Isaiah 41:22

Isa. 41:22. "Let them bring forth and show us what shall happen: let them show us former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come." See also verse Isaiah 41:4, and verses Isaiah 41:23; Isaiah 41:26; Isaiah 42:9; Isaiah 43:9-12; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 44:7; Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 45:21; Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 46:9; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 48:3; Isaiah 48:4-8; Isaiah 48:14-16.

By former things in these passages of the prophet, is meant former predictions of future events, or former and ancient dispensations, or works that pointed at things future, either by representing and typifying them, or by preparing for them, and ordering things with an evident respect to future events; or more briefly, by former things is meant such words or works as so pointed at things future, as to show plainly that they, whose words or works they were, had the foreknowledge and ordination of those future events. It is evident that by former things are meant former signs of future events, by what is said here in Isaiah 41:22, "Let them show us former things, what they be, that we may consider them what they be, and know the latter end of them;" i.e. let them bring forth their ancient predictions or dispensations pointing at future events, that we may consider them, and compare them with the event, and see how they prove in the latter end, see how they come out in the event of things. This is confirmed by verse 26, "Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and before time, that we may say, He is righteous?" i.e. that we may acknowledge that his cause is good, and that he is to be justified in his pretences; for here God is calling of them to come near together with him to judgment, that it may be tried who can best make out their pretences to divinity and claims of divine honours: see Isaiah 41:1; Isaiah 41:21. This is further manifest by chap. Isaiah 42:9, "Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." And Isaiah 43:9; Isaiah 43:10, "Let all nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled, who among them can declare this and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses;" i.e. let them bring forth their witnesses, that such and such things they foretold, or by some dispensation of theirs showed their foreknowlege of such and such events; and that the events exactly agreed with the prediction. Producing witnesses, that they may be justified, is a form of speech still alluding to a coming together in judgment. See also Isaiah 43:10-12; and chap. Isaiah 44:6-8; Isaiah 45:21; Isaiah 45:22; chap. Isaiah 46:9; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 48:3; Isaiah 48:4, etc.