Here is a solemn and unanswerable appeal to the despisers of God and his Christ, to show cause wherefore such mercy; as is in the covenant of redemption, is slighted? What the Apostle closeth one of his sermons with, is to the same amount; and, without all doubt, the final condemnation of such men will be on this very account. Acts 13:38-41 . read more
21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of the future must be only with Jehovah, who... read more
The Coming of the Deliverer v. 21. Produce your cause, saith the Lord, presenting their case for the court's consideration; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob, their arguments for the correctness of their position that they had a right to continue in their idolatry, in their enmity against God. v. 22. Let them bring them forth and show us what shall happen; let them show the former things, the events of the very nearest future, what they be, that we may consider them,... read more
4. THE SECOND CONVERSION OF PROPHECY INTO A TEST OF DIVINITYIsaiah 41:21-2921 37Produce your cause, saith the Lord;Bring forth your 38strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.22 Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen:Let them show the former things, what they be,That we may 39Consider them, and know the latter end of them;Or 40declare us things for to come.23 Show the things that are to come hereafter,That we may know that ye are gods:Yea, do good, or do... read more
What the Lord’s Hand Does for the Needy Isaiah 41:17-29 Life is not easy for any of us, if we regard external conditions only; but directly we learn the divine secret, rivers flow from bare heights, fountains arise in sterile valleys, and the desert blooms like the forest-glade. To the ordinary eye there might appear no outward change in the forbidding circumstance; but faith’s eye always beholds a very paradise of beauty where other eyes see only straitened circumstances and a trying lot.... read more
Having thus announced the majesty of Jehovah, the prophet proceeds to utter his general manifesto. This occupies chapters forty-one and forty-two. In chapter forty-one Jehovah challenges the island and the people to come near to judgment, that is, to consider what He has to say. He declares that He, and He alone has raised up the one from the East whose progress is victorious. The confederacy of the people against Cyrus is described, and then the prophet declares Jehovah's purpose of peace for... read more
Yahweh’s Challenge To The Gods of the Nations (Isaiah 41:21-24 ). Isaiah 41:21-23 “Produce your cause,” says Yahweh. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob. “Let them bring them forth and declare to us what will happen. Declare the former things, what they are, That we may consider them and know the latter end of them, Or show us things that are to come. Declare the things that are to come hereafter, That we may know that you are gods.” Yahweh now lays down His challenge to... read more
Isaiah 41:21-Joel : . Yahweh’ s Challenge to the Gods of the Nations.— The nations are bidden to produce their case and bring forward their champions— their idols (so emend “ strong reasons” ). Let the idols show that in days gone by they have foreseen the antecedents of present developments, or explain the events now happening and about to happen. They remain dumb, and Yahweh taunts them with their impotence. He has raised up Cyrus; who among them had foreseen the event? Not one; how patent,... read more
Let them; either the idols; or, which is all one, the idolaters in the name and by the help of their idols. What shall happen; all future events; which he divides into two sorts in the following clause, the former and the latter, as we shall see. Let them show the former things; which is not to be understood of such things as are past, for such things might easily be known by men from history, much more by the devils who possessed and acted in their idols; but of such things as should shortly... read more
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The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Isaiah 41:1-29
Isaiah 41:0 1. Keep silence before me, O islands [a word which always signifies far-off lands, sea-coasts distant as the horizon]; and let the people renew their strength [pull themselves together, gird up their loins, that they may wrestle with almightiness]: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment [let us wrestle together, let us enter into this controversy: the tone is that of a challenge, a contemptuous defiance]. 2. Who raised up the righteous man... read more