John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 27

In that day. Here the Prophet speaks generally of the judgment of God, and thus includes the whole of Satan’s kingdom. Having previously spoken of the vengeance of God to be displayed against tyrants and wicked men who have shed innocent blood, he now proceeds further and publishes the proclamation of this vengeance.

On leviathan. The word “leviathan” is variously interpreted, but generally, it simply denotes either a large serpent, or whales and sea-fishes, which approach the character of monsters on account of their huge size. Although this description applies to the king of Egypt, yet under one class, he also intended 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 alluding to the crafty wiles by which he glosses over his mischievous designs. In this manner, he intended to address 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 shows 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, 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. We should therefore observe that we continually have 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 does not aid us.

Accordingly, by this description, the Prophet intended to describe the greatness of the danger that threatens us from enemies so powerful and so full of rage and of cunning devices. We would quickly be reduced to the lowest extremity and would be utterly ruined if God did not 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 eventually be destroyed, as Paul also declares, “God will quickly bruise Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). By this promise, he shows that the time for war is not yet ended, and that we must fight bravely until that enemy is subdued, who, though he has been vanquished a hundred times, does not cease to renew the warfare. We must therefore fight with him continually and must resist the violent attacks which he makes upon us; but, so that we may not be discouraged, we must keep our eye on that day when his strong arm will 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 endowed with invincible power. Since בריח (bārīăch) signifies a crowbar, that word metaphorically denotes 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 so it comes to be applied to crooked and tortuous foldings.

Sing to the vineyard of redness. He now shows that all this will promote the salvation of the Church, for the Lord attends to the interests of his people, whom he has taken under his guardianship and protection. Therefore, in order that the Church may be restored, Satan and all his kingdom shall be utterly destroyed. The object of all the vengeance which God takes on his enemies is to show that he takes care of the Church; and although in this passage the Prophet does not name the Church, he shows plainly enough that he addresses her in this congratulation.

This figure conveys the meaning even more strongly than if he had spoken expressly of the people of Israel; for since the whole excellence of a vineyard depends partly on the soil in which it is planted, and partly on diligent cultivation, if the Church of God is a vineyard, we infer that its excellence is owing to nothing else than the undeserved favor of God and the uninterrupted continuance of his kindness. The same metaphor also expresses God’s astonishing love towards the Church, of which we spoke largely in the fifth chapter.

He calls it a vineyard of redness, that is, very excellent; for in Scripture, if we compare various passages, “red wine” denotes excellence. He says that this song may at that time be sung in the Church, and foretells that, though it would in the meantime be reduced to fearful ruin and lie desolate and waste, yet afterwards it will be restored in such a manner as to yield fruit plentifully, and this will furnish abundant materials for singing.

I Jehovah keep it. Here the Lord asserts His care and diligence in dressing and guarding the vine, as if He had said that He left nothing undone that belonged to the duty of a provident and industrious householder. Not only does He testify what He will do when the time for gladness and congratulation arrives, but He also relates the blessings which the Jews had already received, so that their hope for the future may be increased.

Yet we must supply an implied contrast with the intermediate period, during which God appeared to have laid aside all care of it, so that at that time it differed little from a wilderness. This then is the reason why the Lord’s vineyard was plundered and laid waste: it was because the Lord forsook it and gave it up as prey to the enemy. From this we infer that our condition will be ruined as soon as the Lord has departed from us; and if He assists, everything will go well.

I will water it every moment. He next mentions two instances of His diligence: that He will water it every moment, and will defend it against the attacks of robbers, cattle, and other annoyances. These are the two things chiefly required in preserving a vineyard: cultivation and protection. Under the word water He includes all that is necessary for cultivation, and promises that He will neglect nothing that can advance it.

But protection must also be added, for it will be to no purpose to have cultivated a vineyard with vast toil if robbers and cattle break in and destroy it. The Lord, therefore, promises that He will grant protection and will not permit it to suffer damage, so that the fruits may ripen well and be gathered in due season.

Though the vine may suffer many attacks, and though enemies and wild beasts may assail it with great violence, God declares that He will intervene to preserve it unhurt and free from all danger. Moreover, since He names a fixed day for singing this song, let us remember that if at any time He ceases to assist us, we ought not entirely to cast away hope; and therefore, if He permits us to be harassed and plundered for a time, still He will eventually show that He has not cast away all care of us.

Fury is not in me. This verse contains excellent consolation, for it expresses the incredible warmth of love which the Lord bears towards His people, though they are of a wicked and rebellious disposition. God assumes, as we shall see, the character of a father who is grievously offended, and who, while he is offended at his son, still more pities him, and is naturally inclined to exercise compassion, because the warmth of his love rises above his anger. In short, He shows that He cannot hate His elect so as not to bear fatherly kindness towards them, even while He visits them with very severe punishments.

Scripture represents God to us in various ways. Sometimes it exhibits Him as burning with indignation and having a fearsome aspect, and sometimes as showing nothing but gentleness and mercy. The reason for this diversity is that we are not all capable of enjoying His goodness. Thus, He is constrained to be perverse towards the perverse and holy towards the holy, as David describes Him (Psalms 18:25). He shows Himself to us as we allow Him to be, for by our rebelliousness we drive Him to severity.

Yet here the Prophet does not speak of all indiscriminately, but only of the Church, whose transgressions He chastises, and whose iniquities He punishes, in such a manner as not to lay aside a father’s affection. This statement must therefore be limited to the Church, so as to denote the relation between God and His chosen people, to whom He cannot manifest Himself otherwise than as a Father, while He burns with rage against the reprobate.

Thus we see how great is the consolation that is here given. For if we know that God has called us, we may justly conclude that He is not angry with us, and that, having embraced us with a firm and enduring regard, it is impossible that He shall ever deprive us of it. It is indeed certain that at that time God hated many persons who belonged to that nation; but, with respect to their adoption, He declares that He loved them.

Now, the more kindly and tenderly that God loved them, the more those who provoked His anger by their wickedness were without excuse. This circumstance is undoubtedly intended to aggravate their guilt: that their wickedness constrains Him, in some measure, to change His disposition towards them. For, having formerly spoken of His gentleness, He suddenly exclaims:

“Who shall engage me in battle with the brier and thorn?” Or, as some render it, “Who shall set me as a brier and thorn?” Yet it might not be amiss also to read, “Who shall bring against me a brier, that I may meet it as a thorn?” for there is no copulative conjunction between those two words.

I willingly adhere to the former opinion: that God wishes to have to deal with thistles or thorns, which He will quickly consume by the fire of His wrath.

If anyone chooses rather to view it as a reproof of those doubts which often arise in us in consequence of unbelief, when we think that God is inflamed with wrath against us, as if He had said, “You are mistaken in comparing me to the brier and thorn,” that is, “You ascribe to me a harsh and cruel disposition,” let him enjoy his opinion, though I think that it is different from what the Prophet means.

Others think that God assumes the character of a man who is provoking Himself to rage, as if He had said, “I do not choose to be any longer so indulgent, or to exercise such forbearance as I have formerly manifested.” But this is so forced that it does not need a lengthy refutation.

It is true, indeed, that since God is gentle and merciful in His nature, and there is nothing that is more foreign to Him than harshness or cruelty, He may be said to borrow a nature that does not belong to Him.

But the interpretation which I have given will of itself be sufficient to refute others: namely, that God complains bitterly that He would as soon fight with thorns as with His vineyard, for when He considers that it is His inheritance, He is compelled to spare it.

I will pass through them in a hostile manner, and utterly consume them. These words confirm my former exposition, for the burning relates to “briers and thorns,” and He declares that, if He had to deal with them, He would burn them all up, but that He acts more gently because it is His vineyard.

Hence we infer that, if God is not enraged against us, this must be attributed not to any merits of men, but to His election, which is of free grace.

By these words, מי יתנני (mi yittĕnēnī), “Who shall give me?” He plainly shows that He has just cause for contending with us, and even for destroying us in a hostile manner, were He not restrained by compassion towards His Church. For we would be as thorns and briers, and would be like wicked men, if the Lord did not separate us from them, that we might not perish along with them.

If the phrase במלחמה (bămmilhāmāh), in battle, which we have translated “in a hostile manner,” is connected with the question, “Who shall set me?” it will agree well with the meaning.

Will she take hold of my strength? או (ō), is frequently a disjunctive conjunction, and therefore this passage is explained as if the particle had been twice used: “Either let her take hold of my strength, or let her make peace with me;” that is, “If she does not enter into favor with me, she will feel my strength to her great loss.” Others explain it somewhat differently: “Who shall take hold of my strength?” that is, “Who shall restrain me?” But I pass by this interpretation, because I consider it to be too far-fetched. I return to that which is more generally received.

It is supposed that God threatens the Jews in order to try all the ways and methods by which they may be brought back to the right path; for God finds it necessary to urge us in various ways, because we are accustomed to abuse his forbearance and goodness. For this reason he frequently threatens to punish us for our ingratitude, as Isaiah appears to do in this passage: “If they do not choose to avail themselves of my kindness, and repent, so that they may return to favor with me, they shall feel my strength, which I have until now restrained.”

Yet another meaning equally appropriate might perhaps be drawn from it, as if God exhorted his people to acknowledge his power, which leads them to seek reconciliation. For from where comes that brutish indifference which makes us view without alarm the wrath of God, but because we do not think of his power with due reverence?

But I prefer to view it as a question, as in other passages it also frequently has this meaning: “Will he take hold of my strength, so as to enter into peace with me?” It is as if a father, anxious and perplexed about his son, were to groan and complain: “Will not this scoundrel allow himself to receive benefit? For I do not know how I should treat him; he cannot endure severity, and he abuses my goodness. What shall I do? I will banish him until he repents, and then he will feel how great is that fatherly power by which I have until now preserved him. Since he does not permit me to exercise forbearance, he must be treated with the utmost rigor of the law. Will he not then perceive how great my power is, so that he may come into a state of favor with me?”

We shall understand this better if we consider that the source of all our distresses is that we are not affected by a sense of the divine goodness. For if we consider the greatness of the blessings which we have received from God, we would quickly be drawn away from our iniquities and transgressions, and would desire to return to a state of favor with him.

Here we see the care for our salvation that our Heavenly Father manifests, who wishes us to take hold of his power and goodness, so that we may know how great it is, and may partake of it more and more abundantly. For he would wish to deal with us on the same familiar terms as with his children, if we did not prevent him by our wickedness.

Since, therefore, we are incapable of enjoying his fatherly tenderness, he must display his strength and majesty, so that, being awed by it and affected by the anticipation of judgment, we may humbly entreat him, and sincerely implore peace and pardon. Now, this is done when we are truly converted to him; for, as long as we please ourselves and flatter our vices, we cannot help but displease him; and, on the other hand, if we enter into peace with him, we must make war against Satan and sin.

How earnestly God desires to be reconciled to us appears even more clearly from the repetition of the words. He might have said, in a single word, that he is merciful and ready to bestow pardon; and therefore, when he twice repeats the words, that he may make peace with me, he declares that willingly and most earnestly he hastens to blot out all our offenses.