Isaiah 46

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:8

God's call to exercise right reason. "Show yourselves men." This is the language of irony. Worshippers of idols should have the courage of their convictions. They should not be such children as to confound the spiritual God with dumb, senseless idols, who can neither counsel nor save. "Remember this, that has often been told you, what senseless, helpless things idols are, and show yourselves men—men, and not brutes; men, and not babes. Act with reason, act with resolution, act for your own... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:9

Remember the former things of old ; i.e. God's wonderful dealings with Israel in times past—the miracles in Egypt, the passage of the Red Sea, the deliverances from Midian, and Ammon, and the Philistines, and Zerah, and Sennacherib—which proved him God in a sense in which the word could be applied to no other. I am God … I am God. In the original, "I am El … I am Elohim. " El is "the Mighty One," "the Omnipotent;" Elohim , "the Godhead" in all its fulness. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:9-11

A FURTHER ADMONITION GROUNDED ON OTHER MOTIVES . Israel is exhorted to continue firm in the faith read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning ; i.e. "possessed of the very highest prophetic power, able to declare from the very beginnings of history its ultimate issues" (see Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 16:12 ; Genesis 21:18 , etc.). My counsel; rather, my purpose, or my plan (comp. Psalms 33:11 ; Job 23:13 ; and supra , Isaiah 14:24 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:10

The goodness of God's pleasure. "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." An anthropopathic expression. Care is necessary in transferring human sentiments and feelings to God. Words may come to be applied in such a way to men that they cannot be wisely used for God. A man's "pleasure" has come to stand for his mere "self-willedness," his unreasoning and often unreasonable "wishes." A man's "pleasure" is simply the thing that he "likes." In such senses we cannot properly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:11

Calling a ravenous bird ; rather, a bird of prey. The imagery is quite natural, and exactly parallel to that by which Nebuchadnezzar is termed "an eagle," both by Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 44:22 ) and Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 17:3 ). There is no need to suppose any allusion to the fact, if fact it be, that the Persians from the time of Cyrus had for a standard a golden eagle, with wings outspread, on the top of a spear-shaft (Xen; 'Cyrop.,' 7.1, § 4; 'Anab.,' 1.10, § 12). From the east (comp. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:12

Ye stout-hearted (comp. Ezekiel 2:6 ; Ezekiel 3:7 ; and infra , Isaiah 48:4 ). The LXX . translate by σκληροκάρδιοι . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:12

Stout-heartedness. "Ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness." Ezekiel has other terms. "For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted" ( Ezekiel 2:4 ); "For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted" ( Ezekiel 3:7 ). The term "stout-hearted" expresses stubborn and confirmed opposition, rebelliousness, obduracy, a state of mind and heart that is beyond the influence of any gracious pleadings and persuasions. And such "stout-heartedness" involves the man's own... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:12-13

AN ADMONITION TO THE OBDURATE IN ISRAEL . God's mercy extends even to those who resist his grace. They who have been hitherto stiff-necked and "far from righteousness," have a special warning addressed to them, Salvation is drawing nigh; the deliverance of Israel is approaching; there is no time to lose; will they not east in their lot with the true Israel, and take advantage of the deliverance when it comes? read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 46:13

I bring near my righteousness ; i.e. "my righteous judgment is approaching—that judgment which involves vengeance on my enemies, mercy and deliverance to my people." This latter is the salvation that shall not tarry. In Zion . The headquarters of the "salvation" shall once more be Mount Zion, or Jerusalem, where God's people shall once more take up their abode, and which shall be "the centre of the renovated nation" (Delitzsch). read more

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