Behold, I will do a new thing
A wonderful and unheard of thing, and therefore introduced with a
"behold", as a note of admiration; the same with the new thing
created in the earth, ( Jeremiah
31:22 ) , the incarnation of the Son of God; who took flesh
of a virgin, appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was
made sin and a curse for his people, in order to obtain eternal
redemption for them; which blessing, though not newly thought of,
resolved on, contrived, and agreed upon, that being from
eternity; nor newly made known, or as to the virtue and efficacy
of it, which had been from the beginning of the world, yet new as
to the impetration of it by the blood and sacrifice of Christ;
and may be also called "new", because excellent, it being of a
spiritual nature, complete and eternal, and having so many
valuable blessings in it, as justification, pardon, and eternal
life: now it shall spring forth;
or bud forth as a branch, in a very short time, suddenly, and at
once; one of the Messiah's names is that of the Branch; see (
Zechariah
3:8 ) ( 6:12 ) :
shall ye not know it?
the Redeemer, and the redemption by him. It was known to them
that looked for it, and to whom the Gospel is sent, and the
Spirit reveals and applies it; these know the nature of it, own
it to be of God, and know their interest in it, and know the
author of it, in whom they have believed, by the characters given
of him: and as this may have respect to the redemption of Christ,
so to the conversion of the Gentiles, and to the grace of God
dispensed through Christ to them; when old things passed away,
and all things became new; a new covenant of grace was exhibited,
a new church state set up, new ordinances appointed, and a new
people called to partake of all this, on whom was a new face of
things; and wonderful and excellent things were done for them, as
follows: I will even make a way in the
wilderness;
as there was a way made for the Israelites through the
wilderness, which lay between Egypt and Canaan; and through
another, which lay between Babylon and Judea; so the Lord would
also make a way in the Gentile world, comparable to a wilderness
for its barrenness and unfruitfulness, for the Gospel to enter
into it, where it should run, and be glorified; where Christ, the
way of salvation, should be made known; and where there should be
a way for Christians to walk together, in the fellowship of the
Gospel: and rivers in the desert;
the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it, which
should be preached and administered in the Gentile world, before
like a desert; and the graces of the Spirit, which should be
brought into the hearts of men by means of them; and the large
communications of grace from Christ; and the discoveries of the
love of God, with the blessings of it; compared to rivers for
their abundance, and for the comforting, reviving, and
fructifying nature of them.