Isaiah 48

Our All-Knowing God

1“Listen carefully, O Jacob’s tribes,

you who are called by the name Israel

and come from the lineage of Judah,

who solemnly swear in the name of Yahweh

and claim to worship the God of Israel. # 48:1 Or “who cause the God of Israel to be remembered.”

But there is no truth or righteousness in your confession!

2Indeed, you name yourselves after the holy city

and say that you depend upon Israel’s God.

Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, is his name.

3“Long ago I prophesied things that would happen.

I issued decrees # 48:3 Or “They came forth from my mouth.” and made them known.

Then suddenly, I acted and made them happen.

4I knew you were stubborn.

Your neck is like a rod of iron,

and you’re as hard-hearted as brass! # 48:4 Or “your forehead is as hard as brass.”

5Long ago I told you these things.

Long before they happened

I proclaimed them

so you would never be able to say,

‘My idols did this;

my wood and metal idols decreed it!’

6You have heard what I foretold and have seen it all unfold,

so admit # 48:6 Or “declare.” that it happened and I was right! # 48:6 Or “You should tell this to others.” The Hebrew of this sentence is uncertain.

From now on I will tell you about new things never seen before,

hidden things, well-guarded secrets you know nothing about.

7They are created now, brand new today, not long ago!

You’ve never heard of them before now,

so you cannot say, ‘Oh, I already knew about that.’

8“You have never heard nor understood;

your ear had not been opened beforehand.

Though I knew that you would fight against me

as a rebel from birth,

9yet, for the sake of my great name and for my glory,

I held back my anger and was patient with you

so I did not whittle you down to nothing.

10See, I have purified you in the furnace of adversity,

but not like silver—I have refined you in the fire. # 48:10 The implication is that if God had left them in the fire to melt down all their dross, they would still be there in the fire with nothing left of them. God limits the intensity and the timing of our every trial and uses the furnace of adversity to make us more like Christ. See 1 Cor. 10:13.

11For my own sake alone I will do it,

so my name will not be dishonored. # 48:11 God promises to deliver, refine, and rescue his people so that his own name and identity as the God of gods will not be defamed. Rescue is as sure as God’s identity.

I will not yield my glory to another.”

Consider God’s Might

12“Listen to me, O Jacob,

Israel, whom I have called:

I am the One and Only,

the First and the Last.

13With my mighty hand I laid the foundation of the earth;

with the span of my right hand I spread out the cosmos.

And when I speak to them, they both stand at attention.

14Now, all of you gather around and listen.

Which of the gods has foretold these things?

I, Yahweh, love this man,

and he # 48:14 Most scholars view this man to be Cyrus. will carry out my purpose against Babylon.

He will be my ‘arm of might’ against the Babylonians!

15I am the one; yes, I am the one

who called him by name before he was born.

I have led him forward on a prosperous, successful path.”

Come Together and Walk with Me

16“Draw near to me and listen:

From the beginning, I have not spoken in secret.

From the beginning of time, # 48:16 Or “From the time of its occurring.” I was there.”

And now Lord Yahweh has sent me, empowered by # 48:16 Or “has sent me and his Spirit.” his Spirit!

17This is what Yahweh, your Kinsman-Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:

“I am Yahweh, your God.

I am the One who teaches you how to succeed

and who leads you step by step in the way you should go.

18If only you had listened to my commands,

then peace # 48:18 Or “prosperity [shalom].” would have flowed like a river # 48:18 Or “the river.” See John 7:37–39. for you

and success # 48:18 Or “righteousness.” would wash over you like waves of the sea.

19Your children would have multiplied

to become like the sand of the seashore # 48:19 See Gen. 22:17; 32:12.

and your descendants like grains of sand.

There would be no end of them,

and I would not cut them off.”

20Go! Leave Babylon!

Flee from Chaldea!

Announce it with joyous singing! # 48:20 Or “shouting.” The key to fleeing from the Babylon-like (Babylon means “confusion”) systems of the world is to go out with a joyous song. See Jer. 33:7–11.

Let everyone know!

Proclaim it to the ends of the earth!

Say it loud and clear:

“Yahweh has rescued his servant Jacob!”

21The people weren’t thirsty

when he led them through barren, desolate deserts,

for he broke open the rock for water to flow for them.

The rock was split open, and rivers gushed out! # 48:21 See John 19:34; 1 Cor. 10:1–11.

22“There is never peace,” Yahweh says, “for the wicked.”

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Isaiah 48: TPT

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Isaiah 48

Israel’s Obstinacy

1“Hear this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel

And who come from the #Lit waters.seed of Judah,

You who swear [allegiance] by the name of the Lord

And invoke the God of Israel,

But not in truth (sincerity) nor in righteousness [with moral and spiritual integrity].

2For they call themselves [citizens of Jerusalem] after the holy city

And depend on the God of Israel;

The Lord of hosts is His name.

3I have declared the former things [which happened to Israel] in times past;

They went forth from My mouth and I proclaimed them;

Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

4Because I know that you are obstinate,

And your neck is an iron tendon

And your brow is bronze [both unyielding],

5I have declared them to you long ago;

Before they came to pass I announced them to you,

So that you could not say, ‘My idol has done them,

And my carved image and my cast image have commanded them.’

6You have heard [these things foretold]; look at all this [that has been fulfilled].

And you, will you not declare it?

I proclaim to you [specific] new things from this time,

Even #Lit protected.hidden things which you have not known.

7They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word] and not long ago;

And before today you have not heard of them,

So that you will not say, ‘Oh yes! I knew them.’

8You have not heard, you have not known;

Even from long ago your ear has not been open.

For I [the Lord] knew that you [Israel] would act very treacherously;

You have been called a transgressor and a rebel from birth.

9For the sake of My Name I refrain from My wrath,

And for My praise I restrain Myself from you,

So that I do not cut you off.

10Indeed, I have refined you, but not as #The melting of silver requires a relatively low heat.silver;

I have tested and chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

11For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it [I refrain and do not completely destroy you];

For how can My Name be defiled and profaned [as it would if My chosen people were completely destroyed]?

And I will not give My glory to another [by permitting the worshipers of idols to triumph over you].

End of Captivity Promised

12“Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called;

I am He, I am the First, I am the Last.

13My hand founded and established the earth,

And My right hand spread out the heavens;

When I call to them, they stand together [in obedience to carry out My decrees].

14Assemble, all of you, and listen!

Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things?

The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon,

And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon].

15I, even I, have spoken; indeed, I have called Cyrus;

I have brought him, and will make his way successful.

16Come near to Me, listen to this:

From the beginning I have not spoken in secret,

From the time that it happened, I was there.

And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His [Holy] Spirit.”

17This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit),

Who leads you in the way that you should go.

18Oh, that you had paid attention to My commandments!

Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a [flowing] river,

And your righteousness [the holiness and purity of the nation] like the [abundant] waves of the sea.

19Your offspring would have been like the sand,

And your descendants [in number] like the grains of sand;

Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”

20Get out of Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans [who reign there]!

Declare with a voice of jubilation, proclaim this,

Send it out to the end of the earth;

Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.”

21They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts.

He made the waters flow out of the rock for them;

He split the rock and the waters flowed.

22“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.

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