Isaiah 48

Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last. Wesley: O Israel—Whom I have called out of the world to be my peculiar people.

Israel called out of the world as his peculiar people; I am he, first and last, already is. Shared loudly with Calvin: I am the first. I am also the last; Israel whom I called. He is first and last; he is not becoming himself as events unfold.

Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called. Calvin: Hearken—he declares his eternity so we may know he is always like himself, not measured by our capacity. Israel my called: contrasts the reprobation and false name at the start of the chapter; a father may call a son bastard in rebuke yet still acknowledge him; calling no ingratitude can set aside. I am the first and the last: always like himself, does not alter his counsel (Rom 3:3-4; 11:29); not merely eternal essence but that he will be to us what he has always been; distinguish him from idols.

Eternity is always-like-himself, counsel unaltered; Israel my called still names the son after 48:1’s false name; first and last is what he will be to us, not mere essence. Wesley concurs: I am the first. I am also the last; Israel whom I called. Always like himself; does not alter his counsel (Rom 3:3-4; 11:29).

My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. “When I call to them, they stand up together.” Wesley: Stand up—They are still continually in readiness to execute my commands.

Heaven and earth stand up, still continually in readiness to execute his commands. Either reading: my hand has laid the foundation; when I call they stand forth together. His hand already laid the foundation; they stand when he calls.

My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. Calvin: Hand founded the earth; right hand measured and upheld the heavens. When I call, they stand up together: either first creation (he spake and they were done, Ps 33:9) or continual government—heaven and earth yield to his voice, infinite power.

Founding and measuring are infinite power; they stand at his voice, creation or government. Wesley says as much: when I call they stand forth; continually ready / yield to his voice. He spake and they were done.

Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves will do what he likes to Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans. Wesley: Which—Which of the gods whom any of you serve. Him—Cyrus.

Which of the gods you serve has declared these things? He is Cyrus: the one the LORD loves will do what he pleases against Babylon. The LORD loves will do what he shall perform his purpose.

Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves him. Calvin: Assemble and hear. Who among them (idols/diviners) foretelleth those things? Jehovah hath loved him: Cyrus, not named, chosen to take Babylon. Loved not in the absolute electing sense; limited to the successful expedition (Saul likewise dear for a time). He executes God’s counsel; Cyrus not intentionally obedient; God makes even the ignorant go where he pleases.

Idols cannot foretell; him is Cyrus, loved for the expedition, not as elect believer; God makes the ignorant go where he pleases. Common ground with Wesley: Him = Cyrus; the LORD loves him; purpose on Babylon. He shall perform his purpose.

I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him and he shall make his way. “Him” in v. 14 refers to Cyrus. So here: I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him—that same Cyrus—I have brought him and he shall make his way.

The speaker is the one who called Cyrus in v. 14; no new Wesley paragraph. I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him; he will prosper. I have spoken; I have brought him; he will prosper.

I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him and he shall make his way. Calvin: It is I who have spoken; therefore he shall prosper. Twofold: none but Israel’s God spoke hidden events; he is faithful so they shall happen. Called and conducted Cyrus: not the electing call of believers; external blessing; Cyrus had vices and a lamentable end. Agency for delivering the Church.

I have spoken, therefore he prospers; the call is not the electing call of believers but external blessing and agency to deliver the Church; Cyrus had vices and a lamentable end. Wesley concurs: I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him—Cyrus; he will prosper. I have spoken; they shall happen.

Come near to me and hear this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there. Now the Lord GOD has sent me with his Spirit. Wesley: In secret—I have openly revealed my mind to you. The beginning—Either from the first time that I began to prophecy until this time: or from the beginning of my taking you to be my people, and of revealing my mind unto you. From the time—From the time that I first spoke of it, I am or was there, to effect what I had foretold. Me—The prophet Isaiah; who was a type of Christ, and so this may have a respect to him also.

Not in secret is openly revealed; beginning is first prophecy or first taking them as people; from the time he spoke it he was there to effect it; Me is Isaiah, type of Christ, and so this may respect him also; The Lord is God by his Spirit. Both sides agree: not spoken in secret; from the time that it came to be he was there; now sent. I am or was there, to effect what I had foretold.

Come near to me and hear this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there. Now the Lord GOD has sent me with his Spirit. Calvin: Draw near—God speaking first; not from the beginning in secret; ignorance is their depravity. From the time it was done, I was there: what he uttered was executed by his power. Then Isaiah begins to speak of himself: that God who spoke from the beginning now speaks by him. And his Spirit: not something different from God; in one essence Three Persons; the Spirit is the only teacher and director of all the prophets (1 Cor 12:3, 6); proof of the Spirit’s divinity, since sending prophets belongs to God alone. Reject those who boast mission without the Spirit’s gifts—illustration only, not this verse’s referent.

God speaks first, not in secret; he was there executing what he uttered; then Isaiah testifies that this God now sends him; And his Spirit is not another god but Three Persons in one essence; the Spirit is God, teacher of the prophets. Wesley says as much: not spoken in secret; from the time that it came to be he was there; now sent. What he uttered was executed by his power.

The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go. Wesley: Teacheth—Who from time to time have made known to thee, all necessary doctrines; which, if observed by thee, would have been infinitely profitable to thee, both for this life and that to come. So that it is not my fault, but thine own, if thou dost not profit. Leadeth—Who acquainteth thee with thy duty in all the concerns of thy life; so that thou canst not pretend ignorance.

Teaches is all necessary doctrines, profitable for this life and that to come, so the fault if they do not profit is theirs; leads is acquaintance with duty, no pretended ignorance. Common to both: I am the LORD your God who teaches you to profit and leads you by the way.

The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says. Calvin: Thus saith Jehovah—four following verses same subject: promises deliverance but first shows it was their fault they were in slavery. Teaching thee profitably: God’s teaching would keep them safe if they rested on it; he teaches for our salvation. Leading thee: way of salvation if we hearken; Law as rule of a holy life (Deut 30). If they had not defrauded themselves, nothing profitable would have been hidden.

Deliverance promised, but slavery was their fault; teaching would have kept them safe; leading is the way of salvation if they hearken; Law as holy-life rule (Deut 30). Wesley reads it the same way: teaches to profit; leads in the way; the fault is theirs if they do not profit.

Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Wesley: As the waves—Infinite and continual.

Waves are infinite and continual; peace like a river and righteousness like those waves would have followed attention to the commandments. Oh that you had paid attention; peace like a river; righteousness like the waves.

Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Calvin: O if thou hadst hearkened—meets murmurs about captivity; they did not submit to the doctrine of salvation. The lament echoes Deuteronomy 32:29. God as a father deplores the wretchedness of children; figurative appropriation of human affections; he takes no pleasure in our distresses. Ready to bestow blessings if we did not drive him away. Foolish to attempt to penetrate his secret counsel and inquire why he did not add the efficacy of the Spirit to the external word; nothing is said here about his power, only a reproof of hard-heartedness, that they may be inexcusable. Peace as a river: all prosperous events, never dried up. Righteousness as waves: a well-regulated commonwealth, not (here) spiritual righteousness or forgiveness—those commentators wander from the meaning.

Fatherly lament, not a window into secret counsel; do not ask why the Spirit’s efficacy was not added to the external word; peace is prosperous events; righteousness is a well-regulated commonwealth. Wesley concurs: peace like a river; waves infinite and continual.

“Your offspring also would have been as the sand and the descendants of your body like its grains.” His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me. From v. 18: As the waves—Infinite and continual. So here: offspring like the sand and descendants like its grains would have been that same infinite and continual fruit, their name never cut off from before him.

The waves’ infinite-and-continual of v. 18 is why the sand-seed is named here; no new Wesley paragraph. Both note: offspring like the sand; name never cut off from before me.

“Your offspring also would have been as the sand and the descendants of your body like its grains.” His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me. Calvin: Seed as the sand—alludes to Gen 22:17. They prevented God from causing them to enjoy the fruit of that promise. Name cut off: captivity as cut off from the land and Temple presence.

Sand-seed is Gen 22:17; they blocked the fruit of that promise; name cut off is captivity from land and Temple. Wesley says as much: offspring like the sand; name never cut off—here the missed fruit of v. 18’s waves.

With the sound of joyful shouting announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth; say! Wesley: Singing—With joy and songs of praise. Declare—Publish God’s wonderful works.

Shout of joy is singing with songs of praise; declare is publish God’s wonderful works; the LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob. Shared loudly with Calvin: Go out from Babylon; Jacob redeemed from Chaldea. The LORD has redeemed.

Go out from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of joyful shouting announce this with a shout of joy. Calvin: Go out of Babylon—second clause: he will still be Redeemer though they were unworthy. God’s forbearance never wears out. Voice of rejoicing: future as if arrived.

Still Redeemer though unworthy; forbearance unwearied; the shout is future spoken as arrived. Wesley reads it the same way: Go out from Babylon; joy and praise; the LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.

They didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He also split the rock and the waters gushed out. Wesley: They thirsted not—They shall not thirst. He speaks of things to come, as if they were already past.

They thirsted not means they shall not thirst; things to come spoken as already past; water from the rock is that coming supply. Shared with Calvin: Exodus typology for the return from Babylon.

They didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them from the rock. Calvin: They thirsted not—recall Exodus 16–17, Num 20; God will easily surmount wildernesses on the return. Things to come as if past.

The Exodus rock is the type; wildernesses on the Babylon-return will be as easily surmounted. Wesley concurs: they shall not thirst; things to come as if already past; return.

There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked. Wesley: No peace—God having foretold that peace which he would give to his servant Jacob, adds an explication; and declares, that wicked men should not enjoy the benefit of this mercy.

Jacob’s peace of v. 18 and v. 20 is explained: wicked men should not enjoy that mercy. Shared loudly with Calvin: no peace for the wicked; promises are not for hypocrites.

There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked. Calvin: No peace to the wicked—the Lord denies to wicked men that peace of which they are unworthy; promises do not belong to hypocrites, lest they cherish false confidence. Also: weak consciences should not be troubled when the multitude despise the doctrine.

Wicked men are denied the peace they are unworthy of; hypocrites must not claim the promises; weak consciences need not be troubled by the multitude’s contempt. Common ground with Wesley: wicked men should not enjoy Jacob’s mercy; no peace for the wicked.