Isaiah 54

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted (comp. Isaiah 49:14-17 ). Jerusalem is seen as she was during the Captivity—"afflicted" by God's hand, vexed with all his storms, and not yet comforted (Comp. Isaiah 64:10 , Isaiah 64:11 ). Then a fresh vision obliterates the mournful sight. I will lay thy stones with fair colours ; literally, I will lay thy stones in antimony; i.e. I will give them a setting and adornment like that which beautiful women were in the habit of giving to their eyes when they wished to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11-17

THE GLORY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM , AND THE HAPPINESS OF ITS INHABITANTS . Hitherto Israel has been addressed; now the direct object of address is Jerusalem. The eye of the prophet passes, however, with a glance, from the actual present to the far-distant future, and sees the Zion of God in her heavenly setting, all bedecked with precious stones, as she was seen by the exile of Patmos more than seven centuries later ( Revelation 21:16-21 ). After briefly describing the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:12

I will make thy windows of agates . Most moderns translate, "I will make thy battlements," or "thy pinnacles of rubies." The exact meaning is very doubtful. Thy gates of carbuncles . In the Revelation of St. John the gates are each of them composed of one pearl ( Revelation 21:21 )—the pearl betokening purity, the carbuncle the glow of devotional feeling. We must not expect consistency in descriptions which are entirely allegorical. All thy borders of pleasant stones; or, all thy... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

All thy children shall be taught of the Lord (comp. Isaiah 44:3 ; Jeremiah 31:33 , Jeremiah 31:34 ; Ezekiel 11:19 ; Joel 2:28 ; Acts 2:17 , Acts 2:18 , etc.). Christians are all of them "taught of God" ( John 6:45 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 ). The "anointing," which they have from the Holy Ghost, "teaches them, and is truth, and is no lie" ( 1 John 2:27 ), and causes them to "know all things" ( 1 John 2:20 ). And great shall be the peace of thy children . Messiah was to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

The prize of life, and its pursuit. "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." We gather from this text— I. THE TRUE PRIZE OF LIFE . What is that thing which is most worth having, most worth the thought of our minds, the strenuous striving of our soul, the labour of our hands? Nations, communities, individual men, have given different replies. One has said case, another wealth, another pleasure, another power, another glory.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

Divine favour reaching to the children. "And all thy children shall be disciples of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children." This is probably the passage quoted by our Lord, as recorded in John 6:45 , "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God." The point on which Isaiah dwells is that the Divine favour shall not be limited to the generation that was actually restored; it would abide from generation to generation, and the guarantee for this would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:14

In righteousness shalt thou be established ; rather, through righteousness. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" ( Isaiah 48:22 ); and conversely, where righteousness abounds, peace prevails, and the nation "is established." Thou shalt be far from oppression; rather, be thou far from anxiety (Delitzsch). Thou shalt not fear ; rather, thou needest not fear. There is no danger—nothing to be afraid of. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain" ( Isaiah... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:14

The secret of stability. "Through righteousness shalt thou be established." J.A. Alexander paraphrases thus: "When once established by the exercise of righteousness on my part and your own, you may put far off all dread of oppression, for you have no cause to fear it, and of destruction, for it shall not come nigh you" (comp. Isaiah 32:16 , Isaiah 32:17 ). It is not assumed that the restored Jerusalem would have no enemies, only that they would have no commission from God to destroy, as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:15

Behold, they shall surely gather together, etc.; rather, behold , should they gather themselves together; i.e. should enemies collect and threaten thee with harm, be assured that the attack is not by me—not my doing—and that, therefore, it will come to nought. All those who gather together against thee shall fall — i.e. stumble and be overthrown—through striking against thee. The rendering of the Authorized Version, "for thy sake," is quite indefensible. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:16

Behold, I have created , etc. The Church is encouraged to fear no danger by being reminded that all power to do hurt is from God. Whether it be the smith that forges a weapon, or the waster that destroys and lays waste whole countries, or any other worker of woe to man, all are equally brought into being, and sustained in life, by God. None can do a hurt that God does not allow. The smith that bloweth the coals . In ancient times the smith worked his metal into shape by the help of a... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:11-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 54:16

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands