Thus saith the Lord, in addressing the Jewish nation in general, all members of which were presumably members also of the Lord's Church, WHERE IS THE BILL OF YOUR MOTHER'S DIVORCEMENT, the reference being to the document which the Jewish Law provided for, Deuteronomy 24; Jeremiah 3:1, WHOM I HAVE PU... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DEFECTION OF ISRAEL ATONED FOR BY THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH. The opening of this chapter continues the picture of the Lord and His Church, represented by Zion, His bride, whom He seeks with the faithfulness of His eternal love.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man, namely, to listen to the message of His prophets? WHEN I CALLED, WAS THERE NONE TO ANSWER? to assent to the preaching by which He intended to save their souls. The Jews had persisted in their disobedience and hardened their hearts against the Lord's merciful... [ Continue Reading ]
I clothe the heavens with blackness, as in Egypt, Exodus 10:21, AND I MAKE SACKCLOTH THEIR COVERING, the garment of mourning, whose color was dark. Since the Lord was the absolute Master of the elements, it was an easy matter for Him to protect Israel from the wrath of the enemies and to overthrow t... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, one versed in the art of the orator, THAT I SHOULD KNOW HOW TO SPEAK A WORD IN SEASON TO HIM THAT IS WEARY, to him that is of a broken and contrite spirit, Matthew 11:28. It is rightly said of the Messiah, Christ the Lord, "Never man spake as thi... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord God hath opened Mine ear, to listen with cheerful willingness, AND I WAS NOT REBELLIOUS, NEITHER TURNED AWAY BACK, not even when His soul was sorrowful even unto death and His human nature was trembling with the severity of the afflictions which He suffered. Cf Psalms 22:12; 1 Peter 2:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
I gave My back to the smiters, in the terrible seourgings to which He was subjected in His great Passion, Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:26 ff.; John 19, AND MY CHEEKS TO THEM THAT PLUCKED OFF THE HAIR, in the indignities heaped upon Him, which would arouse a storm of indignation in any other human being... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Lord God, the all-powerful Jehovah, the God of the covenant, to whom He has appealed time and again, WILL HELP ME, THEREFORE SHALL I NOT BE CONFOUNDED, the assistance given to His soul by the strength of Jehovah keeping Him from being submerged in misery and shame; THEREFORE HAVE I SET MY FA... [ Continue Reading ]
He is near that justifieth Me, His innocence being established in the last great Judgment; WHO WILL CONTEND WITH ME? The guilt of all mankind was indeed imputed to Him, but in His own person He was ever the Holy One of God, whom no man could convict of sin. LET US STAND TOGETHER, appearing before th... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the Lord God will help Me, standing at His side against all enemies; WHO IS HE THAT SHALL CONDEMN ME? namely, by bringing a charge which may be substantiated. LO, THEY, the adversaries, ALL SHALL WAX OLD AS A GARMENT, falling into dust as it rots; THE MOTH SHALL EAT THEM UP, such is their fa... [ Continue Reading ]
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, in the proper respect for His majesty, but not in slavish dread, THAT OBEYETH THE VOICE OF HIS SERVANT, which is the Word of God, THAT WALKETH IN DARKNESS AND HATH NO LIGHT? this being the lot of such as side with the Lord. LET HIM TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LOR... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, the adversaries who persist in their hatred of the Lord, THAT COMPASS YOURSELVES ABOUT WITH SPARKS, the reference being to the tying up of tarred tow around arrows, these being shot into a besieged city for the purpose of setting houses on fire; WALK IN THE LIGHT O... [ Continue Reading ]