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RESTORATION OF THE JEWS
TRULY wonderful is the power of faith: it looks through hundreds and thousands of years; and not only anticipates events as future, but sets them before the mind as present. In the prophetic writings this assured faith is frequently exhibited. The Prophet Isaiah in particular seems to have been endued with it in a pre-eminent degree. He rarely mentions the conversion either of Jews or Gentiles to the faith of Christ, but he represents it as already passing before his eyes: “Lift up thine eyes round about,” says he, “and see” these prophecies already accomplishing throughout the world. “Who are these that I behold flying as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows [Note: Isa_49:18; Isa_60:4; Isa_60:8.]?” In the chapter before us God had declared, that “he would not rest till he had caused the righteousness of his Church to go forth as brightness, and its salvation as a lamp that burneth [Note: ver. 1.].” And this promise he had confirmed with an oath [Note: ver. 8, 9.]. To this word and this oath the prophet gave such perfect and assured credit, that he addressed the Jews above a hundred years before they were carried captive to Babylon, as if they were already at the close of their captivity, and ready to be restored to their own land: “Go through, go through the gates,” for the purpose of returning to your own country. At the same time he looks forward also to the Jews in their present state of dispersion, and bids them receive their Messiah as already come for their deliverance; assuring them at the same time, that in returning to God through Him, they shall be restored to all the privileges which, by their rejection of him, they have forfeited.
His address to them sets forth in a very animated point of view the circumstances that shall take place at the time of their restoration;
I. The preparation to be made for them—
The former part of the address is directed immediately to them. As at the time of Cyrus’s decree vast multitudes needed to be stirred up to avail themselves of the permission granted them to return to their own country, so now, when the gates are opened to them, they need repeated exhortations, “Go through, go through the gates.” God says to them, “Go ye forth of Babylon; flee ye from the Chaldeans; with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob [Note: Isa_48:20.].” “Depart ye; for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward [Note: Isa_52:11-12.].”
The remainder of the address is directed to all who have it in their power to facilitate their return. Here therefore we may see our duty towards them. We should without delay exert ourselves in their behalf:
1. We should prepare their way before them—
[As, previous to the advent of our Lord himself, a Messenger was sent before him “to prepare his way, and to make his paths straight [Note: Isa_40:3-5. with Luk_3:4-6.],” so God commands that we should “prepare the way of the people,” whom he has scattered over the face of the whole earth. In order to facilitate their access to their own land, and to the heavenly Jerusalem, we should “gather out the stones,” “the stumbling-blocks” which lie in their way [Note: Isa_57:14.]; and “cast up an highway” over those morasses, which present an almost insuperable obstacle to their return. If it be asked, What are these stumbling-blocks, and these morasses? I answer, One stumbling-block is, the ungodly lives of Christians; which give the Jews but too much reason to conclude that our religion is not a whit better than their own. Another stumbling-block is, The contempt with which we have treated them, and which cannot but have incensed them against, not the followers only, but even the very name, of Christ. The divisions of the Christian Church present also a very serious obstacle in their way: and we should do all in our power to heal these divisions, so that, if there still remain a diversity of sentiment on points of doubtful disputation, there may at least be an union of heart amongst all “who hold fast the Head,” and who, we have reason to hope, are living members of Christ’s mystical body. Till they see some change in our conduct in these respects, we can scarcely hope to prevail upon them to embrace our principles, however strongly we may recommend and enforce them.]
2. We should “lift up the standard” of the cross to them—
[That is the standard which must be erected for the Gentile world [Note: Isa_11:10.], and to that the Jewish people also must resort [Note: Isa_11:11-12.]. Under that must all mankind be marshalled [Note: Zec_14:9.], and come up to Zion [Note: Mic_4:1.]. But how shamefully negligent have the Christian world been now for so many centuries, in not unfurling these banners to them, and endeavouring to enlist them into the service of our Lord! Never till lately have our Scriptures been translated into their language for their use; nor has ever any great and general effort been made to promote their conversion to the faith of Christ. It is only in a way of pains and penalties that they have been dealt with hitherto, and not in a way of kind instruction and affectionate admonition. But till this be done, what prospect is there of their conversion to the faith of Christ? Suitable means must be used: and I beg it to be particularly noticed, that God enjoins these means to be used, in order to the effecting of his gracious purposes towards them. Let not any one imagine that the Jews are to be converted in any other way than the Gentiles were. There were miracles in the Apostolic age: but they were to aid, and not to supersede, the labours of men. So there may possibly be miracles in the Millennial age: but it is by instruction alone that the Jews can be brought to a knowledge of the Gospel, and to faith in Christ as the true Messiah.]
To these general directions the prophet more distinctly adds,
II. The proclamation to be reported to them—
It has been thought by some, that we are under no obligation to seek the conversion of the Jews. But, not to mention the general order given to ministers to go forth and preach the Gospel to every creature, (which must include Jews as well as Gentiles,) here is in our text an express command, a proclamation from Almighty God himself, to the whole Gentile world, to say unto the Daughter of Zion, “Behold, thy salvation cometh!” Let not this be forgotten: it is binding upon every one of us: and, if we disregard the injunction, we disregard it at our peril. We are here directed to make known to them, by every possible means,
1. The Saviour’s advent—
[The true character of the Messiah is here declared: He is a Saviour: He is “salvation” itself; even the salvation of all who trust in him. “His reward is with him;” and it shall be conferred on all who receive him in faith and love. Who can depict the blessings which he will bring to the believing soul? They are such as “no eye ever saw, no ear ever heard, no heart ever adequately conceived.” “The peace” with which he will invest the soul, “passeth all understanding;” “the joy” with which he will inspire it, is “unspeakable;” and the “riches” with which he will endow it, are “unsearchable.” Let the believer, though but of the lowest class, be appealed to, and he will confirm this truth from his own experience. Moreover, “his work is before him;” and he will never leave it till it be fully accomplished. In the days of his flesh, he rested not till he could say, “It is finished:” nor will he rest now till he has fulfilled all that he has undertaken, and brought every one of his elect to glory. “Of those that were given him of the Father, he never lost one, nor will ever suffer one to be plucked out of his hands.”
All this is to be made known to the Jewish people. They should be informed what a Saviour there is: we should bring to their ears these glad tidings, “lifting up our voice with strength, and saying to all the cities of Judith, Behold your God [Note: Isa_40:9.]!”]
2. The benefits he will confer upon them—
[Desolate indeed is their condition at present: but it shall not be always so: the time is coming when they shall “no more be termed, Forsaken [Note: ver. 4.];” but shall be restored to all the honours and blessings which they once possessed. Once they were “an holy people to the Lord their God, even a special people above all upon the face of the earth [Note: Deu_7:6.];” and “high above them all, in praise, and in name, and in honour [Note: Deu_26:19.].” And such shall they again become, when they unite in “seeking the Lord their God, and David their king [Note: Hos_3:5.].” As partakers of his mercies in common with the Gentile world, they will be called, “The redeemed of the Lord;” but with an emphasis peculiar to themselves will they be termed, “Sought out, and not forsaken.” They appear to be forsaken at present: but it shall then appear, that God’s eye was upon them for good even in the midst of their deepest humiliation; and efforts shall be made for their recovery, which shall distinguish them pre-eminently as objects of his love, whom he has “sought out” with care, and brought home with joy.
Such are the encouraging statements to be made to them; and such statements in God’s good time shall be effectual for the bringing of them home in triumph to their God.]
That I may not overlook the personal interests of those to whom I speak, let me in conclusion say,
1. Take care that you experience these things in your own souls—
[In your natural and unconverted state, you are as far off from God as the Jews themselves. You are “in a world that lieth under the power of the wicked one [Note: 1Jn_5:19. ’Å í ô ῶ ; ð ï í ç ñ ῶ ;.]:” and you need to come out from it, as much as they did from Babylon [Note: 2Co_6:17. compared with Isa_51:17.] — — — You need also to have “straight paths made for your feet,” that you may advance the more easily towards the heavenly Jerusalem [Note: Heb_12:13.]. The same encouragements too you need, in order to induce you to embrace the proffered salvation. The excellency of the Redeemer, the riches of his grace, the fulness and certainty of his salvation, need to be set before you, and the honours and glories of the eternal world held forth to your view; that so you may brave the dangers of a dreary wilderness, and seek your happiness in Zion. There is not, in fact, any thing to be done by a Jew, that is not to be done by you — — — Go forth then yourselves, and shew the way to your Jewish brethren: and let them see in you the excellence of that religion which you exhort them to embrace.]
2. Endeavour to promote the experience of them in your Jewish brethren—
[I beg leave to repeat what I have before asserted, that it is by the use of suitable means that God will accomplish their conversion. See what means the Apostles used, in the first ages of the Church. Such are we also to use in the present day. If this be doubted, let any man tell us, Where has God dispensed with them? My text, even if there were no other passage to the same effect, sufficiently shews, that he has not dispensed with means, but requires them to be used by us in an humble dependence upon him. Let the directions of the text then be followed by us. Let us endeavour to shew them, that God has now made a way for their return to him. Let us labour by all possible means to remove from them the stumbling-blocks that lie in their way, and by courtesy and love to smooth their way before them. Let us encourage them to the utmost of our power, by pointing out to them the Messiah, of whom their law and their prophets have so fully testified; and by setting before thorn the great and precious promises which God has given them of acceptance through him. I say, let us strive in earnest to convey to them the blessings, which, through the labours of their forefathers, we ourselves have received. “Freely we have received; let us freely give;” and, if but a single soul be given us as the fruit of our labours, let us remember, that that one soul is of more value than the whole world.]