Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 52:7

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation , that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth .

These are words of rejoicing and admiration. They are exceeding precious and acceptable.

Of Zion, and Moriah, which are somtimes mentioned as one Mountain, and sometimes as two. Or, in the mountainous Country of Iudaea, to which these glad tidings were brought, and from which they were spread abroad into other Countries.

Which carry this welcome messenger, or the messenger himself.

Or, of them. For the singular number is o[illegible: 1+ letters]t put for the plural: although it may be here emphatically used, to signifie that although there were many Messengers, yet one was the chief, and Lord of the Embassy, whose coming was more acceptable than the rest: which suits excellently to the Messiah, who is called the messenger of the Covenant▪ Mal. 3. 1. and is oft said to be sent by God, as Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 6. 38. & 8. 16, 18. &c. to publish the glad tidings of Salvation.

Those emphatical and repeated Expressions are a sufficient evidence, that somthing further and better is here intended than their deliverance out of Babylon, which in itself was but a very imperfect work, and reached at first but to a few of that numerous People, and was attended with many fears, and sorrows, and remainders of their bondage, Ezra 9. 8, 9. Ne[illegible: 1+ letters]em. 1. 3. and that although that was the beginning of these glad tidings, yet they extended much further even to the coming of Christ, by whom alone true Peace and Salvation were procured.

It is true, this might in some sort be said when God so over-ruled the affairs of the World, and the heart of Cyrus, that his People were freed from the Babylonish Captivity and restored into and setled in their own Land. Although he that considers the state of Gods People in their own Land after their return will find that the reign of God in and over the World was not then either very conspicuous or glorious. And therefore it seems far more reasonable to understand it of the days of the Messiah, when God did discover and exercise his dominion over the World far more eminently than ever he had done from the beginning of the World until that time.

Marginal references: Nah. 1. 15. Rom. 10. 15.