Ésaïe 27

1 En ce jour-là, l'Éternel frappera, de sa dure, grande et forte épée, le Léviathan, le serpent agile, le Léviathan, le serpent tortueux, et il tuera le monstre marin.

2 En ce temps-là, on chantera ainsi sur la vigne excellente:

3 C'est moi, l'Éternel, qui la garde; je l'arroserai en tout temps; je la garderai nuit et jour, de peur qu'on ne lui fasse du mal.

4 Il n'y a point en moi de colère. Qu'on me donne des ronces, des épines à combattre! Je marcherai sur elles, je les brûlerai toutes ensemble.

5 Ou bien qu'il me prenne pour refuge! Qu'il fasse la paix avec moi, qu'il fasse la paix avec moi!

6 Un jour, Jacob poussera des racines; Israël fleurira et s'épanouira; ils couvriront de fruits la face de la terre.

7 Dieu a-t-il frappé son peuple, comme l'ont été ceux qui le frappaient? Israël a-t-il été tué, comme le furent ceux qui le tuaient?

8 C'est avec mesure que tu l'as châtié en le rejetant, lorsqu'il fut emporté par ton souffle impétueux, au jour du vent d'orient.

9 Aussi l'iniquité de Jacob est ainsi expiée; et voici le fruit du pardon de son péché: c'est qu'il a mis en poussière toutes les pierres des autels, comme des pierres à chaux; les emblèmes d'Ashéra ni les colonnes solaires ne se relèveront plus.

10 Car la ville forte est changée en solitude; c'est une demeure abandonnée, délaissée comme un désert. Là vient paître le veau; il s'y couche, et broute les branches qui s'y trouvent.

11 Quand le branchage en est sec, on le brise, et les femmes y viennent pour allumer du feu. Car ce peuple n'a point d'intelligence; c'est pourquoi son créateur n'a pas pitié de lui; celui qui l'a formé ne lui fait pas grâce.

12 En ce jour-là, l'Éternel abattra les fruits depuis le cours du Fleuve jusqu'au torrent d'Égypte; et vous serez ramassés un par un, ô enfants d'Israël!

13 En ce jour-là, on sonnera de la grande trompette; et ceux qui étaient perdus au pays d'Assur, et ceux qui étaient chassés au pays d'Égypte, viendront se prosterner devant l'Éternel, en la sainte montagne, à Jérusalem.

Ésaïe 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

God's care over his people. (1-5) A promise of their recall to Divine favour. (6-13)

Verses 1-5 The Lord Jesus with his strong sword, the virtue of his death, and the preaching of his gospel, does and will destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, that old serpent. The world is a fruitless, worthless wilderness; but the church is a vineyard, a place that has great care taken of it, and from which precious fruits are gathered. God will keep it in the night of affliction and persecution, and in the day of peace and prosperity, the temptations of which are not less dangerous. God also takes care of the fruitfulness of this vineyard. We need the continual waterings of Divine grace; if these be at any time withdrawn, we wither, and come to nothing. Though God sometimes contends with his people, yet he graciously waits to be reconciled unto them. It is true, when he finds briers and thorns instead of vines, and they are set in array against him, he will tread them down and burn them. Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel, with which the church is to be watered every moment. Ever since sin first entered, there has been, on God's part, a righteous quarrel, but, on man's part, most unrighteous. Here is a gracious invitation given. Pardoning mercy is called the power of our Lord; let us take hold on that. Christ crucified is the power of God. Let us by lively faith take hold on his strength who is a strength to the needy, believing there is no other name by which we can be saved, as a man that is sinking catches hold of a bough, or cord, or plank, that is in his reach. This is the only way, and it is a sure way, to be saved. God is willing to be reconciled to us.

Verses 6-13 In the days of the gospel, the latter days, the gospel church shall be more firmly fixed than the Jewish church, and shall spread further. May our souls be continually watered and kept, that we may abound in the fruits of the Spirit, in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. The Jews yet are kept a separate and a numerous people; they have not been rooted out as those who slew them. The condition of that nation, through so many ages, forms a certain proof of the Divine origin of the Scriptures; and the Jews live amongst us, a continued warning against sin. But though winds are ever so rough, ever so high, God can say to them, Peace, be still. And though God will afflict his people, yet he will make their afflictions to work for the good of their souls. According to this promise, since the captivity in Babylon, no people have shown such hatred to idols and idolatry as the Jews. And to all God's people, the design of affliction is to part between them and sin. The affliction has done us good, when we keep at a distance from the occasions of sin, and use care that we may not be tempted to it. Jerusalem had been defended by grace and the Divine protection; but when God withdrew, she was left like a wilderness. This has awfully come to pass. And this is a figure of the deplorable state of the vineyard, the church, when it brought forth wild grapes. Sinners flatter themselves they shall not be dealt with severely, because God is merciful, and is their Maker. We see ( isaiah 27:12-13 ) the restoration of the Jews after the Babylonish captivity, and their recovery from their present dispersion. This is further applicable to the preaching of the gospel, by which sinners are gathered into the grace of God; the gospel proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord. Those gathered by the sounding of the gospel trumpet, are brought in to worship God, and added to the church; and the last trumpet will gather the saints together.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 27

This chapter refers to the same times as the two foregoing ones Isa 25:1-26:21; and is a continuation of the same song, or rather a new one on the same occasion; it is prophetical of the last times, and of what shall be done in them, as the destruction of the antichristian powers, and Satan at the head of them, Isa 27:1 the happy state of the church, and its fruitfulness under the care and protection of the Lord, and his affection for it, Isa 27:2-4 its peace, prosperity, and flourishing condition, Isa 27:5,6 the nature, use, and end of all its afflictions and chastisements, Isa 27:7-9 the ruin and destruction of the city of Rome, and its inhabitants, and of its whole jurisdiction, Isa 27:10,11 a great gathering and conversion of the Lord's people, both Jews and Gentiles, by the ministry of the Gospel, Isa 27:12,13.