44:1. “Yet now
hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen.”
As discussed already the
name Jacob is associated with the flesh; Israel, with the Spirit, so that
God’s word here is addressed to the whole nation, to believer and unbeliever
alike. And so is it still: Scripture is God’s voice to all men, believer as
well as unbeliever, and as it was then so is it still: believers seek to
obey His Word: unbelievers ignore or reject it.
44:2. “Thus
saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will
help thee:”
And again, as discussed
already, God is the Creator of all men; but it is only the born-again man
whom He forms, i.e., molds as His own special instrument to do His work here
on the earth; and in this connection it is to be noted that every believer
has been given a spiritual gift, relative to which God commands, “Neglect
not the gift that is in thee,” 1 Timothy 4:14, and again, “... stir up the
gift of God, which is in thee,” 2 Timothy 1:6.
Every believer receives
his spiritual gift at the moment of conversion, but sadly, many believers
live and die without ever knowing what spiritual gift God had given them,
with the result that the gift is wasted, and might as well not have been
given.
But how does one know what
spiritual gift he has been given? Very simply. As we present ourselves to
Him in submissive obedience He will direct our service, and in due course
the gift He has given will become obvious to others before it does to the
recipient.
44:3. “For I
will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I
will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”
This promise will be
fulfilled in the Millennium.
In Matthew 5:6 it is
written, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.” Every believer should thus “hunger and thirst
after righteousness,” i.e., desire to know God’s will, and seek His help to
do it, His promise being that they will be satisfied, i.e., will enjoy His
peace “ which passeth all understanding,” Philippians 4:7, for God will
fulfill His word and satisfy that desire, and not stintingly but abundantly
“above all that we ask or think,” Ephesians 3:20.
A special blessing enjoyed
by the children of believers is the privilege of hearing the gospel from
their parents.
44:4. “And
they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”
Another rendering of this
verse is, “They shall thrive like watered grass, like willows on a river
bank,” Taylor. This continues to portray the inestimable blessings
that will be enjoyed in the Millennium; but it pictures the spiritual
blessings He is ready to pour upon obedient believers of every age.
44:5. “One
shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of
Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname
himself by the name of Israel.”
The believer’s response to
God’s blessings ought to be a ready testimony to being His child; and as
discussed already, Jacob speaks of what we are according to the flesh;
Israel, of what we are spiritually.
The latter part of this
verse is also translated, “shall inscribe on his hand,” and while this may
be taken literally, it may also be another way of saying that the man’s
testimony will be verified by accompanying good deeds, i.e., by a righteous
life, for the hand is associated with works, as the walk is with the manner
of life. In this connection see also James 2:17-18, “... faith, if it hath
not works , is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and
I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my
faith by my works.”
44:6. “Thus
saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am
the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
Israel means God
commands: he shall be prince of God, but Jacob means supplanter: he
shall take by the heel, and in this connection it is instructive to note
that God doesn’t call Himself “king of Jacob,” for the simple reason
that king is associated with dominion, and the natural man, whom
Jacob represents, will not submit to that dominion.
The latter part of the
verse continues to emphasize the eternality and uniqueness of God.
44:7. “And
who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me,
since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and
shall come, let them shew unto them.”
Taylor
translates this verse, “Who else can tell you what is going to happen in the
days ahead? Let them tell you if they can, and prove their power. Let them
do as I have done since ancient times.” Only God can foretell the future,
for He alone knows the future.
44:8. “Fear ye
not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have
declared it? Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea,
there is no God; I know not any.”
The NEB renders
this verse, “Take heart, do not be afraid. Did I not foretell this long
ago? I declared it, and you are my witnesses. Is there any god beside me,
or any creator, even one that I do not know?”; and Moffatt translates
it, “Fear nothing, dread not in the days to come; have I not foretold it and
announced it long ago? You are my witnesses whether there is any god, any
Power, any, beside me.”
44:9. “They
that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things
(things they delight in, cherish, consider precious) shall not profit; and
they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be
ashamed.”
“... vanity” is also
translated emptiness: inane: confused: less than nothing: empty minds be
theirs; and the latter part of the verse is translated “an idol’s
devotees are blind and dull, their end is shame, sheer ignorance makes fools
of them,” NEB; “They themselves are witnesses that this is so, for their
idols neither see nor know. No wonder those who worship them are so
ashamed,” Taylor.
44:10. “Who
hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?”
44:11.
“Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men:
let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear,
and they shall be ashamed together.”
Taylor’s
translation of these verses is, “Who but a fool would make his own god - an
idol that can help him not one whit! All that worship these will stand
before the Lord in shame, along with all these carpenters - mere men- who
claim that they have made a god,” and the NEB version is, “Let them
all gather together and confront me, all will be afraid and look the fools
they are.”
Only and imbecile would
think that he could create something better than himself.
44:12. “The
smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with
hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry,
and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.”
This continues to expose
the utter ananity of a mere man’s imagining that he could create a god or
anything else that would be better than himself.
44:13. “The
carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth
it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after
the figure of a man, according to the beauty (shape) of man; that it may
remain in the house (occupy a shrine)”.
In spite of all a man’s
careful work to make an idol (a god), the product of his toil is still only
an inanimate object that can’t even move: he himself has to set it on a
shrine in his house or temple. How can anyone be so utterly foolish as to
imagine that such a thing could have power to do anything for him its
creator! Yet incredible as it seems, there are millions who harbor that
delusion.
44:14. “He
heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak which he
strengtheneth (selects) for himself among the trees of the forest: he
planteth an ash, and rain doth nourish it.” He himself couldn’t make it
grow up into a tree.
The exposure of man’s
folly continues. He fashions a “god” from a tree which he himself has
selected or planted, but can’t make grow: it draws its nourishment from the
earth and the rain.
44:15. “Then
shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself;
yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth
it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.”
44:16. “He
burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he
roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I
am warm, I have seen the fire:”
44:17. “And
the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down
unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for
thou art my god.”
The absurdity of man’s
conduct is further demonstrated in his taking the remainder of the tree from
which he fashions his “god”, and using it to fuel the fire which warms him,
and on which he bakes his bread. How utterly ridiculous to imagine that
what is used for mundane purposes could ever be the same as that which
constitutes the “god” before which he prostrates himself! Can any sane mind
visualize the Creator being thus prostituted, or man being so foolish as to
imagine that the product of his own hands could deliver him from anything!
44:18. “They
have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot
see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.”
This is not to be
understood as meaning that God has arbitrarily darkened the understanding of
some against the truth, an error refuted by the assurance that He “... is
longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance,” 2 Peter 3:9. Relative to predestination it is
to be noted that “... whom He did foreknow, he also did
predestinate,” not to be saved, but for the believer - “to be conformed
to the image of His Son,” Romans 8:29. It is repeated rejection of
proffered redemption that brings His ultimate withdrawal of the offer, as it
is written, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man,” Genesis 6:3, “He,
that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed,
and that without remedy,” Proverbs 29:1.
44:19. “And
none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding
to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread
upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make
the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a
tree?”
The idolater is so
spiritually blind that he fails to see the ananity of worshiping something
made of the same material as that which he uses for firewood with which to
warm himself and to cook his food.
44:20. “He
feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot
deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
His sin-blinded eyes can’t
understand the folly of entrusting the eternal salvation of his soul to a
thing made of the same material as that which fuels the fire that warms him
and cooks his food, and becomes ashes in the process. “Is there not a lie
in my right hand?” is just another way of saying, “Am I not believing a
lie?” Unless awakened by the Spirit of God, the idolater never entertains a
doubt as to the worth of his idol.
44:21.
“Remember these (facts), O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have
formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of
me.”
We have already discussed
the fact that Jacob is associated with what is related to the flesh: Israel,
with what pertains to the spirit; and relative to our bodies we are assured
that they will ultimately enjoy the same perfection as our spirits, as it is
written, “... it (the natural body) is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in
weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” 1
Corinthians 15:42-44. “For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven;
from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall
change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,
according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself,” Philippians 3:20-21.
“... thou shalt not be
forgotten of me,” is the same assurance as is given all believers in Hebrews
13:5, “... for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” and
again, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” Matthew 28:20.
44:22. “I have
blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy
sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”
“... transgressions” are
deliberate or accidental breaches of God’s commands, and here He gives the
believer the assurance that every such offence is covered as by a thick
cloud, being blotted out from His sight by the precious blood of Christ with
which we have been redeemed. Others” however, take the “thick cloud” to be
the sins which God blots out just as He disperses a cloud.
“Sins” seem to relate to
the general sinful condition of each man, as a result of his having been
born with Adam’s sinful nature. Unlike the natural man, the believer
possesses Christ’s sinless nature, so that as a new creature in Christ he
cannot sin, as it is written, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become
new,” 2 Corinthians 5:17, because we “were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19. Sin in the
believer’s life originates in his old sinful nature which dwells in his body
side-by-side with his new nature, and against which it wages ceaseless
warfare, as it is written, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other
....” Galatians 5:17.
Relative to that warfare,
Paul laments, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body
of this death?” but then he exults, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the
flesh the law of sin,” Romans 7:24-25.
44:23. “Sing,
O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth:
break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein:
for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.”
God here commands all
creation to join in a song of praise for the great redemption that was made
possible by the then still future death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ, but the certainty of which are assured by being spoken of here as
already accomplished.
The “lower parts of the
earth” here seem to be the paradise section of the underworld, which until
Christ’s resurrection, was occupied by the souls of the redeemed of the OT
age, and which was separated by a great gulf,
see Luke 16:26, from the
torment section occupied by the souls of the damned. Some however, take the
reference to be to the mountains and forests.
Since the distinction
between Jacob and Israel has already been discussed there is no need to
repeat it here, though it is to be noted that it is Jacob (who represents
the natural man) who is said to have been redeemed, whereas Israel (who
represents the born-again man) is the one in whom God is glorified. The
natural man cannot glorify God, for he will not obey Him.
44:24. “Thus
saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am
the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;
that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;”
In presenting Himself as
Israel’s redeemer, and as the creator of all things, God is declaring not
only His love, but also His power, both being needed to secure man’s
redemption, for while love might long to redeem, only omnipotence could
fulfill that desire by providing a redeemer, His only Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ.
44:25. “That
frustrateth the tokens (signs, omens) of the liars, and maketh diviners mad;
that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;”
That same omnipotent God
renders void the signs and omens of the servants of Satan, thus showing them
to be liars and fools, and exposing their professed wisdom to be nonsense.
44:26. “That
confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his
messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the
cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places
thereof:”
When He told His prophets
to foretell the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the restoration of Israel’s
prosperity, He would confirm their words by fulfilling them. And so is it
still: in a soon coming day He will, by fulfillment, confirm the words of
today’s evangelists and teachers.
44:27. “That
saith to the deep (the seas and oceans), Be dry, and I will dry up thy
rivers (floods):”
This will be fulfilled in
the eternal state, relative to which it is written, “And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea,” Revelation 21:1. The fulfillment will be both
literal and metaphoric, for the sea symbolizes the restless masses of
unconverted humanity, as it is written, “But the wicked are like the
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt,”
Isaiah 57:20.
44:28. “That
saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even
saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundations
shall be laid.”
Relative to Cyrus, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary states that “Since Israel in exile had no
king, Cyrus functioned in a sense as her king (the anointed one) to bring
about blessing. Like Messiah ... Cyrus would have a twofold mission: to
free the people, and to bring God’s judgment on unbelievers ... And even
though Cyrus would enjoy a special relationship with God ... and was honored
by God, he still was not a believer for he did not acknowledge the Lord as
the true God.”
