And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The Futility of Idols
Let them show the bformer things, what they were,
That we may1 consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, bdo good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
And he shall come;
From the rising of the sun ahe shall call on My name;
bAnd he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.
| << Isaiah 41:21 | Isaiah 41:23 >> |
Isaiah 41:22
Let them bring them forth - Let the idols, or the worshippers of idols, bring forth the evidences of their divine nature and power. Or more probably it means, ' let them draw near or approach.'
And show us what shall happen - None but the true God can discern the future, and predict what is to occur. To be able to do this, is therefore a proof of divinity to which God often appeals as a demonstration of his own divine character (see Isaiah 44:7-8; Isaiah 45:3-7; Isaiah 46:9-10). This idea, that none but the true God can know all things, and can with certainty foretell future events, is one that was admitted even by the pagan (see Xen. Cyr. i. ' The immortal gods know all things, both the past, the present, and those things which shall proceed from each thing. It was on this belief also that the worshippers of idols endeavored to sustain the credit of their idol-gods; and accordingly, nearly all the reputation which the oracle at Delphi, and other shrines, obtained, arose from the remarkable sagacity which was evinced in predicting future events, or the skillful ambiguity in which they so couched their responses as to be able to preserve their influence whatever might be the result.
Let them show the former things what they be - The idea in this passage seems to be, ' Let them foretell the entire series of events; let them predict in their order, the things which shall first occur, as well as those which shall finally happen. Let them not select merely an isolated and unconnected event in futurity, but let them declare those which shall have a mutual relation and dependency, and whose causes are now hid.' The argument in the passage is, that it required a far more profound knowledge to predict the serges of events as they should actually occur; to foretell their order of occur rence, than it did to foretell one single isolated occurrence. The latter, the false prophets of the pagan often undertook to do; and undoubtedly they often evinced great sagacity in it. But they never undertook to detail minutely a series of occurrences, and to state the order in which they would happen. In the Scriptures, it is the common way to foretell the order of events, or a series of transactions pertaining often to many individuals or nations, and stretching far into futurity. And it is perfectly manifest that none could do this but God (compare Isaiah 46:10).
Or declare us things for to come - Declare any event that is to occur; anything in the future. If they cannot predict the order of things, or a series of events, let them clearly foretell any single event in futurity.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Isaiah 41:22:
Isaiah 41:1
Isaiah 43:9
Isaiah 43:12
Isaiah 44:7
Isaiah 44:7
Isaiah 44:7
Isaiah 45:21
Isaiah 46:10
Isaiah 48:3
| << Isaiah 41:21 | Isaiah 41:23 >> |
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