Isaiah 41:4 kjv
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 41:4 nkjv
Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.' "
Isaiah 41:4 niv
Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD?with the first of them and with the last?I am he."
Isaiah 41:4 esv
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Isaiah 41:4 nlt
Who has done such mighty deeds,
summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?
It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last.
I alone am he."
Isaiah 41 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:39 | See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me. | God's unique deity and power. |
| Ps 90:2 | Before the mountains were born... from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. | God's eternal nature from beginning. |
| Ps 102:27 | But you are the same, and your years have no end. | God's unchanging and endless existence. |
| Isa 40:21 | Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told... Creator of the ends of the earth? | God's timeless knowledge and creation. |
| Isa 40:28 | The everlasting God, the LORD... Creator of the ends of the earth. | God's eternality and creation. |
| Isa 43:10 | Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. | God's sole and eternal deity. |
| Isa 43:13 | From ancient days I am he. | God's constant identity through history. |
| Isa 44:6 | I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God. | Direct parallel, emphasizing God's uniqueness. |
| Isa 45:7 | I form the light and create darkness... I am the LORD, who does all these things. | God's sovereignty over creation and events. |
| Isa 45:12 | I made the earth and created man upon it... I stretched out the heavens... I commanded all their host. | God as the sole creator and controller. |
| Isa 45:18 | For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens... "I am the LORD, and there is no other." | God's exclusive claim as Creator and God. |
| Isa 46:9-10 | I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me... I declare the end from the beginning. | God's incomparable deity, knows future. |
| Isa 48:12-13 | I am the first, and I am the last. My hand founded the earth. | Reiterates "first and last" with creation. |
| Mal 3:6 | For I the LORD do not change. | God's immutable nature. |
| Rom 11:36 | For from him and through him and to him are all things. | God as the ultimate source, means, and end. |
| Eph 1:4 | He chose us in him before the creation of the world. | God's plan set before time. |
| Col 1:16-17 | For in him all things were created... and in him all things hold together. | Christ's role in creation and sustaining. |
| Heb 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. | Christ's eternal, unchanging nature. |
| Rev 1:8 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." | Echoes "First and Last," divine eternality. |
| Rev 1:17-18 | I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore. | Jesus identifies as "First and Last," linking to resurrection. |
| Rev 21:6 | I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. | God's declaration as controller of all. |
| Rev 22:13 | I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. | Reinforces divine eternality and control. |
Isaiah 41 verses
Isaiah 41 4 Meaning
Isaiah 41:4 presents God's rhetorical question, demanding who orchestrated and accomplished the sweep of human history, summoning each generation from its inception. The verse answers with a definitive divine self-declaration: "I the LORD," affirming His unique and exclusive identity as the one who has been present and sovereign from the very beginning of time and will continue to be with all things until their conclusion, demonstrating His immutable presence and control over all of history and creation. This declaration underscores His singularity, eternality, and omnipotence.
Isaiah 41 4 Context
Isaiah 41:4 is situated within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), a section largely addressed to Judah, offering hope and reassurance during and after the Babylonian exile. Chapter 41 specifically opens with a divine summons to the nations and peoples, challenging them to present their case and declare the future. God then contrasts His singular power and knowledge with the impotence of their idols and false gods. He foretells the rise of a conqueror (Cyrus, though not named here, hinted at in subsequent chapters) whom He has raised up for His purpose. Amidst this backdrop, verse 4 serves as a pivotal theological declaration, asserting Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty over all history, dispelling any notion that events unfold randomly or by the decree of other deities. It strengthens the identity of the God of Israel as the one true, eternal God, assuring His exiled people that He is actively guiding their destiny. This reinforces the polemic against idolatry by emphasizing that only the true God, the LORD, controls the past, present, and future of all generations.
Isaiah 41 4 Word analysis
- Who hath wrought and done it: (Hebrew: Mî-pā‘al wĕ‘āśâ מִ֤י פָעַ֥ל וְעָשָֽׂה) - A rhetorical question signifying divine uniqueness. It challenges any other entity, human or divine (idol), to claim such overarching power. This highlights that creation and historical progression are intentional, orchestrated acts.
- calling the generations from the beginning?: (Hebrew: qōrē’ haddôrōṯ mērō’š קֹרֵ֣א הַדּוֹרֹ֗ות מֵרֹאשׁ֙) - "Calling" implies summoning, appointing, or creating. "Generations" refers to all humanity throughout history. "From the beginning" refers to creation, the very dawn of human existence. This phrase speaks of God's sovereign initiative and control over all human history, not merely observing but actively bringing forth and directing humanity's course from its inception. It indicates a pre-ordained plan for all of history.
- I the LORD: (Hebrew: ’ănî YHWH אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה) - A direct, unequivocal self-identification of God using His covenant name, Yahweh. This immediately answers the rhetorical question, affirming His absolute authority and exclusive deity. It distinguishes the God of Israel from all other gods.
- the first, and with the last: (Hebrew: ri’šôn wĕ’eṯ ’aḥărōnîm רִאשֹׁ֑ון וְאֶת־אַחֲרֹונִ֖ים) - "First" (ראשׁוֺן, ri’šôn) denotes pre-existence, being prior to all things, the ultimate origin. "Last" (אחרנימ, ’aḥărōnîm) refers to His enduring presence, His being at the end of all things, the final culmination or destiny. The "with" (ואת, wĕ’eṯ) emphasizes His constant, involved presence throughout the entire sweep of history, from beginning to end, rather than merely an external observation. This signifies His eternal, immutable nature and His control over the entire timeline.
- I am he: (Hebrew: ’ănî hû’ אֲנִי־הֽוּא) - A powerful declaration of self-existence and exclusive identity. This phrase is a divine idiom stressing singularity and essence (cf. Ex 3:14 "I AM WHO I AM"). It underscores that God is unique, unchangeable, and completely self-sufficient.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning?": This initial challenge sets the stage for God's grand revelation. It demands a universal explanation for the orderly progression of human history, pointing towards an intelligent and powerful orchestrator beyond mere chance or human design. It establishes the premise for His unmatched power.
- "I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.": This serves as the divine answer, asserting His unique role in shaping history. "I the LORD" (Yahweh) defines who acts. "the first, and with the last" defines when and where His influence exists—comprehensively across all time and space. "I am he" unequivocally confirms His identity as the singular, unchanging, and eternally present God responsible for all creation and history, directly challenging polytheistic views of His contemporaries.
Isaiah 41 4 Bonus section
The concept of "the first and the last" in Isaiah 41:4 is a profound theological statement, signifying God's ultimate authority, sovereignty, and eternality. It establishes a merism (a rhetorical device where two contrasting parts represent a whole) for omnitemporality, meaning God's existence and active involvement span all time. This is a deliberate theological counter-claim to the various pagan deities worshipped by the surrounding nations, who were often confined to specific geographies, powers, or were seen as originating from within time and creation. By declaring Himself "the first" (the originator) and "with the last" (the one who endures and finishes), God refutes any claim that other powers could either predate Him or outlast Him, cementing His position as the one, incomparable God. This attribute is later attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Revelation 1:8, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13), establishing a direct connection between the Old Testament Yahweh and the incarnate Son of God, reinforcing the continuity of divine identity. The rhetorical question at the beginning also implicitly challenges human wisdom or any perceived historical causality apart from divine orchestration. It asserts that there is a purpose, a mind, and an ultimate mover behind all the 'doings' of human history, unequivocally declaring that mover to be Yahweh.
Isaiah 41 4 Commentary
Isaiah 41:4 powerfully asserts the unique and unchallenged sovereignty of Yahweh over the entirety of human history. Through a rhetorical question and a resolute self-declaration, God distinguishes Himself sharply from the impotent idols of the nations. He claims ultimate credit for "calling forth the generations from the beginning," meaning He initiated, sustained, and directed every phase of human existence from creation onward. His statement "I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he" proclaims His absolute eternality, His presence at history's dawn and His sustained involvement until its consummation. This ensures His people that He is the ever-present, immutable God who remains in control of all events, past, present, and future, offering profound comfort to those facing exile and uncertainty by reassuring them of His unfailing purpose and plan.