Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 9
Overview:
The Son that should be born, and his kingdom.
(1-7) The
judgments to come upon
Israel, and
On the enemies of the kingdom
of
Christ.
(8-21)
1-7 The Syrians and Assyrians first ravaged the countries here
mentioned, and that region was first favoured
By the preaching
of
Christ. Those that want the
Gospel, walk in
Darkness, and in
the utmost danger. But when the
Gospel comes to any place, to
any soul,
Light comes. Let us earnestly pray that it may shine
into our hearts, and make us
Wise unto
Salvation. The
Gospel
brings joy with it. Those who would have joy, must expect to go
through hard work, as the
Husbandman, before he has the joy of
Harvest; and hard conflict, as the soldier, before he divides
the spoil. The Jews were delivered from the
Yoke of many
oppressors; this was a
Shadow of the believer's deliverance from
the
Yoke of
Satan. The cleansing the souls of believers from the
power and pollution of
Sin, would be
By the influence of the
Holy
Spirit, as purifying
Fire. These great things for the
Church, shall be done
By the
Messiah,
Emmanuel. The
Child is
born; it was certain; and the
Church, before
Christ came in the
Flesh, benefitted
By his undertaking. It is a
Prophecy of him
and of his kingdom, which those that waited for the Consolation
of
Israel read with pleasure. This
Child was born for the
benefit of us men, of us sinners, of all believers, from the
beginning to the
End of the world. Justly is he called
Wonderful, for he is both
God and
Man. His
Love is the wonder of
angels and glorified saints. He is the
Counsellor, for he knew
the counsels of
God from eternity; and he gives counsel to men,
in which he consults our welfare. He is the Wonderful
Counsellor; none teaches like him. He is
God, the mighty One.
Such is the work of the
Mediator, that
No less power than that
of the mighty
God could bring it to pass. He is
God, one with
the
Father. As the
Prince of Peace, he reconciles us to
God; he
is the Giver of peace in the
Heart and
Conscience; and when his
kingdom is fully established, men shall learn
War No more. The
government shall be upon him; he shall
Bear the
Burden of it.
Glorious things are spoken of
Christ's government. There is
No
End to the increase of its peace, for the happiness of its
subjects shall last for ever. The exact agreement of this
Prophecy with the doctrine of the New
Testament, shows that
Jewish prophets and
Christian teachers had the same view of the
person and
Salvation of the
Messiah. To what earthly
King or
kingdom can these words apply? Give then, O
Lord, to thy people
to know thee
By every endearing name, and in every glorious
character. Give increase of
Grace in every
Heart of thy redeemed
upon
Earth.
8-21 Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are
unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which
God
designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this
point be not gained
By lesser judgments, greater may be
expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason
to be afraid of those that speak
Well of us, when we do ill.
Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall
be in trouble, and see
No way out; and when men's ways displease
the
Lord, he makes even their friends to be at
War with them.
God would take away those they thought to have help from. Their
rulers were the head. Their false prophets were the tail and the
Rush, the most despicable. In these civil contests, men preyed
On near relations who were as their own
Flesh. The people turn
not to Him who smites them, therefore he continues to smite: for
when
God Judges, he will overcome; and the proudest, stoutest
sinner shall either bend or break.