Israel Refined for God’s Glory
Who are called by the name of Israel,
And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah;
Who swear by the name of the Lord,
And make mention of the God of Israel,
But anot in truth or in righteousness;
And blean on the God of Israel;
The Lord of hosts is His name:
They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it.
Suddenly I did them, band they came to pass.
| << Isaiah 47:15 | Isaiah 48:2 >> |
What Does Isaiah 48:1 Mean?
Isaiah 48:1-2
These people were standing in, that is, relying on, trusting in, the name of their bearers—both physically and spiritually. Physically, they bore the name of Israel. Spiritually, they bore the name of God. But God is complaining, here, that their actions did not live up to either the majesty of their physical or their spiritual names.
This is a warning both to physical Israel and to the Israel of God, as the church is plainly pointed out to be in Galatians 6:16. If we, who have taken (or bear) the name of God, use the name of God in any way that denies the true meaning or character of God, we are either breaking the third commandment, coming awfully close to breaking it, or we are on our way to doing so. It is interesting that the prophecies contain a great deal of revelation along this line.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Holiness (Part 1)
| << Isaiah 47:15 | Isaiah 48:2 >> |
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