Isaiah 33:23,24

Thy tacklings are loosed— Two things are to be supposed in the interpretation of these words; first, that this apostrophe is directed to the government of the hostile nation: secondly, when the state is described under the image of a ship, whose tacklings are loosed, we are to understand it in a bad sense. The metaphor in the 23rd verse is taken from a ship; and the meaning of it is, that the public means and supplies, which sustain the state of the nation, or the prince who represents that state, are wanting, broken to pieces, or become useless; the consequence whereof is, the desolation of that state; whose weakness is so great, that even the lame carry off the prey; a parabolic phrase like that in 2 Samuel 5:6. The prophet adds, And he that lieth down, shall not say, I am sick: because the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. Which words, Vitringa thinks, are not to be connected with the 23rd verse, but with the whole prophesy; Isaiah herein declaring that the state of that city of God, that Zion whereof he is speaking, shall admit no languor or disease, no spiritual disease; because the Spirit of God at that time shall rejoice in the blessing of forgiveness of sins. See Psalms 103:3 and Joel 3:10. This passage has its full completion in the New Testament.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, The subject of this prophesy is variously interpreted; some refer it to the state of the Jews under Hezekiah, when Sennacherib distressed them and was destroyed; others to the desolations made by Antiochus, and to the victorious arms of the Maccabees over him; others to the church of Christ oppressed by the antichristian foe, and to the final ruin of antichrist; and all these may be comprehended herein, and the former deliverances of God's church prefigure those of the latter day. See the Critical Annotations. Here is,

1. The woe denounced on the spoiler and treacherous dealer: for a while his politics would succeed, and his power prevail, however cruelly or unjustly exercised; but God will return his evil upon his own head, and at the appointed time visit upon him his wickedness: and this was the case with Sennacherib and Antiochus, as it will be of the Romish antichrist, whose politics, craft, and deceivableness of unrighteousness, are well known; and by these, long did he make a prey of men's goods, bodies, and souls; but at last God will visit him according to his deserts. See Revelation 17:12. Note; (1.) To compass their ends, the wicked hesitate not at falsehood, fraud, or violence; but God knows how to repay them in their own coin. (2.) There are appointed bounds to set to men's wickedness; and when they have filled up the measure of their iniquities, God will awake to judgment.

2. The people of God in prayer fly to him in the day of their calamity. O Lord, be gracious unto us, interpose to save us from every enemy; we have waited for thee, not fainting in the time of adversity, but expecting thy salvation: be thou their arm every morning; which either is a request for Hezekiah and his princes, or for the Maccabees, that they might be strengthened for their work; or rather it is the intercession of the members of the church one for another, every morning offered, for grace to enable them for the work of every day; be thou our salvation also in the time of trouble, from all the persecutions and distress under which in body or soul we groan, being burdened. Note; (1.) When we have a gracious God to go to, there is comfort under every affliction. (2.) They who cleave to him will never be forsaken by him. (3.) Every morning our prayer must be renewed, for every day we may expect fresh trials, and need renewed supports, for we have no power as of ourselves to help ourselves. (4.) We must be advocates for each other, and especially remember in our prayers those who are afflicted. (5.) The stronger the storm of temptation blows, the faster should we cling to the rock of our salvation.

3. An answer of peace is given. Their enemies, the Assyrians, shall be terrified before the destroying angel; and while some flee, and more are slain, they have nothing to do but rush on the spoil without resistance, as when a flight of locusts devours the field. Or this may be applied still more properly to the Maccabees and their conquests. And thus shall it be in the last days, when the ruin of the antichristian armies is completed, the conquerors shall devour the spoil. See Revelation 17:16. Note; God not only answers our prayer, but often exceeds all our expectations.

4. The people of God celebrate the praises of their deliverer; they adore him for the manifestation of his glory, made in the destruction of the Assyrians, or of the enemies of Judah under the Maccabees, and for the blessed effects which his mercy produced among themselves, filling Zion with judgment and righteousness. From what they had experienced, they encourage Hezekiah and the Maccabees to proceed in their pious works of reformation, since wisdom and knowledge of God's will and worship, by their care diffused, would be the stability of their times, and the blest means of securing their present happy state, and the strength of salvation, their security against every invader: and the fear of the Lord, either in their own hearts, or in the hearts of the people, is his treasure; a better portion, and a surer protection against their enemies, than all other riches: such will also be the praises ascribed to their Redeemer, when the antichristian foe is fallen, and the kingdom of Christ eminently established; then wisdom and knowledge will be abundantly diffused, and those times be blessed with durable peace and joy, and the hearts of God's people enriched with the best treasure, even the fear and love of God. Note; (1.) Wherever the kingdom of Jesus is established in any heart, there justice towards men, and righteousness towards God, will immediately take place. (2.) A true knowledge of the grace of God is the great liability of the soul. (3.) The fear of God is the christian's best treasure.

2nd, When the eternal Jehovah speaks, let every mortal hear, and all the world acknowledge his power and glory; which appear especially,
1. In the terror and destruction of the wicked and the hypocrite. As the sinners and hypocrites in Zion have peculiar guilt, they may well tremble at their full measure of judgment: when they see Jerusalem ready to be besieged, and expect to have their houses fired, they are in distraction, have no hope in God, and Egypt hath failed them; or when they saw the Assyrians so terribly consumed, they trembled lest the devouring fire should also reach them. Note; (1.) Of all men they are most guilty, who amidst the light of Gospel-truth persist in the ways of sin and formality. (2.) The day will come when the most secure sinner will be startled. (3.) If men would seriously put the question to their souls, how they can dwell with devouring fire, and endure the everlasting burnings, it might awaken their consciences, and prevent their ruin. (4.) This terrible portion must they shortly and surely receive, who neglect to fly from the wrath to come to that Redeemer who alone can hide them in the day of judgment.

2. In the salvation of the righteous, whose character is here displayed—He that walketh righteously, making God's word his rule, conscientious in all his dealings, and persevering in the worship of the Lord; and speaketh uprightly, his word is sacred, his conversation gracious, and suited to minister edification to others: he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, who thinks it infamous to fatten upon the spoil of the injured, and mean as wicked to commit injustice; that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes; rejects them, when offered, with indignation; that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, cannot be brought to listen to any cruel or oppressive proposal; and shutteth his eyes from seeing evils, cannot bear to see others sin, and stops up that dangerous avenue at which temptation might enter: he shall dwell on high secure in the love of God from all those evils which terrify the wicked: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks, even Christ the rock of ages, the impregnable fortress of the faithful soul, against which the gates of hell, and the floods of temptation, rage in vain; bread shall be given him, and his waters shall be sure; when famine rages, he shall not want in the siege, or under any distress; or rather he shall eat the living bread, of which the world knoweth not, and be refreshed with the streams of divine love and consolation, when the sinner and hypocrite in flames cannot obtain one drop of water to quench their raging thirst.

3. Many great and distinguishing mercies are here promised, applicable not only to the Jews, but more generally to all the faithful.
(1.) They shall see the king in his beauty, the great Jehovah in his glory, and the land that is very far off—their land extended, and their limits enlarged. And how much greater joy will it afford to faithful souls, in that distant realm of eternal day, to see Jesus, their king, brighter than the sun, sitting on the throne of glory, and themselves as stars shining around him?

(2.) Their fears shall be at an end, and serve them but for matter of grateful meditation; the terrors that compassed them are fled; they hear no more the voice of commanders within, collecting the supplies, or numbering the people for the battle, or the captains and engineers without, threatening their ruin. They see no longer a fierce nation, whose speech they could not understand, and whose voice spread dismay. Thus when our souls shall reach the heavenly Zion, our past trials, however grievous, shall be remembered with delight; and all our foes, which bred in us so many fears, be for ever sunk in darkness, and incapable of ever more troubling our repose.

(3.) They shall look with transport on Zion, the city of their solemnities: during their great distresses these had been interrupted, and they might fear never would be restored; but lo, once more in peace, their habitation is quiet, and God promises long to preserve his tabernacle among them, and to disappoint the malice of those who should seek to destroy it. The earthly Zion, indeed, is long since demolished; but we look for a city which hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God, even the new Jerusalem, to which this prophesy hath especial regard; where God's saints night and day shall serve him, and go out no more for ever, having found their glorious rest, and dwelling safe from fear of evil. See Revelation 3:12.

(4.) They shall have the Lord, glorious in power and holiness, for their protector, law-giver, judge, and Saviour. Though Jerusalem had no navigable river to further commerce, or serve for a security against their enemies, God would be all that to her in his blessing; no galley, or gallant ship, could bring an invading army against her; and inaccessible would he preserve her from every foe: their judge to avenge his people's wrongs; their lawgiver to direct their conduct; their king to govern with gentleness, and protect them from danger; in short, their Saviour to the uttermost. Note; (1.) If God be ours, all things are ours. (2.) The Lord Christ is this judge, lawgiver, king, and Saviour, to his faithful people; and if, as his subjects, our souls are yielded up to his government, who can pluck us out of his hands?

(5.) Their enemies, like a ship in a storm, dismasted, and the rigging torn in pieces, a perfect wreck, and ready to be dashed in pieces against the rocks, should see all their hopes blasted, and themselves a prey; so helpless to defend themselves, that even the lame should divide their spoil.
(6.) Sickness shall be removed, and sin pardoned. The diseases of Jerusalem, arising from their various distresses, would be at an end; and the people, returning to God under a sense of divine mercy, obtain pardon and acceptance with him: and this will be emphatically fulfilled in the days of the church's prosperity; when, with the pardon and grace then abundantly dispensed, Christ will heal all the sickness of the souls of his faithful people; and at last, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, sin, sorrow, sickness, pain, and death shall be for ever banished from the eternal state of bliss and glory.