Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
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(Read all of Isaiah 24)
Chapter Contents
The desolation of the land. (1-12) A few shall be preserved. (13-15) God's kingdom advanced by his judgments. (16-23)Commenary on Isaiah 24:1-12
(Read Isaiah 24:1-12)
All whose treasures and happiness are laid up on earth, will soon be
brought to want and misery. It is good to apply to ourselves what the
Scripture says of the vanity and vexation of spirit which attend all
things here below. Sin has turned the earth upside down; the earth is
become quite different to man, from what it was when God first made it
to be his habitation. It is, at the best, like a flower, which withers
in the hands of those that please themselves with it, and lay it in
their bosoms. The world we live in is a world of disappointment, a vale
of tears; the children of men in it are but of few days, and full of
trouble, See the power of God's curse, how it makes all empty, and lays
waste all ranks and conditions. Sin brings these calamities upon the
earth; it is polluted by the sins of men, therefore it is made desolate
by God's judgments. Carnal joy will soon be at end, and the end of it is
heaviness. God has many ways to imbitter wine and strong drink to those
who love them; distemper of body, anguish of mind, and the ruin of the
estate, will make strong drink bitter, and the delights of sense
tasteless. Let men learn to mourn for sin, and rejoice in God; then no
man, no event, can take their joy from them.Commentary on Isaiah 24:13-15
(Read Isaiah 24:13-15)
There shall be a remnant preserved from the general ruin, and it
shall be a devout and pious remnant. These few are dispersed; like the
gleanings of the olive tree, hid under the leaves. The Lord knows those
that are his; the world does not. When the mirth of carnal worldlings
ceases, the joy of the saints is as lively as ever, because the covenant
of grace, the fountain of their comforts, and the foundation of their
hopes, never fails. Those who rejoice in the Lord can rejoice in
tribulation, and by faith may triumph when all about them are in tears.
They encourage their fellow-sufferers to do likewise, even those who are
in the furnace of affliction. Or, in the valleys, low, dark, miry
places. In every fire, even the hottest, in every place, even the
remotest, let us keep up our good thoughts of God. If none of these
trials move us, then we glorify the Lord in the fires.Commentary on Isaiah 24:16-23
(Read Isaiah 24:16-23)
Believers may be driven into the uttermost parts of the earth; but
they are singing, not sighing. Here is terror to sinners; the prophet
laments the miseries he saw breaking in like a torrent; and the small
number of believers. He foresees that sin would abound. The meaning is
plain, that evil pursues sinners. Unsteady, uncertain are all these
things. Worldly men think to dwell in the earth as in a palace, as in a
castle; but it shall be removed like a cottage, like a lodge put up for
the night. It shall fall and not rise again; but there shall be new
heavens and a new earth, in which shall dwell nothing but righteousness.
Sin is a burden to the whole creation; it is a heavy burden, under
which it groans now, and will sink at last. The high ones, that are
puffed up with their grandeur, that think themselves out of the reach of
danger, God will visit for their pride and cruelty. Let us judge
nothing before the time, though some shall be visited. None in this
world should be secure, though their condition be ever so prosperous;
nor need any despair, though their condition be ever so deplorable. God
will be glorified in all this. But the mystery of Providence is not yet
finished. The ruin of the Redeemer's enemies must make way for his
kingdom, and then the Sun of Righteousness will appear in full glory.
Happy are those who take warning by the sentence against others; every
impenitent sinner will sink under his transgression, and rise no more,
while believers enjoy everlasting bliss.A song of praise. (1-5) A declaration of the gospel blessings. (6-8) The destruction of the enemies of Christ's church. (9-12)
Commentary on Isaiah 25:1-5
(Read Isaiah 25:1-5)
However this might show the deliverance of the Jews out of captivity,
it looked further, to the praises that should be offered up to God for
Christ's victories over our spiritual enemies, and the comforts he has
provided for all believers. True faith simply credits the Lord's
testimony, and relies on his truth to perform his promises. As God
weakens the strong who are proud and secure, so he strengthens the weak
that are humble, and stay themselves upon him. God protects his people
in all weathers. The Lord shelters those who trust in him from the
insolence of oppressors. Their insolence is but the noise of strangers;
it is like the heat of the sun scorching in the middle of the day; but
where is it when the sun is set? The Lord ever was, and ever will be,
the Refuge of distressed believers. Having provided them a shelter, he
teaches them to flee unto it.Commentary on Isaiah 25:6-8
(Read Isaiah 25:6-8)
The kind reception of repentant sinners, is often in the New
Testament likened to a feast. The guests invited are all people,
Gentiles as well as Jews. There is that in the gospel which strengthens
and makes glad the heart, and is fit for those who are under convictions
of sin, and mourning for it. There is a veil spread over all nations,
for all sat in darkness. But this veil the Lord will destroy, by the
light of his gospel shining in the world, and the power of his Spirit
opening men's eyes to receive it. He will raise those to spiritual life
who were long dead in trespasses and sins. Christ will himself, in his
resurrection, triumph over death. Grief shall be banished; there shall
be perfect and endless joy. Those that mourn for sin shall be comforted.
Those who suffer for Christ shall have consolations. But in the joys of
heaven, and not short of them, will fully be brought to pass this
saying, God shall wipe away all tears. The hope of this should now do
away over-sorrow, all weeping that hinders sowing. Sometimes, in this
world God takes away the reproach of his people from among men; however,
it will be done fully at the great day. Let us patiently bear sorrow
and shame now; both will be done away shortly.Commentary on Isaiah 25:9-12
(Read Isaiah 25:9-12)
With joy and praise will those entertain the glad tidings of the
Redeemer, who looked for him; and with a triumphant song will glorified
saints enter into the joy of their Lord. And it is not in vain to wait
for him; for the mercy comes at last, with abundant recompence for the
delay. The hands once stretched out upon the cross, to make way for our
salvation, will at length be stretched forth to destroy all impenitent
sinners. Moab is here put for all adversaries of God's people; they
shall all be trodden down or threshed. God shall bring down the pride of
the enemies by one humbling judgment after another. This destruction of
Moab is typical of Christ's victory, and the pulling down of Satan's
strong holds. Therefore, beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord; for your labour is not in vain
in the Lord.
<< Isaiah 24 | Isaiah 25 | Isaiah 26 >>
(Read Isaiah 26:1-4)
"That day," seems to mean when the New Testament Babylon shall be
levelled with the ground. The unchangeable promise and covenant of the
Lord are the walls of the church of God. The gates of this city shall be
open. Let sinners then be encouraged to join to the Lord. Thou wilt
keep him in peace; in perfect peace, inward peace, outward peace, peace
with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times, in all events. Trust
in the Lord for that peace, that portion, which will be for ever.
Whatever we trust to the world for, it will last only for a moment; but
those who trust in God shall not only find in him, but shall receive
from him, strength that will carry them to that blessedness which is for
ever. Let us then acknowledge him in all our ways, and rely on him in
all trials.Commentary on Isaiah 26:5-11
(Read Isaiah 26:5-11)
The way of the just is evenness, a steady course of obedience and
holy conversation. And it is their happiness that God makes their way
plain and easy. It is our duty, and will be our comfort, to wait for
God, to keep up holy desires toward him in the darkest and most
discouraging times. Our troubles must never turn us from God; and in the
darkest, longest night of affliction, with our souls must we desire
him; and this we must wait and pray to him for. We make nothing of our
religion, whatever our profession may be, if we do not make heart-work
of it. Though we come ever so early, we shall find God ready to receive
us. The intention of afflictions is to teach righteousness: blessed is
the man whom the Lord thus teaches. But sinners walk contrary to him.
They will go on in their evil ways, because they will not consider what a
God he is whose laws they persist in despising. Scorners and the secure
will shortly feel, what now they will not believe, that it is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God. They will not see the
evil of sin; but they shall see. Oh that they would abandon their sins,
and turn to the Lord, that he may have mercy upon them.Commentary on Isaiah 26:12-19
(Read Isaiah 26:12-19)
Every creature, every business, any way serviceable to our comfort,
God makes to be so; he makes that work for us which seemed to make
against us. They had been slaves of sin and Satan; but by the Divine
grace they were taught to look to be set free from all former masters.
The cause opposed to God and his kingdom will sink at last. See our need
of afflictions. Before, prayer came drop by drop; now they pour it out,
it comes now like water from a fountain. Afflictions bring us to secret
prayer. Consider Christ as the Speaker addressing his church. His
resurrection from the dead was an earnest of all the deliverance
foretold. The power of his grace, like the dew or rain, which causes the
herbs that seem dead to revive, would raise his church from the lowest
state. But we may refer to the resurrection of the dead, especially of
those united to Christ.Commentary on Isaiah 26:20,21
(Read Isaiah 26:20,21)
When dangers threaten, it is good to retire and lie hid; when we
commend ourselves to God to hide us, he will hide us either under heaven
or in heaven. Thus we shall be safe and happy in the midst of
tribulations. It is but for a short time, as it were for a little
moment; when over, it will seem as nothing. God's place is the
mercy-seat; there he delights to be: when he punishes, he comes out of
his place, for he has no pleasure in the death of sinners. But there is
hardly any truth more frequently repeated in Scripture, than God's
determined purpose to punish the workers of iniquity. Let us keep close
to the Lord, and separate from the world; and let us seek comfort in
secret prayer. A day of vengeance is coming on the world, and before it
comes we are to expect tribulation and suffering. But because the
Christian looks for these things, shall he be restless and dismayed? No,
let him repose himself in his God. Abiding in him, the believer is
safe. And let us wait patiently the fulfilling of God's promises.
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