CONTENTS
This is a most blessed Chapter, descriptive of the victories of the Lord Jesus Christ over his enemies, and the triumphs of his love and grace in redemption.
I cannot enter upon this Chapter, without first looking up, to bless God for it. Never surely was there a more glorious description of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; than what is here given to the Church, in the language of prophecy, so many years before the coming of Christ. Some writers, in order to lessen the force of the precious things, as referring to Christ, would tell us, that the writing is no more than an account of the triumph of Israel over Babylon, when, by the destruction of that kingdom, Israel was delivered from bondage. But this is altogether impossible. The mighty Conqueror here described, is said to come from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah. Now these places lay to the south of Jerusalem: whereas Babylon is always spoken of, through the Scripture, as the North Country. See Jeremiah 31:8. Nothing, therefore, can be more plain, than that the victory here spoken of, is Christ's personal conquest of salvation, in which, as the scripture saith, of the people, there was none with him. Edom and Bozrah, are mentioned, probably in allusion to the ancient enmity of Esau, the head of the house of Edom, against Jacob, his brother. For from Abel and Cain, uniformly down through the whole race, in the separate and distinct seed, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, Galatians 4:29. But I pray the Reader to look over all lesser considerations, and to follow the Prophet in what is here said, with an eye to Christ alone. And may He that guided the Prophet's pen, guide the heart both of the writer and the Reader of this Commentary, that we may behold Jesus blessedly represented through the whole. The prophet opens the Chapter with a question, as one surprised at what he beheld. He sees one coming towards him, under a character that he could not explain to himself. He beholds him coming up as from war, not tired, nor weary, but travelling in great strength; and yet his garments are like those of the most menial servant, who had come up from the wine-press, an office always performed by the lowest of the people. The Prophet, struck with the view, asketh, who is this? To which the Lord, in great grace, instantly gives answer, It is I, mighty to save; and speaking in righteousness. The Prophet could not but perfectly understand, by those characters, who it was. None but Jesus, the promised Saviour, could be mighty to save; for salvation is in no other. And this became the fulfillment of God's covenant in his promises, and manifested Jehovah's faithfulness, Deuteronomy 7:9. Reader! how blessed is it to see, in one and the same scripture, the faithfulness of God the Father, and the perfect righteousness and complete salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ!