Of the Messiah’s Exaltation
The Lord gave the word, that of authority, with which He intended to come to the aid of His people, the Word of Salvation. Great was the company of those that published it, the reference being to the choruses of women who usually celebrated the victories of Israel, Ex. 15, 20. 21; Judg. 11, 34. Even so in our days the victories of the Cross are celebrated in hymns sung by man and woman, young and old, all Christians joining in the choruses of thanksgiving in honor of the great blessings of God.
V. 12. Kings of armies, hosts being mentioned in ironical contrast to Yahweh of Armies, did flee apace, in utter rout; and she that tarried at home, the woman in the tent, the mistress of the house, in this case the congregation, the Church of Christ, divided the spoil, dealing out richly to all her children the gifts of God’s mercy, as assured by Messiah’s victory.
V. 13. Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold, literally, “If you are encamped between cattle pens, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her pinions with iridescent sheen of gold”; that is, the period of the Messiah is one of great spiritual prosperity, combined with a peaceful enjoyment of God’s blessings, the riches granted by the Gospel being compared with the wonderful play of colors on the feathers of the dove as she preens them in the sun.
V. 14. When the Almighty scattered kings in it, dispersing the attacking hosts of princes, it was white as snow in Salmon, the agreeable whiteness of the snow on the dark mountain picturing the relief which comes to the spiritual Israel with the victory over the enemies.
V. 15. The hill of God, the abode of His Church, is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill, a mount full of peaks, as the hill of Bashan.
V. 16. Why leap ye, ye high hills? the other many-peaked mountains looking with envy upon this abode of the Lord and His Church. This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it forever, and all the powers of darkness will not be able to overthrow the spiritual Zion. V. 17. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, many myriads, even thousands of angels,the innumerable hosts of the angels of God; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the Holy Place, Deut. 33, 2. Thus the victorious might of Jehovah is set forth over against all the puny power of the kings of hosts, whose efforts to overthrow the Church of God are invariably frustrated, Matt. 16, 18.
THE EXALTATION AND REIGN OF MESSIAH. — V. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, to the height, referred by Paul to the ascension of Christ, Eph. 4, 8; for the Champion of His Church, having overcome all His enemies, now gives visible evidence of His victory by ascending in triumph to heaven; Thou hast led captivity captive, Satan and his hosts, who formerly held all mankind captive, now himself being bound with everlasting chains of darkness.
Thou hast received gifts for men, among men, consisting of men, the reference being to the fact that the exalted Christ has chosen certain members of the human race as His own, men who are now subject to Him in the obedience of faith; yea, for the rebellious also, for even such as were formerly rebellious, unwilling to submit to the gentle rule of Messiah, are finally overcome by His mercy, that the Lord God might dwell among them, establishing His Church among the Gentiles also.