Isaiah 48:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In another instance, He stated: “According to the number of thy cities thy fathers were, O Judah, and according to the number of the ways of Jerusalem they shall eat unto Baal. Wherefore speak ye unto me, and all ye that are lawless unto me, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 2:28, 29). When Jeremiah fell before God, imploring Him on behalf of the Israelites, the divine response was clear: “But thou shalt not pray for these people, nor ask that they may be pardoned; neither shalt thou pray, nor come unto me for them, for I will not hear thee. Can you not see what these men are doing in the cities of Judah and in the cities of Jerusalem? Their sons gather wood, and their fathers kindle fire, and their wives knead flour, that they may make unleavened bread for the host of heaven, and pour libations to strange gods, that they may provoke me to anger” (Jeremiah 7:16-18). Indeed, as previously mentioned, Manasseh practiced idolatry towards the heavenly hosts and showed reverence to false prophets, magicians, and even sacrificed some of his own children to idols. Therefore, the God of all Israel, witnessing this rampant corruption and wickedness, sought to guide Israel back to the light of truth through continual exhortations. He often spoke words of comfort, aiming for them to open their eyes and emerge from the darkness, although they struggled to recognize the Creator of all. He proclaimed, “This shall be heard by the house of Jacob, which is called by the name of Israel, and by those who came out of Judah.” He reminded them wisely of their ancestors' nobility in both conduct and character, acknowledging their shameful departure from such a virtuous lineage. While they were indeed fleshly descendants of those ancients, they had become estranged from the virtuous life they once shared, differing from them in both behavior and thought. Their connection was merely a name; in spirit, they were far removed from the nobility they sought to exalt. This reality, our Lord Jesus Christ made evident. The Jews, boasting about their ancestral glory, unjustly claimed, “We have Abraham for a father,” yet He replied, “If the children of Abraham were Abraham's children, the works of Abraham would be done” (John 8:39). Hence, true honor cannot be based solely on ancestry; mere names are inadequate for those descended from notable forebears if they fail to emulate their moral integrity. Therefore, He reproached them for claiming the name of Israel and being born of Judah, asserting that they did not truly reflect those virtuous ancestors. Furthermore, He condemned them for swearing by the name of the Lord God of Israel while adhering to a commandment of the law—not through genuine and righteous deeds, but through actions devised in opposition to the law.

Those referred to as from the waters of Judah are solemnly distinguished from being the true descendants of the patriarchs, as they are, in reality, of the flesh. It is rightly stated that the waters of Judah represent only one tribe still present in the land of Judah, the tribe in which the royal lineage of David was preserved. They who invoke the name of the Lord do so not to glorify Him but rather to commit injustice, seeking to use His name as a witness to their deceit. You dwell in the holy city and depend on the Lord of Israel, boasting your residency in Jerusalem and the privileges granted by the Lord of Hosts, despite merely claiming the names of Jacob, Israel, the holy city, and God Almighty.