Listen to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
hearken
Isaiah 34:1 Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
Isaiah 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
Isaiah 49:1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
O Jacob.
my called
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Romans 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I am he
Isaiah 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Deuteronomy 32:39 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.
I am He;
This declaration asserts God's unique identity and existence. It echoes the divine self-identification found in Exodus 3:14, where God reveals Himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM." This phrase affirms God's eternal presence and unchanging nature, distinguishing Him from the idols worshiped by surrounding nations. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and reliability, reinforcing His authority and the trustworthiness of His promises.
I am the first, and I am the last:
This statement highlights God's eternal nature and sovereignty over time and history. It parallels the declarations found in Revelation 1:8 and 22:13, where Jesus Christ is also described as the "Alpha and Omega," indicating His divinity and eternal existence. This phrase assures the Israelites of God's control over all events, from creation to the end of time, providing comfort and hope amidst their struggles. It underscores the continuity of God's plan and His ultimate authority over all creation, affirming that He is the beginning and the end of all things.
• God opens with an urgent call: “Listen to Me” (Isaiah 48:12). Like Isaiah 51:4, “Listen to Me, O My people,” and Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel,” the invitation is more than hearing—it is readiness to obey.
• Throughout the Bible, listening marks true discipleship. Jesus says, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).
• Biblical listening is active: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). God’s word demands response.
• The double name underlines covenant intimacy. God addresses the nation personally, recalling Jacob’s transformation into Israel (Genesis 32:28).
• “I have called” echoes Isaiah 41:9: “I called you from the farthest corners.” The call is rooted in promised grace, not Israel’s merit.
• God’s calling is irrevocable (Romans 11:29), assuring His people that their identity rests in His sovereign choice, just as He told Jacob at Bethel, “I am the LORD… I will not leave you” (Genesis 28:13-15).
• Even in exile, Israel remains the chosen vessel through which God’s purposes flow (Isaiah 44:1-2).
• This simple declaration affirms God’s unique, self-existent identity. Deuteronomy 32:39 states, “See now that I, I am He; there is no god besides Me.”
• “I am He” anticipates Jesus’ own use: “Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). The phrase unites Old and New Testaments in proclaiming one unchanging Lord (Malachi 3:6).
• Because He is who He is, His promises are certain; His people can rest in His unshakable character (Hebrews 13:8).
• God spans all time: “I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last I am He” (Isaiah 41:4). Nothing precedes Him, nothing outlives Him.
• History’s bookends belong to Him, giving every moment meaning. Revelation 1:17 records Jesus saying, “I am the First and the Last,” linking the eternal LORD of Isaiah with the risen Christ.
• For believers, this truth secures both origin and destiny: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
• When the Alpha and Omega governs the timeline (Revelation 22:13), present trials shrink next to His everlasting reign.
Isaiah 48:12 gathers God’s people to attentive trust: the covenant LORD personally calls Israel, reveals Himself as the one true, self-existent “I AM,” and anchors every era as the First and the Last. Because He speaks, chooses, and reigns eternally, His people can hear, follow, and rest in His unfailing purposes.
(12) Hearken unto me, O Jacob.--The prophet is drawing near to the end of the first great section of his book, and his conclusion takes the form of a condensed epitome of the great argument of Isaiah 40-47, asserting the oneness, the eternity, the omnipotence, the omniscience of Jehovah.Verses 12-15. - THE SECOND ADDRESS. The tone of complaint is now dropped. Israel is invited to reflect seriously on the chief points urged in the preceding chapters.(1) Their near relation to Jehovah (ver. 12);
(2) Jehovah's eternity and omnipotence (vers. 12, 13);
(3) the superiority of Jehovah to the gods of the nations, as shown by his prophetic power (ver. 14); and . . .
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