The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 565

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXXV. the great deliverance of the Church from the power of its enemies. The clause is a V01'8. 1-10.-THE GLORY OF TBB LAST touch of realism intruded into a prolonged TDacs. On the punil!hment of God's enemies metaphor or allegory, and is quite in the . will follow the peace, prosperity, and glory manner of Isaio.h (comp. oh. xiv. 7; xxvi . 1; xxx. 32, etc.). The glory of Lebanon, . , · of his Church. Previously, the Church is the exoellenoy of Carmel and Bha.ron ; i.e. : in affliction, we.ste, and desol.e.te. Its ene• productiveness of all kinds, of abunda.nt mies once removed, destroyed, swept out of harvests, fruits, and tlowers, and forest trees • the way, it rues instantly in all its beauty to (comp. eh. x. 18, 19, 33, 34; nxii. 15)- : a condition which words are poor to paint. a resumption and prolongation of the meta- The highest resources of the poetic a.rt are phor in ver. 1. They shall eee the glory of the Lord. The culminating joy and delight ca.lled in to give some idea of the glory and and blessedness of the Church shall be the happiness of the finsl Church of the re- vision of God-either the spiritunl percep- deemed. tion of bis presence (Mutt. v. 8; Rom. i. 20) Ver. 1.-The wildemess and the solitary or the actual bentific vision (1 Cor. xiii. 12; plaae ehall be glad for them ; rather, tlte Rev. xxi. 11, 23; xxii. 4), the fir~t during , v,il,derne&, and tl,,e dry place, shall be glad. the probation period, the second in the stote The Church, that has been long wasted and of final bliss. , kept under by the wicked, shall, at their de- Ver. 3.-Btrengthen ye the weak hands. Btruction, feel a sense of relief, and so of joy. In the Church of the redeemed there will be . The deaert shall rejoice, and bl088om. The "weak" brethren as well as strong," feeble" : first result of the joy shall be e. putting forth as well as healthful (see 1 Cor. iii. 1; Ge.I. vi. , of lovely products. Blossoms, bee.utiful as 1; Heh. v.12-14). God, by the mouth of his · the rose or the narcissus (Kay), shall spring prophet, calls on the strong to impart of their up all over the parched ground, and me.ko it strength to their weaker brethren, uplifting . a Jl8rlerre of flowers. The blossoms are either their "wee.k hands," as Aaron and Hur did . graces unknown in the time of a.ffliction, or those of Moses (Exod. xvii. 12), and "con- 11e.intly chare.cters of e. new and high type. firming" or sustaining their "feeble knees." Ver. 2.-lt shall blouom abundantly, and So St. Paul: "We that are strong ought to rejoioe even with joy e.nd Binging; rather, bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to toith dancing and singing. Dancing and please ourselves" (Rom. xv. 1). Binging were the ordinary manifestations of Ver. 4.-Bay to them that are of a fe&rful religio11B joy (Exod. xv. 1, 20, 21; Judg. xi heart. There will be fearful and trembling 34; x.xi. 19-21; 2 Sam. vi. 5, B, 15; Ps. hearts always, even among the saints of God. s.u. 11, etc.), 11.nd would naturally follow These are to be encouraged and assurerl that CllJ. x:txv. 1-10.J TBE nooK OF THE PROl'HE1' ISAIAH'. 660