(3)
yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet. possessing all things. That is a strange connection, an old man and a new man in one man; but not more strange and surprising than this in the text, a worm threshing the mountains! and that not rediculously, without effect; but most efficaciously, beating them small.
In these words we have two things: 1. What the church and people of God are. They are named by him, who misnames none, worm Jacob: And their name, from his nature, is a worm. They are poor, weak, despised creatures; ready to be crushed by the foot of every passenger: Yet worm Jacob, believing, praying, and wrestling, worm as he is. 2. What they shall certainly and infallibly do; Thresh the mountains, and beat them small, &c.
I find interpreters generally understand by the mountains, the great and lofty potentates of the earth letting themselves against the church. And, no doubt, these were in the prophet's view. But, the view was not confined to them only: God's bringing down the Babylonian monarchy at their prayers, and the victories afterwards of the Macabees over their enemies, cannot reasonably be supposed to complete the intent of this prophecy. We must needs look to the kingdom of Christ for it, of which there is plainly an account in Chap. xvii.
