Besides, immediately after the description of the success given by God to Abraham and his posterity, (who, I presume, are to be taken into the account,) the idolaters are introduced as greatly alarmed at this event.

Abraham was called out of the east; and his posterity were introduced into the land of Canaan, in order to destroy the idolaters of that country, and they were established there on purpose to stand as a barrier against the idolatry then prevailing, and threatening to overrun the whole face of the earth. Cyrus, though not properly an idolater or worshipper of images, yet had nothing in his character to cause such an alarm among the idolaters, ver. 5-7. Farther, after having just touched upon that circumstance, the prophet with great ease returns to his former subject, and resumes Abraham and the Israelites; and assures them that as God had called them, and chosen them for this purpose, he would uphold and support them to the utmost, and at length give them victory over all the heathen nations, their enemies; ver. 8-16. Kimchi is of the same mind and gives the same reasons.

Be gave them as the dust to his sword "Hath made them like the dust before his sword"] The image is strong and beautiful; it is often made use of by the sacred poets; see Psa. i. 4; xxxv. 6; Job xxi. 18, and by Isaiah himself in other places, chap. xvii. 13; xxix. 5. But there is great difficulty in making out the construction. The Septuagint read µbrj µt�q kashtam, charbam, their sword, their bow, understanding it of the sword and bow of the conquered kings: but this is not so agreeable to the analogy of the image, as employed in other places. The Chaldee paraphrast and Kimchi solve the difficulty by supposing an ellipsis of ynpl liphney before those words. It must be owned that the ellipsis is hard and unusual: but I choose rather to submit to this, than, by adhering with Vitringa to the more obvious construction, to destroy entirely both the image and the sense.

But the Vulgate by gladio ejus, to his sword, and arcui ejus, to his bow, seems to express wbrjl lecharbo, to his sword, and wt�ql lekashto, to his bow, the admission of which reading may perhaps be thought preferable to Kimchi's ellipsis.

Is. 41:1-9 Can any heathen god raise up one in righteousness, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations? The Lord did so with Abraham, or rather, he would do so with Cyrus. Sinner encourage one another in the ways of sin; shall not the servants of the living God stir up one another in his service? God's people are the seed of Abraham his friend. This is certainly the highest title eve given to a mortal. It means that Abraham, by Divine grace, was mad like to God, and that he was admitted to communion with Him. Happy ar the servants of the Lord, whom he has called to be his friends, and to walk with him in faith and holy obedience. Let not such as have thu been favoured yield to fear; for the contest may be sharp, but the victory shall be sure.

Is. 41:10-20 God speaks with tenderness; Fear thou not, for I am with thee: not only within call, but present with thee. Art thou weak? will strengthen thee. Art thou in want of friends? I will help thee in the time of need. Art thou ready to fall? I will uphold thee with tha right hand which is full of righteousness, dealing forth rewards an punishments. There are those that strive with God's people, that see their ruin. Let not God's people render evil for evil, but wait God' time. It is the worm Jacob; so little, so weak, so despised an trampled on by every body. God's people are as worms, in humbl thoughts of themselves, and in their enemies' haughty thoughts of them worms, but not vipers, not of the serpent's seed. Every part of God' word is calculated to humble man's pride, and to make him appear littl in his own eyes. The Lord will help them, for he is their Redeemer. The Lord will make Jacob to become a threshing instrument. God will make him fit for use, new, and having sharp spikes. This has fulfilment in the triumphs of the gospel of Christ, and of all faithful followers of Christ, over the power of darkness. God has provided comforts to suppl all their wants, and to answer all their prayers. Our way to heave lies through the wilderness of this world. The soul of man is in want and seeks for satisfaction; but becomes weary of seeking that in the world, which is not to be had in it. Yet they shall have a constan supply, where one would least expect it. I will open rivers of grace rivers of living water, which Christ spake of the Spirit, John 7:38,39 When God sets up his church in the Gentile wilderness, there shall be great change, as if thorns and briers were turned into cedars, an fir-trees, and myrtles. These blessings are kept for the poor in spirit, who long for Divine enlightening, pardon, and holiness. And God will render their barren souls fruitful in the grace of his Spirit that all who behold may consider it.

Is. 41:21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse tha nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvatio through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of the future must be onl with Jehovah, who fulfils his own plans. All prophecies, except thos of the Bible, have been uncertain. In the work of redemption the Lor showed himself much more than in the release of the Jews from Babylon The good tidings the Lord will send in the gospel, is a mystery his from ages and generations. A Deliverer is raised up for us, of noble name and greater power than the deliverer of the captive Jews. May we be numbered among his obedient servants and faithful friends __________________________________________________________________

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