INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 27 This chapter refers to the same times as the two foregoing ones Isaiah 25:1; and is a continuation of the same song, or rather a new one on the same occasion; it is prophetical of the last times, and of what shall be done in them, as the destruction of the antichristian p... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY THE LORD WITH HIS SORE AND GREAT AND STRONG SWORD,.... Meaning either the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, quick and powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword, Ephesians 6:17 or else some sore judgment of God: some understand it of the Medes and Persians, by whom the Lord would de... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SING YE UNTO HER,.... The congregation of Israel, as the Targum; or rather the church of Christ; for after, and upon the destruction of his and her enemies, there will be great rejoicing and singing alternately, and by responses, as the word signifies; see Revelation 15:1. Gussetius l re... [ Continue Reading ]
I THE LORD DO KEEP IT,.... The vineyard, the church, not only by his ministers, called the keepers of it, Song of Solomon 8:12 but by himself, by his own power; for unless he keeps it, who is Israel's keeper, the watchmen wake in vain; he keeps his church and people from sin, that it does not reign... [ Continue Reading ]
FURY [IS] NOT IN ME,.... Against his vineyard he takes so much care of, his church and people, whom he has loved with an everlasting love; they are indeed deserving of his wrath, but he has not appointed them to it, but has appointed his Son to bear it for them, who has delivered them from wrath to... [ Continue Reading ]
OR LET HIM TAKE HOLD OF MY STRENGTH,.... Not on the law, as the Targum and Kimchi; but on Christ, as Jerom rightly interprets it; who is the strength and power of God, the man of his right hand he has made strong for himself; a strong tower, as the word signifies, a rock of defence, to whom saints m... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL CAUSE THEM THAT COME OF JACOB TO TAKE ROOT,.... That is, the posterity of Jacob, the seed of Israel, in a spiritual sense; such who are Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile; these shall be so far from being plucked up, or rooted out of the vineyard, the church, that they shall take... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH HE SMITTEN HIM, AS HE SMOTE THOSE THAT SMOTE HIM?.... No; the Lord does smite his people by afflictive dispensations of his providence; he smites them in their persons, and families, and estates; see Isaiah 57:17 as he smote Israel, by suffering them to be carried captive, and as the Jews are n... [ Continue Reading ]
IN MEASURE, WHEN IT SHOOTETH FORTH, THOU WILT DEBATE WITH IT,.... Or, "when he sendeth it forth" x; when God sends forth an affliction on his people, or gives it a commission to them, as all are sent by him, he does it with moderation; he proportions it to their strength, and will not suffer them to... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THIS THEREFORE SHALL THE INIQUITY OF JACOB BE PURGED,.... Or "expiated", or "atoned" a; not that afflictions are atonements for sin, or give satisfaction to divine justice for it; but they are the means of bringing the Lord's people to a sense of their sins, and to repentance and humiliation for... [ Continue Reading ]
YET THE DEFENCED CITY [SHALL BE] DESOLATE,.... Or "but", or "notwithstanding" b; though the Lord deals mercifully with his own people, and mixes mercy with their afflictions, and causes them to issue well, and for their good; yet he does not deal so with others, his and their enemies: for by the "de... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE BOUGHS THEREOF ARE WITHERED, THEY SHALL BE BROKEN OFF,.... This city is compared to a tree, whose branches are not only gnawed and consumed by cattle, as in the former verse Isaiah 27:10; but which, in a hot dry summer, are withered and dried up, and so are easily broken, and are fit for n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... When the song will be sung, Isaiah 27:2 when God will appear to have taken particular care of his church, and is about to bring it into a flourishing condition; when its troubles and afflictions will come to an end, with a sanctified use of them; and when t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... When the Lord is about to do the above things, and in order to it. The Talmudists k apply this text to the world to come, or times of the Messiah, when the ten tribes shall be returned: [THAT] THE GREAT TRUMPET SHALL BE BLOWN; meaning not the edict or proc... [ Continue Reading ]