Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 56

1 THus saith the LORD , Keep ye judgment, and do justice : for my salvation is near to come , and my righteousness to be revealed.

This verse and the rest of this Chapter, until v. 9. seems to belong to the foregoing Prophesie. From the consideration of Gods Promises made to them he moveth them to perform their duty to him.

This Phrase elsewhere signifies the duties which one man oweth to another, but here it seems to signifie the Duties which men owe to God, as it is explained in the following verses.

That eminent Salvation by the Messiah so largely promised, and insisted upon in the foregoing Chapters: for which it behoves you to prepare your selves, and in which, without this condition you shall have no share nor benefit.

So the Scripture useth to speak of things which are at a great distance, as if they were present or at hand. See Habak. 2. 3. Iam. 5. 8, 9. Rev. 22. 20.

The same thing which he now called Salvation, and here calleth his Righteousness, because it is an evident demonstration of Gods Righteousness as in the fulfilling of his promises, so in the punishment of sin, and in the salvation of sinners upon just and honourable terms.

Marginal references: Or, equity.

2 Blessed is the man that doth this , and the son of man that layeth hold on it: that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it , and keepeth his hand from doing any evil .

Every man, not only Jews, but Gentiles, or Strangers, as it is explained in the following Verses.

Judgment and Justice, mentioned v. 1.

That guardeth the Sabbath from profanation, that doth not defile it, either by forbidden practices, or by the neglect of commanded duties. And though Sabbath seems to be put here, as Sacrifice is elsewhere, Synecdochically for the whole Worship of God, whereof this is an eminent part, and the bond of all the rest.

Which being the great instrument of Action, is put for all the kinds and means of Action.

To wit, to ones Neighbour, as it is more fully expressed, Psal. 15. 3.

h Or, that holdeth it fast, that is resolute and constant in so doing, that not only begins well, but perseveres in it.

3 Neither let the son of a stranger , that hath joined himself to the LORD speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people, neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree .

The stranger, as the son of man is the same with the man, v. 2. the Gentile, who by Birth is a stranger to God, and to the Common-Wealth of Israel.

That hath turned from dumb Idols to the living God, and to the true Religion: for such shall be as acceptable to me as the Israelites themselves, and the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles shall be taken down, and Repentance and Remission of sins shall be preached and offered to men of all Nations.

Who is here joined with the stranger, because he was forbidden to enter into the Congregation of the Lord, Deut. 23. 1. as the stranger was, and by his barrenness might seem no less than the stranger to be cast out of Gods Covenant, and cut off from his People, to whom the blessing of a numerous Posterity was promised. And under these two Instances he understands all those persons, who either by Birth, or by any Ceremonial Pollution, were excluded from the participation of Church priviledges, and so he throws open the door to all true Believers without any restriction whatsoever.

A sapless and fruitless Tree, accursed by God with the curse of barrenness, which being oft threatned as a Curse, and being a matter of Reproach among the Jews might easily occasion such discouraging thoughts as are here expressed.

4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me , and take hold of my covenant :

That observe my commands not by custom, or force, or fear, but by free choice, and full consent, with love to them and delight in them.

That resolvedly and steadfastly keep the conditions of my Covenant.

5 Even unto them will I give in mine house , and within my walls , a place and a name better than of sons and daughters : I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

In my Temple, to serve me there as Priests, which Eunuchs were not allowed to do, Lev. 21. 17, &c. Deut. 23. 1.

In the Courts of my Temple, which were encompassed with Walls. This seems to be added with respect to the People who were admitted into the Court, but not into the House it self.

A far greater Blessing and Honour than that of having posterity, which was but a temporal Mercy, and that common to the worst of men, even my Favour, and my Spirit, and eternal Felicity.

6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD , to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD , to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant:

That with purpose of heart cleave unto him, as is said, Act. 11. 23..

To serve him out of love to him, and to his Worship.

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain , and make them joyful in my house of prayer : their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar : for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people .

To my house, as it is explained in the following clause, which stood upon Mount Sion, largely so called, including Mount Moriah. Formerly the Gentiles neither had any desire to come thither, nor were admitted there; but now I will incline their hearts to come, and I will give them admission and free liberty to come into my Church.

By accepting their services, and comforting their hearts with the sense of my Love, and pouring down all sorts of blessings upon them.

In my Temple, in and towards which Prayers are daily made and directed unto me, 1 King. 8. 19, 28.

They shall have as free access to mine House and Altar, as the Jews themselves, and their services shall be as acceptable to me as theirs. Evangelical Worship is here described under such Expressions as agreed to the Worship of God which then was in use, as it is Mal. 1. 11. and elsewhere. See also Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 15.

Jews and Gentiles shall have equal freedom of access to my House, and shall there call upon my Name. Possibly he may call it an House of Prayer, either to imply that Prayer to God, whereof Thanksgiving is a part, is a more considerable part of Gods Worship than Sacrifice, which being considered in itself is little valued by him, as he frequently declareth: or to signifie that in the New Testament, when the Gentiles should be called, all other Sacrifices should cease, except that of Prayer, and such like Spiritual Services. Which also is confirmed from the nature of the thing. For seeing Sacrifices were confined to the Temple at Ierusalem, and it was impossible that all Nations should resort thither to offer up Levitical Sacrifices in such time and manner as God appointed, it was necessary upon supposition of the general conversion of the Gentiles, that that way of Worship ship should be abolished, and such a way prescribed as they were capable of practising.

Marginal references: Ch. 2. 2.; Mat. 21. 13. Mar. 11. 17. Luk. 19. 46.

8 The Lord GOD, which gathereth the out-casts of Israel , saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides those that are gathered unto him .

Which will gather to himself, and bring into their own Land, those poor Israelites which are, or shall be, cast out of their own Land, and from Gods presence, and dispersed in divers parts of the World.

As there are some few Gentiles whom I have made Proselytes, and added to the Jewish Church, so I shall make another and a far more comprehensive gathering of the Gentiles, whom I shall bring into the same Church with the Jews, making both Jews and Gentiles one fold under one Shepherd, as it is promised, Ioh. 10. 16.

Marginal references: Heb. to his gathered.

9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forrest .

This invitation or proclamation is a prediction of Israel's Destruction by their cruel Enemies, which are oft expressed in Scripture under the names of ravenous Beasts. But the great Question is, What connexion this part of the Chapter hath with the former? Which may be thus conceived: The prophet having largely dis[illegible: 1+ letters]sed concerning the Messiah, and his Church and Kingdom, and particularly of the great accession and conversion of the Gentiles to it, and of the Infidelity, Apostacy, and manifold Wickednesses of the Jewish Nation, and having comforted and encouraged the Gentiles with Gods gracious promises made to them, he now proceeds to terrifie the unbelieving and ungodly Jews, and to shew that as the Gentiles should believe, and be saved, so they should reject their Messiah, and be utterly destroyed; although we need not labour much about the coherence: For this may be a new Sermon, and therefore many learned Interpreters make this the beginning of the 57th Chapter.

10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant , they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark , sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber .

Israels, as is evident from the following verses: the Pronoun Relative being put without, and instead of the Antecedent; of which I have given divers Instances before.

Priests and Prophets, or other Teachers, who are commonly called Watchmen, as Ezek. 3. 17. & 33. 2. Hos. 9. 8. He mentions only the Teachers, because Ignorance was most shameful in them, but hereby he supposeth the gross ignorance of the People, who neither pretended nor desired to be wiser than their Teachers.

Of Gods Will and Word, and of their own and the Peoples duty, and of the true Messiah.

They are also slothful and negligent in instructing the people, and do not faithfully reprove them for their sins, nor warn them of their dangers, nor keep them from Errours and corruptions in Doctrine, and Worship, and Conversation, as they ought to do.

Minding their own ease and safety more than the Peoples benefit.

Marginal references: Or, dreaming, or talking in their sleep.

11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough , and they are shepherds that cannot understand : they all look to their own way , every one for his gain from his quarter .

Insatiably covetous.

Heb. that know not to understand, that do not care, or love, or desire (as knowing is frequently taken) either to understand the Law, or Word of God themselves, or to make the People to understand it.

They regard neither Gods Command and Glory, nor the Peoples good, but only the satisfaction of their own base Lusts. See on Isa. 53. 6.

In their several places and stations, as they have opportunity: Heb. from his or their end or extremity, i. e. universally, or all from one end of that Body or Society of men unto the other: as the same word signifies Gen. 19. 4. from one end of the City to the other, or, as we there render it, from every quarter: and as the same word is by divers learned Men rendred 1 Kin. 12. 31. not of the meanest of the people, but out of all the people, or indifferently out of every Tribe: of which see my note there. But if that Phrase be rightly rendred there, out of the meanest of the people, as divers also expound the same Phrase, Gen. 47. 2. of the meanest of his Brethren; why may it not as well be rendred here, even from the meanest or poorest of his flock, which is a great aggravation of their covetousness and cruelty, to extort gains from such as needed their Charity.

Marginal references: Heb. strong of appetite.; Heb. know not to be satisfied.; Ezek. 34. 2, 3.; Ch. 53. 6. & 57. 17.

12 Come ye, say they , I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant .

Unto their Brethren, by Office, and in Iniquity, unto their Fellow-Priests, or other jolly companions.

We will drink not only to Delight, but even to Drunkenness, as this word signifies, Mich. 1. 10. and elsewhere.

Which sheweth their dreadful security and contempt of God, and of his Judgments, and their total and resolved abandoning of all care of their own or Peoples Souls.