Isaiah 2 - Introduction
_ISAIAH PROPHESIETH THE COMING OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. WICKEDNESS IS THE CAUSE OF GOD'S FORSAKING HIS PEOPLE: HE EXHORTETH TO FEAR, BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL EFFECTS OF GOD'S MAJESTY._ _Before Christ 760._... [ Continue Reading ]
_ISAIAH PROPHESIETH THE COMING OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. WICKEDNESS IS THE CAUSE OF GOD'S FORSAKING HIS PEOPLE: HE EXHORTETH TO FEAR, BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL EFFECTS OF GOD'S MAJESTY._ _Before Christ 760._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD THAT ISAIAH—SAW— The construction of the second sermon, which is comprehended in this, the third and fourth Chapter s, is excellent. It was the design of the prophet, or of the holy Spirit speaking by the prophet, to convince the Jews in this discourse of their neglect and contempt of the d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS— We have in this period an august and fine image of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. It contains, _first,_ a proposition of a certain admirable event in future time, in which the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be exalted above all mountains, and nations shall flow to i... [ Continue Reading ]
O HOUSE OF JACOB, &C.— The second part of this discourse contains an exhortation to the people to repent, with a complaint of their corrupt state, and a denunciation of the divine judgment: In which we have, first, a transition from one scene to the other, Isaiah 2:5. Secondly, a new scene is opened... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THOU HAST FORSAKEN THY PEOPLE— The prophet here begins his complaint of the present state of the Jewish nation; which contains, First, His proposition of its present state, as forsaken by God;—in this verse. Secondly, A demonstration of it from the vices which reigned in this nation; which... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR LAND ALSO IS FULL OF SILVER, &C.— In the original, this consists of a stanza of four verses, in which the construction of the two members is alternate; _their land is full of silver,_ answering to _their land is full of horses;_ as, _neither is there any end of their treasures,_ does to _neith... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEAN MAN BOWETH DOWN, &C.— _And the mean man shall be brought down, and the great man shall be humbled; and thou wilt not forgive them._ Vitringa. This rendering is not only agreeable to the 11th and 17th verses of this chapter, and 15th of the fifth, but also to the scope of the argument; f... [ Continue Reading ]
ENTER INTO THE ROCK— The prophet's discourse is here most sublime, in order to fill the mind with the highest ideas of the divine judgment impending. We have a preface concerning the greatness of this judgment, Isaiah 2:10 a more clear exposition of it with respect to the subjects to be humbled by G... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD OF HOSTS— The prophet had declared what was in the designs of the divine court. He now proceeds to explain circumstantially what would be the objects of that judgment; which he lays down metaphorically; designing, first, kings, princes, nobles, kingdoms, republics, cities; Is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UPON ALL THE CEDARS OF LEBANON— _Lebanon_ is one of the images which is frequently made use of in the writings of the Hebrews. It was one of the remarkable mountains of Palestine, celebrated for its loftiness, and the tallness, largeness, and abundance of the cedars which shaded its top. Hence,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL GO INTO THE HOLES OF THE ROCKS— The idea here, as every one must perceive, is taken from the nature of the land of Canaan; which was full of caves and dens. See Judges 6:2. The meaning of the metaphor is, that there should be at this time a great and most bright display of the divine... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE MOLES AND TO THE BATS— _Bats_ and other vermin haunt old ruinated places. So Thevenot, describing the opened pyramid, tells us, there are a great many bats in it, which sometimes put out the candles that are made use of in examining that most ancient building; that a particular hole, which he... [ Continue Reading ]
CEASE YE FROM MAN— The prophet here subjoins an admonitory exhortation to the men of his own and of all times, to dissuade them from placing any confidence in man, however excellent in dignity, or great in power; as his life depends upon the air which he breathes through his nostrils; which being st... [ Continue Reading ]