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Isaiah 63:9
Verse
Context
God’s Mercies Recalled
8For He said, “They are surely My people, sons who will not be disloyal.” So He became their Savior. 9In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Sermons
William Fitch
Charles Leiter
Bob Phillips
Timothy Tow
Mike BickleSummary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The next v. commemorates the way in which He proved Himself a Saviour in heart and action. "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His face brought them salvation. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and lifted them up, and bare them all the days of the olden time." This is one of the fifteen passages in which the chethib has לא, the keri לו. It is only with difficulty that we can obtain any meaning from the chethib: "in all the affliction which He brought upon them He did not afflict, viz., according to their desert" (Targ., Jer., Rashi); or better still, as tsâr must in this case be derived from tsūr, and tsăr is only met with in an intransitive sense, "In all their distress there was no distress" (Saad.), with which J. D. Michaelis compares Co2 4:8, "troubled on every side, yet not distressed." The oxymoron is perceptible enough, but the להם (צר לא), which is indispensable to this expression, is wanting. Even with the explanation, "In all their affliction He was not an enemy, viz., Jehovah, to them" (Dderlein), or "No man persecuted them without the angel immediately," etc. (Cocceius and Rosenmller), we miss להם or אתם. There are other still more twisted and jejune attempts to explain the passage with לא, which are not worth the space they occupy. Even in the older translators did not know how to deal with the לא in the text. The Sept. takes tsăr as equivalent to tsı̄r, a messenger, and renders the passage according to its own peculiar interpunctuation: οὐ πρέσβυς οὐδὲ ἄγγελος ἀλλ ̓ αὐτὸς ἔσωσεν αὐτούς (neither a messenger nor an angel, but His face, i.e., He Himself helped them: Exo 33:14-15; Sa2 17:11). Everything forces to the conclusion that the keri לו is to be preferred. The Masora actually does reckon this as one of the fifteen passages in which לו is to be read for לא. (Note: There are fifteen passages in which the keri substitutes לו for לא. See Masora magna on Lev 11:21 (Psalter, ii. 60). If we add Isa 49:5; Ch1 11:20; Sa1 2:16, there are eighteen (Comm. on Job, at Job 13:15). But the first two of these are not reckoned, because they are doubtful; and in the third, instead of לּו being substituted for לא, לא is substituted for לו (Ges. Thes. 735, b). Sa2 19:7 also is not a case in point, for there the keri is לוּ for לא.) Jerome was also acquainted with this explanation. He says: "Where we have rendered it, 'In all their affliction He was not afflicted,' which is expressed in Hebrew by lo, the adverb of negation, we might read ipse; so that the sense would be, 'In all their affliction He, i.e., God, was afflicted.' " If we take the sentence in this way, "In all oppression there was oppression to Him," it yields a forcible thought in perfect accordance with the Scripture (compare e.g., Jdg 10:16), an expression in harmony with the usage of the language (compare tsar-lı̄, Sa2 1:26), and a construction suited to the contents (לו = ipsi). There is nothing to surprise us in the fact that God should be said to feel the sufferings of His people as His own sufferings; for the question whether God can feel pain is answered by the Scriptures in the affirmative. He can as surely as everything originates in Him, with the exception of sin, which is a free act and only originates in Him so far as the possibility is concerned, but not in its actuality. Just as a man can feel pain, and yet in his personality keep himself superior to it, so God feels pain without His own happiness being thereby destroyed. And so did He suffer with His people; their affliction was reflected in His own life in Himself, and shared Him inwardly. But because He, the all-knowing, all-feeling One, is also the almighty will, He sent the angel of His face, and brought them salvation. "The angel of His face," says Knobel, "is the pillar of cloud and fire, in which Jehovah was present with His people in the march through the desert, with His protection, instruction, and guidance, the helpful presence of God in the pillar of cloud and fire." But where do we ever read of this, that it brought Israel salvation in the pressure of great dangers? Only on one occasion (Exo 14:19-20) does it cover the Israelites from their pursuers; but in that very instance a distinction is expressly made between the angel of God and the pillar of cloud. Consequently the cloud and the angel were two distinct media of the manifestation of the presence of God. They differed in two respects. The cloud was a material medium - the evil, the sign, and the site of the revealed presence of God. The angel, on the other hand, was a personal medium, a ministering spirit (λειτουργικὸν πνεῦμα), in which the name of Jehovah was indwelling for the purpose of His own self-attestation in connection with the historical preparation for the coming of salvation (Exo 23:21). He was the mediator of the preparatory work of God in both word and deed under the Old Testament, and the manifestation of that redeeming might and grace which realized in Israel the covenant promises given to Abraham (Gen 15). A second distinction consisted in the fact that the cloud was a mode of divine manifestation which was always visible; whereas, although the angel of God did sometimes appear in human shape both in the time of the patriarchs and also in that of Joshua (Jos 5:13.), it never appeared in such a form during the history of the exodus, and therefore is only to be regarded as a mode of divine revelation which was chiefly discernible in its effects, and belonged to the sphere of invisibility: so that in any case, if we search in the history of the people that was brought out of Egypt for the fulfilment of such promises as Exo 23:20-23, we are forced to the conclusion that the cloud was the medium of the settled presence of God in His angel in the midst of Israel, although it is never so expressed in the thorah. This mediatorial angel is called "the angel of His face," as being the representative of God, for "the face of God" is His self-revealing presence (even though only revealed to the mental eye); and consequently the presence of God, which led Israel to Canaan, is called directly "His face" in Deu 4:37, apart from the angelic mediation to be understood; and "my face" in Exo 33:14-15, by the side of "my angel" in Exo 32:34, and the angel in Exo 33:2, appears as something incomparably higher than the presence of God through the mediation of that one angel, whose personality is completely hidden by his mediatorial instrumentality. The genitive פניו, therefore, is not to be taken objectively in the sense of "the angel who sees His face," but as explanatory, "the angel who is His face, or in whom His face is manifested." The הוּא which follows does not point back to the angel, but to Jehovah, who reveals Himself thus. But although the angel is regarded as a distinct being from Jehovah, it is also regarded as one that is completely hidden before Him, whose name is in him. He redeemed them by virtue of His love and of His chemlâh, i.e., of His forgiving gentleness (Arabic, with the letters transposed, chilm; compare, however, chamūl, gentle-hearted), and lifted them up, and carried them (נשּׂא the consequence of נטּל, which is similar in sense, and more Aramaean; cf., tollere root tal, and ferre root bhar, perf. tuli) all the days of the olden time. The prayer passes now quite into the tone of Ps 78 and 106, and begins to describe how, in spite of Jehovah's grace, Israel fell again and again away from Jehovah, and yet was always rescued again by virtue of His grace. For it is impossible that it should leap at once in והמּה to the people who caused the captivity, and ויּזכּר have for its subject the penitential church of the exiles which was longing for redemption (Ewald). The train of thought is rather this: From the proofs of grace which the Israel of the olden time had experienced, the prophet passes to that disobedience to Jehovah into which it fell, to that punishment of Jehovah which it thereby brought upon itself, and to that longing for the renewal of the old Mosaic period of redemption, which seized it in the midst of its state of punishment. But instead of saying that Jehovah did not leave this longing unsatisfied, and responded to the penitence of Israel with ever fresh help, the prophet passes at once from the desire of the old Israel for redemption, to the prayer of the existing Israel for redemption, suppressing the intermediate thought, that Israel was even now in such a state of punishment and longing.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
he was afflicted--English Version reads the Hebrew as the Keri (Margin), does, "There was affliction to Him." But the Chetib (text) reads, "There was no affliction" (the change in Hebrew being only of one letter); that is, "In all their affliction there was no (utterly overwhelming) affliction" [GESENIUS]; or, for "Hardly had an affliction befallen them, when the angel of His presence saved them" [MAURER]; or, as best suits the parallelism, "In all their straits there was no straitness in His goodness to them" [HOUBIGANT], (Jdg 10:16; Mic 2:7; Co2 6:12). angel of his presence--literally, "of His face," that is, who stands before Him continually; Messiah (Exo 14:19; Exo 23:20-21; Pro 8:30), language applicable to no creature (Exo 32:34; Exo 33:2, Exo 33:14; Num 20:16; Mal 3:1). bare them-- (Isa 46:3-4; Isa 40:11; Exo 19:4; Deu 32:11-12).
John Gill Bible Commentary
In all their affliction he was afflicted,.... That is, God, who said the above words; not properly speaking; for to be afflicted is not consistent with his nature and perfections, being a spirit, and impassible; nor with his infinite and complete happiness; but this is said after the manner of men, and is expressive of the sympathy of God with his afflicted people, and his tender care of them, and concern for them under affliction, as one friend may have for another: afflictions belong to the people of God; they come to them, not by chance, but according to the will of God; and are not in wrath, but in love; they are many and various; there is an "all" of them, yet not one too many, and in everyone of them God is afflicted, or sympathizes with them: as he looked upon the affliction of the people of Israel, in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, and had compassion upon them, and saved them, so he visits all his people when afflicted, and pities them, and speaks comfortably to them; knows and owns their souls in adversity; makes known himself to them; grants them his gracious presence; puts underneath them his everlasting arms; makes their bed in their affliction, and supplies their wants; and this sympathy arises from their union to him, from his relation to them as a Father, and from his great love to them. There is a double reading of these words; the marginal reading is, "in all their affliction there is affliction to him" (t); or, "he was afflicted"; which our version follows: the textual reading is, "there is no affliction"; or, "he was not afflicted" (u); he seemed to take no notice of their affliction, or be concerned at it, that he might the sooner bring them to a sense of themselves and their sins, Hos 5:15. The Targum follows this reading, and renders it actively, "and he afflicted them not" (w): they were indeed in affliction, but they, and not he, brought it upon them, and by their sins. Some render it, "he was no enemy" (x); though he afflicted them, yet not in wrath, but love; or, "in all their straits there was no strait" (y); the Israelites were in straits when Pharaoh's army pursued them behind, the rocks were on both sides them, and the sea before them, and yet there was no strait as it were, they were so soon delivered out of it; and so it may be read, "in all their afflictions there was no affliction"; there is so much love in the afflictions of God's people, and they work so much for their good, and they are so soon delivered out of them, that they scarce deserve the name of afflictions; and so both readings may be taken in, "in all their afflictions there was no affliction to him"; or to them, to Israel, to the people of God: and the Angel of his presence saved them; not Michael, as Jarchi; but the Messiah is here meant; the Angel of the covenant, the Angel which went before the Israelites in the wilderness, Exo 23:20 not a created angel, or an angel by nature, but by office; being sent of God, as the word signifies, on the errand and business of salvation; called "the Angel of God's presence", or "face", because his face was seen in him; his name, and nature, and perfections were in him; he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person besides, the presence of God was always with him; he is the "Ithiel", the Word that was with God, and with whom God always was; who lay in the bosom of his Father, and was ever with him; and who also, as Mediator, introduces his people into the presence of God, and always appears in it for them as their advocate and intercessor: now to him salvation is ascribed; he saved Israel out of Egypt, and out of the hands of all their enemies in the wilderness; and which salvation was typical of the spiritual, eternal, and complete salvation, which is only by Christ, and issues in eternal glory: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and from all their enemies, which was owing to his great love to them, which operated in a way of mercy, pity, and compassion, Hos 11:1, and it is he who has redeemed the spiritual Israel of God, not by power only, but by price, from sin, Satan, and the law, death, and hell, with a spiritual and eternal redemption, and which flows from his love to those persons; hence he undertook to be their Redeemer; came in their nature to redeem them; and gave himself for them for that purpose; which love is wonderful and matchless, and showed itself in pity and compassion; he became a merciful as well as a faithful high priest; he saw them in their low estate, pitied them, and delivered them out of it: and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old; he bore them in his bosom, and in his arms, as a nursing father his child; he carried them, as on eagles' wings, from the time of their coming out of Egypt, to their settlement in Canaan's land, Num 11:12 he bore with their manners for forty years, and carried them through all their trials and difficulties, and supported them under them, and brought them out of them all, Act 13:18 and so he bears all his people on his heart, and in his hands, and bears them up under all their temptations and afflictions; and, from the time of their conversion, carries on his work in them, and carries them safe to heaven, as the great Captain of their salvation, and never leaves them, nor forsakes them; see Isa 46:3. (t) "angustia ipsi fuit", Calvin, Grotius; "ipse fuit contribulatus", Munster; "ipsi fuit angustum", Vitringa. (u) "non angustia, Montanus; non afflictus est", Tigurine version. (w) "Non affecit eos angustia", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "non coarctavit eos, sub. Deus, vel angustia", Forerius, (x) "Non fuit hostis", Gataker; so Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 423. (y) "In omni angustia eorum non augustia", Montanus.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
63:9 he also suffered: God identified with his suffering people, and their suffering brought him grief. Later, Jesus suffered on behalf of all humanity. • and he personally rescued them: e.g., see Exod 12:25-33; 14:10-31; 23:20-23.
Isaiah 63:9
God’s Mercies Recalled
8For He said, “They are surely My people, sons who will not be disloyal.” So He became their Savior. 9In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
God Uses Pain - Part 1
By William Fitch1.4K15:47ISA 41:10ISA 43:2ISA 63:9MAT 10:29JHN 16:33HEB 2:10HEB 13:5In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the theme of God's presence and care in the midst of pain and suffering. He emphasizes that God does not promise exemption from pain, but rather assures his children of his presence and support. The preacher references Isaiah, highlighting how God was with his people in their afflictions and provided redemption and comfort. He also mentions the story of Reverend David Craig, who experienced God's deliverance and received a promise of protection even in the face of imminent execution. The sermon concludes with the reminder that God uses pain to draw his children closer to him and to demonstrate his tender care and sovereignty.
God Carries His People
By Charles Leiter1.4K38:15DEU 1:19DEU 1:30ISA 40:11ISA 63:9ACT 9:4In this sermon, the preacher addresses a crowd of believers and warns them not to be shocked or fearful when faced with opposition and persecution. He reminds them that God has been with them in the past and will continue to be with them in the future. The preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing and remembering the supernatural and miraculous things that God has done for them. He also highlights the image of God carrying and protecting His people, comparing it to a father carrying his son. The sermon concludes with a rebuke against those who would accuse God of bringing them to difficult situations out of hatred.
The Conqueror From Edom
By Bob Phillips1.2K1:00:48EXO 23:20ISA 63:1ISA 63:9MAT 6:332CO 4:6In this sermon, the preacher discusses two classes of people mentioned in the Bible. One class experiences the wrath of God, with their blood and strength poured out on the earth. The other class has their blood poured out on the garments of a conqueror from Edom, symbolizing the destruction of sin. The preacher emphasizes the need to recognize the cost of Jesus' sacrifice and to confront the sin of indulging in activities like excessive television watching. The sermon also highlights God's mercy and power, but warns that the guilty will not go unpunished.
Listening, Unburdening & Worshipping - Part 4
By Zac Poonen1.1K09:59ISA 63:9JHN 11:32GAL 4:4HEB 4:151PE 5:7
This sermon emphasizes the importance of coming to God as a loving Father who desires to hear from His children. It uses the story of Mary and Lazarus to illustrate how Jesus sympathizes with our struggles and sorrows, even though He knows the future. The message encourages believers to regularly unburden themselves at Jesus' feet, casting all their worries and concerns on Him, as He is compassionate and willing to carry our burdens.
I Will Even Prolong His Life
By Timothy Tow76427:50PSA 91:9PSA 91:13ISA 63:9In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of falling down the stairs and miraculously being unharmed. He relates this incident to a Chinese proverb that says little children fall and grow up, but those who fall down die. The speaker emphasizes the importance of praying without ceasing and calls on Christians to diligently pray every day, bringing their problems to God. He also shares how his grandchildren have inspired him to be more consistent in his prayer life and expresses gratitude to God for teaching him the value of prayer through his fall.
06 God's Superior Love: How God Feels About Us (Song 1:2)
By Mike Bickle2444:52God's LoveSpiritual GrowthPSA 19:14PRO 3:12ECC 8:11ISA 63:9MAT 7:21LUK 15:7JHN 15:9ROM 1:241JN 3:1REV 3:19Mike Bickle emphasizes God's superior love for us, illustrating that His affection is more profound than any worldly pleasure. He discusses the importance of understanding God's love, especially in our weaknesses, and how believers often struggle with feelings of condemnation instead of recognizing God's delight in them. Bickle encourages believers to study and meditate on the nature of God's love, which is unconditional and not based on our performance. He highlights that spiritual immaturity is not the same as rebellion, and that God delights in our sincere intentions to obey Him, even when we fall short. Ultimately, Bickle calls for a deeper revelation of God's love to sustain our journey of faith.
God's Loving Discipline and Safe Leadership
By Mike Bickle1648:34God's DisciplineSpiritual GrowthPSA 45:3SNG 3:1SNG 3:6ISA 63:9MAT 4:19ROM 8:281CO 10:13HEB 12:6JAS 4:5REV 3:19Mike Bickle emphasizes God's loving discipline and safe leadership in the context of the Song of Solomon, illustrating how the bride's journey reflects our own spiritual growth. He explains that God's discipline is not rejection but a call to maturity, urging believers to rise from their comfort zones and engage in a deeper relationship with Him. Bickle highlights the importance of obedience and partnership with God, reassuring that even in moments of spiritual dryness, God desires to help us grow. The sermon encourages believers to seek God's presence actively and to understand that His leadership is ultimately safe and filled with love. The message concludes with the reminder that our love for God crowns Him with joy, reflecting the intimate relationship He desires with His people.
Lx. to Lady Kenmure, on the Death of Her Son, John, Second Viscount
By Samuel Rutherford0ISA 63:9JER 9:15PHP 3:10COL 1:24HEB 11:26Samuel Rutherford preaches a message of comfort and encouragement to a grieving noble lady who has lost her child, reminding her to submit to God's will and find solace in the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. He assures her that her cup is sugared with mercy, and the purpose of her trials is to secure the reversion of her heart and love. Rutherford acknowledges the heaviness of her sorrow but urges her to find comfort in the Lord and trust in His sovereignty, even in the midst of deep grief.
The Greatest Sentence That Was Ever Written
By R.A. Torrey0God's LoveSalvationPSA 136:1ISA 55:7ISA 63:9JHN 3:16ROM 5:81CO 13:4EPH 2:4HEB 12:61JN 3:11JN 4:8R.A. Torrey emphasizes the profound truth encapsulated in the phrase 'God is love' from 1 John 4:8, asserting it as the greatest sentence ever written. He explains that this simple declaration reveals the essence of the Bible and God's relationship with humanity, highlighting His willingness to forgive, punish, sympathize, give, and sacrifice for us. Torrey illustrates how God's love is demonstrated through His actions, including the ultimate sacrifice of His Son for our salvation. He urges listeners to reflect on their response to God's love, encouraging acceptance rather than rejection. The sermon serves as a powerful reminder of the depth and implications of God's love for each individual.
Of Good Angels
By John Wesley0Divine AssistanceAngelsJOB 1:19PSA 91:11PSA 104:4ISA 63:9DAN 6:22MAT 18:10HEB 1:14REV 12:7John Wesley explores the role of good angels as ministering spirits sent by God to assist the heirs of salvation. He emphasizes that while ancient cultures had fragmented ideas about angels, true understanding comes from revelation, which describes angels as powerful, wise, and holy beings who actively engage in the lives of believers. Wesley highlights their ability to perceive human thoughts and emotions, their strength in spiritual warfare, and their role in providing protection and guidance. He encourages believers to recognize and appreciate the ministry of angels, which operates alongside God's providence in their lives.
His Glory Given to Us
By Robert Hawker0ISA 63:9JHN 17:221CO 12:27EPH 1:18COL 1:27Robert Hawker preaches about the glorious oneness and union believers have with Jesus, sharing in His grace and glory as partakers of His covenant, redemption, and the Holy Spirit's gifts. He emphasizes the incomprehensible privilege of being united with Christ, far surpassing even the company of angels. Hawker encourages reflection on the intimate exchange and fellowship between Jesus and His redeemed, where believers partake in Christ's righteousness, grace, and glory, while Jesus shares in their sorrows, needs, and afflictions, demonstrating His unparalleled love and affection.
Saved, Redeemed and Carried
By Thomas Bradbury0ISA 46:3ISA 63:9JHN 3:16EPH 1:7HEB 13:5Thomas Bradbury preaches about the profound love, sympathy, salvation, redemption, and succor provided by Jesus Christ to His people. He emphasizes how Christ, as the Angel of God's presence, sympathizes with and saves His chosen ones, redeeming them through His love and pity. Bradbury highlights the necessity of a Savior who can truly understand and bear the afflictions of His people, carrying them through all trials and challenges, from birth to old age, with unwavering love and care.
Letter 47
By James Bourne0EXO 34:6ISA 60:22ISA 63:9EZK 16:6JHN 15:3James Bourne emphasizes the importance of spiritual cleanness and abiding in Christ to remain fruitful and experience His joy. He reflects on personal struggles with worldly distractions and spiritual barrenness, highlighting the need to constantly seek God's presence and maintain a close relationship with Him. Bourne expresses a deep desire to walk in the light, fearing spiritual decay and separation from the Lord, while finding comfort in God's mercy and redemption. He acknowledges the necessity of God's glory in his life and the assurance that God has always been with His people, carrying them through afflictions and showing love and pity.
Jesus' Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem Luke 19:29-44
By R.A. Torrey0ObedienceCompassion for the LostPSA 118:26ISA 63:9ZEC 9:9MAT 21:1MAT 23:37MRK 11:1LUK 19:29JHN 12:12ROM 9:2HEB 13:8R.A. Torrey explores Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, emphasizing the obedience of the disciples who followed His instructions to fetch a colt, symbolizing their commitment to Him. The sermon highlights the exultant multitude that praised Jesus, contrasting their fervor with the indignant Pharisees who criticized such enthusiasm. Torrey reflects on Jesus' sorrow for Jerusalem, revealing His compassion and the impending doom for those who reject Him. The message calls for believers to recognize their duty to praise God, obey His commands, and weep for the lost, illustrating the duality of joy and sorrow in the Christian experience.
The Sorrows of the Bereaved Spread Before Jesus
By Jonathan Edwards0PRO 18:24ISA 63:9MAT 15:32LUK 7:13JHN 11:33JHN 14:18EPH 4:8PHP 4:19HEB 4:15REV 21:4Jonathan Edwards preaches about the importance of spreading sorrows before Jesus when faced with the death of an eminent minister in the work of the gospel ministry. Using the account of John the Baptist's disciples as an example, he emphasizes the disciples' actions of burying John's body with respect and then going to tell Jesus of their sorrow. Edwards highlights the compassion, pity, and all-sufficiency of Christ in comforting the bereaved, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate source of wisdom, guidance, and support in times of loss and affliction.
The Lord's Attitude to His Children in Adversity (Isaiah 63:9)
By T. Austin-Sparks0God's Love in AdversitySpiritual GrowthPSA 68:18PSA 103:14PSA 106:1ISA 63:9ROM 8:31T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes that in times of adversity, God is not our adversary but rather shares in our afflictions, as expressed in Isaiah 63:9. He explains that adversity is a common experience for God's people and does not indicate wrongdoing; instead, it serves a purpose of spiritual growth and reliance on God. The sermon highlights that while we may feel straitened and limited, these experiences are meant for our enrichment and are not a sign of God's disfavor. Even in rebellion, God's love remains, and He seeks to restore us, reminding us that His mercy endures forever. Ultimately, the message is one of encouragement, affirming that God is for us even in our struggles.
His Love, Not Ours
By Mary Wilder Tileston0PSA 103:13ISA 63:9Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the unconditional and compassionate love of God, emphasizing how He redeems and pities His people like a loving father does to his children. The sermon reflects on the deep yearning for God's love in our hearts and the transformative power of surrendering to His love, even in moments of doubt or when we feel unworthy. Tileston encourages looking up to God's love in times of need, knowing that His love is not dependent on our feelings but on His unchanging nature of compassion and pity towards us.
Epistle 148
By George Fox0PSA 88:1ISA 63:9MRK 13:33LUK 11:5LUK 18:1LUK 18:10ACT 9:4EPH 6:18PHP 4:11TH 3:81TI 2:8JAS 1:6George Fox preaches about the importance of sincere and persistent prayer to the Lord, emphasizing that God hears the cries of His people and is present in their afflictions, oppressions, and sufferings. He encourages believers to maintain a simple and modest lifestyle, avoiding the vain fashions of the world, and to be faithful and chaste in all aspects of life. Fox also highlights the power of prayer, urging individuals to pray with faith, perseverance, and without doubt, as Christ promises that whatever is asked in His name will be given. He stresses the need to pray in the spirit, in unwavering faith, and in alignment with God's will.
I Will Never Leave Thee, nor Forsake Thee
By A.B. Simpson0God's FaithfulnessRepentance and ForgivenessDEU 31:6PSA 34:18PSA 139:7ISA 63:9LAM 3:22MAT 28:20ROM 8:382CO 12:9HEB 13:51JN 1:9A.B. Simpson emphasizes God's unwavering presence and compassion, even when we stray from His path and face the consequences of our mistakes. He reassures us that, like the Israelites during their forty years of wandering, God remains by our side, ready to forgive and guide us back to Him upon our repentance. Simpson encourages believers not to lose faith despite their shortcomings, as God's promise to never leave or forsake us stands firm. He highlights the importance of humility and supplication in seeking God's grace and restoration. Ultimately, God's patient love and support are ever-present, waiting for us to return to Him.
Rev. 3:8. the Church's Little Strength, and the Lord's Great Love
By Horatius Bonar0Strength in WeaknessChrist's LoveISA 32:2ISA 40:11ISA 42:7ISA 43:3ISA 46:1ISA 63:9ISA 66:132CO 2:12COL 4:3REV 3:8Horatius Bonar emphasizes the tender love and gracious character of Christ as depicted in Revelation 3:8, where He acknowledges the Church's little strength while offering an open door of opportunity and service. Bonar highlights Christ's patience and gentleness, encouraging believers to rely on His compassion during their struggles and weaknesses. He reassures that even in their feebleness, their faithfulness in keeping His word and not denying His name is honored by God. The sermon illustrates how Christ's love is a source of comfort and strength for those who feel overwhelmed and in need of support. Bonar's message is a reminder of the open door to salvation and service that Christ provides, regardless of our limitations.
Jehovah-Jesus the Constant Companion and Faithful Friend of Elect Sinners
By Thomas Bradbury0PSA 45:13PSA 73:25PSA 142:4ISA 41:4ISA 63:9JHN 14:1ROM 11:41CO 1:27COL 1:15HEB 12:1Thomas Bradbury preaches on the glorious truths revealed by JEHOVAH the Spirit in Isaiah 41, contrasting the weakness of Israel with the omnipotence and greatness of Israel's God. He emphasizes the beauty of God's people in covenant relationship, highlighting their worthlessness in themselves but their beauty in Christ. Bradbury delves into the covenant ties, the faithfulness of God's chosen ones, and the power of Christ to renew and strengthen His people. He explores the concept of Christ as the First and the Last, the constant Companion who sustains His people through trials, and the faithful Friend who promises to be with them till the end.
Precious Death
By A.W. Pink0God's Perspective on DeathDeath of SaintsPSA 46:1PSA 103:13PSA 116:15ISA 43:2ISA 63:9LAM 3:33JHN 14:3ACT 14:222CO 5:8HEB 4:15A.W. Pink emphasizes the preciousness of a saint's death in the sight of the Lord, as expressed in Psalm 116:15. He encourages believers to view death from God's perspective, recognizing that it signifies the end of suffering and the beginning of eternal communion with Him. Pink explains that the Lord's love for His saints makes their deaths precious, as it allows Him to display His sufficiency and grace in their final moments. He reassures that while we may grieve, the Lord rejoices in bringing His people home, fulfilling His promise of eternal presence. Ultimately, the death of a saint is seen as an honorable and bright transition into the Lord's presence.
Pilgrim Portions - Part 3
By John Nelson Darby0Eternal PerspectiveLaboring for ChristPRO 3:26ISA 63:9MAT 28:18JHN 14:3JHN 14:23PHP 1:11HEB 4:161PE 2:111JN 1:5REV 1:5John Nelson Darby emphasizes the transient nature of earthly pursuits compared to the eternal significance of serving Christ. He reflects on the futility of worldly achievements and the joy that comes from laboring for the Lord, urging believers to focus on the unseen and eternal. Darby encourages Christians to find comfort in their trials, knowing that their work for God is never in vain and that true fulfillment comes from a relationship with Christ. He highlights the importance of faith, obedience, and the assurance of God's love and provision in times of need. Ultimately, he calls for a life devoted to Christ, with the hope of eternal glory in His presence.
The Lord Taketh Pleasure in His People
By C.H. Spurgeon0God's LoveAssurance in ChristPSA 37:23ISA 63:9MAT 10:30ROM 8:15EPH 2:4C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the all-encompassing love of Jesus for His people, illustrating that every aspect of their lives is important to Him. He reassures believers that Jesus cares deeply for their mortal concerns, as well as their spiritual well-being, highlighting that even the smallest details, like the number of hairs on their heads, are known to Him. Spurgeon encourages Christians to recognize the vastness of Christ's love, which brings justification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life, and to respond with heartfelt gratitude and devotion. He reminds believers that they are not alone but are cherished children of God, under His watchful care and protection. The sermon calls for a joyful acknowledgment of this divine love and a commitment to reciprocate it wholeheartedly.
The Eagle and Her Young
By J.C. Philpot0DEU 32:10PSA 17:8PSA 32:8PSA 91:4PSA 139:9ISA 40:31ISA 46:4ISA 63:9ZEP 3:17EPH 1:4J.C. Philpot preaches about God's tender care and guidance over His people, using the analogy of an eagle caring for her young. He emphasizes how God finds His people in a spiritual desert and wilderness, stirring them up, instructing them, and keeping them as the apple of His eye. Philpot highlights the importance of God's providential and gracious leadings in the believer's life, showing how the Lord alone leads, instructs, and cherishes His chosen ones, ensuring their safety and growth in faith.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The next v. commemorates the way in which He proved Himself a Saviour in heart and action. "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His face brought them salvation. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and lifted them up, and bare them all the days of the olden time." This is one of the fifteen passages in which the chethib has לא, the keri לו. It is only with difficulty that we can obtain any meaning from the chethib: "in all the affliction which He brought upon them He did not afflict, viz., according to their desert" (Targ., Jer., Rashi); or better still, as tsâr must in this case be derived from tsūr, and tsăr is only met with in an intransitive sense, "In all their distress there was no distress" (Saad.), with which J. D. Michaelis compares Co2 4:8, "troubled on every side, yet not distressed." The oxymoron is perceptible enough, but the להם (צר לא), which is indispensable to this expression, is wanting. Even with the explanation, "In all their affliction He was not an enemy, viz., Jehovah, to them" (Dderlein), or "No man persecuted them without the angel immediately," etc. (Cocceius and Rosenmller), we miss להם or אתם. There are other still more twisted and jejune attempts to explain the passage with לא, which are not worth the space they occupy. Even in the older translators did not know how to deal with the לא in the text. The Sept. takes tsăr as equivalent to tsı̄r, a messenger, and renders the passage according to its own peculiar interpunctuation: οὐ πρέσβυς οὐδὲ ἄγγελος ἀλλ ̓ αὐτὸς ἔσωσεν αὐτούς (neither a messenger nor an angel, but His face, i.e., He Himself helped them: Exo 33:14-15; Sa2 17:11). Everything forces to the conclusion that the keri לו is to be preferred. The Masora actually does reckon this as one of the fifteen passages in which לו is to be read for לא. (Note: There are fifteen passages in which the keri substitutes לו for לא. See Masora magna on Lev 11:21 (Psalter, ii. 60). If we add Isa 49:5; Ch1 11:20; Sa1 2:16, there are eighteen (Comm. on Job, at Job 13:15). But the first two of these are not reckoned, because they are doubtful; and in the third, instead of לּו being substituted for לא, לא is substituted for לו (Ges. Thes. 735, b). Sa2 19:7 also is not a case in point, for there the keri is לוּ for לא.) Jerome was also acquainted with this explanation. He says: "Where we have rendered it, 'In all their affliction He was not afflicted,' which is expressed in Hebrew by lo, the adverb of negation, we might read ipse; so that the sense would be, 'In all their affliction He, i.e., God, was afflicted.' " If we take the sentence in this way, "In all oppression there was oppression to Him," it yields a forcible thought in perfect accordance with the Scripture (compare e.g., Jdg 10:16), an expression in harmony with the usage of the language (compare tsar-lı̄, Sa2 1:26), and a construction suited to the contents (לו = ipsi). There is nothing to surprise us in the fact that God should be said to feel the sufferings of His people as His own sufferings; for the question whether God can feel pain is answered by the Scriptures in the affirmative. He can as surely as everything originates in Him, with the exception of sin, which is a free act and only originates in Him so far as the possibility is concerned, but not in its actuality. Just as a man can feel pain, and yet in his personality keep himself superior to it, so God feels pain without His own happiness being thereby destroyed. And so did He suffer with His people; their affliction was reflected in His own life in Himself, and shared Him inwardly. But because He, the all-knowing, all-feeling One, is also the almighty will, He sent the angel of His face, and brought them salvation. "The angel of His face," says Knobel, "is the pillar of cloud and fire, in which Jehovah was present with His people in the march through the desert, with His protection, instruction, and guidance, the helpful presence of God in the pillar of cloud and fire." But where do we ever read of this, that it brought Israel salvation in the pressure of great dangers? Only on one occasion (Exo 14:19-20) does it cover the Israelites from their pursuers; but in that very instance a distinction is expressly made between the angel of God and the pillar of cloud. Consequently the cloud and the angel were two distinct media of the manifestation of the presence of God. They differed in two respects. The cloud was a material medium - the evil, the sign, and the site of the revealed presence of God. The angel, on the other hand, was a personal medium, a ministering spirit (λειτουργικὸν πνεῦμα), in which the name of Jehovah was indwelling for the purpose of His own self-attestation in connection with the historical preparation for the coming of salvation (Exo 23:21). He was the mediator of the preparatory work of God in both word and deed under the Old Testament, and the manifestation of that redeeming might and grace which realized in Israel the covenant promises given to Abraham (Gen 15). A second distinction consisted in the fact that the cloud was a mode of divine manifestation which was always visible; whereas, although the angel of God did sometimes appear in human shape both in the time of the patriarchs and also in that of Joshua (Jos 5:13.), it never appeared in such a form during the history of the exodus, and therefore is only to be regarded as a mode of divine revelation which was chiefly discernible in its effects, and belonged to the sphere of invisibility: so that in any case, if we search in the history of the people that was brought out of Egypt for the fulfilment of such promises as Exo 23:20-23, we are forced to the conclusion that the cloud was the medium of the settled presence of God in His angel in the midst of Israel, although it is never so expressed in the thorah. This mediatorial angel is called "the angel of His face," as being the representative of God, for "the face of God" is His self-revealing presence (even though only revealed to the mental eye); and consequently the presence of God, which led Israel to Canaan, is called directly "His face" in Deu 4:37, apart from the angelic mediation to be understood; and "my face" in Exo 33:14-15, by the side of "my angel" in Exo 32:34, and the angel in Exo 33:2, appears as something incomparably higher than the presence of God through the mediation of that one angel, whose personality is completely hidden by his mediatorial instrumentality. The genitive פניו, therefore, is not to be taken objectively in the sense of "the angel who sees His face," but as explanatory, "the angel who is His face, or in whom His face is manifested." The הוּא which follows does not point back to the angel, but to Jehovah, who reveals Himself thus. But although the angel is regarded as a distinct being from Jehovah, it is also regarded as one that is completely hidden before Him, whose name is in him. He redeemed them by virtue of His love and of His chemlâh, i.e., of His forgiving gentleness (Arabic, with the letters transposed, chilm; compare, however, chamūl, gentle-hearted), and lifted them up, and carried them (נשּׂא the consequence of נטּל, which is similar in sense, and more Aramaean; cf., tollere root tal, and ferre root bhar, perf. tuli) all the days of the olden time. The prayer passes now quite into the tone of Ps 78 and 106, and begins to describe how, in spite of Jehovah's grace, Israel fell again and again away from Jehovah, and yet was always rescued again by virtue of His grace. For it is impossible that it should leap at once in והמּה to the people who caused the captivity, and ויּזכּר have for its subject the penitential church of the exiles which was longing for redemption (Ewald). The train of thought is rather this: From the proofs of grace which the Israel of the olden time had experienced, the prophet passes to that disobedience to Jehovah into which it fell, to that punishment of Jehovah which it thereby brought upon itself, and to that longing for the renewal of the old Mosaic period of redemption, which seized it in the midst of its state of punishment. But instead of saying that Jehovah did not leave this longing unsatisfied, and responded to the penitence of Israel with ever fresh help, the prophet passes at once from the desire of the old Israel for redemption, to the prayer of the existing Israel for redemption, suppressing the intermediate thought, that Israel was even now in such a state of punishment and longing.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
he was afflicted--English Version reads the Hebrew as the Keri (Margin), does, "There was affliction to Him." But the Chetib (text) reads, "There was no affliction" (the change in Hebrew being only of one letter); that is, "In all their affliction there was no (utterly overwhelming) affliction" [GESENIUS]; or, for "Hardly had an affliction befallen them, when the angel of His presence saved them" [MAURER]; or, as best suits the parallelism, "In all their straits there was no straitness in His goodness to them" [HOUBIGANT], (Jdg 10:16; Mic 2:7; Co2 6:12). angel of his presence--literally, "of His face," that is, who stands before Him continually; Messiah (Exo 14:19; Exo 23:20-21; Pro 8:30), language applicable to no creature (Exo 32:34; Exo 33:2, Exo 33:14; Num 20:16; Mal 3:1). bare them-- (Isa 46:3-4; Isa 40:11; Exo 19:4; Deu 32:11-12).
John Gill Bible Commentary
In all their affliction he was afflicted,.... That is, God, who said the above words; not properly speaking; for to be afflicted is not consistent with his nature and perfections, being a spirit, and impassible; nor with his infinite and complete happiness; but this is said after the manner of men, and is expressive of the sympathy of God with his afflicted people, and his tender care of them, and concern for them under affliction, as one friend may have for another: afflictions belong to the people of God; they come to them, not by chance, but according to the will of God; and are not in wrath, but in love; they are many and various; there is an "all" of them, yet not one too many, and in everyone of them God is afflicted, or sympathizes with them: as he looked upon the affliction of the people of Israel, in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, and had compassion upon them, and saved them, so he visits all his people when afflicted, and pities them, and speaks comfortably to them; knows and owns their souls in adversity; makes known himself to them; grants them his gracious presence; puts underneath them his everlasting arms; makes their bed in their affliction, and supplies their wants; and this sympathy arises from their union to him, from his relation to them as a Father, and from his great love to them. There is a double reading of these words; the marginal reading is, "in all their affliction there is affliction to him" (t); or, "he was afflicted"; which our version follows: the textual reading is, "there is no affliction"; or, "he was not afflicted" (u); he seemed to take no notice of their affliction, or be concerned at it, that he might the sooner bring them to a sense of themselves and their sins, Hos 5:15. The Targum follows this reading, and renders it actively, "and he afflicted them not" (w): they were indeed in affliction, but they, and not he, brought it upon them, and by their sins. Some render it, "he was no enemy" (x); though he afflicted them, yet not in wrath, but love; or, "in all their straits there was no strait" (y); the Israelites were in straits when Pharaoh's army pursued them behind, the rocks were on both sides them, and the sea before them, and yet there was no strait as it were, they were so soon delivered out of it; and so it may be read, "in all their afflictions there was no affliction"; there is so much love in the afflictions of God's people, and they work so much for their good, and they are so soon delivered out of them, that they scarce deserve the name of afflictions; and so both readings may be taken in, "in all their afflictions there was no affliction to him"; or to them, to Israel, to the people of God: and the Angel of his presence saved them; not Michael, as Jarchi; but the Messiah is here meant; the Angel of the covenant, the Angel which went before the Israelites in the wilderness, Exo 23:20 not a created angel, or an angel by nature, but by office; being sent of God, as the word signifies, on the errand and business of salvation; called "the Angel of God's presence", or "face", because his face was seen in him; his name, and nature, and perfections were in him; he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person besides, the presence of God was always with him; he is the "Ithiel", the Word that was with God, and with whom God always was; who lay in the bosom of his Father, and was ever with him; and who also, as Mediator, introduces his people into the presence of God, and always appears in it for them as their advocate and intercessor: now to him salvation is ascribed; he saved Israel out of Egypt, and out of the hands of all their enemies in the wilderness; and which salvation was typical of the spiritual, eternal, and complete salvation, which is only by Christ, and issues in eternal glory: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and from all their enemies, which was owing to his great love to them, which operated in a way of mercy, pity, and compassion, Hos 11:1, and it is he who has redeemed the spiritual Israel of God, not by power only, but by price, from sin, Satan, and the law, death, and hell, with a spiritual and eternal redemption, and which flows from his love to those persons; hence he undertook to be their Redeemer; came in their nature to redeem them; and gave himself for them for that purpose; which love is wonderful and matchless, and showed itself in pity and compassion; he became a merciful as well as a faithful high priest; he saw them in their low estate, pitied them, and delivered them out of it: and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old; he bore them in his bosom, and in his arms, as a nursing father his child; he carried them, as on eagles' wings, from the time of their coming out of Egypt, to their settlement in Canaan's land, Num 11:12 he bore with their manners for forty years, and carried them through all their trials and difficulties, and supported them under them, and brought them out of them all, Act 13:18 and so he bears all his people on his heart, and in his hands, and bears them up under all their temptations and afflictions; and, from the time of their conversion, carries on his work in them, and carries them safe to heaven, as the great Captain of their salvation, and never leaves them, nor forsakes them; see Isa 46:3. (t) "angustia ipsi fuit", Calvin, Grotius; "ipse fuit contribulatus", Munster; "ipsi fuit angustum", Vitringa. (u) "non angustia, Montanus; non afflictus est", Tigurine version. (w) "Non affecit eos angustia", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "non coarctavit eos, sub. Deus, vel angustia", Forerius, (x) "Non fuit hostis", Gataker; so Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 423. (y) "In omni angustia eorum non augustia", Montanus.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
63:9 he also suffered: God identified with his suffering people, and their suffering brought him grief. Later, Jesus suffered on behalf of all humanity. • and he personally rescued them: e.g., see Exod 12:25-33; 14:10-31; 23:20-23.