Isaiah 65:1

I am sought of them that asked not for me,.... That this is a prophecy of the calling and conversion of the Gentiles is not to be doubted, since the Apostle Paul has quoted it, and applied it to that

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

ISAIAH CHAPTER 65 The calling of the Gentiles, . The Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy, rejected, . A remnant shall be saved, . Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly, . The flourishing and peaceable state of the new Jerusalem, . That in the primary sense of this text it is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, upon the rejection of the Jews, for their contempt and crucifying of Christ, cannot be doubted by any who will not arrogate to themselves a greater ability to interpret the prophecies of the Old Testament than Paul had, who, , expressly so interpreteth it, and applieth it, which showeth the vanity of the Jews in their other interpretations of it. I am sought: the word signifies properly a diligent inquiry in things relating to God, . I am diligently inquired of by them that asked not for me; that in times before made no inquiry after me . As seeking may more strictly relate to prayer, as the word is used, , so this word translated asked may also be so taken, and is so, 22:13, but (possibly) it is better interpreted more generally. I am found of them that sought me not; yea, I was found of them before they sought me; those who formerly did not seek me now seek me; but they were found of me before they sought me; I prevented them by my grace, sending my Son to preach peace to those that were afar off, , and my apostles to entreat them to be reconciled to God, , and my Spirit to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, . I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name; I invited whole nations by the preaching of my gospel to behold me; and I invited them with importunity, doubling my words upon them; and this I did unto a nation not called by my name, with whom I was not in covenant, and which did not profess any relation to me, which none of the Gentiles could pretend unto. The prophet speaks of a thing to come many years after as if it were a thing then done, to signify the certainty of it. God doth the same thing yet in every soul that is converted. But the text is manifestly to be interpreted of the conversion of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of [them that] asked not [for me]; I am found of [them that] sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation [that] was not called by my name.Ver. 1. I am sought of them that asked not for me.] I am sought - that is, I am found, or, I am sought to by those that asked not of me - viz., by the Gentiles, who knew me not, inquired not of me. See Romans 10:20-21, where the apostle, than whom we cannot have a better interpreter, expoundeth this verse of the calling of the Gentiles, and the next verse, of the rejection of the Jews. And herein "Esaias was very bold," saith St Paul; so bold, say Origen and others, that for this cause, among others, he was sawn asunder by his unworthy countrymen. See on Isaiah 1:10. I am found of them that sought me not.] The first act of our conversion then, the infusion of the sap, is of God; our will prevents it not, but follows it. See 2 Corinthians 3:5 Romans 8:7 John 6:44 1 Corinthians 12:3 Deuteronomy 29:3-4 Psalms 36:10. Note this against the patrons of nature, freewill men, Papists especially, who not only ascribe the beginning of salvation to themselves, in co-working with God in their first conversion, but also the end and the accomplishment of it, by works of condignity, meritorious of eternal life. I said, Behold me, behold me.] We are not easily aroused out of that dead lethargy into which sin and Satan hath cast us; hence this "Lo I, lo I." And here we have both God’ s answer to the Church’ s prayer, and the scope of the whole book, as Oecolampadius observeth, set down in the perclose - viz., the coming in of the Gentiles, and the casting off of the Jews for their many and mighty sins. Piscat.

LXV. (1) I am sought of them . . .—Is this the answer to the previous prayer? Most commentators say “Yes;” but there is, at least, an apparent absence of continuous sequence. A more probable view is that it was written after an interval more or less considerable, and that the prophet utters what had been revealed to him as explaining why the plaintive appeal of Isa 64:12 did not meet at once with the answer that might have been looked for. A further question meets us, which has received different answers. Do the opening words speak, as St. Paul implies they do, of the calling of the Gentiles, contrasting their faith with the unbelief of Israel (Romans 10:20)? Taking the text as it stands, the most natural interpretation (there being no reference afterwards to the Gentiles) seems to be that Jehovah speaks to the same people in Isaiah 65:1-2, and that both alike speak of indifference and hardness. On this view the words may be translated, I was ready to answer those who did not enquire, was nigh at hand to be discovered by those who did not seek. . . . Such words were a true description of the state of Israel, as they have been of Christian Churches since, and are in close agreement with what follows. On this view St. Paul’s free use of the LXX. rendering must be looked on as analogous to the like application of Hos 1:10; Hosea 2:1, by him (Romans 9:25-26) and by St. Peter (1 Peter 2:10), though in these instances it is beyond question that the words primarily referred to the Jews, and not to the Gentiles. A nation that was not called by my name.—Better, with the LXX., as in Isaiah 43:22; Isaiah 64:7, that has not called on my name. The meaning, on either rendering, is that Israel has sunk to the level of the heathen.

CHAPTER LXV We have here a vindication of God's dealings with the Jews, 1, 2. To this end the prophet points out their great hypocrisy, and gives a particular enumeration of their dreadful abominations, many of which were committed under the specious guise of sanctity, 3-5. For their horrid impieties, (recorded in writing before Jehovah,) the wrath of God shall certainly come upon them to the uttermost; a prediction which was exactly fulfilled in the first and second centuries in the reigns of the Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Hadrian, when the whole Jewish polity was dissolved, and the people dispersed all over the world, 6, 7. Though God had rejected the Jews, and called the Gentiles, who sought him not, (Romans 9:24-26,) yet a remnant from among the former shall be preserved, to whom he will in due time make good all his promises, 8-10. Denunciation of Divine vengeance against those idolaters who set in order a table for Gad, and fill out a libation to Meni, ancient idolatries, which, from the context, and from the chronological order of the events predicted, have a plain reference to the idolatries practised by Antichrist under the guise of Christianity, 11, 12. Dreadful fate which awaits these gross idolaters beautifully contrasted with the great blessedness reserved for the righteous, 13-16. Future restoration of the posterity of Jacob, and the happy state of the world in general from that most glorious epoch, represented by the strong figure of the creation of NEW heavens and a NEW earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, and into which no distress shall be permitted to enter, 17-19. In this new state of things the term of human life shall be greatly protracted, and shall possess none of that uncertainty which attaches to it in "the heavens and the earth which are now." This is elegantly illustrated by the longevity of a tree; manifestly alluding to the oak or cedar of Lebanon, some individuals of which are known to have lived from seven to ten centuries, 20-23. Beautiful figures shadowing forth the profound peace and harmony of the Church of Jesus Christ, which shall immediately follow the total overthrow of Antichrist; with a most gracious promise that the great chain of Omnipotence shall be put upon every adversary, so that none will be able any longer to hurt and destroy in all God's holy mountain, 24, 25. This chapter contains a defence of God's proceedings in regard to the Jews, with reference to their complaint in the chapter preceding. God is introduced declaring that he had called the Gentiles, though they had not sought him; and had rejected his own people for their refusal to attend to his repeated call; for their obstinate disobedience, their idolatrous practices, and detestable hypocrisy. That nevertheless he would not destroy them all; but would preserve a remnant, to whom he would make good his ancient promises. Severe punishments are threatened to the apostates; and great rewards are promised to the obedient in a future flourishing state of the Church. - L. NOTES ON CHAP.

1, 2. Jehovah’s overtures have been rejected by an obdurate people. 1 Render: I was to be enquired of by those that asked not, I was to be found by them that sought me not, etc. The first verb in each line is of the form Niphal, which is to be understood not as a simple passive, but in its tolerative sense: “I let myself be enquired of,” i.e. “I was ready to answer,” exactly as Ezekiel 14:3; Ezekiel 20:3; Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 36:37 : “I let myself be found,” as ch. Isaiah 55:6. Jehovah’s readiness to hear is contrasted with the people’s unwillingness to pray. Behold me, behold me] Cf. ch. Isaiah 40:9, Isaiah 41:27, Isaiah 52:6, Isaiah 58:9. that was not called by my name] We should read, changing the vowels in accordance with the Old Versions: that did not call on my name.

I am sought of them that asked not for me - That is, by the Gentiles. So Paul applies it in Romans 10:20.

1, 2. Sought of them that asked not — The first verse refers to the Gentiles; the second to the Jews. So St. Paul in Romans 10:20-21.