Chapter 4:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 Song of Solomon Jeremiah
Isaiah 4
Complete Concise
In this chapter we have, I. A threatening of the paucity and
scarceness of man (v. 1), which might fitly enough have been added to the close
of the foregoing chapter, to which it has a plain reference. II. A promise of
the restoration of Jerusalem's peace and purity, righteousness and safety, in
the days of the Messiah (v. 2-6). Thus, in wrath, mercy is remembered, and
gospel grace is a sovereign relief, in reference to the terrors of the law and
the desolations made by sin.
Verse 1
It was threatened (ch. 3:25) that
the mighty men should fall
by the sword in war, and it was threatened as a punishment to the women that
affected gaiety and a loose sort of conversation. Now here we have the effect
and consequence of that great slaughter of men, 1. That though Providence has so
wisely ordered that,
communibus annis—on an average of years, there is
nearly an equal number of males and females born into the world, yet, through
the devastations made by war, there should scarcely be one man in seven left
alive. As there are deaths attending the bringing forth of children, which are
peculiar to the woman, who was first in transgression, so, to balance that,
there are deaths peculiar to men, those by the sword in the high places of the
field, which perhaps devour more than child-bed does. Here it is foretold that
such multitudes of men should be cut off that there should be
seven women to
one man. 2. That by reason of the scarcity of men, though marriage should be
kept up for the raising of recruits and the preserving of the race of mankind
upon earth, yet the usual method of it should be quite altered,—that, whereas
men ordinarily make their court to the women, the women should now take hold of
the men, foolishly fearing (as Lot's daughters did, when they saw the ruin of
Sodom and perhaps thought it reached further than it did) that in a little time
there would be none left (Gen. 19:31),—that whereas women naturally hate to
come in sharers with others, seven should now, by consent, become the wives of
one man,—and that whereas by the law the husband was obliged to provide food
and raiment for his wife (Ex. 21:10), which with many would be the most powerful
argument against multiplying wives, these women will be bound to support
themselves; they will
eat bread of their own earning, and wear apparel of
their own working, and the man they court shall be at no expense upon them,
only they desire to be called his wives, to
take away the reproach of a
single life. They are willing to be wives upon any terms, though ever so
unreasonable; and perhaps the rather because in these troublesome times it would
be a kindness to them to have a husband for their protector. Paul, on the
contrary, thinks the single state preferable in a time of distress, 1 Co. 7:26.
It were well if this were not introduced here partly as a reflection upon the
daughters of Zion, that, notwithstanding the humbling providences they were
under (ch. 3:18), they remained unhumbled, and, instead of repenting of their
pride and vanity, when God was contending with them for them, all their care was
to get husbands—that modesty, which is the greatest beauty of the fair sex,
was forgotten, and with them the reproach of vice was nothing to the reproach of
virginity, a sad symptom of the irrecoverable desolations of virtue.
Verses 2-6
By the foregoing threatenings Jerusalem is brought into a very
deplorable condition: every thing looks melancholy. But here the sun breaks out
from behind the cloud. Many exceedingly great and precious promises we have in
these verses, giving assurance of comfort which may be discerned through the
troubles, and of happy days which shall come after them, and these certainly
point at the kingdom of the Messiah, and the great redemption to be wrought out
by him, under the figure and type of the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem by
the reforming reign of Hezekiah after Ahaz and the return out of their captivity
in Babylon; to both these events the passage may have some reference, but
chiefly to Christ. It is here promised, as the issue of all these troubles,
I. That God will raise up a righteous branch, which shall
produce fruits of righteousness (v. 2):
In that day, that same day, at
that very time, when Jerusalem shall be destroyed and the Jewish nation
extirpated and dispersed, the kingdom of the Messiah shall be set up; and then
shall be the reviving of the church, when every one shall fear the utter ruin of
it.
1. Christ himself shall be exalted. He is the
branch of the
Lord, the man the branch; it is one of prophetical names,
my servant the
branch (Zec. 3:8; 6:12), the
branch of righteousness (Jer. 23:5;
33:15), a
rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of his roots (ch.
11:1), and this, as some think, is alluded to when he is called a
Nazarene,
Mt. 2:23. Here he is called
the branch of the Lord, because planted by
his power and flourishing to his praise. The ancient Chaldee paraphrase here
reads it,
The Christ, or Messiah, of the Lord. He shall be the beauty,
and glory, and joy. (1.) He shall himself be advanced to the joy set before him
and the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. He that was a
reproach of men, whose visage was marred more than any man's, is now, in the
upper world, beautiful and glorious, as the sun in his strength, admired and
adored by angels. (2.) He shall be beautiful and glorious in the esteem of all
believers, shall gain an interest in the world, and a name among men above every
name. To those that believe he is precious, he is an honour (1 Pt. 2:7), the
fairest
of ten thousand (Cant. 5:10), and altogether glorious. Let us rejoice that
he is so, and let him be so to us.
2. His gospel shall be embraced. The success of the gospel is
the fruit of the branch of the Lord; all the graces and comforts of the gospel
spring from Christ. But it is called
the fruit of the earth because it
sprang up in this world and was calculated for the present state. And Christ
compares himself to a
grain of wheat, that
falls into the ground and
dies, and so brings forth much fruit, Jn. 12:24. The success of the gospel
is represented by
the earth's yielding her increase (Ps. 67:6), and the
planting of the Christian church is God's
sowing it to himself in the
earth, Hos. 2:23. We may understand it of both the persons and the things
that are the products of the gospel: they shall be excellent and comely, shall
appear very agreeable and be very acceptable to those that have escaped of
Israel, to that remnant of the Jews which was saved from perishing with the rest
in unbelief, Rom. 11:5. Note, If Christ be precious to us, his gospel will be so
and all its truths and promises—his church will be so, and all that belong to
it. These are the good fruit of the earth, in comparison with which all other
things are but weeds. It will be a good evidence to us that we are of the chosen
remnant, distinguished from the rest that are called
Israel, and marked
for salvation, if we are brought to see a transcendent beauty in Christ, and in
holiness, and in the saints, the excellent ones of the earth. As a type of this
blessed day, Jerusalem, after Sennacherib's invasion and after the captivity
in Babylon, should again flourish as a branch, and be blessed with the fruits of
the earth. Compare ch. 37:31, 32.
The remnant shall again take root downward
and bear fruit upward. And if by the fruit of the earth here we understand
the good things of this life, we may observe that these have peculiar sweetness
in them to the chosen remnant, who, having a covenant—right to them, have the
most comfortable use of them. If the branch of the Lord be beautiful and
glorious in our eyes, even the fruit of the earth also will be excellent and
comely, because then we may take it as the fruit of the promise, Ps. 37:16; 1
Tim. 4:8.
II. That God will reserve to himself a holy seed, v. 3. When the
generality of those that have a place and a name in Zion and in Jerusalem shall
be cut off as withered branches, by their own unbelief, yet some shall be left.
Some shall remain, some shall still cleave to the church, when its property is
altered and it has become Christian; for God will not quite
cast off his
people, Rom. 11:1. There is here and there one that is left. Now, 1. This is
a remnant
according to the election of grace (as the apostle speaks, Rom.
11:5), such as are written among the living, marked in the counsel and
fore-knowledge of God for life and salvation,
written to life (so the
word is), designed and determined for it unalterably; for
"what I have
written I have written." Those that are kept alive in killing dying
times were written for life in the book of divine Providence; and shall we not
suppose those who are rescued from a greater death to be such as were
written
in the Lamb's book of life? Rev. 13:8. As many as were
ordained unto
eternal life believed to
the salvation of the soul, Acts 13:48. Note,
All that were
written among the living shall be found among the living,
every one; for of all that were given to Christ he will lose none. 2. It is a
remnant
under the dominion of grace; for every one that is
written
among the living, and is accordingly left, shall be called
holy,
shall be holy, and shall be accepted of God accordingly. Those only that are
holy shall be left when the
Son of man shall gather out of his kingdom every
thing that offends; and all that are chosen to salvation are chosen to
sanctification. See 2 Th. 2:13; Eph. 1:4.
III. That God will reform his church and will rectify and amend
whatever is amiss in it, v. 4. Then the remnant shall be
called holy, when
the Lord shall have washed away their filth, washed it from among them by
cutting off the wicked persons, washed it from within them by purging out the
wicked thing. They shall not be called so till they are in some measure made so.
Gospel times are times of reformation (Heb. 9:10), typified by the reformation
in the days of Hezekiah and that after captivity, to which this promise refers.
Observe, 1. The places and persons to be reformed. Jerusalem, though the holy
city, needed reformation; and, being the holy city, the reformation of that
would have a good influence upon the whole kingdom. The daughters of Zion also
must be reformed, the women in a particular manner, whom he had reproved, ch.
3:16. When they were decked in their ornaments they thought themselves
wondrously clean; but, being proud of them, the prophet call them their
filth,
for no sin is more abominable to God than pride. Or by the daughters of Zion may
be meant the country towns and villages, which were related to Jerusalem as the
mother-city, and which needed reformation. 2. The reformation itself. The filth
shall be washed away; for wickedness is filthiness, particularly blood-shed, for
which Jerusalem was infamous (2 Ki. 21:16), and which defiles the land more than
any other sin. Note, The reforming of a city is the cleansing of it. When
vicious customs and fashions are suppressed, and the open practice of wickedness
is restrained, the place is made clean and sweet which before was a dunghill;
and this is not only for its credit and reputation among strangers, but for the
comfort and health of the inhabitants themselves. 3. The author of the
reformation:
The Lord shall do it. Reformation-work is God's work; if
any thing be done to purpose in it, it is his doing. But how? By the judgment of
his providence the sinners were destroyed and consumed; but it is by the Spirit
of his grace that they are reformed and converted. This is the work that is
done, not by might, nor by power, but by the
Spirit of the Lord of hosts
(Zec. 4:6), working both upon the sinners themselves that are to be reformed and
upon magistrates, ministers, and others that are to be employed as instruments
of reformation. The Spirit herein acts, (1.) As a spirit of judgment,
enlightening the mind, convincing the conscience,—as a spirit of wisdom,
guiding us to deal prudently, (Isa. 52:13),—as a discerning, distinguishing,
Spirit, separating between the precious and the vile. (2.) As a Spirit of
burning, quickening and invigorating the afflictions, and making men zealously
affected in a good work. The Spirit works as fire, Mt. 3:11. An ardent love to
Christ and souls, and a flaming zeal against sin, will carry men on with
resolution in their endeavours to
turn away ungodliness from Jacob. See
Isa. 32:15, 16.
IV. That God will protect his church, and all that belong to it
(v. 5, 6); when they are purified and reformed they shall no longer lie exposed,
but God will take a particular care of them. Those that are sanctified are well
fortified; for God will be to them a guide and a guard.
1. Their tabernacles shall be defended, v. 5.
(1.) This writ of protection refers to, [1.] Their dwelling
places, the tabernacles of their rest, their own houses, where they worship God
alone, and with their families. That blessing which is upon the
habitation of
the just shall be a protection to it, Prov. 3:33. In the
tabernacles of
the righteous shall the
voice of rejoicing and salvation be, Ps.
118:15. Note, God takes particular cognizance and care of the dwelling-places of
his people, of every one of them, the poorest cottage as well as the statliest
palace. When iniquity is
put far from the tabernacle the Almighty shall
be its defence, Job 23:23, 26. [2.] Their assemblies or tabernacles of meeting
for religious worship. No mention is made of the temple, for the promise points
at a time when not one stone of that shall be left upon another; but all the
congregations of Christians, though but two or three met together in Christ's
name, shall be taken under the special protection of heaven; they shall be no
more scattered, no more disturbed, nor shall
any weapon formed against them
prosper. Note, we ought to reckon it a great mercy if we have liberty to
worship God in public, free from the alarms of the sword of war or persecution.
(2.) This writ of protection is drawn up, [1.] In a similitude
taken from the safety of the camp of Israel when they marched through the
wilderness. God will give to the Christian church as real proofs, though not so
sensible, of his care of them, as he then gave to Israel. The Lord will again
create
a cloud and smoke by day, to screen them from the scorching heat of the sun,
and the
shining of a flaming fire by night, to enlighten and warm the
air, which in the night is cold and dark. See Ex. 13:21; Neh. 9:19. This pillar
of cloud and fire interposed between the Israelites and the Egyptians, Ex.
14:20. Note, Though miracles have ceased, yet God is the same to the
New-Testament church that he was to Israel of old; the very same yesterday,
to-day, and for ever. [2.] In a similitude taken from the outside cover of rams'
skins and badgers' skins that was upon the curtains of the tabernacle, as if
every dwelling place of Mount Zion and every assembly were as dear to God as
that tabernacle was:
Upon all the glory shall be a defense, to save it
from wind and weather. Note, The church on earth has its glory. Gospel truths
and ordinances, the scriptures and the ministry, are the church's glory; and
upon all this glory there is a defence, and ever shall be, for the
gates of
hell shall not prevail against the church. If God himself be the glory in
the midst of it, he will himself be a wall of fire around about it, impenetrable
and impregnable. Grace in the soul is the glory of it, and those that have it
are
kept by the power of God as in a strong-hold, 1 Pt. 1:5.
2. Their tabernacle shall be a defence to them, v. 6. God's
tabernacle was a pavilion to the saints (Ps. 27:5); but, when that is taken
down, they shall not want a covert: the divine power and goodness shall be a
tabernacle to all the saints. God himself will be their hiding-place (Ps. 32:7);
they shall be at home in him, Ps. 91:9. He will himself be to them as the
shadow
of a great rock (ch. 32:2) and
his name a strong tower, Prov. 18:10.
He will be not only a shadow from the heat in the daytime, but a covert from
storm and rain. Note, In this world we must expect change of weather and all the
inconveniences that attend it; we shall meet with storm and rain in this lower
region, and at other times the heat of the day no less burdensome; but God is a
refuge to his people in all weathers.
Chapter 4:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 Song of Solomon Jeremiah
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