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It is a very good transition in prophecy (whether it be so in rhetoric or no), and a very common one, to pass from the prediction of the temporal deliverances of the church to that of the great salvation, which in the fulness of time should be wrought out by Jesus Christ, of which the other were types and figures, to which all the prophets bore witness; and so the ancient Jews understood them. For what else was it that raised so great an expectation of the Messiah at the time he came. Upon occasion of the prophecy of the deliverance of Jerusalem from Sennacherib, here comes in a prophecy concerning Messiah the Prince. I. His rise out of the house of David, Isa 11:1. II. His qualifications for his great undertaking, Isa 11:2,3. III. The justice and equity of his government, Isa 11:3-5. IV. The peaceableness of his kingdom, Isa 11:6-9. V. The accession of the Gentiles to it (Isa 11:10), and with them the remnant of the Jews, that should be united with them in the Messiah's kingdom (Isa 11:11-16) and of all this God would now shortly give them a type, and some dark representation, in the excellent government of Hezekiah, the great peace which the nation should enjoy under him, after the ruin of Sennacherib's design, and the return of many of the ten tribes out of their dispersion to their brethren of the land of Judah, when they enjoyed that great tranquility.
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Prophecy of the Messiah; The Government of Messiah (740 BC)
繁體中文
彌賽亞的預言；彌賽亞的國度（主前740年）
¹ 從耶西的本必發出一條，從他根生的枝子必結果實。
² 耶和華的靈必停留在祂身上，就是智慧和聰明的靈、謀略和能力的靈、知識和敬畏耶和華的靈。
³ 祂必以敬畏耶和華為樂；行審判不憑眼見，斷是非也不憑耳聞；
⁴ 卻要以公義審判貧窮人，以正直判斷世上的謙卑人；以口中的杖擊打世界，以嘴裡的氣殺戮惡人。
⁵ 公義必當祂的腰帶，信實當祂脅下的帶子。
⁶ 豺狼必與綿羊羔同居，豹子與山羊羔同臥；牛犢、少壯獅子並肥畜同群；小孩子要牽引牠們。
⁷ 牛必與熊同食，牛犢與小熊同臥；獅子必吃草與牛一樣。
⁸ 吃奶的孩子必玩耍在虺蛇的洞口，斷奶的嬰兒必按手在毒蛇的穴上。
⁹ 在我聖山的遍處，這一切都不傷人、不害物；因為認識耶和華的知識要充滿遍地，好像水充滿洋海一般。
先知在這篇信息中前面已說到必有一嬰孩為我們而生、有一子賜給我們，政權必擔在祂的肩頭上——這是為要在患難時安慰神的百姓，正如臨終的雅各在許多世紀之前，為要在埃及受苦的後裔得安慰，而以示羅的展望安慰他們。他曾說（Isa 10:27）那軛必因膏油的緣故毀壞；如今他告訴我們這膏油要停留在誰身上。他預言：
I. 彌賽亞到了時候必從大衛家興起，正如他所說（Isa 4:2）那榮美卓越的耶和華的苗裔；這字是 Netzer，有人認為 Mt 2:23 所引用、先知論彌賽亞所說祂將稱為拿撒勒人的就是這字。請在此留意：1. 這苗裔從何而出——從耶西。祂必是大衛的兒子——神曾與大衛立王權之約，又起誓應許神要從他的後裔中立一位坐在他寶座上，Ac 2:30。大衛常被稱為耶西的兒子，基督也被如此稱呼，因為祂不僅要作大衛的子孫，更是大衛自己，Ho 3:5。2. 祂出現的卑微。（1.）祂被稱為一條、一個枝子；這裡所用的兩個字都指微弱、細小、柔嫩的出產——一個小枝和一根嫩芽（有人如此譯），是容易被折斷的。神教會的仇敵剛才被比作粗壯宏偉的枝條（Isa 10:33），非費大功夫不能砍下，基督卻被比作一根嫩枝（Isa 53:2）；然而祂要勝過他們。（2.）祂被說是從耶西而出，而不是從大衛而出，因為耶西一生到死都在卑微隱沒中度過；他的家族微不足道（1Sa 18:18），而大衛有時被稱為耶西的兒子，是帶著輕蔑和責備意味的，1Sa 22:7。（3.）祂從耶西的樹不墩，或稱殘幹裡發出。當那曾如香柏木的王室被砍下、只剩殘幹、幾乎與地齊平、被田間的草淹沒之時（Da 4:15），它卻要再發芽（Job 14:7）；不但如此，它要從他根上長出——根完全埋在土裡，如同冬天花朵的根一樣，地上看不見莖。大衛家在基督降生之時已被削弱到極低微的地步，約瑟和馬利亞的卑微貧窮就是明證。彌賽亞正是這樣開始祂降卑的狀態；祂既順服，就必被高舉，並由此早早表明祂的國不屬這世界。迦勒底意譯本如此讀：從耶西的眾子中必出一王，彌賽亞（或基督）要從他子孫中受膏。
II. 祂在各樣資格上必完全適合所指定的那大工，使這嫩枝因得天上的甘露澆灌而成為掌權的堅固杖，Isa 11:2。1. 總括而言，耶和華的靈必停留在祂身上。聖靈的一切恩賜和恩典不僅要臨到祂，更要停留在祂身上；祂所受的靈不是有限的，而是沒有限量的——神本性一切的豐盛都有形有體地住在祂裡面，Col 1:19, 2:9。祂以這話開始祂的傳道（Lu 4:18）：主的靈在我身上。2. 具體而言，是治理的靈，使祂在各樣上完全適合父所交託、並賜祂權柄執行的審判（Joh 5:22,27），並且不僅如此，還要成為信徒一切恩典的源頭和寶庫，使他們都能從祂的豐盛裡領受施恩的聖靈，如同身體一切肢體從頭領受生機一樣。（1.）祂必有智慧和聰明的靈、謀略和知識的靈；祂必透徹明白所要承擔的事工。除了子，沒有人認識父，Mt 11:27。論到神和祂的心意旨意，祂要向世人啟示的，祂自己必先認識並確知，Joh 1:18。祂必知道如何治理祂屬靈國度各樣的事務，使其有效成就兩大目標——神的榮耀和世人的福祉。約的條款要由祂定立，聖禮由祂設立，都出於智慧；智慧的要財藏在祂裡面；祂必作我們的謀士，神也使祂成為我們的智慧。（2.）勇氣的靈，或作能力的靈、剛毅的靈。這大工極其浩大，必須突破許多艱難，所以祂必須如此受膏，使祂不灰心也不喪膽，Isa 42:4。祂在按真理教導神的道上以勇敢著稱，不徇人的情面，Mt 22:16。（3.）敬虔的靈，或作敬畏耶和華的靈；祂不僅自己要對父存敬畏的心，如同祂的僕人（Isa 42:1），並且祂因敬畏而蒙了應允（Heb 5:7），更要在整個大工中懷著對信仰的熱心，以推進信仰為目標。我們對基督的信心，從來不是要取代或擠掉我們對主的敬畏，而是要增加並扶持這敬畏。
III. 祂在治理和運用所交託的權柄上必精確、嚴明、極其嚴謹（Isa 11:3）：祂所穿上的聖靈必使祂以敬畏耶和華為樂——原文是敏銳的嗅覺或嗅覺（原文如此），因為心意的領悟常用身體的知覺來表達。當知道：1. 最真實、最有價值的聰明，是在敬畏耶和華、在信仰的事上聰明；因為那既是智慧的根基，也是智慧的頂石。2. 我們若有屬靈的感官習練得通達、並且以敬畏耶和華為快樂，就由此顯明我們有神的靈。凡有屬天光照的，都知道自己的本分，也知道如何去盡本分。3. 因此耶穌基督所受的靈是沒有限量的，使祂能完全明白祂所承擔的事；祂確實如此——不僅從祂對一切盤問之人的精彩回答（證明祂以敬畏耶和華為樂）可見，更從祂整個大工的治理可見。祂把信仰這件大事安排得出乎意料地好（既有效確保神的尊榮，又確保人的福祉），不能不承認祂透徹明白了這事。
IV. 祂在一切治理上都必公義正直，其間所顯的公平與智慧同樣充足。祂要審判，正如祂自己所表達、並願受同等審判的，Joh 7:24。1. 不憑外貌（Isa 11:3）：祂行審判不憑眼見——不徇情面（Job 34:19），不按外表和現象；斷是非也不憑耳聞——不憑風評傳聞和別人的陳述，如常人所行；祂也不憑人所說的好話——主啊主啊地呼喊——或他們在人眼前所作的表面功夫來判斷；祂要憑心中隱藏的人和人所受的內在原則來判斷，這些祂是無誤的見證人。基督要審判人的隱秘事（Ro 2:16），論定他們，不是按他們的自稱和外表（那是憑眼見審判），也不是按別人對他們的看法（那是憈耳聞審判），我們卻確知祂的審判是按真理的。2. 祂要行公義的審判（Isa 11:5）：公義必當祂的腰帶。祂在治理上必公義，祂的公義必作祂的腰帶；公義要常常環繞祂、緊貼祂，作祂的裝飾和尊榮；祂為每一個行動束腰，為爭戰以公義束腰佩劍；祂的公義要作祂的力量，使祂行事迅捷，如同束腰的人。基督的跟從者也當效法祂，以真理當作帶子束腰（Eph 6:14），這也是時代的穩固。特別是：（1.）祂要以公義為受欺壓的貧窮人辯護；祂要作他們的保護者（Isa 11:4）：祂要以公義審判貧窮人；祂要為有理的一方辯護，即使他們在世上貧窮，並因他們心裡貧窮而為他們辯護。保護和搭救貧寒人是君王的職責（Ps 82:3,4），而基督是貧窮人的王，這是祂的尊榮，Ps 72:2,4。祂要為地上的謙卑人辯護；那些以溫柔忍耐忍受委屈的人，格外有資格得著神的看顧保護。我如不聽的聾人，因為你必聽，Ps 38:13,14。也有人讀作：祂要以正直責備地上的謙卑人。若祂自己的百姓、地上的謙卑人作了錯事，祂要以杖責罰他們的過犯。（2.）祂要以公義抵擋那些驕傲的壓迫者仇敵（Isa 11:4）：祂卻要以口中的杖擊打世界——那行事壓迫世界的世人（見 Ps 10:18），那些只以地上的事為念的世人（Ps 17:14）；祂要以口中的杖——就是祂口中的話——擊打他們，向他们宣告恐怖與傾覆；祂的威嚇要抓住他們，並執行在他們身上。以嘴裡的氣——就是祂的靈按照祂的話運行、與話同工並藉話運行——祂要殺戮惡人。祂要輕而易舉地成就，一說就成，正如祂把那些來捉拿祂的人說一句我就是便推倒在地，Joh 18:6。致死的恐懼要抓住他們的良心，致死的審判要毀滅他們的權勢和一切利益；在另一個世界裡，永遠的患難要報應那些攪擾祂貧窮百姓的人。使徒把這話應用於大罪人的毀滅——他稱之為那不法的人（2Th 2:8）*主要用口中的氣滅絕他。*迦勒底意譯本此處讀作：祂要殺戮那惡的羅慕路斯——或作羅馬，如布羅頓先生所理解的。
V. 祂的治理之下必有極大的和平安寧；這是對 Isa 9:6 所說祂要作和平之君的解釋。和平指兩件事：
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合一或和諧，這些比喻性的應許正暗示了這一點：連豺狼也要與綿羊羔和睦同居；性情最猛烈兇殘、慣於吞吃周圍一切的人，因福音和基督恩典的效力，性情要奇妙地改變，甚至與最軟弱的、從前容易成為他們獵物的人相愛共處。羊不僅不彼此傷害（如他們有時所作的，Eze 34:20,21），連狼也與他們相和。基督是我們的和平，祂來要消滅一切仇恨，並在跟從者之間設立持久的友誼——尤其是猶太人與外邦人之間：當雙方都有許多人歸信基督、聯合成一個羊圈之時，豺狼與綿羊羔便同住；豺狼不再威脅綿羊羔，綿羊羔也不怕豺狼。豹子不僅不撕裂山羊羔，還要與它同臥：連他們的幼崽也要同臥，在蒙福的友誼中一同被教養，以延續這友誼。獅子不再貪婪，要如牛一樣吃草——正如有人認為所有猛獸在墮落之前都是如此。虺蛇和毒蛇不再有毒，以致父母可以讓孩子們與牠們玩耍、把手放在牠們中間。毒蛇的種類要成為聖徒的種類，人對人如狼的舊抱怨要終結。住在聖山的人要如同與挪亞同在方舟裡的活物一樣和睦共處，這也要成為他們得以保全的途徑，因為他們不傷人不害物，不像從前那樣。如今，（1.）這在福音誠心領受者心思上的奇妙果效中已應驗了；福音改變了人的性情，使那些從前踐踏地上謙卑人的人不僅變得像他們一樣謙卑，還對他們滿有愛心。當從前逼迫聖徒的保羅歸入他們之中時，豺狼便與綿羊羔同居了。（2.）有人願意盼望，這在末後的日子——刀要打成犁頭之時——還要有更完全的應驗。
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安全或保障。基督這位大牧者必如此看顧羊群，使那要害他們的人不能得逞；他們不僅不彼此毀滅，連外面的仇敵也不得騷擾他們。患難以及死亡本身的性質要如此改變，以致對任何在聖山中為人的人都不能造成真正的傷害，更不能毀滅他們，1Pe 3:13。若我們是行善的人，誰、或什麼能害我們呢？神的百姓不僅要脫離惡事，也要脫離對惡事的恐懼。連吃奶的孩子也要毫無驚恐地在虺蛇的洞口玩耍；蒙福的保羅正是如此，當他說：誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？以及死啊，你的毒鉤在哪裡？
末了，請留意這奇妙地柔化、甘甜人性情的恩典，其果效和原因各是什麼。1. 其果效是受教和樂意領受訓誨：一個小孩子要牽引他們——那些從前不屑受最強之人約束的人。加爾文將此理解為他們甘心順服基督的工人——工人要以溫柔教導，不可使用任何強制的權力，而要如同小孩子，Mt 18:3。見 2Co 8:5。2. 其原因是對神的認識。認識越多，和平的性情也越多。他們要如此相愛而活，因為認識耶和華的知識要充滿遍地——這要熄滅人的熱心和仇恨。我們對這位愛之神認識越深，就越被改變成與祂相同的形象，也對一切身上帶著祂形象的人越發親愛。全地要充滿這認識，如同海的道中充滿水——這認識要如此廣闊廣遠，如此深實久長。藉著基督的福音所能得到的對神的認識，遠超藉摩西律法所能得到的；從前只有在猶大神為人所知，如今從最小的到至大的都必認識祂，Heb 8:11。但那在人中間散布紛爭的所謂認識，是假冒的認識；對神真正的認識必締造和平。
英語原文
Prophecy of the Messiah; The Government of Messiah (740 BC)
¹ And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
² And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
³ And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
⁴ But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
⁵ And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
⁶ The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
⁷ And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
⁸ And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
⁹ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
The prophet had before, in this sermon, spoken of a child that should be born, a son that should be given, on whose shoulders the government should be, intending this for the comfort of the people of God in times of trouble, as dying Jacob, many ages before, had intended the prospect of Shiloh for the comfort of his seed in their affliction in Egypt. He had said (Isa 10:27) that the yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing; now here he tells us on whom that anointing should rest. He foretels,
I. That the Messiah should, in due time, arise out of the house of David, as that branch of the Lord which he had said (Isa 4:2) should be excellent and glorious; the word is Netzer, which some think is referred to in Mt 2:23, where it is said to be spoken by the prophets of the Messiah that he should be called a Nazarene. Observe here, 1. Whence this branch should arise-from Jesse. He should be the son of David, with whom the covenant of royalty was made, and to whom it was promised with an oath that of the fruit of his loins God would raise of Christ, Ac 2:30. David is often called the son of Jesse, and Christ is called so, because he was to be not only the Son of David, but David himself, Ho 3:5. 2. The meanness of his appearance. (1.) He is called a rod, and a branch; both the words here used signify a weak, small, tender product, a twig and a sprig (so some render them), such as is easily broken off. The enemies of God's church were just before compared to strong and stately boughs (Isa 10:33), which will not, without great labour, be hewn down, but Christ to a tender branch (Isa 53:2); yet he shall be victorious over them. (2.) He is said to come out of Jesse rather than David, because Jesse lived and died in meanness and obscurity; his family was of small account (1Sa 18:18), and it was in a way of contempt and reproach that David was sometimes called the son of Jesse, 1Sa 22:7. (3.) He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the grass of the field (Da 4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job 14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ's birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to begin his estate of humiliation, for submitting to which he should be highly exalted, and would thus give early notice that his kingdom was not of this world. The Chaldee paraphrase reads this, There shall come forth a King from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah (or Christ) shall be anointed out of his sons' sons.
II. That he should be every way qualified for that great work to which he was designed, that this tender branch should be so watered with the dews of heaven as to become a strong rod for a sceptre to rule, Isa 11:2. 1. In general, the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. The Holy Spirit, in all his gifts and graces, shall not only come, but rest and abide upon him; he shall have the Spirit not by measure, but without measure, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, Col 1:19,2:9. He began his preaching with this (Lu 4:18), The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 2. In particular, the spirit of government, by which he should be every way fitted for that judgment which the Father has committed to him and given him authority to execute (Joh 5:22,27), and not only so, but should be made the fountain and treasury of all grace to believers, that from his fulness they might all receive the Spirit of grace, as all the members of the body derive animal spirits from the head. (1.) He shall have the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and knowledge; he shall thoroughly understand the business he is to be employed in. No man knows the Father but the Son, Mt 11:27. What he is to make known to the children of men concerning God, and his mind and will, he shall be himself acquainted with and apprised of, Joh 1:18. He shall know how to administer the affairs of his spiritual kingdom in all the branches of it, so as effectually to answer the two great intentions of it, the glory of God and the welfare of the children of men. The terms of the covenant shall be settled by him, and ordinances instituted, in wisdom: treasures of wisdom shall be hid in him; he shall be our counsellor, and shall be made of God to us wisdom. (2.) The spirit of courage, or might, or fortitude. The undertaking was very great, abundance of difficulty must be broken through, and therefore it was necessary that he should be so endowed that he might not fail or be discouraged, Isa 42:4. He was famed for courage in his teaching the way of God in truth, and not caring for any man, Mt 22:16. (3.) The spirit of religion, or the fear of the Lord; not only he shall himself have a reverent affection for his Father, as his servant (Isa 42:1), and he was heard in that he feared (Heb 5:7), but he shall have a zeal for religion, and shall design the advancement of it in his whole undertaking. Our faith in Christ was never designed to supersede and jostle out, but to increase and support, our fear of the Lord.
III. That he should be accurate, and critical, and very exact in the administration of his government and the exercise of the power committed to him (Isa 11:3): The Spirit wherewith he shall be clothed shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord—of an acute smell or scent (so the word is), for the apprehensions of the mind are often expressed by the sensations of the body. Note, 1. Those are most truly and valuably intelligent that are so in the fear of the Lord, in the business of religion, for that is both the foundation and top-stone of wisdom. 2. By this it will appear that we have the Spirit of God, if we have spiritual senses exercised, and are of quick understanding in the fear of the lord. Those have divine illumination that know their duty and know how to go about it. 3. Therefore Jesus Christ had the spirit without measure, that he might perfectly understand his undertaking; and he did so, as appears not only in the admirable answers he gave to all that questioned with him, which proved him to be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, but in the management of his whole undertaking. He has settled the great affair of religion so unexpectedly well (so as effectually to secure both God's honour and man's happiness) that, it must be owned, he thoroughly understood it.
IV. That he should be just and righteous in all the acts of his government, and there should appear in it as much equity as wisdom. He shall judge as he expresses it himself, and as he himself would be judged of, Joh 7:24. 1. Not according to outward appearance (Isa 11:3): he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, with respect of persons (Job 34:19) and according to outward shows and appearances, not reprove after the hearing of his ears, by common fame and report, and the representations of others, as men commonly do; nor does he judge of men by the fair words they speak, calling him, Lord, Lord, or their plausible actions before the eye of the world, which they do to be seen of men; but he will judge by the hidden man of the heart, and the inward principles men are governed by, of which he is an infallible witness. Christ will judge the secrets of men (Ro 2:16), will determine concerning them, not according to their own pretensions and appearances (that were to judge after the sight of the eyes), not according to the opinion others have of them (that were to judge after the hearing of the ears), but we are sure that his judgment is according to truth. 2. He will judge righteous judgment (Isa 11:5): Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins. He shall be righteous in the administration of his government, and his righteousness shall be his girdle; it shall constantly compass him and cleave to him, shall be his ornament and honour; he shall gird himself for every action, shall gird on his sword for war in righteousness; his righteousness shall be his strength, and shall make him expeditious in his undertakings, as a man with his loins girt. In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the girdle of truth (Eph 6:14) and it will be the stability of the times. Particularly, (1.) He shall in righteousness plead for the people that are poor and oppressed; he will be their protector (Isa 11:4): With righteousness shall he judge the poor; he shall judge in favour and defence of those that have right on their side, though they are poor in the world, and because they are poor in spirit. It is the duty of princes to defend and deliver the poor (Ps 82:3,4), and the honour of Christ that he is the poor man's King, Ps 72:2,4. He shall debate with evenness for the meek of the earth, or of the land; those that bear the injuries done them with meekness and patience are in a special manner entitled to the divine care and protection. I, as a deaf man, heard not, for thou wilt hear, Ps 38:13,14. Some read it, He shall reprove or correct the meek of the earth with equity. If his own people, the meek of the land, do amiss, he will visit their transgression with the rod. (2.) He shall in righteousness plead against his enemies that are proud and oppressors (Isa 11:4): But he shall smite the earth, the man of the earth, that doth oppress (see Ps 10:18), the men of the world, that mind earthly things only (Ps 17:14); these he shall smite with the rod of his mouth, the word of his mouth, speaking terror and ruin to them; his threatenings shall take hold of them, and be executed upon them. With the breath of his lips, by the operation of his Spirit, according to his word, and working with and by it, he shall slay the wicked. He will do it easily, with a word's speaking, as he laid those flat who came to seize him, by saying I am he, Joh 18:6. Killing terrors shall arrest their consciences, killing judgments shall ruin them, their power, and all their interests; and in the other world everlasting tribulation will be recompensed to those that trouble his poor people. The apostle applies this to the destruction of the man of sin, whom he calls that wicked one (2Th 2:8) whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth. And the Chaldee here reads it, He shall slay that wicked Romulus, or Rome, as Mr. Hugh Broughton understands it.
V. That there should be great peace and tranquillity under his government; this is an explication of what was said in Isa 9:6, that he should be the Prince of peace. Peace signifies two things:—
1. Unity or concord, which is intimated in these figurative promises, that even the wolf shall dwell peaceably with the lamb; men of the most fierce and furious dispositions, who used to bite and devour all about them, shall have their temper so strangely altered by the efficacy of the gospel and grace of Christ that they shall live in love even with the weakest and such as formerly they would have made an easy prey of. So far shall the sheep be from hurting one another, as sometimes they have done (Eze 34:20,21), that even the wolves shall agree with them. Christ, who is our peace, came to slay all enmities and to settle lasting friendships among his followers, particularly between Jews and Gentiles: when multitudes of both, being converted to the faith of Christ, united in one sheep-fold, then the wolf and the lamb dwelt together; the wolf did not so much as threaten the lamb, nor was the lamb afraid of the wolf. The leopard shall not only not tear the kid, but shall lie down with her: even their young ones shall lie down together, and shall be trained up in a blessed amity, in order to the perpetuating of it. The lion shall cease to be ravenous and shall eat straw like the ox, as some think all the beasts of prey did before the fall. The asp and the cockatrice shall cease to be venomous, so that parents shall let their children play with them and put their hands among them. A generation of vipers shall become a seed of saints, and the old complaint of homo homini lupus—man is a wolf to man, shall be at an end. Those that inhabit the holy mountain shall live as amicably as the creatures did that were with Noah in the ark, and it shall be a means of their preservation, for they shall not hurt nor destroy one another as they have done. Now, (1.) This is fulfilled in the wonderful effect of the gospel upon the minds of those that sincerely embrace it; it changes the nature, and makes those that trampled on the meek of the earth, not only meek like them, but affectionate towards them. When Paul, who had persecuted the saints, joined himself to them, then the wolf dwelt with the lamb. (2.) Some are willing to hope it shall yet have a further accomplishment in the latter days, when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares.
2. Safety or security. Christ, the great Shepherd, shall take such care of the flock that those who would hurt them shall not; they shall not only not destroy one another, but no enemy from without shall be permitted to give them any molestation. The property of troubles, and of death itself, shall be so altered that they shall not do any real hurt to, much less shall they be the destruction of, any that have their conversation in the holy mountain, 1Pe 3:13. Who, or what, can harm us, if we be followers of him that is good? God's people shall be delivered, not only from evil, but from the fear of it. Even the sucking child shall without any terror play upon the hole of the asp; blessed Paul does so when he says, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? and, O death! where is thy sting?
Lastly, Observe what shall be the effect, and what the cause, of this wonderful softening and sweetening of men's tempers by the grace of God. 1. The effect of it shall be tractableness, and a willingness to receive instruction: A little child shall lead those who formerly scorned to be controlled by the strongest man. Calvin understands it of their willing submission to the ministers of Christ, who are to instruct with meekness and not to use any coercive power, but to be as little children, Mt 18:3. See 2Co 8:5. 2. The cause of it shall be the knowledge of God. The more there is of that the more there is of a disposition to peace. They shall thus live in love, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, which shall extinguish men's heats and animosities. The better acquainted we are with the God of love the more shall we be changed into the same image and the better affected shall we be to all those that bear his image. The earth shall be as full of this knowledge as the channels of the sea are of water—so broad and extensive shall this knowledge be and so far shall it spread—so deep and substantial shall this knowledge be, and so long shall it last. There is much more of the knowledge of God to be got by the gospel of Christ than could be got by the law of Moses; and, whereas then in Judah only was God known, now all shall know him, Heb 8:11. But that is knowledge falsely so called which sows discord among men; the right knowledge of God settles peace.
10-16
Advancement of Messiah's Kingdom (740 BC)
繁體中文
彌賽亞國度的擴展 (740 BC)
¹⁰ 到那日，耶西的根立作萬民的大旗；外邦人必尋求他；他安息之所大有榮耀。
¹¹ 當那日，主必再次伸手救回自己百姓中所餘剩的，就是在亞述、埃及、巴忒羅、古實、以攔、示拿、哈馬，並海島所剩下的。
¹² 他必向列國豎立大旗，招回以色列被趕散的人，又從地的四方聚集分散的猶大人。
¹³ 以法蓮的嫉妒必消散，猶大的仇敵必被剪除；以法蓮必不嫉妒猶大，猶大也必不擾害以法蓮。
¹⁴ 他們要向西飛撲在非利士人的肩頭上；他們要一同擄掠東方人；他們要伸手按住以東和摩押；亞捫人必順服他們。
¹⁵ 耶和華必使埃及海舌頭枯乾；他必用大能的手揮在河上，將它分為七條溪水，使人穿鞋走過。
¹⁶ 必為他百姓中所餘剩的，就是從亞述剩下回來的，開通一條大道；如以色列出埃及地的時候一樣。
我們在此進一步看到關於彌賽亞國度擴展和提升的預言，以希西家後半期——西拿基立潰敗之後——猶大國興旺的景況為預表和影像。
I. 這預言部分地應驗在：神為希西家和他百姓所行的大事如同大旗，吸引鄰國來「查問那地中所行的奇事」——巴比倫王使者的來訪就是為此。他們「尋求」了那大旗；耶路撒冷——猶太人的安息之所或居所——那時大有榮耀（Isa 11:10）。那時，許多屬於十個支派國家的以色列人——在亞述王毀滅那國時被迫逃到周圍各國、甚至逃到極遠的海島去躲避的人——受到鼓勵，回到本國，歸在猶大王的保護和治理之下，尤其因為毀滅他們國家的亞述軍隊如今已被擊潰。這被說為是「第二次」拯救他們（Isa 11:11），是神權能和良善如此大的彰顯，對他們如此大的復甦，正如他們第一次從埃及被救出來一樣。那時「以色列被趕散的人」必被招回、被帶回，那些在亞述軍隊逼近時為自己的安全而逃的猶大人也是。那時以法蓮和猶大之間的舊仇必被忘記，他們必聯合對抗非利士人和他們其他共同的仇敵（Isa 11:13,14）。注意，那些彼此在患難和憐憫、危險和拯救中有分的人，當因此為他們共同的、相互的安全和保護而聯合；當以法蓮和猶大聯合一致對付非利士人時，教會的景況就可能是好的。那時，無論分散的人歸回的路上有何困難，主必找到這樣或那樣的方法來排除它們——正如他領以色列出埃及時使紅海和約旦河乾涸一樣（Isa 11:15），又領他們穿過廣大荒涼的曠野進入迦南（Isa 11:16）。第二次他也必照樣行，或行同等的事。當神拯救他百姓的時候到了，反對的大山在他面前必成為平原。所以當教會的利益看來被壓得很低時，我們不要絕望；神能很快將陰暗的日子變為榮耀的日子。
II. 它更進一步地指向彌賽亞的日子和外邦人歸入他國度的事；因為使徒將 Isa 11:10 應用於這些事上，以下幾節是它的延續。Ro 15:12：「將有耶西的根；那興起來治理外邦的，外邦人必仰望他。」這是解開這預言的鑰匙，它論到基督是耶西的根，或「從他根而生的枝條」（Isa 11:1），「從乾地出的根」（Isa 53:2）。他是「大衛的根」（Re 5:5），「大衛的根和後裔」（Re 22:16）。
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他必「被立」，或被設立，「作萬民的大旗」。當他被釘十字架時，他「從地上被舉起來」，好作為旗幟或信號，「吸引萬人來歸他」（Joh 12:32）。他在永遠福音的傳揚中被設立為大旗；在其中，傳道人如旗手展示他愛的旗幟，以吸引我們歸他（So 1:4），展示他真理的旗幟，我們可在其下入伍，參與對抗罪和撒但的聖戰。基督是「那分散的神的兒女招聚歸一」的大旗（Joh 11:51），在他裏面他們作為合一的中心而相遇。
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「外邦人必尋求他。」我們讀到有希臘人如此行（Joh 12:21，「我們願意見耶穌」），在那場合基督說到他將被舉起，以吸引萬人來歸他。使徒（根據七十士譯本，或可能七十士譯本根據使徒，在基督之後的版本中）如此讀（Ro 15:12）：「外邦人必仰望他」；他們必倚靠他而尋求他。
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「他安息之所大有榮耀。」有人將此理解為基督的死（十字架的得勝甚至使那成為榮耀），另有人理解為他的升天——那時他坐在神的右邊安息。或更可能是福音教會，那基督曾說「這是我安息之所」的錫安山，他住在其中。這雖被世人輕看，卻因有聖潔的美在其中，實在是榮耀的，是「榮耀的高臺」（Jer 17:12）。
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猶太人和外邦人都必被招聚歸他（Isa 11:11）。兩者中的餘民——相比之下是少的餘民——必被招回，如同事實上帶著極大的困難和危險。如同從前神拯救他的百姓，將他們從所分散的各國招聚出來（Ps 106:47, Jer 16:15,16），他必第二次以另一種方式如此行——藉著恩典之靈與道的大能作工。他「必伸手」作這事；他必運用他的權能，「主的膀臂必顯露」來作這事。（1）猶太人中的餘民必被招入：「以色列被趕散的人，和分散的猶大人」（Isa 11:12），他們中間有許多在將他們領歸基督的時候，是「散住十二個支派之人」（Jas 1:1, 1Pe 1:1），必蜂擁到基督那裏；很可能那些分散的猶太人按比例被帶入教會的，比那些仍留在本國的更多。（2）「列國」——外邦人——中的許多人必因大旗的舉起而被帶入。雅各曾預言細羅「萬民都必歸順」。那些從前為外人為客旅的，必得親近。猶太人曾嫉妒基督到外邦人中間的分散者那裏去，以及「教導外邦人」（Joh 7:35）。
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猶大和以法蓮之間必有快樂的復和，兩者都必脫離仇敵的威脅而安全，並轄管他們（Isa 11:13,14）。那時猶大和以色列的聯合，是猶太人和外邦人——那些在福音教會中長久以來彼此為仇的——合一的預表和影像。「猶大家和以色列家將一同行走」（Jer 3:18），成為「一國」（Eze 37:22）；照樣猶太人和外邦人「兩者被造成一個新人」（Eph 2:15），他們既彼此和睦，那些反對他們兩者的仇敵就必被剪除；因為他們「要飛撲在非利士人的肩頭上」，如鷹撲向獵物，要擄掠在他們西邊的人，然後他們要向東擴展，征服以東人、摩押人和亞捫人。基督的福音必在各處成功，萬國中都有人歸順真道。
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一切可能妨礙福音進展和成功的事物都必被清除。正如神領以色列出埃及時在他們前面使紅海和約旦河乾涸（Isa 63:11,12），以及後來他領猶太人從巴比倫出來時為他們「預備道路」（Isa 62:10）一樣，當猶太人和外邦人要被一同帶入福音教會時，一切障礙都必被除去（Isa 11:15,16），看似不可克服的困難必奇妙地被克服，「瞎眼的人必被領在他們所不知道的路上」。見 Isa 42:15,16, 43:19,20。歸信者必被坐車坐轎帶來（Isa 66:20）。有人認為啟示錄中那乾涸伯拉大河、為東方眾王預備道路的隱晦預言（Re 16:12），所指的正是教會更大的增長，而那預言似乎就是引用此處。注意，當神領列國或個人歸回自己的時候到了，神恩必勝過一切反對。主一發聲，海就奔逃，約旦河也倒流；那些面向天國而行的人必發現，路上的困難並不如他們所想的那樣大，因為有一條通往那裏的大道（Isa 35:8）。
英語原文
Advancement of Messiah's Kingdom (740 BC)
¹⁰ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
¹¹ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
¹² And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
¹³ The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
¹⁴ But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
¹⁵ And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.
¹⁶ And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
We have here a further prophecy of the enlargement and advancement of the kingdom of the Messiah, under the type and figure of the flourishing condition of the kingdom of Judah in the latter end of Hezekiah's reign, after the defeat of Sennacherib.
I. This prediction was in part accomplished when the great things God did for Hezekiah and his people proved as an ensign, inviting the neighbouring nations to them to enquire of the wonders done in the land, on which errand the king of Babylon's ambassadors came. To them the Gentiles sought; and Jerusalem, the rest or habitation of the Jews, was then glorious, Isa 11:10. Then many of the Israelites who belonged to the kingdom of the ten tribes, who upon the destruction of that kingdom by the king of Assyria were forced to flee for shelter into all the countries about and to some that lay very remote, even to the islands of the sea, were encouraged to return to their own country and put themselves under the protection and government of the king of Judah, the rather because it was an Assyrian army by which their country had been ruined and that was not routed. This is said to be a recovery of them the second time (Isa 11:11), such an instance of the power and goodness of God, and such a reviving to them, as their first deliverance out of Egypt was. Then the outcasts of Israel should be gathered in, and brought home, and those of Judah too, who, upon the approach of the Assyrian army, shifted for their own safety. Then the old feud between Ephraim and Judah shall be forgotten, and they shall join against the Philistines and their other common enemies, Isa 11:13,14. Note, Those who have been sharers with each other in afflictions and mercies, dangers and deliverances, ought in consideration thereof to unite for their joint and mutual safety and protection; and it is likely to be well with the church when Ephraim and Judah are one against the Philistines. Then, whatever difficulties there may be in the way of the return of the dispersed, the Lord shall find out some way or other to remove them, as when he brought Israel out of Egypt he dried up the Red Sea and Jordan (Isa 11:15) and led them to Canaan through the invincible embarrassments of a vast howling wilderness, Isa 11:16. The like will he do this second time, or that which shall be equivalent. When God's time has come for the deliverance of his people mountains of opposition shall become plain before him. Let us not despair therefore when the interests of the church seem to be brought very low; God can soon turn gloomy days into glorious ones.
II. It had a further reference to the days of the Messiah and the accession of the Gentiles to his kingdom; for to these the apostle applies Isa 11:10, of which the following verses are a continuation. Ro 15:12, There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust. That is a key to this prophecy, which speaks of Christ as the root of Jesse, or a branch out of his roots (Isa 11:1), a root out of a dry ground, Isa 53:2. He is the root of David (Re 5:5), the root and offspring of David Re 22:16.
1. He shall stand, or be set up, for an ensign of the people. When he was crucified he was lifted up from the earth, that, as an ensign of beacon, he might draw the eyes and the hearts of all men unto him, Joh 12:32. He is set up as an ensign in the preaching of the everlasting gospel, in which the ministers, as standard-bearers, display the banner of his love, to allure us to him (So 1:4), the banner of his truth, under which we may enlist ourselves, to engage in a holy war against sin and Satan. Christ is the ensign to which the children of God that were scattered abroad are gathered together (Joh 11:51), and in him they meet as the centre of their unity.
2. To him shall the Gentiles seek. We read of Greeks that did so (Joh 12:21, We would see Jesus), and upon that occasion Christ spoke of his being lifted up, to draw all men to him. The apostle, from the LXX. (or perhaps the LXX. from the apostle, in the editions after Christ) reads it (Ro 15:12), In him shall the Gentiles trust; they shall seek to him with a dependence on him.
3. His rest shall be glorious. Some understand this of the death of Christ (the triumphs of the cross made even that glorious), others of his ascension, when he sat down to rest at the right hand of God. Or rather it is meant of the gospel church, that Mount Zion of which Christ has said, This is my rest, and in which he resides. This, though despised by the world, having upon it the beauty of holiness, is truly glorious, a glorious high throne, Jer 17:12.
4. Both Jews and Gentiles shall be gathered to him, Isa 11:11. A remnant of both, a little remnant in comparison, which shall be recovered, as it were, with great difficulty and hazard. As formerly God delivered his people, and gathered them out of all the countries whither they were scattered (Ps 106:47, Jer 16:15,16), so he will a second time, in another way, by the powerful working of the Spirit of grace with the word. He shall set his hand to do it; he shall exert his power, the arm of the Lord shall be revealed to do it. (1.) There shall be a remnant of the Jews gathered in: The outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah (Isa 11:12), many of whom, at the time of the bringing of them in to Christ, were Jews of the dispersion, the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad (Jam 1:1, 1Pe 1:1), shall flock to Christ; and probably more of those scattered Jews were brought into the church, in proportion, than of those which remained in their own land. (2.) Many of the nations, the Gentiles, shall be brought in by the lifting up of the ensign. Jacob foretold concerning Shiloh that to him should the gathering of the people be. Those that were strangers and foreigners shall be made nigh. The Jews were jealous of Christ's going to the dispersed among the Gentiles and of his teaching the Gentiles, Joh 7:35.
5. There shall be a happy accommodation between Judah and Ephraim, and both shall be safe from their adversaries and have dominion over them, Isa 11:13,14. The coalescence between Judah and Israel at that time was a type and figure of the uniting of Jews and Gentiles, who had been so long at variance in the gospel church. The house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel (Jer 3:18) and become one nation (Eze 37:22); so the Jews and Gentiles are made of twain one new man (Eph 2:15), and, being at peace one with another, those that are adversaries to them both shall be cut off; for they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines, as an eagle strikes at her prey, shall spoil those on the west side of them, and then they shall extend their conquests eastward over the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites. The gospel of Christ shall be successful in all parts, and some of all nations shall become obedient to the faith.
6. Every thing that might hinder the progress and success of the gospel shall be taken out of the way. As when God brought Israel out of Egypt he dried up the Red Sea and Jordan before them (Isa 63:11,12), and as afterwards when he brought up the Jews out of Babylon he prepared them their way (Isa 62:10), so when Jews and Gentiles are to be brought together into the gospel church all obstructions shall be removed (Isa 11:15,16), difficulties that seemed insuperable shall be strangely got over, the blind shall be led by a way that they knew not. See Isa 42:15,16,43:19,20. Converts shall be brought in chariots and in litters, Isa 66:20. Some think it is the further accession of multitudes to the church that is pointed at in that obscure prophecy of the drying up of the river Euphrates, that the way of the kings of the east may be prepared (Re 16:12), which seems to refer to this prophecy. Note, When God's time has come for the bringing of nations, or particular persons, home to himself, divine grace will be victorious over all opposition. At the presence of the Lord the sea shall flee and Jordan be driven back; and those who set their faces heavenward will find there are not such difficulties in the way as they thought there were, for there is a highway thither, Isa 35:8.
在預言中（不論在修辭學上是否如此），一種極為美好且十分常見的轉折，就是從預言教會暫時的拯救，轉到論及到了日期滿足時要由耶穌基督所成就的那大拯救；前者只是預表和影像，眾先知都為此作見證，古時的猶太人也是這樣領會。他來的時候，人對基督之所以有那麼大的期待，豈不是因這個緣故嗎？乘著耶路撒冷將蒙拯救脫離西拿基立的預言之際，在此便引出一段論及彌賽亞君王的預言。I. 祂從大衛家而出，Isa 11:1。II. 祂承擔大工的資格，Isa 11:2,3。III. 祂政權的公義與公平，Isa 11:3-5。IV. 祂國度的和平，Isa 11:6-9。V. 外邦人歸向祂（Isa 11:10），以及猶太人中的餘民與他們在彌賽亞國度中合而為一（Isa 11:11-16）。這一切的神如今就要藉著希西家卓越的治理、西拿基立的計謀敗落之後全國所要享受的大平安，以及十支派中許多人從散居之地歸回猶大地的弟兄那裡、在那大安寧中同享，而賜給他們一個預表和隱約的影兒。