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Expulsion of the Leaders and Restoration Of The Lord's People
v. 7. O thou that art named the house of Jacob, the people who still considered themselves the covenant nation, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened, impatient? Did He not exercise patience and long-suffering?. Are these His doings? Are the impending punishments coming because He delights in them, because He is vindictive?. Do not My words do good to him that walketh uprightly? Is He not always ready to show goodness to those who conduct themselves in accordance with His righteous and holy will? The guilt, therefore, is entirely on the part of the people.
v. 8. Even of late, in fact, yesterday, My people is risen up as an enemy, taking an open stand against Jehovah. And this hostility is openly shown. Ye pull off the robe with the garment, stripping off the mantle or upper garment, from them that pass by securely, considering themselves safe from robbery and violence, as men averse from war, that is, from peaceable people, such as seek no quarrel with any one.
v. 9. The women of My people, the unprotected widows, have ye cast out from their pleasant houses, the houses of their delight, to which they were attached by the memory of their wedded love; from their children have ye taken away My glory, the ornament or gift which He has given them, forever, namely, by depriving them of their dress and of their rightful property. Cf Exo_22:25.
v. 10. Arise ye and depart! into the exile which the enemies would force upon them; for this is not your rest, they would not be permitted to remain in Canaan; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction, or, "on account of the corruption which brings destruction, and that a most powerful destruction. " Such prophecies, setting forth the depth of the nation's corruption, are, of course, very unwelcome to the wicked leaders.
v. 11. If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood, in vanity and falsehood, namely, in preaching his own ideas, do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, that is, of the enjoyment of this present life, he shall even be the prophet of this people, he would meet with the approval of their leaders and those who desired a cover for their lives of luxury and dissipation. But in the very midst of this denunciation the prophet places a wonderful promise of the restoration of the Lord's people in the Messianic era.
v. 12. I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, all those whom He intended as members of His congregation; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel, collecting the believers from all the nations of the earth; I will put them together, in one fold, Joh_10:16, as the sheep of Bozrah, the rich meadowland east of Jordan, as the flock in the midst of the fold, secure from the attack of the enemies. They shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men, surging with their great numbers.
v. 13. The breaker is come up before them, rather, "There will go up before them He that breaketh through," their powerful Champion; they have broken up, rather, "they break up,". and have passed through the gate, passing into the gate of the Lord's Church, and are gone out by it, having free access to the throne of grace; and their King, Messiah Himself, shall pass before them and the Lord on the head of them, leading them through all the vicissitudes of this life to the promised life of eternity. While men are clamoring for a gospel which will suit their fleshly lusts and desires, all true preachers will continue to proclaim sin and grace, especially the salvation and the victory of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.