The glorious God will be served in humble sincerity: he comforteth the humble with the marvellous generation, and with the gracious benefits of the church. God's severe judgments against the wicked. The Gentiles shall have a holy church, and see the damnation of the wicked.
Before Christ 698.
THERE is so great an affinity between this and the former section, that the prophet preserves nearly the same order, and repeats many of the same phrases which he had made use of in the last and the foregoing sections. It is divided into two parts. In the former of which we have, first, a proposition, exhibiting reproof and consolation. The reproof, Isaiah 66:1-4 where God, in a sublime discourse, occurs to a doubt, which might be raised against a change in the oeconomy of the church; namely, that it did not seem probable, that God would forsake his temple, Isaiah 66:1-2. He declares his sense of sacrifices, and of carnal worship from hypocrites, and that under the oeconomy of grace, Isaiah 66:3, and threatens a severe and imminent judgment upon sinners, Isaiah 66:4. The consolation is directed to those who fear God; the discourse, by an apostrophe, being turned to them: which consolation is derived from the severe and public vengeance which God would inflict upon those who despised them, Isaiah 66:5-6.—from the calling of the Gentiles, and from the success of that call, Isaiah 66:7 the wonderfulness whereof is shewn, Isaiah 66:8 and the cause, Isaiah 66:9.—and from the joyful consequences of this call, namely, the benefits of divine grace to be conferred upon this new church; where we have an excitation to joy from this hope, Isaiah 66:10 while those benefits are declared at large, Isaiah 66:11-14. An exposition or confirmation of this prophesy is added; wherein the mode of the vengeance to be taken upon the apostates by fire and sword is set forth, Isaiah 66:15-16; and the cause of so great a severity, namely, the grievous and detestable crimes of the hypocrites, Isaiah 66:17-18. The manner of calling his ancient people back to Canaan is then set forth; first, with respect to the instrumental causes,—middle of Isaiah 66:18-19.; secondly, with respect to the manner of bringing them, Isaiah 66:20 and thirdly, the privileges of those who are brought are described, Isaiah 66:21. In the SECOND part of this section we have the epilogue, or conclusion of the whole prophesy; setting forth the condition and treatment of the true worshippers of God, and of hypocrites, in all times of the church of the new covenant, until the creation of the new heavens and the new earth attains its perfect completion, with respect to the faithful and the hypocrites, Isaiah 66:22-24.