---
title: "John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible"
author: "John Wesley"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 183 of 398
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/183/
cite: "John Wesley, John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible, section 183. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/183/"
---

# John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible

*John Wesley*

Wesley's short, plain notes on the Old and New Testaments, verse by verse.

## 183. Isaiah · 1 of 23

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/183/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/183/#p-N

[¶0] Vision - Or, the visions; the word being here collectively used: the sense is, this is the book of the visions or prophecies. As prophets were called Seers, 1Sam 9:9, so prophecies are called visions, because they were as clearly and certainly represented to the prophets minds, as bodily objects are to mens eyes. Saw - Foresaw and foretold. But he speaks, after the manner of the prophets, of things to come, as if they were either past or present. Judah - Principally, but not exclusively. For he prophecies also concerning Egypt and Babylon, and divers other countries; yet with respect to Judah. The days - ln the time of their reign. Whence it may be gathered, that Isaiah exercised his prophetical office above fifty years altogether.

[¶1] Hear - He directs his speech to those senseless creatures, that he might awaken the Israelites, whom he hereby proclaims to be so dull and stupid that they were past hearing, and therefore calls in the whole creation of God to bear witness against them. The Lord - This is his plea against them, of the equity whereof he is willing that all the creatures should be judges.

[¶2] Know - Me their owner and master. Knowing is here taken practically, as it is usually in scripture, and includes reverence and obedience.

[¶3] A seed - The children of wicked parents, whose guilt they inherit, and whose evil example they follow. Corrupters - Heb. that corrupt themselves, or others by their counsel and example. Backward - Instead of proceeding forward and growing in grace.

[¶4] Head - The very head and heart of the body politick, from whence the plague is derived to all the other members.

[¶5] In your presence - Which your eye shall see to torment you, when there is no power in your hands to deliver you. As - Heb. as the overthrow of strangers, that is, which strangers bring upon a land which is not likely to continue in their hands, and therefore they spare no persons, and spoil and destroy all things, which is not usually done in wars between persons of the same, or of a neighbouring nation.

[¶6] Is left - Is left solitary, all the neighbouring villages and country round about it being laid waste.

[¶7] Of Sodom - So called for their resemblance of them in wickedness. The law - The message which I am now to deliver to you from God, your great lawgiver.

[¶8] To me - Who am a spirit, and therefore cannot be satisfied with such carnal oblations, but expect to have your hearts and lives, as well as your bodies and sacrifices, presented unto me. Blood - He mentions the fat and blood, because these were in a peculiar manner reserved for God, to intimate that even the best of their sacrifices were rejected by him.

[¶9] To appear - Upon the three solemn feasts, or upon other occasions. Who required - The thing I commanded, was not only, nor chiefly, that you should offer external sacrifices, but that you should do it with true repentance, with faith in my promises, and sincere resolutions of devoting yourselves to my service.

[¶10] The solemn meeting - The most solemn day of each of the three feasts, which was the last day.

[¶11] Blood - You are guilty of murder, and oppression.

[¶12] Wash - Cleanse your hearts and hands.

[¶13] Learn - Begin to live soberly, righteously, and godly. Judgment - Shew your religion to God, by practising justice to men. Judge - Defend and deliver them.

[¶14] If - If you are fully resolved to obey all my commands. Shall eat - Together with pardon, you shall receive temporal and worldly blessings.

[¶15] The city - Jerusalem, which in the reign of former kings was faithful to God. An harlot - Is filled with idolatry. Murderers - Under that one gross kind, he comprehends all sorts of unrighteous men and practices.

[¶16] Rebellious - Against me their sovereign Lord. Companions of thieves - Partly by giving them connivance and countenance, and partly by practising the same violence, and cruelty, and injustice that thieves used to do. Gifts - That is, bribes given to pervert justice.

[¶17] And purge - I will purge out of thee, those wicked men that are incorrigible, and for those of you that are curable, I will by my word, and by the furnace of affliction, purge out all that corruption that yet remains in you.

[¶18] Thy counsellors - Thy princes shall hearken to wise and faithful counsellors. Called faithful - Thou shalt be such.

[¶19] Redeemed - Shall be delivered from all their enemies and calamities. With - Or, by judgment, that is, by God's righteous judgment, purging out those wicked and incorrigible Jews, and destroying their unmerciful enemies. Converts - Heb. her returners, those of them who shall come out of captivity into their own land. Righteousness - Or, by righteousness, either by my faithfulness, in keeping my promise, or by my goodness.

[¶20] The oaks - Which, after the manner of the Heathen, you have consecrated to idolatrous uses. Gardens - In which, as well is in the groves, they committed idolatry.

[¶21] The strong - Your idols, which you think to be strong and able to defend you. As tow - Shall be as suddenly and easily, consumed by my judgments, as tow is by fire. The maker - Of the idol, who can neither save himself nor his workmanship.

[¶22] The word - Or, the matter or thing, as this Hebrew word commonly signifies; the prophecy or vision.

[¶23] In the last days - In the times of the Messiah. For Christ's institutions were to continue to the end of the world. The mountain - The temple of the Lord which is upon mount Moriah; which yet is not to be understood literally of that material temple, but mystically of the church of God; as appears from the flowing of all nations to it, which was not to that temple, nor indeed was fulfilled 'till that temple was destroyed. Exalted - Shall be placed and settled in a most conspicuous and glorious manner, being advanced above all other churches and kingdoms.

[¶24] The law - The new law, the doctrine of the gospel, which is frequently called a law, because it hath the nature and power of a law, obliging us no less to the belief and practice of it, than the old law did.

[¶25] The light - Take heed that you do not reject that light which is so clear that even the blind Gentiles will discern it.

[¶26] Therefore - For the following reasons. Thou - Wilt certainly forsake and reject. Thy people - The body of that nation. Because - Their land is full of the idolatrous manners of the eastern nations, the Syrians and Chaldeans. Philistines - Who were infamous for those practices. They please - They delight in their company, and conversation, making leagues, and friendships, and marriages with them.

[¶27] Treasures - They have heaped up riches, and still are greedily pursuing after more.

[¶28] The great man - Men of all ranks fall down and worship idols.

[¶29] Enter - Such calamities are coming upon you, that you will be ready to hide yourselves in rocks and caves of the earth, for fear of the glorious and terrible judgments of God.

[¶30] The day - The time of God's taking vengeance upon sinners.

[¶31] The cedars - The cedars and oaks on the mountains shall be either thrown down by furious winds or earthquakes, or torn in pieces by thunder and lightning; and the stately houses built with cedars and oaks, shall be destroyed.

[¶32] Hills - To which men used to betake themselves in times of danger.

[¶33] Wall - To which you trusted for your defence.

[¶34] Tarshish - The ships of the sea, as that word is used, Psal 48:7, whereby you fetched riches from the remote parts of the world.

[¶35] They - The idolatrous Israelites.

[¶36] Shall cast - Into the meanest and darkest places, in which moles and bats have their abode.

[¶37] Cease ye - Never admire or place your trust in man. Breath - Whose breath is quickly stopped and taken away. Wherein - What excellency is in him, considered in himself, and without dependence on God?

[¶38] The judge - The civil magistrates. The ancient - Whose wisdom was increased by long experience.

[¶39] Oppressed - By thy command or permission of such childish rulers.

[¶40] Thou hast - We are utterly undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something left to support the dignity which we offer to thee. Under thine hand - To heal it.

[¶41] An healer - A repairer of the ruins of the state.

[¶42] The shew - Their pride, and wantonness, and impiety m manifestly shews itself in their very looks. They declare - They act it publickly, casting off all fear of God and reverence to men. Rewarded - Procured a fit recompense for their wickedness, even utter ruin.

[¶43] Say ye - O ye priests and Levites, that God will be their safeguard and portion.

[¶44] Women - Weak and effeminate rulers. They - Thy rulers civil and ecclesiastical.