“Let them announce, and declare to us what shall happen. Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.
what shall happen--"Let them bring near and declare future contingencies" [HORSLEY]. former things . . . the latter end of them--show what former predictions the idols have given, that we may compare the event ("latter end") with them; or give new prophecies ("declare things to come") (Isa 42:9), [MAURER].
Let them bring them forth,.... Not their reasons, as before, but their gods; let them cause them to come nigh, let them appear in court, and speak for themselves, when their worshippers have said all they can in defence of their deity: and show us what shall happen: what shall come to pass hereafter; and by that prove their divinity; for none but God can...
The suit moves to its second stage: Jehovah challenges the idols themselves to establish their deity by doing what only He can do, foretelling the future. In the first stage He appealed to His control of history; now He rests His case on His alone knowing what shall come to pass. Let the idols predict events, and men will acknowledge them as gods; but they stand mute and powerless.
AI summary
Commenting on Isaiah 41:21-23