Isaiah 33:20
Look upon Zion
Instead of such terrible objects as before described, a very
amiable and lovely one is presented to view; even Zion, the
church of God, beloved by him, chosen for his habitation, a
strong city, a perfection of beauty, and the joy of the whole
earth. The Targum is,
``O Zion, thou shalt see their fall;''
the fall of her enemies before mentioned; as at this time the
church will see the fall both of the eastern and western
antichrist. But the words are an exhortation to the saints and
people of God, to behold the safety, peace, and prosperity of the
church, now freed from all its enemies:
the city of our
solemnities;
a "city", for its situation, foundation, walls, and building; for
its number and sorts of inhabitants; for its wholesome laws and
choice privileges: a city of "solemnities", where the saints
solemnly assemble together for religious worship; where the word of
God is, solemnly preached, and where the ordinances are solemnly
administered, and the sacrifices of prayer and praise are solemnly
offered up:
thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet
habitation;
or the church of God in Gospel times, and particularly in the
latter day: see (
Hebrews 12:22 ) (
Galatians
4:26 ) and by which name the church is called in its more
glorious state, (
Revelation
21:2 Revelation
21:10 ) which is the "habitation" of God, Father, Son, and
Spirit; and of saints, where they dwell, or however will in the
latter day, safely, quietly, pleasantly, and comfortably; for then
will it be, and be "seen" and enjoyed, as a "quiet" one; for now
will the saints live in peace one with another; there will be no
more envy, vexations, animosities, and divisions; this will be the
Philadelphian church state, when brotherly love shall everywhere
prevail, and when they shall also be entirely free from the
persecutions of enemies; none shall hurt and destroy in all the
holy mountain, (
Isaiah 11:9 ) . Some
render it a "sheepfold"
F6; Christ is the shepherd, the saints
are his sheep, the church is the fold where they are gathered, fed,
and preserved, and lie in safety, and peace: and
a tabernacle
[that] shall not be taken down;
as the tabernacle of Moses was; or the tents of shepherds,
soldiers, and sojourners are, to which the allusion may be; and so
is expressive of the continuance of the church, which shall not now
be removed from place to place, as it has been, but shall be fixed
and settled all over the world, and so remain to the end of time,
an immovable tabernacle; and especially so it will be when the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, (
Revelation 21:3 ) :
not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither
shall
any of the cords thereof be broken;
alluding to tents and tabernacles made of curtains, fastened by
cords to stakes, by which they are supported. Not only ministers of
the Gospel, but every true believer, is as a "stake" or pillar in
the church of God, which shall never be removed, (
Revelation
3:12 ) never removed from the heart and love of God; nor out of
the hands of Christ, and an interest in him; nor out of the family
of God, or from the privileges of it; nor from Christ's body, the
church, which is his fulness. The "cords" with which these are all
held together, which shall never be broken, are the everlasting
love of God, electing grace, the covenant and its promises, the
word and ordinances, which always remain firm and sure, and secure
the stability and continuance of the church of God.