INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 52 This chapter is a prophecy of the glorious state of the church in the latter day, typified by the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon. The church, under the names of Zion and Jerusalem, is exhorted to awake and clothe herself with strength, and with beautiful garments, to... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, AWAKE, PUT ON THY STRENGTH, O ZION,.... Aben Ezra says, all interpreters agree that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled, and so it is: by Zion is meant the church in Gospel times, in the latter day glory, which is called upon to awake out of sleep; and this repeated to show what a deep sleep... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAKE THYSELF FROM THE DUST,.... Or "the dust from thee" g, in which she had sat, or rolled herself as a mourner; or where she had been trampled upon by her persecutors and oppressors; but now being delivered from them, as well as from all carnal professors and false teachers, she is called upon to... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD, YE HAVE SOLD YOURSELVES FOR NOUGHT,.... As Ahab did to work wickedness; as men do freely, and get nothing by it; for there is nothing got in the service of sin, Satan, and antichrist, or by being slaves and vassals to them; not profit, but loss; not pleasure, but pain; not h... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... The Lord confirms what he had before said of redeeming his people without money, who had been sold for nothing, by past instances of his deliverance of them: MY PEOPLE WENT DOWN AFORETIME INTO EGYPT TO SOJOURN THERE; Jacob and his family went down there of their own... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE WHAT HAVE I HERE, SAITH THE LORD, THAT MY PEOPLE IS TAKEN AWAY FOR NOUGHT?.... Or what do I get by it, that my people should be taken and held in captivity without cause? I am no gainer, but a loser by it, as it afterwards appears; and therefore why should I sit still, and delay the de... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE MY PEOPLE SHALL KNOW MY NAME,.... His nature and perfections; his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises to them; his power in delivering them out of their bondage; and his justice in punishing their enemies. THEREFORE THEY SHALL KNOW ON THAT DAY THAT I AM HE THAT DOTH SPEAK: BEHOLD, IT... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW BEAUTIFUL UPON THE MOUNTAINS ARE THE FEET OF HIM THAT BRINGETH GOOD TIDINGS,.... Not of the messenger that brought the news of Cyrus's proclamation of liberty to the Jews; rather of John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord; best of Christ himself, the messenger of the covenant, who was anoin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WATCHMEN SHALL LIFT UP THE VOICE,.... Not the Levites in the temple, nor the prophets of the Old Testament; rather the evangelists and apostles of Christ; best of all Gospel ministers in the latter day, so called in allusion to watch men on the walls of cities looking out, and giving notice of a... [ Continue Reading ]
BREAK FORTH INTO JOY, SING TOGETHER, YE WASTE PLACES OF JERUSALEM,.... This is what the watchmen shall say when they lift up their voice; this will be one part of their song, and the intent of it; to observe to the members of the churches, which shall be constituted in those parts which were formerl... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH MADE BARE HIS HOLY ARM IN THE EYES OF ALL THE NATIONS,.... Revealed his Gospel, which is a system of holy doctrines, and is the power of God unto salvation, openly, in the sight of all men, and given it a general spread all the world over; and with it has exerted his almighty power, in... [ Continue Reading ]
DEPART YE, DEPART YE,.... Not from Jerusalem, as some, for that is now said to be redeemed, and its waste places made joyful; but Babylon, even mystical Babylon. The Targum is, "be ye separated, be ye separated": and so the apostle, 2 Corinthians 6:17. It denotes a separation from the idolatrous chu... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE SHALL NOT GO OUT WITH HASTE, NOR GO BY FLIGHT,.... As persons afraid of their enemies, of being pursued, overtaken, and detained by them; privily or by stealth, like fugitives, as the Oriental versions render it; in like manner as the Israelites went out of Egypt: but it signifies, that they... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, MY SERVANT SHALL DEAL PRUDENTLY,.... Here properly a new chapter should begin, these three last verses treating of the same person and subject as the following chapter; even of Christ, his person, offices, humiliation, and exaltation, and the effects and fruits thereof; for of him undoubtedl... [ Continue Reading ]
AS MANY WERE ASTONISHED AT THEE,.... Not so much at the miracles he wrought, the doctrines he taught, and the work he did; or at his greatness and glory, at his exaltation and dignity, though very wonderful; as at his humiliation, the mean appearance he made, the low estate he was brought into; the... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL HE SPRINKLE MANY NATIONS,.... This is not to be understood of water baptism, for though this has been administered in many nations, yet not by Christ, nor done by sprinkling; rather of the grace of the Spirit, which is expressed by water, and its application by sprinkling, and is of a clean... [ Continue Reading ]