For thus saith the high and lofty One
Who is high above the earth, and the nations of it; higher than
the kings in it; the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and so
able to save his people, and destroy his and their enemies; who
is higher than the heavens, and the angels there; who is exalted
above the praises of his people; the knowledge of whose being and
perfections is too wonderful for them; whose thoughts are higher
than theirs; and whose love has a height in it not to be reached
by them; all which may serve to command a proper awe and
reverence of him, and close attention to what he says; and
perhaps these characters and titles are assumed in opposition to
antichrist, who exalts himself above all that is called God, as
well as what follows; who boasts of antiquity, and insolently
takes to himself the title of Holiness: wherefore the Lord goes
on to describe himself as he that inhabiteth
eternity:
is from everlasting to everlasting, without beginning or end, the
first and the last, who only hath immortality in and of himself;
angels and the souls of men, though they die not, yet have a
beginning; God only is from eternity to eternity; or rather
inhabits one undivided, uninterrupted, eternity, to which time is
but a mere point or moment: whose name is Holy:
his nature being so; he is originally and essentially holy, and
the source of holiness to his creatures, angels and men; though
none are holy in comparison of him; his holiness is displayed in
all his works; he is glorious in it; and therefore with great
propriety holy and reverend is his name: I dwell in the
high and holy place;
he dwelt in the most holy place in the tabernacle and temple,
which were figures of the true sanctuary, heaven, where Jehovah
dwells, and seems to be here meant; though the word "place" is
not in the text; and it may be rendered, "I dwell with the high
and holy" F2; and Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben
Melech, interpret it of the holy angels; and if we apply it to
the holy and divine Persons in the Trinity, the Son and Spirit,
it may not be amiss, and will stand well connected with what
follows with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit;
not only with the other divine Persons, and with those high ones,
but with such who are broken under a sense of sin; not merely in
a legal, but in an evangelical way; not only with the weight of
divine wrath, but with a view of pardoning grace and mercy; and
such souls are humble as well as contrite; have the worst
thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; they are humble
under a sense of sin and unworthiness, and submit to the
righteousness of Christ for their acceptance and justification
before God; and ascribe the whole of their salvation to his free
grace alone; and become cheerful followers of the meek and lowly
Jesus; with such the Lord dwells, not merely by his omnipresence
and omnipotence, but by his spirit and grace; or in a gracious
way and manner, by shedding abroad his love in their hearts, and
communicating his grace to them; and which he usually does under
the ministry of the word and ordinances, and which may be
expected: and his end in so doing is, to revive the spirit
of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones;
who are sometimes in a very lifeless and uncomfortable condition;
grace is weak; sin is prevalent; they are under a sense of divine
displeasure; under the hidings of God's face, and attended with
various afflictions and adverse dispensations of Providence: now
the Lord dwells with them, to revive and quicken them; which he
does by his gracious presence; by the discoveries of his
pardoning love and grace; by the application of precious
promises; and by granting large measures of his grace, so that
they become comfortable in their souls, and are quickened to the
fresh exercise of grace, and discharge of duty. All this seems to
be spoken for the consolation of the Lord's people in their low
estate, during the reign of antichrist, and towards the close of
it, when greatly oppressed by him. Vitringa interprets this of
the Waldenses and Bohemian brethren; but it seems to respect
later times.