John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 54

Shout. After having spoken of the death of Christ, he passes on with good reason to the Church; that we may feel more deeply in ourselves what is the value and efficacy of his death. We cannot behold it in Christ if he is viewed by himself; and therefore, we must come to his body, which is the Church, because Christ suffered for the Church, and not for himself.

And this is the order in our Confession of Faith, for after having professed that we believe in Christ, who suffered and was crucified for us, we add that we believe in the Church, which flowed, as it were, from his side. Accordingly, after having discoursed concerning the death and resurrection and triumph of Christ, he properly comes down to the Church, which ought never to be separated from her Head, so that each individual believer may learn by his own experience that Christ has not suffered in vain.

And if he had not mentioned this doctrine, believers could not have so well strengthened their hearts by the hope of restoring the Church. This congratulation plainly shows that, when Christ shall come forth as a conqueror over death, he will not merely conquer for himself as an individual, but will, at the same time, breathe life into his body.

Thou barren, that didst not bear. He calls the Church “barren,” because no offspring could be expected from her so long as she groaned under wretched bondage; for if anyone had judged her from her outward condition, he would have concluded that she was very near destruction. And even apart from her external wretchedness, there was nothing pure within; everything was corrupted and defiled by superstitions; for they had degenerated into the idolatrous rites of the Gentiles.

The children of the widow. He calls the Church not merely “Barren,” but a “Widow,” though either of them might have taken away the hope of having offspring; but when these two are combined, what else can be expected than wretched destruction? But against such accumulated distress he bids her be of good courage, because she shall have more children than the married woman.

This passage may be explained in two ways: either as a comparison of the Church with the Gentiles, who flourished like “a married woman,” or as a comparison with that condition in which the Church was before the captivity. Both senses will be perfectly admissible.

But I prefer to adopt the simpler view; for I do not think that it is a comparison between two conditions of the Church, but that it is an ordinary form of expression which the Prophet employs in order to denote that this extraordinary fertility of the Church will be at variance with what usually takes place, so that people may not judge her condition by the ordinary course of nature; because the work of God will be extraordinary and wonderful.

And yet I acknowledge that she was at that time in widowhood; for God had long before sent to her by his servants a bill of divorcement, and had actually divorced that nation, by driving it into banishment. But the Prophet declares that this punishment will be temporary, as we shall immediately see more clearly.

Widen the place of your tabernacles. He continues his argument under other metaphors and promises that the Lord will not only restore his Church but will also bestow upon her a far more excellent condition. Those who think that the Church is compared in this passage to a synagogue are, in my opinion, mistaken and only succeed in increasing the obstinacy of the Jews, who perceive that the Prophet’s meaning is distorted. I do indeed acknowledge that these things relate to the kingdom of Christ and that they were eventually fulfilled as soon as the Gospel began to be preached; but it does not therefore follow that the Prophet did not, at the same time, keep his eye on that period which preceded the coming of Christ.

This prophecy began to be fulfilled under Cyrus, who gave the people liberty to return, and afterwards extended to Christ, in whom it has its full accomplishment. The Church therefore conceived when the people returned to their native country, for the body of the people was gathered together from whom Christ would proceed, so that the pure worship of God and true religion might again be revived.

Until then, indeed, this fertility was not visible, for the conception was concealed, as it were, in the mother’s womb, and no outward appearance of it could be seen. But afterwards the people increased, and after the birth, the Church grew from infancy to manhood, until the Gospel was preached. This was the actual youth of the Church, and next follows the age of manhood, extending to Christ’s last coming, when all things will be fully accomplished.

All these things must be taken together if we wish to learn the Prophet’s real meaning. In this way, Zechariah 2:5, Malachi 4:2, and Haggai encouraged the people with the hope of their future condition when they saw that little progress was made in building the temple. For they promised that the glory of the latter temple should be greater than the glory of the former (Haggai 2:9). This was not at all visible, and therefore they extended those promises until Christ; and by hope and confidence in him, the people must have been encouraged to build the temple. Consequently, this consolation was common to the Jews who lived under the Law and to us who see this restoration of the Church more clearly in Christ.

The curtains of your tents. The metaphor is borrowed from tabernacles, which were extensively used in that country. The Church is compared to them because it has no solid building in the world; for it appears to be wandering and unsettled, because it is necessarily moved from one place to another on account of various changes.

But I am still fully persuaded that the Prophet had in his view that former deliverance (as we have stated was customary with the prophets) when, being led through the wilderness, they lived in tents for forty years; for which reason they kept a public festival every year by the command of God (Leviticus 23:39–43).

It will be objected that the building which is erected by the ministers of the Word is so solid that it should not be compared to tabernacles. But I reply, this metaphor of tabernacles relates more to the outward aspect of the Church than to its spiritual and (what may be called) its internal condition.

For the actual building of the Church is nothing other than the kingdom of God, which is not fading or similar to tents. Yet the Church does not cease to be moved from one place to another, for it has no stable or permanent habitation. In short, its solid firmness is such that it surpasses the best-fortified citadels, for, relying on the invincible power of God, it scorns all danger. On the other hand, it resembles tents because earthly wealth, forces, and strength are not its support.

Because thou shalt be multiplied. Now follows the reason why he commanded the cords to be lengthened for enlarging the tents. The reason is that a moderate space would not contain a numerous people, whom the Lord will gather into one from every quarter. Now, because Judea was hideous on account of its ruins and desolation, he says that the forsaken cities shall be inhabited.

Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed. Here, as formerly, he strengthens the hearts of believers and addresses the whole Church, for the calamity was universal, and the Church appeared to be totally ruined. He tells her to be of good cheer and next assigns the reason: that the outcome of her troubles will be such that she “shall not be ashamed,” as if he had said, “Although for a time you are wretched, yet your affairs shall be prosperous.” And as it is elsewhere said, They who hope in the Lord shall not be ashamed (Psalms 25:3).

Blush not; that is, “cherish good hope, and be confident.” Those people “blush” who are ashamed and who, being disappointed in their hope, become disheartened. He next assigns the same reason: “for you shall not be exposed to shame.” I consider that here, as formerly, כי (ki) signifies for; and therefore, the same sentence is twice repeated under a variety of expressions, except that the former clause may relate to the disposition of the heart and the latter to the external cause. But the simpler meaning of both clauses is that it is a promise of success and prosperity, as if he had said that the calamity shall be brought to an end.

Yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth. This is a confirmation of the former clause. He means the calamities which befell the Church while she was still young, and the remembrance of which will be wholly obliterated by the prosperity which she shall afterwards enjoy. We mentioned a little before that widowhood is a term used in regard to her because God had forsaken and, so to speak, had divorced her.

For thy Maker is thy husband. He assigns the reason why she will forget all the distresses and calamities she previously endured. It is because God will again receive her into favor, for captivity might be described as a kind of divorce, as we previously saw (Isaiah 1:1). He now says, “He who created you shall be your husband,” for this is the meaning of the words.

He calls himself the “Maker” of His Church, not only because He created the Church as He created other people, but also because He condescended to adopt her as His heritage; and this privilege may be regarded as a new life. Although the Jews fell from their dignity, as people are quickly led to revolt if they are not renewed by the Spirit of strength, yet their spiritual creation was not wholly extinguished, for the remembrance of the covenant remained, and for this reason God also created them anew.

Whose name is Jehovah of hosts. This refers to His power, so that we may be permitted to glory in it, seeing that we are His children. For the greater the power of God and the more honorable His name, the greater is our boasting, as long as we are His children and do not boast of an empty title. Now, the Prophet magnifies this kindness of God: that He condescends to take us as His wife, so that we may be able to glory in His power and strength.

Thy Redeemer. He calls himself the “Redeemer” so that He may more fully confirm the people in that hope: that, although the former deliverance appeared to be cancelled because the people were again led into captivity, yet they shall be restored in such a way that they will know that the grace of God is not without effect.

Shall be called. The verb, יקרא (yikkare), “shall be called,” may refer either to the name “Redeemer,” to the name “Holy One,” or to both. I willingly connect both together in this manner: “The Holy One of Israel shall be called thy Redeemer, and the God of the whole earth.” He uses the expression “the whole earth” because the name of God had previously been, in some respects, confined to Judea, but by the preaching of the Gospel, the Gentiles have been called to the same hope of salvation (Psalms 76:2). The Lord is the God of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29) as well as of the Jews, for the Gentiles, though previously far off (Ephesians 2:13), have been united with the Jews under His government.