion; that is, their manifold ſins and wickedneſs, and ſhall have purged the blood of Jeruſalem from the midſt thereof; where, by blood, may be meant, the ſame that was before called filth, namely their vile and loathſome ſins (for indeed we look upon nothing as a fouler defilement, than when a thing is beſmeared with blood, therefore the filthineſs of ſin is ſometimes termed blood, as Ezek. 16.6. I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine own blood); or elſe rather, the blood of Gods Prophets, and other innocent men, which they had ſhed in Jeruſalem: or more generally, their bloody oppreſſions and cruelties, which is the more probable, becauſe this ſeems to be ſpoken with relation to the Prophets foregoing complaints, concerning their bloody ſins, chap. 1.15, 21. concerning which ſee the Notes there. As for the following words, thereby is ſhown, how their filth and blood ſhould be waſhed and purged away, namely, by the ſpirit of judgment, and by the ſpirit of burning; for the underſtanding whereof, we muſt know, that by this word, ſpirit, where it is attributed to God, is frequently meant in the Scripture, the vertue, or the fervent and vehement efficacy of every operation of God, much the ſame that is called elſewhere the zeal of God, as chap. 9.7. the zeal of the Lord of Hoſts will perform this: So that in ſaying, that their filth and blood ſhould be waſhed and purged away by the ſpirit of judgment, the Prophet means, that it ſhould be done by Gods ſevere judgments, executed upon them, whereby Idolaters, and other wicked ones ſhould be cut off and deſtroyed from amongſt them. And 2. By Gods preſerving and reforming the better ſort, and bringing things aagain into good order in the Church; and ſo likewiſe in ſaying, it ſhould be done by the ſpirit of burning, he means, that it ſhould be done by a vehement zeal, hot and burning like fire, both for the deſtroying of the wicked that were amongſt them, and burning them up like ſtubble (which ſome think alſo is ſpoken with relation to the burning of the Temple and City of Jeruſalem) and for the purging away of the ſins of his choſen ones, even as the droſs is purged away by the Refiners fire. But ſee the Notes, chap. 1.25, 26, 27.
Ver. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount-Zion, and upon her aſſemblies, a cloud and ſmoak by day, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night, &c.] As if the Prophet ſhould have ſaid, When the Lord ſhall have purged his Church and people, and ſhall have brought them into that glorious condition here before promiſed, he will then as wonderfully and miraculouſly guide and protect them in every dwelling-place where any of them ſhall have their abode, and in their publick aſſemblies where they ſhall meet together for the worſhip and ſervice of God, as he did the Iſraelites when he led them through the wilderneſs by a cloud and ſmoak by day, that is, by a cloud black and thick like ſmoak, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night; concerning which, ſee the Note, Exod. 13.21. Even when there ſhould be no appearance of any means for their preſervation, yet that ſhould not hinder their protection, becauſe the Lord, as he did then for the Iſraelites, would create means for the ſheltring and ſecuring of them. And indeed becauſe God did diſcover ſuch riches of grace to his Iſrael in the many wonders that he wrought for them in delivering them out of Egypt, and in carrying them into the Land of Canaan; therefore the Prophets do uſually ſet forth all the great things that God hath promiſed to do for his Church, by expreſſions that do allude to that great work. And to the ſame purpoſe is that following clauſe, for upon all the glory ſhall be a defence: that is, there ſhall be a ſure defence over that remnant of his people, of whom it was before ſaid, ver. 2. that they ſhould be brought into ſuch a glorious condition; or, that the glory, or glorious condition whereto God would advance his people, ſhould be ſecured and maintained by means of a divine protection overſhadowing every part of it: for herein alſo that Prophet ſeems to allude to that clouds covering the Tabernacle, which was in it ſelf a glorious repreſentation of the Church, as it was Gods dwelling-place, as uſually at all times where the people reſted, Numb. 9.16. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night: or elſe eſpecially at that time when the Tabernacle was firſt ſet up, when it was in a miraculous manner filled with the glory of God, Exod. 40.34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Ver. 6. And there ſhall be a tabernacle, &c.] This may be added with reference to, and as an explication of that foregoing verſe, as if it had been ſaid, And that cloud which the Lord ſhall create, or that defence which ſhall be upon all the glory, ſhall be a tabernacle to ſhelter them from all danger. Or this may be another figurative expreſſion to ſet forth how ſafely they ſhould be protected, And there ſhall be a tabernacle for a ſhadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a cover from ſtorm and from rain: wherein there ſeems to be an alluſion to the tents or tabernacles which ſhepherds were wont to provide to keep them and their flocks from the heat of the Sun by day, and to ſhelter them from ſtorms, and from rain both by day and by night: yet ſome conceive that there is an alluſion herein to God's Tabernacle; and that the drift hereof is to ſignifie, either that Gods people ſhould be under the defence before promiſed, as ſafe as they that fled for ſhelter to the ſanctuary; whereto agreeth that promiſe, Ezek. 11.16. I will be to them as a little ſanctuary: ſee the Note Pſal. 27.5. or elſe, that as the Tabernacle was, by the covering that was thereon, defended from all annoyances of wind and weather, both ſtorms and rain; ſo ſhould the Church be defended by the provident care of God over rhem, from all evils whatſoever, both greater and leſſer evils: for which ſee alſo the Notes, Pſal. 121.5, 6.