Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 28
Overview:
The desolations of
Samaria.
(1-4) The prosperity of
Judah;
with reproofs for sinfulness and unbelief.
(5-15) Christ is
pointed out as the sure Foundation for all believers.
(16-22)
God's dealings with his people.
(23-29)
1-4 What men are proud of, be it ever
So mean, is to them as a
Crown; but pride is the
Forerunner of
Destruction. How foolishly
drunkards act! Those who are overcome with
Wine are overcome
By
Satan; and there is not greater drudgery in the world than hard
drinking. Their health is ruined; men are broken in their
callings and estates, and their families are ruined
By it. Their
souls are in danger of being undone for ever, and all merely to
gratify a base
Lust. In
God's professing people, like
Israel, it
is worse than in any other. And he is just in taking away the
plenty they thus abuse. The plenty they were proud of, is but a
fading flower. Like the early
Fruit, which, as soon as
discovered, is plucked and eaten.
5-15 The
Prophet next turns to
Judah, whom he calls the residue
of his people. Happy are those alone, who
Glory in the
Lord of
hosts himself. Hence his people get
Wisdom and strength for
every service and every conflict. But it is only in
Christ Jesus
that the holy
God communicates with sinful
Man. And whether
those that teach are
Drunk with
Wine, or intoxicated with false
doctrines and notions concerning the kingdom and
Salvation of
the
Messiah, they not only err themselves, but lead multitudes
astray. All places where such persons have taught are filled
with errors. For our instruction in the things of
God, it is
needful that the same precept and the same line should be often
repeated to us, that we may the better understand them.
God,
By
his
Word, calls us to what is really for our advantage; the
service of
God is the only true
Rest for those weary of the
service of
Sin, and there is
No refreshment but under the easy
Yoke of the
Lord Jesus. All this had little effect upon the
people. Those who will not understand what is
Plain, but scorn
and despise it as mean and trifling, are justly punished. If we
are at peace with
God, we have, in effect, made a
Covenant with
Death; whenever it comes, it cannot do us any real damage, if we
are
Christ's. But to think of making
Death our friend, while
By
Sin we are making
God our enemy, is absurd. And do not they make
lies their
Refuge who trust in their own
Righteousness, or to a
Death-
Bed Repentance? which is a resolution to
Sin No more, when
it is
No longer in their power to do
So.
16-22 Here is a promise of
Christ, as the only foundation of
Hope for escaping the wrath to come. This foundation was laid in
Zion, in the eternal counsels of
God. This foundation is a
Stone, firm and able to support his
Church. It is a tried
Stone,
a
Chosen Stone, approved of
God, and never failed any who made
trial of it. A
Corner Stone, binding together the whole
Building, and bearing the whole weight; precious in the sight of
the
Lord, and of every believer; a sure foundation
On which to
build. And he who in any
Age or nation shall believe this
Testimony, and
Rest all his hopes, and his never-dying soul
On
this foundation, shall never be confounded. The right effect of
Faith in
Christ is, to quiet and calm the soul, till events
shall be timed
By Him, who has all times in his own
Hand and
power. Whatever men trust to for
Justification, except the
Righteousness of
Christ; or for
Wisdom, strength, and
Holiness,
except the influences of the
Holy Ghost; or for happiness,
except the favour of
God; that protection in which they thought
to shelter themselves, will prove not enough to answer the
intention. Those who
Rest in a
Righteousness of their own, will
have deceived themselves: the
Bed is too short, the covering too
narrow.
God will be glorified in the fulfilling of his counsels.
If those that profess to be members of
God's
Church, make
themselves like
Philistines and
Canaanites, they must expect to
be dealt with as such. Then dare not to ridicule the reproofs of
God's
Word, or the approaches of judgements.
23-29 The
Husbandman applies to his
Calling with pains and
prudence, in all the
Works of it according to their nature. Thus
the
Lord, who has given men this
Wisdom, is wonderful in
counsel, and excellent in his working. As the occasion requires,
he threatens, corrects, spares, shows
Mercy, or executes
vengeance.
Afflictions are
God's
Threshing instruments, to
loosen us from the world, to part between us and our
Chaff, and
to prepare us for use.
God will proportion them to our strength;
they shall be
No heavier than there is need. When his
End is
answered, the trials and sufferings of his people shall cease;
his
Wheat shall be gathered into the
Garner, but the
Chaff shall
be burned with unquenchable
Fire.