The glories of Christ's kingdom shown in figure.
Isaiah gives us several descriptions of Christ's kingdom, all of them more or less allegorical (see Isaiah 4:2-6; Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 35:1-10; Isaiah 60:1-22). In the present description all is allegory. The blessings of the kingdom are—
I. RICH AND ABUNDANT HARVESTS, by which would seem to be signified a great conversion of the nations by the preaching of the gospel (comp. Matthew 9:1-38:87, 38; John 4:35), together with the display of a great zeal to do abundant good works (Matthew 7:16-20).
II. FREQUENT RAIN; i.e. an abundant shedding upon the earth of the dew of God's blessing; a continued pouring down from him of refreshing, invigorating, healthful, life-giving influences. By these the rich harvests would be produced, the pastures made luxuriant, and God's creatures upon the earth, both men and animals, rendered happy.
III. CONDUITS EVERYWHERE, TO CONVEY THE LIFE-GIVING FLUID FAR AND WIDE. These appear to represent appointed means of grace—artificially constructed channels whereby the heavenly influences are ordinarily communicated to the faithful. They flow everywhere, not only in the valleys and plains, but also upon the mountains and high hills—the remotest and most inaccessible parts of the kingdom.
IV. FLOODS OF LIGHT EVERYWHERE AND AT ALL TIMES; i.e. general illumination and enlightenment—the spread of spiritual knowledge and true wisdom through all parts of the Church and all ranks of Christians; the disappearance of spiritual darkness, of ignorance, folly, and blinded consciences. This appears to be mentioned as the crowning glory of all, beyond which description cannot go, and with which therefore the allegorical sketch comes to an end.
The punishments of nations for deliverance, rather than for vengeance.
God "hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth" (Ezekiel 18:32). His justice compels him to punish the wicked, and sometimes requires the destruction even of a nation; but the main object of the Almighty in all such destructions is not to take vengeance on the oppressor, but to deliver the oppressed. Assyria, and the nations leagued with her, had now by their wickedness, their pride, their blasphemy, their cruelty, their idolatry, their impurity, provoked him, as scarcely ever had he been provoked before. He was about to inflict a signal punishment, the fame of which would spread far and wide. But it was not on the punishment itself, or on the sufferings of those affected by it, that his own eye was fixed. It was on the consequences which would follow to his own people. They would "have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept;" they would have "gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord." The result to them would be the removal of a constant and terrible fear; a feeling of satisfaction and safety; a sense of relief which would for a time be jubilant, and show itself in music and song, perhaps in shouting and dancing. The punishment of the Assyrians would be to them deliverance—a deliverance which, it might be hoped, would convert the heart of the nation to God.