Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_400.lzh/6_474.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-09 | 7KB | 127 lines

that the same thing is referred to here as in ver. 2.
these words are said in answer to the petition in the
former verse; for they are spoken by the Lord, as
appears by what follows: for there will I sit to judge
all the Heathen round about; thither gathered together
from all parts: the allusion is to a judge upon the
bench, sitting to hear and try causes, and pass a de-
finitive sentence; and here it signifies the execution of
that sentence; such a pleading the cause of his people,
as to take vengeance and inflict just punishment upon
their enemies; see Psal. ix. 4, 5. Rev. xiv. 14.
Vet. 13. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe,
&e.] This is said to the mighty ones sent, the
Christian princes, the executioners of God's vengeance
on antichrist; the angels that will pour out the vials
of his wrath on the antichristian states, compared to
reapers, with a sharp sickle in their hands, to cut
them down, as corn is cut when reaped; as the same
states are compared to a harvest ripe, the measure of
their sins being filled up, and the time of their de-
struction appointed for them come; see Rev. xiv. 15:
come, get ye down; to the valley: ergo tread ye* ; for
another simile is made use of: the reference here is
to the treading of clusters of grapes in the wine-press,
as appears by what follows: and so the Targum
renders it, "descend, tread their mighty men;" in
like manner Jarchi interprets it; and so the Septua-
gint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it: and
Dr. Pocock observes, that the word *** in the
Arabic language signifies to tread, as men tread grapes
in a press: the reasons follow, for the press is full; of
clusters of the vine; or the valley is full of wicked
men, compared unto them, destined to destruction:
the fats overflow; with the juice of grapes squeezed
out, denoting the great effusion of blood that will be
made; see Rev. xiv. 18, 19, 20. and xix. 15, 18, 20:
.for their wickedness is great; is come to its height,
reaches even to heaven, and calls aloud for vengeance;
an end is come to it, and to the authors of it, Rev.
xviii. 5. The Targum of the whole is," draw out
"the sword against them, for the time of their end
"is come; descend, tread their mighty men slain, as
"any thing is trodden in a wine-press; pour out their
"blood, for their wickedness is multiplied."
Vet. 14. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of de-
cision, &c.] The same with the valley of Jehoshaphat
before mentioned; which shews that not any valley of
that name is intended, but a certain place so called
from the judgments of God in it; and here named the
valley ofdecision, because here their judgment will be
determined, as Kimchi and Jarchi; and at this time
the controversy between God, and Iris people's ene-
mies, will be decided, and at an end: or the valley of
concision, as the Vulgate Latin version; because in
this place, and at this time, the nations gathered
together in it will be cut to pieces: or, as others, the
oalley of threshing {p}; because, as, in Jehoshaphat's
time, the Moabites and Ammonites were threshed by
the Jews in the valley of Betachub, to which the al-
lusion is; so at this time the antichristian kings and
their armies will be threshed and beaten, and destroyed
by the men of Judah, God's professing people; see
Micah iv. 13. these seem to be the words of the pro-
phet, breaking out into this pathetic exclamation,
upon a sight of the vast multitudes gathered together
in this valley, and slain in it; and the doubling of the
word serves to express the prodigious number of them:
and this shews that this prophecy refers either to the
vast army of the Turks, under the name of Gog, and
the great slaughter that will be made of them; and that
this valley may be the same with the valley of Hamon-
gog, that is, the valley of the multitude of Gog, where
their multitude of slain shall be buried, Ezek. xxxix.
11. or to that vast carnage of the antichristian kings
and their armies at Armageddon, Rev. xvi. 14, 16. and
xix. 18, 19, 20,21. the Targum is, "armies, armies, in
"the valley of the division of judgment :" for the day
of the Lord is near in the valley of decision; that is, the
great and terrible day of the Lord, to take vengeance on..
all the antichristian powers, both eastern and western,
is nigh at hand, which will be done in this valley.
Ver. 15. The sun and moon shall be darkened, &c.]
Both the politic and ecclesiastic state of antichrist
shall be ruined and destroyed; it shall fare with Rome
Papal as it did with Rome Pagan, at the time of its dis-
solution; see Rev. vi. 12, 13. and xvi. 8: and the stars
shall withdraw their shining: antichristian princes and
nobles in the civil state, and the clergy of all ranks in
the church-state, shall lose their glory.
Ver. 16. Tlte Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and
utter his voice from Jerusalem, &c.] Christ, the Lamb,
shall now appear as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and
utter his voice in his providence and judgments on the
behalf of his church and people, signified by Zion and
Jerusalem; and therefore said to roar, and utter his
voice from thence; he will be heard far and near, and
strike terror in the hearts of his enemies; see Jet. xxv.
30, 31: and the heavens and the earth shall shake; great
revolutions will be made in the world, both in church
and state, among the antichristian powers; and such
as will also make them shake and tremble, as well as
alter the form and frame of things among them; see
Rev. xvi. 18, 19. changes in government, civil and
ecclesiastic, are s0metirnes signified by such phrases,
Hagg. ii. 6, 7. Hell xii. c26, 27. Rev. vi. 14. and xi.
13, 19: but the Lord will be the hope of his people ;
the object, author, ground, and foundation of their
h6pe of salvation here and hereafter; in whom they
may hope for and expect safety and security in the
worst of times; since he will be their refuge, or their
harbour % as it may be rendered; to whom they may
have recourse, to shelter and screen them from the
rage and wrath of their enemies, and where they will
be safe, till the indignation of God be over and past;
and while calamities and judgments are upon the un-
christian and ungodly world, they will have nothing to
fear amidst these storms, being in a good harbour:
and the strength of the children of Israel; of the spiritual
Israel; of all such who are Israelites indeed, the Lord's
chosen, redeemed, and called people, both Jews and
Gentiles; the author and giver of their spiritual

{o} \^wdr\^ \~pateite\~, calcate, Sept.; so Syr. Ar.
{p} \^Uwrxh qmeb\^ "in valle triturationis", Piscator.
{q} \^hoxm\^ "refugium", Tigurine version, Burkius; "receptus",
Tarnovius.