The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 412

EXPOSITION. (which lleems to us the best) i~ that ~r De- CHAPTER XXVI. litzsoh .nnd Ifoy. : , . Vere. 1-18.-A 8oNG OJ' THE REDEEMED Ver. 4.-Trulltye in the Lord, The faith- 1:s MoUNT ZION. The prophet, ha'Ving (in ful exhort ooch other to perfect l.rti~t, in the eh. xxv.) ponred forth his own thankfulness new Jerusalein, na in the o!d (see Ps. cxv. 9-11). In the Lord .,Te~ov~ ;· Hter111Iy, in to God for the promise of the Churoh's final Jah Jehovah (comp. eh. tit 'li). rs·everle.'llt- redemption and triumph, .proceeds now to ing strength,; memlly, is the Roel, of ages. represent the Church itself in the glorified A certn~ refuge throughout 111l eternity ia, state e.s singing praise to God for the snme. no doubt, intended (see the comment on eh. ''er. 1.-In that day. In the "day of :nii. 10). • . . , ·1 .. •.. J .. •· • God" (2 Pet. iii. 12), the period of the Ver. 5.-Ke bringeth down;· ;rnth!lr1 }1e "restitution of a.II things" (Acts iii. 21). hath brought down. The ,redeemed prciiso. In the land of J'udah; i.e. iu tho "new God for his past nierciea, He brong)l~ ilo~ rnrth ''-whose city will be the "heavenly in his own good tinie all the proud 'e.M· Jerusalem," and wherein will dwell "tho lofty ones who cialted themselves against Israel of God "-the e.ntitype whereof the him and oppressed his snintll, me.king cities literal" lR.nd of Judah" was the type. A desolate (eh. xxiv. 10; 12) nnd gi-ving over strong city; literally, a city of strength. In their inhabitants to destruction (oh., xix:iv. 6). the Re'l'elation of St.. John the new Jerusa- Them that dwell on high; i.e. "that exalt lem is representeil ns ha ,ing "e. we.II great themselves." It is.not eminence, but pride, and high ·• (xxi. 12), and "twelve gates," that pro.vokes the DiviuEl nnger., The three on ee.l'h sitle. The intention is to hee.tlien judged differen lly ( s00 H~rod., _vii. ronvev the idea. of complete security. In 10, § 4). The lofty oity (comp'. eh. xxi;v.. 16; 12; xxv. 2, 3).. The "world-city" (as it has the present pB.l'se.ge the city bas " gates " been called) ; i.e,. the idealized strongbopt (ver. 2), but no "walls "-we.lie and bul- of the adversaries of' God iii this world, is wark& being unnecessary, since the se.ving • intended. • • might of God himself would be its sure Ver. 6.--Tbe foot shall tread it 'down i defence against every enemy. rather, trode it doum,· The feet·of the poori Ver. 2.-0pen ye the gates. The com- and the steps of the needy; i.e:- >the feet of mand is given by God to his angels within God's people, thewee.k and 1 afflict.ed of this the city, or perhaps by some angels to world, trod down ultimately, or brough_t to others, to "open the gates," and Jet the destruction and ruin, the great world-power-:'; saints march in e.nd take possession (comp. not so much that they W!3re victorious ~~ e.n Ps. cxviii. 19, 20, which seems to represent actual physical contest, as .tbe.t they fi,11ally the same occasion: and Ps. :u:iv. 7-10, triumphed through God'sjudgment oil the which tells of another occasion on which the world-power, which brought it to ;DOil.gh~ angelic warders were bidden to throw open and left it for .his peo,P1e to ah.ow 'their con- the gates of theoelestial city. The righteons tempt by ttampling upon the smolringruin~; nation which bepeth the truth; litemlly, a Ver. 7.-Tbe. way of tl\e just.is uprightl righteous muion. A people, me.de up of n.ll kind.reds and nations and tongues, which neBB j or, the path ffYI' the just is. BtraigTit,' is one of the main blessings of the righteous n should henceforth be "the people of God." that God "makes their way straight boforf They are " righteollll," a8 w11.11hed clean from their face" (Ps. iv. 8), 1' lead~· t)le111 in a all t.e.int of sin in the blood of the Lamb. plain path" (Ps. xxvii. 11), ~.'.spows ,the.m They "keep the truth," or "keep faithful- the way they a.re to wa_lk in." (P~. cxl,i_ii. 8), ness," as under all circumstances clinging so that they a.re for the pi.oat part ,free from loyally to God. doubt e.nd perplexity as. to tb1dii;1e of.con- Ver. 3.--'Thou wilt keep him, etc.; lite- duct which it behovi-s them t.; f'ursue:· • It rally, tlie sf.eadfast mind thou wilt keep in this is so in the present life, stil more 'wHl peace, in peace; i.e. "in perfect peace" it be the uniform condition of the just' in (comp. Ps. cxii. 7, 8). Tl,c writer's mind another sphere. Tllen God will of a surety thrnughout the first paragraph of bis" song" "direct all their p11ths "(Prov. iii. 6). Thou, (vers. 1-4) "is running" (as Mr. Cheyne JnOBt upright, dost weigh; literally,. Q !up• well observes) "on the security e.nd im- right One, thou dcst 11Jeigh, The krm·'.'. up- movableness of the new Jerusalem." All is right" is applied to God in Dent. xx:iu.1. 4: peace and sure defence on God's side; all Ps. xxv. 8 ; and Ps. xeii, 16, , By '' weighing is trust e.nd perfect confidence on the side of the path of thE jllllt" is mean~ k~ping it, ma.n. The first words of the veroe may be as JUBtice keeps bcr see.foe, 1.tra1ght and to.ken iu ve.rioUB ways-the above rendering level. oa, :xxn 1-21.] T:RE /BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. ------------------------- --- - --~- i ·v1ir, 8.-Yei, In the way ot thy judgmntl wrought all our worklJ in us; rather, all OV1' , , , have we '\IVaited tor thee; rother, 1111, fflk for ue, The "work'' intended seems U10itcd, ' Daring the long years of our afflic- to be, as Mr. Cheyne observes, "the work of tion nnd perR~cution in the world. we wa.ited their deliverance." in thit constant expecto.Uon th11t '' thy judg- ••V m:. 13-0ther lords. The saved had mente" woul<l fa.II upon onr persecut.ors. not always been faith fol to ,Jehovah. Some, We were not impo.tient; We knew that thou rio doubt, ha.cl actually been idolaters, as wouldst 'visit us at the filting time. The many of the early Christians (1 Cor. xii. 2; deaire of our soul is to thy Name ; rather, the I These. i. 9, etc.). Others ha.cl given their desire of our soul was to thy Name. During htarts for a time to other vanities, and oil the weary time of waiting, we longed turned away from God. Now, in the new for thee, o.nd thy Name, or rather what thy Jerusalem, they confess their shortcomings, Name indicates, thy own true self. In de- and acknowledge that only through God's fault of thy actual presence, we desired t.o mercy-by thee-are they in the condition hove thee ever in remembrance. to celebrate his Name. --·Ver. 9.-In the night; i.e. "the long Ver. 14.-They ~re dead, etc.; literally, night of their affliction." The sentiment is Dead, they shaU not live (i.e. return to life) ; id'cntical with that of the preceding verse. deceased, they shall not arise. The power of 'Will I ·seek thee early; rather, did I seek the idol-gods is altogether passed away. It thee. For when thy judgments, etc. It was was for this end-therefore-that God had not u. mere selfish desire for the cessation of visited a.nd destroyed them, and made their persecution 'that caused the righteous to very memory to perish. How strange it long for the time when •God's judgments seems that the " great gods" whom so many would be manifested upon the earth, but a millions worshipped in former times-Bel. conviction that so only would an impression and Asshur, and Ammon, and Zeus, and be made on the persecutors, end a certain Jupiter-should hove passed so completely number of them be induced to learn right- away os to be almost wholly for~otten I eoll8ness. A desire for the conversion of Ver. 15.-Thou hast increased the nation; sinners to God characterizes God's saints i.e. the "righteous nation" of ver. 2-not generally, and none more th1m Isaiah, who the Jewish people merely, but "the Israel is here expressing whot he conceives will be of God "-who are to be" a great multitude, the thoughts of the redeemed, and naturally' that no man can number, of all notions, and judges -their thoughts and feelings by hie kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Re'I'. own: • • vii. 9). Thou hadst r.emoved it. This render- , Vor. 10.-Let favour be showed to the· ing gives a very gooa·sense. It makes the wioked. · This is a further explanation of the redeemed pass in thought from their present reason why tl.ie 'righteous had eo earnestly stato of hoppint"ss and glory to that. former desired the coming of God's judgments time of tribulation and affliction when they upon the earth. They had felt that further were a remnant, scattered over the face of mercy and long-suffering were thrown away the earth (eh. xxiv. 13-15), driven inio its upon the wicked; and." only did them harm" uttermost corners (eh. xxiv. 16), oppressed (-Kay).· - When "favour was showed them," and down-trodden by their enemies. But it they did but persi&t in ·unrighteouP.ness. In is doubtful whether the Hebrew will bear the land of uprightness will he deal uDjustly. the rendering. i\Iost modern commentators Even good example does not convert the translate, " 'fhou bust extended far all the wioked man. Though he live in a "land of borders of the land," which is certainly the righteousness," where God and his Law are more nntural meaning of the words. H we acknowledged, where true religion is pro- accept this view, we must regord the clause fessed, where the gospel is preaohed, he will as continuing the iden rontained in U1e continue wicked, he will "deal unjustly;" farmer port of the verse-the nntion is in- he will not behold-or, consider-the majesty creased in number, and its borders are of the Lord. • advanced-it is "a multitude that no man Ver. 11.-When thy hand is lifted up, they can numLer," and it has no narrower limits will not see. The original ie more graphic. than the "new enrth," which has been given It runs, "Lord, thy hand is lifted up, [but] to it for its habitation (Rev. ni. 1). they see not. They shall see to their shnme Ver. 16.-Lord, in trouble have they thy jealousy for thy people ; yea, fire shall visited thee. Here, at any rate, the redeemed devour thy adversuries." God's jealousy go bock in thought to thdr time of troublP. "burns like fire" (Ps. lxxix. 9; Zeph. i. 18) Tbey remember that what brought them in the cnuse of his people. back to God from tbot alienation whil'h tlirv Ver. 12.-Lord, thou wilt ordain peaoe for have confessed (ver. 13) was the afflictio;, us; i.e. henceforth thou wilt give us an which they so long endured. Their present existence of perfect peace (see ver. S), un- bliss is the result of their former woe, and troubled by adversaries. For thou also hast re<Jalls the thought of it. They poured oul  4-16 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oH, nvL 1-21,