Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIIII.
THe indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations, and upon all their hosts, &c. Vers. 2.After particular threatnings against divers Nations, here is thought by Jerom and many others to be a generall against all the world at the last day, much like unto the course taken Chap. 14. after particular Nations threatned, Chap. 13, 14. &c. thitherto, so Chap. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. having further prophesied against divers particulars, he here prophesieth against all Nations of the world, and as Chap. 25. and 26. after judgements against the wicked, comfort is spoken to the faithfull, so after this Chap. 35. Calvin and Musculus, and many more Calvin. Muscul.of ours understand this, as Chap. 24. before-going, viz. of the wicked enemies of the Jews, who envied them and banded against them for their religion. But now being first called to attend to that which God determined to bring upon them, vers. 1. he declareth vers. 2. what that should be, they should be slain terribly, and vers. 3. proceeds to amplifie it by the casting out of their dead carkasses, Vers. 3.and the melting of the mountains with their bloud, which is hyperbolicall, and vers. 4, 5. by the heavens being rolled together as a scroul, and his sword being bathed in heaven, for all this is spoken only to shew the greatness of the judgement, as if the very Heavens were made to fear, and to shrink up upon an heap at the sight of Gods anger, and to be as thrust thorow with his sword, when he addressed himself to do this strange and terrible execution, see the like Apoc. 6. 12. and at the day of judgement, to shew the dreadfullnesse of that time much more, the same is said, 1 Pet. 3. 19.
And Idumea is named in particular, vers. 5. 6. because the Edomites being the Vers. 5, 6.posterity of Esau, and so nearer to the Jews in the flesh then other Nations, yet they were most malicious against them, and ready at all times to joyn with forreign enemies to destroy them, as 2 Chron. 20. &c. And they holp the Babylonians in the destruction of Ierusalem, as we may see, Psa. 137. and therefore they specially are threatned also, Chap. 21. 11. Ier. 49. Ezek. 25. The sword of the Lord is said to be bathed in heaven against Idumea, because God in heaven decreed to bring upon them this destruction, and he speaks of a sacrifice in Bozra, because that was the chief city of the Edomites, being so called for the great strength thereof; yet the inhabitants with slaughter, as Lambs and Goats are slain for sacrifices in great abundance.
And the Ʋnicorns shall come down with them, &c. that is, not only the common Vers. 7.sort and weaker set forth by Goats and Lambs, but also the most valiant and mighty shall be slaughtered together with them, neither shall their valour, strength, or riches save them.
And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust into brimstone, &c. Vers. 9.which is so spoken to aggravate the judgement, for so the Lord did to Sodom turning the waters into a pitchy substance, there being therein and in the ashes covering the land a continuall monument of that hideous burning. And by saying, that so it should be done to Idumea, he means horrible desolation, that should come upon it, and that for ever, as he further sheweth. Vers. 10. &c. to vers. 16. see the like before threatned against Babylon, Chap. 13. 19, 20. &c. Cha. 32, 13. But it is not, saith Calvin, to be taken otherwise then hyperbolically, to strike the greater terrour into enemies of Gods people, who are nearest to them, yet bear the greatest malice against them. And the Prophet is the larger now in threatning the Edomites, because he but briefly touched them before, Chap. 21. 11. And that his prophesying of such a desolation to come to their enemies, might by the Jews be credited,
Vers. 16. he saith, Search in the Book of the Lord, and reade, &c. Which, as Vers. 16. Calvin.Calvin saith, is best expounded of the Book of the Law, and the divers sorts of threatnings against the wicked, therein contained, especially Lev. 26. Deut. 28. and 32. For whatsoever God threatneth against his own people sinning, their their enemies must expect should come upon them much more. Then proceeding to speak of the Owls and Vulturs that should dwell there, males and females, as he had said, vers. 15. he saith, none shall want his mate, Heb. his female, implying that the Land should be full of them, and that not for a long time only, but for ever and ever, ver. 17. wherein yet an hyperbole must needs be acknowledged.
Ierom and others that follow him, taking the first part of this prophecy to be Hieronym.against the whole world in generall, set forth by Idumea which signifyeth the earth, the wicked inhabitants whereof shall lie in everlasting burnin…s, and the inhabitants of heaven which fell, shall then have Gods sword against them and fall, even the whole host of them, as is meant, ver. 4, 5. by saying,
All the host of Heaven shall be dissolved, and fall down, and my word shall be bathed Vers. 4, 5. Vers. 8.in Heaven. Having I say expounded it so to vers. 8. he saith, that there the Prophet turns again to the Jews, and threatens them after their overthrow by the Romans for their great infidelity, with perpetuall desolation. But because it is added as a reason of dealing so severely with Idumea, For it is the day of the Lords vengeance, and the year of recompence for the controversie of Zion, it is a wresting of the words to understand them otherwise then of the same Idumea, and other like countreys of wicked enemies to Gods people, So also Lyra, Lyra.who saith, that in some part of Idumea there is still ascending a smoak of fire and brimstone, as out of Mount Etna in Sicily, and that this perpetuall desolation of that countrey is to be understood of the wasting of all the old inhabitants, so as that none of them should remain to multiply again and repeople it.
Hitherto Lyra having set forth the literall sense, because it doth not so well agree either to the Idumeans, for that it was not left in desolation for ever, nor yet to the Romans, whom some understand by Idumea, for their enmity against the Jews, as here threatned with utter ruine, or rather because Rome is the seat of the beast, Rev. 17. drunken with the bloud of the Saints, and there be many most notable prophecies of the utter ruine thereof for ever. He bringeth out of Burgensis another Exposition mysticall hereupon, that Idumea sets forth the Burgensis.Jews after the Gospel preached unto them, most like unto Isaiah. despising this their birth right, and therefore well worthy to be set forth under this name, and for their hatred against Christians, as in Esau, of whom the Idumeans or Edomites came against Iacob. For their countrey indeed hath been ever since their city destroied by Titus, in desolation, no Jews being permitted to come and dwell there by the Romans the conquerours, howsoever the Turks having it since in their power, have permitted some for money.
But in them is this Prophecy fullfilled, The Cormorant and Bittern, the Owl Vers. 11.and the Raven shall be there, &c. that is, men black and foul by abominable errours, to which the Jews are given over, as God of old, in forbidding such to be meat because unclean, would have vicious men, and men black by errour, as blasted by an evill spirit understood by them. For it is strange to recount the stuff, that is to be found in their Talmud, as That God was never merry, nor would have any mirth made before him, since he suffered Ierusalem to be destroied, and That he weeps therefore three daies in a week, That by the Law-giver and Scepter that should not depart from Jacob, was meant, that the Jews should never want Rabbins to rule them by their teaching, as by a Scepter, till the Messiah comes, &c. He also saith, that they might be set forth by Idumeans, because they had one Rabbi Mayr that was a Proselyte of the Edomites who bare great sway amongst them in his teaching, that when God gave his Laws unto Israel, he meant not so as he said, &c. For this and the like absurd and blasphemous commentings upon the word, were a turning of their Rivers into pitch and brimstone. And Vers. 11. in Vulg. Her Nobles shall not be there, they shall there call their King, he saith is meant, that the Scribes and Pharisees, whom they since counted their Nobles, should cease, as they have done long ago, and they called Caesar their King, when they said, We have no King but Calvin. Luther.Caesar. But Heb. it is No Princes shall be there, and they shall call it a Kingdom, that is, when all shall be destroyed, yet the Idumeans shall be so proud, that they shall call their shattered and miserable state a kingdom still, but this shall be a vain brag. Hitherto he, and because the Prophet is mysticall, and hath a further reach then according to the letter, and that even to the worlds end we may apply this to the last burning, when the earth being on fire shall burn everlastingly, to the tormenting of the wicked world, being turned to an hell unto them who have formerly taken such pleasure in earthly things.