Isaiah 54

Isa 54:1-17.

THE

FRUIT OF

MESSIAH'S

SUFFERINGS, AND OF

ISRAEL'S

FINAL

PENITENCE AT

HER

PAST

UNBELIEF

(Isa 53:6):

HER

JOYFUL

RESTORATION AND

ENLARGEMENT BY

JEHOVAH,

WHOSE

WRATH

WAS

MOMENTARY, BUT

HIS

KINDNESS

EVERLASTING.

Israel converted is compared to a wife

(Isa 54:5;

Isa 62:5)

put away for unfaithfulness, but now forgiven and taken home again. The

converted Gentiles are represented as a new progeny of the

long-forsaken but now restored wife. The pre-eminence of the Hebrew

Church as the mother Church of Christendom is the leading idea; the

conversion of the Gentiles is mentioned only as part of her felicity

[HORSLEY].

1. Sing--for joy

(Zep 3:14).

barren--the Jewish Church once forsaken by God, and therefore during

that time destitute of spiritual children

(Isa 54:6).

didst not bear--during the Babylonian exile primarily. Secondarily,

and chiefly, during Israel's present dispersion.

the children--the Gentiles adopted by special grace into the original

Church

(Isa 54:3;

Isa 49:20, 21).

than . . . married wife--than were her spiritual

children, when Israel was still a married wife (under the law, before

the Babylonian exile), before God put her away [MAURER]. So Paul contrasts the universal Church of the

New Testament with the Church of the Old Testament legal dispensation,

quoting this very passage

(Ga 4:27).

But the full accomplishment of it is yet future.

2.

(Isa 49:19, 20;

Jer 31:31-36, 38, 39).

Thy children shall be so many that thy borders must be extended to

contain them.

curtains--the cloth forming the covering of the tent.

spare not--give abundantly the means for the enlargement of the Church

(2Co 9:5-7).

cords . . . stakes--The more the tent is enlarged by lengthening the

cords by which the cloth covering is fastened to the ground, the more

the stakes supporting the tent need to be strengthened; the Church is

not merely to seek new converts, but to strengthen those she has in the

faith. The image is appropriate, as the tabernacle was the symbol of

the old Israelitish Church

(see on

Isa 33:20).

3. break forth--rather, "burst forth" with increase; thy offspring

shall grow, answering to "thy seed" in the parallel clause.

thy seed--Israel and her children, as distinguished from "the

Gentiles."

desolate cities--of Israel

(Isa 44:26).

4.

(Isa 41:10, 14).

shame of thy youth--Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Jehovah,

almost from her earliest history.

reproach of widowhood--Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal

from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon and her present

dispersion

(Isa 54:1;

Isa 49:21;

Jer 3:24, 25; 31:19;

Ho 2:2-5).

5.

(Isa 62:5;

Jer 3:14).

That God was Israel's "Maker," both as individuals and as the

theocratic kingdom, is the pledge of assurance that He will be her

Redeemer

(Isa 43:1-3).

Hebrew, "makers . . . husbands"; plural

for singular, to denote excellency.

of Israel . . . whole earth--Not until He manifests Himself as God

of Israel shall He appear as God of the whole earth

(Ps 102:13, 15, 16;

Zec 14:5, 9).

6. called--that is, recalled: the prophetic past for the future.

forsaken--that had been forsaken.

when thou--or, "when she was rejected"; one who had been

a wife of youth

(Eze 16:8, 22, 60;

Jer 2:2)

at the time when (thou, or) she was rejected for infidelity

[MAURER]. "A wife of youth but afterwards

rejected" [LOWTH].

7. small moment--as compared with Israel's coming long

prosperity

(Isa 26:20; 60:10).

So the spiritual Israel

(Ps 30:5;

2Co 4:17).

gather thee--to Myself from thy dispersions.

8. In a little wrath--rather, "In the overflowing of wrath"; as

Pr 27:4,

Margin, [GESENIUS]. The wrath, though but

"for a moment," was overflowing while it lasted.

hid . . . face--

(Isa 8:17;

Ps 30:7).

everlasting--in contrast to "for a moment."

9. I am about to do the same in this instance as in Noah's flood. As

I swore then that it should not return

(Ge 8:21; 9:11),

and I kept that promise, so I swear now to My people, and will perform

My promise, that there shall be no return of the deluge of My wrath

upon them. LOWTH, on insufficient authority,

reads (the same will I do now as), "in the days of Noah."

10.

(Isa 51:6;

Ps 89:33, 34;

Ro 11:29).

covenant of my peace--

(2Sa 23:5).

The covenant whereby I have made thee at peace with Me.

11. not comforted--by anyone; none gave her help or comfort.

lay . . . with fair colours--rather, "lay

. . . in cement of vermilion" [LOWTH]. The Hebrew for "fair colors" means

stibium, the paint with which Eastern women painted their

eyelids and eyelashes

(2Ki 9:30).

The very cement shall be of the most beautiful color

(Re 21:18-21).

12. windows--rather, "battlements"; literally, "suns"; applied to

battlements from their radiated appearance.

agates--rather, "rubies."

carbuncles--literally, "sparkling gems"; the carbuncle when held to

the sun becomes like a burning coal.

all thy borders--rather, "thy whole circuit," consisting of

precious stones. The glory of the Church on earth, when the Hebrew

Church, according to the original design, shall be the metropolis of

Christendom.

13. Quoted by the Saviour

(Joh 6:45),

to prove that in order to come to Him, men must be "drawn" by the

Father. So

Jer 31:34;

Mic 4:2;

1Co 2:10;

Heb 8:10; 10:16;

1Jo 2:20.

great . . . peace--generally

(Ps 119:165).

Specially referring to the peaceful prosperity which shall

prevail under Messiah in the latter days

(Isa 2:4, 9:6).

14. righteousness--the characteristic of the reign of Messiah

(Isa 11:4, 5;

Ps 72:2, 4;

Re 19:11).

far from oppression, &c.--far from suffering oppression; "for

thou shall have nothing to fear."

15. gather together, &c.--that is, If it should happen that enemies

"gather together" against thee

(Ps 2:2),

they will not have been sent by Me (compare

Ho 8:4)

as instruments of My wrath (nay, it will be with My

disapproval); for "whosoever shall gather together," &c.

(Ps 59:3).

fall for thy sake--rather, "shall come over to thy side"

[LOWTH]. Literally, "fall to thee"

(Jer 21:9; 39:9).

To be fully fulfilled to Jerusalem hereafter

(Zec 14:16).

16. The workman that forms "weapons against thee"

(Isa 54:17)

is wholly in My power, therefore thou needest not fear, having Me on thy

side.

for his work--rather, "by his labor

[HORSLEY]. "According to the

exigencies of his work" [MAURER].

waster to destroy--

(Isa 10:5-7; 37:26, 27; 45:1-6).

Desolating conquerors who use the "instruments" framed by "the smith."

The repetition of the "I" implies, however, something in the latter

half of the verse contrasted with the former understand it, therefore,

thus: "I have in My power both him who frames arms and him who destroys

them (arms)" [ROSENMULLER].

17. tongue . . . condemn--image from a court of justice. Those who

desire to "condemn" thee thou shalt "condemn"

(Ex 11:7;

Jos 10:21;

Ps 64:8;

Ro 8:1, 33).

righteousness . . . of me--

(Isa 45:24; 46:13).

Rather, "(this is) their justification from Me." Their enemies would

"condemn" them, but I justify and vindicate them, and so they condemn

their enemies.