God’s everlasting involvement with His people assures them that He openly proclaims His will and empowers His messengers so they might carry out His purpose.
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.” (v.16) In this portion of Isaiah’s prophecy, delivered by the prophet Isaiah who ministered from around 740 BC to 681 BC, the speaker calls Israel to pay close attention to God’s words. The phrase, Come near to Me, listen to this (v.16), underscores the personal invitation of the LORD to His people, reminding them of God’s steadfast presence and His willingness to instruct them openly rather than in hidden or obscure ways. This theme echoes the consistent portrayal in the book of Isaiah that the Sovereign LORD has revealed His purposes clearly to His chosen people (Isaiah 48:17). Even when they strayed and faced judgment, He still beckoned them to draw near and repent, highlighting His gracious desire to redeem.
The text continues, From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there (v.16). This emphasizes God’s eternal character, showing that He has always been actively involved in history and never withheld His truth from those who sought Him. In Isaiah’s broader narrative, the people of Judah had broken covenant, prompting divine discipline, but the LORD’s message and guidance were never concealed. His faithfulness is grounded in His role as the creator and sustainer of all, and as the One who repeatedly delivers His people for the sake of His glory (Isaiah 48:9-11). The concluding statement, And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit (v.16), points to a divine commissioning, as though Isaiah—or perhaps the Servant-Messiah—speaks with the full authority of God and the empowerment of His Spirit. This foreshadows the New Testament doctrine that God’s Spirit actively rests upon the One He has sent (Luke 4:18), emphasizing the unity of purpose between God, His Servant, and His Spirit.
This verse ultimately portrays a God who is both transcendent and near, who speaks plainly yet powerfully, and who involves His Spirit in the redemptive work for His people.
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Isaiah 48:16 meaning
“Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.” (v.16) In this portion of Isaiah’s prophecy, delivered by the prophet Isaiah who ministered from around 740 BC to 681 BC, the speaker calls Israel to pay close attention to God’s words. The phrase, Come near to Me, listen to this (v.16), underscores the personal invitation of the LORD to His people, reminding them of God’s steadfast presence and His willingness to instruct them openly rather than in hidden or obscure ways. This theme echoes the consistent portrayal in the book of Isaiah that the Sovereign LORD has revealed His purposes clearly to His chosen people (Isaiah 48:17). Even when they strayed and faced judgment, He still beckoned them to draw near and repent, highlighting His gracious desire to redeem.
The text continues, From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there (v.16). This emphasizes God’s eternal character, showing that He has always been actively involved in history and never withheld His truth from those who sought Him. In Isaiah’s broader narrative, the people of Judah had broken covenant, prompting divine discipline, but the LORD’s message and guidance were never concealed. His faithfulness is grounded in His role as the creator and sustainer of all, and as the One who repeatedly delivers His people for the sake of His glory (Isaiah 48:9-11). The concluding statement, And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit (v.16), points to a divine commissioning, as though Isaiah—or perhaps the Servant-Messiah—speaks with the full authority of God and the empowerment of His Spirit. This foreshadows the New Testament doctrine that God’s Spirit actively rests upon the One He has sent (Luke 4:18), emphasizing the unity of purpose between God, His Servant, and His Spirit.
This verse ultimately portrays a God who is both transcendent and near, who speaks plainly yet powerfully, and who involves His Spirit in the redemptive work for His people.