Our chapter begins rather cryptically. But God is the Speaker: “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 65:1
The “nation” that was (still is) called by God’s Name is none other than “ISRAEL.” (The “el” at the end of this little proper noun is God’s very name “El” or “Elohiym.”)
But the “nation” that is NOT called by God’s name (and is the subject of our Verse today) is the vast block of human creation we would now call the “gentiles.” As a group, of course. (Actually the noun “goy” is employed here, a sure giveaway that the gentiles are in view. If the Jews had been in mind, likely “am” would have been used, another Hebrew noun meaning “people.”)
And God has “courted” or “pursued” or sought to “speak good news” to these gentiles as well. To “us,” I might rejoice!
Yes, God said to us who are not Jews … “Behold Me, behold Me!”
Twice Isaiah (quoting God) here writes “hinneh,” both occurrences (of course) being interjections! (As in: “Wow! What a surprise! Amazing! Look! God is offering us Salvation!”)
Here’s the point today: ISRAEL DID NOT WANT THE LORD! SHE REJECTED HIM! SO GOD, IN HIS LOVE AND GRACE, HAS TURNED TO US GENTILES! (AT LEAST UNTIL SUCH A TIME THAT ISRAEL IS READY TO BE SAVED!)
Our Text’s opening clauses are admittedly tough, hard to discern or interpret. But God is saying that the most unlikely of all people (the gentiles again) have been saved! People most unlikely to have ever sought the Lord!
We who are saved by God’s Grace and who are not Jews should be ecstatic today! “Jesus loved even me!”
And I am pretty sure I have explained this verse rightly because of something Paul later said about it. In Romans 10:20-21 it looks to me like he also applies Isaiah 65:1 to the gentiles. “But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. BUT TO ISRAEL he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.”
“BUT TO ISRAEL” … in distinction to the gentiles who have believed!
Wow!
I love that word “whosoever!” I think it wonderfully expresses the very Heart of God! The God Who provides salvation for gentiles, too.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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