The Meaning of Isaiah 63:16 Explained

Isaiah 63:16

KJV: Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

YLT: For Thou art our Father, For Abraham hath not known us, And Israel doth not acknowledge us, Thou, O Jehovah, art our Father, Our redeemer from the age, is Thy name.

Darby: For thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, Jehovah, art our Father; our Redeemer, from everlasting, is thy name.

ASV: For thou art our Father, though Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: thou, O Jehovah, art our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Doubtless  thou [art] our father,  though Abraham  be ignorant  of us, and Israel  acknowledge  us not: thou, O LORD,  [art] our father,  our redeemer;  thy name  [is] from everlasting. 

What does Isaiah 63:16 Mean?

Study Notes

our Father
Cf. Isaiah 1:2 ; Isaiah 64:8 . Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognizes God as the national Father (cf) Exodus 4:22 ; Exodus 4:23 Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf); John 3:3 ; John 3:5 ; Luke 13:28 but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. The explanation is given in Galatians 4:1-7 .
The Israelite, though a child, "differed nothing from a servant." The Spirit, as the "Spirit of His Son," could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished. Galatians 4:4-6 See "Adoption"; Romans 8:15 ; Ephesians 1:5 .
redeemer Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type).
predestinated
Predestination is that effective exercise of the will of God by which things before determined by Him are brought to pass. See Election,
(See Scofield " 1 Peter 1:2 ")
Foreknowledge, (See Scofield " 1 Peter 1:20 ")
adoption
Adoption (huiothesia, "placing as a son") is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth John 1:12 ; John 1:13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Galatians 4:1-5 .
The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer's present experience Galatians 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer's sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body"; Romans 8:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 ; Ephesians 1:14 ; Romans 11:23-298 .
adoption
Adoption (huiothesia, "placing as a son") is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth John 1:12 ; John 1:13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Galatians 4:1-5 .
The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer's present experience Galatians 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer's sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body"; Romans 8:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 ; Ephesians 1:14 ; 1 John 3:2 .
Redeemer
Redemption: Kinsman type, summary. The goel, or Kinsman-Redeemer, is a beautiful type of Christ.
(1) The kinsman redemption was of persons, and an inheritance Leviticus 25:48 ; Leviticus 25:25 ; Galatians 4:5 ; Ephesians 1:7 ; Ephesians 1:11 ; Ephesians 1:14
(2) The Redeemer must be a kinsman Leviticus 25:48 ; Leviticus 25:49 ; Ruth 3:12 ; Ruth 3:13 ; Galatians 4:4 ; Hebrews 2:14 ; Hebrews 2:15 .
(3) The Redeemer must be able to redeem Ruth 4:4-6 ; Jeremiah 50:34 ; John 10:11 ; John 10:18
(4) Redemption is effected by the goel paying the just demand in full Leviticus 25:27 ; 1 Peter 1:18 ; 1 Peter 1:19 ; Galatians 3:13 . (See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ") See Scofield " Romans 3:24 "
come to Zion
The time when the "Redeemer shall come to Zion" is fixed, relatively, by Romans 11:23-29 as following the completion of the Gentile Church. That is also the order of the great dispensational passage, Acts 15:14-17 .
In both, the return of the Lord to Zion follows the outcalling of the Church.
come to Zion
The time when the "Redeemer shall come to Zion" is fixed, relatively, by 1713491446_79 as following the completion of the Gentile Church. That is also the order of the great dispensational passage, Acts 15:14-17 .
In both, the return of the Lord to Zion follows the outcalling of the Church.

Verse Meaning

He reminded God that He was Israel"s true Father. Abraham and Israel (Jacob) may have forgotten their children and may have been incapable of helping them, but the Lord had not forgotten and could help. A second basis for appealing for help was that Yahweh had been Israel"s Redeemer in the past as well as its Father (cf. Isaiah 63:12; Isaiah 63:14). Fathers characteristically feel affection and compassion for their children ( Isaiah 63:15), and redeemers (kinsman-redeemers) normally demonstrate zeal and perform mighty deeds for their relatives ( Isaiah 63:15).

Context Summary

Isaiah 63:10-19 - Salvation Obstructed By Rebellion
The exhortation of the Apostle against grieving the Holy Spirit is based on Isaiah 63:10. See Ephesians 4:30. There is no limit to the gracious work which the Holy Spirit will do in and for us, if only we will take jealous care of our behavior toward Him. Be especially heedful about thy speech! The least uncharitableness hurts Him, as frost the spring-blossoms.
But God never forgets the blessed past and labors to restore it. See what He will do! His power shall work through a human wrist, Isaiah 63:12. Before Him the waters part and leave a path for His chosen. All that would cause us to stumble is taken out of the way and we are led as on a level plain. As cattle descend into the hollows of the hills at noon, to escape the sultry heat, so will God's Spirit cause us to rest. Oh, claim that these promises be realized! He is Father, Redeemer, the Eternal, the Lover of souls! Even when we believe not and have forfeited all claim on Him, He remaineth faithful and cannot deny Himself! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 63

1  Christ shows who he is
2  What his victory over his enemies
7  And what his mercy toward his church
10  In his just wrath he remembers his free mercy
15  The church, in her prayer
17  And complaint, professes her faith

What do the individual words in Isaiah 63:16 mean?

Doubtless You [are] our Father Though Abraham not was ignorant of us and Israel not does acknowledge us You [are] Yahweh Our Redeemer from Everlasting [is] Your name
כִּֽי־ אַתָּ֣ה אָבִ֔ינוּ כִּ֤י אַבְרָהָם֙ לֹ֣א יְדָעָ֔נוּ וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֣א יַכִּירָ֑נוּ אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ גֹּאֲלֵ֥נוּ מֵֽעוֹלָ֖ם שְׁמֶֽךָ

כִּֽי־  Doubtless 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אַתָּ֣ה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
אָבִ֔ינוּ  our  Father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
כִּ֤י  Though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אַבְרָהָם֙  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
יְדָעָ֔נוּ  was  ignorant  of  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  and  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יַכִּירָ֑נוּ  does  acknowledge  us 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
אַתָּ֤ה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
גֹּאֲלֵ֥נוּ  Our  Redeemer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: גְּאוּלִים 
Sense: to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman.
מֵֽעוֹלָ֖ם  from  Everlasting 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
שְׁמֶֽךָ  [is]  Your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.