Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 2
Overview:
The
Conversion of the
Gentiles, Description of the sinfulness
of
Israel.
(1-9) The awful
Punishment of unbelievers.
(10-22)
1-9 The
Calling of the
Gentiles, the spread of the
Gospel, and
that far more extensive preaching of it yet to come, are
foretold. Let Christians strengthen one another, and support one
another. It is
God who teaches his people,
By his
Word and
Spirit.
Christ promotes peace, as
Well as
Holiness. If all men
were real Christians, there could be
No War; but nothing
answering to these expressions has yet taken place
On the
Earth.
Whatever others do, let us walk in the
Light of this peace. Let
us remember that when true religion flourishes, men delight in
going up to the
House of the
Lord, and in urging others to
accompany them. Those are in danger who please themselves with
strangers to
God; for we soon learn to follow the ways of
persons whose company we keep. It is not having
Silver and
Gold,
horses and chariots, that displeases
God, but depending upon
them, as if we could not be safe, and easy, and happy without
them, and could not but be
So with them.
Sin is a disgrace to
the poorest and the lowest. And though lands called
Christian
are not full of idols, in the literal sense, are they not full
of idolized riches? and are not men
So busy about their gains
and indulgences, that the
Lord, his truths, and precepts, are
forgotten or despised?
10-22 The taking of
Jerusalem By the Chaldeans seems first
meant here, when
Idolatry among the Jews was done away; but our
thoughts are led forward to the
Destruction of all the enemies
of
Christ. It is folly for those who are pursued
By the wrath of
God, to think to hide or shelter themselves from it. The shaking
of the
Earth will be terrible to those who set their affections
On things of the
Earth. Men's haughtiness will be brought down,
either
By the
Grace of
God convincing them of the evil of pride,
or
By the
Providence of
God depriving them of all the things
they were proud of. The
Day of the
Lord shall be upon those
things in which they
Put their confidence. Those who will not be
reasoned out of their sins, sooner or later shall be frightened
out of them. Covetous men make
Money their
God; but the time
will come when they will feel it as much their
Burden. This
whole
Passage may be applied to the case of an awakened sinner,
ready to leave all that his soul may be saved. The Jews were
prone to rely
On their
Heathen neighbours; but they are here
called upon to cease from depending
On mortal
Man. We are all
prone to the same
Sin. Then let not
Man be your fear, let not
him be your
Hope; but let your
Hope be in the
Lord your
God. Let
us make this our great concern.