ISAIAH CHAPTER 46 The ruin of Babylon and her idols, ISAIAH 46:1,2. God's love and faithfulness to the Jews, ISAIAH 46:3,4. Idols not to be compared with God, ISAIAH 46:5, for power, knowledge, and sure salvation, ISAIAH 46:9. BEL; the chief idol of the Babylonians, JEREMIAH 50:2, JEREMIAH 51:44, ca... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY; either, 1. The idols, of whom these words are used, ISAIAH 46:1. Or, 2. The Babylonians, who are sufficiently implied in that expression, _their idols_, ISAIAH 46:1. THEY BOW DOWN TOGETHER; either, 1. One as well as another; or, 2. The Babylonians and their idols together, neither could he... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE REMNANT OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; fitly so called, with respect either, 1. To all the tribes of Israel, ten of which were now lost and gone; or, 2. To the state of the Jews at their return from Babylon, there being only a remnant of the two tribes which did return. WHICH ARE CARRIED FROM THE... [ Continue Reading ]
And that care and kindness which I have had for you from the beginning, I will continue to you to the end; never forsaking you, unless you wilfully and obstinately cast me off, as the Jews did when their Messiah came. You are my workmanship, both as you are men, and as you are my peculiar people; an... [ Continue Reading ]
If you are tempted or inclined at any time to exchange me for an _idol_, do me and yourselves this right, seriously to consider, whether you can find another God who will be more able and more ready to do you good than I have been; which if you can do, I am content you should prefer him before me; b... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKETH IT A GOD; let us suppose, a god made with the greatest cost and art.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CARRY HIM; either, 1. In pomp upon solemn occasions; or, 2. From that place where he is made, unto that place where they intend to set him up, as it is expressed in the following words. SHALL HE NOT REMOVE; or rather, _he cannot remove_. He can stir neither hand nor foot to help his people.... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THIS, consider these things which I now speak, O ye Israelites, AND SHOW YOURSELVES MEN; act like reasonable creatures, and be not so brutish as to worship your own works; be so wise and courageous as to withstand all solicitation to idolatry. BRING IT AGAIN TO MIND; think of this again and... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THE FORMER THINGS OF OLD; what I have done for you, and in the world, my evident predictions of future things justified by the event, and those other miraculous works whereby I have abundantly proved my Divinity.... [ Continue Reading ]
DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING; foretelling from the beginning of the world, or from the beginning of your nation, those future events which should happen in succeeding ages, even to the end of the world, or to the end of your commonwealth; for such predictions we find delivered by Moses, the... [ Continue Reading ]
CALLING A RAVENOUS BIRD; Cyrus, called a bird for his swiftness and great expedition, and ravenous for his fierceness and victoriousness over his enemies. FROM THE EAST; from Persia, as ISAIAH 41:2. THAT EXECUTETH MY COUNSEL, concerning the deliverance of my people, and the destruction of their crue... [ Continue Reading ]
YE STOUT-HEARTED; or, _ye whose hearts are proud_, or _hard_, or _stubborn_. He speaks either, 1. To the Babylonians, You who are stout against God, and say or think that neither God nor any man can deliver my people out of your hands: or rather, 2. _To the house of Jacob_, expressed ISAIAH 46:3, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
I BRING NEAR MY RIGHTEOUSNESS: though you are most unrighteous persons, and have given me just cause to make you to know my breach of promise, as I threatened in the like case, NUMBERS 14:34; yet I will show myself to be a righteous and faithful God, making good my promise of delivering you out of B... [ Continue Reading ]