Isaiah 44:20-28

20 He ¹feeds on ashes; a ²deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "³Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

God Forgives and Redeems

21 "⁴Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are ⁵My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will ⁶not be forgotten by Me.

22 "I have ⁷wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. ⁸Return to Me, for I have ⁹redeemed you."

23 ¹⁰Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; ¹¹Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For ¹²the LORD has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He ¹³shows forth His glory.

24 Thus says the LORD, your ¹⁴Redeemer, and the one who ¹⁵formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, ¹⁶Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all * alone *,

25 ¹⁷Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making fools out of diviners, ¹⁸Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge into foolishness,

26 ¹⁹Confirming 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 ²⁰cities of Judah, '²¹They 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 ²²dry.

28 "It is I who says of ²³Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, '²⁴She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.' "

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Isaiah 44:20-28 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 24

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

Footnotes 10

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