Isaiah, Chapter 66, verses 10-24
10 and with the gracious benefits of the Church, 15 God's severe judgements against the wicked, 19 The Gentiles shall have an holy Church, 24 and see the damnation of the wicked49 Jacob is here upon his death - bed making his will: what he said here he could not say when he would, but as the Spirit gave him utterance, who chose this time that divine strength might be perfected in this weakness. The twelve sons of Jacob were in their day men of renown; but the twelve tribes of Israel, which descended and were denominated from them, were much more renowned, we find their names upon the gates of the new Jerusalem, Rev 21:12. In the
prospect of which their dying father saith something remarkable of each son, or of the tribe that bore his name. Here is,
- The preface, Gen 49:1-2.
- The prediction concerning each tribe, Gen 49:3-28.
- The charge repeated concerning his burial, Gen 49:29-32.
- His death, Gen 49:33.
49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding of his sons - He addressed himself to his dying work. He put himself into a posture for dying; having sat upon the bed - side to bless his sons, the spirit of prophecy bringing fresh oil to his expiring lamp, when that work was done, he gathered up his feet into the bed, that he might lie along, not only as one patiently submitting to the stroke, but as one chearfully composing himself to rest. He then freely resigned his spirits into the hand of God, the father of spirit; he yielded up the ghost; and his separated soul went to the assembly of the souls of the faithful, who after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh are in joy and felicity; he was gathered to his people.
Genesis, Chapter 50
1 The mourning for Jacob, 4 Joseph getteth leave of Pharaoh to go to bury him, 7 The funeral, 15 Joseph comforteth his brethren, who craved his pardon, 22 His age, 23 He seeth the third generation of his sons, 24 He prophesieth unto his brethren of their return, 25 He taketh an oath of them for his bones, 26 He dieth, and is chested50 Here, is,
- The preparation for Jacob's funeral, Gen 50:1-6.
- The funeral itself, Gen 50:7-14.
- The settling of a good understanding between Joseph and his brethren, after the death of Jacob, Gen 50:15-21.
- The age and death of Joseph, Gen 50:22-26.
50:1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him, and kissed him - Joseph shewed his faith in God, and love to his father, by kissing his pale and cold lips, and so giving an affectionate farewell.Probably the rest of Jacob's sons did the same, much moved, no doubt, with his dying words.
50:2 He ordered the body to be embalmed, not only because he died in Egypt, and that was the manner of the Egyptians, but because he was to be carried to Canaan, which would be a work of time.
50:3 He observed the ceremony of solemn mourning for him. Forty days were taken up in embalming the body, which the Egyptians had an art of doing so curiously, as to preserve the very features of the face unchanged.All this time, and thirty days more, seventy in all, they either confined themselves and sat solitary, or when they went out, appeared in the habit of close mourners, according to the decent custom of the country. Even the Egyptians, many of them, out of the respect they had for Joseph, put themselves into mourning for his father.
50:5 He asked and obtained leave of Pharaoh to go to Canaan, to attend the funeral of his father. It was a piece of necessary respect to Pharaoh, that he would not go without leave; for we may suppose, though his charge about the corn was long since over, yet he continued a prime minister of state, and therefore would not be so long absent from his business without license.
50:11 The solemn mourning for Jacob gave a name to the place; Abel - mizraim - The mourning of the Egyptians: which served for a testimony against the next generation of the Egyptians, who oppressed the posterity of this Jacob, to whom their ancestors shewed such respect.
50:15 Joseph will peradventure hate us - While their father lived, they thought themselves safe under his shadow; but now he was dead, they feared the worst. A guilty conscience exposeth men to continual frights; those that would be fearless must keep themselves guiltless.
50:16 Thy father did command - Thus in humbling ourselves to Christ by faith and repentance, we may plead that it is the command of his father and our father we should do so.
50:17 We are the servants of the God of thy father - Not only children of the same Jacob, but worshippers of the same Jehovah. Though we must be ready to forgive all that injure us, yet we must especially take heed of bearing malice towards any that are the servants of the God of our father; those we should always treat with a peculiar tenderness, for we and they have the same master. He wept when they spake to him - These were tears of sorrow for their suspicion of him, and tears of tenderness upon their submission.
50:19 Am I in the place of God? - He in his great humility thought they shewed him too much respect, and faith to them in effect, as Peter to Cornelius, Stand up, I myself also am a man. Make your peace with God, and then you will find it an easy matter to make your peace with me.
50:20 Ye thought evil, but God meant it unto good - In order to the making Joseph a greater blessing to his family than otherwise he could have been.
50:21 Fear not, I will nourish you - See what an excellent spirit Joseph was of, and learn of him to render good for evil. He did not tell them they were upon their good behaviour, and he would be kind to them if he saw they carried themselves well: no, he would not thus hold them in suspence, nor seem jealous of them, though they had been suspicious of him.He comforted them, and, to banish all their fears, he spake kindly to them. Those we love and forgive we must not only do well for, but speak kindly to.
50:24 I die, but God will surely visit you - To this purpose Jacob had spoken to him, Gen 48:21. Thus must we comfort others with the same comforts wherewith we ourselves have been comforted of God, and encourage them to rest on those promises which have been our support.Joseph was, under God, both the protector and benefactor of his brethren, and what would become of them now he was dying? Why let this be their comfort, God will surely visit you. God's gracious visits will serve to make up the loss of our best friends, and bring you out of this land - And therefore, they must not hope to settle there, nor look upon it as their rest for ever; they must set their hearts upon the land of promise, and call that their home.
50:25 And ye shall carry up my bones from hence - Herein he had an eye to the promise, Gen 15:13-14, and in God's name assures them of the performance of it. In Egypt they buried their great men very honourably, and with abundance of pomp; but Joseph prefers a plain burial in Canaan, and that deferred almost two hundred years, before a magnificent one in Egypt. Thus Joseph by faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, and the promise of Canaan, gave commandment concerning his bones, Heb 11:22.He dies in Egypt; but lays his bones at stake, that God will surely visit Israel, and bring them to Canaan.
50:26 He was put in a coffin in Egypt - But not buried till his children had received their inheritance in Canaan, Jos 24:32. If the soul do but return to its rest with God, the matter is not great, though the deserted body find not at all, or not quickly, its rest in the grave.Yet care ought to be taken of the dead bodies of the saints, in the belief of their resurrection; for there is a covenant with the dust which shall be remembered, and a commandment given concerning the bones.
Proverbs, Chapter 31, verses 8-31
6 The afflicted are to be comforted and defended, 10 The praise and properties of a good wife31 An exhortation to Lemuel, Pro 31:1-9.
A description of good wife, Pro 31:10-31.
31:8 The dumb - For such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance, or because of the dread of their more potent adversaries.Destruction - Who, without such succour from the judges, are like to be utterly ruined.
31:10 A virtuous woman - Here he lays down several qualifications of an excellent wife, which are delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
31:11 No need - He shall have no need to use indirect courses to get wealth.
31:13 Flax - That she may find employment for her servants.Worketh - She encourages them to work by her example; which was a common practice among princesses in those first ages. Not that it is the duty of kings and queens to use manual operations, but it is the duty of all persons, the greatest not excepted, to improve all their talents, and particularly their time, which is one of the noblest of them, to the service of that God to whom they must give an account, and to the good of that community to which they are related.
31:14 From afar - By the sale of her home - spun commodities she purchases the choicest goods which come from far countries.
31:15 Giveth - Distributes all necessary provisions.
31:16 Considereth - Whether it be fit for her use. The fruit - With the effects of her diligence. Planteth - She improves the land to the best advantage.
31:17 Girdeth - She uses great diligence and expedition in her employment; for which end, men in those times used to gird up their long and loose garments about their loins. Strengtheneth - Puts forth her utmost strength in her business.
31:18 Perceiveth - She finds great comfort in her labours.Her candle - Which is not to be taken strictly, but only signifies her unwearied care and industry.
31:19 She layeth - By her own example she provokes her servants to labour. And although in these latter and more delicate times, such mean employments are grown out of fashion among great persons, yet they were not so in former ages, neither in other countries, nor in this land; whence all women unmarried unto this day are called in the language of our law, Spinsters.
31:21 Not afraid - Of any injuries of the weather. Are clothed - She hath provided enough, not only for their necessity, but also for their delight and ornament.
31:22 Tapestry - For the furniture of her house. Silk - Which was agreeable to her high quality.
31:23 It known - Observed and respected, not only for his own worth, but for his wife's sake. Sitteth - In counsel or judgment.
31:24 Girdles - Curiously wrought of linen, and gold, or other precious materials.
31:25 Strength - Strength of mind, magnanimity, courage, activity.Her clothing - Her ornament and glory. Rejoice - She lives in constant tranquillity of mind, from a just confidence in God's gracious providence.
31:26 Openeth her mouth - She is neither sullenly silent, nor full of impertinent talk, but speaks discreetly and piously, as occasion offers.In her tongue - Her speeches are guided by wisdom and grace, and not by inordinate passions. And this practice is called a law in her tongue, because it is constant and customary, and proceeds from an inward and powerful principle of true wisdom.
31:27 Looketh well - She diligently observes the management of her domestick business, and the whole carriage of her children and servants.
31:30 Favour - Comeliness, which commonly gives women favour with those who behold them. Deceitful - It gives a false representation of the person, being often a cover to a deformed soul; it does not give a man that satisfaction, which at first he promised to himself from it; and it is soon lost, not only by death, but by many diseases and contingencies.
31:31 Give her - It is but just, that she should enjoy those praises which her labours deserve. Let her works - If men be silent, the lasting effects of her prudence and diligence will trumpet forth her praises.In the gates - In the most publick and solemn assemblies.
66 God is served with the spirit, and not by ceremonies, Isa 66:1-5.
The wonderful birth and benefits of the gospel - church, Isa 66:6-14.
Severe judgments against the wicked, Isa 66:15-17.
The Gentiles shall be an holy church, Isa 66:18-23.
The eternal punishment of the wicked, Isa 66:24.
66:11 Consolations - The gospel doctrine was their breasts of consolation. Her glory - Christ was the glory of the people of Israel, though he was also a light to the Gentiles.
66:12 Like a river - It is plain this prophecy relates to a farther conversion of the Jews than hath been yet seen. Ye - Ye Jews also.Her sides - The Gentiles were borne upon the sides of Jerusalem and dandled upon her knees, as first hearing from the Apostles (who were members of the Jewish church) the glad tidings of salvation.
66:13 As one whom, etc - That is, in the most tender, and compassionate way.
66:14 Rejoice - The peace of the church and the propagation of the kingdom of Christ, is always the cause of an heart rejoicing to such as fear God, so that they flourish like an herb in the spring.The hand - The power, protection, and influence of God.
66:15 With fire - With terrible judgments, or with fire in a proper sense, understanding it of the fire with which enemies use to consume places brought under their power. Whirlwind - With a sudden sweeping judgment. Fury - That is, with fervour; for fury properly taken is not in God. Rebukes - They had contemned the rebukes of the law, now God will rebuke them with fire, and sword.
66:16 Plead - God at first pleads with sinners by words, but if he cannot so prevail, he will plead with them in a way by which he will overcome; by fire, pestilence and blood. All flesh - Thus he threatens to do with all the wicked Jews. The slain - Those whom God should cause to be slain.
66:17 Gardens - In which they worshipped idols.In the midst - Behind one of the trees, or one by one behind the trees.The abominations - All those beasts forbidden the Jews for meat.God will not only destroy gross idolaters, but all those who make no conscience of yielding obedience to the law of God in such things as seemed to them of a minute nature, and such as they easily might have obeyed.
66:18 Come - It shall come to pass that I will cast them off, and then l will gather all nations, etc My glory - My oracles, my ordinances, which hitherto have been locked up in the church of the Jews, and been their glory, shall be published to the Gentiles.
66:19 A sign - By this may be understood Christ, Luk 2:34, or the ministry of the word attended with miracles, these were set up among the Jews first, then among the Gentiles. Afar off - To all the quarters of the world. They shall - This was eminently made good after the destruction of Jerusalem, when the believers among the Jews, as well as the apostles went about publishing the gospel to all people, which was declaring the Lord's glory.
66:20 Your brethren - Those who are the children of Abraham, not considered as the father of the Jewish nation only, but considered as the father of many nations, and as the father of the faithful, and so are your brethren, shall be brought out of all nations for an offering to the Lord. Holy mountain - And they shall be brought into the church, which began at Jerusalem. As - And they shall come with as much joy and gladness, with as much sincerity and holiness, as the Godly Jews do when they bring their offerings in clean vessels.
66:21 For priests - God will find among the converted Gentiles those who though they are not of the tribe of Levi, yet shall do the true work of priests and Levites.
66:22 The new heavens - The new state of the church to be raised up under the Messiah. Remain - As I intend that shall abide, so there shall be a daily succession of true believers for the upholding of it.
66:23 And, etc - In the gospel - church there shall be as constant and settled a course of worship (though of another nature) as ever was in the Jewish church: Christians are not bound to keep the Jewish sabbaths or new - moons. But New Testament worship is expressed by Old Testament phrases. The Jews were only obliged to appear three times in a year at Jerusalem, but (saith the prophet) the gospel - church shall worship God from one sabbath to another.