Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 58
Overview:
Hypocrisy reproved.
(1,2) A counterfeit and a true
Fast, with
promises to real
Godliness, and,
(3-12) to the keeping the
Sabbath.
(13,14)
1,2 The Holy
Spirit had hypocrites of every
Age in view.
Self-
Love and timid Christians may say, Spare thyself; dislike
to the
Cross and other motives will say, "Spare the rich and
powerful;" but
God says, "Spare not:" and we must obey
God, not
men. We all need earnestly to pray for
God's assistance in
examining ourselves. Men may go far toward
Heaven, yet come
short; and they may go to
Hell with a good reputation.
3-12 A
Fast is a
Day to afflict the soul; if it does not
express true sorrow for
Sin, and does not promote the putting
away of
Sin, it is not a
Fast. These professors had shown sorrow
On stated or occasioned fasts. But they indulged pride,
Covetousness, and malignant passions. To be liberal and merciful
is more acceptable to
God than mere fasting, which, without
them, is vain and hypocritical. Many who seem humble in
God's
House, are hard at home, and harass their families. But
No Man's
Faith justifies, which does not work
By Love. Yet persons,
families, neighbourhoods, churches, or nations, show
Repentance
and sorrow for
Sin,
By keeping a
Fast sincerely, and, from right
motives, repenting, and doing good
Works. The heavy
Yoke of
Sin
and oppression must be removed. As
Sin and sorrow dry the bones
and weaken the strongest human constitution;
So the duties of
kindness and
Charity strengthen and refresh both body and mind.
Those who do justly and
Love Mercy, shall have the comfort, even
in this world. Good
Works will bring the blessing of
God,
provided they are done from
Love to
God and
Man, and wrought in
the soul
By the Holy
Spirit.
13,14 The
Sabbath is a sign between
God and his professing
people; his appointing it is a sign of his favour to them; and
their observing it is a sign of their obedience to him. We must
turn from travelling
On that
Day; from doing our pleasure
On
that holy
Day, without the control and restraint of
Conscience;
or from indulging in the pleasures of sense.
On Sabbath days we
must not follow our callings, or our pleasures. In all we say
and do, we must
Put a difference between this
Day and other
days. Even in Old
Testament times the
Sabbath was called the
Lord's Day, and is fitly called
So still; and for a further
reason, it is the
Lord Christ's
Day, Re 1:10. If we thus
remember the
Sabbath Day to keep it holy, we shall have the
comfort and profit of it, and have reason to say, It is good to
draw near to
God.