Here is a verse concerning the Lord Jesus, which it would take the whole of life to go over every part and explain; and after all, numberless beauties pointing to the Lord Jesus in it would be left unexplored and unknown. That by the breaker is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, the general consent of all commentators have agreed. The name seems to be taken from Pharez, meaning a breach. See Genesis 38:29. And Christ is come up in the everlasting counsel of Jehovah, in his glorious Mediatorial character, as a Repairer of the breach of his people. Isaiah 58:12. And in this view it is most blessed to behold Christ, and to remark how he corresponds in every point to this character. He indeed came up before his people, when he arose at the call of Jehovah, in the infinite mind, as the Holy One of Israel, the Maker, and Redeemer thereof. And as in the eternal counsels he thus appeared the glorious Head and Representative of his body the Church; so in time his goings were for the salvation of his people. Micah 5:2; Habakkuk 3:13. Through the whole of the scripture history before his incarnation; who but Jesus came up as the sum and substance of every type, shadow, and figure; both before the law, and under the law, and the Prophets? And when at his miraculous conception, birth, and ministry, death and resurrection; he manifested himself under each, and every particular, as the Lord Our Righteousness; who but Jesus came up, and went before his people in all the glorious offices which testified to his character? And who but Jesus broke asunder the bars and gates of death, when he arose from the dead, and conquered the grave in its own territories, for his people? Who but Jesus broke up the clouds, when in his ascension he returned to take possession of the kingdom of heaven, for his people? And who but Jesus is it that now goeth before his redeemed every act of grace, and enables them in his power to break up and break through every difficulty that would impede their way to glory; and as this blessed scripture saith, are passed through the gate, and are gone out by it? We hail thee, O thou Almighty Breaker! thou art indeed all this and infinitely more to thy people; for thou art the Lord Our Righteousness!
REFLECTIONS
READER! from the perusal of this truly gospel Chapter, behold the gracious provision made for you, for me, for all that are of the house of Jacob, spiritually considered; the Spirit of the Lord is not straitened, neither the power of the Almighty Breaker diminished! Everything around us, in us, and about us, join the Prophet's cry; arise ye and depart, for this is not your rest because it is polluted. Surely then we must desire a better country, that is an heavenly. And blessed be our God, there is not only prepared for us a better country, but Jesus, our Almighty Breaker, hath broken up, and gone before, and taken possession of it in our name, that as he is there, we may be also. Precious Lord Jesus, we pray thee break through for thy people all that would oppose our following thee! Break for us all the chains of sin, all the devices of Satan, and quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And do thou, Almighty Lord, break in us all the remaining power of indwelling corruption, and open our prison frames, and prison doors, and bring us out into the glorious liberty wherewith thou makest thy people free. Then shall we, in thy strength, trample over all the power of the enemy, and be made more than conquerors through thy grace helping us. Yea, we shall then pass through the gate, and go out by it; Jesus our King is before us, and our Lord on our head.