The “woe,” having gone round the pagan nations, again circles round where it began, the “Jerusalem that killed the prophets and stoned those that were sent unto her” Matthew 23:37. Woe upon her, and joy to the holy Jerusalem, the “new Jerusalem Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:10, the Jerusalem which... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE OBEYED NOT THE VOICE - Of God, by the law or the prophets, teaching her His ways; and when, disobeying, He chastened her, “she received not correction,” and when He increased His chastisements, she, in the declining age of the state and deepening evil, turned not unto Him, as in the time of the... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet having declared the wickedness of the whole city, rehearses how each in Church and state, the ministers of God in either, who should have corrected the evil, themselves aggravated it. Not enemies, without, destroy her, but HER PRINCES WITHIN HER - In the very midst of the flock, whom the... [ Continue Reading ]
HER PROPHETS ARE LIGHT - , boiling and bubbling, up, like water boiling over , empty boasters claiming the gift of prophecy, which they have not; “boldly and rashly pouring out what they willed as they willed;” promising good things which shall not be. So they are “her” prophets, to whom they “proph... [ Continue Reading ]
But, beside these “evening wolves in the midst of her,” there standeth Another “in the midst of her,” whom they knew not, and so, very near to them although they would not draw near to Him. But He was near, to behold all the iniquities which they did in the very city and place called by His Name and... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE CUT OFF THE NATIONS - God appeals to His judgments on pagan nations, not on any particular nation, as far as we know; but to past history, whether of those, of whose destruction Israel itself had been the instrument, or others. The judgments upon the nations before them were set forth to them... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID, SURELY THOU WILT FEAR ME - God speaks of things here, as they are in their own nature. “It could not but be,” that in the very presence of the Hand of God, destroying others but as yet sparing them, they must learn to fear Him; they must stand in awe of Him for His judgments on others; they... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WAIT YE UPON - (for) Me God so willeth not to punish, but that all should lay hold of His mercy, that He doth not here even name punishment. Judah had slighted His mercies; He was ready to forgive all they had sinned, if they would “now” receive instruction; they in return set themselves t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEN - In the order of God’s mercies. The deliverance from Babylon was the forerunner of that of the Gospel, which was its object. The spread of the Gospel then is spoken of in the connection of God’s Providence and plan, and time is overlooked. Its blessings are spoken of, as “then” given when... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM BEYOND THE RIVERS OF ETHIOPIA - (See Isaiah 18:1.) The farthest southern people, with whom the Jews had contact, stand as the type of the whole world beyond. The utmost bound of the known inhabited land should not be the bound of the Gospel. The conversion of Abyssinia is one, but the narrowest... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SHALT THOU NOT BE ASHAMED FOR ALL THY DOINGS - Because God, forgiving them, will blot them out and no more remember them. This was first fulfilled in the Gospel. Cyril: “No one can doubt that when Christ came in the flesh, there was an amnesty and remission to all who believed. ‘For we a... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO LEAVE - (Over, as a remnant, it is still the same heavy prophecy, that a remnant only ‘shall be saved’) “an afflicted and poor people.” priests, (except that ‘great company who were obedient to the faith’) Acts 6:7, scribes, lawyers, Pharisees, Sadducees were taken away; and there remain... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL - The same poor people, the “true Israel” of whom God said, “I leave over” (the word is the same) “a poor people,” few, compared with the rest who were blinded; of whom the Lord said, “I know whom I have chosen” John 13:18. These “shall not do iniquity nor speak lies.” Cyril: “... [ Continue Reading ]
SING, O DAUGHTER OF SION; SHOUT, O ISRAEL; BE GLAD AND REJOICE WITH ALL THE HEART, O DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM - Very remarkable throughout all these verses is the use of the sacred number three, secretly conveying to the thoughtful soul the thought of Him, Father Son and Holy Spirit, the Holy and Undiv... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY THY JUDGMENTS - Her own, because brought upon her by her sins. But when God takes away the chastisements in mercy, He removes and forgives the sin too. Else, to remove “the judgments” only, would be to abandon the sinner. “He hath cast out,” literally, “cleared quite away” ,... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY IT SHALL BE SAID TO JERUSALEM, FEAR THOU NOT - For “perfect love casteth out fear” John 4:18; from where he saith, “Fear not, little flock; it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” Luke 12:32. Who then and what should the Church or the faithful soul fear, since “mightie... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD THY GOD IN THE MIDST OF THEE IS MIGHTY; HE WILL SAVE - What can He then not do for thee, since He is Almighty? What will He not do for thee, since “He will save?” whom then should we fear? “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31. But then was He especially “in the midst of” u... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GATHER THEM THAT ARE SORROWFUL - for the solemn assembly, in which they were to “rejoice” Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 12:12, Deuteronomy 12:18; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 27:7 before God and which in their captivity God made to cease. “They were of thee” Lamentations 1:4; Lamentations 2:... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, AT THAT TIME I WILL UNDO - (Literally, I deal with . While God punisheth not, He seemeth to sit still Isaiah 18:4, be silent Habakkuk 1:13, asleep Psalms 44:23. Then He shall act, He shall “deal” according to their deserts with “all,” evil men or devils, “that afflict thee,” His Church. The... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT TIME WILL I BRING YOU IN - that is, into the one fold, the one Church, the one “Household of God, even in the time that I gather you.” “That time” is the whole time of the Gospel; the one “day of salvation,” in which all who shall ever be gathered, shall be brought into the new Jerusalem. Th... [ Continue Reading ]