[Is] it not yet a very little while
In a short space of time, in a few years, what follows would come
to pass; when there would be a strange change and alteration made
in the world, and by which it would appear, that the Lord not
only knows, but foreknows, all things: and Lebanon shall be
turned into a fruitful field;
the forest of Lebanon should be as Carmel. The meaning is, that
the Gentile world, which was like a forest uncultivated, and full
of unfruitful trees, to which wicked men may be compared, should
through the preaching of the Gospel be manured, become God's
husbandry, and be like a fruitful field, abounding with people
and churches, fruitful in grace and good works: and the
fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
the people of the Jews, who once had the word and ordinances of
God, and were a fruitful and flourishing people in religion;
through their rejection of the Messiah, and contempt of his
Gospel, should be deprived of all their privileges, and become
like a forest or barren land: this was fulfilled, when the
kingdom of God was taken from them, and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits of it, ( Matthew
21:43 ) . See ( Isaiah 32:15
) ( Isaiah
35:1 Isaiah 35:2 ) .
Isaiah 29:17
