Isaiah 65

Notes

Ver. 1-7. I am now manifested to, enjoyed, and worshipped by the Gentiles, who for many ages have continued ignorant of and careless about me, and stood in no saving relation to me. But since, notwithstanding my long-continued offers of grace, vouchsafement of oracles and ordinances, and the strivings of my Spirit and providence, the Jews continue in their obstinate rejection and blasphemous contempt of me, since they still approve the sins of their fathers, or do what is equally horrid, and yet boast, to my high provocation, of themselves, as if they were the only holy people on earth; I will now, in the most tremendous and lasting manner, punish on them their own and their fathers' iniquities. 8-10. Nevertheless, I will not utterly destroy the nation, as there is among them, and in their loins, a number of believers, who in the apostolic and coming periods, shall truly accept Christ and his church, and become very useful to others. 11-16. But as for the body of that nation, since they have apostatized from my truths and service, and have, at least, in approbation of their fathers' conduct, offered sacrifices to multitudes of idols, and have obstinately rejected the Messiah, they shall terribly be destroyed by the Romans and others, and by famine, while the Christians shall be protected and nourished. They shall be miserable, detested, and infamous, while the Christians shall be joyful, respected, and happy in the worship of their Redeemer; and idolatry, carnal ceremonies, and vexing miseries shall be abolished. 17-25. For, to the inexpressible comfort of believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, I will, in the apostolic and especially in the spiritual period, and still more gloriously in the heavenly state, establish my church in a new form; in which spiritual joys, noted advances in holiness, happy continuance in life, sanctified enjoyment of the blessings of providence, remarkable blessings from God, and delightful fellowship with him, remarkable change of men's dispositions and tempers, happy peacefulness, mutual affection, and freedom from persecution shall amazingly abound.

Ver. 1. The Lord here replies to the concluding expostulation of the preceding chapter: and, by enumerating their sins, vindicates the severity of his corrective judgments upon Israel, and his merciful, but righteous, substitution of the Gentiles in the place of a rebellious and idolatrous people. C.

Ver. 4. Which remain among the graves. Frequent the graves of dead men, whom they elevate into demigods or 'saints,' whose relics they venerate as things peculiarly holy, and to whom they address their prayers as possessed of tutelary power.—Which eat swine's flesh. Swine's flesh being forbidden to the Jew for reasons ceremonially instructive, the eating of 'swine's flesh' was the emblem of all unhallowed indulgence and epicurean idolatry of appetite, Phi. 3. 19. C.

Ver. 7. Therefore will I measure, &c. The allusion is to the loose eastern robe, which is often used as an apron; and, when filled with large measures, is drawn up to the bosom. Our Lord alludes to the same dress and practice in his memorable inculcation of the duty of charitable judgment, forgiveness, and liberality, Lu. 6. 38. C.

Ver. 11. Prepare a table for Gad and Meni—names of heathen gods or idolatrous rites. Gad, or troop, was most probably a name for the starry heavens, which the Hebrews were prone to worship. Meni, or number, for numerical calculation of fortunate and unfortunate days, with which idolatrous and superstitious nations are still trammelled. C.

Ver. 13. This prediction was wonderfully accomplished in the siege of Jerusalem by Titus. The Christians, whose chosen name was 'servants of Jesus Christ,' Phi. 1. 1; Ja. 1. 1, warned by the prophecy of our Lord, Mat. 24. 15-28, had fled to Pella, and lived in abundance and security, while the unbelieving Jews felt all the extremities of thirst, hunger, and ruin. C.

Ver. 17. New heavens and a new earth cannot here mean the new and eternal state; for it appears from ver. 20 that after the new creation here predicted, death will still be in the world; whereas in the new and eternal state 'there will be no more death,' Re. 21. 4. 'The new heavens and new earth' here foretold represent a new state of governments and people, produced by an outpouring of converting and renewing grace upon the hearts of Israel and the Gentile churches and kingdoms. C.

Ver. 20. Though it were presumptuous to affirm that God may not, or will not, hereafter restore mankind to antediluvian longevity; yet, as the 'new heavens and new earth' seem decidedly emblematic, and not literal, is there not reason for concluding that 'infant' and 'old man' are likewise emblematic? Thus the whole Christian church are called 'little children' by Christ himself, by Paul, and John, Jn. 13. 33; Ga. 4. 19; 1 Jn. 2. 1-5, 21. According to this authorized language, the verse will be interpreted thus: 'There shall no more be in my visible church' any who abides 'an infant of days,' any who continue 'children in understanding,' 1 Co. 14. 20, nor 'an old man,' a father in Christ, 1 Co. 14. 15; 1 Jn. 2. 13, who shall not have knowledge and experience in grace; but even 'the child,' the youngest believer, shall die in the Christian ripeness of old age. And such shall be the purity and vigour of godly discipline, that 'the sinner' who 'loves not the Lord Jesus Christ,' whatever may be his rank and attainments, shall be cut off and cast away as an accursed thing from the fellowship of the renovated church, 1 Co. 5. 4, 5; 7. 9, 11; 1 Co. 16. 22. C.

Ver. 22. As the days of a tree are the days of my people. Oaks, cedars, and olives are of such known longevity, that no one can tell at what age they die. It is by no means improbable that the remnants of the 'cedars of Lebanon' may have been contemporary with Solomon, or the trees of the Mount of Olives contemporary with our Lord. C.

Reflections.—Wise is Jehovah in the disposal of his favours; and graciously he convicts sinful men by the offers and communications of his saving graces and comforts. But rebellious dissemblers with God, and rejecters of his Son, provoke him to give them up at last to the most terrible rejection and ruin. Though he bear long, he will not bear always; and nothing is more odious in his sight than a sinner vaunting of his holiness, and looking down with contempt on others. Yet how loath is he utterly to abandon a people who have been once devoted to his honour! And how liberally sinners expend their substance to gratify their lusts! Awful and lasting are the proofs we have of Jesus' Messiahship, and of the truth of the Christian religion, in the tremendous miseries, and still continued dispersion and disgrace, of his Jewish rejecters. But O what unspeakable blessings, for Jews and Gentiles, are still wrapped up in God's promises. If I must die without seeing their fulfilment, let me live and die in the firm faith of it. If I am dispirited by the remarkable dishonours of God and ruin of souls which now prevail, let me hope for that happy period in which the kingdoms of this world, Jews and Gentiles, shall become the kingdoms of my Lord, and of his Christ.