Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/5_200_p.lzh/5_232.TXT

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embracing and professing the Gospel; they saw their
idols neglected, and their temples abandoned; they
feared what would be the consequence of all this, that
their old religion their fathers retained, and they were
brought up in, would be abolished; and especially a
panic seized the priests on this account, whose liveli-
hood depended upon it: the ends of the earth were
afraid; for the sound of the Gospel by him, and other
apostles, went into all the earth, and their words to the
end of the world, Rom. x. 18. meaning the inhabitants
that dwelt in the furthest parts of the earth, where
ignorance and idolatry wholly reigned: they drew near,
and came: not to God, nor to Abraham, or Cyrus;
rather to their gods, to exert themselves in the defence
of their religion; or, which is best, they got together
to consult what was proper to be done on such an
emergency.
Ver. 6. They helped every one his neighbout, &c.]
By advice and counsel, by the best arguments they
could make use of, to withstand the new religion, and
defend the old one; to prevent the embracing the one,
and relinquishing the other: and every one said to his
brother, be of good courage: or, be strong{m]; they
strengthened one another's hands in their idolatrous
worship, encouraged each other to-oppose the pre-
vailing doctrine; urging, that the craft of some
was in danger, and the religion of them all at stake,
and their gods like to fall into contempt. An instance
of this may be seen in Demetrius the craftsman at
Ephesus, when the Gospel mightily prevailed there,
who stirred up the workmen of the same craft with
himself and the like, suggesting the loss of their
business, and the dishonour toffee.ted on their goddess
Diana, should the apostle go on as he did; by which
we may judge how it was, more or less, in other parts
of the world; see Acts xix. 9.Q, 23--o.8.
Vet. 7- So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith,
&c.] The carpenter, when he had made a wooden
image, encouraged and hastened the goldsmith, or the
finer, as some render it, to do his part, in covering it
 with plates of gold or silver: and he that smootbeth with
the hammer him that smote ttte anvil; he that beat out
thin plates of gold and silver with the hammer, in
order to decorate the wooden god, encouraged the
smith at the forge, that smote on the anvil, there
making nails for the fastening it to a pillar or wall, to
hasten his work: saying, it is ready for the sodering ;
for the several joints to be put together, by/odering
them: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not
be moved; either the goldsmith and finer fastened the
plates of gold and silver with nails, that they might be
kept fast and close to it; or the smith that smote on
'the anvil, and made the nails, he fastened the image
with them at some proper place, that so it might not
fall, or be taken away. All which, as it represents
the hurry and solicitude idolaters were in to keep up
their craft and religion, so it expoSes them to ridicule
and contempt.
Ver. 8. But thou, Israel, art my servant, &c.3 As the
great spread and success of the Gospel could notfail
of drawing the resentment of the idolatrous Heat-hens
on those who embraced and professed it, and by whom
they were grievously persecuted under the Roman em-
perors; wherefore, to support them under these trials,
the Lord speaks these and the following comfortable
words unto them; for not carnal, but spiritual ISrael
are here meant; such who by the power of divine
grace were turned frc;m idols to serve the living God,
who were made willing to become his servants, and
whose boaour it was to be so called and accounted;
and being so, they might be assured their Lord and
Master would protect and defend them, bless and
reward them: Jacob whom I have chosen; Israelites
indeed, Jacob-like, plam-hearted men, wrestling and
prevailing ones in prayer.with God, whom he chose to
be his people, and peculiar treasure; who, though.
disallowed of men, were like their Lord and Saviour,
chosen of God, and precious: the seed ofAbraham my
.friend : the spiritual seed of Abraham, being believers
in Christ, and friends of his, as Abraham was; and
whom he uses and shews to be such, by disclosing his
secrets to them, John xv. 15.
Ver. 9. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the
earth, &c.] Meaning not Abraham, nor his natural
seed; but such who believed in Christ, who dwelt in
the furthest parts of the earth, to whom the Gospel
came, and by which they were laid hold upon, and
apprehended by Christ as his own: and called thee
from the chief men thereof; from among the great men
of the earth, out of their families, courts, and palaces:
or rather called them by grace, when such personages
were passed by and left; not many noble, not many
mighty, being called in those times, I Cot. i. 26:
and said unto thee, thou art my servant; and not only
called them by the name,-but made them such in
reality: adding, I have chosen thee, and not cast thee
away; nor does the Lord cast away any whom he has
chosen and foreknown; and therefore being thus dear
to God, as all the above titles and acts of grace shew,
and being .secured by him froth perishing or being
eternally lost, this should encourage them to suffer
persecution patiently for his name's sake, and not be
afraid of any of their enemies, as follows.
Ver. 10. Fear thou not, .for I am with thee, &c.] Not
merely by his essence or power, who is every. where;
or b.y his providence supporting, preserving, ob-
serving, ordering, and overruling all things; but
in a way of special grace, to guard and protect his
people, support and supply them, comfort and
strengthen their hearts; wherefore they need not fear
any of their enemies, nor whatsoever they may be
called to suffer for his name's sake, even though they
pass through fire and water, and the valley- of the
shadow of death: be not dismayed, I am thy God;
through Christ, in a covenant way, as appeared by the
effectual vocation of them; and therefore might-de-
pend on his love, be sure of his power, expect all
needful supplies, and to be comfortably carried through
every service and trial they were called unto; and
need fear no enemies, or be dismayed at any thing
that should befall them; or become weak as water,
and their hearts melt like wax within them, as the
Jewish commentators generarally interpret the word {*.
The Targum is, "be not broken;" in spirit. The

{m} \^qzx\^ fortis esto, vel sis strenuus, Vatablus.
{n} \^etvt la\^ neque dissolvaris, Munster; vel ne liquefias, Vatablus.
Verbum formatum a nomine \^hwev\^, quod ceram significat, quae calor
exposita facile dissolvitur, Munster.