And I will make all my mountains a way
Or "for", or "into a way" F5; signifying that they should
be dug through or levelled, and a way made through them, over
them, or upon them, for his people to pass: very probably the
allusion is to the mountains that lay between Babylon and Judea;
and which the Lord calls his, because of his making and settling,
and was therefore able to make them a way, or passable: though
the words are not to be literally understood, but denote the
removing of all impediments, obstructions, and difficulties, in
the people's return from captivity; which was typical of
redemption by Christ, which had its difficulties, which he only
could get over; he came leaping over these hills and mountains,
and they became a plain before him, the great Zerubbabel; such as
the assumption of a sinless nature, to make atonement in for sin,
which only could be produced in an uncommon and extraordinary
way; the fulfilling of a broken law, satisfying divine justice,
engaging with many enemies who were to be conquered, sin, Satan,
the world, and death; bearing the wrath of God, and submitting to
an accursed death: and so in the conversion of the Gentiles,
which may here be referred to, and of any sinner, there are many
mountains of difficulties in the way of it, which the Lord only
can remove; great opposition is made by the men of the world to
the preaching of the Gospel, the means of it to the work itself,
by Satan, who is loathe to lose a subject of his kingdom; and by
men themselves, whose carnal minds are enmity to God, and all
that is good difficulties arise from the state of deadness,
darkness, and hardness of heart men are in before conversion from
the corruptions of their nature, and strong habits of sin; from
the general depravity of all the powers and faculties of the
soul; from the bad company they have got into; or from their own
self-righteousness, they are loathe to part with: and when men
are called, and a work of God is begun, there are many mountains
appear in their way of coming to Christ; as their numerous and
aggravated sins, and doubts about the willingness Christ to
receive such sinners; but, when God works, nothing can let. Many
are the obstructions the saints meet with in their passage,
through this world, by reason of a body of sin, Satan's
temptations, the world's persecutions, afflictions of various
kinds, strait circumstances of life, losses, crosses, and
disappointments; unbelief of itself is a mountain, and raises
many others; but the Lord makes a way for his people through all;
it may be some respect may be had to the spread of the Gospel in
the world, and the introduction of latter day glory, and the
difficulties in the way thereof, which the Lord has been
removing, and will remove. Rome Pagan is one mountain which God
has removed; and Rome Papal is another he will, move, with all
the antichristian powers; and the Turkish empire is another:
and my highways shall be exalted;
Christ is the great highway of all, and next his word and
ordinances, which are ways of holiness and righteousness; these
may be said to be "exalted", being conspicuous and visible; and,
like causeways, or, highways cast up, that are above, and carry
over the mire and dirt; so these carry over the mire and dirt of
sin and corruption; and may be said to be so when made use of,
approved, and valued: or the words may be rendered, "they shall
be", or "let them be exalted on my highways" F6; that
is, his people, being in the exercise of faith, and in the
discharge of their duty; see ( Psalms 18:33
) ( Habakkuk
3:17-19 ) with these words compare ( Isaiah 40:3 Isaiah 40:4 ) perhaps
this passage may be best explained by ( Revelation
16:12 ) , where mention is made of the drying up of the river
Euphrates, or of the destruction of the Ottoman empire, to make
way for the conversion of the eastern nations, prophesied of,
among others, in the following verse.
F5 (Krdl) "in viam", V. L. Piscator, Montanus, Cocceius; "ut siut pervii", Junius & Tremellius; "in viam planam", Vitringa.
F6 (Nwmry ytwlomw) "et in aggeribus meis emineant", Junius & Tremellius.