Isaia 11:16 Commento

It is a very good transition in prophecy (whether it be so in rhetoric or no), and a very common one, to pass from the prediction of the temporal deliverances of the church to that of the great salvation, which in the fulness of time should be wrought out by Jesus Christ, of which the other were types and figures, to which all the prophets bore witness; and so the ancient Jews understood them. For what else was it that raised so great an expectation of the Messiah at the time he came. Upon occasion of the prophecy of the deliverance of Jerusalem from Sennacherib, here comes in a prophecy concerning Messiah the Prince. I. His rise out of the house of David (Isa 11:1). II. His qualifications for his great undertaking (Isa 11:2, Isa 11:3). III. The justice and equity of his government (Isa 11:3-5). IV. The peaceableness of his kingdom (Isa 11:6-9). V. The accession of the Gentiles to it (Isa 11:10), and with them the remnant of the Jews, that should be united with them in the Messiah's kingdom (Isa 11:11-16) and of all this God would now shortly give them a type, and some dark representation, in the excellent government of Hezekiah, the great peace which the nation should enjoy under him, after the ruin of Sennacherib's design, and the return of many of the ten tribes out of their dispersion to their brethren of the land of Judah, when they enjoyed that great tranquility.

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 11 This chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah, and gives an account of his descent, as man; of his qualifications for his office, as a Judge and King; of his performance of it; of the peaceableness of his kingdom; of the spread of it among the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel; and of the last and general conversion of the Jews. His original and descent from David the son of Jesse, under the titles of a rod and branch, is described as mean and obscure, expressed by stem and roots, Isa 11:1 his gifts and qualifications for his work, in general and particular, Isa 11:2 the performance of it, both with respect to good men and bad men, in the fear of the Lord, with all equity, righteousness, and readiness, Isa 11:3 the peaceableness of his kingdom is figuratively expressed, by the agreement of savage and tame creatures, the former becoming the latter, and so losing their malignant and hurtful nature, through the efficacy of the Gospel, spreading the knowledge of Christ all over the world, Isa 11:6 particularly among the Gentiles, comparable to those savage creatures, who, upon the exhibition of Christ in the Gospel; should seek to him, and find rest in him, Isa 11:10 which will be followed or accompanied with a collection of the Jews out of all lands, and the conversion of them, which will be brought about by the power and grace of God, all impediments being by him removed out of the way; the consequences of which will be, peace among themselves, and obedience among the Gentiles, Isa 11:11.

And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people,.... That is, through the river; that being dried up, and all hindrances and obstacles being removed, the way will be clear for multitudes to walk in without interruption, like a large common, highway, or causeway; so the Mahometan, Pagan, and Papal kingdoms being destroyed, and with them each of their religions, the way of truth, righteousness, and holiness, will be manifest to the remnant of the Lord's people; who will be at this time in those parts, in which they will be directed to walk, and will walk, and not err, see Isa 35:8, which shall be left from Assyria; the Septuagint and Arabic versions read, "which is left in Egypt"; and designs the remnant, according to the election of grace, that shall be in any of the antichristian countries, either Mahometan or Papal; rather the former seems intended, who shall at this time be brought to the knowledge of Christ, and to walk in his ways: like as it was to Israel in that day that he came up out of the land of Egypt; that is, as there was a highway made through the Red Sea, in which Israel passed, as on dry land, when they came out of Egypt, and went through the wilderness to Canaan's land. Next: Isaiah Chapter 12

And the Lord will dry up the tongue of the sea of Egypt, and he will lift his hand over the river with the strength of his spirit, and he will strike it in the seven streams, so that people can cross it in sandals. And there will be a highway for the remnant of my people who are left from Assyria, just as there was for Israel on the day when they came up from the land of Egypt. Just as Edom and Moab, and the sons of Ammon will submit their hands to the Apostles, so that they may obey the preaching of the Gospel, in the same way the Lord himself, who fulfilled those things in his Apostles, will dry up not the sea according to the Septuagint, but according to the Hebrews, the tongue of the sea of Egypt, which previously blasphemed against the Lord and presided over the Egyptian superstition. And in the Psalms we read: This great and spacious sea, wherein are reptiles without number (Psalm 10:25-26). It is said of them: This dragon, whom you have made to mock at him. Therefore, he shall desolate, that is, put under a curse, as Theodotion, Aquila, and Symmachus translated it, the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and he shall lift up his hand over the rivers of Egypt in the strength of his spirit, or his most violent spirit, which we understand to be the kingdom of the Romans. For when Caesar Augustus was reigning (Luke 2), when the flower of Jesse's root ascended, and the first census was made in the Roman world, the most powerful kingdom of the Egyptians, which lasted for many generations, was destroyed by the death of Cleopatra, and the Egyptian river was struck into seven streams, or into seven valleys. For the Nile, which previously flowed in one channel and was impassable, was divided and cut into seven very humble valleys and streams, so that it could be crossed on foot. However, this symbolically signifies that the nation of the Egyptians, given over to such great idolatry and worthless superstition, consecrated hawks, owls, dogs, goats, and donkeys with divine names, in order to distribute the infinite power of the kingdom through individual judges of the Roman empire, so that Thebes has one judge, Libya has another, Pentapolis has another, Egypt has another, Alexandria has another, and various regions, which the Egyptians call 'laws'. Therefore, under the metaphor, the Nile is divided into parts and cut into streams, so that the Evangelical word can flow freely and reach the farthest people of Egypt without any hindrance. And just as in the time of Moses the Red Sea was dried up so that the people could flee from Egypt, in contrast, the rivers of Egypt will dry up so that the remaining people of God, who will be saved from the Assyrians and various nations, can pass into Egypt, not fleeing from it, but entering and treading on it with their own feet. A wise and Christian reader should have this rule of the promises of the prophets, that we may teach spiritually things which the Jews, and not only our, rather not our Judaizers, contend carnally will happen in the future, lest we be compelled to judaize by the occasion of such fables and inextricable questions, according to the Apostle (II Tim. II).

383. And there shall be a highway. Here the benefit is set out, and it is already evident from what has been said; as there was: renew your signs, and work new miracles. Glorify your hand, and your right arm. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath (Sir 36:6–8).

The prophet proclaims the tenor of God's covenant with the Jews of old, Jer 11:1-5; and then reproves them for their hereditary disobedience, Jer 11:6-19. In consequence of this the Almighty is introduced, declaring he will show them no pity, Jer 11:11-13; forbidding Jeremiah to intercede, Jer 11:14; rejecting their sacrifices, Jer 11:15; and in a word, condemning this fair but unfruitful tree to the fire, Jer 11:16, Jer 11:17. In what remains of the chapter the prophet predicts evil to his neighbors of Anathoth, who had conspired against him, Jer 11:18-23. "Let us," said they, "destroy this tree, with the fruit thereof," etc., alluding to what Jeremiah had said in the sixteenth verse.

(Isa. 11:1-16) rod--When the proud "boughs" of "Lebanon" (Isa 10:33-34, the Assyrians) are lopped, and the vast "forests cut down" amidst all this rage, a seemingly humble rod shall come out of Jesse (Messiah), who shall retrieve the injuries done by the Assyrian "rod" to Israel (Isa 10:5-6, Isa 10:18-19). stem--literally, "the stump" of a tree cut close by the roots: happily expressing the depressed state of the royal house of David, owing to the hostile storm (Isa 10:18-19), when Messiah should arise from it, to raise it to more than its pristine glory. Luk 2:7 proves this (Isa 53:2; compare Job 14:7-8; see on Isa 8:6). Branch--Scion. He is nevertheless also the "root" (Isa 11:10; Rev 5:5; Rev 22:16. "Root and offspring" combines both, Zac 3:8; Zac 6:12).

highway--a highway clear of obstructions (Isa 19:23; Isa 35:8). like as . . . Israel . . . Egypt-- (Isa 51:10-11; Isa 63:12-13). Just as Miriam, after the deliverance of the Red Sea (Isa 11:16), celebrated it with an ode of praise (Exo. 15:1-19). Next: Isaiah Chapter 12