Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 35
Overview:
The flourishing state of
Christ's kingdom.
(1-4) The
privileges of his people.
(5-10)
1-4 Judea was prosperous in the days of
Hezekiah, but the
kingdom of
Christ is the great subject intended. Converting
Grace makes the soul that was a
Wilderness, to rejoice with joy
and singing, and to blossom abundantly. The feeble and
faint-hearted are encouraged. This is the design of the
Gospel.
Fear is weakening; the more we strive against it, the stronger
we are, both for doing and suffering; and he that says to us, Be
strong, has laid help for us upon One who is mighty.
Assurance
is given of the approach of
Messiah, to take vengeance
On the
powers of
Darkness, to recompense with abundant comforts those
that
Mourn in Zion; He will come and save. He will come again at
the
End of time, to punish those who have troubled his people;
and to give those who were troubled such
Rest as will be a full
reward for all their troubles.
5-10 When
Christ shall come to set up his kingdom in the world,
then wonders, great wonders, shall be wrought
On men's souls.
By
the
Word and
Spirit of
Christ, the spiritually
Blind were
enlightened; and those deaf to the calls of
God were made to
hear them readily. Those unable to do any thing good,
By Divine
Grace were made active therein. Those that knew not how to speak
of
God or to
God, had their lips opened to show forth his
praise. When the
Holy Ghost came upon the
Gentiles that heard
the
Word, then were the fountains of
Life opened. Most of the
Earth is still a
Desert; neither
Means of Grace, spiritual
worshippers, nor fruits of
Holiness, are to be found in it. But
the way of religion and
Godliness shall be laid open. The way of
Holiness is the way of
God's commandment; it is the good old
way. And the way to
Heaven is a
Plain way. Those knowing but
little, and unlearned, shall be kept from missing the
Road. It
shall be a safe way; nothing can do them any real hurt.
Christ,
the way to
God, shall be clearly made known; and the way of a
believer's duty shall be plainly marked out. Let us then go
forward cheerfully, assured that the
End of this way shall be
Everlasting joy, and
Rest for the soul. Those who
By Faith are
made citizens of the
Gospel Zion, rejoice in
Christ Jesus; and
their sorrows and sighs are made to flee away
By Divine
consolations. Thus these prophecies conclude. Our joyful hopes
and prospects of eternal
Life should
Swallow up all the sorrows
and all the joys of this present time. But of what avail is it
to admire the excellence of
God's
Word, unless we can
Call its
precious promises our own? Do we
Love God, not only as our
Creator, but because he gave his only Son to die for us? And are
we walking in the ways of
Holiness? Let us try ourselves
By such
Plain questions, rather than spend time
On things that may be
curious and amusing, but are unprofitable.