That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!
let him
Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Jeremiah 5:12,13 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: …
Jeremiah 17:15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.
let the
Isaiah 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Jeremiah 33:18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
“Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it!
The demand for God to act quickly reveals a lack of faith and understanding of God's timing. This impatience is reminiscent of the Israelites' behavior in the wilderness, where they frequently doubted God's provision and timing (Exodus 16:2-3). Theologically, it underscores the human tendency to challenge God's sovereignty and timing, contrasting with the biblical call to trust in God's perfect plan (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come
The title "Holy One of Israel" emphasizes God's distinctiveness and purity, a recurring theme in Isaiah. This phrase highlights the people's desire to see God's plan, yet it is spoken with a tone of skepticism. Theologically, it points to the tension between God's holiness and human sinfulness, as well as the prophetic assurance that God's plans are ultimately for the good of His people (Jeremiah 29:11).
so that we may know it!”
The desire to "know" God's plan can be seen as a challenge rather than a genuine pursuit of understanding. This reflects a broader biblical narrative where knowledge of God is linked to obedience and faith (Proverbs 1:7). The phrase also foreshadows the New Testament revelation of God's plan through Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the embodiment of divine wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3).
- Isaiah places the spotlight on a particular group inside Judah who openly voice scorn toward God’s prophetic warnings.
- Their words expose hearts already hardened (cf. Isaiah 6:9–10, Matthew 13:14–15).
- They identify themselves not by repentance but by complaint, illustrating Proverbs 14:9: “Fools mock at making amends for sin.”
- The demand for speed is not faithful expectation but brazen impatience—an attitude similar to the taunt, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4).
- They misread God’s restraint as weakness, ignoring His character: “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger” (Psalm 103:8).
- Such presumption forgets that divine timing is perfect (Habakkuk 2:3).
- Mockers treat God’s redemptive plan like a circus act to be summoned at will, reversing Creator-creature roles (Romans 9:20).
- “His work” in Isaiah’s context includes both judgment on wickedness and mercy toward the repentant (Isaiah 5:24–25; Isaiah 4:2–6).
- They want the spectacle without the submission it demands (James 2:19).
- Sight is their only criterion for belief, paralleling Thomas’s initial doubt (John 20:25).
- Scriptures warn against living by sight alone: “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
- Real seeing arises from obedient trust (John 14:21).
- Isaiah frequently uses “Holy One of Israel” (e.g., Isaiah 1:4; 12:6) to underscore God’s moral purity; the scoffers mention the title yet ignore its implications.
- They crave God’s plan merely to scrutinize it, not to surrender to it—a posture condemned in Malachi 3:13–15.
- God’s plan is unfolding regardless of human approval (Isaiah 46:10–11).
- Their definition of “know” is intellectual verification, devoid of humble faith.
- Scripture equates true knowledge of God with reverent obedience (Proverbs 9:10; 1 John 2:3–4).
- Ironically, when judgment finally comes, knowledge will arrive—yet too late for repentance (Isaiah 26:9–11).
Isaiah 5:19 records a defiant chorus within Judah that mocks God’s patience and demands immediate proof of His prophetic warnings. Their call for haste masks unbelief, treating the Holy One of Israel as a servant who must perform on cue. Scripture counters this arrogance with the assurance that God’s plan moves on His sovereign timetable, rewarding faith and punishing rebellion. The verse stands as a caution: mocking divine delay invites sudden, certain judgment, while humble trust awaits His work in reverent expectation.
(19) That say, Let him make speed.--We have here, as in Isaiah 28:10, and Jeremiah 17:15, the very words of the wealthy scoffers of Judah. Such taunts are not peculiar to any age or country. We find them in the speech of Zedekiah (1Kings 22:24), in that of the mockers of 2Peter 3:4. In the name of Isaiah's second son (Isaiah 8:3) we may probably find an answer to the taunt. The words "the counsel of the Holy One of Israel" were obviously emphasised with a sneer at the name on which Isaiah dwelt so constantly. (Comp. Isaiah 30:11.) . . . Verse 19. - That say, Let him make speed, etc. Instead of trembling at the coming judgment of God, which Isaiah has announced, they pretend to desire its immediate arrival; they want to "see it." They walk, not by faith, but by sight. At the bottom of this pretended desire there lies a complete incredulity. The counsel; or, purpose, as in Isaiah 14:26. Of the Holy One of Israel. They use one of Isaiah's favorite titles of God (see note on Isaiah L 4), not from any belief in him, but rather in a mocking spirit.