not spoken in secret. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:11 ). Compare Isaiah 45:19 . App-92 . and His Spirit, hath sent Me: or, hath sent both Me and His Spirit: i.e. the prophet, and His Spirit the inspirer of the message sent by Isaiah (compare Acts 28:25 ), "well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah", &c. Note the great doctrine of the Trinity. Spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 . read more
"Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and his Spirit."This verse is often made the first verse in the second address, and by some, the last paragraph in the first address. We agree with the American Standard Version paragraphing which treats it as the last verse of the first section; but due to its importance we shall discuss it separately. The fact of the obvious... read more
Isaiah 48:16. Come ye near unto me— See chap. Isaiah 45:19-20. From the time that it was, there am I, means, "From the time that this expedition of Cyrus began first to exist:" And now the Lord God hath sent me, and his Spirit: "And now, when the event is hastening to its completion, Behold, I am present, sent by Jehovah, with the Spirit of the Father, to your succour and assistance." That now refers to the immediate time of their deliverance, appears from the 20th verse, and we have often... read more
16. not . . . in secret— ( :-). Jehovah foretold Cyrus' advent, not with the studied ambiguity of heathen oracles, but plainly. from the time, c.—From the moment that the purpose began to be accomplished in the raising up of Cyrus I was present. sent me—The prophet here speaks, claiming attention to his announcement as to Cyrus, on the ground of his mission from God and His Spirit. But he speaks not in his own person so much as in that of Messiah, to whom alone in the fullest sense the words... read more
God’s trustworthiness 48:12-16 read more
The present possibility 48:12-22In a sense, Isaiah 48:12-22 are the "second verse" of the song, and Isaiah 48:1-11 are the "first verse." God was making much the same point, though with a slightly different emphasis. read more
God again urged His people to listen carefully (cf. Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah 48:12; Isaiah 48:14). From the beginning, God’s promises concerning the future had not been vague and ambiguous. They could be verified easily, and they evidenced Yahweh’s nearness in human life. God was there when He made those predictions."When Jesus Christ incarnated God on earth, this was not some shocking new modality of revelation; it was the logical endpoint of all that God had been doing in and through Israel up to... read more
Let the Exiles trust in Jehovah, and come out of Babylon1-11. Jehovah’s purpose will be executed, but not for Israel’s merit. 12-22. Let Israel recognise His leading in the course of history, and learn to obey Him.1. The prophet here addresses those whose professions of allegiance to Jehovah are hollow (Isaiah 46:8), and who in the land of exile had in their hearts apostatised: cp. Isaiah 42:17. Come.. waters] i.e. are descended from Judah (Psalms 68:26).3-5. Events of their history had been... read more
(16) Come ye near unto me.—Here the address would seem to be made to Israel. At first Jehovah appears as the speaker, and as using much the same language as before. At the close the prophet appears abruptly, as speaking in his own person. Perhaps, indeed, the prophet is the speaker throughout. A paraphrase will perhaps help to explain the sequence of thought. “I have not from the beginning of my prophetic work spoken in dark, ambiguous speeches like the oracles of the heathen. From the time... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 48:1-22
The past and the future (48:1-22)Before returning to their homeland, the people are reminded of the sins that led the nation into captivity. They must not repeat former errors. The people’s chief failing was that they honoured God with their words but not with their conduct (48:1-2). Knowing their tendency towards idolatry, God gave his people advance revelations of his will, to prevent them from turning to idols for guidance. But they still stubbornly rejected his teaching (3-5).Nevertheless,... read more