And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.
Ver. 21. And saviours shall come up on mount Zion] Judas Maccabeus and Hircanus in the history: as in the mystery, the apostles and others of Christ's ministers, who are here and elsewhere called saviours, a very high style, because God maketh use of their ministry, as he doth likewise of the angels, for the good of them that are heirs of salvation, Hebrews 1:14, and by their help the faithful are saved. Hence those expressions, 1 Timothy 4:16, "thou shalt save thyself and those that hear thee"; James 5:20, he "shall save a soul from death"; Job 33:24, "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have received a ransom." See also Mic 5:6 Judges 1:23 1Co 3:6-7; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 9:22. Let ministers hence learn their dignity and their duty. Christ hath communicated to them many of his own most honourable titles, as Light of the world, Doctor, Pastor, Saviour, Redeemer, &c. True it is, he alone is the principal Saviour, and therefore it followeth in the closure of this shortest, but most difficult prophet (Brevissimus sed difficilimus Propheta. Mercer), "the kingdom shall be the Lord's," he, to speak properly, is the sole both Sovereign and Saviour of his body, the Church. Sed servatores dicuntur, saith Mercer, but they are called saviours, because they preach the word of this salvation, and are instrumental to Christ in that great work; like as the apothecary is to the skilful physician, in curing his patient of a deadly disease.
To judge the mount of Esau] Antichrist with his adherents; all other infidels also, and atheists, condemned here by Christ and his faithful ministers, as rebels against God, and sinners against their own souls. "Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know their abomination," Ezekiel 20:4, and to judge themselves worthy to be destroyed; that judging themselves, they may not be judged, 1 Corinthians 11:31, but of Esauites may become true Jacobites; as Jetur, by nature an Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 1:31, is, for his faith and piety, called an Israelite, 2 Samuel 17:25. To thus "judge the mount of Esau," ought to be the ambition of Christ's ministers; for to gain them to Christ, by convincing "the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment," that is, of the mischief of sin, the necessity of justification by Christ's merit, and of sanctification by his Spirit, John 16:8. This is to be both judges and saviours; as those judges of old were, whereunto the prophet here seemeth to allude. This is to save people "with fear, pulling them out of the fire," Judges 1:23. This is to proclaim Christ King, and to set the crown upon his head, as Song of Solomon 3:11, with that glorious acclamation, "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, and he will save us," Isaiah 33:22 .
The kingdom shall be the Lord's] Not only the kingdom of power over all creatures, 1 Chronicles 29:11, and of grace in the hearts of his people here (called often the kingdom of heaven in the gospel), but also of righteousness, and of glory hereafter, to be chiefly exercised at that great and dreadful day.
“Now to this King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1Ti 1:17