John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 49:18

"Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride." — Isaiah 49:18 (ASV)

Lift up your eyes round about. He arouses the Church to survey this magnificent work, as if it were actually before her eyes, and to behold the multitudes of men who will flock into it from every quarter. Now, as this assemblage must have encouraged godly hearts during the dispersion, so those who were eyewitnesses must have been excited to gratitude. This shows clearly that this prediction was useful at both periods, not only while the event was still concealed by hope, but when it had been actually accomplished. Though he speaks to the whole Church at large, yet this discourse relates also to individuals, that all with one accord, and each person separately, may embrace these promises.

When he tells them to lift up their eyes, he means that the reason we are so often cast down is that we do not examine the Lord’s work with due attention, but have a veil placed, as it were, before our eyes, hindering us from seeing what lies at our feet. In consequence of this, we do not cherish any confidence, but in adversity are almost overwhelmed by despair. And if these things are said to the whole Church, let every person consider in their own heart how far they are chargeable with this vice, and let them at once arouse and awaken themselves to behold the works of the Lord, so that they may rely with all their heart on his promises.

All are gathered together. When he says that the elect of the Church are gathered together, he means that, in order for them to become one body under Christ, and, as it were, one fold under one shepherd, (John 10:16) they must be, if we may so express it, gathered into one bosom. Christ reckons and treats as his followers none but those who are joined in one body by unity of faith. Whoever then chooses to be regarded as belonging to the number of the children of God, let them be a child of the Church; for all who are separated from it will be aliens from God.

You shall be clothed as with an ornament. The Prophet shows what is the true ornament of the Church: namely, to have a great number of children, who are brought to her by faith and guided by the Spirit of God. This is true splendor; this is the glory of the Church, which must be filthy and ugly, ragged and disheveled, if she does not have these ornaments.

Hence we see how well the Papists understand the true manner in which the Church ought to be adorned; for their whole attention is given to painted tables, statues, fine buildings, gold, precious stones, and costly garments; that is, they give their whole attention to puppets, like children.

But the true dignity of the Church is internal, insofar as it consists of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of progressive faith and piety. Hence it follows that she is richly provided with her ornaments when the people, joined together by faith, are gathered into her bosom to worship God in a proper manner.

I live, says Jehovah. So that this promise may be more certain, the Lord employs an oath, which is intended to warn us against distrust and to ensure that, when we consider her end is near, we may be certain that she will be fully restored. And if this doctrine was ever necessary, it is especially necessary at the present time; for, wherever we turn our eyes, we meet with nothing but frightful desolation.

What then must we do but, relying on this oath of God, struggle against despair, not be terrified by our being inconsiderable in number, which makes us despised by the world, and not doubt that there are many of the elect, now wandering and scattered, whom God will eventually assemble into his Church? And therefore we ought to encourage our hearts and lift up our eyes by faith, so that we may extend our hope not only to a single age but to the most distant period.