Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 30
Overview:
The Jews reproved for seeking aid from
Egypt.
(1-7) Judgements
in consequence of their contempt of
God's
Word.
(8-18) God's
mercies to his
Church.
(19-26) The ruin of the Assyrian
Army,
and of all
God's enemies.
(27-33)
1-7 It was often the fault and folly of the Jews, that when
troubled
By their neighbours
On one side, they sought for
succour from others, instead of looking up to
God. Nor can we
avoid the dreadful consequences of adding
Sin to
Sin, but
By
making the
Righteousness of
Christ our
Refuge, and seeking for
the
Sanctification of the Holy
Spirit. Men have always been
prone to lean to their own understandings, but this will
End in
their shame and misery. They would not trust in
God. They took
much pains to gain the Egyptians. The riches
So spent turned to
a bad account. See what dangers men run into who forsake
God to
follow their
Carnal confidences. The Creator is the
Rock of
ages, the
Creature a broken
Reed; we cannot expect too little
from
Man, or too much from
God. Our strength is to sit still, in
humble dependence upon
God and his
Goodness, and quiet
submission to his will.
8-18 The Jews were the only professing people
God then had in
the world, yet many among them were rebellious. They had the
Light, but they loved
Darkness rather. The prophets checked them
in their sinful pursuits,
So that they could not proceed without
fear; this they took amiss. But
Faithful ministers will not be
driven from seeking to awaken sinners.
God is the Holy One of
Israel, and
So they shall find him. They did not like to hear of
his holy
Commandments and his
Hatred of
Sin; they desired that
they might
No more be reminded of these things. But as they
despised the
Word of God, their sins undermined their safety.
Their state would be dashed in
Pieces like a potter's vessel.
Let us return from our evil ways, and settle in the way of duty;
that is the way to be saved. Would we be strengthened, it must
be in quietness and in confidence, keeping peace in our own
minds, and relying upon
God. They think themselves wiser than
God; but the project
By which they thought to save themselves
was their ruin. Only here and there one shall escape, as a
warning to others. If men will not repent, turn to
God, and seek
happiness in his favour and service, their desires will but
hasten their ruin. Those who make
God alone their confidence,
will have comfort.
God ever waits to be gracious to all that
come to him
By Faith in
Christ, and happy are those who wait for
him.
19-26 God's people will soon arrive at the Zion above, and then
they will weep
No more for ever. Even now they would have more
comfort, as
Well as
Holiness, if they were more constant in
Prayer. A
Famine of
Bread is not
So great a
Judgment as a
Famine
of the
Word of God. There are right-
Hand and left-
Hand errors;
the tempter is busy courting us into
By-paths. It is happy if,
By the counsels of a
Faithful Minister or friend, or the checks
of
Conscience, and the strivings of
God the
Spirit, we are set
right when doubting, and prevented from going wrong. They shall
be cured of their
Idolatry. To all true penitents
Sin becomes
very hateful. This is shown daily in the
Conversion of souls,
By
the power of Divine
Grace, to the fear and
Love of
God. Abundant
Means of Grace, with the influences of the Holy
Spirit, would be
extended to places destitute of them. The effect of this should
be comfort and joy to the people of
God.
Light, that is,
knowledge, shall increase. This is the
Light which the
Gospel
brought into the world, and which proclaims healing to the
broken-hearted.
27-33 God curbs and restrains from doing mischief. With a
Word
he guides his people into the right way, but with a
Bridle he
turns his enemies upon their own ruin. Here, in threatening the
ruin of
Sennacherib's
Army, the
Prophet points at the final and
Everlasting Destruction of all impenitent sinners.
Tophet was a
Valley near
Jerusalem, where fires were continually burning to
destroy things that were hurtful and offensive, and there the
idolatrous Jews caused their children to pass through the
Fire
to
Moloch. This denotes the certainty of the
Destruction, as an
awful emblem of the place of
Torment in the other world.
No
oppressor shall escape the Divine wrath. Let sinners then flee
to
Christ, seeking to be reconciled to Him, that they may be
safe and happy, when
Destruction from the Almighty shall sweep
away all the workers of iniquity.