And her that was cast off a strong nation - The prophecy, that there should be a remnant, was depressing. Yet what a remnant should it be! A remnant, which should multiply like the stars of heaven or the sand on the sea-shore. Israel had never been “a strong nation,” as a kingdom of this world. At its best estate, under David, it had subdued the petty nations around it, who were confederated to destroy it. It had never competed with the powers of this world, East or West, Egypt or Nineveh, although God had at times marvelously saved it from being swallowed up by them. Now, the remnant of Judah, which itself was but a remnant of the undivided people, was to become “a strong nation.” So Isaiah prophesied, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation” Isaiah 60:22. Plainly not in temporal greatness, both because human strength was not, and could not be, its characteristic, and because the prophet had been speaking of spiritual restoration.
: “‘Strong’ are they, whom neither torture nor allurements can separate from the love of Christ.” “Strong are they, who are strong against themselves.” Strong were they who said,
“We ought to obey God rather than men Acts 5:29, and, “who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” Romans 8:35, Romans 8:37. God does not only restore in the Gospel; He multiplies exceedingly. Rup.: “I will so clothe her with the spirit of might, that, as she shall be fruitful in number, so shall she be glorious in victories, so that of her it shall be said, “who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?” Song of Solomon 6:10. For, not to name those, whose whole life is one warfare against invisible enemies and the evil desires of the flesh, who shall count the martyrs of Christ? We know that that “remnant” and “strong nation” owe wholly to grace all which they are, as they themselves in the Revelations give thanks; “Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth” Revelation 5:9-10; that same Lord, of whom it is here said,
The Lord shall reign over them in Zion from henceforth even forever - The visible kingdom of God in Judah was often obscured, kings, princes, priests, and false prophets combining to encourage one another in rebellion against God. In the captivity it even underwent an almost total eclipse by the over-shadowing of earthly power, save when the divine light flashed forth for an instant in the deeds or words of power and wisdom, related by Daniel. “Henceforth,” that is, from the time, when the law should go forth out of Zion, God should indeed reign, and that kingdom should have no end.