My God and My Country

Discourses by John Calvin and Matthew Henry on Isaiah 43:11-12

Edited & Prefaced by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

I, even I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Savior. I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore you are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. - Isaiah 43:11-12 - Geneva Bible Translation

I, I, Yaweh and there is no, from apart, from me , one saving. I, I tell and I save, and I announce, and there is no in you, alien one and you witnesses of me, averment of Yaweh and I, El - Hebrew Translation - Interlinear Bible Translation.

Brethren:
A quick preface noting the word “averment”, in the Hebrew translation. It is conjugated from the word Aver, that, when used as a verb means to; “To affirm with confidence; to declare in a positive manner, as in confidence of asserting the truth.” - Source - Webster’s Dictionary Ed 1913

R.P. Woitowitz

“ Here the Lord employs lofty language, as having obtained the victory. Already he had sufficiently explained in what manner he must be known, and had shewn that there is no God except himself; and now, in order to confirm this doctrine, he exclaims, “I alone am Jehovah, there is none besides me.” This shews how dangerous it is to contrive anything about God out of our own fancy; for when we make any kind of graven image, we produce an idol instead of God. We ought, therefore, to embrace nothing but what has proceeded from God[Read Matthew 4:4], so as not to allow ourselves any liberty on this subject. After God has revealed himself to us, we ought to make progress in the knowledge of him, and to grow and be strengthened every day; for this is the meaning of the repetition, I, I.

That we may not suppose that his eternal essence only is here exhibited, but also his power and goodness, which he constantly exercises towards us, and by which he is fully revealed, he adds an epithet as a distinguishing mark, that “he is the only Savior.” The world falls into the mistake of giving a naked and empty name to God, and at the same time conveying his authority to another; God is indeed mentioned, but is robbed of his honor, when his offices are distributed into so many parts, (a) that hardly anything is left to him but a naked and empty name. They boast, indeed, of worshipping God alone; but when we come to what it belongs to God to do, they make as many gods as they have creatures, and distribute among them his power and authority. But the Lord has determined that these shall remain entire and uninfringed, and they cannot be conveyed to another without shocking blasphemy; for he alone does good to men, he alone defends and preserves them. The last clause of the verse expresses that knowledge which is derived from experience, that we may not seek salvation in any other than in him who its the only author of it. Hence we learn that the chief part of the worship of God consists in faith, when he is acknowledged to be the beginning and the end of life, when we bestow on him the title of Savior, and do not convey to another what he declares to belong to himself and to reside in him alone.

This verse is a sort of recapitulation of the preceding; for Jehovah again relates that he foretold future events, and that he had actually accomplished what he foretold. To tell relates to foreknowledge, and to save relates to power and goodness. In a word, he means that he alone is God, who both knows and does all things. Although these things were spoken to the Jews, yet let us know that they belong to us also; for all the predictions that have come down to us ought to be regarded by us as so many proofs both of the knowledge and of the power of God, that we may rely on him alone.

That superstitions may be banished, and that he may be elevated to the throne of his heavenly doctrine, he again mentions that he displayed his power, and gave tokens of his grace, without being aided by any one; and hence it follows, that they who shall not be satisfied with him alone, will be excessively ungrateful and wicked. “At the time,” says he, “when ye worshiped no strange god, I openly and publicly displayed my power; and therefore it is unlawful to bestow on false gods what belongs to me.” And yet in these words he does not so much commend the piety or religion of the people, as he excludes all foreign aid; as if he had said, that while the Jews knew no other God, the miracles wrought by him were so numerous and so great, that it was perfectly evident that none but he is God. At the same time Isaiah remarks that our unbelief hinders God from displaying his power amongst us. Away, then, with all errors and all wavering and doubtful opinions about God, if we wish to have experience of his power! for if we turn our minds to superstitions or idols, we shall undoubtedly render ourselves unworthy of his assistance and kindness.(b)

At length he again summons them as witnesses, accusing them of base and shameful ingratitude, if they conceal what he had abundantly made known to them; for the greater and more numerous the testimonies by which he has manifested to us his power and might, so much the more are we bound to declare them to others.” - John Calvin

“You, O Israelites! all you that are called by my name, you are all my witnesses, and so is my servant whom I have chosen.’’ It was Christ himself that was so described (See Isaiah 42:1 ), My servant and my elect. Observe: All the prophets that testified to Christ, and Christ himself, the great prophet, are here appealed to as God’s witnesses.

God’s people are witnesses for him, and can attest, upon their own knowledge and experience, concerning the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the tenderness of his providence, and the truth of his promise. They will be forward to witness for him that he is gracious and that no word of his has fallen to the ground.

His prophets are in a particular manner witnesses for him, with whom his secret is, and who know more of him than others do. But the Messiah especially is given to be a witness for him to the people; having lain in his bosom from eternity, he has declared him.

[Observe again]: Let us see what the point is which these witnesses are called to prove: You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Note, Those who do themselves acknowledge that the Lord is God should be ready to testify what they know of him to others, that they also may be brought to the acknowledgment of it. I believed, therefore have I spoken. Particularly, ‘Since you cannot but know, and believe, and understand, you must be ready to bear record, that I am he, the only true God, that I am a being self-existent and self-sufficient; I am he whom you are to fear, and worship, and trust in.’” - Matthew Henry

(a) Editor’s thought - I think what was being inferred herein is a reference to the Apostle Paul’s comments and thoughts that we are all one body, and one church, and there should not be any division among us. [Read Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 1:11-13, 3:4-6;, 10:17, 12:14-21]

R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

(b) Editor's Comment – We in this nation, have already done so