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The scope of this chapter is much the same as that of the foregoing chapter and many expressions of it are the same; it therefore looks the same way, to the different state of the good and bad among the Jews at their return out of captivity, but that typifying the rejection of the Jews in the days of the Messiah, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the setting up of the gospel-kingdom in the world. The Isa 66:1 of this chapter is applied by Stephen to the dismantling of the temple by the planting of the Christian church (Ac 7:49,50), which may serve as a key to the whole chapter. We have here, I. The contempt God puts upon ceremonial services in comparison with moral duties, and an intimation therein of his purpose shortly to put an end to the temple, and sacrifice and reject those that adhered to them, Isa 66:1-4. II. The salvation God will in due time work for his people out of the hands of their oppressors (Isa 66:5), speaking terror to the persecutors (Isa 66:6) and comfort to the persecuted, a speedy and complete deliverance (Isa 66:7-9), a joyful settlement (Isa 66:10,11), the accession of the Gentiles to them, and abundance of satisfaction therein, Isa 66:12-14. III. The terrible vengeance which God will bring upon the enemies of his church and people, Isa 66:15-18. IV. The happy establishment of the church upon large and sure foundations, its constant attendance on God and triumph over its enemies, Isa 66:19-24. And we may well expect that this evangelical prophet, here, in the close of his prophecy, should (as he does) look as far forward as to the latter days, to the last day, to the days of eternity.
1-4
The Vanity of Mere Ritual Obedience (706 BC)
简体中文
仅守仪式之顺从的虚空（主前706年）
¹ 耶和华如此说：天是我的座位；地是我的脚凳。你们要为我造何等的殿宇？哪里是我安息的地方呢？ ² 耶和华说：这一切都是我手所造，所以就都有了。但我所看顾的，就是虚心痛悔、因我话而战兢的人。 ³ 假冒为善的宰牛，好像杀人，献羊羔好像打折狗项；献供物好像献猪血；烧香好像颂赞偶像。他们拣选自己的道路，心里喜悦自己可憎恶的事。 ⁴ 我也必拣选迷惑他们的事，使他们所惧怕的临到他们；因为我呼唤，无人答应；我说话，他们不听从；反倒在我眼中行恶，拣选我所不喜悦的。
在此，一、圣殿与一个蒙恩的灵魂相比就算不得什么（赛 66:1,2）。犹太人在先知时代，后来在基督时代，都因圣殿大肆夸耀，并指望从圣殿得着许多大福；所以为要使他们谦卑、摇动他们虚浮的把握，先知和基督都预言了圣殿的毁灭——神要离开它，它便很快荒凉。圣殿被迦勒底人毁坏后，不久便重新复兴，礼仪的献祭也随之恢复；但被罗马人毁坏后，它就成了永久的荒场，礼仪的律法也随之一同废去。为要叫世人预备好接受这事，他们屡次被告知（如此处所言）圣殿在神眼中何等无足轻重。1. 神并不需要它。天是他荣耀与治理的宝座；他坐在那里，被高举在至高的尊荣与权柄之中，超乎一切颂赞之上。地是他的脚凳，他立在其上，按自己的旨意统管其中一切事务。神既有如此光明的宝座、如此广大的脚凳，「那么他们能为神造何等的殿宇，可作他荣耀的居所，哪里是他安息的地方呢？」永恒之心怎能因人手所造的房屋得着满足？他如我们一样需要房屋歇息吗？他「并不疲乏，也不困倦」，他既不打盹也不睡觉。或者，他若需要，他也「不会告诉我们」（诗 50:12），因为「这一切都是我手所造」——天和其中一切院宇，地和其中一切境界，以及两者的众军。「这一切都是」，都是因神的大能而有开始的；神在他们以先就从永恒中自足有福，所以并不能因他们得益。「这一切都是」（有人这样读）；它们仍然存留，由造它们的那同一大能所托住；所以「我们的良善并不能及于他」。他若要为自己预备居住的殿宇，他在造世界时就必自己造一座；他若造了，也必照他的定例存到今日，如同别的受造物一样；所以他并不需要人手所造的殿。2. 神不像看重一颗谦卑、痛悔、蒙恩的心那样看重圣殿。他既有自己造的天和地，也有人手所造的殿；但他全都越过不看，好叫他以恩惠的眼目看顾那灵里贫穷、谦卑敬虔、自卑舍己的人——他的心为罪真正痛悔，为罪悔改，并竭力要罪得赦免；他「因神的话而战兢」，不是像腓力斯那样只是一阵过眼即逝的惊惧，讲道一结束就过去了，而是对神的威严与圣洁有惯常的敬畏，对神的公义与烈怒有惯常的惧怕。这样的心是神活的殿；他住在其中，那是他安息的地方；它如同天地，是他的宝座和脚凳。
二、献祭若出自不蒙恩的手，就被轻看。「恶人的献祭」不仅不蒙悦纳，而且「为耶和华所憎恶」（箴 15:8）；此处对此大有阐明（赛 66:3,4）。请留意：1. 他们的献祭在神眼中何等可憎。属肉体的犹太人从被掳归回之后，虽未再陷于偶像崇拜，却在事奉神的事上变得极其疏忽松懈；他们把「瘸的、瞎的、有病的」拿来献祭（玛 1:8,13），这就使他们的献祭在神眼中可憎；他们既不尊重自己的祭物，怎能以为神会尊重呢？不信的犹太人在福音传开之后——福音宣告了那一次献上便终结一切礼仪献祭的大祭——仍继续献祭，仿佛摩西的律法仍旧生效，能「使前来献祭的人得以完全」；这就是可憎的事。「凡宰牛的」——为自家餐桌宰牛的人尽可随意；但如今仍为神的坛这样宰牛的人，「就好像杀人」；这在神眼中如同谋杀一样的大罪；行这事的人实际上废掉了基督的献祭，「践踏了立约的血」，并使自己有分于「主身体和血的罪」——他把基督舍命废除的事重新立起来。「献羊羔的」——若献的是有瑕疵的，而不是他羊群中公羊之最佳者；若他想以任何东西敷衍神，他就是冒犯神，而不是讨神喜悦；他「好像打折狗项」，狗在律法眼中是如此卑贱的受造物，驴尚可代赎，狗的价钱却永不可带入府库（申 23:18）。「献供物的」——无论是素祭或奠祭——他好像想以「猪血」赎罪；猪是不可吃、不可摸的受造物，「其肉汤」也是可憎的（赛 65:4），更何况它的血。「向神烧香的」——因而轻看了基督代求之香——「好像颂赞偶像」；这如同他们向假神献敬拜一样地大大冒犯神。假冒为善与亵渎正如偶像崇拜一样地惹动神。2. 他们使献祭如此可憎的恶是什么。是「因为他们拣选自己的道路」，就是他们恶心的道路；不仅他们的手如此，他们的「心里喜悦自己可憎恶的事」。他们在言行上邪恶不道德，拣选罪的道路，而不拣选神诫命的道路，并以惹动神的事为乐；这就使他们的祭物在神眼中如此可憎（赛 1:11-15）。凡以信仰之名假装尊崇神、却过邪恶生活的人，就是冒犯神，仿佛他是罪的庇护者。而加重他们罪恶的是：尽管屡次蒙召悔改归正，他们仍执意如此；他们对神圣公义的一切警告、对神圣恩典的一切呼召，都充耳不闻：「我呼唤，无人答应」，如前文所言（赛 65:12）。这里也接着说同样的话：「他们在我眼中行恶。」他们既对他所说的充耳不闻，也就不在乎他所看见的，反而「拣选」他们明知「他所不喜悦的事」。他们既在言语行为上不肯讨他喜悦，反而存心惹动他，怎能指望在敬拜中讨他喜悦呢？3. 因此对他们所宣告的判决。他们「拣选自己的道路」，所以神说，我也必「拣选迷惑他们的事」。「他们作了拣选」（如加塔克（Gataker）先生所解说的），「如今我要作我的拣选；他们怎样待我，我也要怎样待他们。」我必拣选他们的「妄想」或「嘲弄」（有人这样说）；他们既以邪恶嘲弄神、羞辱他，神也必将他们交在仇敌手中，被仇敌践踏侮辱。或者他们要被他们用以自欺的那些虚妄的倚靠所欺骗。神要使他们的罪成为他们的刑罚；他们要被自己的杖所打，被自己的妄想驱入灭亡。神必「使他们的惧怕临到他们」，就是使他们大为惊恐的事临到他们，或使他自己所害怕、想以罪恶的巧计逃避的事临到他。不信的心，未得洁净、未得平安的良心，要使他们痛苦，再没有比使他们自己的惧怕临到他们更为有效的了。
英語原文
The Vanity of Mere Ritual Obedience (706 BC)
¹ Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
² For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
³ He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
⁴ I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Here, I. The temple is slighted in comparison with a gracious soul, Isa 66:1,2. The Jews in the prophet's time, and afterwards in Christ's time, gloried much in the temple and promised themselves great things from it; to humble them therefore, and to shake their vain confidence, both the prophets and Christ foretold the ruin of the temple, that God would leave it and then it would soon be desolate. After it was destroyed by the Chaldeans it soon recovered itself and the ceremonial services were revived with it; but by the Romans it was made a perpetual desolation, and the ceremonial law was abolished with it. That the world might be prepared for this, they were often told, as here, of what little account the temple was with God. 1. That he did not need it. Heaven is the throne of his glory and government; there he sits, infinitely exalted in the highest dignity and dominion, above all blessing and praise. The earth is his footstool, on which he stands, over-ruling all the affairs of it according to his will. If God has so bright a throne, so large a footstool, where then is the house they can build unto God, that can be the residence of his glory, or where is the place of his rest? What satisfaction can the Eternal Mind take in a house made with men's hands? What occasion has he, as we have, for a house to repose himself in, who faints not neither is weary, who neither slumbers nor sleeps? Or, if he had occasion, he would not tell us (Ps 50:12), for all these things hath his hand made, heaven and all its courts, earth and all its borders, and all the hosts of both. All these things have been, have had their beginning, by the power of God, who was happy from eternity before they were, and therefore could not be benefited by them. All these things are (so some read it); they still continue, upheld by the same power that made them; so that our goodness extends not to him. If he required a house for himself to dwell in, he would have made one himself when he made the world; and, if he had made one, it would have continued to this day, as other creatures do, according to his ordinance; so that he had no need of a temple made with hands. 2. That he would not heed it as he would a humble, penitent, gracious heart. He has a heaven and earth of his own making, and a temple of man's making; but he overlooks them all, that he may look with favour to him that is poor in spirit, humble and serious, self-abasing and self-denying, whose heart is truly contrite for sin, penitent for it, and in pain to get it pardoned, and who trembles at God's word, not as Felix did, with a transient qualm that was over when the sermon was done, but with an habitual awe of God's majesty and purity and an habitual dread of his justice and wrath. Such a heart is a living temple for God; he dwells there, and it is the place of his rest; it is like heaven and earth, his throne and his footstool.
II. Sacrifices are slighted when they come from ungracious hands. The sacrifice of the wicked is not only unacceptable, but it is an abomination to the Lord (Pr 15:8); this is largely shown here, Isa 66:3,4. Observe, 1. How detestable their sacrifices were to God. The carnal Jews, after their return out of captivity, though they relapsed not to idolatry, grew very careless and loose in the service of God; they brought the torn, and the lame, and the sick for sacrifice (Mal 1:8,13), and this made their services abominable to God; they had no regard to their sacrifices, and therefore how could they think God would have any regard to them? The unbelieving Jews, after the gospel was preached and in it notice given of the offering up of the great sacrifice, which put an end to all the ceremonial services, continued to offer sacrifices, as if the law of Moses had been still in force and could make the comers thereunto perfect: this was an abomination. He that kills an ox for his own table is welcome to do it; but he that now kills it, that thus kills it, for God's altar, is as if he slew a man; it is as great an offence to God as murder itself; he that does it does in effect set aside Christ's sacrifice, treads under foot the blood of the covenant, and makes himself accessory to the guilt of the body and blood of the Lord, setting up what Christ died to abolish. He that sacrifices a lamb, if it be a corrupt thing, and not the male in his flock, the best he has, if he think to put God off with any thing, he affronts him, instead of pleasing him; it is as if he cut off a dog's neck, a creature in the eye of the law so vile that, whereas an ass might be redeemed, the price of a dog was never to be brought into the treasury, De 23:18. He that offers an oblation, a meat offering or drink-offering, is as if he thought to make atonement with swine's blood, a creature that must not be eaten nor touched, the broth of it was abominable (Isa 65:4), much more the blood of it. He that burns incense to God, and so puts contempt upon the incense of Christ's intercession, is as if he blessed an idol; it was as great an affront to God as if they had paid their devotions to a false god. Hypocrisy and profaneness are as provoking as idolatry. 2. What their wickedness was which made their sacrifices thus detestable. It was because they had chosen their own ways, the ways of their own wicked hearts, and not only their hands did but their souls delighted in their abominations. They were vicious and immoral in their conversations, chose the way of sin rather than the way of God's commandments, and took pleasure in that which was provoking to God; this made their sacrifices so offensive to God, Isa 1:11-15. Those that pretend to honour God by a profession of religion, and yet live wicked lives, put an affront upon him, as if he were the patron of sin. And that which was an aggravation of their wickedness was that they persisted in it, notwithstanding the frequent calls given them to repent and reform; they turned a deaf ear to all the warnings of divine justice and all the offers of divine grace: When I called, none did answer, as before, Isa 65:12. And the same follows here that did there: They did evil before my eyes. Being deaf to what he said, they cared not what he saw, but chose that in which they knew he delighted not. How could those expect to please him in their devotions who took no care to please him in their conversations, but, on the contrary, designed to provoke him? 3. The doom passed upon them for this. Theychose their own ways, therefore, says God, I also will choose their delusions. They have made their choice (as Mr. Gataker paraphrases it), and now I will make mine; they have taken what course they pleased with me, and I will take what course I please with them. I will choose their illusions, or mockeries (so some); as they have mocked God and dishonoured him by their wickedness, so God will give them up to their enemies, to be trampled upon and insulted by them. Or they shall be deceived by those vain confidences with which they have deceived themselves. God will make their sin their punishment; they shall be beaten with their own rod and hurried into ruin by their own delusions. God will bring their fears upon them, that is, will bring upon them that which shall be a great terror to them, or that which they themselves have been afraid of and thought to escape by sinful shifts. Unbelieving hearts, and unpurified unpacified consciences, need no more to make them miserable than to have their own fears brought upon them.
5-14
Encouragement to the Persecuted; The Enlargement of the Church (706 BC)
简体中文
对受逼迫者的勉励；教会的扩展（公元前706年）
⁵ 你们因耶和华言语战兢的人，当听他的话：你们的弟兄，就是恨恶你们、因我名赶出你们的，曾说：愿耶和华得荣耀。但他必显现使你们欢喜，他们必蒙羞。 ⁶ 喧嚷的声音出于城中，出于殿中，是耶和华向仇敌施行报应的声音。 ⁷ 锡安未曾劬劳就生产；未觉疼痛就生出男孩。 ⁸ 这样的事谁曾听见呢？谁曾看见呢？地岂能一日生产呢？一国岂能一日而生呢？因为锡安一劬劳，便生下她的众子。 ⁹ 耶和华说：我既使她临产，岂不使她生产呢？你的神说：我既使她生产，岂能使她胎闭呢？ ¹⁰ 你们爱慕耶路撒冷的，当与她一同欢喜快乐；你们为她悲哀的，当与她一同乐上加乐； ¹¹ 使你们可以从她安慰的怀中吃奶，得饱足；使你们可以从她丰盛的荣耀中吸吮而得喜悦。 ¹² 耶和华如此说：看哪，我要使平安延及她如江河，使列国的荣耀如溢流的河；你们必从她得吃奶，必被抱在膝上。 ¹³ 母亲怎样安慰儿子，我就照样安慰你们；你们也必在耶路撒冷得安慰。 ¹⁴ 你们看见这事，心就快乐，你们的骨头必得滋润如青草；耶和华的手必向他仆人显现，他的恼恨要向他的仇敌发作。
先知已经向那戏弄神的话、神呼召他们却不肯答应的假冒为善之民族宣告了神的审判，如今他转向那些「因他言语战兢」的人说话，为要安慰和勉励他们；他们必不牵涉在即将临到他们那不信之民族的审判中。传道人必须如此分别，使他们在向恶人宣告恐怖之时，不致「叫义人的心忧伤」。先知既已向那些因神的话战兢的人保证必从神得着恩惠的垂顾（赛66:2），如今又从神那里给他们带来恩惠的信息。神的话为那些因真正为罪自卑而预备好接受安慰的人，存留了安慰。从前有人（赛66:4），「耶和华呼唤，他们却不听」；但若有不肯听的，也必有肯听的。心若「因耶和华的言语战兢」，耳就必向它敞开。那么这里向他们说了什么呢？
一、让他们知道，神必为他们那受屈却是公正的案件，向逼迫他们的人辩屈（赛66:5）：「你们的弟兄，就是恨恶你们、因我名赶出你们的，曾说：愿耶和华得荣耀。但他必显现使你们欢喜。」这话也许是指着犹太人被掳归回时某些人的处境；但历史中并无类似的事可寻，所以更当指着犹太人中第一批传福音者和认信者而言，这话十分适用于他们的处境。请看， 1. 神忠心的仆人是怎样受逼迫的：「他们的弟兄恨恶他们。」使徒们生来是犹太人，然而即使在外邦的各城里，他们所遇见的犹太人也是最苦毒、最顽梗的仇敌，并且「挑唆外邦人」来反对他们。新妇抱怨说（歌1:6），她「母亲的儿子」向她发怒。彼拉多曾以这件事责备我们的主耶稣：「你本国的人把你交给我」（约18:35）。他们的弟兄——本当因他们工作的缘故爱他们、勉励他们的——却恨恶他们，把他们赶出会堂，把他们逐出教会，仿佛他们是教会和国家最大的污点，而实际上他们却是教会和国家最大的祝福。这是「蛇的后裔」对「女人的后裔」那古老的敌意的果子。那恨恶基督的，也恨恶他的门徒，因为他们支持他的国度和利益（约15:18）；他们「因他名的缘故」赶出他们，因为他们被称为他名下的人，又求告他的名，并竭力高举他的名。注意，教会的惩处被误用，本为防卫而设的教会军械因治理者的背信而被转用来对付她最好的朋友，这并非新事。行这事的人还说：「愿耶和华得荣耀」；他们假装这事是出于良心，是为神和教会的尊荣发热心，并以一切敬虔的仪式来行这事。我们的救主解释了这事，并似乎是指着这事说的（约16:2）：「『他们要把你们赶出会堂』，并且『凡杀你们的，就以为是事奉神』。」或者我们可以把这理解为对神的藐视之语：「你们说神要在你们的拯救中得荣耀；那么『让他得荣耀吧』；『让他急忙速成他的作为』（赛5:19）；『他既喜悦他，可以救他吧』。」也有人认为这是被掳中亵渎的犹太人对他们盼望拯救之弟兄的讥讽，嘲弄他们所常常以此安慰自己的期望——神必快在这事上得荣耀。他们如此竭力要「叫困苦人的谋算变为羞辱」（诗14:6）。 2. 在这些逼迫之下他们是如何得勉励的：「让你们的信心和忍耐再坚持片时；你们的仇敌恨恶你们、欺压你们，你们的弟兄恨恶你们、赶出你们，但你们在天上的父爱你们，并且当无别人敢行、肯行之时，他必为你们显现。他的护理必安排事情，使之成为你们的安慰；他必为你们的喜乐而显现，为那些苦待你们、践踏你们之人的混乱而显现；他们『必蒙羞』，羞于自己对你们的敌意。」这事应验在耶路撒冷将亡的征兆显出之时，那时「犹太人因惧怕而心都消化了」；但基督的门徒——他们所恨恶所逼迫的——却「挺身昂首，欢欢喜喜，因为知道他们得赎的日子近了」（路21:26,28）。神似乎隐藏自己，但他必在合宜的时候显明自己。
二、让他们知道，神为他们所作的显现，必是震动世界的大事（赛66:6）：「必有喧嚷的声音出于城中，出于殿中。」有人认为这是教会朋友欢乐凯旋的声音，也有人认为是仇敌在城中受惊吓，徒然逃往圣殿避难的可怕哀号。这些声音不过是「耶和华的声音」的回响，他如今正在「向仇敌施行报应」；那些不肯听他用这恐怖说话的人，必听见他们以悲惨的呼喊回报它的警报。当耶路撒冷经过长期围困终于被罗马人攻取之时，我们可以想象城中和圣殿里的混乱喧嚷。有人认为这预言应验在耶路撒冷毁灭之前所出现的奇事上——约瑟夫在《犹太战记》中所记的（4.388 和 6.311）：圣殿的门忽然自行大开，祭司听见至圣所内有移动或迁移的响声，随即有声音说：「我们离开这里吧。」此后不久，一个名叫耶稣·巴·亚拿的人，在住棚节期间走遍全城，不断地喊着说：「东方来的声音，西方来的声音，四方之风来的声音，反对耶路撒冷和圣殿的声音，反对这众百姓的声音。」
三、让他们知道，神必在世界中为自己建立教会，并在短时间内丰丰富富地使之充满（赛66:7）：「锡安未曾劬劳就生产。」这在预表上应用于犹太人从巴比伦被掳中的得释放，那次的释放成就得很容易、很安静，没有像他们从埃及被领出来时那样的痛苦或挣扎；那次是「以大能的手」成就的（申4:34），但这次是借着「万军之耶和华的灵」成就的（亚4:6）。拯救的男婴被欢喜领受，而母亲却从未为此劬劳；「未觉疼痛就生产」。这事全然令人惊奇，非同寻常，并无前例可循——除非是埃及收生婆论到希伯来妇人所说的话（出1:19）：「她们活泼，收生婆还没有到，她们已经生产了。」但「地岂能在一日生产」呢？不，使地面更新、以出产遮盖之，乃是春天数周的工。有人将这话读作与下一句相同的意思：「一国岂能在一日被带出来？」「一国岂能一日而生？」一个妇人一次生产，就能生出足以充满一国的人，并且他们在一刹那之间长大成人，这是可以想象的吗？不；类似的事只有在创造中才发生过；但神自此已经安息了一切这样的工，让第二因按其规律逐渐产生效果。神「绝不跃进」。然而在这事上，「锡安一劬劳，便生下她的众子」。居鲁士的诏书一下达，被掳的人就立即组成队伍，准备尽速上路回到自己的地。原因也说明了（赛66:9），因为「这是耶和华的作为」；那承担此事的，其作为完全。他若为拯救「使百姓临产」（即预备好他们），就必在拯救的成就上「使她生产」。当一切已经成熟、为释放预备好了，他们的月数满足了，「孩子已经到了产期」，那时我岂不「赐给生产的力量」，反而任凭母亲和孩子一同在极可怜的光景中灭亡吗？这与神的怜悯如何相合呢？我岂可开始一项工作而不贯彻到底？这与神的大能和完全如何相合呢？「我岂是那使她生产的」（下一句可如此读）「而要拦阻她吗」？神使人类和一切活物的种类繁衍，「遍满地面」，他岂要「拦阻锡安」吗？他岂不使她结果累累，生下蒙福的儿女来充满教会吗？或者说，「我岂是那生了她的，而要拦阻她不生产吗」？神在他的旨意和应许中「生了」这拯救，他岂不在其成就和执行上「使它出来」吗？但这是基督教会在世界中建立、那从耶稣基督得名的家属得着儿女充满的预表。当圣灵浇灌下来，福音从锡安发出之时，大批人在短时间内、相比那庞大的产品而言以极少的劳苦归信了。使徒们甚至在他们劬劳之前，就生产了；那归于基督的儿女如此众多，又如此突然、如此容易地产生，与其说像母亲怀中的儿子，倒不如说像「早晨的母腹（womb）所生的甘露」（诗110:3）。福音的成功是令人惊奇的；那光如晨曦奇妙地扩散，直到它抓住「地的极处」。城邑和国家在一日之间归于基督。圣灵浇灌下来的同一日，就有三千灵魂加入教会。当这荣耀的工作一旦开始，就奇妙地推进，超过所能想象的，「神的道大大兴旺而且得胜」。那在知罪中使百姓临产的，就在彻底归向神中使她生产。
四、让他们知道，他们现今的忧愁不久必转为丰盛的喜乐（赛66:10,11）。请看， 1. 教会的朋友是怎样被描述的：他们是那些「爱她」、与她一同并「为她悲哀」的人。注意，凡爱神的，也爱耶路撒冷；他们爱神的教会，把教会的利益放在极近心之处。他们羡慕教会之美，以与它相交为乐，并诚心归附它的事业。凡对教会有真诚爱慕的人，也必在她争战状态的一切挂虑和忧愁中与她深切同情。他们为她悲哀；她一切的苦情都是他们的忧伤；耶路撒冷若遭难，他们的琴就挂在柳树上。 2. 他们如何受勉励：「与她一同欢喜」，又一再说，「你们要欢喜」。这暗示耶路撒冷必大有可喜的原因；她哀悼的日子必告终，她也必照着她受苦的时日得着安慰。神的旨意是要她一切的朋友在她喜乐的事上与她同乐，因为他们必在她喜乐之因的那些福气上有分。我们「若与基督一同受苦」、与他的教会一同忧伤，就「必与他一同作王」、与她一同喜乐。我们在此被呼召，(1) 在教会的赞美上尽我们的一分：「来，『与她一同欢喜，与她一同乐上加乐』，大大欢喜，并知道你们为何欢喜，在所定的公众感恩之日欢喜。你们在她忧愁时为她悲哀的，必出于同一原则在她喜乐时与她同乐。」 (2) 在教会的安慰上取我们的一分。我们必须「从她安慰的怀中吃奶，得饱足」。神的话、恩典之约（尤其是其中的应许）、神的律例，以及一切事奉他、与他相交的机会，都是教会所称为、所看为「她安慰的怀」的——她的安慰储存之处，也是凭信心和祷告汲取安慰的源头。所以我们要与她一同从这些怀中吃奶，把神的应许应用到自己身上，并殷勤地在他的律例中等候；从其中汲取的安慰，我们必须以此为足，不可因属地安慰的稀少而不满。教会的荣耀在于她以耶和华为她的神，在于「儿子的名分」和「事奉神」都是属于她的；我们必须以「丰盛的荣耀」为「喜乐」。我们必须以我们与神的关系和与他相交为乐，胜过世人儿女的一切欢乐。凡教会的荣耀，都必成为「我们的荣耀和喜乐」——尤其是她的纯洁、合一和增长。
五、让他们知道，那呼召他们喜乐的，必赐给他们喜乐的原因和喜乐的心（赛66:12-14）。
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他必赐给他们喜乐的原因。因为，(1) 他们必享有一段长久不间断的兴旺：「我要使平安延及她」（即一切的美物临到她）「如江河」——一条常流的溪水，不断增长，直到汇入海洋。福音无论在何处以大能被接受，都带来这样的平安，这平安必「如江河」前行，供应灵魂以一切美物，使之结果累累——正如江河使它所经过之地结果累累——这样的「平安之江河」，是世界的安慰之源所不能涌出的，是世界的患难之坝所不能阻止、不能倒灌、不能以其沙土塞住的，这样的平安之江河必带我们到那无边无尽的福乐之海洋。(2) 必有丰盛而有益的增添归于他们：「列国的荣耀」必「如溢流的河」临到他们。外邦归信者必涌入教会，使她平安兴旺的江河更加澎湃；因为他们必「带着他们的荣耀」同来；他们的财富和尊荣、权柄和利益，都必献给神的事奉、用于教会的益处：「『那时你们必从她安慰的怀中吃奶。』当你们看见这么多人拥挤着要分这些安慰，你们就必更加恳切、更加奋发地确保自己的一分，不是怕因别人来同领基督而自己所得减少」（这事绝无危险；他足够众人所需，也足够各人所需），「而是『他们的热心』必『激发你们一种圣洁的嫉妒』」。能如此激发，乃是美事（罗11:14；林后9:2）。(3) 神必在这一切中得荣耀，这比一切都更当成为我们喜乐的原因（赛66:14）：「耶和华的手必向他仆人显现」，他全能之权保护扶持的手，他无穷之恩供应丰富之手；他的仆人从这两者所得的益处，「必被认识」，既为他们的荣耀，更为他的荣耀。而为使这事更显辉煌，他必同时使「他的恼恨向他的仇敌发作」。神的怜悯和公义都必显明，并永远被高举。
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神不但赐给他们喜乐的原因，更必向他们说话安慰，「他们的心也必得安慰」；惟独他能如此行，并使这安慰扎根。请看他为要安慰锡安的一切儿子必作何事。(1) 他们的国必作他们温柔的奶母：你们必「被抱在膝上」，在她的膀臂下，正如小孩子被抱那样，又必「在她膝上被摇弄」，正如娇儿被摇弄那样，尤其当他们疲倦、闹脾气，要哄他们入睡之时。凡加入教会的，都必须如此充满爱地对待。大牧人「把羊羔抱在怀里」，所以属下的牧人也当如此，免得他们灰心。归信者应当是被宠爱的。(2) 神必亲自作他们大能的安慰者：「母亲怎样安慰儿子」——当他生病、疼痛，或因任何缘故忧愁之时——「我就照样安慰你们」；不但以聪明父亲所用的合理论证，更以慈母的柔情和怜悯来安慰——那母亲当孩子跌倒受伤时为之哀叹，为要使它安静、得安息；或当责备了它、与它生气之后，设法安抚它（耶31:20）：「我每逢责备他，仍深记念他；他是我的爱子，是我所喜悦的孩子。」母亲就是这样安慰。这样，「你们也必在耶路撒冷得安慰」——在教会所领受、你们也有分的恩惠中得安慰，也在教会所献上、你们也一同参与的感恩中得安慰。(3) 他们必在自己灵魂中感受到这安慰的福果（赛66:13）：「你们看见这事」——教会所恢复的何等有福的状态——「不但你们的舌头和面容，连你们的『心』也必快乐。」这话应验在基督门徒因他们事奉的成功而有的奇妙满足上。基督着眼于那事，告诉他们（约16:22）：「『你们的心就喜乐了，这喜乐也没有人能夺去。』」那时你们的「骨头」，就是那些枯干萎缩了的（骨髓尽都耗竭），必恢复青春的力量和活力，「如青草发生」。属神的安慰达到「里面的人」；它们对骨头「如同骨髓和滋润」（箴3:8）。骨头是身体的力量；这些骨头必因这些安慰而滋润。「靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量」（尼8:10）。
英語原文
Encouragement to the Persecuted; The Enlargement of the Church (706 BC)
⁵ Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
⁶ A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
⁷ Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
⁸ Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
⁹ Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
¹⁰ Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
¹¹ That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
¹² For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
¹³ As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like a herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
The prophet, having denounced God's judgments against a hypocritical nation, that made a jest of God's word and would not answer him when he called to them, here turns his speech to those that trembled at his word, to comfort and encourage them; they shall not be involved in the judgments that are coming upon their unbelieving nation. Ministers must distinguish thus, that, when they speak terror to the wicked, they may not make the hearts of the righteous sad. Bone Christiane, hoc nihil ad te—Good Christian, this is nothing to thee. The prophet, having assured those that tremble at God's word of a gracious look from him (Isa 66:2), here brings them a gracious message from him. The word of God has comforts in store for those that by true humiliation for sin are prepared to receive them. There were those (Isa 66:4) who, when God spoke, would not hear; but, if some will not, others will. If the heart tremble at the word, the ear will be open to it. Now what is here said to them?
I. Let them know that God will plead their just but injured cause against their persecutors (Isa 66:5): Your brethren that hated you said, Let the Lord be glorified. But he shall appear to your joy. This perhaps might have reference to the case of some of the Jews at their return out of captivity; but nothing like it appears in the history, and therefore it is rather to be referred to the first preachers and professors of the gospel among the Jews, to whose case it is very applicable. Observe, 1. How the faithful servants of God were persecuted: Their brethren hated them. The apostles were Jews by birth, and yet even in the cities of the Gentiles the Jews they met with there were their most bitter and implacable enemies and stirred up the Gentiles against them. The spouse complains (So 1:6) that her mother's children were angry with her. Pilate upbraided our Lord Jesus with this, Thy own nation have delivered thee unto me, Joh 18:35. Their brethren, who should have loved them and encouraged them for their work's sake hated them, and cast them out of their synagogues, excommunicated them as if they had been the greatest blemishes, when they were really the greatest blessings, of their church and nation. This was a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. Those that hated Christ hated his disciples, because they supported his kingdom and interest (Joh 15:18), and they cast them out for his name's sake, because they were called by his name, and called upon his name, and laid out themselves to advance his name. Note, It is no new thing for church censures to be misapplied, and for her artillery, which was intended for her defence, to be turned against her best friends, by the treachery of her governors. And those that did this said, Let the Lord be glorified; they pretended conscience and a zeal for the honour of God and the church in it, and did it with all the formalities of devotion. Our Saviour explains this, and seems to have reference to it, Joh 16:2. They shall put you out of their synagogues, and whosoever kills you will think that he does God service. In nomine Domini incipit omne malum—In the name of the Lord commences evil of every kind. Or we may understand it as spoken in defiance of God: "You say God will be glorified in your deliverance; let him be glorified then; let him make speed and hasten his work (Isa 5:19); let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." Some take it to be the language of the profane Jews in captivity, bantering their brethren that hoped for deliverance, and ridiculing the expectations they often comforted themselves with, that God would shortly be glorified in it. They thus did what they could to shame the counsel of the poor, Ps 14:6. 2. How they were encouraged under these persecutions: "Let your faith and patience hold out yet a little while; your enemies hate you and oppress you, your brethren hate you and cast you out, but your Father in heaven loves you, and will appear for you when no one else will or dare. His providence shall order things so as shall be for comfort to you; he shall appear for your joy and for the confusion of those that abuse you and trample on you; they shall be ashamed of their enmity to you." This was fulfilled when, upon the signals given of Jerusalem's approaching ruin, the Jews' hearts failed them for fear; but the disciples of Christ, whom they had hated and persecuted, lifted up their heads with joy, knowing that their redemption drew nigh, Lu 21:26,28. Though God seem to hide himself, he will in due time show himself.
II. Let them know that God's appearances for them will be such as will make a great noise in the world (Isa 66:6): There shall be a voice of noise from the city, from the temple. Some make it the joyful and triumphant voice of the church's friends, others the frightful lamenting voice of her enemies, surprised in the city, and fleeing in vain to the temple for shelter. These voices do but echo to the voice of the Lord, who is now rendering a recompence to his enemies; and those that will not hear him speaking this terror shall hear them returning the alarms of it in doleful shrieks. We may well think what a confused noise there was in the city and temple when Jerusalem, after a long siege, was at last taken by the Romans. Some think this prophecy was fulfilled in the prodigies that went before that destruction of Jerusalem, related by Josephus in his History of the Wars of the Jews (4.388 and 6.311), that the temple-doors flew open suddenly of their own accord, and the priests heard a noise of motion or shifting in the most holy place, and presently a voice, saying, Let us depart hence. And, some time after, one Jesus Bar-Annas went up and down the city, at the feast of tabernacles, continually crying, A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the temple, a voice against all this people.
III. Let them know that God will set up a church for himself in the world, which shall be abundantly replenished in a little time (Isa 66:7): Before she travailed she brought forth. This is to be applied in the type to the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon, which was brought about very easily and silently, without any pain or struggle, such as was when they were brought out of Egypt; that was done by might and power (De 4:34), but this by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, Zec 4:6. The man-child of the deliverance is rejoiced in, and yet the mother was never in labour for it; before her pain came she was delivered. This is altogether surprising, uncommon, and without precedent, unless in the story which the Egyptian midwives told of the Hebrew women (Ex 1:19), that they were lively and were delivered ere the midwives came in unto them. But shall the earth be made to bring forth her fruits in one day? No, it is the work of some weeks in the spring to renew the face of the earth and cover it with its products. Some read this to the same purport with the next clause, Shall a land be brought forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? Is it to be imagined that a woman at one birth should bring children sufficient to people a country and that they should in an instant grow up to maturity? No; something like this was done in the creation; but God has since rested from all such works, and leaves second causes to produce their effects gradually. Nihil facit per saltum—He does nothing abruptly. Yet, in this case, as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth. Cyrus's proclamation was no sooner issued out than the captives were formed into a body and were ready to make the best of their way to their own land. And the reason is given (Isa 66:9), because it is the Lord's doing; he undertakes it whose work is perfect. If he bring to the birth in preparing his people for deliverance, he will cause to bring forth in the accomplishment of the deliverance. When every thing is ripe and ready for their release, and the number of their months is accomplished, so that the children are brought to the birth, shall not I then give strength to bring forth, but leave mother and babe to perish together in the most miserable case? How will this agree with the divine pity? Shall I begin a work and not go through with it? How will that agree with the divine power and perfection? Am I he that causes to bring forth (so the following clause may be read) and shall I restrain her? Does God cause mankind, and all the species of living creatures, to propagate, and replenish the earth, and will he restrain Zion? Will he not make her fruitful in a blessed offspring to replenish the church? Or, Am I he that begat, and should I restrain from bringing forth? Did God beget the deliverance in his purpose and promise, and will he not bring it forth in the accomplishment and performance of it? But this was a figure of the setting up of the Christian church in the world, and the replenishing of that family with children which was to be named from Jesus Christ. When the Spirit was poured out, and the gospel went forth from Zion, multitudes were converted in a little time and with little pains compared with the vast product. The apostles, even before they travailed, brought forth, and the children born to Christ were so numerous, and so suddenly and easily produced, that they were rather like the dew from the morning's womb than like the son from the mother's womb, Ps 110:3. The success of the gospel was astonishing; that light, like the morning, strangely diffused itself till it took hold even of the ends of the earth. Cities and nations were born at once to Christ. The same day that the Spirit was poured out there were 3000 souls added to the church. And, when this glorious work was once begun, it was carried on wonderfully, beyond what could be imagined, so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. He that brought to the birth in conviction of sin caused to bring forth in a thorough conversion to God.
IV. Let them know that their present sorrows shall shortly be turned into abundant joys, Isa 66:10,11. Observe, 1. How the church's friends are described; they are such as love her, and mourn with her and for her. Note, All that love God love Jerusalem; they love the church of God, and lay its interest very near their heart. They admire the beauty of the church, take pleasure in communion with it, and heartily espouse its cause. And those that have a sincere affection for the church have a cordial sympathy with her in all the cares and sorrows of her militant state. They mourn for her; all her grievances are their griefs; if Jerusalem be in distress, their harps are hung on the willow-trees. 2. How they are encouraged: Rejoice with her, and again and again I say, Rejoice. This intimates that Jerusalem shall have cause to rejoice; the days of her mourning shall be at an end, and she shall be comforted according to the time that she has been afflicted. It is the will of God that all her friends should join with her in her joys, for they shall share with her in those blessings that will be the matter of her joy. If we suffer with Christ and sorrow with his church, we shall reign with him and rejoice with her. We are here called, (1.) To bear our part in the church's praises: "Come, rejoice with her, rejoice for joy with her, rejoice greatly, rejoice and know why you rejoice, rejoice on the days appointed for public thanksgiving. You that mourned for her in her sorrows cannot but from the same principle rejoice with her in her joys." (2.) To take our part in the church's comforts. We must suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation. The word of God, the covenant of grace (especially the promises of that covenant), the ordinances of God, and all the opportunities of attending on him and conversing with him, are the breasts, which the church calls and counts the breasts of her consolations, where her comforts are laid up, and whence by faith and prayer they are drawn. With her therefore we must suck from these breasts, by an application of the promises of God to ourselves and a diligent attendance on his ordinances; and with the consolations which are drawn hence we must be satisfied, and not be dissatisfied though we have ever so little of earthly comforts. It is the glory of the church that she has the Lord for her God, that to her pertain the adoption and the service of God; and with the abundance of this glory we must be delighted. We must take more pleasure in our relation to God and communion with him than in all the delights of the sons and daughters of men. Whatever is the glory of the church must be our glory and joy, particularly her purity, unity, and increase.
V. Let them know that he who gives them this call to rejoice will give them cause to do so and hearts to do so, Isa 66:12-14.
1. He will give them cause to do so. For, (1.) They shall enjoy a long uninterrupted course of prosperity: I will extend, or am extending, peace to her (that is, all good to her) like a river that runs in a constant stream, still increasing till it be swallowed up in the ocean. The gospel brings with it, wherever it is received in its power, such peace as this, which shall go on like a river, supplying souls with all good and making them fruitful, as a river does the lands it passes through, such a river of peace as the springs of the world's comforts cannot send forth and the dams of the world's troubles cannot stop nor drive back nor its sand rack up, such a river of peace as will carry us to the ocean of boundless and endless bliss. (2.) There shall be large and advantageous additions made to them: The glory of the Gentiles shall come to them like a flowing stream. Gentiles converts shall come pouring into the church, and swell the river of her peace and prosperity; for they shall bring their glory with them; their wealth and honour, their power and interest, shall all be devoted to the service of God and employed for the good of the church: "Then shall you suck from the breasts of her consolations. When you see such crowding for a share in those comforts you shall be the more solicitous and the more vigorous to secure your share, not for fear of having the less for others coming in to partake of Christ" (there is no danger of that; he has enough for all and enough for each), "but their zeal shall provoke you to a holy jealousy." It is well when it does so, Ro 11:14, 2Co 9:2. (3.) God shall be glorified in all, and that ought to be more the matter of our joy than any thing else (Isa 66:14): The hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants, the protecting supporting hand of his almighty power, the supplying enriching hand of his inexhaustible goodness; the benefit which his servants have by both these shall be known to his glory as well as theirs. And, to make this the more illustrious, he will at the same time make known his indignation towards his enemies. God's mercy and justice shall both be manifested and for ever magnified.
2. God will not only give them cause to rejoice, but will speak comfort to them, will speak it to their hearts; and it is he only that can do that, and make it fasten there. See what he will do for the comfort of all the sons of Zion. (1.) Their country shall be their tender nurse: You shall be carried on her sides, under her arms, as little children are, and shall be dangled upon her knees, as darlings are, especially when they are weary and out of humour, and must be got to sleep. Those that are joined to the church must be treated thus affectionately. The great Shepherd gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in his bosom, and so must the under-shepherds, that they may not be discouraged. Proselytes should be favourites. (2.) God will himself be their powerful comforter: As one whom his mother comforts, when he is sick or sore, or upon any account in sorrow, so will I comfort you; not only with the rational arguments which a prudent father uses, but with the tender affections and compassions of a loving mother, that bemoans her afflicted child when it has fallen and hurt itself, that she may quiet it and make it easy, or endeavours to pacify it after she has chidden it and fallen out with it (Jer 31:20): Since I spoke against him, my bowels are troubled for him; he is a dear son, he is a pleasant child. Thus the mother comforts. Thus you shall be comforted in Jerusalem, in the favours bestowed on the church, which you shall partake of, and in the thanksgivings offered by the church, which you shall concur with. (3.) They shall feel the blessed effects of this comfort in their own souls (Isa 66:13): When you see this, what a happy state the church is restored to, not only your tongues and your countenances, but your hearts shall rejoice. This was fulfilled in the wonderful satisfaction which Christ's disciples had in the success of their ministry. Christ, with an eye to that, tells them (Joh 16:22), Your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you. Then your bones, that were dried and withered (the marrow of them quite exhausted), shall recover a youthful strength and vigour and shall flourish like a herb. Divine comforts reach the inward man; they are marrow and moistening to the bones, Pr 3:8. The bones are the strength of the body; those shall be made to flourish with these comforts. The joy of the Lord will be your strength, Ne 8:10.
15-24
Divine Judgment; Judgment and Mercy; The Enlargement of the Church (706 BC)
简体中文
神的审判；审判与怜悯；教会的扩展（主前706年）
¹⁵ 看哪，耶和华必在火中降临，他的车辇如旋风，以烈怒施行报应，以火焰施行斥责。
¹⁶ 因耶和华在一切有血气的人身上，必用火与刀施行审判，被耶和华所杀的必多。
¹⁷ 「那些分别为圣、洁净自己的，进入园内，跟在其中一个人的后头，吃猪肉和可憎之物并老鼠，必一同灭绝。这是耶和华说的。
¹⁸ 我知道他们的行为和意念。时候将到，我必将万民万族聚来，他们必来而看见我的荣耀。
¹⁹ 我要显神迹在他们中间，逃脱的，我要差他们到列国去，就是到他施、普勒、拉弓的路德，又到土巴、雅完，并素来没有听见我名声、没有看见我荣耀辽远的海岛；他们必将我的荣耀传扬在列国中。
²⁰ 他们必将你们的弟兄从列国中送回，或骑马，或坐车，坐轿，骑骡子，骑快马，作为供物献给耶和华，到了我的圣山耶路撒冷。这是耶和华说的，正如以色列人用洁净的器皿把供物奉到耶和华的殿中。
²¹ 耶和华说：我也必从他们中间取人为祭司，为利未人。
²² 耶和华说：我所要造的新天新地怎样在我面前长存，你们的后裔和你们的名字也必照样长存。
²³ 每逢月朔、安息日，凡有血气的必来在我面前下拜。这是耶和华说的。
²⁴ 他们必出去观看那些违背我之人的尸首；因为他们的虫是不死的，他们的火是不灭的；他们必成为一切有血气之人所憎恶的。
这一段经文如同那云火柱一般，对神国度的仇敌、对一切背叛祂王权的人，是黑暗的一面；对祂忠心顺服的子民，却是光明的一面。这些话大概是指被掳到巴比伦的犹太人，其中据说有些是为祸患被遣去的，神在此威吓要与他们继续争辩；他们憎恶改革，因此必因灾难而被毁灭（耶24:9）；也有些是为益处被遣去的，他们必使苦难成为圣洁，必按时安然度过，并在其后看见许多好日子。此处所用的许多表达都适用于那荣耀的安排；但毫无疑问，这预言看得更远，看到基督曾一次来到、还要再来到这世界所要施行的审判，并看到祂的话语在两次降临中所作的「贵重与卑贱之分」（提后2:20）。
一、 基督将显现，使一切顽抗祂的人困惑惊惶。祂有时以今世的审判显现。那些执意不信的犹太人被「火」与「刀」剪除。那毁灭极其广泛；那时「耶和华与一切有血气的争辩」；他们既被祂的刀所剪除，便称为「祂所杀的」，是献给祂公义的祭物，且其数「必多」。在那大日，神的忿怒就是祂的火与刀，祂要借此剪除吞灭一切不悔改的人；祂的话语一旦抓住罪人的良心，便如火烧，比「一切两刃的剑更快」（来4:12）。在忿怒之日，拜偶像者尤其要被追讨（赛66:17）。或许那些从巴比伦回来的人当中，仍保留这里所提的偶像崇拜和迷信实例，把「他们的偶像设在园中」（不敢公开设立在邱坛上），在那里「洁净自己」（如同敬拜真神之人素常所行的），他们行其偶像之礼，「一个跟着一个」，或如我们所读的，「在中间一个人的后头」——在「阿哈得」（Ahad）或「伊哈得」（Ehad）之后，即他们奉那名所拜、为尊荣那名而「吃猪肉」（这是神的律法明文禁止的）以及「可憎之物」，如「老鼠」，或别样类似动物的某偶像。但这预言也可指神按祂的话语，因祂的忿怒所要降在惹祂发怒的罪人——就是那些活在轻蔑神中、专心献给世界和肉体的人——身上的一切审判：「他们必一同灭绝。」从天上的福乐中，我们看见明文排除了一切「拜偶像的，并一切行可憎之事的」（启21:27，22:15）。在报应之日，隐秘的恶必被带到光中，也必被带到账前；因为（赛66:18）：「我知道他们的行为和意念。」神既知道人所行的是什么，也知道人是本着什么原则、存什么心意而行的；因此祂配得审判世界，因为祂能「审判人隐秘的事」（罗2:16）。
二、 祂将显现，使一切在世上建立祂国度——恩典之国，也就是荣耀之国的凭据与初熟的果子——之时忠心于祂的人得着安慰与喜乐。时候将到，祂必「将万民万族聚集到自己面前」，使他们「来而看见祂的荣耀」，正如这荣耀显在耶稣基督的面上（赛66:18；林后4:6）。当万民都要作门徒、为叫他们作门徒而赐下方言的恩赐时，这话便应验了。教会迄今仍局限于一个民族，惟独用一种语言敬拜神；但在弥赛亚的日子，那隔断的墙要被拆毁（弗2:14），那些素来与神陌生的人要得以认识祂，并要在福音中「看见祂的荣耀」，如同犹太人曾在「圣所」中见过一样（诗63:2）。关于这事，此处应许：
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犹太民族中必有一些人，借神的恩典与其余的人有别，被标明为得救之人：我不仅要在他们中间立一个「大旗」，使外邦人寻求它（如赛11:12所应许），他们中间也必有那些我要在他们身上「设一个分别记号」的人；因为这是这话的意思。他们虽是败坏退后的民族，神却要从其中分别出一班余民归于祂，并为祂所用，并要在他们身上设一个记号，神必这样确定地承认他们（结9:4）。「神的众仆人」要在「额上受印」（启7:3）。主认识谁是自己的人（提后2:19）。基督的羊是有记号的。
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那些自己既这样被神的恩典分别出来的人，必受差遣邀请别人也来领受这恩典之益。那些逃脱了那使本国大多数人陷于不信的偏见的人，必「被差到列国」，把福音带到他们中间，传给凡受造的（可16:15）。当注意：那些自己已经逃脱了将来忿怒的人，当尽力把别人也「从火中抽出来」（犹23），如同抽出柴禾一般。神喜欢差遣那些能以切身经历、动情地传达信息的人，把福音之警告如同自己刚刚脱离险境的人那样向众人发出。（1）他们要「被差到列国」，其中几个在此被点名：他施、普勒、路德等。此处所指何国，并不确定，解经家也无一致意见。「他施」一般指「海」，但有人认为是基利家的塔尔苏斯。「普勒」有时被提为亚述诸王之一的名字；或许该国某地亦同名。「路德」据认为是吕底亚，乃好战之民，以弓箭手闻名：据说吕底亚人「拉弓」（耶46:9）。「土巴」有人认为是意大利或西班牙；而「雅完」大多数认为是希腊，即爱奥尼亚人（Iones，希腊 Iaωv 之拉丁转写）；而「雅弗后裔所住的列国」（创10:5），大概就是这里所说「素来没有听见我名声、没有看见我荣耀的辽远海岛」。惟独在犹大，神为人所认识，惟独在那里祂的名大受尊崇达许多年代之久。别国都坐在黑暗中，没有听见那喜乐的声音，没有看见那喜乐的光。他们这可悲的光景在此似乎是带着怜悯而言的；因为亚当的子孙竟离他们的造物主如此之远，以致听不见祂的名、看不见祂的荣耀，实在可悲。考虑到这一点，（2）那些被差到列国的人，必奉神的差遣去，「将祂的荣耀传扬在列国中」。分散在列国中的犹太人必传扬神素来对他们民族所施护理的荣耀，借此许多人必受吸引而与他们联合，也必因神在他们中间藉其典章所显的荣耀而受吸引。列国诸语言中必有人「拉住一个犹太人的衣襟」（亚8:23），恳求他注意他们，接纳他们入他的同伴之中，并稍为等候他们，直等到他们预备好，「因为我们听见神与你们同在了」。神的荣耀就这样部分地传扬在列国中；但更清楚更完全地，是借着使徒和早期福音的传扬者传扬的，他们被差到全世界，甚至遥远的海岛，去传扬那蒙福之神荣耀的福音（提前1:11）。他们「出去到处宣传，主和他们同工」（可16:20）。
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许多人必将因此归服（赛66:20）。
（1）「他们必将你们的弟兄」（因为归服者当被承认为弟兄、被拥抱为弟兄）「作为供物献给耶和华」。神的荣耀向他们传扬并非徒然，他们既被邀请、又被引导与主联合。被差到他们那里的人，其使命必如此成功，以致耶路撒冷必将如素常守严肃节之时那般人群蜂拥，那时全国各地的男丁都要上那里去，且不可空手朝见（出34:23,24）。当观察：〔1〕他们前来必得着供给。有人必「骑马」来，因为他们从远方来，路程太远不能步行——犹太人素常是步行上耶路撒冷守节的。尊贵人必「坐车」来，年老的、患病的、孩童必「坐轿」或篷车被带来，年轻人则「骑骡子和快马」。这表明他们前来的热心与迫切。他们不辞劳苦、不惜花费要到耶路撒冷。不能骑马的人坐轿来；他们如此急切、不能容忍耽延，以致能骑的便骑骡子和快马。这些话是象征性的，把这些不同的运输方式堆叠起来，是要表明（博学的盖塔克先生 Mr. Gataker 如此说）为把神的选民带回基督那里，所充足预备的一切恩典帮助。都必受欢迎，为帮助他们、鼓励他们，必一无所缺。〔2〕他们被带来的性质。他们前来，不像从前素常上耶路撒冷那样作献祭者，而是自己「作为献给耶和华的供物」，这要从属灵意义来理解，指他们被献给神「当作活祭」（罗12:1）。使徒解释这话，或许也是引用这话（罗15:16），他在那里说到他「在外邦人中传福音」，使「外邦人作供物献上，可蒙悦纳」。他们献上自己，而那作他们归服之器皿的人也献上他们，作为他们为基督所取、献给基督事奉与尊荣的掳物。他们必被带来，「正如以色列人用洁净的器皿把供物奉到耶和华的殿中」——极其谨慎地使他们成为圣洁，从罪中得洁净，并分别为圣归给神。论到归服的外邦人，经上说（徒15:9）他们的「心因信得洁净了」。献给神之物，必用洁净的器皿献上——一种专为宗教用途分别出来的器皿。神必按祂所定的方式，在祂自己所设立的典章中受事奉、受尊崇，这些典章正是这些属灵供物的合宜载体。当灵魂被献给神之时，身体必须作洁净的器皿，「成为圣洁尊贵，不放纵私欲的邪情」（帖前4:4,5）；归服基督的人不仅「良心得蒙洁净，脱离死行」（来9:14），而且「身体也用清水洗净了」（来10:22）。如今，
（2）这话可指：〔1〕犹太人——就是从天下各国来耶路撒冷的虔诚人和归服犹太教者，他们聚拢在耶路撒冷，等候弥赛亚国度的显现（徒2:5,6,10）。他们从各地来到「圣山耶路撒冷」，「作为献给耶和华的供物」，在那里他们当中许多人因赐给使徒的方言恩赐而被带到信基督之中。在我看来，那段历史与这段预言之间有某种对应关系。其后不久，太监坐着他的车到耶路撒冷敬拜，把基督和祂圣洁宗教的知识带回家去（徒8:27-39）。〔2〕外邦人——各国中一些归服基督、因而归入祂教会的人；这虽是属灵的增添，但在预言中常以地点的迁移来表示。使徒论到一切真基督徒说，他们「已来到锡安山、永生神的城邑、天上的耶路撒冷」（来12:22），这话正解释了本段，表明这一切排场的意义不过是：他们必被神的恩典，并在那恩典之途径的使用中，带入教会，如同被车载轿抬那般小心、安全、舒畅。这样，神必「说服雅弗，使他住在闪的帐棚里」（创9:27）。
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教会既因如此众多的成员归入而扩展，教会中也必设立福音的职事（赛66:21）：「我也必从他们中间」（从归服者，从外邦归信者中）「取人为祭司，为利未人」，在圣事上事奉，并在他们的宗教聚会中主持，这在教义、敬拜和纪律上都是十分必要的。迄今为止，祭司和利未人全是从犹太人中取的，全属一个支派；但在福音时代，神要从归服的外邦人中取人事奉祂在圣事上，教训百姓，奉主的名为他们祝福，作神奥秘的管家——正如律法之下的祭司和利未人一样，作牧师和教师（或作监督），「专心祈祷传道」，并设立执事「管理饭食」，如利未人那样照管「神殿的外事」（腓1:1，徒6:2-4）。使徒全是犹太人，七十个门徒也是如此；那外邦人的大使徒自己也是「希伯来人所生的希伯来人」（腓3:5）；但当教会在外邦中被建立之时，他们也设立了「出于他们自己」的牧者，就是「各教会中的长老」（徒14:23，多1:5），这使职事更容易推广，也更亲切，若非更受人尊敬，也更为人所接受；福音的恩典，可望能医治百姓那些使先知「在本地没有尊敬」的败坏（约4:44）。神说：「我也必取」，不是「他们全部」——虽然他们都按属灵意义被「归于我们的神，作君王、作祭司」（启1:6）——而是「从他们中间」，取他们当中的一些人。本来拣选牧者，是神的工作——借赐他们资格、使他们有服事的心志，同样使他们作牧者，也是神赐他们委任。「我必取他们」，即：虽是外邦人，我也必接纳他们，并悦纳他们和他们的服事。这对教会是极大的尊荣与益处，正如对犹太教会而言，神「从他们儿子中兴起先知，从少年人中拿细耳人」是极大的尊荣与益处一样（摩2:11）。
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教会和职事既如此设立，必延续并在一代接一代的传承中得蒙维持（赛66:22）。设立弥赛亚国度所带来的改变，在此被描述为：（1）极大而普世的改变；这必是一个新世界，就是前文所应许的「新天新地」（赛65:17）。「旧事已过，都变成新的了」（林后5:17）；旧的区别之约被搁置，新的恩典之约被建立（来8:13）。我们如今要「按着心灵的新样服事，不按着仪文的旧样」（罗7:6）。有关于天、又有关于地的新诫命被赐下，也有关于两者的新应许，二者合在一起便构成新约；因此神所要创造的，是新天新地，这是为末了所要设计的新天新地（彼后3:13）所作的预备。（2）这是神亲自所作的改变；祂必创造新天新地。这改变是由那位既有权柄制定新律例、又有能力创造新世界的主所作的。（3）这必是持久的改变，是永不改变的改变，是一个永远常新的新世界，永不陈旧，不像那快要归于无有之事：「它必在我面前长存」不变；因为福音的安排要持续到末了，不被别的所取代。基督的国是「不能震动的国」（来12:28）；其律法和特权「是不能震动的事」，却要「永远长存」（来12:27,28）。它「所以」必长存，因为是在神面前；它在祂的眼目、看顾和特别保护之下。（4）它必在一班事奉基督的后裔中得蒙维持：「你们的后裔」，并在他们中间「你们的名字，必长存」——一班牧者的后裔，一班基督徒的后裔；当这一代过去之时，必有另一代起来；这样，基督的名与基督徒的名，在地上必随地的存留而继续，祂的国位如天持续之日（诗89:29,36,37）。阴间的门虽要与教会争战，却「不能胜过」，也「不能磨灭至高者的圣徒」（但7:25原文之意）。
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凡这样「作为供物献给耶和华」被带来的人，必谨慎而恒常地赴神在宗教聚会中的公开敬拜（赛66:23）。这里用适合旧约时代的说法来描述，为要表明：礼仪律法虽被废止，殿中的事奉虽告终，神却必如从前那样有规律、恒常、蒙悦纳地受敬拜。从前惟独犹太人上去朝见神，他们一年也只须朝见三次，且只是男丁；如今一切有血气的人，外邦人和犹太人，女人和男人，都必「来在神面前下拜」——在祂面前，虽不在耶路撒冷的殿中，而在分布于全世界的宗教聚会中，这些聚会对他们必如会幕之于犹太人。神必在其中记下祂的名，那里「无论在哪里有两三个人聚集」，祂必在他们中间，与他们相会，赐福给他们（太18:20）。他们也必常有这些圣会之益，每逢月朔、每逢安息日，不像从前只在三个年度节期。并无固定一地的必要，如古时的圣殿。基督是我们的圣殿，一切信徒因信在祂里面相遇；如今教会既如此扩展，全体在一处相聚已不可能；但理当有固定的时候，使敬拜得以确实而频繁地进行，借此表明一切基督教会之间因信、望、圣爱而有的属灵交通。「月朔」和「安息日」之所以被提及，是因为在律法之下，虽年度节期须在耶路撒冷守，月朔和安息日却在「先知门徒」中、其后在「会堂」里敬虔地遵守（王下4:23，摩8:5，徒15:21），基督教会的聚会似乎就是照这模式建立的。哪里主日每周被守为圣，哪里主的圣餐每月被守，且两者都按时赴会，那里这应许便得应验，那里基督教的月朔和安息日便得遵守。在此请看：（1）神当在严肃的聚会中受敬拜，凡有力量的人都当趁着机会在那些聚会中事奉神：「凡有血气的都必来」；虽是肉体——软弱、败坏、有罪——让他们来，好使肉体被治死。（2）敬拜神之时，我们便是把自己呈现在祂面前，便在一种特别的方式下在祂的面前。（3）为作这事，理当有定规的时日，也确已有之；我们当看见：恒常而良心自守地遵守这些时日，既是我们的本分，也是我们的益处。
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他们对神那分别之恩的感恩之心，必因思想那些执意不信、不敬而灭亡之人的可怕命运与毁灭而大大加增（赛66:24）。那些素来敬拜万军之耶和华、在祂殿的善美中在祂面前欢喜的人，为要更深刻地体会自己的福乐，必观看恶人的悲惨。当观察：（1）此处所描述其悲惨的是谁。他们是「违背神」的人，不仅违背祂的律法，更是违背与祂所立的约，自以为能与祂相争。这话尤可指那不信、拒绝基督福音的犹太人。（2）他们的悲惨是什么。这里以战场的可怕景象来表示：遍地是「尸首」——被杀之人的尸首，在地上腐烂，爬满了「虫」在他们身上爬行啃食；你若要去焚烧他们，他们如此散乱，把他们聚拢又是如此令人作呕的事，以致永无休止，「火总不灭」；于是他们成了「一切有血气之人所憎恶的」，无人愿就近。这事有时在今世的审判中得着应验，或许最贴近字面应验的，莫过于耶路撒冷和犹太民族被罗马人所灭——在那场毁灭中，据计算先后有二百多万人死于刀剑之下，此外还有死于饥荒和瘟疫的。这话也可指那临到不信犹太人身上的属灵审判——圣保罗正是如此观看并向我们指明（罗11:8等）。他们在罪中死了，死上加死（犹12）。犹太人的教会成了「尸首般的」教会；其一切成员都成了腐烂的尸首；「他们的虫不死」——他们自己的良心使他们不断不安，他们对福音的怒火不灭——这既是他们的罪，也是他们的刑罚；他们比天底下任何民族更成为「一切有血气之人所憎恶的」。但我们的救主把这话说成是不悔改之罪人在未来状态中所受永远的悲惨与折磨——「在那里，虫是不死的，火是不灭的」（可9:44,46,48）；因为灵魂——良心是其不断的折磨者——是不朽的，而神——其忿怒是其不断的恐惧——是永恒的。（3）这事要受何等注意。敬拜神的人必「出去观看他们」，为的是以救赎主的爱来感动自己的心，看见自己是从何等悲惨中被救赎出来。如同看见别人在天国里而「自己被赶到外面」（路13:28），必加重被定罪之人的痛苦，照样看见那些死在自己过犯中之人的下场，也必显明天上圣徒的喜乐荣耀，并必提升他们的赞美，想到自己原是「从火中抽出来」的柴（亚3:2）。为尊荣那如此分别了他们的白白恩典，愿耶和华的救赎之民怀着一切的谦卑、且不无圣洁的战栗，唱他们得胜的诗歌（启15:3）。
英語原文
Divine Judgment; Judgment and Mercy; The Enlargement of the Church (706 BC)
¹⁵ For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
¹⁶ For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
¹⁷ They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
¹⁸ For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
¹⁹ And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
²⁰ And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
²¹ And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
²² For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
²³ And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
²⁴ And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
These verses, like the pillar of cloud and fire, have a dark side towards the enemies of God's kingdom and all that are rebels against his crown, and a bright side towards his faithful loyal subjects. Probably they refer to the Jews in captivity in Babylon, of whom some are said to have been sent thither for their hurt, and with them God here threatens to proceed in his controversy; they hated to be reformed, and therefore should be ruined by the calamity (Jer 24:9); others were sent thither for their good, and they should have the trouble sanctified to them, should in due time get well through it and see many a good day after it. Many of the expressions here used are accommodated to that glorious dispensation; but doubtless the prophecy looks further, to the judgment for which Christ did come once, and will come again, into this world, and to the distinction which his word in both makes between the precious and the vile.
I. Christ will appear to the confusion and terror of all those that stand it out against him. Sometimes he will appear in temporal judgments. The Jews that persisted in infidelity were cut off by fire and by his sword. The ruin was very extensive; the Lord then pleaded with all flesh; and, it being his sword with which they are cut off, they are called his slain, sacrificed to his justice, and they shall be many. In the great day the wrath of God will be his fire and sword, with which he will cut off and consume all the impenitent; and his word, when it takes hold of sinners' consciences, burns like fire, and is sharper than any two-edged sword. Idolaters will especially be contended with in the day of wrath, Isa 66:17. Perhaps some of those who returned out of Babylon retained such instances of idolatry and superstition as are here mentioned, had their idols in their gardens (not daring to set them up publicly in the high places) and there purified themselves (as the worshippers of the true God used to do) when they went about their idolatrous rites, one after another, or, as we read it, behind one tree in the midst, behind Ahad or Ehad, some idol that they worshipped by that name and in honour of which they ate swine's flesh (which was expressly forbidden by the law of God), and other abominations, as the mouse, or some other like animal. But the prophecy may refer to all those judgments which the wrath of God, according to the word of God, will bring upon provoking sinners, that live in contempt of God and are devoted to the world and the flesh: They shall be consumed together. From the happiness of heaven we find expressly excluded all idolaters, and whosoever worketh abomination, Re 21:27,22:15. In the day of vengeance secret wickedness will be brought to light and brought to the account; for (Isa 66:18), I know their works and their thoughts. God knows both what men do and from what principle and with what design they do it; and therefore is fit to judge the world, because he can judge the secrets of men, Ro 2:16.
II. He will appear to the comfort and joy of all that are faithful to him in the setting up of his kingdom in this world, the kingdom of grace, the earnest and first-fruits of the kingdom of glory. The time shall come that he will gather all nations and tongues to himself, that they may come and see his glory as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ, Isa 66:18. This was fulfilled when all nations were to be discipled and the gift of tongues was bestowed in order thereunto. The church had hitherto been confined to one nation and in one tongue only God was worshipped; but in the days of the Messiah the partition-wall should be taken down, and those that had been strangers to God should be brought acquainted with him and should see his glory in the gospel, as the Jews had seen it in the sanctuary. As to this, it is here promised,
1. That some of the Jewish nation should, by the grace of God, be distinguished form the rest, and marked for salvation: I will not only set up a gathering ensign among them, to which the Gentiles shall seek (as is promised, Isa 11:12), but there shall be those among them on whom I will set a differencing sign; for so the word signifies. Though they are a corrupt degenerate nation, yet God will set apart a remnant of them, that shall be devoted to him and employed for him, and a mark shall be set upon them, with such certainty will God own them, Eze 9:4. The servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads, Re 7:3. The Lord knows those that are his. Christ's sheep are marked.
2. That those who are themselves distinguished thus by the grace of God shall be commissioned to invite others to come and take the benefit of that grace. Those that escape the power of those prejudices by which the generality of that nation is kept in unbelief shall be sent to the nations to carry the gospel among them, and preach it to every creature. Note, Those who themselves have escaped the wrath to come should do all they can to snatch others also as brands out of the burning. God chooses to send those on his errands that can deliver their message feelingly and experimentally, and warn people of their danger by sin as those who have themselves narrowly escaped the danger. (1.) They shall be sent to the nations, several of which are here named, Tarshish, and Pul, and Lud, etc. It is uncertain, nor are interpreters agreed, what countries are here intended. Tarshish signifies in general the sea, yet some take it for Tarsus in Cilicia. Pul is mentioned sometimes as the name of one of the kings of Assyria; perhaps some part of that country might likewise bear that name. Lud is supposed to be Lydia, a warlike nation, famed for archers: the Lydians are said to handle and bend the bow, Jer 46:9. Tubal, some think, is Italy or Spain; and Javan most agree to be Greece, the Iones; and the isles of the Gentiles, that were peopled by the posterity of Japhet (Ge 10:5), probably are here meant by the isles afar off, that have not heard my name, neither have seen my glory. In Judah only was God known, and there only his name was great for many ages. Other countries sat in darkness, heard no the joyful sound, saw not the joyful light. This deplorable state of theirs seems to be spoken of here with compassion; for it is a pity that any of the children of men should be at such a distance from their Maker as not to hear his name and see his glory. In consideration of this, (2.) Those that are sent to the nations shall go upon God's errand, to declare his glory among the Gentiles. The Jews that shall be dispersed among the nations shall declare the glory of God's providence concerning their nation all along, by which many shall be invited to join with them, as also by the appearances of God's glory among them in his ordinances. Some out of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, entreating him to take notice of them, to admit them into his company, and to stay a little while for them, till they are ready, "for we will go with you, having heard that God is with you," Zec 8:23. Thus the glory of God was in part declared among the Gentiles; but more clearly and fully by the apostles and early preachers of the gospel, who were sent into all the world, even to the isles afar off, to publish the glorious gospel of the blessed God. They went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, Mk 16:20.
3. That many converts shall hereby be made, Isa 66:20.
(1.) They shall bring all your brethren (for proselytes ought to be owned and embraced as brethren) for an offering unto the Lord. God's glory shall not be in vain declared to them, but they shall be both invited and directed to join themselves to the Lord. Those that are sent to them shall succeed so well in their negotiation that thereupon there shall be as great flocking to Jerusalem as used to be at the time of a solemn feast, when all the males from all parts of the country were to attend there, and not to appear empty. Observe, [1.] The conveniences that they shall be furnished with for their coming. Some shall come upon horses, because they came from far and the journey was too long to travel on foot, as the Jews usually did to their feasts. Persons of quality shall come in chariots, and the aged, and sickly, and little children, shall be brought in litters or covered wagons, and the young men on mules and swift beasts. This intimates their zeal and forwardness to come. They shall spare no trouble nor charge to get to Jerusalem. Those that cannot ride on horseback shall come in litters; and in such haste shall they be, and so impatient of delay, that those that can shall ride upon mules and swift beasts. These expressions are figurative, and these various means of conveyance are heaped up to intimate (says the learned Mr. Gataker) the abundant provision of all those gracious helps requisite for the bringing of God's elect home to Christ. All shall be welcome, and nothing shall be wanting for their assistance and encouragement. [2.] The character under which they shall be brought. They shall come, not as formerly they used to come to Jerusalem, to be offerers, but to be themselves an offering unto the Lord, which must be understood spiritually, of their being presented to God as living sacrifices, Ro 12:1. The apostle explains this, and perhaps refers to it, Ro 15:16, where he speaks of his ministering the gospel to the Gentiles, that the offering up, or sacrificing, of the Gentiles might be acceptable. They shall offer themselves, and those who are the instruments of their conversion shall offer them, as the spoils which they have taken for Christ and which are devoted to his service and honour. They shall be brought as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel, with great care that they be holy, purified from sin, and sanctified to God. It is said of the converted Gentiles (Ac 15:9) that their hearts were purified by faith. Whatever was brought to God was brought in a clean vessel, a vessel appropriated to religious uses. God will be served and honoured in the way that he has appointed, in the ordinances of his own institution, which are the proper vehicles for these spiritual offerings. When the soul is offered up to God the body must be a clean vessel for it, possessed in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness (1Th 4:4,5); and converts to Christ are not only purged from an evil conscience, but have their bodies also washed with pure water, Heb 10:22. Now,
(2.) This may refer, [1.] To the Jews, devout men, and proselytes out of every nation under heaven, that flocked together to Jerusalem, expecting the kingdom of the Messiah to appear, Ac 2:5,6,10. They came from all parts to the holy mountain of Jerusalem, as an offering to the Lord, and there many of them were brought to the faith of Christ by the gift of tongues poured out on the apostles. Methinks there is some correspondence between that history and this prophecy. The eunuch some time after came to worship at Jerusalem in his chariot and took home with him the knowledge of Christ and his holy religion. [2.] To the Gentiles, some of all nations, that should be converted to Christ, and so added to his church, which, though a spiritual accession, is often in prophecy represented by a local motion. The apostle says of all true Christians that they have come to Mount Zion, and the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22), which explains this passage, and shows that the meaning of all this parade is only that they shall be brought into the church by the grace of God, and in the use of the means of that grace, as carefully, safely, and comfortably, as if they were carried in chariots and litters. Thus God shall persuade Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, Ge 9:27.
4. That a gospel ministry shall be set up in the church, it being thus enlarged by the addition of such a multitude of members to it (Isa 66:21): I will take of them (of the proselytes, of the Gentile converts) for priests and for Levites, to minister in holy things and to preside in their religious assemblies, which is very necessary for doctrine, worship, and discipline. Hitherto the priests and Levites were all taken from among the Jews and were all of one tribe; but in gospel times God will take of the converted Gentiles to minister to him in holy things, to teach the people, to bless them in the name of the Lord, to be the stewards of the mysteries of God as the priests and Levites were under the law, to be pastors and teachers (or bishops), to give themselves to the word and prayer, and deacons to serve tables, and, as the Levites, to take care of the outward business of the house of God, Php 1:1, Ac 6:2-4. The apostles were all Jews, and so were the seventy disciples; the great apostle of the Gentiles was himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews; but, when churches were planted among the Gentiles, they had ministers settled who were of themselves, elders in every church (Ac 14:23, Tit 1:5), which made the ministry to spread the more easily, and to be the more familiar, and, if not the more venerable, yet the more acceptable; gospel grace, it might be hoped, would cure people of those corruptions which kept a prophet from having honour in his own country. God says, I will take, not all of them, though they are all in a spiritual sense made to our God kings and priests, but of them, some of them. It is God's work originally to choose ministers by qualifying them for and inclining them to the service, as well as to make ministers by giving them their commission. I will take them, that is, I will admit them, though Gentiles, and will accept of them and their ministrations. This is a great honour and advantage to the Gentile church, as it was to the Jewish church that God raised up of their sons for prophets and their young men for Nazarites, Am 2:11.
5. That the church and ministry, being thus settled, shall continue and be kept up in a succession from one generation to another, Isa 66:22. The change that will be made by the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah is here described to be, (1.) A very great and universal change; it shall be a new world, the new heavens and the new earth promised before, Isa 65:17. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new (2Co 5:17), the old covenant of peculiarity is set aside, and a new covenant, a covenant of grace, established, Heb 8:13. We are now to serve in newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter, Ro 7:6. New commandments are given relating both to heaven and earth, and new promises relating to both, and both together make a New Testament; so that they are new heavens and a new earth that God will create, and these a preparative for the new heavens and new earth designed at the end of time, 2Pe 3:13. (2.) A change of God's own making; he will create the new heavens and the new earth. The change was made by him that had authority to make new ordinances, as well as power to make new worlds. (3.) It will be an abiding lasting change, a change never to be changed, a new world that will be always new, and never wax old, as that does which is ready to vanish away: It shall remain before me unalterable; for the gospel dispensation is to continue to the end of time and not to be succeeded by any other. The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom that cannot be moved; the laws and privileges of it are things that cannot be shaken, but shall for ever remain, Heb 12:27,28. It shall therefore remain, because it is before God; it is under his eye, and care, and special protection. (4.) It will be maintained in a seed that shall serve Christ: Your seed, and in them your name, shall remain—a seed of ministers, a seed of Christians; as one generation of both passes away, another generation shall come; and thus the name of Christ, with that of Christians, shall continue on earth while the earth remains, and his throne as the days of heaven. The gates of hell, though they fight against the church, shall not prevail, nor wear out the saints of the Most High.
6. That the public worship of God in religious assemblies shall be carefully and constantly attended upon by all that are thus brought as an offering to the Lord, Isa 66:23. This is described in expressions suited to the Old-Testament dispensation, to show that though the ceremonial law should be abolished, and the temple service should come to an end, yet God should be still as regularly, constantly, and acceptably worshipped as ever. Heretofore only Jews went up to appear before God, and they were bound to attend only three times a year, and the males only; but now all flesh, Gentiles as well as Jews, women as well as men, shall come and worship before God, in his presence, though not in his temple at Jerusalem, but in religious assemblies dispersed all the world over, which shall be to them as the tabernacle of meeting was to the Jews. God will in them record his name, and, though but two or three come together, he will be among them, will meet them, and bless them. And they shall have the benefit of these holy convocations frequently, every new moon and every sabbath, not, as formerly, at the three annual feasts only. There is no necessity of one certain place, as the temple was of old. Christ is our temple, in whom by faith all believers meet, and now that the church is so far extended it is impossible that all should meet at one place; but it is fit that there should be a certain time appointed, that the service may be done certainly and frequently, and a token thereby given of the spiritual communion which all Christian assemblies have with each other by faith, hope, and holy love. The new moons and the sabbaths are mentioned because, under the law, though the yearly feasts were to be celebrated at Jerusalem, yet the new moons and the sabbaths were religiously observed all the country over, in the schools of the prophets first and afterwards in the synagogues (2Ki 4:23, Am 8:5, Ac 15:21), according to the model of which Christian assemblies seem to be formed. Where the Lord's day is weekly sanctified, and the Lord's supper monthly celebrated, and both are duly attended on, there this promise is fulfilled, there the Christian new moons and sabbaths are observed. See, here, (1.) That God is to be worshipped in solemn assemblies, and that it is the duty of all, as they have opportunity, to wait upon God in those assemblies: All flesh must come; though flesh, weak, corrupt, and sinful, let them come that the flesh may be mortified. (2.) In worshipping God we present ourselves before him, and are in a special manner in his presence. (3.) For doing this there ought to be stated times, and are so; and we must see that it is our interest as well as our duty constantly and conscientiously to observe these times.
7. That their thankful sense of God's distinguishing favour to them should be very much increased by the consideration of the fearful doom and destruction of those that persist and perish in their infidelity and impiety, Isa 66:24. Those that have been worshipping the Lord of hosts, and rejoicing before him in the goodness of his house, shall, in order to affect themselves the more with their own happiness, take a view of the misery of the wicked. Observe, (1.) Who they are whose misery is here described. They are men that have transgressed against God, not only broken his laws, but broken covenant with him, and thought themselves able to contend with him. It may be meant especially of the unbelieving Jews that rejected the gospel of Christ. (2.) What their misery is. It is here represented by the frightful spectacle of a field of battle, covered with the carcases of the slain, that lie rotting above ground, full of worms crawling about them and feeding on them; and, if you go to burn them, they are so scattered, and it is such a noisome piece of work to get them together, that it would be endless, and the fire would never be quenched; so that they are an abhorring to all flesh, nobody cares to come near them. Now this is sometimes accomplished in temporal judgments, and perhaps never nearer the letter than in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans, in which destruction it is computed that above two millions, first and last, were cut off by the sword, besides what perished by famine and pestilence. It may refer likewise to the spiritual judgments that came upon the unbelieving Jews, which St. Paul looks upon, and shows us, Ro 11:8, etc. They became dead in sins, twice dead. The church of the Jews was a carcase of a church; all its members were putrid carcases; their worm died not, their own consciences made them continually uneasy, and the fire of their rage against the gospel was not quenched, which was their punishment as well as their sin; and they became, more than ever any nation under the sun, an abhorring to all flesh. But our Saviour applies it to the everlasting misery and torment of impenitent sinners in the future state, where their worm dies not, and their fire is not quenched (Mk 9:44); for the soul, whose conscience is its constant tormentor, is immortal, and God, whose wrath is its constant terror, is eternal. (3.) What notice shall be taken of it. Those that worship God shall go forth and look upon them, to affect their own hearts with the love of their Redeemer, when they see what misery they are redeemed from. As it will aggravate the miseries of the damned to see others in the kingdom of heaven and themselves thrust out (Lu 13:28), so it will illustrate the joys and glories of the blessed to see what becomes of those that died in their transgression, and it will elevate their praises to think that they were themselves as brands plucked out of that burning. To the honour of that free grace which thus distinguished them let the redeemed of the Lord with all humility, and not without a holy trembling, sing their triumphant songs.
本章的主旨与前一章大致相同，其中许多表达也相同；因此它看的是同一方向——即犹太人从被掳归回时，其中善人与恶人不同的光景；但这只是预表——预表弥赛亚时代犹太人的被弃、外邦人的归主，以及福音国度在世上的建立。本章赛66:1被司提反应用于基督教会的建立而拆毁了圣殿（徒7:49,50），这可以作为整章的钥匙。本章内容如下：一、神把礼仪性事奉与道德本分相比所显的轻看，并借此暗示他定意不久要终止圣殿与祭物，并弃绝那些仍依附于它们的人（赛66:1-4）。二、神到了时候必为他百姓从欺压者手中施行拯救（赛66:5），向逼迫者宣告可畏（赛66:6），向受逼迫者宣告安慰——一种迅速而完全的解救（赛66:7-9），喜乐的定居（赛66:10,11），外邦人的归附以及其中丰盛的满足（赛66:12-14）。三、神必向他教会和百姓的仇敌施行可怕的报应（赛66:15-18）。四、教会在广阔而坚固的根基上的安乐建立，她对神的恒常事奉以及对仇敌的夸胜（赛66:19-24）。我们可以合理地期待，这位传福音的先知在此——在他预言的末了——必（事实上他也确实如此）向前远眺，直到末后的日子、直到最后的日子、直到永恒之日。