Isa. 65 The calling of the Gentiles, Isa. 65:1. The Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy, rejected, Isa. 65:2–7. A remnant shall be saved, Isa. 65:8–10. Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly, Isa. 65:11–16. The flourishing and peaceable state of the new Jerusalem, Isa.

That in the primary sense of this text it is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, upon the rejection of the Jews, for their contempt and crucifying of Christ, cannot be doubted by any who will not arrogate to themselves a greater ability to interpret the prophecies of the Old Testament…

I have spread out my hands; applied to the Jews, Rom. 10:21, I have stretched out my hands; that is, I have used all probable means to reduce them, I have stretched out the hands of a passionate orator to persuade them, of a tender mother to protect and defend them, of a liberal benefactor to lead…

A people that provoketh me to anger: that the Jews are the people here intended is without question; the prophet, speaking of the calling of the Gentiles upon their rejection, reckons up their sins which were the causes.

They remained among the graves, either there expecting revelations by dreams, or there consulting with devils, who were thought to delight in such places; or to practise necromancy, all which were forbidden, Deut. 18:11, Isa. 8:19.

Though they were so exceedingly guilty, yet they pretended to a singular sanctity, so as they would not suffer others to come near or touch them. The Samaritans are usually charged with this uncharitableness, and the use of this form of words; but as some do more excuse the Samaritans than the…

They may think that I take no notice of these things, or if I take any notice, I will forget them, or at least not enter into judgment with them for them; but I as certainly know and will remember them, as princes or great men that record things in writing which they would not forget.

Yea, and when I reckon with them, I will punish them, not only for their personal sins, but for the sins of their parents, which they have testified their approbation of by continuing in them, and so made them their own, by an apish, sinful imitation.

These words must be conceived as a gracious answer from God to the prophet, saying as Abraham, Gen. 18:23, Gen. 18:25, or as Moses, Ex. 32:11–13, pleading God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.

I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob; no seed beareth a proportion to the tree or plant that it produceth, but in comparison with that is very little; yet it is enough, through the virtue which the God of nature hath put into it, to preserve and uphold the species to which it doth relate.

Sharon was a place of great fruitfulness for pastures. David’s herds were kept there, 1 Chron. 27:29. It was become like a wilderness, Isa. 33:9; God here promiseth that it should again be a place for the flocks. Jer.

Do not you that are idolaters think that these promises belong to you, ye are they that forsake the Lord, that is, the way of the Lord; it is a phrase opposed to a walking with God.

You have offended in number, worshipping a multitude, a troop of idols; there shall be a great number of you perish by the sword; or possibly the term number may refer to all in the next phrase, to let them know that none of them should escape.

As there are a party amongst you who, instead of serving God, are the servants of men, in complying with idolatry and superstition; so I have some servants amongst you who have distinguished themselves by keeping close to my institutions from the rest of you, I will distinguish them from you in the…

Your name shall rot, as Prov. 10:7, or only be used when men would curse others, saying, Let them be made like such persons. As the names of Leah and Rachel, Ruth 4:11, and others of God’s servants, were used in blessing; so your names shall only be used in cursing; or when men will curse…

I will bring it to pass, that over all the world, if any man bless himself, or bless another, it shall be in God Amen. So the Hebrew (we translate it the God of truth). Amen is a name given to Christ, Rev.

For, behold, I will tell you yet a more admirable thing, I am about wholly to alter and change the state not only of my people, who are now afflicted, restoring them to a more lightsome state, more free from trouble and afflictions; but I create new heavens and a new earth, bringing a new face upon…

You that are my people, though you cannot rejoice with that degree of joy that attendeth a present fruition of good; yet be glad, and rejoice with the rejoicing of hope, for the thing is certain what I am already doing.

The nature of joy lying in the satisfaction and. well pleasedness of the soul in the obtaining of the thing it hath willed, agreeth unto God, and joy and rejoicing are applied to him, Isa. 62:5, and in this text; so also Jer. 32:41, Zeph. 3:17.

Whereas God hath made many promises of long life to the Jews, they should all be fulfilled to God’s people among them, so as there should be rare abortions among them, Ex.

The quite contrary to what is said of the slothful man, Prov. 12:27, Job 27:13–17.

Duration and perpetuity are promised to them in their happy estate.

And not only a blessing to them, but also to their offspring. But what is here promised which wicked men do not ofttimes enjoy, and God’s people ofttimes want? Answ. 1. Wicked men may have them for their good parents’ sake, and good men may sometimes want them for evil parents’ sake. 2.

God promised, Isa. 58:9, to answer them when they called; here he promiseth to be so ready to answer, as to answer the words as soon as they should be formed in their hearts, before they should get them out of their lips, Ps. 32:5, Dan. 10:12; yea, while they were speaking, Dan. 9:20, Dan.

This verse containeth a promise much like that Isa. 11:6, Isa. 11:9, and relates to the ceasing of persecution. The people of God for their whiteness and innocency are often compared to lambs and sheep, wicked men to wolves and lions, for their antipathy to the seed of the woman: God here promiseth…