8He cried as a lion: Lord, I stand continually on the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights; 9and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. He answered, Fallen, fallen is Bavel; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground. 10You my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Yisrael, have I declared to you. Isaiah 21:1: 1-10 Babylon was a flat country, abundantly watered. The destruction of Babylon, so often prophesied of by Isaiah, was typical of the destruction of the great foe of the New Testament church, foretold in the Revelation. To the poor oppressed captives it would be welcome news; to the proud oppressors it would be grievous. Let this check vain mirth and sensual pleasures, that we know not in what heaviness the mirth may end. Here is the alarm given to Babylon, when forced by Cyrus. An ass and a camel seem to be the symbols of the Medes and Persians. Babylons idols shall be so far from protecting her, that they shall be broken down. True believers are the corn of Gods floor; hypocrites are but as chaff and straw, with which the wheat is now mixed, but from which it shall be separated. The corn of Gods floor must expect to be threshed by afflictions and persecutions. Gods Israel of old was afflicted. Even then God owns it is his still. In all events concerning the church, past, present, and to come, we must look to God, who has power to do any thing for his church, and grace to do every thing that is for her good. Isaiah 1:1: 1-9 Isaiah signifies, The salvation of the Lord; a very suitable name for this prophet, who prophesies so much of Jesus the Saviour, and his salvation. Gods professing people did not know or consider that they owed their lives and comforts to Gods fatherly care and kindness. How many are very careless in the affairs of their souls! Not considering what we do know in religion, does us as much harm, as ignorance of what we should know. The wickedness was universal. Here is a comparison taken from a sick and diseased body. The distemper threatens to be mortal. From the sole of the foot even to the head; from the meanest peasant to the greatest peer, there is no soundness, no good principle, no religion, for that is the health of the soul. Nothing but guilt and corruption; the sad effects of Adams fall. This passage declares the total depravity of human nature. While sin remains unrepented, nothing is done toward healing these wounds, and preventing fatal effects. Jerusalem was exposed and unprotected, like the huts or sheds built up to guard ripening fruits. These are still to be seen in the East, where fruits form a large part of the summer food of the people. But the Lord had a small remnant of pious servants at Jerusalem. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed. The evil nature is in every one of us; only Jesus and his sanctifying Spirit can restore us to spiritual health.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 16:52:22 +0000
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