Isaiah 65

(2 Chronicles 11:14) The Lord saved them by a great deliverance. Sometimes Christ is said to command deliverance (Psalm 44:4), sometimes to create deliverance (Isaiah 65:18). Christ as a King commands deliverance, and as a God creates it.

God can either confine the enemies' power, or confound it: If God be for us, who can be against us? God can create Jerusalem a praise, (Isaiah 65:18). The church in Ezekiel was compared to dry bones, but God made breath to enter into them, and they lived, (Ezekiel 37:10).

Is it unclean, he can create purity; Create in me a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10). Is the church of God low, he can create Jerusalem a praise (Isaiah 65:18). No such golden pillar for faith to stay upon as a creating power.

Because 1. the angels pry and search into the abyss of gospel mysteries (1 Peter 1:12), which implies their nescience of some parts of Scripture; and sure they cannot be authors of that book which themselves do not fully understand. Besides, 2. what angel in Heaven dared be so a…

1. The serpent eats dust. (Isaiah 65:25) Dust shall be the Serpent's Meat: it was a curse upon the serpent. Thus we should not be like the serpent, to feed immoderately on earthly things.

If means fail, he is never at a loss, there are no impossibles with him; he can make the dry bones live (Ezekiel 37:10). As a king he can command, and as a God he can create salvation (Isaiah 65:18), I create Jerusalem a rejoicing: Let us trust all our affairs with this great ki…

But to an awakened conscience, there is no such burden as sin, when a man seriously weighs with himself the glory and purity of that majesty which sin has offended, the preciousness of that soul which sin has polluted, the loss of that happiness which sin has endangered, the gre…

If Abraham was called by God, when he was an Idolater, then it is apparent he had not purchased God's favour by his works. Where we learn, that the whole work of a man's salvation, is to be ascribed to God's mere mercy: who (as the Prophet says) was found of them that sought him…

Now, this deliverance was so strange unto him, that he knew not whether it was true, but thought he had seen a vision. From hence it is that God hath made this gracious promise unto his Church, to answer before they call, and to hear while they speak, Isaiah 65.24. So endless is…

2 Chronicles 15:2. The Lord is with you while you be with him, and if you seek him, he will be found of you. Isaiah 65:34. Before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear. Matthew 7:7. Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be…

The memory of the just is blessed. The wicked leave their name for a curse (Isaiah 65:15). How cursed is the name of Judas! what Christian would baptize his child of that name?

So sin is a smoak that will drive God out from a people. Isa. 65. 3, 5. A people that provoketh me to anger, these are a smoak in my nose. In particular, there are Nine sins which drive God out of a Land, and when he marcheth out, judgement marcheth in.

The force of the argument is this, if you will make this gospel welcome, you may get a hearing, for now is the day of salvation, therefore do not neglect it. So (Psalm 81:10-11), (where God makes the offer of Himself, and that very largely,) Open your mouth wide and I will fill…

It is not to be lippenning to the man's good hopes, to his good prayers, or to his good meaning, but to Christ's satisfaction, and God's promise; by faith, when rightly exercised, the sinner holls and hides himself in Christ, till (to speak so) a bit of the man cannot be seen; a…

Those that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts — precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, here a little and there a little." And in Isaiah 65:2: "All day long I have stretched out my hands to a rebellious people." And here again, "Who has believed our r…

Do but hear himself crying to the cities of Judah (Isaiah 40:9): Behold your God. (Isaiah 65:1): I said to a nation that was not called by any name, Behold me, Behold me: the doubling of the word says Christ desires to [reconstructed: display] his beauty. Shall your farm, and yo…

The rain came as soon as Elijah put himself into a zealous posture to obtain it. Often success has overtaken the prayer; and the blessing has been gotten before the supplication has been ended; Isaac went out to meet with God to meditate or pray, and he espied Rebecca afar off (…

All that Christ did for our salvation did highly content and please the Father; he is satisfied with him, he can make us lovely in his sight (Ephesians 1:6): to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. And will now joy in his people (…

More particularly, God's waiting and expecting is set down in Scripture by sundry degrees. First, he waits all the day long (Isaiah 65:2): I have stretched out my hand all the day long, to a disobedient and gainsaying people. Secondly, forty days together, Yet forty days, and Ni…

From Hesychius he gives synonyms of like import, -- Φαρισαῖος, ἀφωρισμένος, μεμερισμένος, καθαρός As to the last of those terms, καθαρός, the learned Vitringa, to whom Alberti also refers, has copiously illustrated its meaning in a passage, which has been often quoted as embodyi…

And certainly nothing is here attributed to an earthly father which God does not promise with respect to himself. Before they call, says he, I will answer, (Isaiah 65:24.) That passage too of David is well known,

For though the statement—which I quoted a little ago from Moses—was always true, and though the complaints which we find in Isaiah are just, that in vain did God spread out his hands every day to embrace a hard-hearted and rebellious people, (Isaiah 65:2) that, though he rose up…

But we look for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promise, wherein dwells righteousness. The Lord by his prophets in sundry places has promised that he will create new Heavens and a new Earth, as Isaiah 65: "Behold, I will create new Heavens and a new Earth, and the…

Because this prophecy is somewhat more plain and clear, to the intent he might procure greater attention, he foreshows that it is full of boldness, as if he should say, the prophet did not speak figuratively or doubtingly, but in plain and evident words, did avouch the calling o…

Thus I have particularly and largely shown the Nature of that true Humility that attends holy Affections, as it appears in its Tendency to cause Persons to think meanly of their Attainments in Religion, as compared with the Attainments of others, and particularly, of their Attai…

Although they were never sprinkled with the pure Water of the Covenant, or cleansed by the Holy Spirit; although their Consciences were never purged from dead Works by the Blood of Christ, nor their Hearts purified by Faith, and so are no Way washed from their Filthiness; yet do…

These delayes both upon spiritual and temporal accounts are frequent, and when they befaus, we are too apt to interpret them as denyals and fall into a sinful despondency of mind, though there be no cause at all for it, Psalm 31:12 Lam. 3:8 44. It is not always that the returns…

He had missed those evils which he met with, since his coming into the world, if those doors being shut, had shut him out of the world. When sorrow is hidden from our eyes, then all evil is removed, as in that speech (Isaiah 65:16): Because the former troubles are forgotten, bec…

2. She observes the return of her prayer, and his readiness to be entreated, I prayed to him to draw (says she) and he did it effectually; he drew me, and brought me into the chambers. Here we may see, 1. Christ is easily entreated (Isaiah 65:24), before they call, I will answer…

2. That there is nothing beside him, that one can confidently boast of; for, this her boasting is so appropriate to him, as it is implied, to be utterly unsuitable that men should boast of any other thing, Let him that glories, glory in the Lord, that is, in him, and in no other…

Now to make an oath lawful, it must have these three qualifications mentioned by the prophet (Jeremiah 4:2): You shall swear, the Lord lives, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. First, a warrantable oath must be accompanied with truth, for it is taken in the name of the…

The world was ruined, as to man, as effectually as if it had been reduced to chaos again; all heaven and earth were overthrown. But the design of God was, to restore all, and as it were to create a new heaven and a new earth: Isaiah 65:17. "Behold, I create new heavens, and a ne…

Now all the old types are fulfilled, and all the prophecies of all the prophets from the beginning of the world shall be accomplished in this period. 3. That state of things which is attained in the events of this period is called a new heaven and a new earth: Isaiah 65:17, 18.…

Not that there will be none remaining in a Christless condition; but that visible wickedness shall be suppressed everywhere, and true holiness shall become general, though not universal. It shall be a wonderful time, not only for the multitude of godly men, but for eminency of g…

He that provides food for his family, and fodder for his cattle in the harvest, shall eat the fruit of it, and enjoy the comfort of his labors, when others shall be exposed to shifts and straits. And he that provides for eternity, and lays up for his soul a good foundation again…

Lord, I bless you for these evidences of freedom from the curse; for the fruits of fear, sorrow, and holy jealousy. The laws of men spare for the fruit's sake, and will you not spare me also my God, if there be found in me a blessing in the bud (Isaiah 65:8). To conclude, what a…

Delightfulness in the ways of godliness puts a beauty upon them; It is an excellent similitude that Chrysostom has to express this, As, says he, a beautiful face at all times is pleasing to the eye, but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance: joy in the…

Lastly, it is Heaven already to join with the people of God in communion: The Scripture calls the Church of God, and Church communion, Heaven. And therefore where there is a promise of God to restore his Church, and recover it from thraldom and misery, Isaiah 65:17 Behold, says…

The satisfaction of the soul with the fatness of Gods house, is the fruit of Gods loving kindeness, yea, the fruit of Gods excellent loving kindeness, and his admirable excellent loving kindeness: It is worth the seeking after, to be satisfied with the fatness of Gods house: And…

Secondly, not to bear them desperately, not to care what become of your Names, as many desperate wretches will do. Let men speak the worst of me, I care not, I must appeal to God: Though it is true, Innocency is a good bulwark, yet we are not only to care to approve ourselves to…

Look unto me all ye Ends of the Earth and be saved. Isaiah 65:1. I said, behold me, behold me, to a Nation not called by my Name.

The highest stations in the world, namely the estate of kings, they are but mountains of prey, one robbing and spoiling another: but in that holy mountain above, there is none to hurt, nor spoil, nor offer violence. What the Prophet speaks of the church here, it is more perfectl…

Psalm 32:5: "I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord; and you forgave the iniquity of my sin" — before his purpose could be brought to pass. Isaiah 65:24: "Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." So Jeremiah 31:20: "I heard Ep…

Not from strife and contention, like those separations at Corinth, where one was of Paul, another of Apollos, etc. (1 Corinthians 1:12). Not from pride and censoriousness, like those that said, Stand further off, I am holier than you (Isaiah 65:5). Not from coldness and tergiver…

Their torments will be aggravated. 1 Who have lived long in sin: The longer men have lived in sin on earth, the greater will their torments be in hell (Isaiah 65:20). The sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed, with a witness; for he has been long treasuring up wrath…

The God of glory, says Stephen, appeared to our father Abraham, when he [reconstructed: was] in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran; when he dwelt in the midst of idolaters, and never had the least thought or apprehension of the covenant of grace; the Lord then appeared to h…

The Spirit of the Lord lets in some powerful light [reconstructed: of] the Truth into the soul when he is passing on in [reconstructed: the] ways of destruction, and tells him, This is not [reconstructed: the] right way to life and salvation; you must go [reconstructed: another]…

How shall he be able to fathom the depths and mysteries of salvation, who is become a child in understanding, not sufficient to conceive of the most common things? Hence it is the prophet gives such a man for gone, past recovery as it were (Isaiah 65:20): The sinner of a hundred…

First, their name is precious. The wicked leave their name for a curse (Isaiah 65:15). The names of God's children are embalmed (Isaiah 60:15).

The sick send to their physicians and use many entreaties; here the physician comes unsent for. I am found of those who did not seek me (Isaiah 65:1). He prevents us with mercy; he entreats us to be healed.