Isaiah 48:3

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. I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS - things which have happened in time past to Israel (; Isaiah 44:7; ; ). I DID (THEM) SUDDENLY, AND THEY CAME TO PASS - they came to pass so unexpectedly that the prophecy could not have resulted from mere human sagacity....

3._Long ago have I declared the former things. _He accuses the Jews of ingratitude, because they distrust God, who has given every possible proof of his goodness, in order to establish them in sincere confidence; and therefore he takes away from them every excuse, by saying, that “he declared the former things.” He appears to speak not of their deliverance from Babylon, but of other benefits which the Lord had bestowed on that nation; as if he had said that God began, long before this, to foretell to his people what would happen, and never promised anything which he did not perform, and yet that his people, after having received so many proofs, did not place confidence in his certain and infallible truth. It may also be said, that the Prophet did not merely address those who lived at that time, but those who should afterwards live during the captivity, in order that, when this certainty...

1-8 The Jews valued themselves on descent from Jacob, and used the name of Jehovah as their God. They prided themselves respecting Jerusalem and the temple, yet there was no holiness in their lives. If we are not sincere in religion, we do but take the name of the Lord in vain. By prophecy they were shown how God would deal with them, long before it came to pass. God has said and done enough to prevent men's boasting of themselves, which makes the sin and ruin of the proud worse; sooner or later every mouth shall be stopped, and all become silent before Him. We are all born children of disobedience. Where original sin is, actual sin will follow. Does not the conscience of every man witness to the truth of Scripture? May the Lord prove us, and render us doers of the word....

I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS - That is, 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 design of thus 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 endeavors to anticipate this, by reminding them of their former unbelief, and of the fact that all that he had foretold in...

EXPOSITION The present chapter, which terminates the second section of Isaiah's later prophecies, consists of a long address by God to his people, partly in the way of complaint, partly of combined premise and exhortation. The address is divided into three portions, each commencing with a call on Israel to pay attention: ISAIAH 48:1, "Hear ye this," etc.; Isaiah 48:12, "Hearken unto me," etc.; Isaiah 48:16, "Come_ _ye near unto me, hear ye this," etc. ISAIAH 48:1 THE FIRST ADDR

I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS FROM THE BEGINNING,.... From the time of their first ancestors, from the time of Abraham their father, to whom was declared what should befall his posterity; that they should sojourn in Egypt, be afflicted there, and come out from thence with great substance; that they be brought into the land of Canaan, and the inhabitants of it being driven out before them, Genesis 15:13. AND THEY WENT FORTH OUT OF MY MOUTH, AND I SHOWED THEM; they were told to Abraham by word of mouth; they were shown to him in prophecy: I DID THEM SUDDENLY, AND THEY CAME TO PASS; for very quickly these things began to take place, even in Abraham's time; for his seed being a stranger in a land not theirs, and afflicted near four hundred years, must be reckoned from the birth of Isaac; and all which exactly came to pass as was foretold;

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._ There always were false professors, and I suppose there always will be till Christ comes. A Judas was among the twelve apostles, and we cannot wonder that we find such in every church, but what a dreadful thing it is to wear the name of God, and yet not really to serve him, to be called Christians, and yet not to be like Christ! It must be a very God-provoking thing to be called by his name, and then insult it by not being true to it. Isaiah 48:2. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD

CHAPTER 48 The Divine Restatement Concerning His People, Their Condition and Future 1. _Their condition and Jehovah's predictions (Isaiah 48:1)_ 2. _Jehovah acts for His Name's sake (Isaiah 48:9)_ 3. _I am He” (Isaiah 48:12)_ 4. _Israel's future blessing (Isaiah 48:17)_ 5. _No peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22) _ This chapter touches once more upon the different phases of Jehovah's messages from Chapter s 40-47. Israel's apostate condition, Jehovah's sovereign grace and mercy towards them, Cyrus ...

A RECAPITULATION OF THE ARGUMENT FROM PROPHECY. To the original text a redactor has added a commentary (bracketed below) from a different standpoint. Whereas the prophet regarded Israel as having more than paid the penalty of her sins, the additions represent her as obstinately and inveterately sinful, and long addicted to the worship of images. Hearken, says Yahweh to His people [proud of their nationality and attached to His cultus]. Long ago I predicted what later I suddenly accomplished. [Knowing thine inveterate obstinacy, Isaiah 48:4] I announced beforehand my intentions [lest thou shouldst attribute the events to thine idols, Isaiah 48:5_ b_]. Thou hast heard. wilt thou not admit it? Now I announce things hitherto unrevealed [lest thou shouldst say, I knew them,...

THE FORMER THINGS, &C. Such as the birth of Isaac, the Exodus, &c....