John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven , etc.] Not the day of judgment, as Kimchi and other interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, think; but the day of Christ’s coming in his kingdom and power, to take vengeance on the Jewish nation, which burned like an oven, both figuratively and literally; when the wrath of God, which is compared to fire, came upon that people to the uttermost; and when their city and temple were burnt about their ears, and they were surrounded with fire, as if they had been in a burning oven: and this being so terrible, as can hardly be conceived and expressed, the word “behold” is prefixed to it, not only to excite attention, but horror and terror at so dreadful a calamity; which though future, when the prophet wrote, was certain: and all the proud; yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble ; the proud Pharisees, that boasted of their own righteousness, trusted in themselves, and despised others; all workers of iniquity, in private or in public; all rejecters of Christ, contemners of his Gospel and ordinances, and persecutors of his people; as well as such who were guilty of the most flagitious crimes, as sedition, robbery, murder, etc. of which there were notorious instances during the siege of Jerusalem; these were all like stubble before devouring fire, weak and easily destroyed: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts : which is repeated, to show the certainty of it, and to apply it to the persons before described: that it shall leave them neither root nor branch : which signifies an entire and complete destruction; the city and temple so utterly destroyed, that not one stone shall be left on another; both magistrates and subjects shall perish, priests and people, so that there shall be no form of government, civil nor ecclesiastical; tribes and families lost, they and their posterity: and so the Targum, “which shall not leave them son and nephew:” and, indeed, the numbers cut off were so many, and the destruction so general, that it may be wondered at that any remained: it is a proverbial expression, setting forth the greatness of the calamity; (see Matthew 3:10,12).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-3 - Here is a reference to the first and to the second coming of Christ God has fixed the day of both. Those who do wickedly, who do not fea God's anger, shall feel it. It is certainly to be applied to the day of judgment, when Christ shall be revealed in flaming fire; to execut judgment on the proud, and all that do wickedly. In both, Christ is rejoicing Light to those who serve him faithfully. By the Sun of Righteousness we understand Jesus Christ. Through him believers ar justified and sanctified, and so are brought to see light. Hi influences render the sinner holy, joyful, and fruitful. It is applicable to the graces and comforts of the Holy Spirit, brought int the souls of men. Christ gave the Spirit to those who are his, to shin in their hearts, and to be a Comforter to them, a Sun and a Shield That day which to the wicked will burn as an oven, will to the righteous be bright as the morning; it is what they wait for, more tha those that wait for the morning. Christ came as the Sun, to bring, no only light to a dark world, but health to a distempered world. Soul shall increase in knowledge and spiritual strength. Their growth is a that of calves of the stall, not as the flower of the field, which i slender and weak, and soon withers. The saints' triumphs are all owin to God's victories; it is not they that do this, but God who does it for them. Behold another day is coming, far more dreadful to all tha work wickedness than any which is gone before. How great then the happiness of the believer, when he goes from the darkness and misery of this world, to rejoice in the Lord for evermore!
Original Hebrew כי3588 הנה2009 היום3117 בא935 בער1197 כתנור8574 והיו1961 כל3605 זדים2086 וכל3605 עשׂה6213 רשׁעה7564 קשׁ7179 ולהט3857 אתם853 היום3117 הבא935 אמר559 יהוה3069 צבאות6635 אשׁר834 לא3808 יעזב5800 להם1992 שׁרשׁ8328 וענף׃6057
