Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
HAving chap. 47. threatned Babylon with destruction, whereby deliverance Vers. 1, 2.should come to the Jews; now lest they should for this think highly of themselves, and the better of their Idols, as if by their help this great work had been done; he chargeth them with gross hypocrisie, that they made a shew of piety in calling upon the Lord, and calling themselves Jews from the waters of Judah, that is, his seed of which they came; and holy, from Jerusalem the holy City; but he saith they did it not in truth nor righteousnesse. Then he inculcateth his declaring before that these things should thus come Vers. 3.to passe, that they might have no colour, as he knew they otherwise would, of ascribing them, when they should come to passe, to the Idols, whom they treacherously served, and he knew would seek to honour above the true God, who alone doth all. And he doth not only shew that it is he, and not Idols, that declares thus long before the destruction of Babylon, but that he had used from the beginning of the world to declare things to come, as Noahs floud, Sodoms burning, the Canaanites spewing out of the Land, and the Israelites enemies prevailing against them round about in case of their transgressing, v. 3, 4, 5, 6. but also this new thing hitherto concealed but now revealed, touching Babylon, and themselves delivered thence; that if their hardnesse of heart, and perversnesse hindered not, might be good for them to know to make them turn to the worshipping of God in sincerity, vers. 6, 7, 8, 9. Jerom takes all this Ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. Hieronym.to be spoken, as if the Lord had called upon them to hear, not what he did of old in Egypt, in the wildernesse and in the Land of Canaan, casting the Canaanites out and planting them in: But a new thing which he was now about to do, whereby it might yet further appear that he was the true God, and none other. But that which he biddeth them hear is not single, but double, for he saith, I have declared the former things. Vers. 3. And I have shewed thee new things from this time, vers. 6. and thus it is also understood by Lyra and others, and chap. 42. 9. he spake before to the same effect and in other places
For my Names sake I will defer mine anger, &c. The condition of the Jews Vers. 9.being so bad, as hath been said, if any shall marvel why they were spared so long, and that judgements cut them not quite off before this time, he sheweth here, that he hitherto deferred for his own sake, as chap. 43. 25. as being tender over his own name and glory; not because they deserved not utter destruction from their very beginning to be a Nation. And now that he did put them into the furnace of adversity by the Caldees prevailing against them, He saith, that he tried them not as silver, that is, till all drosse was purged out, none but pure mettal remaining; for that he could not do without utterly ruining Vers. 10.them, leaving none alive, because there is nothing pure in any man, but what God giveth him, and that by afflictions, for which he saith, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction: Thus also Calvin. But why did he thus favourably Calvin. Vers. 11.by them, being so vile and sinfull, for his own sake? Sol. vers. 11. How shall my name be prophaned, &c. As if he had said, I cannot do otherwise, unlesse I suffer my Name to be vilified, whilst that giving my people over to utter destruction by the hands of idolatrous enemies, they shall say That their Gods are most mighty, and the God of Israel of no power; for this were giving his glory to another, as is here said, and chap. 42. 8.
Hear me (O Israel) my called, &c. Having hitherto called upon Israel to Vers. 12.hear of his sins and unworthiness, that he might acknowledge whatsoever should be done for him in deferring his punishment or delivering him again from it, to come from Gods meer mercy; now he calleth upon him to hear again, and to beleeve what he heareth touching his deliverance, which might seem impossible: And he beginneth 1. With his speciall calling to be his peculiar people, for which they might beleeve that they should never be utterly cast off. 2. With his power shewed in making the whole world; and his eternity, Vers. 13.being the first and last.
Then he saith, All ye assemble your selves and hear, and hear. Whereby Israel Vers. 14.must needs be meant, being before called upon twice by name to hear, vers. 1. and vers. 12. Which of them hath declared these things, the Lord hath loved him, &c. That is, Which of the Caldee Astrologers could foretell of the things concerning Cyrus, to whom the Lord shewed so much love as to bring the Babylonian Empire into his power, and so to inable and stirre him to the building of his Temple? Vers. 16. He stirres them up again to hear it; for he saith that he Vers. 16.spake it not to be kept secret, but by his people to be divulged to their comfort and his glory. From the time that it was, I was there.] About these words, saith Calvin, much doubt is made who is meant by this word [I] but the thinks, Calvin.God, who made all promises of comfort to his people, and by his power effects all things in his due time, that nothing may be ascribed to chance. Some, saith Musculus, draw to Abraham; some to Christ, and some to Isaiah, as if he were present by the Spirit when these things were done; but this last is by Calvin mentioned and rejected, as coact; but to me it seems most genuine, if we put this Paraphrase upon it. This prediction touching Cyrus doing the will of God upon Babylon, was never secretly uttered when it was first afoot, for God made me the instrument so soon as it was his pleasure that it should be published, to speak openly unto you of it; and now the Lord and his Spirit sends me again further to confirm you touching the same. That it cannot be understood of ancient promises, but of this promise only, is plain from the words foreign From the time that this was; and then it worse agreeth unto God to refer it to him, that he was from this time, who vers 12. saith, I am the first and the last; and therefore long before the going out of this decree, even from everlasting. Jerom, who expounds all of Christ, as mystically Hieronym.meant by him, vers. 14. that he should do all his will upon the Caldees, that is, upon the devils, understands this of Christ also; He was with the Father then when he so loved him, and when he came in the flesh it was by his sending, and in all that he did, spake and suffered. But the last words, And now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me, are manifestly spoken by the Prophet of himself, that he might have them to beleeve his Prophecie.
I am the Lord which teacheth thee to profit, Hebr. to make thee profit. Here is Vers. 17.shewed why the Lord so often calleth upon his people to hear his word, viz. not that any benefit shall hereby redound unto him, but to themselves, if the fault be not their own, great shall be the benefit; for hereby they shall be directed in the way of blessing and life; which should stirre all men up with all diligence to hear to be directed; not saying with the wicked in Job, We care not for the knowledge of his waies, What profit shall we have if we call upon him?Job 21. 14. Vers. 18, 19.
That it might appear what profit cometh by Gods teaching, if they would have been directed thereby, vers. 18, 19. he saith, Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then thy peace had been as a river, &c. That is, in abundance, because then thy righteousnesse should have been as a floud to make this river to runne full; as it is said, That the fruit of righteousnesse is peace, Isa. 32. 17.
Go ye out of Babylon, &c. This he speaks for their greater comfort, as if it Vers. 20.were now in doing, which should not be till above an hundred years after; and he stirs up to talk much of it, that it might be commonly known and expected. And vers. 21. to make them expect then a comfortable passage, and the supply Vers. 21.of all necessaries even miraculously, he remembers them of the rocks slowing with waters in the wildernesse, through which they came, when out of Egypt, Exod. 17. Numb. 20.
There is no peace to the wicked. That all might not promiscuously lay hold Vers. 22.upon the comfortable promises before going, but the faithfull only, sometime called the remnant whom the Lord will save; he thus concludeth against the multitude of the wicked, that they may never expect peace or comfort, whether of the Jewish Nation or of any other. They may have present prosperity Note. indeed, but yet none of Gods servants stumble at this, to be made the more remiss in their piety, but considering what horrible destruction shall at length come unto them, be constant even under sufferings in the good way to the end, lest fainting and falling off, they come into the same danger.