Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 44:5
One shall say, I [am] the LORD’s; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
5. The result of the Divine blessing manifested in Israel’s restoration will be that foreigners shall attach themselves as proselytes to the Jewish community. The promise therefore goes far beyond ch. Isa 43:5-7. It is perhaps barely possible (with Dillmann) to understand this verse also of Israelites by birth, in the sense that they shall esteem it an honour to belong to their own nation; but this is certainly unnatural and scarcely to be reconciled with the second and fourth members of the verse.
call himself by the name of Jacob ] The words, strictly rendered, would mean “call on the name of Jacob.” It simplifies the construction greatly if, with Duhm, we vocalize this verb (as well as the last verb of the verse) as a passive: “shall be called” etc.
subscribe with his hand unto the Lord ] Rather: inscribe his hand ‘To Jehovah.’ The allusion is to the practice of branding slaves with the name of their owner, or perhaps to the religious custom of tattooing sacred marks on the person (Lev 19:28). See Eze 9:4; Gal 6:17; Rev 7:3; Rev 13:16.
surname himself (or better be surnamed, see above) by the name of Israel ] The verb is connected etymologically with an Arabic word kunya, although it is used here in a wider sense. The kunya is a sort of household name, which consists in designating a man as the father of a particular child; thus in Nimmer ibn Kobln Ab Faris (N., son of K., father of F.) the last title is the kunya. (Seetzen, Reisen, Vol. ii., p. 327.) Besides this, however, the Arabs make great use of honorific titles, like Nr-eddn (“Light of the Religion”) etc.; and it is in a sense corresponding to this that the Heb. verb is always used; cf. ch. Isa 45:4 and esp. Job 32:21 f. (A.V. “give flattering titles”). The meaning, therefore, is that in addition to their personal names the proselytes will adopt the name of Israel as a title of honour. Cf. Psa 87:4 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
One shall say – It shall be common to say this, or a profession of religion shall be common. The various expressions in this verse mean substantially the same thing – that there should prevail among the people a disposition to make a profession of attachment to Yahweh in every proper public manner. It is in immediate connection with what is said in the previous verses, that he would pour his Spirit upon them, and especially on their children. The effect would be, that many would make a public profession of religion. This refers, doubtless, in the main, to the period after their return from the captivity, and to the general prevalence of religion then. But it is also true of the people of God at all times – especially under the Messiah. God pours his Spirit like gentle dews, or rains, on the families of his people; and the effect is, that many publicly profess attachment to him.
I am the Lords – I belong to Yahweh; I devote myself to him. This expresses the true nature of a profession of religion – a feeling that we are not our own, but that we belong to God. It is, that we not only feel that we are bound to worship him, but that we actually belong to him; that our bodies and spirits, and all that we have and are, are to be sacredly employed in his service (see 1Co 6:20; 2Co 7:5; 2Co 5:14-15). Nothing, in few words, can more appropriately describe the true nature of a profession of religion than the expression used here ( layhovah ‘any) For Yahweh am I – I am wholly, and entirely, and forever for Yahweh, to obey him; to do his will; to suffer patiently all that be appoints; to live where he directs; to die when, where, and how he pleases; to moulder in the grave according to his will; to be raised up by his power; and to serve him forever in a better world.
And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob – The Chaldee renders this, He shall pray in the name of Jacob. The idea seems to be, that he should call himself a friend of Jacob – an Israelite. He should regard himself as belonging to the same family and the same religion, as Jacob; as worshipping the same God; and as maintaining the same belief. To call oneself by the same name as another, is indicative of friendship and affection; and is expressive of a purpose to be united to him, and to identify our interest with his. The idea is that which one would express by saying, that he cast in his interest with the people of God, or he became identified with them; as we now say, a man calls himself by the name of Christ, that is, a Christian. Jerome renders this, He shall call by the name of Jacob. that is, sinners to repentance (compare the note at Isa 43:7; Isa 48:1; Psa 24:6).
And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord – The Septuagint renders this, And another shall write with his hand ( cheiri), I am of God. Lowth, On his hand, Aquila and Symmachus, ( Cheira). Lowth supposes that the allusion here is to the marks which were made indelible by puncture with ink on the hand or on other parts of the body. He supposes that the mark thus indelibly impressed was the name of the person, or the name of the master if he was a slave, or some indication by which it might be known to whom he belonged. In this way, the soldier marked himself with the name of his commander; the idolater, with the name of his god; and in this way, Procopius says, that the early Christians marked themselves. On this passage he says, Because many marked their wrists or their arms with the sign of the cross, or with the name of Christ (see Rev 20:4; Spencer, De Leg. Heb. ii. 20).
But all this is too refined, and is evidently a departure from the true sense of the passage. The mark, or writing, was not on the hand, but with it – literally, and this shall write his hand to Yahweh; and the figure is evidently taken from the mode of making a contract or bargain, where the name is subscribed to the instrument. It was a solemn compact or covenant, by which they enrolled themselves among the worshippers of God, and pledged themselves to his service. The manner of a contract among the Hebrews is described in Jer 32:10, Jer 32:12, Jer 32:44. A public, solemn, and recorded covenant, to which the names of princes, Levites, and priests, were subscribed, and which was sealed, by which they bound themselves to the service of God, is mentioned in Neh 9:38. Here it denotes the solemn manner in which they would profess to be worshippers of the true God; and it is expressive of the true nature of a profession of religion.
The name is given in to God. It is enrolled by the voluntary desire of him who makes the profession among his friends. It is done, after the manner of solemn compacts among men, in the presence of witnesses Heb 12:1. Among Christians, it is sealed in a solemn manner by baptism, and the Lords supper. It has, therefore, all the binding force and obligation of a solemn compact; and every professor of religion should regard his covenant with God as the most sacred of all compacts, and as having a more solemn obligation than any other. And yet, how many professors are there who would shrink back with horror from the idea of breaking a compact with man, who have no alarm at the idea of having proved unfaithful to their solemn pledge that they would belong wholly to God, and would live to him alone! Let every professor of religion remember that his profession has all the force of a solemn compact that he has voluntarily subscribed his name, and enrolled himself among the friends of God; and that there is no agreement of a more binding nature than that which unites him in public profession to the cause and the kingdom of the Saviour.
And surname himself by the name of Israel – Shall call himself an Israelite, and shall be a worshipper of the same God. The word rendered shall surname ( kanah, not used in the Qal, in the Piel kinnah) means to address in a friendly and soothing manner; to speak kindly to anyone. Gesenius renders it, And kindly, soothingly names the name of Israel. But the idea is probably that expressed in our translation. The word sometimes denotes a giving of flattering titles to anyone, by way of compliment Job 32:21-22 :
Let me not, I pray you, accept any mans person;
Neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
For I know not to give flattering titles;
In so doing my Maker would soon take me away.
In Isa 45:4, it is rendered, I have surnamed thee (Cyrus), though thou hast not known me. The word does not occur elsewhere. It conveys the idea of an honorable title; and means here, I think, that he would call himself by the honorable appellation of Israel – or an Israelite – a worshipper of the God o f Jacob. It implies that a profession of the true religion is honorable, and that it is and should be esteemed so by him who makes it. It is observable, also, that this verse contains an instance of the parallelism in the Hebrew writings where the alternate members correspond to each other. Here the first and third members, and the second and the fourth correspond to each other (see the Introduction, Section 8).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 44:5
One shall say, I am the Lords–
A public profession of religion
Those who become the subjects of special grace will choose to join the Church, and enter into covenant to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
I. DESCRIBE THE SUBJECTS OF SPECIAL GRACE.
II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THEIR PROFESSING RELIGION.
III. WHY THE SUBJECTS OF SPECIAL GRACE CHOOSE TO JOIN THE CHURCH AND ENTER INTO COVENANT WITH GOD.
1. They love the commands of God.
2. They love the ordinances of God.
3. Their hearts are united to Christians.
4. They desire to promote the cause and interest of God in the world.
5. They desire to grow in grace.
6. They are so sensible of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, and their proneness to forget and forsake God, that they desire to bind themselves, by covenant vows and obligations, to be steadfast and unmovable in His service.
Those who have sincerely made a public profession of religion must rejoice to see any who appear to be the subjects of special grace, make a public profession of religion. Improvement–
1. If those who have become the subjects of special grace desire to make a public profession of religion, and to enter into covenant with God, then none who have really become subjects of special grace have any just excuse for neglecting to join the Church, and neglecting to bind themselves to love and obey God for ever.
2. If the subjects of special grace always desire to profess religion and partake of Divine ordinances, then so long as they neglect their duty they must necessarily feel unhappy.
3. While the subjects of special grace neglect to join the Church, they live in a very sinful manner. They greatly injure both themselves and religion.
4. It appears from what has been said that some who have long entertained a hope of being the subjects of special grace, must soon give up their hope if they continue to neglect joining the Church.
5. It highly concerns those who have entered into covenant with God, to be steadfast in His covenant, and persevere in universal obedience. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
Converts, and their confession of faith:
This is to take place after the Lord has poured out His Spirit upon His people, and upon their offspring.
The mainspring of everything good and gracious is the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit of God comes, converts come too. If they do not come by the Spirit of God, they are not worth having. Converts will come forward to confess their faith.
I. THIS CONFESSION OF FAITH IS PERSONAL. One shall say, I am the Lords, &c. It is not a joint confession, but an individual one. It is one and another and another.
1. All confession of Christ must be personal; anything else is unreal and worthless. All religion that is true is personal.
2. This personal confession needs to be carefully attended to when there are many coming forward.
3. This individual confession of your faith in Christ is incumbent upon you very specially when there are few coming forward. I should say to myself, If there is nobody in this village confessing Christ, then it is all the more urgent upon me that I should confess Him. If there are few added to the Church, then I will go that the Church may not be discouraged in its Christian efforts. I like to have around me those who feel, It is no consideration with me whether there are many or few; I have to act as before God on my own account. If there be few who do right, that is all the more reason why I should do it.
II. THIS CONFESSION IS VARIED.
1. One person speaks out for himself: One shall say, I am the Lords. That is a fine speech. If you, from your very soul, can say this in any company, and not be ashamed to say it before men, angels, or devils, God has taught you a noble piece of eloquence.
2. The next person mentioned in our text confessed his faith in a different way, for he called himself by the name of Jacob; that is to say, he took up his position with the people of God under their lowliest title. There, said he, I am prepared to suffer affliction with the people of God, to be reproached when they are reproached, to be shunned when they are shunned, to be ridiculed when they are ridiculed. I belong to Jacob. He is an extra ordinary person, cut off from the rest of the world to be the Lords, and I go with him.
3. But here is a third person, who makes his confession in a still different way: Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. I do not know this person; sometimes, I think that he is a friend of mine, who is afraid to speak, but who likes to write. I could not, says one, speak my confession of faith, but I could joyfully sit down and write it. Yes, you are timid, and trembling, and slow of speech. Do not condemn yourself for that. Still, I am not sure that this is the person mentioned in the text. I seem to fancy that it is a stronger body, a man who is not content with saying it, but who writes it down in black and white, I am the Lords. That which is written remains; so he puts it down. This person who thus subscribed, or wrote with his hand, unto the Lord, also went the whole way towards God and His people at their best, for it is added that he surnamed himself by the name of Israel. There are some who give themselves up to the Church of God in a very complete and unreserved manner, resolving that all the privileges they can enjoy they will have, all the holiness they can ever attain to they will gain, and all the consecration that lies within the region of possibility they will strive after and secure.
III. THESE CONFESSIONS OF FAITH ARE ALL GRACIOUS. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
I am the Lords:
1. I am His follows My Beloved is mine. You must have Christ before you say that you belong to Christ.
2. This is a very practical confession. If I am the Lords, then I must not give myself up to be the slave of another.
3. It will also be a high incentive to duty to say truly, I am the Lords. I must live for Him.
4. This confession has a sweet, comforting aspect.
5. This is my hope of safety and perfection. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord
Subscribing with the hand
In the day when the prophet Isaiah wrote his book, it was a custom for people to draw on their hand the name, likeness, or symbol of the person they loved or the master they served. It was often painted on the hand of a woman with an ink which could be rubbed off only with much trouble; but men punctured their skin with s needle, dropping in the ink at the same time, as is now frequently done by sailors; and occasionally the name or symbol was branded on their skin with a hot iron. In this way, a man would write on his hand, or on some other portion of his body, the name or likeness of the god he worshipped; the soldier would bear the name of his commander; the slave would have the name of his master; and we are informed that, in a subsequent age, the early Christians printed upon their hand or arm, and sometimes upon their breast, the name of Jesus and a likeness of the cross. Having this custom in mind, the prophet, writing as though God were speaking through him to His wearer people,–as, no doubt, was the case,–says, Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on her own son? yea, she may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands (Isa 49:16). Had our text in English been written more in harmony with the original language, it would have read thus–Another shall subscribe, or write, upon his hand, I belong to Jehovah! (W. Birch.)
Tattooing
There are constant allusions to this in the classics. We know that devout worshippers dedicated themselves to the god they worshipped, and were stamped with a secret mark. Paul alludes to this when he says, Henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus; as much as to say, I am Christs: I have had His name branded upon me. When he suffered from being scourged and beaten with rods, he called it bearing the marks of the Lord Jesus, and did as good as say, Flog away, you will only engrave His name into my flesh, for I am Christs. Now it would be a very superstitious and foolish thing for any man to be tattooed with the name of the Lord, or with a cross; but all that such an act meant in those who did it of old we ought to mean, namely, that we are for ever, and beyond recall, the property of Jesus. (C. H.Spurgeon.)
Subscribers:
My object is to persuade you to subscribe your life to the Lord. You may answer, Who is the Lord? I reply–
1. He is the Creator.
2. He is the Father of your spirit.
3. If so, He is impressionable. He is grieved because of sin. Is not the Saviours broken heart a manifestation of the heart of our Heavenly Father?
4. He is your true Friend.
5. I call on you to subscribe your life unto the Lord, because of your everlasting welfare. (W. Birch.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Shall call himself – “Shall be called”] Passive, yikkare; , Symmachus.
Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord – “This shall inscribe his hand to JEHOVAH”] (, Aq., Sym.) , “And another shall write upon his hand, I belong to God.” – Sept. They seem to have read here, as before, laihovah ani, I belong to JEHOVAH. But the repetition of the same phrase without any variation is not elegant. However, they seem to have understood it rightly, as an allusion to the marks, which were made by punctures rendered indelible, by fire or by staining, upon the hand or some other part of the body, signifying the state or character of the person, and to whom he belonged. The slave was marked with the name of his master, the soldier, of his commander; the idolater, with the name or ensign of his god: “Punctural inscriptions made by the soldiers on their hands.” Aetius apud Turnebum Advers. xxiv. 12. Victuris in cute punctis milites scripti et matriculis inserti jurare solent. “The soldiers having indelible inscriptions on their skin, and inserted in the muster-rolls, are accustomed to make oath.” Vigetius, ii. 5. And the Christians seem to have imitated this practice, by what Procopius says on this place of Isaiah: , , , , . “Because many marked their wrists, or their arms, with the sign of the cross, or with the name of Christ.” See Re 20:4; Spencer, De Leg. Hebr. lib. ii., cap. 20.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The blessing of God upon the Jews shall be so remarkable, that the Gentiles shall join themselves unto them, and accept the Lord for their God, and own themselves for his people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. The third clause answers inparallelism to the first, the fourth to the second.
I am the Lord’s(Jer 50:5; 1Co 6:19;1Co 6:20; 2Co 8:5).
call himself by the name ofJacobThe Gentiles (as the result of the outpouring of the HolySpirit on Israel, the Lord’s “seed,” first) shall jointhemselves to the children of Jacob, in order to worship their God(compare Isa 43:7; Psa 49:11).Or, “calls,” that is, invokes and celebrates the name ofJacob, attaches himself to his nation and religion [MAURER],(Ps 24:6).
subscribe . . . hand unto . .. Lordin solemn and public covenant, pledging himself to God’sservice (compare Ne 9:38),before “witnesses” (Heb12:1), after the manner of a civil contract (Jer 32:10;Jer 32:12; Jer 32:44).So the Christian in the sacraments [BARNES].Literally, “shall fill his hand with letters (Exo 32:15;Eze 2:10) in honor of Jehovah”;or “shall write upon his hand, I am Jehovah’s” (compareIsa 49:16; Rev 13:16);alluding to the puncture with ink on the hand, whereby a soldiermarked himself as bound to his commander; and whereby the Christiansused to mark themselves with the name of Christ [LOWTH].The former view is simpler.
surname himself . . .IsraelMAURER andGESENIUS interpret this asthe Hebrew sanctions, answering to their rendering of theparallel second clause, “calls blandly (speaks inhonorable terms of) the name of Israel.” Retaining EnglishVersion, we must, from the Hebrew understand it thus,”Surname himself by the honorable name of Israel”(Isa 45:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
One shall say, I am the Lord’s,…. This expresses the success of the apostles’ ministry, not only among the Jews, but more especially among the Gentiles, who were not called by the name of Jacob and Israel; but now should call themselves by those names, as the following clauses show, being called by grace and converted; when they should openly profess their faith in Christ, claim their interest in him, and acknowledge his property in them, and not be ashamed of the name of Christians; and this one, and another, even many should do. The Lord has a people who are his special and peculiar people, his beloved ones, the objects of his delight and pleasure, his chosen and covenant ones, his adopted ones, his treasure and his jewels; and hence he has taken such care of them; he has put them into the hands of Christ for their security; given him to be a Head, Redeemer, and Saviour of them; bestows every blessing of grace on them; will not suffer any to hurt them; and keeps them by his power: and having given them to Christ, they are his people, his portion, his spouse and bride, his children, and the sheep of his hand; hence he became incarnate on their account; laid down his life to save them; sends his Gospel, and along with it his Spirit effectually to call them; and hence all that he has is theirs, and he will keep them, and not lose any of them: and being called by grace, they are the workmanship of the Spirit; his temples in which he dwells, and in whom he is as the earnest and pledge of their eternal glory: and this interest the Lord has in his people may be known by them, so as that they may be able to say, one and another, “I am the Lord’s”, as many of them have done; see
Ps 119:94, they may know they are the Lord’s beloved ones, by his drawing them with his love, by the communications of his grace to them, by the communion with himself he indulges them with, and by what he shows unto them, and by the shedding abroad of his love in them; and that they are his chosen ones, by the Gospel coming in power to them, by their effectual calling, by the sanctification of the Spirit, and their faith in Christ Jesus; and that they are his covenant ones, by the application of covenant grace and blessings to them; and that they are his adopted ones, by the Spirit of adoption sent down into their hearts, witnessing it unto them; they may know that they are the redeemed of the Lamb, by their having his Spirit, and by his being formed in their hearts: and they may know that they are the temples of the Holy Ghost, by his own work upon them, and his dwelling in them: and knowing this, they should and will declare, and say they are the Lord’s and none other’s; that they are not their own, nor Satan’s, nor the servants of men, but the Lord’s to whom they devote themselves, and whom they desire to serve; and therefore join themselves to his churches, and walk in his ordinances, publicly confessing their faith in him, which is telling all the world whose they are; and this they say with the utmost joy and pleasure, in an exulting, yea, even boasting way and manner. The Targum is,
“this shall say, I am of them that fear the Lord:”
and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; reckon himself of the posterity of Jacob, in a spiritual sense; count it an honour to be called a wrestling Jacob, and a prevailing Israelite; so the Targum,
“this shall pray in the name of Jacob;”
either in the name of the God of Jacob, the Messiah, or as Jacob did: “and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord”: shall give his hand and seal to serve the Lord; shall esteem it his high and great privilege to be written among the living in Jerusalem and to have his name registered among the saints, and in their church book. The Targum is,
“and this shall offer his oblation before the Lord;”
himself and his sacrifices of prayer and praise: “and surname himself by the name of Israel”: shall value himself upon this, that he is an Israelite indeed, and shall choose no other name to be called by than that of a Christian. The Targum is,
“in the name of Israel; he shall draw near;”
and worship with them; all these phrases are expressive of a sincere and hearty profession of faith in Christ, and of the Christian religion, in terms borrowed from the people of Israel; see Ac 2:41.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When Jehovah has thus acknowledged His people once more, the heathen, to whose gidduphm (blasphemies) Israel has hitherto been given up, will count it the greatest honour to belong to Jehovah and His people. “One will say, I belong to Jehovah; and a second will solemnly name the name of Jacob; and a third will inscribe himself to Jehovah, and name the name of Israel with honour.” The threefold zeh refers to the heathen, as in Psa 87:4-5. One will declare himself to belong to Jehovah; another will call with the name of Jacob, i.e., (according to the analogy of the phrase ) make it the medium and object of solemn exclamation; a third will write with his hand ( , an acc. of more precise definition, like in Isa 42:25, and in Isa 43:23), “To Jehovah,” thereby attesting that he desires to belong to Jehovah, and Jehovah alone. This is the explanation given by Gesenius, Hahn, and others; whereas Hitzig and Knobel follow the lxx in the rendering, “he will write upon his hand ‘ lay e hovah ,’ i.e., mark the name of Jehovah upon it.” But apart from the fact that kathabh , with an accusative of the writing materials, would be unprecedented (the construction required would be ), this view is overthrown by the fact that tatooing was prohibited by the Israelitish law (Lev 19:28; compare the mark of the beast in Rev 13:16). is interchanged with , to surname, or entitle (the Syriac and Arabic are the same; compare the Arabic kunye , the name given to a man as the father of such and such a person, e.g., Abu-Muhammed, rhetorically called metonymy). The name Israel becomes a name or title of honour among the heathen. This concludes the fourth prophecy, which opens out into three distinct fields. With in Isa 44:1 it began to approach the close, just as the third did in Isa 43:1 -a well-rounded whole, which leaves nothing wanting.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
5. One shall say. Hitherto the Prophet has spoken metaphorically, but now expresses his meaning plainly without any figure of speech. He shews what is the nature of that vegetation and herbage of which he spoke. It means that out of all nations the Lord will gather his people, and will bring into his Church those who were formerly strangers, and will raise up and enlarge his Church, which formerly appeared to be reduced to nothing; for all shall flock to her from every quarter, and shall wish to be enrolled in the number of believers, as it is also said,
“
Behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia; that man was born there.” (Psa 87:4.)
That passage, though hitherto it seemed to be obscure, through the mistakes of interpreters, is exceedingly well adapted to the illustration of this prophecy, that believers, who might have been terrified and ashamed on account of their diminished numbers, (for we know that but a small number returned from captivity,) might cherish hope of that illustrious and magnificent grace of Redemption which had been celebrated by the prophets. To meet these views, that Prophet, whoever he was, that was the author of the psalm, declares that the Babylonians and Egyptians shall be citizens of the Church, and that the Ethiopians and Tyrians, and those who formerly were strangers, shall come for the purpose of being enrolled among the people of God. “Now,” says he, “Jerusalem lies waste; but one day God will not only gather those who are scattered, but will also call others from every quarter, and will unite in one body those who are now at the greatest variance, so that they shall boast of being citizens of Jerusalem, and shall belong to the body of the chosen people as much as if they had been natives.” The same thing is taught in this passage by the Prophet Isaiah, from whom the author of the psalm undoubtedly borrowed that sentiment.
And another shall be called by the name of Jacob. The general meaning is, that there will be a vast assembly of men, who shall be united in faith and in obedience to the one true God. But as, in a registration, every person either pronounces or writes his own name, the Prophet, keeping his eye on this custom, employs the following modes of expression, — “One shall write with his hand, I am God’s, and shall take the surname of Israel; another shall acknowledge that he is God’s, and shall be called by the name of Jacob.” He describes something new and uncommon, for he who formerly had nothing to do with God shall boast that God hath adopted him. “To be called” is in this place equivalent to the French phrase, Se reclamer, that is, “to declare one’s self to belong to a person;” just as formerly, when he spoke of women to whom the name of their husbands served for a protection, he introduces them as saying, “Let thy name be called on us,” that is, “Let us be named by thy name.” (Isa 4:1.)
Although Isaiah appears, in this passage, to distinguish between those who in express terms shall declare that they belong to the people of God, and shall wish to be named by the name of Jacob, yet both clauses refer to the same persons, because to be a child of God, and to be an Israelite, are two things closely connected, for God determines that the Church shall be the mother of all his children. Yet it ought to be remarked, that none are the lawful citizens of the Church but those who submit to the government of God. If the Prophet had passed by the name of God and mentioned “Jacob” and “Israel,” still we must have begun with the Head, from whom proceeds all relationship both in heaven and in earth; but, that there may be no remaining ambiguity, he has twice described this order, that none are reckoned to belong to the seed of Jacob but they who obey God.
Hence we easily see what is the Prophet’s meaning; for he shews that the Church, so long as she is destitute of the blessing of God, withers and gradually falls into decay; but that, when the Spirit of God has been poured out, she is quickened, and at length gathers strength, not only for recovering her former condition:, but so as to grow by wonderful increase beyond expectation. Let us remember, however, that the Prophet does not speak of the order of nature, as if the new children of the Church were born such from the womb, because no person gains such high rank by his own industry; but when they who formerly were aliens have been regenerated by faith, he says that they will eagerly enrol their names, in order to testify that they are the children of God. Thus he describes a change which surpasses nature and all the conceptions of men, when out of the accursed race of Adam is formed a spiritual Israel.
Some think that the Prophet here expresses the small number of believers, when he says, “One shall be called, another shall write;” but that argument has little weight, and even the context furnishes an easy refutation of their error. In my opinion, we should rather understand him to mean that the Church shall be collected in crowds out of various and distant nations; because God will assemble strangers under his authority, and will stir them up to boast sincerely, and not in empty words, that they belong to his people. It ought also to be observed, that true faith cannot stand without breaking forth immediately into confession; for such is the import of these four words, “To be called by the name of Israel, To write, To be known, To say, I am the Lord’s;” for they who sincerely worship God ought not to be dumb, but to testify both by actions and by words what they carry inwardly in their hearts. They profess to be the servants of God, and glory in his name during the whole course of his life.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF RELIGION
Isa. 44:5. One shall say, I am the Lords, &c.
This chapter begins with a prediction of the future prosperity and increase of the Church of God; and the prophet here represents converts as spontaneously choosing to make a public profession of religion.
I. SOME REASONS WHY TRUE CONVERTS DESIRE TO MAKE A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF RELIGION.
1. Those who have experienced a saving change of heart love Gods law. It is in the creation of such a love within them that this change consists (Jer. 31:33; Psa. 119:97). Those who love Gods law choose to obey it, and to bind themselves to obey it for ever (Jer. 1:4-5).
2. They love Gods ordinances. They delight to observe them all, especially that which commemorates the death of their Divine Redeemer (Act. 2:41; Act. 2:47).
3. They love Gods people, and delight to unite with them in the duties of religion, and in their attendance on divine ordinances.
4. They love Gods cause. They desire to be workers together with God in building up His kingdom, and for this reason wish to put themselves in the best situation, and under the strongest obligations to promote the cause of truth and the prosperity of Zion. Their profession gives them a greater freedom, and creates a greater obligation to speak and act for God and for the good of their fellow-men.
5. They desire to grow in grace; and for that reason desire to join the Church, that they may enjoy the best means of spiritual instruction and edification.
6. They desire to persevere to the end; and being conscious of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, and their proneness to forget and forsake God, they gladly avail themselves of the help that is afforded by a public vow and covenant to be steadfast in His service (H. E. I. 39033911).
As all who make a profession of religion are not Christians, so neither are all who omit to do so unbelievers. Let us note, therefore
II. SOME EXCUSES WHICH SOME CONVERTS OFFER FOR NOT MAKING A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF RELIGION.
1. I am not absolutely certain that I am a Christian. But you hope you are; and will disobeying God do anything to turn your hope into a settled confidence? The way to get more grace is to use the grace you have.
2. I do not know that the Church would receive me. Why not? Do you think that the Church is not competent to arrive at a just judgment concerning you? or that it would wilfully judge you unjustly? or that your excellences are so transcendent that full justice would not be done to them? If this is what you mean, you are not worthy to enter the Church. But if your fear of not being accepted arises from a humiliating sense of your own unworthiness, such humility will rather commend you to the esteem and confidence of good men.
3. I fear I should do more dishonour than honour to religion. But you have no right to fear anything of the kind. God promises to sustain you with His all-sufficient grace. Put away this sinful, because unbelieving, fear.
4. I know a great many good people who are not Church members. That is no concern of yours. Their neglect will not excuse yours (Joh. 21:21-22; Rom. 14:12).
5. A great many Church members are no better than they ought to be. True. Let us be sorry that it is so. But this is no reason why you should neglect to name Christs name and promote His cause; it is rather a strong reason why you should unite with His few friends to purify, strengthen, and revive religion, and to rectify whatever is amiss in the Church. Note
III. SOME OF THE EVILS THAT RESULT FROM THIS NEGLECT TO MAKE A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF RELIGION.
Those who are guilty of it
1. Injure themselves, by depriving themselves of that peace and comfort which they might enjoy in communion with God and His people.
2. They injure religion, by neglecting to perform those peculiar and important duties by which it is to be promoted in the world.
3. They injure the friends of God by practically joining with the world in neglecting and opposing the cause which they desire and have bound themselves to promote (Mat. 12:30).
4. They injure the impenitent by practically justifying them in their impenitence and unbelief. The more upright and amiable they appear, the more they injure the cause of God and the souls of men by the weight and influence of their criminal example.Dr. Emmons: Works, vol. v. pp. 458469.
The immediate effect of the outpouring of the Spirit, promised in Isa. 44:3, will be a general awakening to the claims of religion. When so visited, men think seriously about the soul, eternity, and God. Hitherto their practice may have been at one with the sentiment expressed in the words, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die; but, under the influence of the new quickening, the unseen state is felt to be a reality, and the interests of time give way before the urgency of the great hereafter. Such views ripen into religious devotion, or the souls consecration to God.
Touching the nature and method of the surrender and dedication of the soul to God, the prophets language indicates these things:
I. The act is strictly personal. One shall say, and another shall call himself, and another shall subscribe with his hand. [1411] Men proceed singly in the matter. Repentance, faith, and regeneration and consecration are individual transactions between the creature and the Creator. Into the fellowship of saints many may enter at the same time. The text favours the idea of concealed action. In their turning to God, it is common for men to move together. Yet the procedure is no more a collective process than eating and drinking at one table and hour is a collective process. As the servants of the Crown have to take the oath of allegiance one by one, so must the vow of service to the King of kings be, in every case, independently plighted. Each person has to enter into the covenant on his own account.
[1411] And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. According to Bishop Louth, this might be rendered, Another shall inscribe his hand to Jehovah; or still more plainly in the Septuagint translation, An other shall write upon his hand, I belong to God. You have doubtless seen upon the hands or arms of seamen the name of the ship in which they have served, rendered indelible by puncture, or by staining; this, perhaps, is one of the oldest customs in the world. The slave, in former days, used thus to be marked with the name of his master; the soldier, of his commander; the idolater, with the name of his god; while one of the Christian fathers tells us that in his day, many marked their wrists or their arms with the sign of the cross, or with the name of Christ. This, then, will give you a very distinct idea of what the Lord requires of you, and what He will enable you to perform; it is such a decided choice of the Lord for your portion, such an avowal by your daily actions, that you are not your own, but His who has bought you with the price of His precious blood, that all shall know it as certainly, and that your actions shall proclaim it as unequivocally, as if the name of Christ were inscribed on the back of your hand, and could be seen and read in all companies, and on all occasions.Blunt.
II. The act is performed specially by the faculty of choice and determination. The other mental powers share in the engagement. The understanding and reason, the conscience and the affections, are parties to it. But, whilst the sister faculties conduce to and support the pledge, the utterance of the binding promise does not rest with any or all of them. The decision itself pertains to the instrument of choice. The making up of the mind to what is good and holy is pre-eminently the function and act of the will. Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power.
III. The act, in order to be rightly completed, requires an outward sign or seal. The word of acknowledgment is spoken. I am the Lords; or the name of Jacob is assumed, the visible fellowship of good men is entered; or a subscription with the hand is appended in token of acceptance and submission. When the soul attaches itself to the service of its Saviour, the internal establishment is to be accompanied by some sort of external work. This is seemly by way of open confession. It is right and becoming for the children of God to show whose they are. The sign, too, helps ones own resolution. Our purpose is the stronger when we have definitively committed ourselves to the adopted course. Again, the sign has its effect upon others. Where the decision for Christ is not avowed, the example cannot be clear and forcible. The token is a reasonable adjunct, and not to be neglected without loss in various ways. Hence the Scriptures call for the outward profession of faith. Our courage is not to shrink from view. Instead of continuing to come to Christ by night only, Nicodemus must consent to receive baptism with water, and take upon him the badge of open identification with an unpopular cause. The Christians light is to shine before men. Jesus did not invite to secret discipleship (H. E. I. 10421045).W. Follard.
I. The nature of true religion.
1. It is a surrender of ourselves to God. I am the Lords.
(1.) He has an original rightformed us for Himself.
(2.) Reasonable right.
(3.) Redeeming right.
2. It is an avowed acknowledgment of God. Another shall, &c. Profession is demanded by the Lord.
3. It includes union and fellowship with His people. Call themselves, &c. So in apostolic times, &c.
II. The characteristics of religion as presented in our text.
1. It is personal.
2. Voluntary.
3. Deliberate.
4. Determinate.
III. The importance of such a spirit of religion.
1. It is intensely important to Jesus.
2. To the Church. 3. Supremely important to yourselves; it is not a vain thing, it is your life.R. M. MCheyne: Sermons on Special Occasions, pp. 170173.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(5) One shall say, I am the Lords.The words paint, like Psa. 87:4-5, the eagerness of heathen proselytes to attach themselves to Israel. The forms of adhesion rise in emphasis: (1) the convert declares himself to belong to Jehovah; (2) he calls upon the name of Jacob; (3) he writes upon his hand, To Jehovah!brands himself, as it were, as His servant (comp. Eze. 9:4), as showing that the prohibition of idolatrous marks (Lev. 19:28) did not exclude this; and see also Rev. 7:3; Rev. 9:4; (4) he takes the name of Israel in addition to his own as a title of honour.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. When truth and holiness shall prevail among God’s people, then shall the latter be in such honour. Gentiles to the far ends of the earth shall vie to come into association with them. The triple parallels of this verse are picturesque; , ( zeh,) thrice used, this, this, this. One shall proclaim his adherence to the Christians; another shall write it: and another shall add Christian as his surname.
Isa 44:5 One shall say, I [am] the LORD’S; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
Ver. 5. One shall say, I am the Lord’s.] When God seemeth to cry out, Who is on my side? who? then the true Christian, by a bold and wise profession of the truth, answereth as here. After the way that they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, said that great apostle. We are Christians, said those primitive professors; and some of them wrote apologies for their religion to the persecuting emperors, as did Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Arnobius, Tertullian, Minutius Felix, and others. The recent famous reformers Zuinglius, Luther, Musculus, &c., had been Franciscans, Augustinians, Dominicans; but relinquished those superstitious titles and gave up their names to Christ and his truth. I knew a nobleman, saith Mr Burroughs, a who, when he came into jeering company of great ones, would begin and own himself one of those they call Puritans – a nickname then put upon the godly party, and so odious to the profaner sort, that the same author elsewhere telleth us of a scholar in Queen’s College, who professed he had rather suffer the torments of hell, than endure the contempt and scorn of the Puritans.
Subscribe with his hand.
And surname himself. a On Hosea.
One . . . another . . . another. Hebrew. zeh = this one, that one, &c.
I am: Deu 26:17-19, Psa 116:16, Jer 50:5, Mic 4:2, Zec 8:20-23, Zec 13:9
subscribe: Neh 9:38, Neh 10:1-29, 2Co 8:5
the name: Gal 6:16, 1Pe 2:9
Reciprocal: Gen 4:26 – Enos Jos 24:21 – Nay 2Ch 23:16 – that they should Psa 16:2 – thou hast Psa 87:5 – of Zion Psa 119:94 – I am thine Isa 19:21 – shall vow Isa 43:1 – I have called Isa 48:1 – which swear Isa 56:6 – join Jer 32:10 – I Hos 2:23 – Thou art my God Zep 1:5 – by the Lord Act 27:23 – whose 1Ti 6:12 – hast
A DEDICATED LIFE
One shall say, I am the Lords.
Isa 44:5
I. The great secret of true living is, first, to give life a focus, and then to take care that that focus is high enough.Most lives are weak because they have not one distinct aim.
II. Now the question is, Is my life a dedicated thing?In theory, I recognise it. Now and then I feel it. Sometimes I think I do and say something which may be said to be for God. But could I call my life a dedicated thing? dedicated to God! Where is the dedication? We need to be re-dedicated. Far better were it to have never been dedicated, than, after dedication, to revert again to profane and worldly uses!
Rev. Jas. Vaughan.
44:5 One shall say, I [am] the LORD’S; and another {e} shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write [with] his hand to the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
(e) By this diversity of speech he means one thing, that is, that the people will be holy, and receive the true religion from God, as in Psa 87:5 .
In that day it will be an honor to be a member of the nation of Israel (cf. Psa 87:4-6), not a dishonor (cf. Isa 43:28; Eze 36:19-20). Many people will come to Yahweh because of His blessing on Israel. It is difficult to know whether the "ones" mentioned here are Israelites or Gentiles. Some will even write their identification with Yahweh on their hands. The Mosaic Law forbade the Israelites from disfiguring their bodies (Lev 19:28). These Israelites will not be living under the Mosaic Law, which Jesus Christ ended. Besides, these names may not be permanent disfigurements. This was a practice of some people in the ancient world who wanted to make their commitment to some individual prominent (cf. Deu 6:8). A soldier sometimes wrote the name of his commander on his hand, a slave bore the name of his master, and a devotee did the same with the name of his god. This is probably not a reference to people taking the mark of the Lamb and His Father during the Tribulation (Rev 7:3; Rev 14:1). That mark will appear on the foreheads of the 144,000. Moreover, the Tribulation will not be when people will honor the Israelites. That will follow, in the Millennium.
The Israelites would be God’s witnesses (Isa 44:6-8), but the idols have no true witnesses (Isa 44:9-20). This is the climactic section of Isa 42:10 to Isa 44:22, "God’s purposes for His servants." God’s claims (Isa 44:6-8) contrast with the folly of idolatry and the worldview from which it springs (Isa 44:9-20). God’s initiative contrasts with human initiative.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)