Isaiah 57:13

13 "When you cry out, 1let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who 2takes refuge in Me will 3inherit the land And will 4possess My holy mountain."

Isaiah 57:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 57:13

When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee
From distress and impending ruin, if they can; meaning not the allies and auxiliaries of the Jews, the Egyptians and Assyrians, they sent to for help, as Kimchi, and others; rather, as Jarchi, their idols and graven images they worshipped, angels and saints departed, the Papists pray unto; let them now, in the time of Rome's ruin, renew their addresses to them for help and deliverance, if they can give it: or, "thy gathered ones" F26; the kings of the earth the whore of Rome has gathered unto her to commit fornication with her: and who, by her emissaries, will be gathered together to the battle of the Lord God Almighty, and to make war with the Lamb, but will be overcome; as also her many religious societies and convents of Jesuits, friars, priests, &c.; these will stand afar off, and lament her in her distress; even the kings and merchants of the earth, ship masters, and all company in ships, but will not be able to relieve her, ( Revelation 18:9-19 ) : but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them;
so far will they be from helping her in the time of her calamity, that the wind of God's power and wrath shall carry them away as chaff; a puff of his "breath", or the least breath of air F1, shall dissipate them, and bring them to nothing; they will be no more able to stand before him than the lightest thing that can be thought of can stand before a blustering wind or tempest. The phrase denotes an utter and easy destruction of the whole jurisdiction and hierarchy of the church of Rome: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall
inherit my holy mountain;
such of God's people as will be in Babylon a little before its fall, and will be called out of it, who shall betake themselves to the Lord as their only refuge, and put their trust and confidence in him, rejecting all idolatry and superstitious worship, shall enjoy the communion of the true church of Christ, and partake of all the ordinances of it: it may be this may have also a particular respect unto the Jews, who will be called about this time; who, upon their believing in Christ, will return to their own land, and dwell in Jerusalem, God's holy mountain, as it used to be called. Hence it follows:


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (Kyuwbq) "collectitii tui", Tigurine version; "congregati a te", Vatablus; "copiae tuae collectae", Vitringa.
F1 (lbh) "halitus" Cocceius; "aura" V. L. "aura levisima" Vitringa.

Isaiah 57:13 In-Context

11 "Of whom were you worried and fearful When you lied, and did not remember Me Nor give Me a thought? Was I not silent even for a long time So you do not fear Me?
12 "I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, But they will not profit you.
13 "When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land And will possess My holy mountain."
14 And it will be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people."
15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Jeremiah 22:20; Jeremiah 30:14
  • 2. Psalms 37:3, 9; Isaiah 25:4
  • 3. Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 60:21
  • 4. Isaiah 65:9
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