4:1 But in the a last days it shall come to pass, [that] the
mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in
the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the
b hills; and people shall flow unto it.
(a) When Christ will come, and the temple will be destroyed.
(b) )Read Geneva a,b,(c) "Isa 2:2")
4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up
to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of
Jacob; and he will c teach us of his ways, and we will
walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
(c) He shows that there is no true Church, except where the
people are taught by God's pure word.
4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and d rebuke strong
nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into e pruninghooks: nation
shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they
f learn war any more.
(d) By his corrections and threatenings he will bring the
people into subjection who are in the utmost corners of
the world.
(e) They will abstain from all evil doing, and exercise
themselves in godliness and in well doing to others.
(f) Read (Isa 2:4)
4:5 For all people will walk g every one in the name of his
god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for
ever and ever.
(g) He shows that the people of God ought to remain constant
in their religion, even if all the world should give
themselves to their superstition and idolatry.
4:7 And I will make her that halted h a remnant, and her that
was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign
over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
(h) I will cause that Israel, who is now as one lame and
halting, and so almost destroyed, to live again, and
grow into a great people.
4:8 And thou, O i tower of the flock, the strong hold of the
daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even k the
first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of
Jerusalem.
(i) Meaning Jerusalem, where the Lord's flock was gathered.
(k) The flourishing state of the kingdom, as it was under
David and Solomon, which thing was accomplished for the
Church by the coming of Christ.
4:9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? [is l there] no king in
thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee
as a woman in travail.
(l) In the meantime he shows that they would endure great
troubles and temptations, when they saw themselves
neither to have king nor counsel.
4:12 But they m know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither
understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as
the sheaves into the floor.
(m) He shows that the faithful ought not to measure God's
judgments by the braggings and threatenings of the
wicked, but by these are admonished to lift up their
hearts to God to call for deliverance.
4:13 Arise and thresh, n O daughter of Zion: for I will make
thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou
shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate
their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord
of the whole earth.
(n) God gives his Church this victory, as often as he
overcomes their enemies: but the accomplishment of this
will be at the last coming of Christ.
