Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 42
Overview:
The character and
Coming of Christ.
(1-4) The blessings of his
kingdom.
(5-12) The prevalence of true religion.
(13-17)
Unbelief and blindness reproved.
(18-25)
1-4 This
Prophecy was fulfilled in
Christ, Mt 12:17. Let our
souls rely
On him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the
Father will be
Well-pleased with us. The Holy
Spirit not only
came, but rested upon him, and without
Measure. He patiently
bore the contradiction of sinners. His kingdom is spiritual; he
was not to appear with earthly honours. He is tender of those
oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised
Reed; those who
are as smoking
Flax, as the wick of a
Lamp newly lighted, which
is ready to go out again. He will not despise them, nor lay upon
them more work or more suffering than they can
Bear.
By a long
course of miracles and his resurrection, he fully showed the
Truth of his holy religion.
By the power of his
Gospel and
Grace
he fixes principles in the minds of men, which tend to make them
Wise and just. The most distant nations wait for his
Law, wait
for his
Gospel, and shall welcome it. If we would make our
Calling and election sure, and have the
Father delight over us
for good, we must behold, hear, believe in, and obey
Christ.
5-12 The work of
Redemption brings back
Man to the obedience he
owes to
God as his Maker.
Christ is the
Light of the world. And
By his
Grace he opens the understandings
Satan has blinded, and
sets at liberty from the
Bondage of
Sin. The
Lord has supported
his
Church. And now he makes new promises, which shall as
certainly be fulfilled as the old ones were. When the
Gentiles
are brought into the
Church, he is glorified in them and
By
them. Let us give to
God those things which are his, taking heed
that we do not serve the
Creature more than the Creator.
13-17 The
Lord will appear in his power and
Glory. He shall
cry, in the preaching of his
Word. He shall cry aloud in the
Gospel woes, which must be preached with
Gospel blessings, to
awaken a sleeping world. He shall conquer
By the power of his
Spirit. And those that contradict and blaspheme his
Gospel, he
shall
Put to silence and shame; and that which hinders its
progress shall be taken out of the way. To those who
By nature
were
Blind,
God will show the way to
Life and happiness
By Jesus
Christ. They are weak in knowledge, but He will make
Darkness
Light. They are weak in duty, but their way shall be
Plain.
Those whom
God brings into the right way, he will guide in it.
This
Passage is a
Prophecy, and is also applicable to every
believer; for the
Lord will never leave nor forsake them.
18-25 Observe the
Call given to this people, and the character
given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that
which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance,
but carelessness. The
Lord is
Well-pleased in the making known
his own
Righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all
their possessions. This fully came to pass in the
Destruction of
the Jewish nation. There is
No resisting, nor escaping
God's
Anger. See the mischief
Sin makes; it provokes
God to
Anger. And
those not humbled
By lesser judgments, must expect greater.
Alas! how many professed Christians are
Blind as the benighted
Heathen! While the
Lord is
Well-pleased in saving sinners
through the
Righteousness of
Christ he will also
Glorify his
Justice,
By punishing all proud despisers. Seeing
God has poured
out his wrath
On his once-favoured people, because of their sins,
let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his
Rest, any of us should be found to come short of it.