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Isaiah 48:1-22 (KJV) 

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, [but] not in truth, nor in righteousness. 

The name change of the people of God, first Jacob to Israel, then Judah to the Lord, all in all, we are called the children of Israel, and God is our God, in name only but not in action.  At one time Israel's God was God. They were known by a good name, but they changed the materials they used to keep up with the quality of what God approved.

2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.  

God will never be blended in with religion.  The look of godliness will never take the place of the action of holiness who is God.  We like to be known as being a part of God's family.  We like the rich and famous.

3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did [them] suddenly, and they came to pass. 

Many years ago, I spoke about what will happen and it happened just like I spoke it.  I did what I did and you did not expect it.

Anything that has ever happened I told you way before it took place. I tell you often that the world may know I am God.

4 Because I knew that thou [art] obstinate, and thy neck [is] an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; 

You do not believe me and I am God.  I have spoken everything that has ever happened to you before it happened and yet you do not believe I am God.

5 I have even from the beginning declared [it] to thee; before it came to pass I shewed [it] thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. 

I told you before things happen so that you will trust who is good.  I did this so you would not be confused and trust something that is nothing.  But, you refuse to listen and obey.

6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare [it]? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. 

You know my record from the past and you deny I am God.  Now I will do something that you have not heard and you cannot say I knew it already.  God is trying to get us to see, how much He wants us; even to the point of persuading us to notice who He is by the new things just in case we do not believe His past actions.

7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. 

I am doing something new right now.  I want you to believe in Me.

8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time [that] thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. 

I am going to do what you had no idea I would do.  I am going to do this for you now, because, had you known before you would have done it evil; you came from the womb with evil intent.

I save this reward for you and it will happen as I have spoken and you will not be allowed to harm him and his purpose.

9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 

I am going to keep my wrath from you. I have a plan and I will stay focused on keeping my name.

10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

 

I have purified you but not as I did silver.  I used hard times to get your attention.

11 For mine own sake, [even] for mine own sake, will I do [it]: for how should [my name] be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. 

I did it this way to keep my name from being uncleaned.

12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I [am] he; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last. 

Listen My children; I am God.

13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: [when] I call unto them, they stand up together. 

I made the entire universe.  And all I made just for you, obey my voice.

14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these [things]? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm [shall be on] the Chaldeans. 

You will return back to the land I gave you.  I am raising a special man named Cyrus to get this done.  He will bring you back to the land that belongs to you.

15 I, [even] I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. 

He is the man I need to make sure you are safe.  He is prudent and what he does, he does well.

16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 

I believe Cyrus is speaking in this verse.  He is calling the Jews and comforting them by telling them I am the man God is using to aid you.  ( this may not be correct, but this is the insight that makes sense to me at this time).

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go. 

God speaks again to affirm Himself as God.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: 

19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. 

Only if you had listened to me before, things would have been totally different.

20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it [even] to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 

Leave exile and prepare to go home.  God is speaking prophesy.  It will be a day and the Jews will return to Jerusalem with the aid of Cyrus.

21 And they thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. 

You will travel in the desert, but you will never thirst.

22 [There is] no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

As a reminder, there is no peace in a house that refuses to listen to me.