Isaiah 48:12
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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God begins by calling Jacob and Israel, his chosen people, to listen. The crucial, non-obvious point is that by declaring "I am he; I am the first, and I am the last," He's not just stating His eternal nature, but powerfully assuring them that He is the one who has called them, He is the one who has acted throughout history, and He is the one who will bring their story to its ultimate fulfillment.
God is directly addressing Jacob and Israel, whom He calls by name, emphasizing their special relationship as His chosen people. He is about to reveal His plan for their deliverance from Babylonian exile, contrasting His power and eternal nature with the impotence of idols and false gods. This powerful declaration serves as a foundation for the subsequent promises of redemption and future restoration.
God calls His people by name, not just to hear His words, but to truly listen. What does it mean to give an attentive ear to the Almighty?
The verse opens with a direct command: "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called!" This isn't a casual suggestion; it's a divine summons. God, the Creator of all, pauses His cosmic work to personally address His chosen people. He calls them by their covenant names, Jacob and Israel, reminding them of their unique relationship with Him. This intimate address highlights that God desires genuine engagement, not just passive hearing. He calls them "my called," emphasizing their identity as those set apart by Him. This is an invitation to reflect on who He is and what He has done, setting the stage for His self-revelation.
Before revealing His power, God declares His eternal, unchanging nature. What does this profound 'I am' tell us about our God?
The heart of God's message in this verse is His self-declaration: 'I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.' This is more than just a name; it's a statement of His absolute being and eternal sovereignty. 'I am he' (or 'I am the Lord') signifies His unique existence, the one true God. The phrases 'I am the first' and 'I am the last' echo the declaration from Isaiah 41:4 and powerfully communicate His eternality. He existed before all things and will exist after all things are gone. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all history and reality. This truth assures His people that the God who called them is the same God who has always been and will always be, the ultimate power and authority in the universe.
Understand the original words
rishon / acharon · Hebrew Adjective/Adjective
A title for God expressing His absolute eternity and sovereignty over all time. It signifies that He is the origin and the culmination of all history, ruling over all events from beginning to end.
Isaiah's words here echo through the exilic period and the return from Babylon. By declaring 'I am the first and the last,' God emphasizes His eternal nature and sovereignty over history, assuring His people that He is in control, even amidst the rise and fall of empires like Babylon, and that He orchestrates their ultimate redemption.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry in Judah, warning of judgment for sin and offering hope of future restoration.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem, but miraculously withdraws after a plague. This event reinforces God's power but also highlights Judah's vulnerability.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Jehoiachin and many Judean elites are exiled to Babylon, marking the beginning of Judah's subjugation and a period of prophetic pronouncements concerning their future.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a mass deportation of the remaining population. This event marks the nadir of Israel's national existence.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah 48:12 by stating, 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.' It reinforces the unique divine identity and eternality proclaimed in our verse.
Revelation 1:8The phrase 'I am the Alpha and the Omega' used by Christ in Revelation is a direct parallel to 'I am the first and the last,' underscoring the eternal nature and sovereignty of God throughout all of Scripture.
John 1:1This verse states, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,' pointing to Jesus' eternal existence as God, the 'first' before creation, and the ultimate 'last' in God's plan.
Deuteronomy 32:39This verse proclaims, 'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive: I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.' It emphasizes God's absolute power and unique identity as the sole sovereign, aligning with the 'I am he' declaration.
Revelation 22:13Similar to Isaiah 48:12, this passage uses the 'Alpha and Omega' motif to describe Christ, stating, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.' This highlights the unchanging, eternal nature of God's redemptive plan.
barnesIsaiah 48:12: "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last."
Hearken unto me - This is a solemn call on the Jews in Babylon to attend to what he was now about to say. It is the commencement of a new part of the argument, containing the assurance that he would deliver them, and utterly destroy the Chaldeans. He begins, therefore, by asserting that he is the only true God, and that he is able to accomplish all his purposes. My called - The people wh…
clarkeIsaiah 48:12: "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last."
O Jacob "O Jacob, my servant" - After יעקב yaakob, a MS. of Kennicott's, two of De Rossi's, and the two old editions of 1486 and 1488, add the word עבדי abdi, "my servant," which is lost out of the present text; and there is a rasure in its place in another ancient MS. The Jerusalem Talmud has the same word. I also am the last "I am the last" - For אף אני aph ani, "even I," two ancien…
God begins by calling Jacob and Israel, his chosen people, to listen. The crucial, non-obvious point is that by declaring "I am he; I am the first, and I am the last," He's not just stating His eternal nature, but powerfully assuring them that He is the one who has called them, He is the one who has acted throughout history, and He is the one who will bring their story to its ultimate fulfillment.
God is directly addressing Jacob and Israel, whom He calls by name, emphasizing their special relationship as His chosen people. He is about to reveal His plan for their deliverance from Babylonian exile, contrasting His power and eternal nature with the impotence of idols and false gods. This powerful declaration serves as a foundation for the subsequent promises of redemption and future restoration.
God is directly addressing Jacob and Israel, whom He calls by name, emphasizing their special relationship as His chosen people. He is about to reveal His plan for their deliverance from Babylonian exile, contrasting His power and eternal nature with the impotence of idols and false gods. This powerful declaration serves as a foundation for the subsequent promises of redemption and future restoration.
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c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great rises to power in Persia, preparing to conquer Babylon and ultimately allowing the exiled Jews to return to their homeland.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, fulfilling prophecies and paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles.
c. 538 BC— this verse
The Proclamation for Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of their return from Babylonian exile.
"“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last." — God begins by calling Jacob and Israel, his chosen people, to listen. The crucial, non-obvious point is that by declaring "I am he; I am the first, and I am the last," He's not just stating His etern…
