Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong
hand
Some understand this of the second coming of Christ, which coming
is certain, such assurances being given of it by promise and
prophecy; and will be attended with power, which will be
requisite to raise the dead, summon all nations before him, and
pass and execute the proper sentence on them; when his arm shall
openly bear rule, he will take to himself his great power, and
reign; when his reward will be with him, to give to every man
according to their works; and his own work will be before him, to
judge the world in righteousness: see ( Revelation
22:12 ) , but it is more agreeable to the context, which
foretells the coming of John the Baptist, points out the
ministers of the Gospel, and describes Christ in his office, as a
shepherd feeding his flock, to understand it of his first coming;
for not God the Father, but the Son of God, is meant by the Lord
God, who is truly God, and so able to save, and which was the end
of his coming. He is said to come "with a strong hand", or with
great power, which his work required; which was to fulfil the
law, satisfy divine justice, atone for sin, grapple and conflict
with innumerable enemies, undergo the death of the cross, bear
the curse of the law, and the wrath of God, and all in order to
obtain eternal redemption for his people; for this he came from
heaven to earth, not by change of place, but by assumption of
nature. Some render it, "against a strong one" F16; the
strong man armed, the devil, whose head he came to break, whose
works he came to destroy, with whom he fought, and whom he
conquered and destroyed. Jarchi's note is,
``against the wicked, to take vengeance on them;''but Aben Ezra and Kimchi supply the word hand, as we do: and his arm shall rule for him;