70 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Isaiah 41 This chapter contains a summons to the enemies of Christ to come and try the cause between God and them before him; words of comfort to true believers, promising them help, protection, and provision; full conviction of idolaters, and their practices; and is closed with a promise of some great person, and what he will do...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Keep silence before me, O islands,.... The great controversy in the world after the coming of Christ, which is expressly spoken of in the preceding chapter, was, as Cocceius observes, whether he was a divine Person; this was first objected to by the Jews, and afterwards by many that bore the Christian name; some, in the times of the apostles,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter, as the former, in intended both for the conviction of idolaters and for the consolation of all God's faithful worshippers; for the Spirit is sent, and ministers are employed by him, both to convince and to comfort. And however this might be primarily intended for the conviction of Babylonians, and the comfort of Israelites, or for...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. He challenges them to a debate. He gives them breathing time — bids them prepare themselves, and come with the best arguments that their minds could find.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. God invites people to argue with him. He bids them first “listen” to him, and then speak to him. They had been worshipping idols, so the Lord shows them that the idols are nothing, and that all...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Who raised up the righteous man from the east,.... The Targum interprets this of Abraham; and so the Talmud (h); and this way go most Jewish and Christian commentators, and to him the characters agree; he was a righteous man, believed in Christ for righteousness, had the righteousness of faith when circumcised, did justice, and wrought...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. Who was it that raised up Cyrus, and who made him strong...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his east, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. These words are supposed to allude to Cyrus, who came...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
He pursued them, and passed safely..... Went on in his work, pursued his great design in subduing the souls of men, and bringing them to the obedience of Christ; and though he had so many enemies, he "passed on safely"; God did not suffer them to set upon him, to do him any harm, even though he was exposed to perils by sea and land, by thieves and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Who hath wrought and done it,.... Contrived and effected it, formed the scheme, and brought it to pass; namely, raising up the righteous man from the east, and succeeding him in the manner described: calling the generations from the beginning? or rather here begins the answer to the above question, which may be rendered, he that calleth the...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. Long before Cyrus was born, God thus spoke of him. It is declared what work he should do. What better proof could there be that God is God? Do the false gods foretell the future? Are their oracles to be depended upon? Yet...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbour; and ever one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The isles saw it, and feared,.... Not the victory which Abraham got over the kings; nor Cyrus's expedition against Babylon, and other nations, and his deliverance of the Jews; but the progress of the Gospel, through the ministry of the Apostle Paul: the idolatrous inhabitants of the Gentile nations saw great multitudes embracing and professing the...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. When men fight against God, they get united. What a very sad thing it is that God’s children should ever fall out. There is one sin that I never heard charged upon the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
They helped everyone his neighbour,.... By advice and counsel, by the best arguments they could make use of, to withstand the new religion, and defend the old one; to prevent the embracing the one, and relinquishing the other: and everyone said to his brother, be of good courage: or, "be strong" (m); they strengthened one another's hands in their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith,.... The carpenter, when he had made a wooden image, encouraged and hastened the goldsmith, or the "finer", as some render it, to do his part, in covering it with plates of gold or silver: and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil; he that beat out thin plates of gold and silver with...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. What a sarcastic description of god-making this is! There is the carpenter, and then the goldsmith to spread the plates of gold over the wood,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But thou, Israel, art my servant,.... As the great spread and success of the Gospel could not fail of drawing the resentment of the idolatrous Heathens on those who embraced and professed it, and by whom they were grievously persecuted under the Roman emperors; wherefore, to support them under these trials, the Lord speaks these and the following...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. The people of Israel were reserved by God that they might worship him. While...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
But thou, Israel, art my servant, You do not worship idols; you worship Jehovah, the living and true God. Isa_41:8. Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. What a title for God to give to a man, “Abraham my friend”! Could not we also endeavor to get into God’s friendship, where Abraham was; to trust and love God much; to talk with...