Isaiah 32:1,2 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

In some of our old Bibles, the reading is rendered more strong, by defining the person to whom this refers. Behold the king. What king? Surely him whom Jehovah himself saith, he hath set upon his holy hill of Zion, Psalms 2:6. And the same copies read, and that man? What man? Surely he that is to reign in righteousness when the man that is God's fellow, Zechariah 13:7. We sadly enervate scripture, when we mix up human things with divine. Some have supposed that this scripture is a prophecy concerning the reign of the good king; but how then could this be a prophecy, when it was delivered at the very time of Hezekiah's reign? Was it needful to tell the people by prophecy, of the goodness of a reign, when they were enjoying it? Moreover, those who fancy it hath the smallest allusion to Hezekiah, should show the fulfillment of it. So far was the reign of Hezekiah from being a fence and a security to the people, that the poor man himself was thrown into a terrible fright when the enemy came up to invade his land, Isaiah 37:1. And add to all these considerations, it must he confessed, that after all that can he said of the worth and goodness of Hezekiah, never could such things be said of him, nor indeed of any one among the fallen sons of men, as are here said of that king, whose reign was to be in righteousness. I hope I shall be forsaken if I err, but I cannot but conclude, that all the blessed events which are here spoken of, are wholly to be looked for under him, and his auspicious reign of grace in the hearts of his people, whose name is the Lord Our Righteousness; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 9:9; Psalms 45:1-6. And if we wholly set aside all thoughts of Hezekiah, and view Jesus, then we shall enter by faith, and under the leadings and teachings of the Holy Ghost, whose office it is to glorify the Lord Jesus, into a sweet enjoyment of what is said in this precious chapter. Then we shall see that this righteous King, this holy Man, is reigning indeed now, in the present hour, and his reign of grace is come. In his spiritual kingdom, he is a refuge against all the wind of spiritual temptations, persecutions, afflictions, and the like. And he is no less a fountain of waters, and streams from Lebanon, in the consolations of his Holy Spirit amidst all the dry and thirsty frames of his redeemed. Song of Solomon 4:15; Psalms 46:4; John 7:37-39.