Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_500.lzh/6_578.TXT

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of it, falling upon them in plenty; see H0s. xiv..5, 6. and
with respect to others, among whom they are, and to
whom they are as the dew, by their speech, their doc-
trine, the word ministered by then}, which disells like the
dew, Dent. xxxii. o,. and by their gbod works, which are
~ofitable unto men; and by their soft and gentle be-
aviour towards them; and by reason of the many out-
ward blessings they enjoy through them, as Laban di{l
for the sake of Jacob, and Poti phar on the account of Jo-
senh: aS the showers upon the grass; which revive, refresh
it, and cause it to grow and flourish; or they are like
grass, on which the showers fa11, and grow up as sffch
in great numbers, and with great verdure and fruitful7
hess, Psal. lxxii. 16: that tarrieth not for man, nor
waiterb lot the sons of men; which seems to be con-
nected with the dew, though it agrees with both dew
and rain,which stay not for men's desires or deserts, but
descend according to the will of God: and as .this re-
gards the people of God, either with respect to them-
selves; it shews that as they are, as th'e dew, or as
showers and clouds full of rain, either of grace or doc-
trine compared thereunto; they are not of themselves
so, or 9f men, but of God;and that their dependence
is not upon the creature, but upon the Lord for Support
and supply: ,and with respect'to others, to whom they
are beneficial by their doctrine and works; that it is
all from the Lord, and owing to his goodness, which
makes them a blessing round about unasked and unde-
served; see Ezek. xxxiv. 26.  It may have respect t'o
plenty of Gospel ministers, whose doctrine is as the
dew; and which, being artended with the power and
spirit of God, waits not for any thing in man, bfft
operates at once secretly and powerfully.
Vet. 8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the
Gentiles in the midst of many people, &c.] The same
persons are meant here as before; who are compared
to dew and showers of rain', because numerous; and full
of blessings in themselves, and useful and' beneficial to
others: and here are said to be as a'lion among the beasts
of the forest; strong, m igh ty, powerful, 'a'nd con ragcons,
and superior to their enemies, as the lion is strongest
among beasts, and keeps all others in awe of him.
Some refer this. to the' times ofthe Maccabees; when
Judas. a-nd h is brethren behaved with great fortitude
and.courage, and were victorious, and prevailed over
the armies of Antiochus, and others; but it seems
rather to belong to the latter day, when the Jews shall
be superior to their enemies the .Turks, who would
disturb them in the possession of their land: and shall
be a terrOr'to th. em, as a young lion among the flocks of
sheep; signifying that their enemies shall be no more
to them, and no more able to oppose them, than a flock
of sheep are to a young lion, or they to resist him
The design ef the metaphor is; not to signify the
harmlessness and innocence of their enemies, but their
weakness, and the strength and courage of them i who,
ifhe go through; the flock: on whatsoever he-seizes,
both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, 'andnone can
deliver; brings it to the ground at once, tramples upon
it, and tears it in pieces as its prey; and none in the
flock, or to. whom it belongs, can deliyer.out of his
hand. This will be the case when the Jews shall turn
to the Lord, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah shall be
at the head of them; though some interpret this of
the first times of the Gospel, and take it to be fulfilled
in the apostles and first ministers of the word, who
were Jews; and who were valiant defenders of truth.
and conquerors over the devil and the world, and
were the instruments of bringing many into subjection
to Christ; but it seems best to apply it to the last
times, and not to the converted Jews only, though in
the first place ;.but to all the, spiritual Israel of God,
the whole Christian church, which will then be in such
ha ppy ci rcu insentices.
"Ver. 9. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adver-
saries, '&c.] O remnant of Jacob or Israel, as the Tar-
gum i! the church of God'; now will be the time that
it shall prevail over.atl the antichristian states; now
will the Christian princes pour out the vials of.God's
Wrath upon them; and they shail feel the strength and
weight of theirhand; which will thll heavy upon them,
even to their utter'destruction: or thine hand, O Mes-
· siah, the ruler in' Israel, the man the peace that shall
deliver from the Assyrian; and who will be at the
head of his church and people, the remnant of Jacob,
and destroy their enernies with the sword that proceeds
out of iris mouth: and all thine enemies shall be cut off ;
all the enemies Of Christ and his church; all the kings
of the earth that shall gather against them, the beast
and false prophet, with all their followers; see Rev.
xix. 19, 0,0,
Vet. 'I0. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith
the Lord, &c.] When the above things shall be ac-
complished, even in the Gospel day, made so by the
rising of the sun of righteousness; the Gospel dispen-
sation, the latter part of it: that I will cut off thy horses
"out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots;
which some take to be an apostrophe to literal Byabylon,
and to be fullilled when Cyrus took possession of it;
but rather it respects mystical Babylon, and the de-
struction of that by Christ '; but it is best of all to in-
tertpret it.dr'the church of Christ, all whose carnal
confidences and dependenCes shall be cut off, ant! shall
trust alone in Christ for salvation; particularly the
Jews nowcOnverted, who have been used to put their
trust in the flesh, and in such 'things as are 'here men-
tioned; but now shall be made to se.e the folly and
vanity Of stic, h things, and sha11 renounce and disclaim
fl/em ! see Hos. xivi 3. or the sdnse is, there Shall be no
m6re war; horses and chariots shall be no 'moreused
in a hostile .Way; but there shall be perfeCt'peace, all
enemies being destroyed, which agrees with ch. ii. 3.
and Zech. ix. 10. The Targum is, "I will cut off the
"horses of the people from the midst of thee, and de-
"' strOy their charidts?'
Vet. 11. And I will cut off the cities ofthy land, and
throw down all thy strong holds.] The m'eaning is,. they
'should not dwell in fortifie'd cities and walled .towns;
they should have none of these to trust to, nor.should
they stand in any need 6f them to defend the'm, their
"enemies being subdued; and besides, the Lord would
:be their strong h01d and place. ofdefence, a Wall' of fire
:round aboUt them, bud' the"glory in the midst of' them,
The phrases are expVesssive of the greatest tranquillily
and .safety, and of living in an open air, free and un-
disturbed; see Zech. ii. 4. 5. "The Targum is, "I
"will ctit off the,cities -of the people out of thy land,
"and destroy all their strong fortresses;". these shall