And they shall come
From all parts the world, from every nation under the heavens;
meaning the Gentiles, and which will be a greater aggravation of
the punishment of the Jews, and cause still more rage and
madness: these shall
come from the east and from the west;
from the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, (
Isaiah 45:6 )
( Malachi
1:11 )
and from the north, and from the south;
from the most distant parts of the world inhabited by men; see (
Isaiah 43:5
Isaiah 43:6 )
. God has his chosen ones, and Christ has a people in all parts
of the world; and therefore his Gospel must be preached to all
nations, for the gathering of them in, which will be done in the
latter day; and in the resurrection morn, as these will be raised
in the several places where they will have been buried, they will
come from thence, and make one body, and will be caught up to
meet the Lord in the air, and will be for ever with him:
and shall sit down in the kingdom of God;
in Christ's kingdom, in the new heavens, and new earth, as
persons that sit down at a table, to partake of a feast; see (
Luke 22:30 )
and in the ultimate glory, where they shall have rest, peace, and
joy, for evermore. The Ethiopic version renders it, "they shall
rejoice in the kingdom of God"; they shall partake of the joys of
heaven; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, and sorrow and
sighing shall flee away; and the Persic version, "and they shall
take a repose, and sit and rest"; they shall rest from all their
labour, and be in perfect ease and peace; (See Gill on
Matthew
8:11).
