Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 60
CHAP. LX.
ARise and shine, for thy light is risen upon thee, and the glory, &c. Having Vers. 1.spoken of the Redeemer coming to Zion, Chap. 59. now he proceeds to apply this to the comforting of the Church. For when Christ came and went about Galilee preaching and healing the diseased, Matthew noteth, That the Matth. 4. Luk. 2. 32.people who sat in darknesse had a great light arisen upon them; and Simeon calleth them, A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. As it followeth vers. 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings, that is, by Christ being made Kings and Priests unto God, Revel. 1. 6. By the anointing of the Spirit getting dominion over the flesh, and offering up themselves in sacrifice to God by mortifying their members upon earth, that they may offer an acceptable sacrifice unto him. Yea and Kings indeed came to this light, and were nursing fathers to the Church, Isa. 49. 23. See the like unto this before Chap. 52. 1. But before that Chap. 32. 18. My people shall sit in the dust; and to Babylon it is said, Descend, sit in the dust, Chap. 47. 1. The meaning then is, That the Church of believers beginning amongst the Jews, of whom Christ and the Apostles were, but enlarged by the coming in of the Gentiles, should after great dejection have great exaltation. And here it is to be noted for the confuting of them that would restrain it to the Jews, that although in the Septuagint and Vulgar Jerusalem be here named, yet it is not in the Hebrew, but without naming any particular the Church left to be understood, consisting both of Jews and Gentiles; but as hath been said, of the Jews indeed first; and therefore it may be taken as spoken to the Jew, that is, such amongst them, as believed and published the faith to others. For they were at the first a poor little company, not above an hundred and twenty, Act. 1. but this Church arose, as she is here bidden, to great splendour, shining in a short time all over the world.
Darknesse shall cover the earth, &c. To magnifie the mercy of God the more Vers. 2.towards his Church in this shining light, he amplifieth it in comparing the condition of all others in the world with hers. All else are in darknesse, that is, spiritual darkness, only in the Church there is light and true saving knowledge, in which alone there is comfort indeed, which was sometime shewed as in a figure, when light was only in Goshen, and in all Egypt besides palpable darkness representing hell.
Lift up thine eyes round about, all these gather themselves to thee. See the like Vers. 4.to this Chap. 49. 18.
Then thou shalt see and flow together, and fear. The word rendred flow, is by Vers. 5.Calvin rendred, Thou shalt shine, for foreign signifieth either. I preferre flowing, because he is speaking of the Gentiles gathering themselves to the believing Jews round about, as waters gather together till they make a great floud, and then the place to which is said to flow with water; so the Church with multitudes coming from all parts. But what meaneth he by adding Fear, and be enlarged in heart with joy? But fear, as Calvin well noteth, is put for astonishment at the first, as not perceiving what this flowing in of the Gentiles meant, because it should be sudden, but perceiving it to be to fullfill the Congregation of Christians, the heart is by and by enlarged with joy. For it is great joy to all true Israelites, to see their company encreased, and Countreys and Nations coming in to Christ as subjects of his Kingdom, as a thing that tends to his glory, and to the making of the Church the more illustrious, for the amplifying whereof and prosperous condition by the superabounding of grace all good Christians daily pray. The Vulgar for fear hath, Thou shalt wonder the abundance of the sea, the strength of the Gentiles shall be gathered to thee; Calvin, The riches; but the word signifieth strength or fortitude, as the Vulgar Latin renders it. By the abundance of the Sea, meaning abundance of people, for their excessive greatness compared to the vast Ocean; and by the strength of the Gentiles, such as were mightiest and greatest amongst them, and not the common sort only, which was fulfilled in Constantine's time.
The multitude of Camels shall cover thee, &c. That is, so many shall come Vers. 6.with Camels and Dromedaries to tender their service and gifts to the Lord, as that they shall cover the Land, he speaks according to the manner of those times, wherein none appeared before the Lord empty, but all with their gifts, as the Magi coming out of the East to worship Christ brought and presented to him in way of homage, Gold, Myrrh and Frankincense, the most precious things of their Countrey, so here, they shall bring gold and frankincense. But his meaning is not, that according to the letter the Church should have it thus done unto her, but then Camels and Dromedaries came in such abundance, when men that are wealthy, and great multitudes of such submit themselves, and all their substance to be at the Lords disposing, liberally relieving his poor members, and giving full and sufficient maintenance to his faithfull Ministers, a taste whereof was given by some Act. 2. who communicated to the Apostles and poor believers all that they had. So that they, who understand it of abundance of riches conferred upon Church-men and other religious persons, are much mistaken, seeing the glory of the Church lieth not herein, but in mens ready submission to the Lord in all things, as hath been said, and in faith more precious then gold, and holiness and righteousnes. For the places here named, they were all Eastward, and had their names from Abrahams children which he had by Keturah, for Midian was his son by her, and Ephah the son of Midian, and Seba likewise.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, and the rammes of Vers. 7.Nebaioth. Kedar and Nebaioth were parts of Arabia, where the Ishmaelites inhabited, and they abounded with herds and flocks of cattel greatly; now the Prophet here foretels of their conversion to the faith under the similitude or metaphor of flocks, and rammes that should be gathered together to Zion, that is, the Church. Before he spake of other Eastern parts, as Midian and Ephah, &c. Under the metaphor of Camels and Dromedaries that should come in, now of the Ishmaelites thus set forth, because they most abounded with flocks; wherefore in naming beasts he meaneth men, and sets forth their coming, as an acceptable sacrifice upon the Altar of the Lord. For the time of the Gospel, touching which these things are spoken, is no time to have Altar or carnal sacrifice, but only the living Altar Christ Jesus, by whom the faithfull of all Countreys offer the sacrifices of praise to God continnally, Heb. 13. 15. Shall come up acceptably to my altar. Musculus here noteth three words, Musculus.1. Come up. 2. Acceptably. 3. Ʋpon my Altar, intimating that then men Note. come and offer themselves to God as they ought, whenas, 1. They are elevated to heaven in their minde, as the Sacrifice of old was lifted up. 2. When there is faith in them that praise God, which only can make a Sacrifice acceptable. 3. When in the name of Christ, who is our Altar. And I will glorifie my house of glory, that is, not the Temple built of wood and stone, but the Church his house, 1 Tim. 3. 15. for then is she glorious when abounding with faithfull and holy people.
Who are these that flee like a cloud. Here the Prophet goeth on by similitudes Vers. 8.further to illustrate the argument in hand of the thick and threefold coming in of the Gentiles to the unity of the Christian faith at the preaching of the Gospel, for a cloud covers the sky sarre and wide, and fleeth more swiftly then any bird; so he means that the people coming in to Christ as his Church, should be a wonderfull great company able to cover a large Countrey, if they were all gathered together to one place, and this their coming should be with incredible celerity, for which he saith, Who are these that flee as clouds? as wondering at it, as indeed it was wonderfull and exceeding all credit, that when the Jews had been taught so long and were not moved, that the rude Gentiles who never had teaching before, should be so docible as upon the sudden to turn in so great multitudes. Again, Doves flee together in great companies to their Dove-house-windows, and very swiftly also; & herein they differ from all other fowls that flee in companies, for they flee but from the open fields in one place, to the open fields in another, but these to the house where they are fed, and are by this food and the neatnes of the house drawn to it, and being got in are sheltered from being a prey to the Hauk. And therefore most aptly are the faithful compared to Doves, for their diligent and speedy coming to Gods house to be fed by his precious Word and Supper, and to be safe from spiritual enemies, that seek to devour them, having this house in estimation for the ordinances therein beautifying it, and making it more glorious in their eyes, then any other building, to say nothing of the Doves innocency, chastity, clean feeding, continual mourning and being without gall, as not pertinent to this place, but rather to Mat. 10. 16.
Surely the Isles shall wait for me. As the continent before-spoken of, so the Vers. 9.Isles shall come in to wait upon the Lord; and hereby, as hath been said before, the furthest parts of the world are meant; and because they cannot come to Zion, but by ships, he addeth, The ships of Tarshish first, or In the beginning, whereby is intimated the conversion of the Islands at the first going out of the Gospel, as ancient History saith, That this our Island of Brittany was by Joseph of Arimathea coming hither, and Philip, and then their sons and daughters are said to be brought by the ships of Tarsis, or of the sea, for Tarsis signifieth the sea, or is the proper name of Tarsus a City in Cilicia, famous for shipping; and therefore hereby may be meant ships of all parts, one being named, and others understood. And sons and daughters of Zion are brought in them, when the inhabitants of the Islands occupying ships are converted, because the faithfull of all countreys are sons of the Church; and the bringing of them in ships is spoken of only by way of Allegory, and likewise the bringing of their silver and gold with them, because they coming to be children of the Church, their riches must serve for the necessary use of their poor brethren, who are fellow-members of Christ with them; see vers. 6.
And the sons of the strangers shall build thy wals, &c. He goeth on still in the Vers. 10.Allegory begun, and because the Church is set forth under the name of Zion, the wals whereof needed building, and in the Temple there some must minister, he speaketh accordingly touching the Church under the Gospel, whose wals the sons of strangers build, when Preachers are raised up of the Gentiles to edifie Gods people in knowledge and grace, and Kings minister to her, when by their power they are alwayes ready armed to defend her, as all Christian Kings at their inauguration are sworn to do. For I was wroth with thee for a time, this is said in respect of the Babylonish Captivity, whereby the Church that then was, suffered, which was partly the same under the Gospel, viz. as it consisted of believing Jews, to whom the Gentiles being joined in the same faith, were one and the same, Gal. 3. 28.
Thy gates shall stand open continually. This is spoken for the great multitudes Vers. 11, 12.of comers in by believing, The Nations that will not serve thee shall perish, that is, by being obedient to the same faith, and defending it against all oppugners, because he or they that believe not are damned everlastingly.
The firre and pine tree, &c. Whereof chap. 41. 19. & 55. 13. it is spoken in alluding to a material building, to which timber of all sorts is brought to Vers. 13.adorn it, so the spiritual Temple with excellent men, sometime called precious stones, sometimes Cedars, Firres, Pine-trees, &c. I will make the place of my feet glorious; So the Temple of old was called Gods footstool, and the heaven is his throne, the earth is his footstool, but those parts specially where the Gospel is imbraced, and they are said to be the place of his feet, that we might be moved to look up higher to Heaven, where his seat is. For although his footstool be high and glorious, yet his seat is much more; the meditation whereof, and that we shall once come thither, is most comfortable.
The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee. See the like Vers. 14.Revel. 3. 9. here he prophesieth of the conversion of Kings children, whose fathers before were persecutors, and spake reproachfully of Christians, which was long ago fulfilled in all parts, when Emperors and Kings so greatly reverenced the Church of Christ, and so highly accounted of being children thereof, as Theodosius, who professed that he joyed more that he was member hereof, then the head of many Nations. For then do Kings bow at the Churches feet, when they esteem thus reverently of her, and submit to her teaching and discipline thereof.
Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, and the brests of Kings. There is Vers. 16.something like unto this Chap. 49. 23. of Kings being nursing fathers, and of their bending and bowing, as vers. 14. is said; for the further exposition therefore of both these passages, the Reader may have recourse thither. Only here is one thing more, Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, whereby is meant, that they should not only be sustained by Kings of the Nations, but also by the precious and most excellent things of their Nobles and other principal men of their Kingdom, as sometime Artaxerxes and his seven counsellors Ezra 7. 15.gave precious gifts to the Temple. And because milk was one of the things by which the Land of Canaan was commended, for in praising it, it is said to have flowed with milk and honey, the precious things conferred by the great ones of the earth upon the Church under the Gospel are set forth hereby. For that by milk things most precious in this world are meant; see vers. 17. where coming to enumerate them, he saith, For iron I will bring gold, for brasse silver, Vers. 17.&c. Which is spoken in alluding to the materials of the Temple of old, but meaning, that the Church sustained and protected, as hath been said, by Kings, should shine by the Ministry of the Word therein, being more precious then gold and silver, as Psal. 19. and Revel. 1. the Churches are set forth by the similitude of golden Candlesticks. For understand it carnally of abundance of wealth wherewith the Church should be endued, and what glory were this, but vain and transitory? whereas Peter gloried in this, that he could say, Silver and gold have I none, and Paul wanting these, yet saith, Act. 3.he abounded, yea, and that he and other believers being not only poor, but persecuted, and all the day long killed, were more then Conquerours.
Thou shalt call thy wals salvation. That is, whereas wals serve to secure the Vers. 18.inhabitants of a City, and gates for Judges to sit in of old, that by executing Justice and Judgement there all may be kept in peace and righteousness, and so be safe from violence and wrong; in like manner he that is the salvation of his Church should be as wals about her continually, and by means of righteousness flourishing there, and wickedness suppressed, her gates should be called praise, for the joy in Gods favour and continual praise ascribed unto him in every Church for all this, as the place where Jehoshaphat and his people sometime praised God so much was called the valley of Beracha, or blessing, long 2 Chron. 30.after.
Hitherto the happiness of the Church in respect of riches and honour from Vers. 19.men, and safety through his everliving protectour, now followeth her happiness for the light of Gods countenance alwayes upon her, set forth by this, The Sunne shall be no more a light to thee by day. &c. For the Lord shall be an everlasting light unto thee. Not meaning indeed that no Sunne should shine any more, but because they should have greater comfort, and more light by Gods Grace and Spirit bestowed upon them in their hearts, then the world hath by the Sunn; so great and comfortable is spiritual light in comparison of worldly; see something like it before, where it is said, The light of the Moon shall be as the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne sevenfold. For it is common with the Prophets to set forth comfort and prosperity by light, and misery and sorrow by darkness. And the Lord shall be thy glory, As the Sunne and Moon are to the world, so the Lord to his Church, a glory, no company being for this so glorious as she is. This passage seemeth to have been made use of by John the Divine, Rev. 21.
Thy people also shall be all righteous. Like unto this is the saying before, No Vers. 21.unclean person shall enter in there; which is not spoken, as if any Congregation in this world were pure and without any wicked persons in it, for the sheep and goats shall ever be mingled together here; but this is spoken to take away the considence of such as apply the comforts before-going to themselves, because they are of the true Church, although they live still in sinne. The meaning therefore is nothing else, but that the true Zionites shall excell for this, that they shall be all righteous; so that if any live in sinne they are none of this number, although of the Church, for all are not Israel that are of Israel, Rom. 9.and there are some censured for going out from us, of whom it is said, That they were not of us. Ob. If it is said, What superexcellency is it above that 1 Joh. 2. 20.of the faithfull in all times? I answer, it is spoken in regard of the paucity of such in the old Church of the Jews, and the great number of such true Israelites of all Countreys under the Gospel, and it shall be according to the words verified by that time Christ hath done purging of his floor, and having fanned out the chaff, burnt it in unquenchable fire, as Calvin well noteth, by Zion, Calvin.whereunto this promise is made, understanding the professors of the faith of Christ of all times and ages, whilst the world standeth, and at the last day considered altogether. If then there be any in Christian Churches that layeth hold upon this comfort, who is unrighteous still, he is utterly mistaken, Note. because all to whom it belongs are righteous. And they shall inherit the Land for ever. This is no new promise but such as was made Psal. 37. The meek shall inherit the earth, the meaning being, not that the Jews converted to the faith, should dwell again in their own Land for ever, for he is speaking now of Jews Act. 2.fearing God of all Nations, for such are Jews within, Rom. 2. 29. and comforting all such by this, that they should as heirs of promise hold these worldly things, all the powers of hell not being able to root them out of the earth to the worlds end, and not by the right of stewardship only, as the wicked do that must give an account, and be turned out at last, because they are not able to do it. So that here is a ground of Christians continuing as long as the world lasteth; of which also see a ground chap. 59. 21. and of the difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked in respect of these. earthly things, the one sort have them as heirs, the other but as stewards. A branch of my planting] He also thus set forth the Christian Church, to shew that it cannot be rooted up, because a plant planted by our heavenly Father, there a contrary reason of such, and of a plant not planted by him, which our Lord saith shall be rooted out.
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong Nation. This is Vers. 22.added to shew, That although the Christian Church at the first were very small, yet it should encrease to admiration, as hath been also before shewed in other words.