Isaiah 44:18-28

18 They do not ¹know, nor do they understand, for He has ²smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

19 No one recalls * *, nor is there ³knowledge or understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an ⁴abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!"

20 He ⁵feeds on ashes; a ⁶deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "⁷Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

God Forgives and Redeems

21 "⁸Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are ⁹My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will ¹⁰not be forgotten by Me.

22 "I have ¹¹wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. ¹²Return to Me, for I have ¹³redeemed you."

23 ¹⁴Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; ¹⁵Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For ¹⁶the LORD has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He ¹⁷shows forth His glory.

24 Thus says the LORD, your ¹⁸Redeemer, and the one who ¹⁹formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, ²⁰Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all * alone *,

25 ²¹Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making fools out of diviners, ²²Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge into foolishness,

26 ²³Confirming the word of His servant And performing the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited!' And of the ²⁴cities of Judah, '²⁵They shall be built.' And I will raise up her ruins again.

27 "It is I who says to the depth of the sea, 'Be dried up!' And I will make your rivers ²⁶dry.

28 "It is I who says of ²⁷Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, '²⁸She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.' "

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Isaiah 44:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 44

In this chapter the Lord comforts his people with the promise of the effusion of his Spirit, and the blessings of his grace upon them; the consequence of which would be fruitfulness in them, and the conversion of others, who should profess themselves the Lord's people, Isa 44:1-5, he proves his deity in opposition to all false gods from his eternity, omniscience, and foretelling future events, Isa 44:6-8, exposes the stupidity of idol makers and the worshippers of them, Isa 44:9-20, makes gracious promises of the remembrance of his people, the remission of their sins, and their redemption by Christ, Isa 44:21-23, of which redemption from Babylon was a type; and of that assurance is given, from the Lord's creating all things by his power; from his frustrating and infatuating diviners and wise men; from his fulfilling his predictions delivered by his prophets; and from his mentioning by name the instrument of their redemption, Cyrus, Isa 44:24-28, which makes way for a particular prophecy concerning him in the next chapter.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 28

1. Isaiah 1:3; Jeremiah 10:8, 14
2. Psalms 81:12; Isaiah 6:9, 10; Isaiah 29:10
3. Isaiah 5:13; Isaiah 44:18, 19; Isaiah 45:20
4. Deuteronomy 27:15; 1 Kings 11:5, 7; 2 Kings 23:13, 14
5. Psalms 102:9
6. Job 15:31; Hosea 4:12; Romans 1:21, 22; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Timothy 3:13
7. Isaiah 57:11; Isaiah 59:3, 4, 13; Romans 1:25
8. Isaiah 46:8; Zechariah 10:9
9. Isaiah 44:1, 2
10. Isaiah 49:15
11. Psalms 51:1, 9; Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19
12. Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 55:7
13. Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 48:20; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19
14. Psalms 69:34; Psalms 96:11, 12; Isaiah 42:10; Isaiah 49:13
15. Psalms 98:7, 8; Psalms 148:7, 9; Isaiah 55:12
16. Isaiah 43:1
17. Isaiah 49:3; Isaiah 61:3
18. Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:14
19. Isaiah 44:2
20. Isaiah 40:22; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 45:12, 18; Isaiah 51:13
21. Isaiah 47:13
22. 2 Samuel 15:31; Job 5:12-14; Psalms 33:10; Isaiah 29:14; Jeremiah 51:57; 1 Corinthians 1:20, 27
23. Zechariah 1:6; Matthew 5:18
24. Isaiah 40:9
25. Jeremiah 32:15, 44
26. Isaiah 42:15; Isaiah 50:2; Jeremiah 50:38; Jeremiah 51:36
27. Isaiah 45:1
28. 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1; Isaiah 14:32; Isaiah 45:13; Isaiah 54:11

Footnotes 13

[a]. Lit "returns to his heart"
[b]. Or "shall I make?"
[c]. Or "shall I fall...?"
[d]. Or "is a companion of ashes"
[e]. Lit "his soul"
[f]. Or "cloud"
[g]. Or "who was with Me?"
[h]. Lit "signs"
[i]. Lit "He makes"
[j]. Lit "He turns"
[k]. Lit "He performs"
[l]. Lit "to say"
[m]. Lit "You will be founded"