And he shall pass, &c.— Some render these words, And when they shall be in straits or under difficulties, in passing over the sea, or river [Euphrates]; then they shall smite the waves in Euphrates, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, God is now returning in mercy to Israel; and therefore,
1. They are directed to apply to him for the rain in its season, on which the fruitfulness of their land depended. In Judaea the rain fell periodically; the former rain in autumn, about seed-time, the latter in March, April, and May; from which time to September they had scarcely any; and if these failed, the harvest necessarily suffered. Now God promises to hear their prayers, to send his clouds, and by watering their lands seasonably, to give them plenty of the fruits of the earth. The common blessings of Providence are to be humbly sought, nor looked upon as things of course, but as rich gifts of grace; and this may be referred mystically to the influences of God's Spirit, by which alone our souls can be quickened to bring forth fruit unto God; and therefore we must ask this holy spirit from God in ceaseless and importunate prayer.
2. None of the idols of the heathen, or those which their fathers worshipped, could give rain; their false prophets and diviners, who pretended to consult them, and return answers from them as oracular, were liars; they told false dreams, and comforted in vain; following these wicked shepherds, they had gone astray as a flock; and for this their shepherds, who had deluded them, were cut off in anger and none left; and the goats, the princes and priests, who, instead of going before the flock aright, misled and misused them, God had punished severely. By these examples they should therefore be warned, and cease from idolatry, worshipping and serving God alone. Especially,
3. Seeing that God had now done such great things for them, visiting them with his favour as his flock recovered from their dispersion and captivity; and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle, beautiful, strong, and formidable. Out of him went forth the corner, he laid the foundation of their restoration; out of him the nail, which fastened them together; out of him the battle-bow, all their military power was derived from him; out of him every oppressor, or exactor; either those enemies who had oppressed them did it by his permission; or the word may be taken in a correspondence with the rest, that all the might they had, or should be endued with, to make any of the neighbouring nations tributary to them, must be from his gift alone. See the critical notes. In my Reflections, I take the words in their common sense.
Some apply this to the Messiah, the corner-stone, the nail fastened in a sure place, the battle-bow to subdue all the enemies of his believing people.
2nd, The promises contained in the latter part of this chapter certainly look farther than the establishment of Israel after their first captivity; and appertain to the Gospel-church in general, or rather have special reference to the Jewish people in the last days, when they shall be turned to the Lord.
1. Consider them as applicable to the Israel of God in general. Because the Lord is with them, with the preachers of his Gospel, and the faithful in Christ Jesus; they shall be as mighty men, strengthened by grace to fight the Lord's battles against all their enemies, within and without, and the strongest shall fall before them. If they cleave by faith perseveringly to Jesus, they shall be saved through the mercy of God, and live safely and comfortably in the church of Christ below, being rescued from the bondage of corruption. They shall be branches of the true olive, and God will be their covenant God, ready to hear and answer all their prayers. He will fill them with spiritual joy, as men rejoice through new wine; and their blessings shall descend to children's children, who shall behold their fathers' mercies. The Gospel of Christ, as the shepherd's whistle, shall gather the faithful who yield to be saved by grace, out of all lands, from the captivity of sin, much more burdensome than that of Egypt or Assyria; for Jesus shall redeem those who fly to him for salvation from every enemy, through the virtue of his precious blood; and great shall be their multitude, far exceeding that of Israel, when increased as the sand of the sea-shore, see Hosea 1:10. God will sow them among the people, as his precious seed in all lands, and the most distant countries shall remember him, and, turning to the Lord and perseveringly giving him their hearts, shall live with their children the life of grace and glory. They shall possess the good land where all spiritual blessings abound, and place shall scarcely be found for the multitude of converts, and not one of them shall be left, righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters the sea. He will open a way for the faithful through all their difficulties, and cause their strongest and most inveterate foes to fall before them. In the Lord is their strength, therefore they must prevail, and they shall walk up and down in his name, going forth in his might, and making mention of his righteousness only, walking with God by faith, and holding that divine communion with him, which the world knows nothing of.
2. These promises may also be particularly applied to Israel, when they shall be recovered in the latter days from their present dispersion; when they will receive the true Messiah as their only Saviour, who will convert their hearts to himself, increasing them more than ever; will strengthen them against all their enemies, and probably make them his chief instruments in the ruin of the anti-christian foe; after whose fall, it is supposed by many of the best interpreters, they will dwell long and happily in their own land of Judea; and, being now become the people of Jesus, shall glory in his name as much as they have before blasphemed it.