Isaiah 9:1-7
THE PROMISE OF THE MESSIAH IN THE MIDST OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS. The Birth of the God-Man Promised.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROMISE OF THE MESSIAH IN THE MIDST OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS. The Birth of the God-Man Promised.... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, literally, "Not is darkness to him to whom is affliction," that is, the land now oppressed with darkness and afflictions will be delivered from its oppression, WHEN AT THE FIRST HE LIGHTLY AFFLICTED THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND O... [ Continue Reading ]
The people that walked in darkness, namely, these same inhabitants of Galilee of the Gentiles, those who had been oppressed with spiritual darkness, HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT, the prophet, speaking as the mouthpiece of the eternal and omniscient God, views the Messianic period as present even now, for... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast multiplied the nation, so the prophet addresses the Lord in a direct hymn of praise, since He, beginning with Galilee, extended the circle of believers in Him until His Church was spread over the whole world, AND NOT INCREASED THE JOY, or, "to whom Thou didst not magnify the joy," the refe... [ Continue Reading ]
For Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, the spiritual slavery with which the people were burdened, AND THE STAFF OF HIS SHOULDER, the reference being to the cudgel of the overseer in striking the back of the slave, THE ROD OF HIS OPPRESSOR, with which the people were kept in subjection, AS IN T... [ Continue Reading ]
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire, literally: "For every greave" (armor, especially to protect the feet and legs) "of him who girds on his armor with noise, and the soldier's cloak rolled in blood, it... [ Continue Reading ]
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, the eternal Word being made flesh for us, not only in our stead, but for our benefit, for the eternal salvation of all believers; AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER, the absolute and unlimited power, the divine authority in its fullest... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the Increase of His government, in extending the boundaries of His spiritual kingdom, AND PEACE THERE SHALL BE NO END, that is, He brings about a condition of eternal peace between God and man, UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND UPON HIS KINGDOM, for the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of David, conti... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord sent a word into Jacob, a warning against His people, AND IT HATH LIGHTED UPON ISRAEL, falling from heaven like a morsel intended for the whole nation. God revealed His intention to His servant, and by the preaching of the prophet it reached the place for which it was intended.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah's Hand Stretched our in Judgment... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, the northern kingdom with its capital being emphatically mentioned first, as being leaders in disobedience and haughtiness, THAT SAY IN THE PRIDE AND STOUTNESS OF HEART,... [ Continue Reading ]
The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars, that is, they intended to replace their former lowly dwellings of dried clay and the cheap wood of the sycamore fig-tree by splendid palaces of stone and costly cedar-wood... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, namely, the Assyrians, who, according to God's plan, conquered Syria and then advanced upon the northern kingdom, AND JOIN HIS ENEMIES TOGETHER, rather, Jehovah will stir up Ephraim's enemies against him;... [ Continue Reading ]
the Syrians before, for as allies of the Assyrians they would attack Israel from the east, AND THE PHILISTINES BEHIND, for these ancient enemies made use of every opportunity to wreak vengeance upon Israel and Judah, Cf 2 Chronicles 28:16; AND THEY SHALL DEVOUR ISRAEL WITH OPEN MOUTH, eating with a... [ Continue Reading ]
For the people turneth not unto Him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. The object of His punishment, therefore, is not realized, they refuse to repent of their sins and thus give Him a new cause for punishing them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel, in wreaking His final vengeance upon the rebellious people, HEAD AND TAIL, BRANCH AND RUSH, IN ONE DAY, in one great destruction. The prophet explains the figure used in this connection:... [ Continue Reading ]
The ancient and honorable, the princes and nobles of the people, HE IS THE HEAD; AND THE PROPHET THAT TEACHETH LIES, HE IS THE TAIL. The false prophets considered themselves leaders among the people, but they are here told, with bitter irony, that they are morally the basest of the people, the viles... [ Continue Reading ]
For the leaders of this people cause them to err, thereby showing themselves utterly unfit for leadership; AND THEY THAT ARE LED OF THEM ARE DESTROYED, literally, "swallowed up," namely, by the error and its peril, just as the humble rush must perish if submerged and covered with a flood of filthy w... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, the All-powerful, who formerly granted success to the arms of Israel's young men, would withdraw His assistance, NEITHER SHALL HAVE MERCY ON THEIR FATHERLESS AND WIDOWS, who formerly had been the special objects of His fostering care; FOR EVER... [ Continue Reading ]
For wickedness burneth as the fire, challenging God to continue in His course of punishment, bringing forth its own destruction; IT SHALL DEVOUR THE BRIERS AND THORNS, the great mass of the lowly people, who have become weeds and thistles on the face of the earth, AND SHALL KINDLE IN THE THICKETS OF... [ Continue Reading ]
Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, burned out to ashes, utterly destroyed, AND THE PEOPLE SHALL BE AS THE FUEL OF THE FIRE, to be devoured without mercy; NO MAN SHALL SPARE HIS BROTHER, for selfishness takes account only of its own safety, disregarding all considerations of... [ Continue Reading ]
And he (impersonal subject), that is, every man, SHALL SNATCH ON THE RIGHT HAND AND BE HUNGRY, like a beast snapping in every direction; AND HE SHALL EAT ON THE LEFT HAND, AND THEY SHALL NOT BE SATISFIED; THEY SHALL EAT EVERY MAN THE FLESH OF HIS OWN ARM, the members of his own family and tribe:... [ Continue Reading ]
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Epraim, Manasseh, in a form of civil war in which every man's hand would be turned against his neighbor; AND THEY TOGETHER SHALL BE AGAINST JUDAH, for the hatred which obtained between Israel and Judah continued in the nation even as late as the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman... [ Continue Reading ]