Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 65
Overview:
The
Calling of the
Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews.
(1-7) The
Lord would preserve a remnant.
(8-10) Judgments upon
the wicked.
(11-16) The future happy and flourishing state of
the
Church.
(17-25)
1-7 The
Gentiles came to seek
God, and find him, because they
were first sought and found of him. Often he meets some
thoughtless trifler or profligate opposer, and says to him,
Behold me; and a speedy change takes place. All the
Gospel Day,
Christ waited to be gracious. The Jews were bidden, but would
not come. It is not without cause they are rejected of
God. They
would do what most pleased them. They grieved, they vexed the
Holy
Spirit. They forsook
God's
Temple, and sacrificed in
groves. They cared not for the distinction between
Clean and
unclean meats, before it was taken away
By the
Gospel. Perhaps
this is
Put for all forbidden pleasures, and all that is thought
to be gotten
By Sin, that abominable thing which the
Lord hates.
Christ denounced many woes against the pride and hypocrisy of
the Jews. The proof against them is
Plain. And let us watch
against pride and self-preference, remembering that every
Sin,
and the most secret thoughts of
Man's
Heart, are known and will
be judged
By God.
8-10 In the
Bunch of unripe grapes, at present of
No value, the
new
Wine is contained. The Jews have been kept a distinct
people, that all may
Witness the fulfilment of ancient
prophecies and promises.
God's
Chosen, the spiritual seed of
praying
Jacob, shall inherit his mountains of bliss and joy, and
be carried safe to them through the vale of tears. All things
are for the display of
God's
Glory in the
Redemption of sinners.
11-16 Here the different states of the godly and wicked, of the
Jews who believed, and of those who persisted in unbelief, are
set against one another. They prepared a table for that troop of
deities which the
Heathen Worship, and poured out
Drink-offerings to that countless number. Their worshippers
spared
No cost to honour them, which should shame the
worshippers of the true
God. See the malignity of
Sin; it is
doing
By choice what we know will displease
God. In every
Age
and nation, the
Lord leaves those who persist in doing evil, and
despise the
Call of the
Gospel.
God's servants shall have the
Bread of
Life, and shall want nothing good for them. But those
who forsake the
Lord, shall be ashamed of vain confidence in
their own
Righteousness, and the hopes they built thereon.
Worldly people
Bless themselves in the abundance of this world's
goods; but
God's servants
Bless themselves in him. He is their
strength and portion. They shall honour him as the
God of
Truth.
And it was promised that in him should all the families of the
Earth be blessed. They shall think themselves happy in having
him for their
God, who made them forget their troubles.
17-25 In the
Grace and comfort believers have in and from
Christ, we are to look for this new
Heaven and new
Earth. The
former confusions, sins and miseries of the human race, shall be
No more remembered or renewed. The approaching happy state of
the
Church is described under a variety of images. He shall be
thought to die in his youth, and for his sins, who only lives to
the
Age of a hundred years. The event alone can determine what
is meant; but it is
Plain that Christianity, if universal, would
So do away violence and evil, as greatly to lengthen
Life. In
those happy days, all
God's people shall enjoy the
Fruit of
their labours. Nor will children then be the trouble of their
parents, or suffer trouble themselves. The evil dispositions of
sinners shall be completely mortified; all shall live in
harmony. Thus the
Church On Earth shall be full of happiness,
like
Heaven. This
Prophecy assures the servants of
Christ, that
the time approaches, wherein they shall be blessed with the
undisturbed enjoyment of all that is needful for their
happiness. As workers together with
God, let us attend his
ordinances, and obey his commands.