_THE PROPHET, BEWAILING THE CAPTIVITY OF HIS PEOPLE, SEETH IN A VISION
THE FALL OF BABYLON BY THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. EDOM, SCORNING THE
PROPHET, IS MOVED TO REPENTANCE. THE SET TIME OF ARABIA'S CALAMITY._
_Before Christ 714._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF THE DESERT OF THE SEA.— The _sixth_ discourse
contained in this chapter represents, under a mystical name, Babylon,
(the rulers whereof made great desolations in the world, and much
distressed many other nations as well as the Jews,) besieged and
overthrown by the Medes and Persians, a... [ Continue Reading ]
GO UP, O ELAM; BESIEGE, O MEDIA!— The prophet, in a rapture, had
various images succeeding one another before his sight. He had just
beheld the Babylonians raging against Asia and Judaea. Presently, this
scene being removed, he beholds the city of Babylon itself flourishing
in strength and glory; th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE ARE MY LOINS FILLED WITH PAIN, &C.— We have here a
symbolical description of the greatness of the Babylonish calamity;
the prophet exhibiting in himself, as in a figure, an emblem of the
extreme distress, consternation, and horror, which should ensue upon
this occasion. See ch. Isaiah 15:5... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS HATH THE LORD SAID UNTO ME— The Holy Spirit, having
proposed to make Isaiah, and by him the church, most certain of this
memorable event, confirms the preceding revelation by an elegant
emblem, offered to the prophet in vision; which confirmation makes the
other part of this prophetic. This... [ Continue Reading ]
O MY THRESHING, &C.— These words, which form the conclusion of the
prophesy, contain an address of the prophet to the church, signifying
that he had faithfully related to them what God had revealed to him.
The church is elegantly called the _threshing-floor,_ where the true
wheat is separated from t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF DUMAH— The neighbouring nations insulting the people
of God for the common calamities to which they were exposed together
with them, though they boasted themselves to be the elect and
favourite people of the Lord, the prophet introduces the Idumaeans, in
the time of common calamity, in... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN UPON ARABIA— While God revealed to his prophet the fate
of foreign nations, among others he declared that of those Arabians
who inhabited the western part of Arabia Deserta or Petraea; that they
should be oppressed and driven into flight by the Assyrians, a
calamity which should fall upon... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF TEMA— Or, _O ye inhabitants of the
land of Tema, bring ye water to him that is thirsty; prevent, or meet
the fugitive with bread,_ Isaiah 21:15. _For they flee._ We have here
a figurative description of this judgment. The prophet beholds the
Arabians seized with great... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS HATH THE LORD SAID, &C.— Hitherto the prophet had spoken
figuratively: he now ceases to do so. This period contains, _first,_
the circumstance of the time connected with the execution of this
judgment, and the greatness of the judgment itself. Nothing can be
more clear than the former: With... [ Continue Reading ]