Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

TO the end men might be the more lively and effectually touched with the fear of Gods judgement, the Prophets are wont to add excessive manners of speech to their threatenings, which should even set the wrath of God as it were before their eyes; that so it might pierce into all their senses: even as if there were not one of the elements which should not rise up on Gods behalf to execute his vengeance. And yet these excessive speeches exceed not the heinousness of the offence: for it is impossible to set forth so horrible a representation of Gods judgement; but the feeling thereof shall be far more terrible. Well, he speaks of the Sun, Moon, and stars, and the reason is, because these are excellent testimonies of the fatherly kindness of God towards men. Christ therefore shows, that Gods goodness doth in special manner appear, because he makes his Sun to shine upon the good and bad: Matth. 5.45. When the Sun, Moon, and stars then shine in the heaven, God gives us cause of rejoicing, even as it were by a sweet and amiable countenance. In as much then as in the brightness of the heavens, he shows a joyful and cheerful face, even as if he laughed: the darkness which the Prophet here describes, signifies as much, as if God having hid his face, would cast men headlong into sorrows and into darkness, because he is angry with them.