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| 1 For Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in rest in their own land; and the stranger shall be united to them, and they shall be joined to the house of Jacob. |
Mercy on Jacob – Natural Israel. A300
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| 2 And the peoples shall take them and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of Jehovah for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors. |
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| 3 And it shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy trouble and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, |
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| 4 that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased, --the exactress of gold ceased! |
Of Babylon – Mystic Babylon, Christendom. D26
The golden city – The exactress of gold, see margin. D473
Ceased! – Gone to sheol, oblivion. Babylon shall be utterly lost sight of and forgotten. E369[E369]
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| 5 Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers. |
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| 6 He that smote the peoples in wrath with a relentless stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted unsparingly. |
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| 7 The whole earth is at rest, is quiet: they break forth into singing. |
Earth is at rest – Will be, as a result of the establishment of God's Kingdom. R3053:4, R1248:5
Into singing – The prospect even now puts a new song into our mouths. R1262:3
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| 8 Even the cypresses rejoice at thee, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. |
The fir trees – The Lord's people. R480:5*
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| 9 Sheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming, stirring up the dead for thee, all the he-goats of the earth; making to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations. |
Hell from beneath – Sheol, oblivion (Margin: grave). E369; R2599:5
The preface to the Revised Version says that the word "hell" was left in this passage because of the familiarity of the passage. Elsewhere they translate "sheol" with either "grave" or "pit." R829:1*
Learned translators could not agree to render this word "grave" or "tomb" and left it untranslated. PD29/41
At thy coming – At the destruction of Great Babylon, soon. E369
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| 10 All of them shall answer and say unto thee, Art thou also become powerless as we; art thou become like unto us! |
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| 11 --Thy pomp is brought down to Sheol, the noise of thy lyres: the maggot is spread under thee, and worms cover thee. |
Pomp is brought down – Babylon's greatness will soon be a thing of the past. E369
To the grave – Sheol, oblivion, not to a burning hell. E369; R2600:2
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| 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! Thou art cut down to the ground, that didst prostrate the nations! |
How art thou fallen – This description primarily fits Satan's own course, and in a secondary sense is applicable to the rise and fall of literal Babylon; and in a yet further sense to the rise and fall of mystic Babylon. F618[F618:1]
From heaven – God has found it necessary to perform the unpleasant duties of discipline. In justice he must disown the disloyal sons and deal with them as enemies. R1833:4[R1833:6]
Lucifer – A glorious angelic being of a high order. OV306:3; SM63:1; R5843:3[R5843:7]
The shining one, God's first opponent. R5896:1[R5896:3]
His name was changed to that of Satan, meaning the hater, the accuser. R5896:1[R5896:3]
Primarily Satan, whose existence many deny. F609[F609:1]
Secondarily, applies to literal and mystic Babylon. F618; R1686:2
Son of the morning – One of the earliest of creation. R1642:1, R1686:1
If Satan had known the results of his course, he probably would not have taken it. R5576:5
Cut down to the ground – Limited to the earth and sentenced to final destruction. R1686:3
Cut off from all association with holy beings. R5896:1
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Lucifer – Means 'shining one' or 'light-bearer' or 'day-star'.
Son of the morning – Variously translated also as 'son of the dawn,' 'star of the morning'.
This is what this beautiful angel had but lost because of his vanity. This title, "son of the morning," has been given to our Lord because of His faithfulness. Rev. 22:16 |
| 13 And thou that didst say in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of *God, and I will sit upon the mount of assembly, in the recesses of the north; |
I will ascend – Ambition is good, but only when it is based on humility. Any spirit that does not respect God's wisdom is foolish. R5186:2
Lucifer had long cherished in his heart ambitious designs. PD15/24; R4928:6, R5665:3
A man has no right to aspire to be an angel, never having been invited to that position; nor has an angel any right to aspire to the divine nature, that never having been offered to him. A189
It was by permitting pride and ambition to gain control of his heart that Satan became an opponent of God and of righteousness. R5183:3
"Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased." (Luke 14:11) A189; R5844:5
Ambition is necessary in the Church, as in the world; but it must not be a selfish ambition for greatness or prominence, but a loving ambition to serve the Lord and his people, even the very humblest. F296
He became ambitious to become some great one, thereby necessitating his abasement; for "pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov. 16:18) R1892:3
Illustrating the principle that no kind of pride is more detestable in God's sight than pride of the truth. R5001:1
Nothing in the Scriptures indicates that Satan assumed any evil disposition or opposition to the Almighty prior to his seduction of our first parents. This was the time of Satan's temptation and fall into sin. R2839:6, R1678:1
Into heaven – Power of spiritual control. A318; R1686:2
Exalt my throne – Authority and rulership. A92
Satan thought to exalt himself; Jesus, to humble himself. R5186:2; E80
Above – A position already filled by the only begotten Son of God. R1686:2
The stars of God – Others of the sons of God. F297, R1686:2
Satan wanted to be higher than the other angels, their captain and leader. SM95:1; R5955:4, R1515:2, R4928:6; OV15:3; PD15/24
Upon the mount – The Kingdom. F618
Of the congregation – God's people. F618
Sides of the north – The Pleiades, in the north, long esteemed the center of the universe, the Throne of Jehovah. F618
The farthest end of the north-universal dominion. R1686:2
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Sides of the north – The North thus being indicated as associated with the Throne of God. See also Psa. 48:2. |
| 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High: |
Like the most High – A monarch, or king, over the human family. E113; R2839:6, R1678:1; OV15:3; SM63:1; PD15/24
His peer, his equal. R4928:6, R1515:2
Not to take Jehovah's place, but to establish a rival dominion. CR425:6; OV15:3; SM63:1, SM95:1
Indicating a covetous, selfish, presumptuous, ambitiously proud spirit, in opposition to God. R5665:3, R5955:4, R5183:3, R5001:2; SM63:1; OV298:4
The ambition to become ruler seems to have developed as he beheld the first human pair with their procreative powers, reasoning that if he could control this man he should have dominion over all his offspring. R1678:1; PD15/24; SM63:1, SM95:1; Q826:T; HG593:6
He thought that if he had an empire of his own he could improve upon the divine order of things. OV306:3
"As God is the Emperor of the entire universe, I should like to be the Emperor of some quarter of it where I might reign supreme and work out my own schemes and plans." Q826:T
He would prefer to be a monarch of happier subjects than the "groaning creation" and is thus willing to become a reformer in all particulars but one--his ambition must be gratified. E113
Satan's claim is contrasted with Jesus', who did not claim equality or aspire to a usurpation of God's authority. (Phil. 2:6, Diaglott) R1686:2, R369:3, R5844:5, R1515:2
The very exaltation which Satan sought and failed to reach by pride and rebellion is, in substance, obtained by the chief messenger who humbled himself and has now been exalted to the divine nature. R490:3
A man has no right to aspire to be an angel, never having been invited to that position; nor has an angel the right to aspire to the divine nature, that never having been offered to him. R612:3
A usurper of divine authority, without divine appointment, and contrary to divine regulation. F297, R1515:2, R4928:6; SM95:1
This language applies also symbolically to the Papacy, for the Papacy is Satan's own work, in his own likeness. R1686:2
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| 15 none the less art thou brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. |
Yet thou shalt be – "God is the Judge, he putteth down one and setteth up another." (Psa. 75:6,7) R5710:5
Down to hell – Sheol, oblivion. F618, R2599:5
The grave, so rendered in verse 11. R2599:5
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| 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee; they shall consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms; |
Is this the man – Perhaps suggesting that Satan would appear as a man in the last days. (In letter from Benjamin Barton. Brother Russell's view is different.) R5866:3*, R5867:1
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| 17 that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that dismissed not his prisoners homewards? |
Of his prisoners – Death's captives. A112
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| 18 --All the kings of the nations, all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house; |
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| 19 but thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, covered with the slain--those thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit: like a carcase trodden under foot. |
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| 20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial; for thou hast destroyed thy land, hast slain thy people. Of the seed of evildoers no mention shall be made for ever. |
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| 21 Prepare ye slaughter for his children, because of the iniquity of their fathers; that they may not rise up and possess the earth, nor fill the face of the world with cities. |
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| 22 For I will rise up against them, saith Jehovah of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and scion and descendant, saith Jehovah. |
For I will rise up – Not wholly fulfilled by Cyrus; much still awaits for fulfilment in mystic Babylon. R2498:3
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| 23 And I will make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith Jehovah of hosts. |
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| 24 Jehovah of hosts hath sworn saying, Assuredly as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand: |
So shall it stand – God's original plan is still in progress. A66; R419:3; HG537:3
We have the assurance that all God's purposes shall be accomplished. R165:5
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| 25 to break the Assyrian in my land; and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot; and his yoke shall depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. |
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| 26 This is the counsel which is purposed concerning the whole earth; and this is the hand which is stretched out upon all the nations. |
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| 27 For Jehovah of hosts hath purposed, and who shall frustrate it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? |
Hath purposed – God knows the end from the beginning; he changes not from his original purpose. R2026:6
Who shall disannul it? – God has a definite and systematic plan for the development of the race by which the largest possible proportion thereof shall be brought to ultimate and permanent good. R902:6*
God's righteous and benevolent plan could know no failure. R1834:6
Turn it back? – Having begun the work of salvation, God does not intend to abandon it. R2690:1
God's plans were perfect before they began to be executed; hence all the changes of God's course or conduct are working out the accomplishment of his original purpose which contemplated these very changes. R2026:6
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| 28 In the year of the death of king Ahaz was this burden: |
King Ahaz died – Check Bible chronology
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| 29 Rejoice not thou, Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a viper, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. |
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| 30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; but I will kill thy root with famine, and thy remnant shall be slain. |
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| 31 Howl, O gate! cry, O city! thou, Philistia, art wholly dissolved; for there cometh from the north a smoke, and none remaineth apart in his gatherings of troops2. |
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| 32 And what shall be answered to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and the afflicted of his people find refuge in it. |
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