Isaiah 48:12

Yahweh Frees Israel

12 "Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, {whom I called}: I [am] he. I [am the] first; also I [am the] last.

Isaiah 48:12 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 48:12

Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called
Called before out of Egypt, and now out of Babylon, and who had the name of God called upon them, and who called upon the name of the Lord; so such who are called with a holy calling, according to the purpose and grace of God, by the Spirit and grace of Christ, unto fellowship with him, to partake of his grace here, and glory hereafter, are styled "the called of Jesus Christ", ( Romans 1:6 ) and who seems to be the person here speaking, as appears from the following clause: and it may be observed, that Jacob and Israel are described here in a different manner from what they are in the beginning of the chapter, since the Lord had declared his designs of grace towards them, and that he had chosen them, and would save them for his name's sake: which they had reason to believe he could and would do, from the account which he gives of himself: and they are called upon to hearken to him, as follows, I am he, I am the first, and I also am the last;
the everlasting I AM, the immutable Jehovah, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first cause and last end of all things; phrases expressive of the self-existence, supremacy, eternity, and immutability of Christ, ( Revelation 1:8 Revelation 1:17 ) , and what is it that such a sovereign, eternal and unchangeable Being cannot do?

Isaiah 48:12 In-Context

10 Look! I have refined you, but not like silver; I have chosen you in [the] furnace of misery.
11 For my own sake, for my own sake I do [it]; for why should it be defiled? And I will not give my glory to another."
12 "Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, {whom I called}: I [am] he. I [am the] first; also I [am the] last.
13 Indeed, my hand founded [the] earth, and my right hand spread out [the] heavens; [when] I summon them, they stand in position together.
14 Assemble, all of you, and hear! Who among them declared these [things]? Yahweh loves him; he shall perform his wish against Babylon and his arm [against] {the Chaldeans}.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "who was called by me"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.