Isaiah 65:1
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Jesus Christ is speaking here of his own work, which brought him no worldly glory, declaring that God makes himself known and is found by people who had not asked for him or sought him, calling to a nation not called by his name to look to him. The nation not called by his name is the Gentiles and heathen nations, people never before numbered among Israel and not Abraham's physical descendants. He speaks this while stretching out his hands all day to a rebellious, disobedient and gainsaying people who walk after their own thoughts, after prophet after prophet and finally the Son was rejected by those who should have first recognized him as the Promised One. After his death and victory over sin and Satan opened the way for mercy to reach the ends of the earth, he is found by those who had not sought him as the heathen are brought out of superstition and darkness into light to make peace with him. He continues this same seeking work today through every channel he can employ, and these words speak in a most decided manner to those in high positions whose ways are not accepted of God, calling for an end to complaining and evil working, for repentance and conversion, after which he manifests his power in the conviction and conversion of souls.
Speaker and Setting
The speaker is Jesus Christ speaking of His own work, a work that brought Him no worldly glory. He makes Himself known to those who did not ask for Him and is found by those who did not seek Him, calling to a nation not called by His name to behold Him and look to Him. That finding means God is discovered by people who had not previously sought Him or known Him, with His call extended to those outside His named people.
The nation not called by His name is the Gentiles and heathen nations. They are people who had never before been numbered among the children of Israel and who are not Abraham's physical descendants. The promise of spiritual blessing through Abraham therefore reaches beyond Israel to include them.
In its context He spreads out His hands all day to a rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts and provoke Him to anger continually to His face. They are a disobedient and gainsaying people who rejected Him even as He stretched forth His hands to them. This came after the rejection of prophet after prophet and finally of the Son of God by those who should have been first to recognize Him as the Promised One.
The verse also shows Christ identifying Himself with His people as their representative and surety, standing beside them at the altar. Their prayers offered to the Father in His name are made acceptable by the merits of His sacrifice. The prayers of the saints join His intercession, and He gives them their effectiveness.
Promise for the Gentiles
Christ's death opened the way for the message of hope and mercy to reach to the ends of the earth, and through His victory over sin and Satan God would be found by those who had not sought Him and would reveal Himself to a nation not called by His name, so that heathen nations may turn to God and make peace with Him. The verse is fulfilled as the heathen are brought out of superstition and darkness into light, out of superstition into the light of God. God made Himself known and was found by people who had not previously sought Him, extending His call to a nation that was not called by His name, demonstrating that the gospel reaches the heathen world to bring light in place of superstition and darkness.
God made Himself known to Gentiles who had not sought or asked for Him, teaching that His people include many who are not Abraham's physical descendants because the promise of spiritual blessing through Abraham reaches beyond Israel. His purpose was to include people from other nations among His people and to make Israel a light and blessing to them, not to reserve His covenant blessings for Israel's own benefit. Those who were not called by His name are the Gentiles, who had not sought or asked for Him, yet whom He would make His own through Israel's appointed work for them.
Though Jesus stretched forth His hands all day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people who rejected Him, He would be found of them that sought Him not and would be made manifest among a people that had not called upon His name. This is His mission to the Gentiles, including the dispersed among the Gentiles, to teach the Gentiles. The question of the rabbis whether He would go to the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles unknowingly pictured this mission.
Call to the Church
Isaiah 65 speaks in a most decided manner to those in high positions carrying great responsibilities, whose ways are not accepted of God. The opening verse belongs to that reproof, and therefore stands as a direct address to leadership as well as to the whole congregation. It exposes the church's failure to seek the lost sheep through neglect of those needing to be brought into the fold. That wrong had to be recognized and acknowledged by its members before George Lay could be reached.
Christ continues this same work today of seeking and making himself known to those who had not asked for him, employing every channel through which he can work. His work brought and brings no worldly glory. But self-exaltation and self-sufficiency show lack of control by the Holy Spirit, and by magnifying self keep God from being revealed and honored. When its words are heeded and accepted, the chapter calls for an end to complaining and evil working, for putting away the evil of works, for coming nigh, repenting and being converted. After that response the Lord manifests his power in the conviction and conversion of souls, and a reformation goes through the congregation.