View Isaiah 48 in the note window.
God reproves their hypocrisy and obstinacy by his prophecies, ver. 1 - 8.
He spares them for his name's sake, and that they may learn to know
him aright, ver. 9 - 11.
God's powerful salvation a motive to obedience, ver. 12 - 17.
God laments their backwardness, ver. 18, 19.
Deliverance out of Babylon, ver. 20, 21.
No peace to the wicked, ver. 22.
1: Called - Who are Israelites in name, but not in truth.
Are come - From the lineage of your progenitor, Judah, as waters
flow from a fountain. Swear - Who profess the true religion; (one
act of religion being put for all) and call themselves by his name.
2: Though - They glory that they are citizens of Jerusalem, a
city sanctified by God, to be the place of his true worship, and
gracious presence. And stay - Not by a true faith, but a vain confidence.
4: I knew - Therefore I gave thee clearer demonstrations of my nature
and providence, because I knew thou wast an unbelieving nation.
Thy neck - Will not bow down to receive my yoke. Thy brow - Thou wast
impudent.
6: See - As thou hast heard all these things, from time to time,
seriously consider them. Declare - I call you to witness: must you not
be forced to acknowledge the truth of what I say? Shewed - And I have
now given thee new predictions of secret things, such as 'till this
time were wholly unknown to thee, concerning thy deliverance out of
Babylon by Cyrus.
7: Created - Revealed to thee by me; brought to light, as things are
by creation. Not - Heb. not from thence, not from these ancient times
when other things were revealed to thee. Or - Heb. and (or, or, as
this particle is frequently used) before this day. This day answers
to now in the first clause: and seems to be added as an exposition of it.
Before this time in which God hath revealed them to thee by my ministry.
I knew - Either by thine own sagacity: or by the help of thine idols.
8: Yea - The same thing is repeated, because this was so illustrious
a proof of the infinite power and providence of God. Thine ear - Thou
didst not hear, I did not reveal these things unto thee: for so this
phrase of opening the ear is understood, (1Sa 9:15).
I knew - I knew all these cautions were necessary to cure thine infidelity.
Called - Justly, thou wast indeed such.
9: For my sake - I will spare thee, and deliver thee out of captivity,
not for thy sake, but merely for my own sake, and for the vindication of
my name, that I may be praised for my power, faithfulness, and goodness.
10: Behold - Although I will not cut thee off, yet I will put thee
into the furnace. Silver - Which is kept in the furnace so long 'till all
the dross be purged away, I will not deal so rigorously with thee; for
then I should wholly consume thee. I will chuse - God had in a manner
rejected Israel, and therefore it was necessary he should chuse and try
this people a second time.
11: It - This great work of delivering my people out of Babylon.
Name - If I should not deliver my people, my name would be profaned and
blasphemed. Glory - I will not give any colour to idolaters, to ascribe
the divine nature and properties, to idols, as they would do if I did
not rescue my people out of their hands in spite of their idols.
12: O Israel - Whom I have called out of the world to be my peculiar
people.
13: Stand up - They are still continually in readiness to execute my
commands.
14: Which - Which of the gods whom any of you serve.
Him - Cyrus.
16: In secret - l have openly revealed my mind to you.
The beginning - Either from the first time that I began to prophecy until
this time: or from the beginning of my taking you to be my people, and
of revealing my mind unto you. From the time - From the time that I
first spoke of it, I am or was there, to effect what I had foretold.
The Lord - God by his Spirit. Me - The prophet Isaiah; who was a
type of Christ, and so this may have a respect to him also.
17: Teacheth - Who from time to time have made known to thee, all
necessary doctrines; which, if observed by thee, would have been
infinitely profitable to thee, both for this life and that to come.
So that it is not my fault, but thine own, if thou dost not profit.
Leadeth - Who acquainteth thee with thy duty in all the concerns of thy
life; so that thou canst not pretend ignorance.
18: As the waves - Infinite and continual.
20: Singing - With joy and songs of praise. Declare - Publish
God's wonderful works.
21: They thirsted not - They shall not thirst. He speaks of things
to come, as if they were already past.
22: No peace - God having foretold that peace which he would give to
his servant Jacob, adds an explication; and declares, that wicked men
should not enjoy the benefit of this mercy.
