Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 63:18

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 63:18. The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while - "It is little that they have taken possession of thy holy mountain"] The difficulty of the construction in this place is acknowledged on all hands. Vitringa prefers that sense as the least exceptionable which our translation has expressed; in which however there seems to be a great defect; that is, the want of that in the speaker's view must have been the principal part of the proposition, the object of the verb, the land, or it, as our translators supply it, which surely ought to have been expressed, and not to have been left to be supplied by the reader. In a word, I believe there is some mistake in the text; and here the Septuagint help us out; they had in their copy הר har, mountain, instead of עם am, people, του ορους του ἁγιου σου, the mountain of thy Holy One. "Not only have our enemies taken possession of Mount Sion, and trodden down thy sanctuary; even far worse than this has befallen us; thou hast long since utterly cast us off, and dost not consider us as thy peculiar people." - L.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

A prayer for Israel (63:7-64:12)

The prophet’s prayer for God’s suffering people begins by recalling God’s great acts of love in the past (7). Because Israel was his people, God saved them from slavery in Egypt, though when they rebelled against him, they were punished (8-10). Nevertheless, God forgave them. Therefore, asks the prophet, could not this God of mercy and love, who has done such great things for Israel in the past, also save his people from captivity in Babylon now (11-14)?
It seems as if God has withdrawn into his heavenly dwelling place, for there is no evidence of his mercy upon his people. The prophet realizes that if Abraham and Jacob, Israel’s earthly fathers, saw their descendants in captivity, they would be ashamed of them and want to have nothing to do with them. But he prays that God, their true Father, will not cast them off (15-16). It seems, however, as if he has. He has allowed the Babylonians to destroy their temple and take them to a foreign land, where there is no evidence that Yahweh is their God or that they are his people (17-19).
God has revealed himself and saved his people with supernatural acts in the past, and the prophet longs that he might do so again. The enemies of God would then be overthrown (64:1-3). By contrast, those whose chief pleasure is to please God know that God helps them in the most unexpected ways (4-5a). They also know that, despite their desire to please God, they are still self-willed sinners. Even their best deeds are polluted by sin. They often forget God and have only themselves to blame for the troubles that result (5b-7).
Although they have failed miserably, the people know that God is still their Father. He may punish them, but he still loves them (8-9). Therefore, asks the prophet, is not the destruction he has sent upon Judah sufficient punishment? Can God not see the desolation of Jerusalem and take pity on the ruined city? Will he not now forgive his people and bring them back to their land (10-12)?

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“O Jehovah, why dost thou make us to err from thy ways, and hardenest our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servant’s sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. Thy people possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. We are become as they over whom thou never barest rule, as they that were not called by thy name.”

The judicial hardening of Israel announced in Isaiah 6:9-10, at this time, “had been going on ever since.”George C. M. Douglas, p. 403. And from the appearance of Isaiah 63:17, it would seem that some of the people, no doubt a few of those faithful souls in the `righteous remnant’ were fully aware of what was happening. “It was as easy for the Israelites to believe that he had hardened their hearts as that he had once hardened the heart of Pharaoh.”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 367. We believe that only the `righteous remnant’ at that Point in Israel’s history were capable of any such discernment. The near hopeless state of the nation as a whole surely appears in this.

We interpret these last two or three verses as words of the `righteous remnant,’ who indeed did understand the situation in which the secular nation found itself. As Lowth expressed it:

“The Israelites were saying, `Not only have our enemies taken possession of Mount Sion, and trodden down thy sanctuary; even far worse than this has befallen us. Thou hast long since utterly cast us off; and dost not consider us as thy peculiar people.’Robert Lowth’s Commentary, p. 393.

This, of course, is a true appraisal of the situation that began to be discussed in Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 6:9-10, etc.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The people of thy holiness - The people who have been received into solemn covenant with thee.

Have possessed it but a little while - That is, the land meaning that the time during which they had enjoyed a peaceable possession of it, compared with the perpetuity of the promise made, was short. Such is the idea given to the passage by our translators. But there is considerable variety in the interpretation of the passage among expositors. Lowth renders it:

It is little, that they have taken possession of thy holy mountain;

That our enemies have trodden down thy sanctuary.

Jerome renders it, ‘It is as nothing (quasi nihilum), they possess thy holy people; our enemies have trodden down thy sanctuary.’ The Septuagint renders it, ‘Return on account of thy servants, on account of the tribes of thine inheritance, that we may inherit thy holy mountains for a little time’ ἵνα μικρὸν κληρονομήσωμεν τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἁγίου hina mikron klēronomēsōmen tou orous tou hagiou). It has been generally felt that there was great difficulty in the place. See Vitringa. The sense seems to be that which occurs in our translation. The design is to furnish an argument for the divine interposition, and the meaning of the two verses may be expressed in the following paraphrase: ‘We implore thee to return unto us, and to put away thy wrath. As a reason for this, we urge that thy temple thy holy sanctuary - was possessed by thy people but a little time. For a brief period there we offered praise, and met with our God, and enjoyed his favor. Now thine enemies trample it down. They have come up and taken the land, and destroyed thy holy place Isaiah 64:11. We plead for thine interposition, because we are thy covenant people. Of old we have been thine. But as for them, they were never thine. They never yielded to thy laws. They were never called by thy name. There is, then, no reason why the temple and the land should be in their possession, and we earnestly pray that it may be restored to the tribes of thine ancient inheritance.’

Our adversaries - This whole prayer is supposed to be offered by the exiles near the close of their captivity. Of course the language is such as they would then use. The scene is laid in Babylon, and the object is to express the feelings which they would have then, and to furnish the model for the petitions which they would then urge. We are not, therefore, to suppose that the temple when Isaiah lived and wrote was in ruins, and the land in the possession of his foes. All this is seen in vision; and though a hundred and fifty years would occur before it would be realized, yet, according to the prophetic manner, he describes the scene as actually passing before him (see the Introduction, Section 7; compare the notes at Isaiah 64:11).

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

18.For a little time. It is wonderful that the people should call it “a little time;” for fourteen hundred years had elapsed since the people began to possess that land. But we must take into account the promise by which he said that the seed of Abraham should have it as an everlasting inheritance; and therefore that was a short time, when compared with eternity. (Genesis 17:8.) Believers, therefore, represent to God the shortness of that time; not that they accuse him of insincerity, but that he may remember the promise and covenant, and may have more regard to his own goodness than to the chastisements which they justly deserved. Thus the ancient Church complains that

“her strength was weakened in the journey, that her days were shortened, and prays that she may not be cut off in the middle of her course,” (Psalms 102:23,)

that is, because the fullness of age depended on the coming of Christ.

Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. This was a much heavier complaint, that wicked men had profaned the land which the Lord had consecrated to himself. Undoubtedly this was far more distressing to the people than the rest of their calamities, and justly; for we ought not to care so much about ourselves as about religion and the worship of God. And this is also the end of redemption, that there may be a people that praises the name of the Lord and worships him in a right manner.

Smith's Bible Commentary

By Chuck Smith

Now before the restoration, the day of God's wrath is coming, the Great Tribulation. This must precede it. And chapter 63, the first six verses go into the Great Tribulation period. And there are two questions that are asked and they are answered by the Lord.

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? ( Isaiah 63:1 )

The question: who is this that is coming from Edom with the dyed garment from Bozrah? And the answer:

this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness ( Isaiah 63:1 )

Or, this is still the question:

this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? ( Isaiah 63:1 )

The answer:

I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save ( Isaiah 63:1 ).

Who is this that is coming from Edom who is so glorious in his apparel? Traveling in the greatness of his strength? The answer: I that speak in righteousness, or the Lord, mighty to save.

The question:

Why are you red in your apparel, and why are your garments like him who has been treading in the winevat? ( Isaiah 63:2 )

Why are your garments all stained? It looks like you've been treading in the winevat. Looks like you're covered with grape juice.

The answer:

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come ( Isaiah 63:3-4 ).

So the answer to the garments that are stained: it's the blood. He's been treading the winepress of the fierceness of the anger of God upon the earth.

If you'll turn to Revelation, chapter 14, you will read here a corresponding passage of scripture beginning with verse Isaiah 63:14 . Actually, let's go back to verse Isaiah 63:10 , "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, in the presence of the Lamb" ( Revelation 14:10 ). Who? Whoever worships the beast and the image and receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand.

This week you're going to learn some very fascinating things about the image of the beast as they'll be dealing with genetic engineering. And some of the things that are now being proposed by those scientists who are involved in genetic engineering, and you'll begin to understand a little bit about the beast making an image and giving power to it to speak and the whole world being governed and worshipping this image of the beast. You'll find some very fascinating things this week in these lectures that are coming up.

But whoever worships the beast or his image or receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same is going to drink of the wine of the wrath of God poured out without mixture. Then in verse Isaiah 63:14 , "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, 'Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap. For the time is come for Thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, 'Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.' And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horses' bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs" ( Revelation 14:14-20 ).

And then also in the nineteenth chapter of the book of Revelation, beginning with verse Isaiah 63:11 , "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. And He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture that is dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were with Him in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." The church--go back to verse Isaiah 63:7-8. "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God" ( Revelation 19:15 ).

So tied in with this in Isaiah. The question: who is this that is coming from Edom with these dyed robes and so forth? I who speak in righteousness who are mighty to save. How come your garments are all stained? For I have been treading the winepress alone, trampling them in the fury. Their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments and I will stain all My raiment. It's going to be a fierce day when God's wrath is poured out upon the earth.

"He that despised Moses' law died in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, he to be counted worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' saith the Lord. And again, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:28-31 ).

We talk about being saved. A person says, "What do you mean saved?" Well, I'll tell you what we mean saved. We mean being saved from that wrath of God that is going to be poured out upon the earth. Salvation has both a negative and a positive effect, actually. It's being saved from and it's being saved for--a glorious eternity with Him. But I am going to be saved from "the wrath of God that is going to be poured out against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness" ( Romans 1:18 ).

Now, because God has been slow in judgment we so often think that God is weak, and men mistake the longsuffering of God for weakness. And that's a tragic mistake to make. For the day of vengeance and His wrath shall surely come. He has promised it. He said, "I'm not going to bring things to birth and then quit there." God speaks about surely I'm going to fulfill My word and My purposes. And the fact that God has fulfilled it up to this point, you're only fooling yourself if you think God's going to stop now. Surely the rest of the prophecy shall be fulfilled and we're right on the border once again of God's intervening in the history of man in judgment.

Now people are willfully ignorant of this fact that God has intervened in past history. Peter said that they're willfully ignorant, the fact that God destroyed the world already once in judgment. People don't like to think about that. They like to think that things are uniform. All things have continued as they were from the beginning. Not so! God has intervened in the past and He's going to intervene again in the future. But this intervention that is going to take place in the future is going to usher in then the glorious Kingdom Age and God's new kingdom and age upon the earth of which we really look forward to.

Now, "The day of the vengeance is in my heart. The year of the redeemed is come."

And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the eaRuth ( Isaiah 63:5-6 ).

God's judgment that is coming here upon the earth.

Now as we get into verse Isaiah 63:7 and all through chapter 64, we have a very beautiful prayer as Isaiah representing the remnant prays unto the Lord.

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD ( Isaiah 63:7 ),

Isn't this interesting? Right at the time that the Lord declares the day of His wrath and vengeance and judgment, the prophet then prays, "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord."

and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses ( Isaiah 63:7 ).

Looking around and seeing what God has done. He has been so kind, lovingly kind to us.

For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their afflictions he was afflicted ( Isaiah 63:8-9 ),

Now that to me is a very beautiful scripture. "In all of their afflictions, He was afflicted." The early disciples recognized their close identity with Jesus Christ. And they recognized that those persecutions that they faced, they were actually facing and receiving for Jesus Christ. "In all of their afflictions, He was afflicted." So when they were beaten and commanded not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus, they went their way praising the Lord that they were accounted worthy to suffer persecution for Jesus' sake. Because the Lord identifies with His child in the persecution or in the suffering. Whenever you go through any persecution for the name of the Lord, in all of your afflictions He is afflicted. He bares our sorrow. He shares with us the afflictions, the tribulations, the persecutions.

and the Angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old ( Isaiah 63:9 ).

And yet, though God was so loving to them and so good to them,

They rebelled, they vexed his Holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, when Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him? That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep, as a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. Look down from heaven [their prayer unto God], and behold from thy habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of the mercies towards me? are they restrained? Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting ( Isaiah 63:10-16 ).

And so recognizing God as the Father, the Redeemer.

O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. We are thine: thou never bearest rule over them; they were not called by thy name ( Isaiah 63:17-19 ).

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The complaint 63:15-19

Isaiah next appealed to God, on behalf of the nation, to have pity on Israel. The prophet was speaking for the faithful remnant after the exile who found little evidence that God was among them, in the way He had been during the Exodus and wilderness wanderings.

"Isaiah is teaching us how to pray. We don’t learn to pray by listening to one another. We learn to pray by reading the Bible." [Note: Ortlund, p. 429.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The holy people that the Lord had redeemed were dispossessed following the Exile. They had possessed the temple only briefly. The first temple stood in Jerusalem from about 959-586 B.C. or approximately 374 years. Instead of God treading down Israel’s adversaries, those adversaries had trodden down the temple.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while,.... Either the land of Canaan, which the Jews, the Lord's holy people, whom he had separated from others, possessed about fourteen hundred years, which was but a little while in comparison of "for ever", as was promised; or they enjoyed it but a little while in peace and quiet, being often disturbed by their neighbours; or else the sanctuary, the temple, as it is to be supplied from the next clause, which stood but little more than four hundred years:

our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary; the temple; the first temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar; and the second temple by the Romans; and Antiochus, and Pompey, and others, profaned it, by treading in it.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?   16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.   17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.   18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.   19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.

      The foregoing praises were intended as an introduction to this prayer, which is continued to the end of the next chapter, and it is an affectionate, importunate, pleading prayer. It is calculated for the time of the captivity. As they had promises, so they had prayers, prepared for them against that time of need, that they might take with them words in turning to the Lord, and say unto him what he himself taught them to say, in which they might the better hope to prevail, the words being of God's own inditing. Some good interpreters think this prayer looks further, and that it expresses the complaints of the Jews under their last and final rejection from God and destruction by the Romans; for there is one passage in it (Isaiah 64:4; Isaiah 64:4) which is applied to the grace of the gospel by the apostle (1 Corinthians 2:9), that grace for the rejecting of which they were rejected. In these verses we may observe,

      I. The petitions they put up to God. 1. That he would take cognizance of their case and of the desires of their souls towards him: Look down from heaven, and behold,Isaiah 63:15; Isaiah 63:15. They knew very well that God sees all, but they prayed that he would regard them, would condescend to favour them, would look upon them with an eye of compassion and concern, as he looked upon the affliction of his people in Egypt when he was about to appear for their deliverance. In begging that he would only look down upon them and behold them they did in effect appeal to his justice against their enemies, and pray for judgment against them (as Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:11; 2 Chronicles 20:12, Behold, how they reward us. Wilt thou not judge them?), implicitly confiding in his mercy and wisdom as to the way in which he will relieve them (Psalms 25:18, Look upon my affliction and my pain): Look down from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory. God's holiness is his glory. Heaven is his habitation, the throne of his glory, where he most manifests his glory, and whence he is said to look down upon the earth, Psalms 33:14. His holiness is in a special manner celebrated there by the blessed angels (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8); there his holy ones attend him, and are continually about him; so that it is the habitation of his holiness. It is an encouragement to all his praying people, who desire to be holy as he is holy, that he dwells in a holy place. 2. That he would take a course for their relief (Isaiah 63:17; Isaiah 63:17): "Return; change thy way towards us, and proceed not in thy controversy with us; return in mercy, and let us have not only a gracious look towards us, but thy gracious presence with us." God's people dread nothing more than his departures from them and desire nothing more than his returns to them.

      II. The complaints they made to God. Two things they complained of:-- 1. That they were given up to themselves, and God's grace did not recover them, Isaiah 63:17; Isaiah 63:17. It is a strange expostulation, "Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, that is, many among us, the generality of us; and this complaint we have all of us some cause to make that thou hast hardened our heart from thy fear." Some make it to be the language of those among them that were impious and profane; when the prophets reproved them for the error of their ways, their hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, they with a daring impudence charged their sin upon God, made him the author of it, and asked why doth he then find fault? Note, Those are wicked indeed that lay the blame of their wickedness upon God. But I rather take it to be the language of those among them that lamented the unbelief and impenitence of their people, not accusing God of being the author of their wickedness, but complaining of it to him. They owned that they had erred from God's ways, that their hearts had been hardened from his fear, that they had not received the impressions which the fear of God ought to make upon them and this was the cause of all their errors from his ways; or from his fear may mean from the true worship of God, and that is a hard heart indeed which is alienated from the service of a God so incontestably great and good. Now this they complain of, as their great misery and burden, that God had for their sins left them to this, had permitted them to err from his ways and had justly withheld his grace, so that their hearts were hardened from his fear. When they ask, Why hast thou done this? it is not as charging him with wrong, but lamenting it as a sore judgment. God had caused them to err and hardened their hearts, not only by withdrawing his Spirit from them, because they had grieved, and vexed, and quenched him (Isaiah 63:10; Isaiah 63:10), but by a judicial sentence upon them (Go, make the heart of this people fat,Isaiah 6:9; Isaiah 6:10) and by his providences concerning them, which had proved sad occasions for their departure from him. David complains of his banishment, because in it he was in effect bidden to go and serve other gods,1 Samuel 26:19. Their troubles had alienated many of them from God, and prejudiced them against his service; and, because the rod of the wicked had lain long on their lot, they were ready to put forth their hand unto iniquity (Psalms 125:3), and this was the thing they complained most of; their afflictions were their temptations, and to many of them invincible ones. Note, Convinced consciences complain most of spiritual judgments and dread that most in an affliction which draws them from God and duty. 2. That they were given up to their enemies, and God's providence did not rescue and relieve them (Isaiah 63:18; Isaiah 63:18): Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. As it was a grief to them that in their captivity the generality of them had lost their affection to God's worship, and had their hearts hardened from it by their affliction, so it was a further grief that they were deprived of their opportunities of worshipping God in solemn assemblies. They complained not so much of the adversaries treading down their houses and cities as of their treading down God's sanctuary, because thereby God was immediately affronted, and they were robbed of the comforts they valued most and took most pleasure in.

      III. The pleas they urged with God for mercy and deliverance. 1. They pleaded the tender compassion God used to show to his people and his ability and readiness to appear for them, Isaiah 63:15; Isaiah 63:15. The most prevailing arguments in prayer are those that are taken from God himself; such these are. Where is thy zeal and thy strength? God has a zeal for his own glory, and for the comfort of his people; his name is Jealous; and he is a jealous God; and he has strength proportionable to secure his own glory and the interest of his people, in despite of all opposition. Now where are these? Have they not formerly appeared? Why do they not appear now? It cannot be that divine zeal, which is infinitely wise and just, should be cooled, that divine strength, which is infinite, should be weakened. Nay, his people had experienced not only his zeal and his strength, but the sounding of his bowels, or rather the yearning of them, such a degree of compassion to them as in men causes a commotion and agitation within them, as Hosea 11:8, My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together; and Jeremiah 31:20, My bowels are troubled (or sound) for him. "Thus God used to be affected towards his people, and to express a multitude of mercies towards them; but where are they now? Are they restrained?Psalms 77:9. Has God, who so often remembered to be gracious, now forgotten to be so? Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? It can never be." Note, We may ground good expectations of further mercy upon our experiences of former mercy. 2. They pleaded God's relation to them as their Father (Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 63:16): "Thy tender mercies are not restrained, for they are the tender mercies of a father, who, though he may be for a time displeased with his child, will yet, through the force of natural affection, soon be reconciled. Doubtless thou art our Father, and therefore thy bowels will years towards us." Such good thoughts of God as these we should always keep up in our hearts. However it be, yet God is good; for he is our Father. They own themselves fatherless if he be not their Father, and so cast themselves upon him with whom the fatherless findeth mercy,Hosea 14:3. It was the honour of their nation that they had Abraham to their father (Matthew 3:9), who was the friend of God, and Israel, who was a prince with God; but what the better were they for that unless they had God himself for their Father? "Abraham and Israel cannot help us; they have not the power that God has; they are dead long since, and are ignorant of us, and acknowledge us not; they know not what our case is, nor what our wants are, and therefore know not which way to do us a kindness. If Abraham and Israel were alive with us, they would intercede for us and advise us; but they have gone to the other world, and we know not that they have any communication at all with this world, and therefore they are not capable of doing us any kindness any further than that we have the honour of being called their children." When the father is dead his sons come to honour and he knows it not,Job 14:21. "But thou, O Lord! art our Father still (the fathers of our flesh may call themselves ever-loving; but they are not ever-living; it is God only that is the immortal Father, that always knows us, and is never at a distance from us), and therefore our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name, the name by which we will know and own thee. It is the name by which from of old thou hast been known; thy people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they might appeal to redress their grievances and plead their cause. Nay" (according to the sense some give of this place), "though Abraham and Israel not only cannot, but would not, help us, thou wilt. They have not the pity thou hast. We are so degenerate and corrupt that Abraham and Israel would not own us for their children, yet we fly to thee as our Father. Abraham cast out his son Ishmael; Jacob disinherited his son Reuben and cursed Simeon and Levi; but our heavenly Father, in pardoning sin, is God, and not man," Hosea 11:9. 3. They pleaded God's interest in them, that he was their Lord, their owner and proprietor: "We are thy servants; what service we can do thou art entitled to, and therefore we ought not to serve strange kings and strange gods: Return for thy servants' sake." As a father finds himself obliged by natural affection to relieve and protect his child, so a master thinks himself obliged in honour to rescue and protect his servant: "We are thine by the strongest engagements, as well as the highest endearments. Thou hast borne rule over us; therefore, Lord, assert thy own interest, maintain thy own right; for we are called by thy name, and therefore whither shall we go but to thee, to be righted and protected? We are thine, save us (Psalms 119:94), thy own, acknowledge us. We are the tribes of thy inheritance, not only thy servants, but thy tenants; we are thine, not only to do work for thee, but to pay rent to thee. The tribes of Israel are God's inheritance, whence issue the little praise and worship that he receives from this lower world; and wilt thou suffer thy own servants and tenants to be thus abused?" 4. They pleaded that they had had but a short enjoyment of the land of promise and the privileges of the sanctuary (Isaiah 63:18; Isaiah 63:18): The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while. From Abraham to David were but fourteen generations, and from David to the captivity but fourteen more (Matthew 1:17), and that was but a little while in comparison with what might have been expected from the promise of the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8) and from the power that was put forth to bring them into that land and settle them in it. "Though we are the people of thy holiness, distinguished from other people and consecrated to thee, yet we are soon dislodged." But this they might thank themselves for; they were, in profession, the people of God's holiness, but it was their wickedness that turned them out of the possession of that land. 5. They pleaded that those who had and kept possession of their land were such as were strangers to God, such as he had no service or honour from: "Thou never didst bear rule over them, nor did they ever yield thee any obedience; they were not called by thy name, but professed relation to other gods and were the worshippers of them. Will God suffer those that do not stand in any relation to him to trample upon those that do?" Some give another reading of this: "We have become as those over whom thou didst never bear rule and who were never called by thy name; we are rejected and abandoned, despised and trampled upon, as if we never had been in thy service nor had thy name called upon us." Thus the shield of Saul was vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with oil. But the covenant that seems to be forgotten shall be remembered again.