Isaiah 59:20

20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the Lord.

Isaiah 59:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:20

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion
Not Cyrus, as some; but the Messiah, as it is applied in the Talmud ^F13 and in other Jewish writers ^F14, and as Aben Ezra rightly interprets it; and so Kimchi, who also understands by the enemy, in the preceding verse, Gog and Magog; and this must be understood not of the first coming of Christ to redeem his people by his blood from sin, Satan, and the law; but of his spiritual coming to Zion to the church of God in the latter day, at the time of the conversion of the Jews, as appears from the quotation, and application of it by the apostle, ( Romans 11:25 Romans 11:26 ) (See Gill on Romans 11:25) (See Gill on Romans 11:26) and with it compare ( Revelation 14:1 ) : and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord;
that is, to such among the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, who repent of their sins, and turn from them; and particularly their sin of the rejection of the Messiah, and the disbelief of him, and turn to him, and believe in him as their Saviour and King. The Targum is,

``and the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to turn the transgressors of the house of Jacob to the law;''

but rather the turn will be to the Gospel of Christ.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. l. & Yoma, fol. 86. 2.
F14 Echa Rabbati, fol. 47. 2.

Isaiah 59:20 In-Context

18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay.

19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the Lord.

21 "As for Me," says the Lord, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the Lord, "from this time and forevermore."