Teks -- Isaiah 44:26 (NET)

44:26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up,’

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JFB: Isa 44:24-28

Confirmation of His promises to the Church and Israel, by various instances of His omnipotence; among these the restoration of the Jews by Cyrus.

JFB: Isa 44:24-28 - alone

Literally, "Who was with Me?" namely, when I did it; answering to "by Myself," in the parallel clause (compare similar phrases, Hos 8:4; Joh 5:30) [MAURER].  

JFB: Isa 44:26 - servant

In a collective sense, for the prophets in general, who foretold the return from Babylon; answering to "His messengers" (plural, in the parallel clause) [MAURER]. Antitypically, and ultimately, Messiah, who is the consummating embodiment of all the prophets and messengers of God (Mal 3:1; Mat 21:34, Mat 21:36-37; Joh 10:36); hence the singular, "His servant."

JFB: Isa 44:26 - counsel

Predictions; prophets' counsels concern the future (compare "counsellor," Isa 41:28).

JFB: Isa 44:26 - Jerusalem

Regarded prophetically, as lying in ruins.

Calvin: Isa 44:26 - Confirming the word // Of his servant // The counsel of his messengers // Saying to Jerusalem

26.Confirming the word The Prophet now applies to his purpose what he had formerly said; for, although he spoke in general terms, still he had a specific object in view, to adapt to the circumstances of the present occasion all that he said, that the people might not be alarmed at that pretended wisdom of the Chaldeans, or doubt that God would one day deliver them. With their unfounded predictions, therefore, he contrasts the promises of God, that they might not imagine that that monarchy was free from all danger.

The promise was this,

“Babylon shall fall, but my people shall be restored to liberty.” (Isa 21:9.)

The Babylonians laughed at these promises, “As if we could not foresee by means of the stars what shall happen to us!” On this account the Lord says that he will confirm, that is, he will actually fulfill what he has promised, and will accomplish those things which could neither be foreseen nor imagined by those wise men. What the prophets foretold, wicked men treated as an empty sound which would quickly pass away. With this opinion he contrasts the word “confirm” or “raise up,” by which he means that God will establish the truth of his words.

Of his servant By the word “servant” he means all the prophets, if it be not thought better to view it as chiefly denoting Isaiah, who announced and testified this deliverance more clearly than all others. But it is unnecessary to limit it to a single individual, for it related to them all, and he likewise calls them by the ordinary name, “ambassadors” or “messengers” of God, because he had sent many, in order to support by their common and universal consent the faith of his people.

The counsel of his messengers By the word “counsel” he means the decrees of God, but not every kind of decrees; for we have no right to inquire about his secret purposes which he does not manifest by his servants, but, when he reveals to us what he will do, we ought to receive the threatenings of the prophets with as much reverence as if God admitted us into the most secret recesses of the heavens. Let not men therefore dispute according to their fancy, after God hath spoken by the mouth of the prophets. In a word, he intended to recommend the authority of his word, which is declared to us by the ministry of men, as if it revealed to us the eternal purpose of God.

Saying to Jerusalem After having spoken in general terms, the Prophet applies more closely to the present subject that certainty of the promises of God; for otherwise the people could not have obtained any advantage from it; and, therefore, he expressly adds the mention of “Jerusalem,” that they may know that it shall be restored. Thus, we ought chiefly to behold in this matter the power of God in determining to defend his Church in a wonderful manner, and to raise her from death to life as often as is necessary. If, therefore, we think that God is true and powerful, let us not doubt that there will always be a Church; and when it appears to be in a lamentably ruinous condition, let us entertain good hope of its restoration. What is here said of “Jerusalem” relates to the whole Church; and, therefore, if we see that she is in a ruinous condition, and that her cities are demolished, and if nothing be visible but frightful and hideous desolation, let us rely on this promise, that she shall at length be raised up and perfectly restored.

TSK: Isa 44:26 - confirmeth // that saith // and I will // decayed places

confirmeth : Isa 42:9; Exo 11:4-6, Exo 12:29, Exo 12:30; 1Ki 13:3-5, 1Ki 18:36-38; Eze 38:17; Zec 1:6; Mat 26:56; Luk 24:44; Act 2:25-28; 2Pe 1:19-21

that saith : Isa 54:3, Isa 54:11, Isa 54:12, Isa 60:10; Ezr 2:70; Psa 102:13-16, Psa 147:2; Jer 30:18; Jer 31:4, Jer 31:38-40, Jer 33:7; Eze 36:33-36; Dan 9:25; Zec 2:4, Zec 12:6; Zec 14:10,Zec 14:11

and I will : Isa 58:12; Neh 1:3, Neh 2:3, 3:1-32; Amo 9:14

decayed places : Heb. wastes, Isa 61:4; Eze 36:10

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Poole: Isa 44:26 - Of his servant // his messengers

Of his servant of his servants, the prophets, as appears from the next clause, which answers to this, where he useth the plural number,

his messengers Isaiah and other prophets, whom God sent upon this errand, to foretell the destruction of Babylon, and the redemption of his people.

Haydock: Isa 44:26 - Servant

Servant. The prophets and Jesus Christ, whose works never fail, Matthew xxiv. 35. (Calmet) ---

In all this prediction of the Church, Isaias alludes to Jerusalem destroyed, and afterwards rebuilt. (Worthington)

Gill: Isa 44:26 - That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers // that saith to Jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof

That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers,.... Who, as he confirmed the word of Isaiah and other prophets, and fulfilled their predictions concerning the captivity of the Jews, and their deliverance from it; so he has confirmed and established the word preached by his servants, the Gospel, which is the counsel of God, delivered out by his messengers, the apostles, and first preachers of it; it being attended with the demonstration of the spirit, and of power, to the conversion of sinners, and to the destruction of idolatry and Pagan worship. By the Lord's "servant" some understand Moses, as Jarchi; others Isaiah, as Kimchi and most interpreters; and why not Paul, as Cocceius? though the singular seems rather to be put for the plural, as the next clause explains it; and so the Arabic version renders it, "his servants"; to which the Targum agrees, paraphrasing it,

"confirming the words of his servants the righteous:''

that saith to Jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof; all which suppose that Jerusalem, which, in the prophet's time, was full of inhabitants, should be emptied of them, by the sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity; yet, nevertheless, there should be a return of the Jews from captivity, and this city should be peopled and inhabited again; and also, that the cities of Judah, which were now in good circumstances, should be laid waste, and all the adjacent country be in a ruinous condition, all which should be rebuilt and restored to a flourishing state again. The Lord had said it, and it should be done; as accordingly it was. This may be understood, in a spiritual sense, of the building up of the church of God, and the setting up and establishing the interest of Christ, by the preaching of the Gospel.