Isaiah 45:19

19 I have not spoken in secret, somewhere in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob: Seek Me in a wasteland. I, the Lord, speak truthfully; I say what is right.

Isaiah 45:19 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 45:19

I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth,
&c.] In a private whisper, in a muttering manner, and out of the belly, as the Heathen priests did; and from out of cells, dens, and caverns of the earth, from whence the oracles of Heathen deities were delivered; but in a free, open, clear, and public manner, before multitudes, in the face of all men, or where there was a great concourse of people: so Christ delivered the law on Mount Sinai, in an audible manner, attended with a multitude of angels, and before all the people; and when here on earth he said nothing in secret, but openly to the world, in the synagogues and temple of the Jews, where they resorted in great numbers, ( John 18:20 ) and ordered his disciples also to publish on the housetops what they heard with their ears, ( Matthew 10:27 ) : I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain;
that is, he never suffered the seed of Jacob, Israelites indeed, praying Jacobs and prevailing Israels, the true worshippers of him, to seek him in vain; to pray unto and worship him to no purpose, or without fruit to themselves; for all such who seek him early and earnestly, heartily and diligently, and where he may be found, always find him; he receives them, and not rejects them; and they receive that from him which is worth seeking after, and amply rewards all their trouble. The Targum is,

``nor have I said to the seed of the house of Jacob in vain, seek my fear:''

I the Lord speak righteousness;
the word of righteousness, the doctrine of justification by his own righteousness; that which he wrought out by his obedience, sufferings, and death, he declared and brought near in the ministry of the word; see ( Isaiah 46:13 ) . The Targum renders it, "truth"; grace and truth came by Christ, ( John 1:17 ) : I declare things that are right;
according to right reason, agreeably to the word of God, both law and Gospel, fit for men to receive, and what made for his own and his Father's glory; see ( Proverbs 8:6 Proverbs 8:18 ) .

Isaiah 45:19 In-Context

17 Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or humiliated for all eternity.

18 For this is what the Lord says- God is the Creator of the heavens. He formed the earth and made it; He established it; He did not create it to be empty, [but] formed it to be inhabited- "I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret, somewhere in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob: Seek Me in a wasteland. I, the Lord, speak truthfully; I say what is right.

20 "Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives of the nations. Those who carry their wooden idols, and pray to a god who cannot save, have no knowledge.

21 Speak up and present [your case]- yes, let them take counsel together. Who predicted this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the Lord? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is no one except Me.