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Ver. 8. Drop down, ye heavens, from above.] A prayer of the poor captives in Babylon, say some, for a speedy performance of their promised deliverance; and this the rather because else Christ could not come of them, teach in their country, work miracles, and fulfil the office of a mediator, as the prophets had foretold. Whereunto God immediately answereth: I, the Lord, have created him, or will create him, that is, send him in due time, doubt ye not. Others make it a description of Cyrus’s just and happy reign; see the like of Solomon. (Psalms 72:6,7) And indeed Cyrus is famous in heathen histories for his wisdom, justice, temperance, magnanimity, and liberality. It is not the custom of Cyrus to hoard up money, saith Xenophon, for he taketh more delight in giving than in getting or possessing. But it seemeth rather to be a command from God of plenty and prosperity, opposite to that countermand. (Isaiah 5:6) The Papists apply it to Christ and his mother, and hence their roaring out of Rorate in their solemn service, a month before the feast of the nativity, and then they call for their carousing cups. Cyropaed., lib. viii.
Ver. 9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.] That contends with him, (Romans 9:20) or presumes to prescribe to him, as some impatient spirits among the captives may seem to have done. We may not measure God’s dealings by our models, nor murmur against his counsels; since his holy will is the most perfect rule of right. Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth.] And not dash against the rock of ages; let him meddle with his match, and not “contend with a mightier than he,” (Ecclesiastes 6:10) What though God create him darkness and evil, [as Isaiah 45:7] let him wait upon God for better times, and not think to mend himself by murmuring against his Maker as too severe. Shall the clay say, &c.,] q.d., This were an intolerable petulance. Or thy work, it hath no hands?] Or, He hath no hands, sc., to fashion me aright. Thus the work seemeth to make answer to the clay; for as the clay said to the potter, Quid fecisti, What hast thou made? so the work saith, by way of jeer, he hath no hands, sc., to make me as he should have done.
Ver. 10. Woe unto him that saith to his father.] Are these fit words to a father? Is it not an impious morosity to talk unto him in this sort, Why hast thou begotten me at all? or if at all, why not rich, fair, wise? &c. And to the woman,] i.e., To his mother, [as Isaiah 49:15] but such as he can hardly find in his heart to call mother.
Ver. 11. Thus saith the Lord, &c.,] q.d., Leave off such insolent and unbecoming language, and learn of me about what ye should rather busy yourselves. Ask me of things to come.] Me, and not your wizards. Have recourse to “my prophets; believe them, and ye shall prosper.” Let your patient mind be known to all men; the Lord is at hand for your deliverance. Command ye me.] This is a wonderful expression, and doth notably set forth the power of prayer. Luther, it seemeth, well understood the latitude of this royal charter, saith one, when praying for the recovery of a godly useful preacher who was far gone in a consumption, among other passages he let fall this transcendent rapture of a daring faith, “Let my will be done,” but then he falls off sweetly, “My will, Lord, because thy will.” Mr Burr.
Ver. 12. I have made the earth,] q.d., I am the mighty maker and monarch of the world; therefore pray on, and patiently wait for a gracious answer, “he that believeth maketh not haste.”
Ver. 13. I have raised him up,] i.e., Cyrus. (Ezra 1:1) And I will direct all his ways,] sc., When he cometh against the Babylonians, Lydians, &c., on mine errand. But when moved by his ambition, he invaded Scythia, and cruelly wasted the country, God took no further charge of him; as I may say, He that is out of God’s precincts, is out of his protection.
Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt.] Here he turneth his speech to Cyrus, promising him that he should be no loser by his generous carriage toward the poor people of God, his captives, whom he freely dismissed without ransom. (Isaiah 45:13) God’s retributions are more than bountiful. Men of stature.] The Arabians are reported to have been goodly personable men by Agatharchides, an ancient writer, from whom Plutarch and Pliny borrowed much. They shall come over unto thee.] Commodissime dicemus promissionem hanc referendum ad tempus revelati Evangelii. This was fulfilled chiefly when the gospel was preached, and nations thereby converted. See Psalms 45:8 149:6-8. The bonds of the Holy Spirit are stronger than adamant, salth Ambrose. Surely God is in thee.] Or, With thee; and hence thou, O Cyrus, so prevailest and prosperest. Thus these conquered kings shall supplicate and say to Cyrus. And there is none else, there is no God.] Hence Mohammedans seem to have taken that which, out of their Alchoran, they daily proclaim in their mosques or meeting houses, “There is no god but God, and Mohammed his counsellor.” Thus those kings; but what saith the prophet? Vel proceri, i.e., potentissimi agro. Agatharch., lib. v. cap. 20. Trem. in Ps l., xxxvii.
Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself.] As thou art invisible, and dwellest in light inaccessible; so in thy dispensations thou goest a way by thyself, and thy judgments are unsearchable. “Thou hidest thyself,” and standest off a while sometimes from the help of thy poor people, but wilt appear to them and for them in due time. The Septuagint here translate Tu es Deus et nesciebamus, Thou art God, and we knew thee not. And this the fathers interpret concerning Christ; and hence the Jews seem to have drawn that speech of theirs, “Christ when he cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.” Haec approbatio est Prophetae. -Scultet.
Ver. 16. That are makers of idols.] The word rendered idols, signifieth properly Tormina, cruciatus, pains, and throes, and straits. Idolaters heap up sorrows to themselves, and terrors of conscience. See Psalms 16:4. [See Trapp on “Ps 16:4”]
Ver. 17. But Israel…with an everlasting salvation.] By Cyrus they were not so, for not long after, Antiochus afflicted them, Herod got the sceptre from them, the Romans came and took away both them and their nation; but the Israel of God were, and are still, saved by Jesus, with an everlasting salvation.
Ver. 18. He created it not in vain.] Therefore never think that he will forsake it, or not take care of his Church therein, for whose sake he made it at first, and still upholdeth it “by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3) Now, if God created not the earth in vain, much less the heavens—wherein he hath showed his greater skill (Hebrews 11:10) [See Trapp on “Heb 11:10”] -but that his people might there inhabit for ever. And here it is that they shall be “saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation”; yea, they “shall not be ashamed or confounded, world without end.” (Isaiah 45:17)
Ver. 19. I have not spoken in secret.] As the sibyls did out of their dens; as the idol priests did out of their holes and underground vaults; as heretics and seducers, who creep into corners and there vend their false wares, as Vincentins Lirinensis long since observed. (Epiphanius fitly compareth them to moles, who do all their mischief by working underground.) But God, as he delivered his law openly on Mount Sinai, so his gospel he commanded to be preached “on the house top,” and in Mount Zion. Christ “spoke openly” to the world. (John 18:20) Truth seeketh no corners: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 1:16) But what was this word that was delivered so plainly and perspicuously? Seek ye me.] And for your encouragement ye shall not do it “in vain”; for I am “a rewarder of all those that diligently seek me.” (Hebrews 11:6) Let heathen deities disappoint and delude those that seek to them; Jacob’s God scorneth the motion. He is better to his people than their prayers, better than their hopes; and when, with Gehazi, they ask but one talent, he, like Naaman, forceth them to take two. I the Lord speak righteousness; I declare the things that are right.] Or, Even. So doth not the devil, but things sinful and obscene; as human sacrifices, promiscuous uncleannesses, ut in nefariis Priapi et Veneris sacris. Contrariwise, “all the words of God’s mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.” (Proverbs 8:8)
Ver. 20. Ye that are escaped of the nations.] That have escaped the sword of Cyrus, and well proved how little your gods can do for you. That set up the wood of their graven image.] Qui levant lignum, carrying them in pomp and procession upon their shoulders, as Papists now do their pictures, their breaden god especially, and crying to it, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaoth!”
Ver. 21. Who hath declared this?] sc., That the people of God should be set at liberty by Cyrus.
Ver. 22. Look unto me, and be ye saved.] While the moon looketh directly upon the sun, she is bright and beautiful; but if she once turn aside and be left to herself, she loseth all her glory, and enjoys but only a shadow of light, which is her own; so while men look to Christ, the “Sun of righteousness,” and toward the “stars in his right hand.” For I am God, and none else.] This Judas Maccabeus acknowledged in his ensign, wherein this motto was written, Mi Camoca Belohim Iehovah, i.e., ” Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Lord?” from the capital letters of which motto he took his name Maccabi. Godw., Heb. Antiqu.
Ver. 23. That unto me every knee.] I will be known and obeyed all the world over, sc., by Christians. Of the Jews Jerome noteth, quod mentis superbiam demonstrantes genu non flectunt, that they bow not the knee in God’s service, but only stand up at times.
Ver. 24. Surely shall one say.] This shall be the Christian confession, “In the Lord have I righteousness,” &c.—“Righteousness,” i.e., mercy to those that come over to him, and strength to enable them to come, as the sea sendeth out waters to fetch us to it.
Ver. 25. Shall be justified.] By faith in Christ. (Romans 5:1) And shall glory.] Having peace of conscience they shall “glory in tribulation.” (Romans 5:1,3) Note this against merit mongers.