CHAP. XX.
The prophet goes uncovered and barefoot, as a sign of the captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia by the Assyrians, 1-4. He pre
N the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against
dicts the terror of those who had expected help from them, Ashdod, and took it;
5, 6.
nowledge of God
with Israel, in serving and worshipping the LORD; and that Israel would prove prove a a blessing blessing between the two nations, by by communicating commu to them the knowledge of God, and his salvation. (Notes, Gen. 12:1-3. Zech. 8:20-23.) Nay, the Lord himself would pronounce them blessed, and shew favor to them, as his people and the work of his hands, new created unto holiness, even as he had been used to do to Israel his inheritance. "The work of my hands,' ... is always used in this prophet, of those who 'are in covenant with God, and members of his 'church.' Lowth. ( Notes , 29:22-24. 45:11. 60: 15-22. Ps . 100:3. 149:2. Eph . 2:19-22. 1 Pet . 2:9,10.)-I apprehend that the grand accomplishment of these verses, and of the latter part of this extraordinary prophecy, is still to be expected. At the same time, I would observe, that to explain the whole chapter, as pre
by hands,"
a 2 Kings 18:17
1:8.
b 1 Sam. 6:17. Jer. 25:20. Am. c Jer. 25:29,30.
come the ruin, who should be the stay, of the tribes of the land. But he leaves rulers to be actuated by a perverse spirit, and to bring public affairs to the utmost confusion and contempt, in order to punish the lower orders also for their transgressions: and every view of this subject proves, that "righteousness exalteth a nation, but that sin is the reproach of any people:" ( Note , Prov . 14:34.) and that invasions, civil wars, and the decay of trade, and the want of employment, or even food for the poor, are calls from God to national repentance and reformation. When he "shaketh his hand," and shews tokens of indignation; the most courageous become as women; and he renders sinners afraid of those, whom before they despised or oppressed. "The counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined" against all the workers of iniquity, will make them a
dicting one grand event, supposed to be fore-terror to themselves and to each other; and
told in very many scriptures; so as to exclude the evident literal accomplishment of the former part of the chapter; is calculated to weaken the evidence, from prophecies already fulfilled, to the divine inspiration of the scripture, to confound the ininds of plain readers, and to furnish cavils to those, who say, there is no certainty in prophecy. It is of immense importance to draw the line as exactly as possible, between what has been fulfilled, and what has not.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1-17.
every surrounding object a terror to them.
V. 18-23.
The severest temporal judgments of God combine with his designs of mercy: and revolutions in mighty kingdoms make way for the success of his gospel.
Already numbers have learned to "speak the language of Canaan, and to swear to the LORD of hosts;" to erect altars to his name, and to offer him spiritual sacrifices, in those places which were the most addicted to idolatry: and every event of this kind is a proof of the divine original of that blessed book, in which so many prophecies to this effect are contained, which are fulfilling from age to age in the view of the whole world.The Lord has indeed sent a Savior and a great One, to deliver those, who were oppressed by Satan; all that cry unto him for that redemption, are made partakers of it; and ere long he will open a way for his gospel into the remotest nations of the earth.
Then hostile nations shall amicably accord in serving him; and commerce shall become, in a most eminent degree, the means of religious intercourse, and the communion of saints,' in regions most remote from each other. For they shall then alike know, trust, and worship "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;" he will acknowledge them as "his people, the work of his hands," and "his chosen inheritance:" and it shall then be known, that Israel, which has been so despised and hated on earth, was indeed blessed of God, and a blessing in the midst of every land.
But, what a change does the grace of God effect upon men's dispositions, conversation, and behavior! Believing his truth and attending on his ordinances, they learn to speak a new language, sincere, pure, pious, heavenly, and instructive: ( Note , Zeph. 3:9,10.) they become just, harmless, kind, and peaceable; and they live in harmony and do good, and aim to be a blessing to their neighbors, and even to their enemies. ( Note , 11:69.
P. 0.1-9.)-Finally, let the broken-hearted and afflicted, who call on God for his mercy, take courage; for he will be entreated, and heal their souls, and turn their sorrowing supplications into joyful praises.
When ungodly men escape one threatening danger, they think themselves secure: but "evil pursueth sinners," and will speedily overtake them: and when the Lord comes to execute judgment, every false confidence will fail, and every sinner's heart will melt within him. To punish a guilty nation, the inhabitants need only to be left to themselves, and they will soon be set against one another, "every one against his brother, or his neighbor; city against city," and province against province.
Thus the righteous Lord weakens offending nations, and destroys their counsel; and their foolish expedients for deliverance, involve them in still deeper guilt and misery.
When collective bodies are thus divided among themselves, and either struggling to acquire or retain dominion, or aiming to preserve or recover their liberties, without regard to God, he often gives them into the hands of some foreign power, which rules over them "as a cruel lord, and a fierce king;" so that the true friends of civil liberty, and all who would be considered as reformers , should begin by seeking the favor of God, and liberty from the bondage of sin.
He can soon cut off those sources of national wealth, which are looked upon as most certain: and whilst kings and nobles are forming and executing their infatuated projects, to aggrandize themselves; the poor are often deprived of employment and subsistence, and so hurried on by designing men into turbulent and ruinous measures.
Indeed the comfort of the lower orders in society is seldom, if ever, duly regarded by ambitious men: yet, where this is neglected, the counsel of the wisest is brutish, and tends to deceive, whilst it flatters those who depend upon it: and thus they be-nacherib's captains, who seems here to be
NOTES.
CHAP. XX. V. 1. Tartan was one of Sen
2 At the same time spake the LORD by * Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking & naked and barefoot.
5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
6 And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our ex
3 And the Lord said, Like as my pectation, whither we flee for help to be servant Isaiah hath walked naked and delivered from the king of Assyria: qand barefoot three years, for a sign and wonder kupon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;
4 So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked with their buttocks and barefoot, even uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
* Heb. the hand of Isaiah.
d Jer. 13:1-11. 19:1, &c.
Ez.
| h Num. 14:34. Ez. 4:5,6. Rev.
11:2,3.
i 8:18.
k 18:1,&c.
1 19:4. Jer. 46:26. Ez. 30:18. † Heb.captivity of Egypt. m 3:17. 2 Sam. 10:4. Jer. 13: 22. Mic. 1:11.
Heb. nakedness. Rev. 3:18.
how shall we escape?