Connect Isaiah 48:16 with New Testament teachings on Jesus' divine mission. Isaiah 48:16—The Verse Itself “Come near to Me and listen: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, accompanied by His Spirit.” Who Is Speaking? • The Speaker claims divine prerogatives—present from “the beginning” and never speaking “in secret.” • He distinguishes Himself from “the Lord GOD” who “has sent” Him, while also acknowledging “His Spirit.” • Taken literally, the text presents three distinct Persons acting in perfect unity, laying groundwork for later revelation of Father, Son, and Spirit. Three Persons, One Mission • “The Lord GOD” — the Father, source of the sending. • “Me” — the pre-incarnate Son, willingly commissioned. • “His Spirit” — the empowering Presence who accompanies the mission. • The verse anticipates the full Trinitarian pattern found throughout the New Testament. Echoes in the Gospels • John 3:34 — “For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.” • John 8:42 — “I have come here from God… He sent Me.” • Luke 4:18 (quoting Isaiah 61) — “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel…” • Matthew 3:16-17 — at Jesus’ baptism the Father speaks from heaven, the Spirit descends, and the Son stands in the water, mirroring Isaiah 48:16’s three-fold presence. Apostolic Confirmation • Philippians 2:6-7 — the Son “existing in the form of God” yet “emptied Himself” to carry out the mission. • Colossians 1:17 — “He is before all things,” echoing “from the beginning.” • 1 John 4:14 — “The Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.” • Acts 10:38 — “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power,” reflecting “accompanied by His Spirit.” Putting the Pieces Together • Isaiah 48:16 shows the eternal Son voluntarily sent by the Father and accompanied by the Spirit. • The Gospels record Jesus repeatedly testifying that He is the Sent One, fulfilling this ancient promise. • The apostles openly preach that Jesus’ saving work arises from this same divine commissioning. • Scripture, taken at face value from prophecy to fulfillment, presents a seamless narrative of the Father’s plan carried out by the Son in the power of the Spirit. Living in the Light of His Mission • Confidence: the same Triune God who spoke in Isaiah stands behind every New Testament promise. • Clarity: Jesus is not merely a messenger but the eternal, divine Son who was “there” from the beginning. • Commission: just as the Father sent the Son (John 20:21), believers are now sent in the Spirit’s power to carry on the mission grounded in this prophetic foundation. |
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