John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 41

Be silent to me, O islands. Though the Prophet’s discourse appears to be different from the former, yet he pursues the same subject; for, in order to put the Jews to shame, he says that he would have been successful if he had been called to plead with unbelievers and blind persons.

Thus he reproves not only the sluggishness, but the stupidity of that nation, to whom God had been so near and so intimately known by His Law (Deuteronomy 4:7). Yet we need not wonder that the people, overtaken by many terrors, trembled so that they scarcely received solid consolation; for we have abundant experience how much we are alarmed by adversity, because amidst this depravity and corruption of our nature, every man labors under two diseases.

In prosperity, he exalts himself extravagantly and shakes off the restraint of humility and moderation; but, in adversity, he either rages or lies in a lifeless condition and scarcely has the smallest perception of the goodness of God. We need not wonder, therefore, that the Prophet dwells so largely on this subject and that he pursues it in many ways.

He gives the name of islands to the countries beyond the sea; for the Jews, having no intercourse with them, gave to all that lay beyond the sea the name of “islands”; and therefore he addresses not only the nations which were at hand, but likewise those which were more distant, and requires them “to keep silence before him.” But of what nature is this silence?

Isaiah describes a kind of judicial pleading which the Lord is not unwilling to enter into with all nations. He demands only that he shall be heard in his own cause, and that there shall be no confusion or disorder in the proceedings, which would be altogether at variance with a court of justice. On this account he commands the Gentiles to keep silence, that, when this has been done, he may openly plead his cause; for the order of a court of justice demands that every person shall speak in his turn; for, if all should cry aloud together, there must be strange confusion.

This reminds us that the reason why we do not think with so much reverence as we ought concerning the power and goodness and wisdom and other attributes of God, is that we do not listen to him when he speaks. Men roar and murmur against God; some, swelling with their pride, openly despise his word; while others, through some kind of slothfulness, disregard him, and, in consequence of being buried in earthly delights, take no concern about aspiring to the heavenly kingdom.

Even now we perceive with what insolence and rebellion many persons speak against God. How is it that Papists are so obstinate and headstrong in their errors, but because they refuse to listen to God? For if they would listen to him in silence, the truth would speedily convince them.

In a word, the Lord shows by these words that he will be victorious if men listen to him attentively. He does not wish that they shall listen to him in a careless manner, as unjust and corrupt judges, having already determined what sentence they shall pronounce, are accustomed to do; but that they shall examine and weigh his arguments, in which they will find nothing but what is perfectly just.

It may be asked, “Does the Prophet now exhort the Gentiles to hear?” I reply, these things relate chiefly to the Jews; for it would be long before this prophecy would reach the Gentiles. But this discourse would be fitted more powerfully to remove the obstinacy of the Jews, when he shows that the Gentiles, though they were estranged from him, would speedily acknowledge his power, provided only that they chose to listen to him in silence. There is greater weight and force in these words addressed directly to the “islands” themselves than if he had spoken of them in the third person.

And let the people collect their strength. The Lord defies all the Gentiles to the contest, and in a contemptuous manner, as is commonly done by those who are more powerful, or who, relying on the goodness of their cause, have no doubt about the result. “Let them collect their strength and league against me; they will gain nothing, but I shall at last be victorious.” As we commonly say, “I disdain them, (Je les despite.) Even though they bend all their strength both of mind and of body, still they shall be conquered; all I ask is, that they give me a hearing.”

By these words he declares that truth possesses such power that it easily puts down all falsehoods, provided that men give attention to it; and, therefore, although all men rise up to overwhelm the truth, still it will prevail.

Consequently, if we are led astray from God, we must not throw the blame on others, but ought rather to accuse ourselves of not having been sufficiently attentive and diligent when he spoke to us; for falsehoods would not have power over us, nor would we be carried away by any cunning attempt of Satan to deceive us, or by the force of any attack, if we were well disposed to listen to God.

As to his assuming the character of a guilty person, so that he may appear and plead his cause before a court of justice, it may be asked, “Who among men will be competent to judge in so hard and difficult a cause?” I reply, nothing is said here about choosing judges; the Lord means only that he would be successful if impartial judges were allowed to try this cause.

He cannot submit either to men or to angels, so as to render an account to them. But, for the purpose of taking away every excuse, he declares that victory is in his power, even though he were constrained to plead his cause.

Consequently, it is highly unreasonable to dispute among ourselves and not to yield to him absolute obedience. We are also ungrateful and rebellious in not listening to him and in not considering how just his demands are.

And indeed, though nothing can be more unreasonable than for mortals to judge God, yet it is still more shocking and monstrous when, by our blind murmuring, we condemn him before he has been heard in his own defense.

Who shall raise up righteousness from the east? This shows plainly what the Prophet's design is, for he intends to assure the Jews that they will be in no danger of going astray if they choose to follow the path which he points out to them.

This is the reason why he mentions Abraham. He might have enumerated other works of God but selected an example appropriate to his subject. For, having been descended from Abraham, whom God had brought out of Chaldea amidst so many dangers, they ought also to have hoped that he would equally assist them, since his power was not diminished, and he is not wearied by acts of kindness.

Because it was difficult for captives and exiles, while they were at a great distance from their native country, to hope for a return, he exhorts them by a similar example to cherish favorable hopes. Having been scattered throughout Chaldea and the neighboring countries, they thought that the road which led homeward was closed to them on account of numerous obstructions.

But from the same place Abraham their father had traveled into Judea (Genesis 11:31 and Genesis 12:1).

Could not he who conducted one poor, solitary man—with his father, his nephew, and his wife—safe and sound amidst so many dangers, be the leader of his people in the journey? Since, therefore, God had called Abraham out of his native country and delivered him from all distresses, this fact drawn from the family history ought to have made a deeper impression on his children, that the departure of their father Abraham might be a pledge or mirror of their future deliverance from Babylon.

When he calls Abraham righteousness, he does so not for the purpose of extolling the man, but of showing that God had assigned to him a character which belonged to the whole condition of the Church.

For he was not called as a private individual, but the demonstration of God’s eternal justice which was given in his calling is common to all believers—as if he had said, that in his person the Church had once been delivered, so that he might confidently believe that his salvation and the justice of God would be alike eternal.

And indeed, in a single individual we see the calling of believers, a sort of model of the Church, and the beginning and end of our salvation. In short, Abraham may be regarded as a mirror of the justice of God, so far as it shines in the affairs of this world.

This word is used for the sake of amplification (πρὸς αὔξησιν). For to “raise up righteousness from the east,” where everything had been corrupted and polluted by the most abominable superstitions, was an astonishing work of God. If, therefore, such a display of God’s goodness and power had once been given, why ought they not to expect the same or a similar display in future?

Called him to his foot. Some interpret this as meaning that Abraham, wherever he went, called on the name of the Lord; for as soon as he came into any country, he erected an altar to God, that he might offer sacrifice upon it (Genesis 12:7 and Genesis 13:18).

This is indeed true, but I interpret it differently: that the Lord was the leader in the journey to Abraham, who followed him step by step. For when he was commanded to depart, no particular country was pointed out to which he should go. Thus, when he set out, he did not know either how far or in what direction he should travel, but God kept him in suspense until he entered into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:3).

When Abraham had been called, he immediately appeared. Though he was uncertain as to his journey, he listened to the mouth of God and was satisfied with having God for his leader. On this account, the expression is appropriate, that he followed him “to his foot,” because he surrendered himself to God to be a footman, like obedient and submissive servants who follow the footsteps of their master, though they are uncertain where he is leading them.

Gave nations before him. This means that although the good man might be afflicted and tormented every moment by many anxieties, yet God removed every obstruction that could annoy him.

Moses does not enumerate all the difficulties Abraham encountered at his departure, but any person may conclude that this journey could not be free from very great annoyances. It was impossible for him, when he set out, not to draw upon himself the hatred of the nation and to be universally condemned as a madman for leaving his native land, relations, and friends, and wandering to an unknown country.

After having come into the land of Canaan, he had to do with wicked and cruel men, with whom he could not agree, because he was entirely opposed to their superstitions.

What Moses relates shows plainly enough that Abraham was never at rest, and yet wicked men dared not attempt to do anything against him, so that when he wished to purchase a sepulcher from the children of Heth, they offered it to him freely and for nothing, and acknowledged him to be a man of God and a prince (Genesis 23:6).

And subdued kings. The Prophet illustrates the grace of God by showing that he did not spare even kings, so as to make it evident that he was a faithful protector of his servant or vassal Abraham.

The history of the four kings whom he vanquished and routed is well known (Genesis 14:14–15). This might also be extended to Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17) and Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), who are also mentioned in Psalm 105:14, where this subject is handled.

For they were chastised because they dared to touch the Lord’s Anointed (Psalms 105:15).

But strictly, it denotes that victory which he obtained over four kings (Genesis 14:14–15), who had carried off his nephew Lot, with all that belonged to him. For it is very evident from the context that the Prophet does not speak of kings or nations that had been soothed, but of armed enemies that were violently made to pass under the yoke.

As dust to his sword. Lastly, he magnifies the ease with which that victory was gained and thus expresses the highest contempt by comparing those kings to dust and stubble. For he subdued them without exposing himself to danger. At the same time, he reminds us that this ought not to be ascribed to the power of man, but to the assistance of God, because it is not by human power that victory can be so easily gained.

He pursued them. The Prophet again commends, by the greatness of the victory, the extraordinary kindness of God. It is of the highest importance that he obtained it in a country which was unknown to him; for it is difficult and hazardous to pursue enemies in unknown countries; and how great is the value of a knowledge of places is plainly shown by history, and daily experienced by those who carry on war. That was no obstacle to Abraham; and hence it is still more evident, that he was led and assisted by the hand of God to conduct his followers courageously.

Who has appointed? Although Isaiah has exhibited in this passage nothing more than the example of Abraham, yet he undoubtedly intended to remind the people of all the benefits which the fathers had received in ancient times; as if he had said, “Call to remembrance what is your origin, from where I raised up your father Abraham, by what path I led him; and yet this was not the end of my favors, for since that time I have never ceased to enrich you with every kind of blessings.” Therefore, when he asks who he is, he does not speak merely of a single performance, but adds other benefits, which followed at various times, and which the people ought also to remember.

Calling the nations from the beginning. This must relate to the constant succession of ages. In the Hebrew language דור (dor) means not only “an age,” or the duration of human life, but also the men who lived at that time. Thus one generation is distinguished from another, as fathers from their children, and grandchildren from their grandfathers; for posterity will call us the former generation, and will call our ancestors a generation more remote and ancient.

Again, because any one age would consume mankind if it were not renewed by offspring, the Prophet shows that God multiplies men by an uninterrupted course, so that they succeed each other. Hence it follows that He presides over all ages, so that we may not think that this world is governed by chance, given that the providence of God is clearly seen in the succession of ages.

But because, due to various changes, the world appears to revolve by blind impulse, the Prophet declares by these words that those manifold events were known from the beginning of the world. This amounts to this: that amidst that variety which time brings, God reigns and accomplishes by a uniform course what He decreed from the beginning.

I Jehovah. Finally, he asserts more plainly that God is the author of these blessings: that Abraham conquered enemies (Genesis 14:16), that he lived among wicked men without suffering harm, that he put kings to flight (Psalms 105:14), that the Lord avenged him when Abimelech (Genesis 20:18) and also Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17) had violently seized his wife. Besides, he shows that it ought to be ascribed to Him that other blessings of various kinds had been bestowed on every generation, for His power had been manifested not only to the race of Abraham, but to the whole world.

Am the first, and likewise with the last. This relates not only to the eternity of His essence, but also to the government which He exercises on earth; as if He had said that God does not grow old by any length of time and never will surrender His authority. For He does not sit unemployed in heaven, but, on the contrary, from His throne He regulates the affairs of this world. But although the world put in His place an innumerable crowd of gods, yet He declares that He sustains no loss, because He will always continue to be like Himself.

The isles saw, and feared. He now shows the excessive ingratitude of the world, which, after having perceived the works of God, still continued in the same blindness to which it had been previously abandoned. A little earlier, he had said that he would easily gain a victory, if they would only listen to him; and now he adds, that the Gentiles knew his power, and yet were rebellious and obstinate. The consequence is that they are altogether inexcusable, because the majesty of God was abundantly revealed, if they had not chosen to shut their eyes of their own accord. Therefore, to take away the excuse of ignorance even from the most distant nations, he says that they trembled at the sight of his works, and yet returned immediately to their natural dispositions, so as to be entangled by many errors and superstitions. There is an elegant allusion in the two verbs ראו וייראו, (rau veyirau), which cannot be expressed in the Latin language; but the general meaning is, that they not only were eyewitnesses, but also were so deeply convinced, that fear was awakened in them by what they knew.

The farthest boundaries of the earth trembled. It might be objected that the blessings which God bestowed on Abraham could not be celebrated throughout the whole world, so as to be known to foreign nations. But, as we have said, although Abraham alone was mentioned by him, he also intended to bring to remembrance other instances of his kindness which their fathers experienced, so that these might lead them to entertain better hope. For not only did he bring Abraham out of Chaldea, but he rescued all his posterity from the bondage of Egypt (Exodus 13:16) and put them in possession of the land of Canaan.

Therefore, he says that the Gentiles had experience of his power when he delivered and preserved his people, so that they might know that he is the only true God; for amidst so many miracles his power was clearly and manifestly displayed. In short, he declares that the Gentiles were terrified by the wonderful power of God when he delivered his people; for wicked men, when they hear something of that power, are every day terrified and filled with amazement, because they perceive that God is their enemy.

Drew near and came. This expression, drew near, is interpreted by some to mean that unbelievers observed the works of God more closely; for, when we wish to perceive anything more accurately, we approach nearer. Others refer it to the king of Sodom, who went out to meet Abraham (Genesis 14:17). But those interpretations are unsuitable and indeed have nothing to do with the subject.