Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel
The King of the whole world, and Governor among the nations; and
in a peculiar manner King of Israel, that nation being a
theocracy; and especially King of spiritual Israel, or King of
saints, be they of what nation they will: and his Redeemer,
the Lord of hosts;
who redeemed Israel out of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and
would again redeem them from the Babylonish captivity, and the
whole Israel of God from sin, Satan, and the law; which he was
able to do, being "the Lord of hosts", of the armies above and
below: I am the first, and I am the last;
the first cause and last end, of all things in nature, and
providence, and grace; all things are of him, through him, and
from him; all things were made by him in creation, and for his
pleasure they are and were created; and all things are disposed
of in his providence for his own glory; and he is the first in
reconciliation, justification, and salvation, and all are to the
glory of his grace: or this is a periphrasis of his eternity, who
is from everlasting to everlasting, without beginning or end, the
Alpha and Omega; the same is said of Christ, ( Revelation
1:8 Revelation
1:11 Revelation
1:17 ) , and all the other characters before mentioned agree
with him: and besides me there is no God:
all others are only gods by name, not by nature, mere nominal
fictitious deities, not real ones; and it is to the exclusion of
these from the rank of deity, these words are said; but not to
the exclusion of the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit, who, with
the Father, are the one true God.
Isaiah 44:6
