John Gill on Isaiah 45:22
Verse
22. Look unto me,.... And not to idols, nor
to any creature, nor to the works of your hands; to your own righteousness and
doings; to your wounds; to your tears and humiliations; to your own hearts and
frames; to your graces and the exercise of them; all must be looked off of, and
Christ only looked unto by a direct act of faith, for righteousness, for
pardon, for all supplies of grace, and for glory and eternal happiness. He is
to be looked unto as the Son of God, whose glory is the glory of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth; as the Lamb of God that takes
away the sin of the world; as the only Mediator between God and man; as the
Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners; and considered in all his offices and
relations: under all circumstances he is to be looked to; when in the dark,
look to him for light; when dead and lifeless, look to him for life; when weak,
look to him for strength; when sick, look to him for healing; when hungry, look
to him for food; and when disconsolate, look to him for comfort; for none ever
look to him and are ashamed or disappointed, they have what they look for; and
as it is profitable, so pleasant to look to Jesus, and he himself is well
pleased with it; and therefore here encourages to it, adding,
and be ye saved; or, "ye shall be saved"
{e}: Christ is set up in the Gospel, and the ministration of it to be looked
at, that men may be saved by him; and it is the will of God, not only that men
should look to him, but that whosoever sees him, and believes in him, should
not perish, but have everlasting life: the ministers of the Gospel are
appointed to show men the way of salvation by Christ, and to assure them that
he that believes in him shall be saved; and saints in all ages have looked unto
him, and have been saved by him; and therefore this may be taken for a sure and
certain thing, that such that look to Christ, as the Israelites did to the
brasen serpent, the type of him, shall be saved, John 3:14
all the ends of the earth; all that live at the
furthest part of the earth; Christ has a people there, the Father has given him
for his possession, and which are the purchase of his blood, and for whose sins
he became the propitiation; and to these he sends his Gospel and his ministers,
to find them out, and publish salvation to them, and to assure them, that
however distant they are, both as to place and state, yet through looking to
him by faith they shall be saved, even though they are the worst and vilest of
sinners:
for I am God, and there is none else; and so mighty to
save, able to save to the uttermost, all that come to him, and to God by him,
be they where they will; since he is truly God, there is virtue enough in his
blood to pardon sin, and cleanse from it; and in his righteousness to justify
from all sin; and in his sacrifice to expiate it; and therefore sensible
sinners may safely look to him, and venture their souls on him. The Targum is,
"look unto my Word, and be ye saved, &c."