John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 48

Hear this, O house of Jacob. He now directs his discourse to the Jews, whom he also primarily had in mind throughout the preceding chapter. For he was not sent to the Babylonians; rather, he addresses them in such a way that he wished the Jews, to whom he had been especially appointed, would hear him.

Accordingly, he foretold the destruction of the Babylonians so that the Jews might calmly wait for deliverance, not be terrified by the greatness and power of their enemies, and, relying on these promises, stand unmoved against all temptations. But because the Jews were obstinate and did not believe those promises, and because Isaiah foresaw how great their hard-heartedness and obstinacy would be during their captivity, he reproves them with greater severity.

Ezekiel shows still more clearly how inveterate their unbelief was when they murmured against God, cast away all confidence, and cared no more about the promises of God than about empty fables. It was not without reason, therefore, that Isaiah made use of such vehement language, in order to show that they offered the highest insult to God by refusing to rely on his grace.

Who are called by the name of Israel. He addresses “Israel,” but an Israel that was actually spurious and at that time had nothing more than the name. For he does not use this honorable name to mention them respectfully, but rather to put their false boasting to shame, because they had no right to glory in this empty title, from the truth of which they were widely estranged. Why did God honor Jacob with this name, if not because he proved himself to be courageous and invincible in adversity? This appeared from that wrestling in which he contended with God; for when the Lord tries by various afflictions, he enters, as it were, into debate with us (Genesis 32:25). How, then, did this name apply to his posterity, if they were cast down and threw away all hope in adversity?

Who have come out from the waters of Judah. He next reproaches them for being descended from the holy fathers, and yet being utterly unlike them. By “the waters of Judah,” he metaphorically means the source and fountain from which the Jews proceeded; for I do not approve of the childish attempt of the Jewish writers to explain the metaphor, which is borrowed in a highly natural manner from waters that flow from a distant place.

Who swear by the name of Jehovah. Having censured them for being the degenerate and wicked children of holy fathers, he adds that they falsely pretend to the worship of God and to a semblance of piety from which they are widely distant. Now, as “swearing” is a kind of worship of God, he here puts one department for the whole class, by a figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole.

Just as idolaters offer an insult to God when they swear by their idols, in the same way sincere worshippers of God render honor to God by using his name in oaths; for they acknowledge that they have one God, in whose name they glory. But here he attacks hypocrites who, with open mouth, loudly boasted of the name of God and frequently mentioned his name, yet in their hearts were greatly opposed to him.

For this reason, he says, not in truth nor in righteousness. In this phrase, he employs the word “righteousness” to denote integrity and sincerity of heart, without which nothing can be acceptable to God. Or rather, “righteousness” and “truth” are synonymous terms, as if he had said that it was mere pretense and hypocrisy to profess that they were the people of the true God, because their treachery openly proclaimed their falsehood.

For from the holy city they are called. He continues the same subject and, using different words, exposes their false boasting; for they falsely boasted that they were citizens of “the holy city,” which they defiled by their vices and crimes. Jerusalem should have been “holy,” for God had consecrated her to himself; but she had prostrated herself to iniquities so great and numerous that she scarcely retained any holiness. We see in Psalm 15:2 and Psalm 24:4 what the true citizens of Jerusalem should be; but because the Jews were not ashamed of mocking God, they considered it enough to be protected by the shadow of the Temple.

And rely on the God of Israel. When he says that they “rely on Jehovah,” he does not speak of sincere belief, but of empty confidence. For, just as good men rely on God and trust him with their whole heart, so hypocrites falsely profess his name, are intoxicated by unfounded belief, fearlessly despise everything, and even boast confidently with these words, “God will assist us, and he will not cast off his people”; as if God wished to encourage their wickedness.

In a word, by trampling him under their feet, they loudly declare that they rely on themselves for safety. But, so that they would not think that they will not be punished for this mockery, the Prophet assures them that God loses nothing of his authority when he is thus misrepresented by hypocrites. For when the Prophet calls him Jehovah of hosts, he adds this by way of threatening, so that they might know that God, under whose name they falsely sheltered themselves, was strong enough to punish them, and eventually would not permit them to make him the subject of mockery.

Long ago have I declared the former things. He accuses the Jews of ingratitude because they distrust God, who has given every possible proof of His goodness to establish them in sincere confidence; and therefore He takes away every excuse from them by saying that he declared the former things. He appears to speak not of their deliverance from Babylon, but of other benefits which the Lord had bestowed on that nation; as if he had said that God began, long before this, to foretell to his people what would happen, and never promised anything which He did not perform, and yet that His people, after having received so many proofs, did not place confidence in His certain and infallible truth.

It may also be said that the Prophet did not merely address those who lived at that time, but those who would afterward live during the captivity, in order that, when this certainty arrived, they might consider that it had already been foretold. God intended that this prediction should be widely known, in order that, during their captivity, they might know that these things did not happen by chance and that they might obtain some consolation. Isaiah therefore rebukes them because, after having learned the truth of this matter from the event itself, they still cannot acknowledge the work of God or place confidence in Him.

And justly does he severely reprove and accuse them of obstinacy; for they resisted God, who stretched out His hand to them, and rejected His grace. They did not believe that they would have liberty to return to Judea, and, when the way was opened, very few had the courage to return.

Some thought that it would be better to remain in Babylon than to undergo the annoyances and dangers of the journey. Others suspected that Cyrus had made a crafty proclamation of liberty to return, in order that, having ascertained their dispositions, he might oppress them or treat them with severity; and they did not take into account that God had foretold these things, that they must unavoidably happen, and that no human power could prevent them.

Accordingly, I understand the predictions of which the Prophet speaks. These include, indeed, the ancient prophecies by which God foretold to Abraham (Genesis 15:13) that his seed would be held captive and would afterward be restored to their former freedom. But other predictions were also added afterward in their due order, and these also came to pass at different times. For this, too, was frequently fulfilled, partly at one time and partly at another.

He shows, therefore, that the Lord predicted nothing which was not justified by the event.

For I knew that you are obstinate. Literally, it is, “On account of my knowing,” or, “From my knowing.” Here the Lord solemnly declares by the Prophet that it was on account of the hard-heartedness of the people that he spoke of future events; as if he had said that he acted more liberally towards them than he ought to have done.

This was not the only end at which he aimed, for we know that the chief use of doctrine belongs to believers, who gently submit themselves and cheerfully obey. But Isaiah, who had to deal with obstinate men, justly says that if their depravity had not been incurable, God made use of an excellent remedy by uttering many successive predictions for the purpose of ratifying his Law.

Thus, as he had foretold future events to the fathers, so he shows that he follows the same course to conquer or soften the obstinacy and hard-heartedness of the people.

And your neck is an iron sinew, and your forehead is of brass. He calls their neck “an iron sinew” because it cannot be bent. “Sinews” are indeed hard, but still they are capable of being bent; here, he says, there is no bending because they are untamable. He next mentions “a brazen forehead” to denote their impudence.

There are two ways by which we may be kept in the path of duty:

1. If we are submissive and obey good instructions or holy commandments.
2. If, after having fallen into any sin, we are moved by sincere shame to repent of what we have done.

When these are lacking, it is a sign of desperate wickedness. These are two proofs, therefore, which he has brought forward to show that the nation was abandoned to everything that was sinful: they were refractory, and they were impudent.

And yet, when the Lord cannot cure us in any other way, he treats even our perversity with such forbearance that he is pleased to give us warning of future events. Thus he assumes, as it were, every possible shape, in order to recall us to himself and bring us back into the right path.

I foretold to thee long ago. He again repeats the same statement, so that the people, when they had been delivered from Babylon, might acknowledge the kindness of God and might not ascribe this deliverance to idols or to fortune. If it is asked, “Why does the Prophet mention idols, since the Jews professed the worship of one God?” I reply, they had been corrupted by associating with the Gentiles and had degenerated into superstitions to such an extent that they had entirely forgotten God. Ezekiel complains of this, that in the vision in which he appeared to be carried to Jerusalem, he beheld the sanctuary of God polluted by various idols (Ezekiel 8:3). Not without reason, therefore, does he recall them to God as the only author of these events, so that they may acknowledge that he has redeemed them.

Lest, perhaps, thou shouldest say. He means that the Jews will be inexcusable if they do not acknowledge the kindness of God when they have been emancipated from slavery, for what had been foretold long ago would not have happened by chance. God’s foreknowledge is therefore connected by the Prophet with his power, and he declares that he not only foresaw but likewise accomplished these events.

Here then, as in a mirror, we behold the wicked exercise of our understanding, which always contrives how it will rob God of the praise that is due to him. Whenever he either assists us or in any way is kind to us, he may be said to stretch out his hand and invite us to himself.

Yet the world, as if it purposely designed to resist, ascribes to others what has come from God, just as we see that in Popery all God’s benefits are attributed to dead saints, as if God were in a deep sleep.

It is therefore necessary that the lamp of doctrine should shine to regulate our judgment; for, in considering the works of God, we will always go astray if he does not go before us and enlighten us by his word. But even now we find in many people what Isaiah deplores in his nation: that, even after being warned, they do not stop making idols for themselves, which they clothe with the spoils taken from God.

Peter and John loudly declared (Acts 3:12) that it was not by their own merits or excellence that they performed their miracles; yet we see how the Papists load them with miracles against their will and in spite of their resistance.

Although God does not now foretell events that will happen, yet the doctrine of the Law and of the Gospel will just as powerfully condemn our ingratitude as if prophecies had attested to those works of which God there declares himself to be the author.