22 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

“Hear this, O house of Jacob,

Who are called by the name of Israel (Isaiah 48:1)

Judah should take notice at this opening statement. God identifies His people as the house of Jacob – the name Jacob essentially meaning “deceiver, cheater” – and says they only have the name of Israel, not the character of Israel, which means “governed by God.”

For I knew that you would deal very treacherously,

And were called a transgressor from the womb. (Isaiah 48:8)

The Bible teaches that we are sinners from the womb, and that we inherited a sin nature because we descend from Adam and sinned in Adam (Romans 5:12).

It isn’t our individual acts of sin that make us sinners; it is our descent from Adam. Our individual acts of sin merely prove that each of us is a transgressor from the womb.

David says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, / sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). “Even from birth the wicked go astray; / from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies” (Psalm 58:3).

Unless we are born again by the Spirit of God, we will never see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

“For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,

And for My praise I will restrain it from you,

So that I do not cut you off. (Isaiah 48:9)

Knowing how deeply sinful His people are, why would the LORD ever show mercy to His people? He does it for His name’s sake. It isn’t because Israel deserves mercy; indeed, mercy can never be deserved. God gives it to glorify Himself and to further His eternal purpose.

“Come near to Me, hear this:

I have not spoken in secret from the beginning;

From the time that it was, I was there.

And now the Lord God and His Spirit

Have sent Me.” (Isaiah 48:16)

In order to hear His voice, we must come near to Him.

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way that you should go. (Isaiah 48:17)

God’s guidance always leads to profit and not loss

When Lord Jesus directed Peter to cast his net on the right side, his nets brought a catch that nearly filled his boat to the point it was ready to sink.

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!

Then your peace would have been like a river,

And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants also would have been like the sand,

And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; (Isaiah 48:18-19)

Rewards of obeying the Word

1.Peace

2.Righteousness

3.Descendants and offspring like the sand

Chapter 48