Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 52
Overview:
The welcome news of
Christ's kingdom.
(1-12) The humiliation
of the
Messiah.
(13-15)
1-12 The
Gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears.
Let those weary and heavy laden under the
Burden of
Sin, find
relief in
Christ, shake themselves from the
Dust of their doubts
and fears, and loose themselves from those
Bands. The price paid
By the
Redeemer for our
Salvation, was not
Silver or
Gold, or
corruptible things, but his own precious
Blood. Considering the
freeness of this
Salvation, and how hurtful to temporal comfort
sins are, we shall more value the
Redemption which is in
Christ.
Do we seek victory over every
Sin, recollecting that the
Glory
of
God requires
Holiness in every follower of
Christ? The good
news is, that the
Lord Jesus reigns.
Christ himself brought
these tidings first. His ministers proclaim these good tidings:
keeping themselves
Clean from the pollutions of the world, they
are beautiful to those to whom they are sent. Zion's watchmen
could scarcely discern any thing of
God's favour through the
dark
Cloud of their
Afflictions; but now the
Cloud is scattered,
they shall plainly see the performance. Zion's waste places
shall then rejoice; all the world will have the benefit. This is
applied to our
Salvation By Christ.
Babylon is
No place for
Israelites. And it is a
Call to all in the
Bondage of
Sin and
Satan, to use the liberty
Christ has proclaimed. They were to go
with diligent haste, not to lose time nor linger; but they were
not to go with distrustful haste. Those in the way of duty, are
under
God's special protection; and he that believes this, will
not hasten for fear.
13-15 Here begins that wonderful, minute, and
Faithful
description of the office, character, and
Glory of the
Messiah,
which has struck conviction to many of the most hardened
unbelievers.
Christ is
Wisdom itself; in the work of our
Redemption there appeared the
Wisdom of
God in a
Mystery. Those
that saw him, said, Surely never
Man looked
So miserable: never
was sorrow like unto his sorrow. But
God highly exalted him.
That shall be discovered
By the
Gospel of
Christ, which could
never be told in any other way. And
Christ having once shed his
Blood for sinners, its power still continues. May all opposers
see the
Wisdom of ceasing from their opposition, and be made
partakers of the
Blood of sprinkling, and the
Baptism of the
Holy Ghost; obeying him, and praising his
Salvation.