THE WORD OF COMFORT AND THE GOD OF COMFORT. The last part of the book of the prophet Isaiah has fitly been called the Book of Comfort, for in its beautiful language and in its exalted visions the Gospel of salvation is so clearly taught that it often seems as though John himself were speaking. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, saith your God. Note the repetition of the charge, with the emphasis implied, the significance of the address in the plural as including the Gospel-messengers of all times, and the inviting designations "My" people and "your" God. In the very charge of Jehovah ther... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, literally, "to the heart of Jerusalem," addressing words of consolation to all members of the spiritual Zion, the Church of God, AND CRY UNTO HER, in a sermon of sweetest assurance, THAT HER WARFARE IS ACCOMPLISHED, that the tribulation to which His people are subj... [ Continue Reading ]
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, of the herald of the great King Messiah, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, in the very midst of the spiritual wilderness in which men find themselves by nature, they should make ready a road on which their King might come into their hearts, MAKE STRAIGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
Every valley shall be exalted, the hearts that have been humbled by the hammer-blows of the Law being lifted up, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE MADE LOW, the proud and self-righteous spirits being taught to despair of their own virtue; AND THE CROOKED SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT, the hindrances lai... [ Continue Reading ]
and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, namely, chiefly in the coming of His only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth, John 1:14, AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER, all men having an opportunity to become acquainted with the Gospel of salvation, Matthew 24:14; FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH... [ Continue Reading ]
The voice, some one with authority speaking from heaven, SAID, CRY, call out, announce! AND HE, a voice on earth representing all true preachers of righteousness, SAID, WHAT SHALL I CRY? What are to be the contents of his preaching? And the answer comes down from heaven, ALL FLESH IS GRASS, all huma... [ Continue Reading ]
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it, for it is He who gives them their being, and it is He who causes their decay; SURELY THE PEOPLE IS GRASS, even the covenant nation. Cf Psalms 104:29; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Romans 6:23; Psalms 90.... [ Continue Reading ]
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, the repetition being made for the sake of impressing this great truth upon all minds; BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER, in the midst of the death and decay of this world, in the midst even of the final great cataclysm which will usher in the end of... [ Continue Reading ]
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, the congregation of the Lord being regarded as an evangelist proclaiming the message of the Gospel, GET THEE UP INTO THE HIGH MOUNTAIN, from where her voice could be heard far and wide. O JERUSALEM, THAT BRINGEST GOOD TIDINGS, the parallelism bringing out the urge... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, the almighty Ruler making use of His omnipotence, AND HIS ARM SHALL RULE FOR HIM, in triumphing over all enemies. BEHOLD, HIS REWARD IS WITH HIM, namely, that which He gained in the severe battle which He undertook, AND HIS WORK BEFORE HIM, the spoils... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall feed His flock, take the proper care of all His children in the faith, LIKE A SHEPHERD, in His capacity as the one true Shepherd of their souls; HE SHALL GATHER THE LAMBS, the young, weak, and inexperienced, WITH HIS ARM, picking them up since they are unable to walk, AND CARRY THEM IN HIS... [ Continue Reading ]
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? fixing the quantity of all the water in ocean, seas, and streams, AND METED OUT HEAVEN WITH THE SPAN, the measure between the thumb and middle finger, AND COMPREHENDED THE DUST OF THE EARTH IN A MEASURE, the third part of an ephah, AND WEIGHED... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah the Supreme Ruler. The connection of thought between this section and the foregoing one is this, that the majesty and glory of God over against the idolatry of the heathen nations guarantees the security and the deliverance of the believers of all times.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord? Who can measure and understand Him, or, BEING HIS COUNSELOR, HATH TAUGHT HIM? advising Him on the basis of his understanding of the Lord's mind. Cf Romans 11:34. The fundamental principle of education is here stated: Understanding the pupil and giving him in... [ Continue Reading ]
With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, so that He learned discrimination, AND TAUGHT HIM IN THE PATH OF JUDGMENT, AND TAUGHT HIM KNOWLEDGE, so that He could apply His wisdom in the right manner, AND SHOWED TO HIM THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING? so that His knowing could be translated into the... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, clinging to the bottom of the bucket when it is emptied, AND ARE COUNTED AS THE SMALL DUST OF THE BALANCE, like a grain of sand in the pan. BEHOLD, HE TAKETH UP THE ISLES AS A VERY LITTLE THING, like a mote that is carried upward. The prophet uses the v... [ Continue Reading ]
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, to supply fuel enough for worthy sacrifices to the glory of God, NOR THE BEASTS THEREOF SUFFICIENT FOR A BURNT OFFERING, the untold number of animals with which these forests abounded would not be enough fittingly to honor Him by their sacrifice.... [ Continue Reading ]
All nations before Him are as nothing, their entire sum and substance totaling only so much before Him; AND THEY ARE COUNTED TO HIM LESS THAN NOTHING AND VANITY. Therefore the prophet inserts the question which, at the same time, introduces the new section of this chapter,... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom, then, will ye liken God? Why try to make comparisons, which, at best, are so utterly inadequate and futile? OR WHAT LIKENESS WILL YE COMPARE UNTO HIM? How foolish to try to represent Him by one of the idols whom the prophet now proceeds to describe.... [ Continue Reading ]
The workman melteth a graven image, casting it in molds, AND THE GOLDSMITH SPREADETH IT OVER WITH GOLD, in a plating of the more precious metal, AND CASTETH SILVER CHAINS, as ornaments on the figure.... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation, that is, the heathen priest who is supported by such gifts, CHOOSETH A TREE THAT WILL NOT ROT, the most durable wood; HE SEEKETH UNTO HIM A CUNNING WORKMAN TO PREPARE A GRAVEN IMAGE, to set it up in the proper manner, THAT SHALL NOT BE MOVED, so t... [ Continue Reading ]
Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? The facts which the prophet has in mind could and should be well known to all whom the prophet's words might reach. HATH IT NOT BEEN TOLD YOU FROM THE BEGINNING? HAVE YE NOT UNDERSTOOD FROM THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH? God alone has established the earth and la... [ Continue Reading ]
It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, highly exalted above the globe of this puny world, AND THE INHABITANTS THEREOF ARE AS GRASSHOPPERS, so insignificant and despicable in comparison with Him; THAT STRETCHETH OUT THE HEAVENS AS A CURTAIN, the reference being to the awning which is dra... [ Continue Reading ]
that bringeth the princes to nothing, their power being helpless before Him; HE MAKETH THE JUDGES OF THE EARTH AS VANITY, nothingness, an empty show.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown; yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth, that is, hardly have they, in their own opinion, gained a foothold, believing themselves to be safe without the Lord, AND HE SHALL ALSO BLOW UPON THEM, AND THEY SHALL WITHER, AND THE WHIRL... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom, then, will ye liken Me or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. It is a vain and fruitless task even to compare the wisdom and power of individuals and of nations with that of the Lord; for he is the Possessor of limitless power and wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
Lift up your eyes on high, namely, to the heights of heaven, to the starry firmament, AND BEHOLD WHO HATH CREATED THESE THINGS, all the heavenly bodies, THAT BRINGETH OUT THEIR HOST BY NUMBER, like a shepherd leading his sheep to the meadow. HE CALLETH THEM ALL BY NAMES BY THE GREATNESS OF HIS MIGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, all the believers everywhere, when evil days come upon them, MY WAY IS HID FROM THE LORD, AND MY JUDGMENT IS PASSED OVER FROM MY GOD? the complaint often being made by Christians that the Lord takes no interest in them, that He disregards their case,... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou not known? It surely had been proclaimed often enough. HAST THOU NOT HEARD THAT THE EVERLASTING GOD, who is unchangeable from eternity to eternity, THE LORD, the covenant God, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, that is, of the whole world with all that it contains, FAINTETH NOT, NEITHER... [ Continue Reading ]
He giveth power to the faint, sustaining them when they are about to sink down; AND TO THEM THAT HAVE NO MIGHT HE INCREASETH STRENGTH, that is, to those who are utterly helpless He imparts power.... [ Continue Reading ]
Even the youths, those in the prime of their young manhood, SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY, namely, when depending on their own strength, AND THE YOUNG MEN, those excelling in youthful vigor and energy, SHALL UTTERLY FALL, for mere human might and power is, after all, subject to weariness and decay.... [ Continue Reading ]
But they that wait upon the Lord, putting all their trust in Him alone, SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH, gaining new spiritual power from day to day; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES, the birds who have ever been types of almost limitless strength, Psalms 103:5; THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY; A... [ Continue Reading ]