Isaiah 41 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Keep silence — Attend diligently to my plea. Islands — By islands he means countries remote from Judea, inhabited by the idolatrous Gentiles. Renew — Strengthen themselves to maintain their cause against me; let them unite all their strength together. Near — Unto me that we may stand together, and plead our cause, and I will give them free liberty to say what they can on their own behalf.

Who — Was it not my work alone? Raised — Into being and power, stirring up his spirit, and strengthening him to the work. The man — Cyrus. The east — Persia was directly eastward, both from Judea and from Babylon. He was raised up by God in an eminent manner. And although these things were yet to come; yet the prophet speaks of them as if they were already past. And by this instance he pleads his cause against the Gentiles; because this was an evident proof of God's almighty power, and of the vanity of idols, which eminently appeared in the destruction of the Babylonians, who were a people mad upon their idols. Called him — To march after him, and under God's banner against Babylon.

Pursued — Went on in the pursuit with ease and safety. Even — Through unknown paths.

Calling — Them out of nothing, giving them breath and being: disposing and employing them as he sees fit. From the beginning — All persons and generations of mankind from the beginning of the world. I — Who was before all things even from eternity, and shall be unto eternity.

The isles — Even remote countries. Saw — Discerned the mighty work of God in delivering his people, and overthrowing their enemies. Feared — Lest they should be involved in the same calamity. Came — They gathered themselves together.

Fastened it — To the wall or pillar.

Thou — Thou Israel, whom I took to myself, and brought hither in the loins of thy father Abraham, from a remote country. Called thee — From the midst of many great persons among whom he lived in Chaldea. Chosen — I have chosen thee and thy seed through all generations.

Confounded — Because the mischief which they contrived against thee shall fall upon themselves.

Will hold — Will enable thee to vanquish all thine enemies.

Thou worm — Who art weak in thyself, and trodden under foot by thy proud enemies.

An instrument — Such as were usual in those times and places. The mountains — The great and lofty potentates of the world.

Fan — When thou hast beaten them as small as chaff. In the Holy One — For to him, thou shalt ascribe thy victory.

In high places — Upon the mountains where by the course of nature there are no rivers. The dry land — Their people who are like a dry and barren wilderness. I will abundantly water with my blessings.

The box tree — Trees which are both useful and pleasant to the eye, and giving a good shadow to the traveller. But what particular trees these Hebrew words signify, is not certainly known.

Them — The idols. Former things — Such things as should shortly come to pass. The latter end — Whether the events answer to their predictions.

Do good — Protect your worshippers whom I intend to destroy, and destroy my people whom I intend to save. That — That I and my people may be astonished, and forced to acknowledge your godhead.

Your work — Your operations are like your beings: there is no reality in your beings, nor efficacy in your actions.

Raised — Cyrus, might be said to come from the north, because he was a Mede by his mother, as he was a Persian by his father; or because a great part of his army was gathered out of Media, which was northward, in reference to Judea, and because Darius the Mede was joined with him in this expedition. Proclaim — This Cyrus did in express, emphatical terms, Ezra 1:1-2. As on mortar — Treading them down, as easily as a man treads down mortar.

Who — Which of your idols could foretel such things as these from the beginning of the world unto this day? Before — time — Before the things come to pass. Righteous — His cause is good: he is a God indeed. Heareth — Because you are dumb and cannot speak.

The first — I who am the first, do and will foretel to my people things to come. Them — I also represent future things as if they were present. By them he means things which are to come. One — Messengers, who shall foretel the good tidings of their deliverance from captivity.

For — I looked to see if I could find any man that could foretel future events. No man — Not any, of the idols; for the word man is sometimes used by the Hebrews of brute creatures, and even of lifeless things. No counsellor — Though these idols were often consulted, yet none of them were able to give any solid and certain advice concerning future things.

Behold — This is the conclusion of the dispute, but under these he comprehends all images whatsoever. Wind — Empty and unsatisfying things. Confusion — Confused and useless things, like that rude heap in the beginning of God's creation, of which this very word is used, Genesis 1:2.