Isaiah 44

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:18

They have not known nor understood . The cause of all this folly is a Minding of the understanding, divinely caused in the way of punishment, on account of their having wilfully closed their eyes to the truth. Because they "did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate (or, undistinguishing) mind" ( Romans 1:28 ; comp. Isaiah 29:10 ). He hath shut ; or, One hath shut. But the reference is in either case to God. The word translated " shut " means... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:19

None considereth in his heart ; literally, recalls it to his heart ; i.e. returns to a sound way of thinking upon the subject. It is implied that the idolaters had once had it in their power to think and reason justly upon the absurdity of such conduct as that which was now habitual to them. But they had lost the power. They had suffered themselves little by little to be deluded. The stock of a tree . The marginal rendering, "that which comes of a tree," is preferable. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

He feedeth on ashes ; i.e. on vanity—on what can give no support or sustenance (comp. Proverbs 15:14 ; Hosea 12:1 ). A deceived heart . Either self-deceived, or imposed upon by illusions from without; e.g. the seeming power of the idols, as seen in the victories and conquests of their worshippers. He cannot deliver his soul . The deceived soul is bound in trammels, which it feels to be irksome, and from which it would fain be free. But it cannot deliver itself. Deliverance must... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

True and false bread. "He feedeth on ashes." Man does not understand himself. Feed he must: the question is, on what? There are cravings of heart which cannot be repressed. Men are hungry for fame, applause, wealth, honour. Full many a time they taste this fruit; but each apple has ashes at the heart of it. What a picture of contrast is given us by Christ! He tells us of the true bread—the living bread, the bread which cometh down from heaven. I. THE TABLE OF THE MEN OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The vanity of irreligion. In a few vigorous touches the prophet sketches the utter Vanity and the condemnation of idolatry. The idolatrous man: 1 . Is relying on that which will miserably disappoint him; what he takes for food turns out to be nothing better than "ashes." 2 . Is misled into the most grievous error; he has been "turned aside" from the highway of truth. 3 . Is continually enacting a falsehood; there is "a lie in his right hand." Idolatry is the supreme mistake as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The ill-fed soul. The expression, "he feedeth on ashes," is proverbial in the East for that which is done to no purpose—that which is vain, unsatisfying, disappointing. Hugh Macmillan gives some accounts of depraved and perverted appetite in the use of earth for food. He says, "This propensity is not an occasional freak, but a common custom, and is found among so large a number and variety of tribes, that it may be regarded as coextensive with the human race. From time immemorial the Chinese... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:21

Remember these ; rather, remember these things ; i.e. the futility of idols and the folly of the idol-worshippers. For thou art my servant. Therefore bound to worship me, and not the idols (comp. Isaiah 41:8 ; Isaiah 41:1 , Isaiah 41:2 ). I have formed thee (so also in Isaiah 43:1 , Isaiah 43:21 ; Isaiah 43:2 , Isaiah 43:24 ). The duty of absolute unquestioning obedience seems contained in the relation of that which is formed to that which has formed it. On the other hand,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:21-28

ISRAEL ONCE MORE PROMISED DELIVERANCE , AND THE DELIVERER MENTIONED BY NAME . Israel, having been exhorted never to forget the impotency of idols ( Isaiah 44:21 ), is promised forgiveness and deliverance ( Isaiah 44:21 , Isaiah 44:22 ). Then, heaven and earth are called upon to join in rejoicing over the announcement ( Isaiah 44:23 ). Finally, in a noble burst of poetry, God is represented as solemnly declaring his intention of frustrating all the false sayings of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:22

I have blotted out … thy sins (comp. Isaiah 43:25 ). The promise there made is here represented as having its fulfilment. Before God reverses his sentence and restores his people, he must first forgive them. As a thick cloud … as a cloud . It would be better to translate, as a cloud … as a thick cloud. The latter of the two Hebrew words used is the more emphatic. Return unto me. This is an underlying condition, both of restoration and of forgiveness. Only the penitent can be received... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:22

God's way of pleading with men. Put in other words, the statement of this text is, "As a cloud is blotted out of the heavens, so have I blotted out thy transgressions." But it is difficult for us to realize what is meant by "blotting out a cloud." So far as we have to do with clouds, we cannot speak of them as "blotted out." Some swiftly hurry by; others move majestically along,—they go out of sight into some other quarter of the heavens; but we do not see them vanish from their place in... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:19

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:21-28

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:22

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 44:22

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