Isaiah 41:16

16 Thou shalt winnow them, and the wind shall take them away, and a whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt make full out joy in the Lord, and thou shalt be glad in the Holy (One) of Israel.

Isaiah 41:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 41:16

Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away,
and the whirlwind shall scatter them
In illusion to the custom of the Jews, who had their threshingfloors on the tops of hills and mountains, where they took the opportunity and advantage of the wind in winnowing their corn, which fanned it, and carried away the chaff, and scattered it abroad; in like manner, it is suggested, the enemies of the church and people of God should be dealt with, which are like the chaff the wind driveth away, and is found no more, ( Psalms 1:5 ) , and so Rome Pagan was no more as such when subdued by Constantine, nor will the Papal antichristian states, ( Daniel 2:35 ) . Compare with this what is said of literal Babylon, which will have its accomplishment in mystical Babylon, ( Jeremiah 51:33 ) : and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord:
the Targum is,

``in the word of the Lord;''

and so it paraphrases the preceding clause,

``his word shall scatter them as the whirlwind chaff;''

and therefore in him the saints shall rejoice, because it is he that destroys their enemies; so when Rome Pagan was abolished, and the devil and his angels, or the Heathen emperors, were drove out of it and destroyed, there was great joy among the people of God, saying, "now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ", ( Revelation 12:10 ) ( Revelation 19:1 Revelation 19:2 ) there will be great rejoicing in the Lord likewise when Rome Papal falls, and the saints have got the victory over the beast, ( Revelation 15:2 Revelation 15:3 ) ( 18:20 ) ( Revelation 19:1 Revelation 19:2 ) and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel;
whose arm alone has done the above things, and to whom the glory is to be given: it is the true character of believers to rejoice in Christ, in his person, offices, and grace, and to glory in his being made unto them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. ( Philippians 3:3 ) ( 1 Corinthians 1:30 1 Corinthians 1:31 ) .

Isaiah 41:16 In-Context

14 Do not thou, worm of Jacob, dread, ye that be (the) dead of Israel. I helped thee, saith the Lord, and thine again-buyer, the Holy of Israel. (Do not thou fear, O worm of Jacob, and ye louse of Israel. I shall help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.)

15 I have set thee as a new wain threshing, having sawing bills; thou shalt thresh mountains, and shalt make (them) small, and thou shalt set little hills as (but) dust. (I shall make thee like a new threshing wagon, having sawing bills; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and shalt make them small, and thou shalt turn the little hills into dust.)

16 Thou shalt winnow them, and the wind shall take them away, and a whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt make full out joy in the Lord, and thou shalt be glad in the Holy (One) of Israel.

17 Needy men and poor seek waters, and those be not (The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none); the tongue of them dried (up) for thirst. I the Lord shall hear them, I (the) God of Israel shall not forsake them.

18 I shall open floods in high hills (I shall open rivers in the high hills), and wells in the midst of fields; I shall set the desert into ponds of waters, and the land without (a) way into rivers of waters.