1. WHERE, etc.] RV 'what manner of house.. what place shall be my rest.' The v. is a strong rebuke of such as, without a really religious spirit, idly trusted in the inviolability of Zion, and the protection they thought the sanctuary would afford. A like fault is rebuked in Jeremiah 7:1. This passa... [ Continue Reading ]
THOSE _things_] i.e. the universe. ALL.. HAVE BEEN] RV 'so all these things came to be.'... [ Continue Reading ]
They who offer the due sacrifices, yet without a proper spirit, are no better than they who perform unclean or idolatrous acts.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR DELUSIONS] i.e. things to delude them.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR BRETHREN, etc.] These are the apostate Israelites (also referred to Isaiah 65:5) who despise the true worshippers of Jehovah. LET THE LORD, etc.] RV 'Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy; but they '(who so speak) 'shall be ashamed.' The apostate taunt the faithful with worshippin... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet seems to hear a sound as of one stirring in the Temple and preparing for vengeance. 7-9. The mother is Zion, the child regenerate Israel, and in Isaiah 66:8 the normally slow processes of birth and growth are contrasted with the astonishing development of God's people.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL COME] RV 'the time cometh.' SHALL THE EARTH.. BRING FORTH] RV 'Shall a land be born.'... [ Continue Reading ]
God will not delay, or leave unfinished, the work of restoration.... [ Continue Reading ]
The figure of Zion as a mother is still continued.... [ Continue Reading ]
FLOWING] RV 'overflowing.'... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HERB] RV 'the tender grass'; their youth will be renewed.... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD] i.e. hold judgment.... [ Continue Reading ]
SANCTIFY THEMSELVES] referring (as in Isaiah 65:5) to the apostates who are initiated into some form of heathen mysteries. BEHIND ONE] i.e. (_a_) 'behind one Asherah,' i.e. idol tree-trunk (RM, cp. Isaiah 17:8); or, (_b_) 'behind one man,' as priest and leader of their worship. LXX omits the words.... [ Continue Reading ]
Those that escape the divine judgment on the nations opposed to Israel are represented as going as missionaries to the more distant peoples. TARSHISH] in Spain; put for the far West. PUL(i.e. Phut) AND LUD] probably African peoples; they are mentioned together as serving in the Egyptian army (Ezekie... [ Continue Reading ]
The remoter nations bring back the Israelites dispersed among them.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE OF THEM] i.e. (_a_) of the nations who bring back the Jews; or, (_b_) of the Jews themselves thus brought back; all Israel shall be eligible for the priesthood. Isaiah 61:6 favours this latter interpretation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Isaiah 65:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
The picture of restoration is completed with the thought of the judgment upon the wicked (similarly Isaiah 48:22; Isaiah 57:21), who are here thought of as having been slain in battle by Jehovah (Isaiah 66:15). THEIR WORM, etc.] These words may be intended to refer only to the literal destruction of... [ Continue Reading ]