Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 16
Overview:
Moab is exhorted to yield obedience.
(1-5) The pride and the
judgments of
Moab.
(6-14)
1-5 God tells sinners what they may do to prevent ruin;
So he
does to
Moab. Let them send the
Tribute they formerly engaged to
pay to
Judah. Take it as good advice. Break off thy sins
By
Righteousness, it may lengthen thy quiet. And this may be
applied to the great
Gospel duty of submission to
Christ. Send
him the
Lamb, the best you have, yourselves a living
Sacrifice.
When you come to
God, the great Ruler, come in the name of the
Lamb, the
Lamb of
God. Those who will not submit to
Christ,
shall be as a
Bird that wanders from her nest, which shall be
snatched up
By the next
Bird of prey. Those who will not yield
to the fear of
God, shall be made to yield to the fear of every
thing else. He advises them to be kind to the seed of
Israel.
Those that expect to find favour when in trouble themselves,
must show favour to those in trouble. What is here said
concerning the
Throne of
Hezekiah, also belongs, in a much
higher sense, to the kingdom of
Jesus Christ. Though
By
subjection to Him we may not enjoy worldly riches or honours,
but may be exposed to poverty and contempt, we shall have peace
of
Conscience and eternal
Life.
6-14 Those who will not be counselled, cannot be helped. More
souls are ruined
By pride than
By any other
Sin whatever. Also,
the very proud are commonly very passionate. With lies many seek
to gain the gratification of pride and
Passion, but they shall
not compass proud and angry projects.
Moab was famous for fields
and vineyards; but they shall be laid waste
By the invading
Army.
God can soon turn laughter into mourning, and joy into
heaviness. In
God let us always rejoice with holy triumph; in
earthly things let us always rejoice with holy trembling. The
Prophet looks with concern
On the desolations of such a pleasant
country; it causes inward grief. The false gods of
Moab are
unable to help; and the
God of
Israel, the only true
God, can
and will make good what he has spoken. Let
Moab know her ruin is
very near, and prepare. The most awful declarations of Divine
wrath, discover the way of escape to those who take warning.
There is
No escape, but
By submission to the Son of
David, and
devoting ourselves to him. And, at length, when the appointed
time comes, all the
Glory, prosperity, and multitude of the
wicked shall perish.