John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 49:26

"And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." — Isaiah 49:26 (ASV)

And I will feed thy oppressors with their own flesh. First, He declares the nature of the end that awaits the enemies of the Church, and threatens that they will not only be inflamed with mutual hatred but will also slay each other by mutual slaughter. Indeed, it is God who drives them headlong and rouses them to rage, so that they turn against themselves the strength they previously exerted against the Church, fight with each other, as the Midianites did (Judges 7:22), and bring destruction on themselves.

The meaning amounts to this: there will be no need for external aid or any preparations when God determines to overturn and destroy the reprobate, because, having been struck by Him with giddiness, they will wear themselves out in mutual conflict by the insatiable rage with which they will attack each other.

And all flesh shall know. He repeats the statement we have previously seen, namely, that He will be acknowledged by all to be the God of Israel and the true and only God when He has delivered His people from destruction. For He intended it to be a demonstration of His divinity, that He openly manifested Himself as the Redeemer and Savior of His people.

The Mighty One of Jacob. Some read the word Jacob in the vocative case: “O mighty Jacob;” but I read it in the genitive case: “of Jacob.” The Lord testifies that He is the Savior, Redeemer, and Mighty One of Israel, so that they may rely with their whole heart on His defense and protection.

CHAPTER 50.