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?