Isaiah 45:25

In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) In the Lord.—We note the germ of the New Testament thought of the mystic union of man with God, in the phrases “in the Lord,” “in the Holy Spirit,” “in Christ,” which embody that thought. Jehovah is the sphere, or region, in which men “live and move and have their being.” The seed of Israel, as interpreted by Isaiah 45:23, includes all who have joined themselves to the true Israel of God.

Benson Commentary

Isaiah 45:25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel — All Israelites indeed, whether Jews or Gentiles; all believers, who are frequently called God’s Israel in Scripture; be justified — Acquitted, both from real guilt before God, and from all false aspersions before the world; for this justification of the true Israel is opposed to their enemies being ashamed, Isaiah 45:24; which seems to be intended of their public shame and confusion before God and men. And shall glory — They shall not only receive him, but they shall rejoice and triumph in him as their God and portion.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

45:20-25 The nations are exhorted to draw near to Jehovah. None besides is able to help; he is the Saviour, who can save without the assistance of any, but without whom none can save. If the heart is brought into the obedience of Christ, the knee will cheerfully obey his commands. To Christ men shall come from every nation for blessings; all that hate his cause shall be put to shame, and all believers shall rejoice in him as their Friend and Portion. All must come to him: may we now come to him as the Lord our Righteousness, walking according to his commandments.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In the Lord - It shall be only in Yahweh that they shall find justification, and this must mean, that it is by his mercy and grace. The entire passage here, I suppose, has reference to the times of the Redeemer (see the notes at Isaiah 45:21-24). If so, it means that justification can be obtained only by the mercy of God through a Redeemer. The great truth is, therefore, here brought into view, which constitutes the sum of the New Testament, that people are not justified by their own works, but by the mercy and grace of God.

All the seed of Israel - All the spiritual seed or descendants of Jacob. It cannot mean that every individual shall be justified and saved, for the Bible abundantly teaches the contrary (see Matthew 8:11-12; Romans 11) But it must mean that all who have a character resembling that of Israel, or Jacob; all who are the true children and friends of God (see Romans 2:28-29; Romans 4:9-13).

Be justified - Be regarded and treated as righteous. Their sins shall be pardoned, and they shall be acknowledged and treated as the children of God (see the notes at Romans 3:24-25). To justify, here, is not to pronounce them innocent, or to regard them as deserving of his favor; but it is to receive them into favor, and to resolve to treat them as if they had not sinned; that is, to treat them as if they were righteous. All this is by the mere mercy and grace of God, and is through the merits of thc Redeemer, who died in their place.

And shall glory - Or rather, shall praise and celebrate his goodness. The word used here (חלל châlal) means, in the Piel, "to sing, to chant, to celebrate the praises of anyone" 1 Chronicles 16:36; Psalm 44:9; Psalm 117:1; Psalm 145:2, and is the word of which the word "hallelujah" is in part composed. Here it means, that the effect of their being justified by Yahweh would be, that they would be filled with joy, and would celebrate the goodness of God. This effect of being justified, is more fully stated in Romans 5:1-5. It is a result which always follows; and a disposition to praise and magnify the name of God in view of his boundless mercy in providing a way by which sinners may be justified, is one of the first promptings of a renewed heart, and one of the evidences that a soul is born again.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. all … Israel—the spiritual Israel (Ro 2:29) and the literal Israel, that is, the final remnant which shall all be saved (Isa 45:17; Ro 11:26).

justified—treated as if they were just, through Christ's righteousness and death (Jer 23:5).

glory—literally, "sing" in His praise (Jer 9:24; 1Co 1:31).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

All the seed of Israel; all Israelites indeed, whether Jews or Gentiles; all believers, who are frequently called God’s Israel in Scripture, as Psalm 24:6 Romans 9:6 11:26 Galatians 6:16.

Justified; acquitted both from real guilt before God, and from all false aspersions before the world; for this justification of the true Israel is opposed to their enemies being ashamed, Isaiah 45:24, which seems to design their public shame and confusion before God and men.

Shall glory; shall not only receive him, but shall rejoicer and triumph in him as their God and portion.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified,.... All the spiritual Israel of God, whether Jews or Gentiles; all the spiritual seed and offspring of Christ, to whom he stands in the relation of the, everlasting Father and federal Head; these being given to him, and being in him, are justified in him from all things; and these, all and everyone, shall be brought to see their need of his righteousness, and look to him for it, and receive it from him by faith; and be manifestatively justified in their own consciences, as they will be openly at the bar of God, before angels and men, hereafter. The Targum is,

""in" or by the Word of the Lord all the seed of Israel shall be justified:''

and shall glory; in Christ, as the Lord their righteousness; not in themselves, in their own righteousness, holiness, wisdom, and strength, but in this, that Christ is made to them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30.

Geneva Study Bible

In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. be justified] lit. be righteous, i.e. “enjoy righteousness” in the same sense as Isaiah 45:24. Comp. Jeremiah 23:6 (“Jehovah our Righteousness”).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified. Joined to Jehovah in mystic union (Cheyne). the whole "Israel of God" shall be justified, and glory in their condition.



Isaiah 45:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

This bending of the knee, this confession as an oath of homage, will be no forced one. Isaiah 45:24 "Only in Jehovah, do men say of me, is fulness of righteousness and strength; they come to Him, and all that were incensed against Him are put to shame." The parenthetical insertion of אמר לי ל, with reference to, as in Isaiah 41:7; Isaiah 44:26, Isaiah 44:28) is the same as in Psalm 119:57. אך has a restrictive sense here, which springs out of the affirmative (cf., Psalm 39:7; Psalm 73:1), just as, in the case of raq, the affirmative grows out of the primary restrictive sense. The "righteousness" is abounding (superabundant) righteousness (Romans 5:15.). עז is the strength of sanctification, and of the conquest of the world. The subject to יבוא (which is not to be changed, according to the Masora, into the more natural יבאּוּ, as it is by the lxx, Syr., and Vulg.) is, whoever has seen what man has in Jehovah, and made confession of this; such a man does not rest till he has altogether come over to Jehovah, whereas all His enemies are put to shame. They separate themselves irretrievably from the men who serve Him, the restoration of whom is His direct will, and the goal of the history of salvation. Isaiah 45:25 "In Jehovah all the seed of Israel shall become righteous, and shall glory." Ruetschi has very properly observed on this verse, that the reference is to the Israel of God out of all the human race, i.e., the church of the believers in Israel expanded by the addition of the heathen; which church is now righteous, i.e., reconciled and renewed by Jehovah, and glories in Him, because by grace it is what it is.

This brings the sixth prophecy to a close. Its five strophes commence with "Thus saith the Lord;" at the same time, the fifth strophe has two "woes" (hoi) before this, as the ground upon which it rests.