Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 43:13
Yea, before the day [was] I [am] he; and [there is] none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
13. Yea, before the day was] The correct translation is that of R.V. marg.: Yea, from this day forth (for all the future) I am the same (Isa 41:4); the deliverance marking a new era in Jehovah’s manifestation of Himself as God, the only God who is a Saviour ( Isa 43:11).
I will work let it?] Better: I work, and who shall reverse it?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yea, before the day was – Before the first day, or before the beginning of time; from eternity. The Septuagint renders it correctly, Ap’ arches, and the Vulgate (Ab initio), From the beginning.
I am he – I am the same Isa 43:10.
I will work – I will accomplish my designs.
And who shall let it? – Margin, as Hebrew, Turn it back. The meaning is, Who can hinder it? And the doctrine taught here is:
1. That God is from everlasting, for if he was before time, he must have been eternal.
2. That he is unchangeably the same – a doctrine which is, as it is here designed to be used, the only sure foundation for the security of his people – for who can trust a being who is fickle, changing, vacillating?
3. That he can deliver his people always, no matter what are their circumstances.
4. That he will accomplish all his plans; no matter whether to save his people, or to destroy his foes.
5. That no one – man or devil – can hinder him. How can the feeble arm of a creature resist God?
6. That opposition to him is as fruitless as it is wicked. If people wish for happiness, they must fall in with his plans, and aid in the furtherance of his designs.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 43:13
I will work, and who shall let it?
—
Salvation through judgment
The words (Isa 43:13) intimate that the salvation foretold comes in the way of judgment. Jehovah will effectually intervene; and when He does this, who can turn it back, so that it shall not be done? (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)
A great work
I. THE WORKER AND THE WORK TO BE DONE. The worker is God Himself. He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. And the work which He hath purposed with regard to the salvation of His people is to gather together in one the children of God which are scattered abroad. There are, however, subordinate workers whom God employs for this purpose–ministers of the Gospel, whose chief work lies in the endeavour to win souls to Christ, who are called labourers together with God–workers together with Him; and it is theirs to preach the Word, the substance of which Word is Christ–to invite sinners to Christ by showing His excellency and dignity as the Son of God, His tenderness and sympathy as the Son of man–by showing to sinners the perfection of His redeeming work. But as ministers are fellow-workers together with God by virtue of their office, so may private Christians be.
II. THE FIELD OF WORK. Gods field of labour is everywhere. His object is to gather His people together who are still lying in darkness and sin. For this glorious end He employs various means. His means are directed particularly to individuals.
III. THE CENTRE IN WHOM THE WORK IS COMPLETE. This, in one word, is Christ. It is the simple knowledge of a dependence upon Christs person by which God works out His purpose of salvation. But I should not be preaching to you the whole counsel of God if I omitted to put before you also the side of your responsibility. (J. W. Reeve, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Before the day was; before all time; or, which is all one, from all eternity: or, since the day was; since the beginning of time and things, in all ages since the creation of the world.
I am he; I am God, and I have proved myself to be so.
There is none, none of those which are called gods, that can deliver out of my hand; that can save them whom I will destroy. Therefore they are impotent, and consequently no gods.
I will work, and who shall let it? nor can they hinder me in any other work which I resolve to do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. beforeliterally, fromthe time of the first existence of day.
letOld English for”hinder” (Isa 14:27).Rather, translate, “undo it” [HORSLEY].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yea, before the day was I am he,…. Before there was a day, before the first day of the creation; that is, before time was, or from all eternity, I am he that resolved upon and contrived this method of saving men; “and ever since that day was” k, as it may be rendered, I am he that have spoken of it by all the prophets, from the beginning of the world, and now it is accomplished:
and there is none can deliver out of my hand: either such whom the Lord determines to punish, or such whom he resolves to save; none can snatch them out of his hands, there they are safe:
I will work, and who shall let it? as when he wrought the work of creation, there was no opposition to it, or hinderance of him; and in providence all things are done as be pleases; so all his purposes and decrees, which are his works within him, are exactly accomplished according to his pleasure, and none can resist his will. The work of redemption is finished just according to the draught of it in his eternal mind; and when he works upon the heart of a sinner at conversion, whatever obstructions and difficulties are in the way, these are removed, and the work is begun, and carried on, and performed, until the day of Christ. The work of the Lord in his churches, and the setting up of his kingdom in the world, in a more visible and glorious manner, shall be done, and none will be able to hinder it:
who can turn it back? either his work, or his hand in working; his purposes cannot be disannulled; his power cannot be controlled; his work cannot be made void, or of no effect; he always succeeds, for he has no superior that can obstruct him.
k “ex quo dies [fuit]”, Gataker; “ex quo dies esse coepit”, Vatablus; “inde a tempore diei”, Piscator. “Hu”, may be considered here as one of the names of God, who from eternity to eternity is, , “he”, the same yesterday, today, and for ever.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13. Even before the day was. He now speaks of the eternity of God; but we must attend to the Prophet’s design; for he who has a beginning and is not from himself, cannot rule by his dominion, or govern according to his pleasure, what he has not created. When, therefore, God declares that he is eternal, he reminds us that the world is his workmanship; for this order of nature did not spring up by chance, but proceeded from the wonderful purpose and. wisdom of God. (Gen 1:1.) In this sense he afterwards adds, —
There is none to deliver out of my hand. Hence we shall clearly see that his supreme and infinite power is proved from his eternity; for if he were not eternal, he could neither exercise authority over all things, nor be the defender of his people, nor dispose of the creatures according to his pleasure; but since he is eternal, all things must be subject to his authority. To the same purpose is what he says, that no obstacle can prevent what he hath decreed to do, that the Jews may not be alarmed or dispirited by the forces or number of the enemies.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE ETERNITY AND OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD
Isa. 43:13. Yea, before the day was, &c.
The doctrine taught here is
1. That God is from everlastingfor if He was before time, He must have been eternal (H. E. I. 2253; P. O. 1493).
2. That He is unchangeably the samea doctrine which is, as it is here designed to be used, the only sure foundation for the security of His peoplefor who can trust a being who is fickle? (H. E. I. 22542256, 2324, 2341).
3. That He can deliver His people always, no matter what are their circumstances.
4. That He will accomplish all His plans; no matter whether to save His people, or to destroy His foes.
5. That no one, man or devil, can hinder Him.
6. That opposition to Him is as fruitless as it is wild. If men wish for happiness, they must fall in with His plans, and aid in the furtherance of His designs.A. Barnes.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(13) Who shall let it?Literally, who shall turn it back? One of the numerous echoes from Job (Isa. 9:12; Isa. 11:10).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day [was] I [am] he; and [there is] none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
Ver. 13. Yea, before the day was I am he. ] The “Ancient of days,” yea, the eternal The God of Israel was long before Israel was in being.
And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
I will work, and who shall let it?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
let it = avert it. See Amo 1:3, Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13; Amo 12:1, Amo 12:4, Amo 12:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
before: Isa 57:15, Psa 90:2, Psa 93:2, Pro 8:23, Mic 5:2, Hab 1:12, Joh 1:1, Joh 1:2, Joh 8:58, 1Ti 1:17, Heb 13:8, Rev 1:8
none: Deu 28:31, Deu 32:39, Psa 50:22, Hos 2:10, Hos 5:14
I will work: Isa 46:10, Job 9:12, Job 34:14, Job 34:15, Job 34:29, Pro 21:30, Dan 4:35, Rom 9:18, Rom 9:19, Eph 1:11
let it: Heb. turn it back, Isa 14:27
Reciprocal: Jos 2:2 – told the king 1Ch 29:12 – power Job 42:2 – thou Ecc 7:13 – who Isa 46:4 – even to your Lam 5:8 – there Zec 6:1 – and the Act 5:39 – if Eph 3:7 – by