Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 46:5

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Babylon’s helpless gods (45:20-46:13)

Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon will prove to those Babylonians who survive that to trust in idols for victory is useless. Wooden gods could not foresee Cyrus’s conquest, but Yahweh, the only true God, predicted it long ago (20-21). People of surrounding nations may previously have fought against Yahweh by trusting in idols, but now they should forsake those idols and submit to the living God. Then they will find victory, righteousness and strength, and will join with all God’s true people in bringing him praise (22-25).
The prophet pictures the Babylonian refugees as they flee from the armies of Cyrus, taking with them whatever personal possessions they can carry. The Babylonian gods (two of the most important of which were Bel and Nebo), instead of saving the people, have to be saved by them. So far from helping the people, they only become a hindrance and a burden, causing the donkeys and oxen to groan under the extra weight they have to carry (46:1-2). The people of Yahweh, by contrast, are carried by him. The God who made them cares for them, and will continue to care for them to the very end (3-4). Gods of silver and gold cost their worshippers much in money, time and effort, but they cannot do anything to save their worshippers from trouble (5-7).
Many of the Jews had once been tempted to follow the idolatrous ways of the Babylonians. They are reminded that Yahweh alone is God (8-9). The future is under his control, and at the right moment he will call Cyrus to come and destroy Babylon and release the Jews (10-11). Those Jews who stubbornly refuse to trust in God must therefore change their ways, if they want to share in the blessings of the new Israel (12-13).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? Such as lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear it upon the shoulder, they carry it, and set it in its place, and it standeth; from its place it shall not remove: yea, one may cry unto it, yet can it not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.”

Here we have exactly the same line of argument made in a number of previous chapters. This is a continuation of the brilliant words against idolatry found in Isa. 40:18-20; 44:9-20; 41:5-7; and 46:1,2. This repetition of such warnings indicates that God was very concerned lest the attractions of idolatry would seduce many of the chosen people. “Isaiah 46:5 is almost identical to Isaiah 40:18 and stresses the impossibility of representing Jehovah by means of an image.”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 322.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

To whom will ye liken me - (see the notes at Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25). The design of this and the following verses is to show the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of trusting in idols. This is a subject that the prophet often dwells on. The argument here is derived from the fact that the idols of Babylon were unable to defend the city, and were themselves carried away in triumph Isaiah 46:1-2. If so, how vain was it to rely on them! how foolish to suppose that the living and true God could resemble such weak and defenseless blocks!

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

5.To whom will ye liken and compare me? Here the Prophet introduces the Lord as remonstrating with the Jews, because they distrusted and doubted his power, and, in a word, because they put him on a level with idols, and even placed idols above him. When they saw the Babylonians enjoy prosperity, they thought that their hope was gone, and that the remembrance of the covenant had faded away, and hardly believed that God was in heaven or took any concern about them. On this account the Lord complains that they ascribe some power to idols, and that thus they east his power into the shade. This subject was formerly discussed under the forty-second, forty-third, and following chapters; and therefore it is unnecessary to repeat observations in each word.

In order that they may not estimate the power of God by the present condition of things, he bids them raise their minds higher. In like manner, when we see the Papists enjoy prosperity, if we should entertain doubts whether or not they possessed the true religion, we would need to be dissuaded by the same exhortation; for this would be to compare God with idols. And we ought carefully to observe this circumstance, the forgetfulness or disregard of which has led many commentators absurdly to weaken this statement, by supposing that the Prophet merely attacks superstitious persons who ascribe some divine power to wood or stone, because this degrades the glory of God by comparing him to dead things. But I have no doubt that he reproves that sinful and wicked conclusion by which the people, when they were weighed down by adversity, imagined that God was favorable to the Babylonians; for, if he had been favorable to them, it would follow that he approves of idolatry, and thus his honor would have been conveyed to dumb creatures. We may likewise draw from it a general doctrine that God is robbed of his glory, when he is compared to dumb and senseless things, as Paul also applies the passage appropriately. (Acts 17:29.)

Smith's Bible Commentary

Isaiah chapter 46. Now in Isaiah 46:1-13 we get a short contrast between God, the true and the living eternal God that created the heavens and the earth, and the false gods that these people were worshipping. And the tragic thing is these people were the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They had turned to idolatry. And as you read the prophecy of Isaiah and of Jeremiah, they are crying out against the idolatry of the people, warning them that their continued idolatry would bring upon them the judgment of God. Using Babylon as His instrument of judgment, and that they would be going into captivity as the result of their idolatry. You remember Jeremiah cried out, "For My people have committed two sins; one, they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have hewn out for themselves cisterns, cisterns that can hold no water" ( Jeremiah 2:13 ).

Men will worship something. Men will believe in something. They must. Every man has a god. But there are some religious systems that hold no water at all. They just do nothing for the people who believe, but bring them into captivity. And so God's cry against the people.

Now it is interesting in some of the most recent archaeological excavations there in Israel, above the springs of Gihon on that section of the hill that comes down that was known as Ophel, which was the site of the ancient city of Jerusalem in David's day and on through to Hezekiah's time, there in the houses that have recently been excavated by the archaeologists, houses that were actually destroyed by the Babylonian army. Houses that have laid in ruins for 2,500 years. As they uncovered the stones and the rubble of these houses, within the houses they have found multitudes of little pagan gods, the gods that the people had worshipped, the gods that the people had turned to. And thus, we find actually by the archaeologist's spade just tremendous confirmation to what Isaiah is saying, as he is rebuking the people for their worship of the false gods.

Now he speaks concerning two of their false gods, and they had many.

Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy laden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity ( Isaiah 46:1-2 ).

And so he speaks of their worship of these false gods. But he points out a great truth here, and that is, their false gods became a burden. Even the cattle strain under the load of them. For as was the custom, the false gods would be brought out of their temples or out of their centers of worship, placed upon carts and driven through the streets on the various festivals and holy days in which they worshipped those particular gods. Sometimes they would be borne by the men on a platform as they would walk with the poles on their shoulder.

Now, these things are not totally uncommon today. There is a holiday in Mexico for the Virgin Guadalupe and you can go down on that holiday and you can see them as they take the statues of the Virgin Guadalupe and put them in these glorious chariots or carts and all, and they'll carry the Virgin Guadalupe through the street as the people kneel and bow and genuflect and so forth and worship the Virgin Guadalupe. So these things are not totally unfamiliar even in our day. But they were very common in those days. And here the people of God, who should surely know better, have turned to the worship of Bel and of Nebo. But in reality, the worship of these false gods constituted an interesting study, because these gods couldn't even carry themselves. They had to be carried by man. And in man carrying them or in the beast pulling them, they became a burden and they bowed down and stooped those who tried to carry them or bear them along.

Now in contrast to that, God declares,

Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel ( Isaiah 46:3 ),

Now here is an interesting verse because the remnant of the house of Israel would have been those from the Northern Kingdom, who, when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom, fled down into Judah. So there was a remnant when the Northern Kingdom fell, there was a remnant from each of the tribes that escaped and came down to Judah and became a part of the Southern Kingdom at that time. The rest of them were dispersed by the Assyrians into the various parts of the world. But many of them from the various tribes came and settled in Judah after the Assyrian invasion.

So,

the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me ( Isaiah 46:3 )

In contrast to these people bearing their gods or carrying their gods, God declares, "I am carrying you."

and I've carried you from the womb: And I will carry you till you come to the grave; until your grey hairs, your old age. I am he that carries you: for I have made you, and I will bear you; and I will carry you, and I will deliver you ( Isaiah 46:3-4 ).

And so the true and the living God, rather than having to be carried, will carry you; rather than having to be supported, will support you. So it all depends on what kind of a god you want. Do you want a god that you have to support? Or do you want a god that will support you? You want a god that you have to carry? Or do you want a god that can carry you? You want a god that will bring you into captivity, or do you want a god who is able to deliver you? And this is the contrast that has been made between the false idols that the people had turned to when they had turned away from God and the true and the living God.

Now God said,

To whom will ye liken me ( Isaiah 46:5 ),

Now, they had made their images of their gods. They had carved or they had made their molds and poured in the hot metals and had their molten images, or they had carved the likenesses of their god. Now God said, "If you were going to carve a likeness of Me, what would you make Me like? What kind of a figure would you make? What would be the likeness? What would you liken Me to?"

[or to what would you try] to make me equal, or to compare me, that we may be like? ( Isaiah 46:5 )

What kind of a comparison can you make with God? That is, anything that we know on the human level. What are you going to make Him like? If you're going to start to carve Him out, how and in what? Are you going to carve Him out like a man? When God is a Spirit, where do you start in carving the likeness of a spirit? Now he again speaks of how they had made their own gods in various... and have you seen some of the idols of these gods? These carvings that they made and said, "That is god." These carvings that they bowed down to and worshipped. These carvings that they have built great temples for. Have you ever seen idols of Diana? She is supposed to be god. Many people worshipped her. The multi-breasted Diana, breasts all down the front of her. And she is god. The nourisher of life in a symbolic form. And so they say, "That's god." And so they worship this image or idol of Diana or Astarte.

So God said, "What are you going to make Me like?" Now he is talking about their making gods.

For they lavish gold out of the bag, and they weigh silver in the balances, and then they hire a goldsmith; and he makes it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship it ( Isaiah 46:6 ).

Now, he was made by a man, and yet the people are so foolish as to fall down and worship it. Imagine, he makes a god. Men make their own gods.

Somehow within the consciousness of man, innate within, there is the consciousness of God. And it is just a part of man's nature to worship. So that you'll find in every culture, even the most primitive cultures, there are forms of worship of God or of gods. And in most cases, men have made gods after the projections of themselves. "If I were God, this is what I would do. This is how I would do it." And so they make up their legends of their gods. And they have super power in hunting and great cunning abilities. And they worship that.

Down in the jungles of South America where the primitive people do not wear clothing, and when the storms come their bodies are cold and shivering, some of them do not make permanent dwelling places but are nomadic. Now, these people in their minds think, "If I were God I would live in that tree because it's so big and strong and when the wind comes and the rain descends, it doesn't seem to be affected. It doesn't shiver with the wind like I am shivering. So if I were God, I would be in that tree and I would live in that tree." And so you find them worshipping a tree and they have trees that they've set out for special worship. That's god.

Or the full moon that gives light in the jungles at night. And so you'll find them out in the full moon, arms around each other, in a circle as they do their little dance and then their little chants as they are worshipping their god. For, "If I were God I would ride there in the moon and I would give beautiful light at night, the silvery light through the jungles and so forth." And so they worship the moon.

Now the Greeks had interesting concepts of God. And they're expressed in, "If I were God I would live on mount Olympus and I would look down and I would see these men down below. And those earthlings, those mortals would not have a chance with the beautiful maidens that are there, for I would use my supernatural powers to charm them and to bewitch them and I would take advantage over those mortals." And so you have your various concepts of God that men have created in their own mind.

So here is the interesting thing. He makes a god. And then the people bow down and worship it. And then,

They bear him on their shoulders ( Isaiah 46:7 ),

This is our God.

they carry him [on their shoulders], and they set him in his place, and he stands in his place; and he doesn't move from it: yes, they will cry unto him, yet he can not answer them, nor save him out of their trouble ( Isaiah 46:7 ).

And yet people worship these things that cannot move, cannot respond, cannot talk to them, and they worship them in lieu of worshipping the true and the living God. That's the tragedy. People say, "Well, I don't believe in God." Well, they don't believe, what they mean is, in a God who created the heavens and the earth and everything that is in them and sent His Son to die for man's sins. They don't believe in the true and the living God, but they believe in god. And they have a god. But they refuse to worship the true and the living God who is able to help them and respond to their needs. And instead they are worshipping gods that cannot be of any help to them whatsoever, but will only bring them into captivity. They worship, really, the gods of pleasure so many times. But you give your life over to pleasure and you're going to end up with lust. So many people worshipping the god of the intellect. You give yourself over to the god of intellect and you're going to end up with pride. So many people are worshipping the god of power and their whole life is dedicated to the power principle and they end up with greed. So God speaks out about these false gods. They cannot answer you. They cannot move. They cannot even carry themselves.

Remember this, [God said] and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none other; I am God, and there is none like me, For I have declared the end from the beginning ( Isaiah 46:8-10 ),

There is no God that is able to declare the end from the beginning. There is no religious system outside. Well, there just is no religious system really that has been predicated upon the ability of God to declare from the beginning what the end of the matter or a situation is going to be.

and from ancient times the things that are not yet done ( Isaiah 48:10 ),

At that time of Isaiah's writing there were prophecies that still had not been fulfilled.

saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do my pleasure ( Isaiah 48:10 ):

So God has already established what shall be. That cannot change. God said, "I will do My pleasure."

Calling ( Isaiah 46:11 )

And now He refers back to chapter 45 where He said that Cyrus the king of the Medo-Persians would be His instrument in releasing the children of Israel from their Babylonian captivity. Now that's a hundred and fifty years before Cyrus was born. That's why God is declaring, "There's no God like me. I'm declaring to you before it happens what's going to happen. I'm naming the fellow before he is ever born. He doesn't know Me, but I'm calling him by his name. And his name is Cyrus and he's going to allow you to be released from your captivity." And so referring back to that prophecy of Cyrus, He said,

Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, and also I will do it ( Isaiah 46:11 ).

Now you go ahead and read the history and you'll find that God did do it. He purposed it. He did do it. And Cyrus was the name of the Medo-Persian king that gave the decree that the children of Israel might return from their captivity in Babylon. Giving unto the children of Israel that permission to go back and to rebuild the temple.

Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness: it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory ( Isaiah 46:12-13 ).

And so God promises that their salvation, their righteousness will be placed in Zion.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

There is no comparison between the true God and false gods (cf. Isaiah 40:18).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

To whom will ye liken me?.... Was it lawful that any likeness might be made, which yet is forbidden, Exodus 20:4 what likeness could be thought of? is there any creature in heaven or earth, among all the angels or sons of men, to whom God can be likened, who has done such works of power, and acts of grace, as to care and provide not only for the house of Israel, from the beginning of their state to the close of it, but for all his creatures from the beginning of life to the end thereof, yea, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and has shown such special grace and goodness to his chosen people, in such a kind and tender manner?

And make me equal; or any equal to him in power and goodness, since all are but worms, dust, and ashes, as the small dust of the balance, yea, as nothing in comparison of him.

And compare me, that we may be like? which is impossible to be done; for what comparison or likeness can there be between the Creator and a creature, between an infinite, immense, and eternal Being, possessed of all perfections, and a finite, frail, imperfect one? see Isaiah 40:18. To pretend to frame a likeness of such a Being, is to act the absurd and stupid part the Heathens do, described in the following verses.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?   6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.   7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.   8 Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.   9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,   10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:   11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.   12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:   13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

      The deliverance of Israel by the destruction of Babylon (the general subject of all these chapters) is here insisted upon, and again promised, for the conviction both of idolaters who set up as rivals with God, and of oppressors who were enemies to the people of God.

      I. For the conviction of those who made and worshipped idols, especially those of Israel who did so, who would have images of their God, as the Babylonians had of theirs,

      1. He challenges them either to frame an image that should be thought a resemblance of him or to set up any being that should stand in competition with him (Isaiah 46:5; Isaiah 46:5): To whom will you liken me? It is absurd to think of representing an infinite and eternal Spirit by the figure of any creature whatsoever. It is to change his truth into a lie and to turn his glory into shame. None ever saw any similitude of him, nor can see his face and live. To whom then can we liken God?Isaiah 40:18; Isaiah 40:25. It is likewise absurd to think of making any creature equal with the Creator, who is infinitely above the noblest creatures, yea, or to make any comparison between the creature and the Creator, since between infinite and finite there is no proportion.

      2. He exposes the folly of those who made idols and then prayed to them, Isaiah 46:6; Isaiah 46:7. (1.) They were at great charge upon their idols and spared no cost to fit them for their purpose: They lavish gold out of the bag; no little will serve, and they do not care how much goes, though they pinch their families and weaken their estates by it. How does the profuseness of idolaters shame the niggardliness of many who call themselves God's servants but are for a religion that will cost them nothing! Some lavish gold out of the bag to make an idol of it in the house, while others hoard up gold in the bag to make an idol of it in the heart; for covetousness is idolatry, as dangerous, though not as scandalous, as the other. They weigh silver in the balance, either to be the matter of their idol (for even those that were most sottish had so much sense as to think that God should be served with the best they had, the best they could possibly afford; those that represented him by a calf made it a golden one) or to pay the workmen's wages. The service of sin often proves very expensive. (2.) They were in great care about their idols and took no little pains about them (Isaiah 46:7; Isaiah 46:7): They bear him upon their own shoulders, and do not hire porters to do it; they carry him, and set him in his place, more like a dead corpse than a living God. They set him on a pedestal, and he stands. They take a great deal of pains to fasten him, and from his place he shall not remove, that they may know where to find him, though at the same time they know he can neither move a hand nor stir a step to do them any kindness. (3.) After all, they paid great respect to their idols, though they were but the works of their own hands and the creatures of their own fancies. When the goldsmith has made it that which they please to call a god they fall down, yea, they worship it. If they magnified themselves too much in pretending to make a god, as if they would atone for that, they vilified themselves as much in prostrating themselves to a god that they knew the original of. And, if they were deceived by the custom of their country in making such gods as these, they did no less deceive themselves when they cried unto them, though they knew they could not answer them, could not understand what they said to them, nor so much as reply Yea, or No, much less could they save them out of their trouble. Now shall any that have some knowledge of, and interest in, the true and living God, thus make fools of themselves?

      3. He puts it to themselves, and their own reason, let that judge in the case (Isaiah 46:8; Isaiah 46:8): "Remember this, that has been often told you, what senseless helpless things idols are, and show yourselves men--men and not brutes, men and not babes. Act with reason; act with resolution; act for your own interest. Do a wise thing; do a brave thing; and scorn to disparage your own judgment as you do when you worship idols." Note, Sinners would become saints if they would but show themselves men, if they would but support the dignity of their nature and use aright its powers and capacities. "Many things you have been reminded of; bring them again to mind, recall them into you memories, and revolve them there. O! you transgressors, consider your ways; remember whence you have fallen, and repent, and so recover yourselves."

      4. He again produces incontestable proofs that he is God, that he and none besides is so (Isaiah 46:9; Isaiah 46:9): I am God, and there is none like me. This is that which we have need to be reminded of again and again; for proof of it he refers, (1.) To the sacred history: "Remember the former things of old, what the God of Israel did for his people in their beginnings, whether he did not that for them which no one else could, and which the false gods did not, nor could do, for their worshippers. Remember those things, and you will own that I am God and there is none else." This is a good reason why we should give glory to him as a nonsuch, and why we should not give that glory to any other which is due to him alone, Exodus 15:11. (2.) To the sacred prophecy. He is God alone, for it is he only that declares the end from the beginning,Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 46:10. From the beginning of time he declared the end of time, and end of all things. Enoch prophesied, Behold, the Lord comes. From the beginning of a nation he declares what the end of it will be. He told Israel what should befal them in the latter days, what their end should be, and wished they were so wise as to consider it, Deuteronomy 32:20; Deuteronomy 32:29. From the beginning of an event he declares what the end of it will be. Known unto God are all his works, and, when he pleases, he makes them known. Further than prophecy guides us it is impossible for us to find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end,Ecclesiastes 3:11. He declares from ancient times the things that are not yet done. Many scripture prophecies which were delivered long ago are not yet accomplished; but the accomplishment of some in the mean time is an earnest of the accomplishment of the rest in due time. By this it appears that he is God, and none else; it is he, and none besides, that can say, and make his words good, "My counsel shall stand, and all the powers of hell and earth cannot control or disannul it nor all their policies correct or countermine it." As God's operations are all according to his counsels, so his counsels shall all be fulfilled in his operations, and none of his measures shall be broken, none of his designs shall miscarry. This yields abundant satisfaction to those who have bound up all their comforts in God's counsels, that his counsel shall undoubtedly stand; and, if we are brought to this, that whatever pleases God pleases us, nothing can contribute more to make us easy than to be assured of this, that God will do all his pleasure,Psalms 135:6. The accomplishment of this particular prophecy, which relates to the elevation of Cyrus and his agency in the deliverance of God's people out of their captivity, is mentioned for the confirmation of this truth, that the Lord is God and there is none else; and this is a thing which shall shortly come to pass, Isaiah 46:11; Isaiah 46:11. God by his counsel calls a ravenous bird from the east, a bird of prey, Cyrus, who (they say) had a nose like the beak of a hawk or eagle, to which some think this alludes, or (as others say) to the eagle which was his standard, as it was afterwards that of the Romans, to which there is supposed to be a reference, Matthew 24:28. Cyrus came from the east at God's call: for God is Lord of hosts and of those that have hosts at command. And, if God give him a call, he will give him success. He is the man that shall execute God's counsel, though he comes from a far country and knows nothing of the matter. Note, Even those that know not, and mind not, God's revealed will, are made use of to fulfil the counsels of his secret will, which shall all be punctually accomplished in their season by what hand he pleases. That which is here added, to ratify this particular prediction, may abundantly show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel: "I have spoken of it by my servants the prophets, and what I have spoken is just the same with what I have purposed." For, though God has many things in his purposes which are not in his prophecies, he has nothing in his prophecies but what are in his purposes. And he will do it, for he will never change his mind; he will bring it to pass, for it is not in the power of any creature to control him. Observe with what majesty he says it, as one having authority: I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. Dictum, factum--no sooner said than done. I have purposed it, and he does not say, "I will take care it shall be done," but, "I will do it." Heaven and earth shall pass away sooner than one tittle of the word of God.

      II. For the conviction of those that daringly opposed the counsels of God assurance is here given not only that they shall be accomplished, but that they shall be accomplished very shortly, Isaiah 46:12; Isaiah 46:13.

      1. This is addressed to the stout-hearted, that is, either, (1.) The proud and obstinate Babylonians, that are far from righteousness, far from doing justice or showing mercy to those they have power over, that say they will never let the oppressed go free, but will still detain them in spite of their petitions or God's predictions, that are far from any thing of clemency or compassion to the miserable. Or, (2.) The unhumbled Jews, that have been long under the hammer, long in the furnace, but are not broken are not melted, that, like the unbelieving murmuring Israelites in the wilderness, think themselves far from God's righteousness (that is, from the performance of his promise, and his appearing to judge for them), and by their distrusts set themselves at a yet further distance from it, and keep good things from themselves, as their fathers, who could not enter into the land of promise because of unbelief. This is applicable to the Jewish nation when they rejected the gospel of Christ; though they followed after the law of righteousness, they attained not to righteousness, because they sought it not by faith,Romans 9:31; Romans 9:32. They perished far from righteousness; and it was because they were stout-hearted,Romans 10:3.

      2. Now to them God says that, whatever they think, the one in presumption, the other in despair, (1.) Salvation shall be certainly wrought for God's people. If men will not do them justice, God will, and his righteousness shall effect that for them which men's righteousness would not reach to. He will place salvation in Zion, that is, he will make Jerusalem a place of safety and defence to all those who will plant themselves there; thence shall salvation go forth for Israel his glory. God glories in his Israel; and he will be glorified in the salvation he designs to work out for them; it shall redound greatly to his honour. This salvation shall be in Zion; for thence the gospel shall take rise (Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 2:3), thither the Redeemer comes (Isaiah 59:20; Romans 11:26), and it is Zion's King that has salvation, Zechariah 9:9. (2.) It shall be very shortly wrought. This is especially insisted on with those who thought it at a distance: "I bring near my righteousness, nearer than you think of; perhaps it is nearest of all when your straits are greatest and your enemies most injurious; it shall not be far off when there is occasion for it, Psalms 85:9. Behold, the Judge stands before the door. My salvation shall not tarry any longer than till it is ripe and you are ready for it; and therefore, though it tarry, wait for it; wait patiently, for he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."