Isaiah 41:14-16 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

If the Reader will observe, he will find that all these blessed promises are made to one individual person; and, to whom could these things be said, but to the person of our Lord? As Christ himself is the great promise of the Bible, so every promise is first made to Him, and then to his people in Him. Without an union with him, there can be no pretension to a single promise. The charter of grace is: Men shall be blessed in Him; Psalms 72:17. The Reader will not see any objection to this doctrine, from Christ's being called Jacob. That difficulty will be at once removed, from what was offered in the observations on the preceding verses: Christ not only condescends to call himself by his Church's name; but God the Father (graciously to his people) beholds him; and speaks to him, under this same name; Isaiah 49:3. And the Reader will find a farther confirmation of this blessed doctrine, if he will consult what Christ said of himself, under the spirit of prophecy, by his servant David: I am a worm (said that holy and lowly Lamb of God) and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people; Psalms 22:6. Oh! how truly refreshing to my soul is it, in the moment of writing, to trace Jesus in these most blessed scriptures, under such precious views, as tend to endear Him more and more, to the heart. And, Reader! be not hurt, nor let your faith stagger, that such promises were needful for Christ to receive, and to have fulfilled. For the human nature of Christ, though united to the Godhead, continued human nature still, and, as such, required communications of strength, for the work of redemption, from Jehovah. And hence it was one part of the covenant, that what the Father called him to undertake, he would enable him to perform. See Psalms 89:19-24; Psalms 89:19-24; Isaiah 11:1-2; Isaiah 11:1-2; John 3:34. I detain the Reader one moment longer on this most beautiful and interesting passage, just to remark the very great loveliness of the similitude chosen by the Lord, to represent the lowliness of our Jesus, and the almightiness of his victories. The worm Jacob threshing the mountains, is one of the strongest figures, to set forth how Jesus, in his apparent weakness, overcame strength; for on his cross were all his triumphs accomplished. He was, as his servant, the Apostle, expresseth it, crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God; 2 Corinthians 13:4. Never, surely, was Jesus more glorious than in the humiliation of the cross, never more triumphant, than when, in that memorable day, he threshed the mountains of leopards; when spoiling principalities, and powers, and nailing all that was against his redeemed to his cross; Colossians 2:14-15. And how the Lord Christ gloried in his Father at that hour, the Reader will discover by consulting those scriptures of his agony in the garden, and on the cross, John 13:31-32; John 13:31-32. Now read the garden scene, Luke 22:39-44; then either of the Evangelists' account of the crucifixion; and say, did not our glorious Head rejoice in Jehovah, and glory in the Holy One of Israel?