GH AP.
@ eee chapter contains fome gracious promifes concerning the glory and happinefs of the church of Chrift in the laft days; as of its ftability, exaltation and increafe, and of the fpread of the gofpel from it, ¥. 1, 2. and of the peace and fecurity of it, and conftant profeffion and exercife of religion in it, ¥. 3, 4, 5..and of the deliverance of it from affiction and diftrefs, and the ample and everlafting kingdom of Chrift in it, y. 6, 7, 8. and then follows fome prophecies more particularly refpecting the ews; as that tho’ they fhould be in diftrefs, and- be carried captive into Babylon, they fhould. be delivered from. thence, ¥. 9,10. and tho’ many people fhould be gathered againft them, yet fhould not be able to prevail over them, but their attempts would iffue in their own deftruction, ¥. 11, 12, 13.
¥. 1. But in the laft days it fhall come to pafs, that the mountain of the boufe of the Lord fhall be efablifhed in the top of the mountains, &c.] It appears by the adverfative ut, with which thefe words are introduced, that they have a dependence upon, and a connexion with, the laft of the preceding chapter; fignifying, that tho’ the mountain of the houfe, on which the temple ftood, fhould become defolate, yet the mountain of the houfe of the Lord, which is not literally the fame, but what that was typical of, the church of Chrift, fhould be greatly exalted and enlarged; and which, according to this prophecy, would be sx the laft days; that is, as Kimchi rightly interprets it, the days of the Meffiah; and it fhould be obferved, that all this will be in the laft of his days, or of the gofpel-difpenfation: the firft of thefe days were the days of Chrift in the flefh, the times of his miniftry, and of Fobn the Baptift his fore-runner, and of his difciples; and were indeed the laft days of the Fewi h world, or of their civil and church-ftate; and when alfo it muft be allowed the mountain of the Lord’s houfe, or the temple literally taken, became glorious by the prefence of Chrift in it, by his doctrine and miracles there, and by the effufion of the Spirit on his difciples in that place, and the miniftration of the gofpel; but then all this was before the deftruction of the fecond temple; whereas this prophecy follows that, and is oppofed to it, and fuppofes it; befides, in thofe times there was not fuch an exaltation and ftability of the church of Chrift; nor fuch a flow of nations to it; nor fuch a fettled and univerfal. peace and fecurity as here promifed: this prophecy therefore refpects times yet to come, as Aben Ezra obferves; the laft of the days of the Meffiah, or the laft times of the gofpel-difpenfation, when the reign of antichrift will be at an end; he will be deftroyed, and the kingdom of Chrift fet up, eftablifhed and enlarged in the world. The prophet [/aiah predicts the fame things, and much in the fame words, J/ ii. 2, 3, 4. thefe two prophets were cotemporary, and might converfe together, and communicate to each other what they had received from the Lord upon this fubje&t; but it is needlefs to enquire which might have them from the other, fince they were both holy men of God, and moved by his Spirit, and were infpired by the fame Spirit, with the fame things, and to fpeak the fame language; yet there is a diverfity in words, tho’ an agreement in fentiment; nor does it appear a clear cafe that they borrowed, much lefs that they ftole their words from one another, as the falfe prophets did; for they don’t always ufe the fame words to convey the fame idea; and there are fome words which I/aiah has, that Micah has not; land. there are others that Micah ufes, that [/aiah has not; tho’ in the whole there is a moft beautiful harmony of fenfe in their diverfity of expreffion. By the mountain of the houfe of the Lord, is not meant the temple built on mount Moriab, where the divine majefty refided; where were the fymbols of his prefence, the ark and mercy-feat, and where he was worfhipped, which has been deftroyed long ago, and will never be rebuilt more; for a third temple hereafter to be built at Yeru/alem is a mere fiction of the Hews; nor indeed is any material building here intended, and {till lefs any fuch building to be erected in fuch an abfurd fenfe literally taken, as if mountain was piled on mountain, and hill on hill, to raife ic higher; but myftically and fpiritually it defigns the church of God, called fo becaufe it is built by him, and built for an habitation for him; where he will, at the time here referred to, more manifeftly dwell in a fpiritual manner; and by whom, and by which {piritual and gracious prefence of his, it will be made very beautiful and glorious: and it is fignified by a mountain, to denote its vifibility, immoveablenefs and perpetuity; and is faid to be eftablifbed in the top of - the mountains, with refpect to the kingdoms of this world, and efpecially antichriftian churches, which, becaufe of their eminence, and largenefs, and national eftablifhment, may feem like mountains; but in the latter day, the true church of Chrift, which now may feem like a mole-hill to them, will be above them, and will be ina fettled ftate and condition, and not be fluctuating, and tofied to and fro, and removing here and there, as now; but be fixed and ftable, and continue fo until the fecond and perfonal coming of Chrift: and it fhall be exalted above. the hills; by bills may be meant petty kingdoms, inferior to greater monarchies; or religious ftates, not of Chrift’s conftitution; and the exaltation of the church above them, denotes her power over them, to enjoy the one, and crufh the. other: it may refpect the glory of the church, both as to things temporal and fpiritual; for now will the kingdoms under the whole heaven be given to the faints of the Moft High; civil government will come into their hands, the kings and princes of the earth being now members of gofpel-churches; fo that the church will be ina glorious and exalted ftate, having riches, power and-authority, a large extent every where, and a multitude of members, and thofe of the higheft clafs and rank, as well as of the meaner and lower fort; and all of them poffeffed largely of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, and enjoying the gofpel and gofpel-ordinances in their power and purity: and the people fall flow unto it; in great abundance, in large numbers, in company like the flowing ftreams of a river; and may denote not only their numbers, but their {wiftnefs and readinefs to join themfelves with the church of God, to hear the word, and partake of the ordinances, and 6 X of of all the privileges of the houfe of the Lord. It may be rendered, they jhall look unto it, as the word is tranflated in P/. xxxiv. 6. and fo the Zargum here, ** and the kingdoms fhall look (or turn ‘¢ their faces) to ferve upon it;” and this fenfe is preferred by many learned ewi/b writers"; and the meaning may be, that multitudes feeing the glory of the church, and the many defireable things in it, fhall look to it with a look of love and aftfection, and with a wifhful look, greatly defiring to be admitted into it. In J ii. 2. it is faid, and all nations foall flow unto it; not the people of the ‘¥ews only, now converted; or a fingle nation only, or fome out of that; but all the nations of the world, at leaft great numbers out of all, by far the greateft in them; fuch an increafe will there be of the churches in the latter day.
¥. 2. And many nations foall come,,and fay, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the houfe of the God of Facob, &c.) In If ii. 3. it is, many people, &c. fee the note there; the fenfe is the fame: and he will teach us of bis ways, and we will walk in bis paths; the teacher is the king Meffiah, as Kimchi obferves; the great prophet of his people, the teacher fent from God; and will in the laft days teach men by his Spirit and word, in a very plentiful manner, and with great fuccefs: for the law fhall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ferufalem; thefe, according to Kimchi, are the words of the prophet, and not of the people, that encourage one another to go up to the houfe of the Lord; but the fenfe is much the feme; forthey contain a reafon why the people of different nations would encourage one another to go to the houfe of the Lord, that they might learn his ways, and walk in his ftatutes, becaufe here the word of the Lord is preached; the word which comes from God, and is concerning him, his love and grace to men; the word of peace and righteoufnefs, of life and falvation by Jefus Chritt; and the feveral doétrines of grace intended by the Jaw, or doétrine of the Lord; the doétrines of God’s everlafting love, of election in Chrift, and redemption by him; of juftification by his righteoufnefs, pardon by his blood, and {fatisfaction by his atonement; as well as of regeneration by the Spirit of God, and of perfeverance in grace: in thefe and others, now fhall all the Lord’s people be taught more clearly, diftinétly and comfortably; all fhall know him, from the leaft to the greateft; and not only their light and knowledge-under fuch a teacher, and fuch teachings, will be very great, but their practice will be anfwerable to it; as they will be inftructed in all the ways of the Lord, and in the methods of his grace; fo they will walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelefs; fee the note on J/. ii. 3.
¥. 3. And be fhail judge among many people, and rebuke firong nations afar off, &c.] That are in the moft diftant parts of the world; not only the ifles afar off, but the remoteft parts of the continent, the American nations found out fince. In Jf ii. 4. it is, and be fhall judge among the nations, and fhall rebuke? many people, that is, the king Meffiah, as Alben Ezra, Kimchi and Ben Melech. Some render it, it fhall judge, &c. and interpret it either of the church, the mountain of the Lord’s houfe; or of the word and doctrine of the Lords or of the Lord in the church, by the miniftry of the word.
The phrafe, afar off, is not in J/ ii. 4. which the Targum interprets for ever, and the firong nations of {trong kings; fignifying, that the kingdom of Chrift fhould not only be to the ends of the earth, - but fhould endure for ever, unto diftant time, even till ic fhall be no more; as well as fhall reach to diftant lands, as to fituation, and to the Gentiles afar off, as to ftate and condition; fee Eph. ii. 14: and they fhall beat their fwords into ploughbares, and their {pears into pruning-hooks: nation foall not lift up a fword againft nation, neither fhall they learn war any more; which as yet has never been fulfilled; but will be the cafe when Chrift’s kingdom appears in its glory, and the kingdoms of this world become his, and all the enemies of the church are deftroyed; fee the note on J/ ii. 4. Thefe words are by the ews ° applied to the days of the Mefiiah.: ¥. 4. But they fhall fit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, &c.| A proverbial phrafe, expreflive of the greateft tranquillity, fecurity and enjoyment of property; fee 1 Kings iv. 25. when — perfons need not keep within their walled towns and cities, and lock themfelves up in their houfes, but may fit down in their gardens, fields and vineyards, and enjoy the fruit thereof; as the Targum interprets it, ‘* under the fruit of his vine, and ‘* under the fruit of his fig-tree.” It was ufual for perfons in the eaftern countries to fit under vines and fig-trees to read, meditate, pray or converfe together, where they grow very large, as were their vines; and even with us, they are frequently raifed and carried over fupporters, fo as to be fat under; and of fig-trees, we frequently read in Yewi/h writings of their being very large, and of their going up to them, and praying on the top of them; and of fitting under them, and. ftudying in the law there. So one of the Rabbins fays ’, he went up into his muftard-tree, as one - goes up to the top of a fig-tree; and it is faida,. he that prays on the top of an olive-tree, or on the top of a fig-tree, muft come down, and pray below; and again", R. Facob and his companions were fafting, itudying in the law under a certain fig-tree; and fometimes they {peak of all thefe together, of fitting under olives, and under vines, and under fig-trees, and ftudying in the words of the law‘; fee Fohbn i. 48. This is to be underftood, as dben Ezra and Kimchi explain it, of all men; not of the J/raelites only, but of all nations, fince there will be no more war any where; hence it follows: and none fball make-them afraid; the enemies of God’s people will be no more, neither Turk nor pope, eaftern or weftern antichrift, beaft or falfe prophet; wherefore in thofe days of the Meffiah Fudah fhall be faved, and J/rael thall dwell fafely, even all the fpiritual J/rael of God, Fews and Gentiles; there fhall be none to hurt in the — holy mountain of the Lord, or any violence and ~ oppreffion, wafting and deftruétion any where; fee — Fer. xxiii. 5. Jf xi. g. and lx. 18: for the mouth of the Lord of hofts hath fpoken it; who {peaks nothing but truth, and who is able and faithful to perform what he has fpoken; and therefore all this may be depended on.. “1 ¥. 5. For all people will walk, every one in the name of bis god, &c.] Till thofe times come before defcribed; when many nations and people fhall flock to the church, and there fhall be fuch general then the nations of the earth fhall retain their former religion, and the profeflion of it with conftancy, till they are otherwife inftructed, as Aven Ezra; or till the Meffiah fhall turn them into the right way, as Kimchi; till that time comes, the pagans will worfhip their idols, and. continue in the idolatry of their anceftors; the papifts will retain their image-worfhip, and hold to their lord god the pope, as they call him; the Mabometans will cleave to their prophet, and walk according to the rules he has left them to obferve.. Farchi’s note is, ** they fhall go to deftruction becaufe of *¢ their idolatry;” with which he fays the Targum agrees, which is, ‘* all nations fhall go according ** to the idols they have worfhipped;” or as the king of Spain’s bible, ‘* they fhall be guilty or *¢ condemned becaufe they have worfhipped idols: and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever; both in the mean while, and when thofe happy times fhall come, and fo thro’ all generations as long as the world ftands. This is the language of thofe that know the Lord, believe in him, and fincerely ferve him; who determine in the ftrength of divine grace to continue in their profeffion of faith of him, in his worfhip and fervice, in his ways, truths and ordinances, whatever others do; and indeed are the more animated to it, when they obferve how conftant and ftedfaft, idolaters, pagans, papifts and Mabometans are in their falfe worfhip, both in the profeffion and practice of.it. The Targum is, ‘* we will «© truit in the word of the Lord our God for ever “¢ and ever;” in Chrift the effential word; and fo the phrafe is expreflive of faith, and a profeffion of faith in him; and of conftant attendance upon his word and ordinances,
¥.6. In that day, faith the Lord, will I affemble her that balteth, &c.| The Jews or Iraelites fo defcribed; not from the halting of Facobd their father, as Abarbinel thinks; nor becaufe of their halting between two opinions, worfhipping both the true God and idols, as in the times of Eljab, for this will not fuit with the Zews in their prefent ftate; but becaufe they were like lame and maimed fheep, to which the allufion is; or becaufe they were guilty of fins, which are fometimes exprefled by halting, Fer. xx. 10. P/. xxxviii. 16,17. The word fignifies fuch that go fide-way, and not uprightly; and fitly defcribes fuch who deviate from the ways of God, and walk. not according to the divine word: now im that day or time before referred to, the laft days of the gofpeldifpenfation, the Lord will convert the Fews; or beal thefe lame and maimed ones, fo Farchi interprets the word; or will gather them by his Spirit and’ grace to the Meffiah, and affemble them into his church, and among his people, and bring them into the fheep-fold, under the care of the one fhepherd the Lord Jefus Chrift: and I will gather her _that is driven out, out of the land of J/rael, and fcattered among the nations of the world; even driven out by the Lord himfelf, becaufe of their tranfgreffions againft him; fee Fer. xvi. 15. and xxiv. 9: and her that I have afflicted, with various calamities, with famine and fword, with captivity and poverty; the Targum adds, ‘* for the fins of “my people;” the J/raclites for their idolatry, and the Fews for the rejection of the Meffiah, and other fins.