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Isaiah 48

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. 2For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name. 3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did themsuddenly, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; 5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. 6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. 7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. 8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thatthine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. 9 For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. 12Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. 20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. 22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

God Holds the Future

OUTLINE

• Follow Him In Sincerity (v1-2) 
• Forsake All Idolatry (v3-8)
• Foresee God’s Chastisement (v9-11)
• Follow His Leading Out of Captivity (v12-22)

INTRODUCTION

It seemed the people of God in ancient Israel during Isaiah’s time was hard of hearing. Observe the word “hear … but not in truth and righteousness” (v1), “hear…and will not” (v6), “thou heardst not” (v7,8), “hearken unto me, I am the first, I also am the last” (v12), “assemble yourself and hear” (v14), “hearkened to My commandments! … his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed before Me” (v18,19).

But His people would know that their God is the One that holds the future, would they not have hearkened to His call and comfort? 

Well, it seemed this is the nature of the make-up of God’s people who swear by the name of the LORD and yet deep in their heart, they refuse to follow Him.

This deep-seated malaise of unbelief at the heart of God’s people seemed so strange for a God that cares so much for His people.

And yet this was the reality of the history of God’s people from the wilderness to the Promised Land. 

God’s plan to do His people good, His undying love for them seemed so hard for His people to grasp as they go on opposing Him. 

Just like the rebellious teens who seemed to know what they want and refuse their parents counsel. They breakdown seemed so impossible to bridge.

This was how the relationship between Israel and their God has reached, a breaking point.

And yet, the LORD, a good Father, will not give up on the wayward child. 

What has gone wrong with His people? There is always the privilege of hindsight. This is what the LORD is doing for His people who read the text of Isaiah. 

• Follow Him In Sincerity (v1-2) 

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. 2For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.

Isaiah here address the Jews who professed to worship God, though in insincerity and hypocrisy. 

Matthew 5:20 (KJV) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes and Pharisees “offered sacrifices, fasted often, prayed much, were very punctilious about ablutions and tithes and the ceremonies of religion, but neglected justice, truth, purity, holiness of heart, and did not strive to be pure in their motives before God” (Barnes). Our Lord chided them for true righteousness is not just an external demeanour but one that comes from a truly sanctified heart. Jesus wanted the people to distinguish between genuine righteousness and self-righteousness.

He likens the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees to man-made righteousness that does not gain a soul into heaven. These are called the oral traditions. He charges them for having God’s Word but not understanding God’s Word. The Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night to be instructed on how to be born-again and to enter the kingdom of heaven. Nicodemus’ conversion brings hope to every self-righteous Pharisee if only he will humble himself to receive the truth.

There was a brother-in-Christ who shared with me that in the past there was that deep hatred in his heart. He easily became very angry because he was easily provoked. Oftentimes, he became violent. He confessed that deep inside, he felt that he was not loved. He did not know how to express his frustration except in violent behaviour. There was not a restraining spirit within him until he understood the true meaning of Jesus’ love. Jesus went to the cross to die and shed His precious blood to pay the penalty for his sins. He testified that it took away that hatred in his heart. That was the only way which he obtained peace in his heart. After his conversion spends his time repaying his gospel debt by giving out tracts and speaking to anyone who is willing to hear the story of his Great Saviour.

The idea is, that Judah was the fountain, or origin of the people who were then exiled in Babylon. The ten tribes had revolted, and had been carried away, and the name of Benjamin had been absorbed in that of Judah, and this had become the common name of the nation. Perhaps Judah is mentioned here with honour as the fountain of the nation, because it was from him that the Messiah was to descend (Genesis 49:10): and this mention of his name would serve to bring that promise to view, and would be an assurance that the nation would not be destroyed, nor the power finally depart until He should come. [Barnes]

• Forsake All Idolatry (v3-8)

3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. 

Isaiah said, in former times I have predicted future events by the prophets, which have come to pass as they were foretold. Though the fulfillment might have appeared to be long delayed, yet it came to pass at the very time, showing it to be an exact fulfillment of the prophecy. 

The purpose of referring to the former predictions is, to remind them of their proneness to disregard his declarations, and to recall to their attention the fact that all that he said would be certainly accomplished. As a people, they had been prone to disbelieve his word. 

He saw that the same thing would take place in Babylon, and that there also they would disbelieve his prophecies about raising up Cyrus, and restoring them to their own land. He therefore endeavours to anticipate this, by reminding them of their former unbelief, and of the fact that all that he had foretold in former times had come to pass. [Barnes]

I did them suddenly – They came to pass at an unexpected time; when you were not looking for them, and when perhaps you were doubting whether they would occur, or were calling in question the divine veracity. The idea is, that God in like manner would, certainly, and suddenly, accomplish His predictions about Babylon, and their release from their captivity.

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; 

The word “obstinate” means, “Hard,” the sense is, that they were obstinate and intractable – an expression probably taken from a bullock which refuses to receive the yoke. 

The word hard, as expressive of obstinacy, is often combined with others. 

Exodus 32:9 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

Exodus 34:9 (KJV) And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.

Thus, “hard of neck,” that is, stiff-necked, stubborn. “hard of face” (Ezekiel 2:4), “hard of heart” (Ezekiel 3:7). The idea is, that they were, as a people, obstinate, rebellious, and would not to submit to the laws of God.

Ezekiel 2:4 (KJV) For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. 

Ezekiel 3:7 (KJV) But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.  

2 Chronicles 30:8 (KJV) Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

Acts 7:51 (KJV) Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. 

Attributing goodness to the wicked one is a misnomer. It cannot be! Let God’s people not be fooled, hoodwicked!

The idols and molten images had not foretold these events and when they came to pass, it could not, therefore, be pretended that they had been produced by idols. By predicting them, the LORD kept up the proof that He was the true God, and demonstrated that He alone was worthy of their confidence and regard.

6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. 

Thou hast heard – You are witnesses that the prediction was uttered long before it was fulfilled.

See all this – Behold how it is all fulfilled. Bear witness that the event is as it was predicted.

And will ye not declare it? – Will you not bear witness to the entire fulfillment of the prophecy? God appeals to them as qualified to testify that what He had declared had come to pass, and calls on them to make this known as a demonstration that He alone was God.

7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. 

It was the result of Almighty power and energy, and was to be traced to Him alone. 

8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

They were false and unfaithful to Him, and the sense is, that if God had not foretold the destruction of Babylon and their deliverance from it so clearly that there could have been no misunderstanding of it, and no perversion, they would have also perverted this, and ascribed it to something else than to Him. 

From the beginning of the nation’s history, there was that rebellious streak in them!

• Foresee God’s Chastisement (v9-11)

9 For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

If the character of the nation is such, it might be said, “why should God desire to restore them again to their own land? If their sins have been so great as to make these heavy judgments proper, why not suffer them to remain under the infliction of the deserved judgment? Why should God interpose? why raise up Cyrus? why overthrow Babylon? why conduct them across a pathless wilderness, and provide for them in a sandy desert?” 

To this the answer is, that it was not on their account. It was not because they were deserving of His favour, nor was it primarily and mainly in order that they might be happy. It was on His own account – in order to show His covenant faithfulness; His fidelity to the promises made to their fathers, His mercy, His compassion, His readiness to pardon, and His unchanging love. 

• Follow His Leading Out of Captivity (v12-22)

12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 

He begins, therefore, by asserting that He is the only true God, and that He is able to accomplish all His purposes. Let His people follow Him. He knows how and where to lead them to accomplish His holy purposes.

13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. 

He only is the Creator God.

14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

He will accomplish all His desire on that city; that is, He will take, and subdue it. It means that Cyrus would do to Babylon what would be pleasing to the LORD.

16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 

He had foretold the raising up of Cyrus, and His agency in delivering His people, in terms so plain that it could not be pretended that it was conjectured, and so clear that there was no ambiguity.

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. 

Christ leads His people out of the wrong way, in which they naturally are, into the right way; to Himself, as the way to the Father, and as the way of salvation, and unto eternal life; He takes them by the hand, and teaches them to go in the path of faith, and to walk in Him by it; He leads them in the ways of truth and righteousness, in the highway of holiness, in the path of duty; and, though in a rough way of afflictions, yet in a right way to heaven and happiness. 

20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. 22There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

The prophet now directly addresses those who were in exile in Babylon, and commands them to depart from it. The design of this is, to furnish the assurance that they should be delivered, and to show them the duty of leaving the place of their long captivity when the opportunity of doing it should occur. 

It is also designed to show that when it should occur, it would be attended with great joy and rejoicing.

CONCLUSION

With the LORD leading the way, the people of God are assured and secure! Amen.