geneva - Isaiah:43-44

geneva@Isaiah:43:1 @ But now thus saith the LORD (note:)After these threatenings he promises deliverance to his Church, because he has regenerated them, adopted them, and called them.(:note) that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, When you see dangers and conspiracies on all sides, remember this benefit and the love of your God, and it will encourage you. Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine.

geneva@Isaiah:43:2 @ When thou passest through the (note:)By water and fire he means all kinds of trouble and peril.(:note) waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

geneva@Isaiah:43:3 @ For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave (note:)I turned Sennacherib's power against these countries, and made them suffer the affliction which you would have done, and so were as the payment of our ransom, (Isa_37:9).(:note) Egypt [for] thy ransom, Cush and Seba for thee.

geneva@Isaiah:43:4 @ Since thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give (note:)I will not spare any man, rather than you should perish, for God values one of his faithful more than all the wicked in the world.(:note) men for thee, and people for thy life.

geneva@Isaiah:43:5 @ Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the (note:)He prophecies of their deliverance from the captivity of Babylon, and so of the calling of the universal Church, alluding to that which is written in (Deu_30:3).(:note) east, and gather thee from the west;

geneva@Isaiah:43:6 @ I will say to the North, Giue: and to the South, Keepe not backe: bring my sonnes from farre, & my daughters from the ends of the earth.

geneva@Isaiah:43:7 @ [Even] every one that is called by my (note:)Meaning that he could not be unmindful of them, unless he would neglect his own Name and glory.(:note) name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; verily, I have made him.

geneva@Isaiah:43:8 @ I will bring foorth the blinde people, and they shall haue eyes, and the deafe, and they shall haue eares.

geneva@Isaiah:43:9 @ Let all the nations be gathered (note:)Signifying that no power can resist him in doing this miraculous work, nor are all their idols able to do the same, as in (Isa_41:22).(:note) together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their To prove that the things which are spoken of them are true. witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them Showing that the malice of the wicked hinders them in the knowledge of the truth, because they will not hear when God speaks by his word. hear, and say, [It is] truth.

geneva@Isaiah:43:10 @ Ye (note:)The prophets and people to whom I have given my law.(:note) [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my Meaning especially Christ, and by him all the faithful. servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me.

geneva@Isaiah:43:11 @ I, euen I am the Lorde, and beside me there is no Sauiour.

geneva@Isaiah:43:12 @ I haue declared, and I haue saued, and I haue shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore you are my witnesses, sayeth the Lord, that I am God.

geneva@Isaiah:43:13 @ Yea, before the day was, I am, and there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand: I will doe it, and who shall let it?

geneva@Isaiah:43:14 @ Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have (note:)By Darius and Cyrus.(:note) brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry [is] in They will cry when they would escape by my water, seeing that the course of the Euphrates is turned another way by the enemy. the ships.

geneva@Isaiah:43:15 @ I am the Lorde your holy one, the creator of Israel, your King.

geneva@Isaiah:43:16 @ Thus saith the LORD, who maketh a way in (note:)When he delivered Israel from Pharaoh, (Exo_14:22).(:note) the sea, and a path in the mighty When the Israelites passed through Jordan, (Jos_3:17). waters;

geneva@Isaiah:43:17 @ Who bringeth (note:)When he delivered his people out of Egypt.(:note) forth the Pharaoh and his mighty army. chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick.

geneva@Isaiah:43:18 @ Remember yee not the former things, neither regard the things of olde.

geneva@Isaiah:43:19 @ Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the (note:)Meaning, that their deliverance out of Babylon would be more famous than that from Egypt was, (Jer_23:7; Hag_2:10; 2Co_5:17; Rev_21:5, Rev_21:7).(:note) wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.

geneva@Isaiah:43:20 @ The (note:)They will have such abundance of all things as they return home, even in the dry and barren places, that the very beasts will feel my blessings and will acknowledge them: much more men ought to be thankful for the same.(:note) beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

geneva@Isaiah:43:21 @ This people haue I formed for my selfe: they shall shewe foorth my praise.

geneva@Isaiah:43:22 @ But thou hast not (note:)You have not worshipped me as you ought to have done.(:note) called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been Because you have not willingly received that which I commanded you, you grieved me. By which he shows that his mercies were the only reason for their deliverance, as they had deserved the contrary. weary of me, O Israel.

geneva@Isaiah:43:23 @ Thou (note:)Meaning, in true faith and obedience.(:note) hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.

geneva@Isaiah:43:24 @ Thou hast bought me no sweet (note:)Either for the composition of the sweet ointment (Exo_30:34), or for the sweet incense (Exo_30:7).(:note) cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast Whom God accept it as righteous or which at occasion because of the law and of thine holy calling. burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.

geneva@Isaiah:43:25 @ I, euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes.

geneva@Isaiah:43:26 @ Put me in (note:)If I forget anything that may make for your justification, put me in remembrance and speak for yourself.(:note) remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

geneva@Isaiah:43:27 @ Thy (note:)Your ancestors.(:note) first father hath sinned, and thy Your priests and your prophets. teachers have transgressed against me.

geneva@Isaiah:43:28 @ Therefore I have (note:)That is, rejected, abhorred, and destroyed them in the wilderness and at other times.(:note) profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

geneva@Isaiah:44:1 @ Yet nowe heare, O Iaakob my seruant, and Israel, whom I haue chosen.

geneva@Isaiah:44:2 @ Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed (note:)He treated and chose you from the beginning of his own mercy, and before you could merit anything.(:note) thee from the womb, [who] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, Whom God accepts as righteous: or who had opportunity to it because of the law, and your holy calling. whom I have chosen.

geneva@Isaiah:44:3 @ For I will pour water upon him that is (note:)Because man of himself is as the dry and barren land, he promises to moisten him with the waters of his Holy Spirit, (Joe_2:28; Joh_7:38; Act_2:17).(:note) thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring:

geneva@Isaiah:44:4 @ And they (note:)That is, your children and posterity will increase wonderfully after their deliverance from Babylon.(:note) shall spring up [as] among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

geneva@Isaiah:44:5 @ One shall say, I [am] the LORD'S; and another (note:)By this diversity of speech he means one thing, that is, that the people will be holy, and receive the true religion from God, as in (Psa_87:5).(:note) shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write [with] his hand to the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.

geneva@Isaiah:44:6 @ Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; (note:)I am always like myself, that is, merciful toward my Church, and most able to maintain it, as in (Isa_41:4, Isa_48:12; Rev_1:17, Rev_22:13).(:note) I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and besides me [there is] no God.

geneva@Isaiah:44:7 @ And who, as I, shall (note:)And appoint them that will deliver the Church.(:note) call, and shall declare it, and set That is, tell me how I should proceed in this. it in order for me, since I appointed the God calls the Israelites ancient, because he preferred them to all others in his eternal election. ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let Meaning, their idols. them show to them.

geneva@Isaiah:44:8 @ Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? (note:)Read (Isa_43:10).(:note) ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? verily, [there is] no God; I know not [any].

geneva@Isaiah:44:9 @ They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and (note:)Whatever they bestow on their idols, to make them seem glorious.(:note) their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; That is, the idolaters seeing that their idols are blind, are witnesses of their own blindness, and feeling that they are not able to help them, must confess that they have no power. they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

geneva@Isaiah:44:10 @ Who hath formed a (note:)Meaning that whatever is made by the hand of man, if it is valued as a god, is most detestable.(:note) god, or cast a graven image [that] is By which appears their blasphemy, who call images the books of the laity, seeing that they are not only here called unprofitable, but in (Isa_41:24) abominable. Jeremiah calls them the work of errors, (Jer_10:15), Habakkuk, a lying teacher (Hab_2:18). profitable for nothing?

geneva@Isaiah:44:11 @ Behold, all his (note:)That is, who in any way consent either to the making or worshipping.(:note) fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them Signifying, that the multitude will not then save the idolaters, when God will take vengeance, although they excuse themselves by it among men. stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together.

geneva@Isaiah: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 (note:)He describes the raging affection of the idolaters, who forget their own necessities to set forth their devotion toward their idols.(:note) hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

geneva@Isaiah: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 of a man; that it may remain in (note:)To place it in some Temple.(:note) the house.

geneva@Isaiah:44:14 @ He will hewe him downe cedars, and take the pine tree and the oke, and taketh courage among the trees of the forest: he planteth a firre tree, and the raine doeth nourish it.

geneva@Isaiah:44:15 @ Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take of it, and (note:)He sets forth the obstinacy and malice of the idolaters who though they see by daily experience that their idols are no better than the rest of the matter of which they are made, yet they refuse the one part, and make a god of the other, as the papists make their cake god, and the rest of their idols.(:note) warm himself; indeed, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it]; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down to it.

geneva@Isaiah:44:16 @ He burneth part of it in the fire; with part of it he (note:)That is, he either makes a table or trenchers.(:note) eateth flesh; he roasteth meat, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

geneva@Isaiah:44:17 @ And the residue thereof he maketh a god, euen his idole: he boweth vnto it, and worshippeth and prayeth vnto it, and sayeth, Deliuer me: for thou art my god.

geneva@Isaiah:44:18 @ They have not known nor understood: (note:)The prophet gives here an answer to all them who wonder how it is possible that any would be so blind as to commit such abomination, saying that God has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts.(:note) for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.

geneva@Isaiah:44:19 @ And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor vnderstanding to say, I haue burnt halfe of it, euen in the fire, and haue baked bread also vpon the coles thereof: I haue rosted flesh, and eaten it, and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I bowe to the stocke of a tree?

geneva@Isaiah:44:20 @ He feedeth (note:)He is abused as one that would eat ashes, thinking to satisfy his hunger.(:note) 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?

geneva@Isaiah:44:21 @

geneva@Isaiah:44:22 @ I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude, and thy sinnes, as a mist: turne vnto me, for I haue redeemed thee.

geneva@Isaiah:44:23 @

geneva@Isaiah:44:24 @ Thus sayeth the Lord thy redeemer and he that formed thee from the wombe, I am the Lord, that made all things, that spred out the heauens alone, and stretched out the earth by my selfe.

geneva@Isaiah:44:25 @ That frustrateth the (note:)He arms them against the soothsayers of Babylon, who would have said that they knew by the stars that God would not deliver Israel, and that Babylon would stand.(:note) tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

geneva@Isaiah:44:26 @ That confirmeth the word of his (note:)Of Isaiah and the rest of his prophets, who assured the Church of God's favour and deliverance.(:note) 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 her decayed places:

geneva@Isaiah:44:27 @ That saith to the (note:)He shows that God's work would be no less notable in this their deliverance, than when he brought them out of Egypt, through the sea.(:note) deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

geneva@Isaiah:44:28 @ That saith of (note:)To assure them of their deliverance he names the person by whom it would be, more than a hundred years before he was born.(:note) Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

geneva@Isaiah:45:1 @ Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to (note:)To assure the Jews of their deliverance against the great temptations that they would abide, he names the person and the means.(:note) Cyrus, whose Because Cyrus would execute the office of a deliverer, God called him his anointed for a time, but after another sort than he called David. right hand I have held, to To guide him in the deliverance of my people. subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;