And the Lord shall utterly destroy— This is the last part of this illustrious prophesy, in which the prophet declares, that about that time in which God should establish the kingdom of his Son in the world, two adverse kingdoms, which seemed to threaten a delay of this great work, should be destroyed or reduced to such a state as not to be able to hinder the progress of the calling of the Jews and Gentiles; which two kingdoms are here, in the prophetic style, denoted by the names of Egyptian and Assyrian. Bishop Warburton observes, that it was usual among the Hebrews to denote any character or action by that of the kind which was become most known or celebrated. In this place a second passage through the Red Sea is promised in literal terms; but who will therefore say that this is the literal meaning? The literal meaning, though the prophesy be in figurative terms, is, simply, redemption from bondage; for Egypt in the Hebrew phrase signified a place of bondage. Vitringa reads the first clause of the 15th verse, The Lord shall devote to destruction the gulph or bay of the Egyptian sea; by which is meant the Nile, as a symbol of the kingdom of Egypt; as, in the next clause, the river means the Euphrates, or symbol of Assyria; and accordingly Vitringa renders it, Over the Euphrates, and shall smite it into seven outlets; that is to say, he shall divide or separate it into seven streams, so as to render it easy to be passed over. The fate of the Egyptian and Assyrian empire under the Seleucidae and Lagidae is thought to be here referred to, and spiritually the destruction of the kingdoms of idolatry and superstition. My belief, says Vitringa, upon the strength of this prophesy, to which we grant the most ample and extensive sense, is that it will come to pass: all the impediments of the great empire of the world being removed, which yet delay the perfect completion of the great and excellent promises made to the church, the empire of the kingdom of Christ will extend itself over the whole world, according to the remarkable prediction of Daniel, chap. Daniel 2:35, &c.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, As the coming of the glorious Messiah was the great hope of God's people of old, in every time of trouble; the prophet directs them to look above their temporal deliverance from the power of Sennacherib, to that eternal salvation which their great Redeemer would accomplish for all the faithful.
1. His descent is spoken of: As a rod out of the stem of Jesse; it being promised to David, that from him Christ should spring; and a branch shall grow out of his roots; signifying the meanness of his appearance in the flesh, as a tender branch compared with the tall cedars of this world's princes; and intimating the low estate to which the family of Jesse would be reduced, when all the former royalty that it possessed would be gone, as the tree cut down, whose stump only remains in the earth. And such was the case with the family of Joseph and Mary when Jesus was born.
2. His qualifications for the work appointed him are mentioned. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; even the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and with this text he once opened his ministry, Luke 4:18 the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the hid treasures of which are all resident in Jesus; the Spirit of counsel and knowledge; how to execute the plan of redemption, to preach the gospel, instruct his people, and order the affairs of his spiritual kingdom, to God's glory, and the salvation of the faithful; the spirit of might, to conquer all his foes, and accompany his word of truth with effectual demonstration and power unto the consciences of men, and of the fear of the Lord; being the perfect pattern of all godliness, and setting us an example that we should follow his steps: and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; or of acute smell; intimating the thorough discernment that he shall possess of the hearts of men. See John 1:47. Note; (1.) When we have such a Redeemer, of wisdom and might to counsel and support us, how firm and unshaken ought our confidence in him to be? (2.) A quick understanding in the fear of God, is the gift of God; the brightest genius, without his grace, is in spiritual things dark and ignorant.
3. His throne shall be established in righteousness. As he knows men's hearts, he can judge of their characters, not by their outward appearance, but by their inward tempers and principles; detecting the hypocrite under all the disguises of outward formality and religious profession, Matthew 22:18. The poor and humbled sinner who flies to him for pardon and grace, he will justify by his infinite merit, and rescue the meek from their oppressors, whether Satan or wicked men, whom he will rebuke in equity, and smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, in warnings against those who place their affections upon it; and with the breath of his lips slay the wicked, by present judgments, or more terrible and eternal vengeance, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. In all which dispensations of mercy and judgment, the righteousness of his government shall appear as a glorious ornament; and his faithfulness, in accomplishing the promises made to his faithful people, and in completing the ruin denounced on his enemies, shall be manifested to his everlasting praise.
4. His kingdom shall enjoy the most happy union and concord: such a change will pass upon the spirits of men by the grace of Jesus, that the most persecuting, fierce, and untractable, shall become meek, lowly, and gentle as the lamb; all animosities subside, and no more venom remain in the human bosom. The knowledge of the Lord, which shall be diffused through the earth, shall produce this marvellous renovation of our fallen nature: and all united in love and peace, under the divine Redeemer, become one fold under one shepherd: the fulfilment of which appears now wherever the power of the gospel is known and felt; and we hope to see a day when not partially, but universally, this wonder-working Jesus shall make his power to appear, and all shall know him, love him, and serve him, from the least unto the greatest.
2nd, We have a farther prophesy of the glory and enlargement of the Messiah's kingdom; which, whatever regard it may have to the times of Hezekiah, or the return of the Jews from Babylon, which was but a partial deliverance, certainly looks forward to the days of the gospel, when Jews and Gentiles were incorporated in one church; and will have, we trust, its final accomplishment, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in, and all Israel shall be saved.
1. The great author of this salvation is the root of Jesse, the Lord Jesus, before called the rod and branch; for he is both the root and offspring of David, Revelation 5:5. He shall stand for an ensign of the people; lifted up in the preaching of the gospel among all nations, who shall be invited to list under his banners; and to it shall the Gentiles seek for pardon and peace through his blood and merit, desiring to become willing subjects of his government, and to live in safety under his care and protection; and his rest shall be glorious; either Christ's, when, having in his sufferings and death finished the great work of atonement, he entered into his rest above in glory everlasting: or it refers to his believing people, who in him find a present happy rest to their souls from guilt and fear, and expect an eternal rest with him hereafter in his kingdom.
2. The completion of the salvation is described. Notwithstanding every opposition, God is said to do it the second time. The faithful are called a remnant, or those that remain, some in all ages having embraced the truth in its power; but now, more universally than ever, the gospel shall go forth into all lands, to gather from the four corners of the earth, and most distant Isles of the sea, the dispersed Jews, as well as the Gentiles, among whom they dwell. All enmity between Jew and Gentile, as subsisted of old between Judah and Ephraim, shall be at an end, all uniting in the service of their Redeemer; the inveterate enemies of Christ and his people, whether Papal or Pagan, &c. as the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, were to the Jews, shall be vanquished by the powerful word of the gospel, and be brought to the obedience of the faith. And Antichrist and his followers, compared to Egypt, for their enmity against the church, Revelation 11:8 who will rise up to make war with the saints, shall be utterly destroyed, Revelation 16:16-19 as when God, by the rod of Moses, opened a way for his people to pass over, but overwhelmed their enemies in the Red Sea: and, every enemy being thus removed, converts from every side shall be added to the church daily, till all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord.