Isa 45:19, 48:16 | JFB | STEP | 19. not . . . secret —not like the heathen oracles which gave their responses from dark caverns, with studied obscurity ( ). Christ plainly quotes these words, thereby identifying Himself with Jehovah ( ). I said not . . . Seek . . . in vain —When I commanded you to seek Me (Jehovah did so, , "Ask Me," &c.), it was not in order that ye might be sent empty away ( ). Especially in Israel's time of trial, God's interposition, in behalf of Zion hereafter, is expressly stated as about to be the answer to prayer ( ). So in the case of all believers, the spiritual Israel. righteousness —that which is veracious: not in the equivocal terms of heathen responses, fitly symbolized by the " dark places" from which they were uttered. right

Isaiah 45:19

19. not . . . secret—not like the heathen oracles which gave their responses from dark caverns, with studied obscurity (Isa 48:16). Christ plainly quotes these words, thereby identifying Himself with Jehovah (Joh 18:20).

I said not . . . Seek . . . in vain—When I commanded you to seek Me (Jehovah did so, Isa 45:11, "Ask Me," &c.), it was not in order that ye might be sent empty away (De 32:47). Especially in Israel's time of trial, God's interposition, in behalf of Zion hereafter, is expressly stated as about to be the answer to prayer (Isa 62:6, 7-10; Ps 102:13-17, 19-21). So in the case of all believers, the spiritual Israel.

righteousness—that which is veracious: not in the equivocal terms of heathen responses, fitly symbolized by the "dark places" from which they were uttered.

right—true (see on Isa 41:26).

Isaiah 48:16

16. not . . . in secret— (Isa 45:19). Jehovah foretold Cyrus' advent, not with the studied ambiguity of heathen oracles, but plainly.

from the time, &c.—From the moment that the purpose began to be accomplished in the raising up of Cyrus I was present.

sent me—The prophet here speaks, claiming attention to his announcement as to Cyrus, on the ground of his mission from God and His Spirit. But he speaks not in his own person so much as in that of Messiah, to whom alone in the fullest sense the words apply (Isa 61:1; Joh 10:36). Plainly, Isa 49:1, which is the continuation of the forty-eighth chapter, from Isa 48:16, where the change of speaker from God (Isa 48:1, 12-15) begins, is the language of Messiah. Lu 4:1, 14, 18, shows that the Spirit combined with the Father in sending the Son: therefore "His Spirit" is nominative to "sent," not accusative, following it.