Calvin's on Isaiah 27:1
COM commentary-section · status:draft · license:PD
1. In that day. Here the Prophet speaks in general of the judgment of God, and thus includes the whole of Satan’s kingdom. Having formerly spoken of the vengeance of God to be displayed against tyrants and wicked men who have shed innocent blood, he now proceeds farther, and publishes the proclamation of this vengeance. On leviathan. The word “leviathan” is variously interpreted; but in general it simply denotes either a large serpent, or whales and sea-fishes, which approach to the character of monsters on account of their huge size. (189) A1though this description applies to the king of Egypt, yet under one class he intended also to include the other enemies of the Church. For my own part, I have no doubt that he speaks allegorically of Satan and of his whole kingdom, describing him under the figure of some monstrous animal, and at the same time glancing at the crafty wiles by which he glosses over his mischievous designs. In this manner he intended to meet many doubts by which we are continually assailed, when God declares that he will assist us, and when we experience, on the other hand, the strength, craft, and deceitfulness of Satan. Wonderful are the stratagems with which he comes prepared for doing mischief, and dreadful the cruelty which he exercises against the children of God. But the Prophet shews that all this will not prevent the Lord from destroying and overthrowing this kingdom. It is indeed certain that this passage does not relate to Satan himself, but to his agents or instruments, (190) by which he governs his kingdom and annoys the Church of God. Now, though this kingdom is defended by innumerable cunning devices, and is astonishingly powerful, yet the Lord will destroy it. To convince us of this, the Prophet contrasts with it the Lord’s sword, hard, and great, and strong, by which he will easily slay an enemy that is both strong and crafty. It ought therefore to be observed, that we have continually to do with Satan as with some wild beast, and that the world is the sea in which we sail. We are beset by various wild beasts, which endeavor to upset our ship and sink us to the bottom; and we have no means of defending ourselves and resisting them, if the Lord do not aid us. Accordingly, by this description the Prophet intended to describe the greatness of the danger which threatens us from enemies so powerful and so full of rage and of cunning devices. We should quickly be reduced to the lowest extremity, and should be utterly ruined, did not God oppose and meet them with his invincible power; for by his sword alone can this pernicious kingdom of Satan be destroyed. But we must observe what he says in the beginning of the verse, In that day . It means that Satan is permitted, for some time, to strengthen and defend his kingdom, but that it will at length be destroyed; as Paul also declares, “God will quickly bruise Satan under your feet.” ( Romans 16:20 .) By this promise he shews that the time for war is not yet ended, and that we must fight bravely till that enemy be subdued, who, though he has been a hundred times vanquished, ceases not to renew the warfare. We must therefore fight with him continually, and must resist the violent attacks which he makes upon us; but, in order that we may not be discouraged, we must keep our eye on that day when his strong arm shall be broken. On leviathan the piercing serpent, and on leviathan the crooked serpent. The epithets applied to “leviathan” describe, on the one hand, his tricks and wiles, and, on the other hand, his open violence; but at the same time intimate that he is endued with invincible power. Since בריח ( bārīăch ) signifies a crowbar, that word denotes metaphorically the power of piercing, either on account of venomous bites or on account of open violence. The second name, עקלתון , ( gnăkāllāthōn ,) is derived from the verb עקל , ( gnākăl ,) to bend ; and hence it comes to be applied to crooked and tortuous foldings. (189) “The word leviathan , which, from its etymology, appears to mean contorted , coiled , is sometimes used to denote particular species, ( e.g. , the crocodile,) and sometimes as a generic term for huge aquatic animals, or the larger kind of serpents, in which sense the corresponding term! תנין ( tănnīn ) is also used. They both appear to be employed in this case to express the indefinite idea of a formidable monster, which is in fact the sense now commonly attached to the word dragon . ” — Alexander FT447 Ses organes et instrumens FT448 “ Chantez à la vigne rouge ;” — “Sing to the red vineyard.” Ft449 See Commentary on Isaiah, vol. 1 p. 162 FT450 “ Si quelqu’un est de cet advis, je n’empesche point qu’il ne le suive ;” — “If any one is of that opinion, I do not hinder him from following it.” FT451 “ Tellement qu’il est constraint comme l’emprunter d’ailleurs quand il se courrouce ;” — “So that he is compelled, as it were, to borrow it from another quarter when he is enraged.” FT452 That is, instead of making it the beginning of the following sentence, “in battle (or, in a hostile manner) I will pass through them,” it might be read as the conclusion of the question, “Who shall engage me with briers and thorns in battle?” And this concluding suggestion accords with our English version. — Ed FT453 “Of the various senses ascribed to או , (ō,) such as unless, oh that if , etc., the only one justified by usage is the disjunctive sense of or . ” — Alexander FT454 “ Ils sentiront la pesanteur de ma main ;” — “They shall feel the weight of my hand.” FT455 That is, our Author is of opinion that או (ō) frequently has the same force as the Latin interrogative particle An . — Ed FT456 “ Ce vaut-neant-ci ;” — “This good-for-nothing.” FT457 “ Sans feintise ;” — “Without hypocrisy.” FT458 Such is Calvin’s translation of באים , (bāīm,) coming , which, occupying a somewhat anomalous position at the beginning of the verse, has perplexed the critics. The usual and best defended supplement is ימים , ( yāmīm ,) days , a
Pericope (part_of)
- part_of
pericope/per-isa-27-001
절 (explains)
Source
source-manifest/cal— Calvin's Commentaries (PD)- evidence_grade: T_theological