John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 28:5

"In that day will Jehovah of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people;" — Isaiah 28:5 (ASV)

In that day shall the Lord of hosts. After speaking of the kingdom of Israel, he passes to the tribe of Judah and shows that, amidst this severe vengeance of God, there will still be room for compassion. He shows that although ten tribes perished, the Lord will still preserve some remnant, which He will consecrate to Himself, so that there will be in it a crown of glory and a diadem of excellence, that is, the Church is never disfigured in such a way that the Lord does not adorn it with beauty and splendor.

Yet I do not extend this prophecy indiscriminately to all the Jews, but only to the elect who were wonderfully rescued from death. For although he calls the tribe and half-tribe a remnant when compared with the other ten tribes, as we advance, we will see that he makes a distinction between the tribe of Judah itself and the others.

Nor should we wonder that the Prophet speaks differently about the same people, sometimes directing his discourse to a body corrupted by crimes, and sometimes to the elect. Certainly, when compared with the ten tribes that had revolted from the worship of God and from the unity of faith, he justly calls the Jews a remnant of the people. However, when he sets aside this comparison and considers what they are in themselves, he justly remonstrates against their corruptions.

I am aware that some interpret it differently because of what is said immediately afterward about wine and strong drink (verse 7). They think that this statement should be viewed in connection with the beginning of the chapter. Yet perhaps the Lord spares the Jews. But how would He spare them?

They are in no respect better than the others, for they are equally at fault and must also be exposed to the same punishments. But those commentators do not consider that the Prophet presents an instance of God’s extraordinary kindness: not exercising His vengeance simultaneously against the whole family of Abraham, but, after overthrowing the kingdom of Israel, granting a truce to the Jews to see if they would in any degree repent.

Nor do they consider that, by the same means, he uses the circumstance he had stated to highlight the people’s ingratitude. That is, they should have been instructed by their brothers’ example, for the calamity of Israel should have aroused and moved them to repentance. However, it produced no impression on them and did not make them better.

Therefore, although they were unworthy of such great benefits, the Lord was pleased to preserve His Church in their midst. This is the reason He rescued the tribe of Judah and the half-tribe of Benjamin from that calamity.

Now, since the tribe of Judah was a small portion of the nation and therefore was despised by the haughty Israelites, the Prophet declares that in God alone there are enough riches and glory to supply all earthly defects. From this he shows what is the true method of our salvation: namely, if we place our happiness in God. For as soon as we turn to the world, we gather fading flowers, which immediately wither and decay.

This madness reigns everywhere, and more than it should among us: that we wish to be happy without God—that is, without happiness itself.

Besides, Isaiah shows that no calamities, however grievous, can prevent God from adorning His Church. For when it appears that everything is on the verge of destruction, God will still be a crown of glory to His people. It is also worthy of observation that Isaiah promises new splendor to the Church only when the multitude is diminished, so that believers may not lose courage because of that dreadful calamity that was near.