Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_200.lzh/4_267.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-08 | 7KB | 128 lines

it; change his mind, repent of his oath; make it void,
or not fuflil it; for he is unchangeable in his perfec-
tions, purposes, and promises; whatever he says and
swears to he will certainly perfortn. Of the fruit of
thy body will I set upon thy throne; a king upon thy
throne, as the Targum: meaning not Solomon; though
it is true that the Lord chose him, above all the sons
of David, to be his successor in the kingdom, and did
place him upon his throne before his death; but a
greater than Solomon is here, even the Messiah; as is
clear from the testimony of the Apostle Peter, Acts
it. 30. by which it appears not only that this promise
and oath relate to the Messiah; but that David knew
they did, and so understood them; and whiclt have
been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth: who, as he was
notoriously the fruit of David's body according to the
flesh, or his human nature; or was of his seed, being
born of the Virgin Mary, who lineally descended from
him; so he was set upon the throne of David, as it
was foretold both by the prophet Isaiah, and by the
angel to the virgin, he should, Isa. ix. 6, 7- Luke .i.
32, 33. not in a literal sense; for though he was no
doubt right heir to the throne of David so understood,
yet his kingdom was not of this world; but he was set
as King over God's holy hill of Zion, the church; and
reigned over the house of Jacob, the whole Israel of
God; the mystical and spiritual Israel, consisting of
Jews and Gentiles: his throne, or the seat of his king-
dom, is the church; his sceptre the Gospel; his crown
the glory true believers in him give him; his laws, by
which he rules, are its his word, and written in the
hearts. of Isis subjects; and his kingdom shall continue
for ever.
Vet. 12. If thy children will keep my covenant, and my
testimony that I shall teach them, &c.] The former
part of the promise and oath is absolute, respecting
the Messiah; but this is conditional, and relates to
the seed of David, both immediate, and in suc-
ceeding generations; proposing their observance of
the law of God, as the condition of their enjoy-
ing the kingdom after him. By the covenant and
testim?ny are meant the same thing; the law, which
was given to the people of Israel in the form of a co-
venant, and was a testimony of the will of God to them:
in this the kings of Israel were to read continually,
and conduct according to it in their personal walk and
conversation, and by it to rtllc the people they were
set over; and which the Lord promises to teach them
by his prophets, whose business it was not to promul-
gate new laws, but to explain what were given.
Now in case this was attendcd to, and the instruc-
tions of prophets observed, then thus it would be,
their children also shall sit upon thy throne for ever-
more; but, the condition not being fulfilled, this did
not take place: Solomon, his immediate successor,
fell into idolatry in the latter part of his life; and Re-
hoboam, his son, slighted the advice of the old men,
rounded upon the laws of God, and ten tribes revolted
from him: several succeeding kings of Judah, of the
house of David, were very wicked princes; and the
race of them ended in Zedekiah, who was carried cap-
tive into Babylon. Indeed all this is true of Christ
and his spiritual offspring; he kept the covenant of
grace made with his divine Father; and the law or
testimony; and fulltiled it in the room and stead of
his people; and did the whole will and work of his fa-
ther, and in all things pleased him: and his children
also lay hold by faith on the covenant and the pro-
mises of it; and receive, observe, and retain the testi-
mony of the Gospel; and shall reign with Christ, on
the same throne with him, for ever and ever.
Vet. 13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion, &c.] Not
only to build upon it the temple in a literal sense,
and for the place of his worship; but also for the seat
of his majesty, and over which he has set his son as
King; and all this from the love he bears to Zion,
which, in a figurative and spiritual sense, is his church;
whom he has chosen to privileges, to grace and glory,
and for Iris service and honour; see Psal. lxxviii. 67,
68. He hath desired it for his habitation; heaven is
the habitation of his holiness and glory; Christ is
his dwelling-place, in whom all the fulness of the
Godhead dwells bodily: yet his desire is to his church
and people; his heart is set upon them, and upon their
salvation; his delight is in them, and he takes pleasure
in walking with them, and dwelling among them; they
being built up an habitation for God through the spirit;
see Psal. lxviii. 16. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Ephes. it. 22.
Ver. 14. This is my rest for ever, &c.] The rest of
my majesty, as the Targum; the place of his rest:
and this being for ever shews that not Mount Zion
literally, nor the temple, are meant; but the church
and people of God, in whom he rests in his love, and
rejoices over with joy; who are the objects of his de-
light, and with whom he abides for ever; for this
phrase is expressive of pleasure and delight, and of
permanency and perpetuity. ttere will I dwell, for I
have desired it; not merely by Iris omnipresence, in
which sense he dwells everywhere, both in heaven
and in earth; nor only by his omnipotence, by which
he upholds all creatures in their being, and so is pre-
sent with them all; and they all live and move, and
have their being, in him: but by his spirit and grace
reviving and refreshing the hearts of his people with
his gracious presence; which is enjoyed in his house
and ordinances, and makes them lovely and delightful;
and may be expected there, since he has promised it,
and it is so desirable and agreeable to himself to dwell
there.
Ver. 15. I will abundantly bless her provision, &c.]
The provision of Zion, the church of God, the word
and ordinances, of which Christ is the sum and sub-
stance; the Gospel is milk for babes, and meat for
strong men; the ordinances are a feast of fat things;
Christ's flesh is meat indeed, and his blood drink
deed; the whole provision is spiritual, savoury, salu-
tary, strengthening, satisfying, and nourishing, when
the Lord blesses it; as he does to those who hunger
and thirst after it, and feed upon it by faith; so that
their souls grow thereby, and they become fat and
flourishing; grace increases in them, and they are
fruitful in every good work: and this the Lord pro-
mises to do abundantly, in a very large way and man-
ner; or certainly, for it is, in the original text, {uy} in bless-

{y} \^Krba Krb\^ benedicendo benedicam, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus,
Cocceius, Gejerus.