Isaiah 49:8-12

Thus saith the Lord— In this period the general promises given to the Messiah and his mystical body, Isaiah 49:7 are more fully explained. In the first place, the desirable success of the Gospel, in converting the Gentiles, is described, as well as the church which would be collected from the Gentiles, Isaiah 49:8.—middle of Isaiah 49:9.: then the flourishing state of this collected church in a spiritual view. The passages will be clearer from the following alterations of the version, Isaiah 49:8. Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time will I hear thee, and in a day of salvation will I help thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the earth, and to parcel out, or, give possession of, the desolated heritages: Isaiah 49:9. By saying to the prisoners, Go forth; and to those who are in darkness, Come into light: they shall be by the highways, &c.: Isaiah 49:10. Even to the springs, &c.: Isaiah 49:11. And my causeways, or [lower] roads, shall be exalted: Isaiah 49:12. Behold, they shall come from far; and behold, those, &c. and these from the land of the Pelusiots, or Egyptians. See ch. Isaiah 42:6. The spiritual reference of this passage to Gospel privileges is sufficiently evident. We may just observe, that in the description of the flourishing state of the church, the prophet speaks of those delivered from prison and darkness, under the metaphor of a flock feeding in commodious pastures under the care of a faithful shepherd, guarded by him from the burning heat of the sun, and supplied by him with food and water sufficient for all their desires. The convenience of spiritual pasture is set forth in the latter part of the 9th verse; the sufficiency and abundance of that pasture in the words, they shall not hunger nor thirst, Isaiah 49:10.; their immunity from affliction and persecution in the next words; and their wonderful increase, under the protection and favour of God, in Isaiah 49:11. We may just remark, that St. John, in the Revelation, applies these words of the prophet to the time of the sixth seal.