Isaiah, Chapter 55, verses 10-11
8 The happy success of them that believeRomans, Chapter 8, verses 18-23
17 and what of being God's child, 19 whose glorious deliverance all things long for8
8:18 For I reckon - This verse gives the reason why he but now mentioned sufferings and glory. When that glory "shall be revealed in us," then the sons of God will be revealed also.
8:19 For the earnest expectation - The word denotes a lively hope of something drawing near, and a vehement longing after it.Of the creation - Of all visible creatures, believers excepted, who are spoken of apart; each kind, according as it is capable.All these have been sufferers through sin; and to all these (the finally impenitent excepted) shall refreshment redound from the glory of the children of God. Upright heathens are by no means to be excluded from this earnest expectation: nay, perhaps something of it may at some times be found even in the vainest of men; who (although in the hurry of life they mistake vanity for liberty, and partly stifle. partly dissemble, their groans, yet) in their sober, quiet, sleepless, afflicted hours, pour forth many sighs in the ear of God.
8:20 The creation was made subject to vanity - Abuse, misery, and corruption. By him who subjected it - Namely, God, Gen 3:17, Gen 5:29. Adam only made it liable to the sentence whichGod pronounced; yet not without hope.
8:21 The creation itself shall be delivered - Destruction is not deliverance: therefore whatsoever is destroyed, or ceases to be, is not delivered at all. Will, then, any part of the creation be destroyed? Into the glorious liberty - The excellent state wherein they were created.
8:22 For the whole creation groaneth together - With joint groans, as it were with one voice. And travaileth - Literally, is in the pains of childbirth, to be delivered of the burden of the curse. Until now - To this very hour; and so on till the time of deliverance.
8:23 And even we, who have the first - fruits of the Spirit - That is, the Spirit, who is the first - fruits of our inheritance.The adoption - Persons who had been privately adopted among the Romans were often brought forth into the forum, and there publicly owned as their sons by those who adopted them. So at the general resurrection, when the body itself is redeemed from death, the sons of God shall be publicly owned by him in the great assembly of men and angels. The redemption of our body - From corruption to glory and immortality.
Matthew, Chapter 13, verses 1-23
3 The parable of the sower and the seed, 18 the exposition of it13
13:2 He went into the vessel - Which constantly waited upon him, while he was on the sea coast.
13:3 In parables - The word is here taken in its proper sense, for apt similes or comparisons. This way of speaking, extremely common in the eastern countries, drew and fixed the attention of many, and occasioned the truths delivered to sink the deeper into humble and serious hearers. At the same time, by an awful mixture of justice and mercy, it hid them from the proud and careless. In this chapter our Lord delivers seven parables; directing thefour former (as being of general concern) to all the people; the three latter to his disciples. Behold the sower - How exquisitely proper is this parable to bean introduction to all the rest! In this our Lord answers a very obvious and a very important question. The same sower, Christ, and the same preachers sent by him, always sow the same seed: why has it not always the same effect? He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!
13:4 And while he sowed, some seeds fell by the highway side, and the birds came and devoured them - It is observable, that our Lord points out the grand hinderances of our bearing fruit, in the same order as they occur. The first danger is, that the birds will devour the seed. If it escape this, there is then another danger, namely, lest it be scorched, and wither away.It is long after this that the thorns spring up and choke the good seed. A vast majority of those who hear the word of God, receive theseed as by the highway side. Of those who do not lose it by the birds, yet many receive it as on stony places. Many of them who receive it in a better soil, yet suffer the thorns to grow up, and choke it: so that few even of these endure to the end, and bear fruit unto perfection: yet in all these cases, it is not the will of God that hinders, but their own voluntary perverseness.
13:8 Good ground - Soft, not like that by the highway side; deep, not like the stony ground; purged, not full of thorns.
13:11 To you, who have, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven - The deep things which flesh and blood cannot reveal, pertaining to the inward, present kingdom of heaven.But to them who have not, it is not given - Therefore speak I in parables, that ye may understand, while they do not understand.
13:12 Whosoever hath - That is, improves what he hath, uses the grace given according to the design of the giver; to him shall be given - More and more, in proportion to that improvement. But whosoeverhath not - Improves it not, from him shall be taken even what he hath - Here is the grand rule of God's dealing with the children of men: a rule fixed as the pillars of heaven. This is the key to all his providential dispensations; as will appear to men and angels in that day. Mat 25:29; Mar 4:25; Luk 8:18; Luk 19:26.
13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not - In pursuance of this general rule, I do not give more knowledge to this people, be. cause they use not that which they have already: having all the means of seeing, hearing, and understanding, they use none of them: they do not effectually see, or hear, or understand any thing.
13:14 Hearing ye will hear, but in nowise understand - That is, Ye will surely hear. All possible means will be given you: yet they will profit you nothing; because your heart is sensual, stupid, and insensible; your spiritual senses are shut up; yea, you have closed your eyes against the light; as being unwilling to understand the things of God, and afraid, not desirous that he should heal you. Isa 6:9; Joh 12:40; Act 28:26.
13:16 But blessed are your eyes - For you both see and understand.You know how to prize the light which is given you. Luk 10:23.
13:19 When any one heareth the word, and considereth it not - The first and most general cause of unfruitfulness. The wicked one cometh - Either inwardly; filling the mind with thoughts of other things; or by his agent. Such are all they that introduce other subjects, when men should be considering what they have heard.
13:20 The seed sown on stony places, therefore sprang up soon, because it did not sink deep, Mat 13:5.He receiveth it with joy - Perhaps with transport, with ecstacy: struck with the beauty of truth, and drawn by the preventing grace of God.
13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself - No deep work of grace: no change in the ground of his heart. Nay, he has no deep conviction; and without this, good desires soon wither away.He is offended - He finds a thousand plausible pretences for leaving so narrow and rugged a way.
13:22 He that received the seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word and considereth it - In spite of Satan and his agents: yea, hath root in himself is deeply convinced, and in a great measure inwardly changed; so that he will not draw back, even when tribulation or persecution ariseth. And yet even in him, together with the good seed, the thorns spring up, Mat 13:7. (perhaps unperceived at first) till they gradually chokeit, destroy all its life and power, and it becometh unfruitful. Cares are thorns to the poor: wealth to the rich; the desireof other things to all. The deceitfulness of riches - Deceitful indeed! for they smile, and betray: kiss, and smite into hell.They put out the eyes, harden the heart, steal away all the life of God; fill the soul with pride, anger, love of the world; make men enemies to the whole cross of Christ! And all the while are eagerly desired, and vehemently pursued, even by those who believe there is a God!
13:23 Some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty - That is, in various proportions; some abundantly more than others.
55 An invitation to seek for spiritual blessings from Christ, whom the Father sends, Isa 55:1-5.
To come to him speedily and by repentance, Isa 55:6-7.
His grace infinite, Isa 55:8-9.
His word powerful, Isa 55:10-11.
The joy of believers, Isa 55:12-13.
55:10 The snow - Which in its season contributes to the fruitfulness of the earth. Returneth not - Without effect. And bread - That it may bring forth store of bread - corn, both for mens present supplies, and for seed for the next year.
55:11 My word - My promises, concerning the pardon of the greatest sinners. Void - Without success.