View Isaiah 54 in the note window.
The blessings and fulness of the gospel - church, ver. 1 - 4.
The Gentiles becoming Christ's spouse, to whom his love is
everlasting, ver. 5 - 10.
Her glories, ver. 11, 12.
The gifts of the Holy Ghost, ver. 13.
Her sure preservation, ver. 14 - 17
1: Sing - The prophet having largely discoursed of the sufferings of
Christ, and of the blessed fruits thereof, and here foreseeing that
glorious state of the church, he breaks forth into this song of triumph.
And as the foregoing chapter literally speaks of Christ, so doth this of
the church of Christ. This church, consisting at first of the Jews,
and afterwards of the Gentiles, had been barren, 'till the coming of
Christ. The desolate - The church of the Gentiles, which in the times
of the Old Testament was desolate, does now bring forth to God a more
numerous posterity than that of the Jews.
2: Enlarge - That it may be capable of the Gentiles, who shall
flock to thee in great numbers. Strengthen - That they may be able to
support that great weight which the tents thus enlarged, shall be upon them.
3: For - Thou shalt bring forth a multitude of children; for this word
is commonly used of any extraordinary propagation of living creatures.
On the left - On every side, in all the parts of the world.
Thy seed - Thy spiritual seed, the church of the New Testament, which
is accounted Abraham's seed, or children.
4: Ashamed - For the barrenness and widowhood, which once was the
matter of thy grief and shame. Forget - Thou shalt not be upbraided with
thy former barrenness in thy youthful state.
5: Thy maker - Will own thee for his spouse. The Lord - Who hath
the sovereign command of all men and creatures, and therefore can subdue
the Gentiles to thee, and can make thee to increase and multiply in so
prodigious a measure, even in thine old age, notwithstanding thy barrenness
in the days of thy youth, of which he speaks in the foregoing verse.
The God - The God and father of all nations, whereas formerly he was
called only the God of Israel.
6: Called thee - To return to him. As forsaken - When thou wast
like a woman forsaken. And grieved - For the loss of her husband's
favour. Of youth - As affectionately as an husband recalls his wife
which he married in his youth.
7: For a moment - In comparison of God's everlasting kindness.
Gather thee - From all the places where thou art dispersed, from all
parts of the world.
8: With everlasting kindness - With kindness to thee and thy seed
through all succeeding generations.
9: This - This covenant of grace and peace made with thee shall be as
certain and perpetual as that which I made with Noah, that there should
never be another flood to drown the world. Wrath - So as to forsake thee
utterly.
10: The mountains - Shall sooner depart from their places than any
kindness shall depart from thee. The covenant - That covenant whereby I
have made peace and friendship with thee, and have promised to thee all
manner of happiness. God will not cast off his Christian church, as he
cast off the church of the Jews, the New covenant is established upon
better and surer promises than the Old. The Lord - Who doth this not for
thine own merits, but merely for his own grace and mercy.
11: O thou - Who hast been, in a most afflicted and comfortless
condition. With sapphires - I will make thee exceeding beautiful and
glorious, by a plentiful effusion of excellent gifts, and graces.
12: Agates - The proper signification of the Hebrew names of
precious stones is unknown to the Jews themselves. It may suffice us
to know that this was some very clear and transparent, and precious stone.
Thy borders - The utmost parts or walls.
13: Taught - Not only outwardly by his word, but inwardly by his
spirit. The peace -
- Inward peace arising from the clear discoveries of God's love and
reconciliation to us, and wrought by the spirit of adoption, which
is more abundantly given to believers under the gospel, than under
the law.
- Outward peace, safety, and happiness.
14: Established - Thine affairs shall be managed with righteousness,
which is the glory of any society. Oppression - Either by thine own
governors, or by foreign powers.
15: Behold - It is true some will combine and make an attempt against
thee. But - Without any such commission from me, as Sennacherib and
Nebuchadnezzar had.
16: The smith - Both the smith that makes warlike instruments, and the
soldier that uses them, are my creatures, and totally at my command, and
therefore they cannot hurt you without my leave. The waster - To destroy
only whom and when I please.
17: Condemn - And I will deliver thee not only from the fury of war,
but also from the strife of tongues. This - This blessed condition, is
the portion allotted them by me. Righteousness - The reward of their
righteousness. Of me - I give it, and I will continue it to them.
