Isaiah 65:2

I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; SPREAD OUT MY HANDS - inviting them earnestly (). ALL THE DAY - continually, late and early (). UNTO A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE - Israel, whose rebellion was the occasion of God's turning to the Gentiles, as Paul states in quoting these words (; Romans 11:11; ). WHICH WALKETH IN A WAY (THAT WAS) NOT GOOD - i:e., the very reverse of good, very bad ...

2._I have stretched out my hands. _He accuses the Jews, and complains of their ingratitude and rebellion; and in this manner he proves that there is no reason why they should say that the Lord does them wrong if he bestow his grace on others. The Jews conducted themselves proudly and insolently toward God, as if they had been elected through their own merit. On account of their ingratitude and insolence the Lord rejects them as unworthy, and complains that to no purpose did he “stretch out his hands” to draw and bring them back to him. By “the stretching out of the hands” he means the daily invitation. There are various ways in which the Lord “stretches out his hands to us;” for he draws us to him, either effectually or by the word. In this passage it must relate chiefly to the word. The Lord never speaks to us without at the same time “stretching out his hand” to join us to himself, or...

1-7 The Gentiles came to seek God, and find him, because they were first sought and found of him. Often he meets some thoughtless trifler or profligate opposer, and says to him, Behold me; and a speedy change takes place. All the gospel day, Christ waited to be gracious. The Jews were bidden, but would not come. It is not without cause they are rejected of God. They would do what most pleased them. They grieved, they vexed the Holy Spirit. They forsook God's temple, and sacrificed in groves. They cared not for the distinction between clean and unclean meats, before it was taken away by the gospel. Perhaps this is put for all forbidden pleasures, and all that is thought to be gotten by sin, that abominable thing which the Lord hates. Christ denounced many woes against the pride and hypocrisy of the Jews. The proof against them is plain. And let us watch against pride and self-preference,...

I HAVE SPREAD OUT MY HANDS - To spread out the hands is an action denoting invitation or entreaty Proverbs 1:24. The sense is, that God had invited the Jews constantly to partake of his favors, but they had been rebellious, and had rejected his offers. ALL THE DAY - I have not ceased to do it. The Chaldee renders this, ‘I sent my prophets all the day to a rebellious people.’ UNTO A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE - (See the notes at Isaiah 1:2). Paul renders this, Πρὸς λαον ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα _Pros_ _laon_ _apeithounta_ _kai_ _antilegonta_ - ‘Unto a disobedient and gainsaying people;’ but the sense is substantially pr

SECTION XI.—GOD'S ANSWER TO THE EXILES' PRAYER (Isaiah 65:1.) EXPOSITION ISAIAH 65:1 ISRAEL'S SUFFERINGS THE JUST MEED OF THEIR SINS. God's mercy is such that it even overflows upon those who are outside the covenant (Isaiah 65:1). It has been offered to Israel, but Israel has rejected it. Their rebellion, their idolatries, and their pride have caused, and must continue to cause, their punishment ...

I HAVE SPREAD OUT MINE HANDS ALL THE DAY UNTO A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE,.... Meaning Israel, as the apostle explains it, Romans 10:21, whom he calls a "disobedient and gainsaying people"; who believed not in Christ, obeyed not his Gospel, but contradicted and blasphemed it; and were rebellious against him, would not have him to reign over them, nor submit to his ordinances; though he most affectionately invited them, earnestly pressed and urged them, and that daily and frequently, to attend his ministry; and used all human methods to gain audience of them, and acceptance with them, but all to no purpose; see Matthew 23:37, they remained obstinate and inflexible, and so they did under the ministry of his apostles; for, notwithstanding their ill usage of him, he ordered the Gospel to be first preached to them, as

CHAPTER 65 Jehovah's Answer: The Rebellious and Their Judgment, the Faithful and Their Blessings 1. _The divine rebuke to the apostates (Isaiah 65:1) _ 2. _The elect seed (Isaiah 65:9) _ 3. _The judgment of the apostates (Isaiah 65:11) _ 4. _The blessings of Jehovah's servants and the contrast (Isaiah 65:13) _ 5. _The glories and blessings of the future (Isaiah 65:17) _ The first eight verses give a description of the iniquities practiced by apostate Israel. Judgment will overtake them in the day of veng

RETRIBUTION AWAITS THOSE WHO CLING TO THE OLD RITUAL PRACTICES AND REFUSE TO ADHERE TO THE REFORMED RELIGION. Yahweh declares His readiness to respond to this people, but they would not approach Him or call upon (_mg., cf._ VSS) His name. I made, He says, unceasing entreaty to them, unruly as they were, but they steadfastly adhered to their own evil ways, insulting Me in My own holy city by their grove-worship and incense-burning. They pass the night among the tombs and recesses (to obtain dream-oracles from the dead). They eat the flesh of, and drink - magical hell-broth-' made from, forbidden animals that they sacrifice. Having acquired in these mystic rites a - taboo-' holiness physically contagious they caution others to shrink away lest they too should be made - taboo-' (read in Isaiah 65:5, - lest I make thee holy-': - am holier than-' is an impossible translation). Such men are to...

GOOD. right. Compare Psalms 36:4....

Jehovah's overtures have been rejected by an obdurate people. 1 Render: I WAS TO BE ENQUIRED OF BY THOSE THAT ASKED NOT, I WAS TO BE FOUND BY THEM THAT SOUGHT ME NOT, etc. The first verb in each line is of the form _Niphal_, which is to be understood not as a simple passive, but in its _tolerative_sense: "I let myself be enquired of," i.e. "I was ready to answer," exactly as Ezekiel 14:3; Ezekiel 20:3; Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 36:37: "I let myself be found," as ch. Isaiah 55:6. Jehovah's readiness to hear is contrasted with th