Isaiah 33:17

Isa. 33:17. "Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off." This verse speaks of two different sorts of people that dwell in Zion, viz. 1. The true citizens of Zion, described here in the two preceding verses, much as the true citizens of Zion are described in the 15th Psalm, and Psalms 24:4; Psalms 24:5; Psalms 24:2. Sinners in Zion, spoken of in the 14th verse. Of the former it is said, "Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty, i.e. those that are spoken of in the immediately foregoing words. They shall see the land that is very far off, i.e. they that were spoken of before. There is an evident antithesis in the words: as they are opposite kinds of persons that are spoken of, so they are opposite things that are predicated of them. The one should "see the land that is very far off," i.e. should be led away captive thither; as it was threatened to the children of Israel if they were not obedient, that they should be driven out of their own land, and carried captive into a very far country. Deuteronomy 28:49, "The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth;" and 64th verse, "And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth, even unto the other; and this is a judgment often threatened by the prophets to the wicked Israelites, and is threatened by this prophet in particular. Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 13:5, "They came from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land." But the other should "see the King in his beauty;" this is here spoken of as the opposite to a being carried away into a far country. The literal and next meaning seems to be this, that while the sinners in Zion are cast out of Zion, and out of their own land to the ends of the earth, and made slaves to a foreign prince, thou shalt dwell peaceably and quietly in the land of Israel, and in Zion (the true citizens of Zion shall abide in Zion, Psalms 15:1). under the peaceable and happy government of thine own prince, the King of Zion, the King that sits in the throne of David, who had his palace in Zion. Thou shalt see the King that reigns in Zion in his beauty, reigning and governing his people in great glory and prosperity, and thou shalt enjoy the blessing of his prosperous and glorious reign. Beauty is often put for glory and prosperity, as Isaiah 28:1, and Ezekiel 27:3; Ezekiel 27:4; Ezekiel 27:11, and Isaiah 28:12; Isaiah 28:17, as verse 20 of this context, Thou shalt see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, i.e. thou shalt enjoy the blessings of its safe and quiet state, as Psalms 128:5; Psalms 128:6. Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem, and thou shalt see peace upon Israel. The blessing here promised to the righteous in Israel, seems to be the same with that which the queen of Sheba observed in Solomon's servants. 2 Chronicles 9:7, "Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee."

But although what the prophet here alludes to in the punishment threatened to the sinners in Zion, be the captivity into Babylon, and what he alludes to in the reward promised to the righteous, be the dwelling under the safe, and quiet, and prosperous government of their own king that sat on the throne of David, which was in Zion; yet the things chiefly meant, are spiritual things that are typified by these temporal things, for there never was literally any such distinction made between the wicked and righteous Israelites, as is here spoken of; for when the Jews were carried away into Babylon, there was no king left reigning in Zion in peace and prosperity, but it was a time of universal calamity throughout the whole land. Therefore, by being carried captive into a land very far off, seems to be intended chiefly the eternal rejection and banishment of hypocrites, who though they for the present dwell in Zion in God's church amongst his people, yet the time will come when they shall be removed at the utmost distance from it, and shall be sent into eternal banishment; and by the King that is here spoken of, that the true citizens of Zion shall see in his beauty, is meant Jesus Christ, even David their King, as he is called, Jeremiah 30:9, and Hosea 3:5. The King spoken of in the beginning of the foregoing chapter, and everywhere throughout this book. They shall behold him in his beauty, and shall enjoy the blessings of his kingdom of grace here; and hereafter shall for ever dwell in his presence, and see his face, and rejoice in his kingdom of glory.

Isa. 33:21