But the Lord [is] in his holy temple
Not in graven and molten images; not in idols of wood and stone,
covered with gold and silver; but in heaven, the habitation of
his holiness, the place of his residence, where he is seen and
worshipped by the holy angels and glorified saints; and from
whence he surveys all the children of men, and their actions;
observes the folly and stupidity of idol worshippers; and hears
and answers the prayers of his own people: or this intends his
church, which is his temple, sanctified by him, and set apart for
his service, worship, and glory: here he grants his gracious
presence to those who worship him in spirit and in truth; and
here he will appear as King of saints, in a most glorious manner,
when these several woes before mentioned have taken place; as on
Rome Pagan already, and in part on Rome Papal at the Reformation,
so completely on it, and all worshippers of images hereafter. The
word (lkyh) , here used,
signifies that part of the temple, called the holy place, as
distinct from the holy of holies; which was the proper seat of
the divine Majesty, and a figure of heaven, as the holy place was
of the church; and so he was, as it were, removed from the one to
the other; hence the more observable and remarkable, and the
greater reason for what follows; and this serves to illustrate
and confirm the sense given: let all the earth keep silence
before him;
stand in awe of him, and reverence him; be subject to him, and
silently adore him; as all the inhabitants of the earth will when
the above enemies of his are entirely removed out of it; there
will be no more clamours and objections against the Christian
religion by Jews and Mahometans, on account of image worship,
which will be no more; no more wars, or rumours of wars, but a
profound peace everywhere; no more persecutions of the saints; no
more will be heard the cry of violence and oppression, all their
enemies being destroyed; no more repining and murmurings among
the people of God, through impatience and unbelief, all
afflictions being at an end; there will be an entire silence of
this kind everywhere; only the voice of the Gospel, prayer,
praise, and thanksgiving, will be heard. This is not the case
now, nor was there ever as yet such a time on earth; this shows
that the prophecy regards time to come.