Isaiah 48:12 Meaning: The First and the Last
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called one, I am He, I am first, and I am last;
Hearken unto me, Jacob, and [thou] Israel, my called. I [am] HE; I, the first, and I, the last.
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 48:12 reveals God as the eternal, sovereign Lord. Discover how His identity as the first and the last anchors our trust in His promises.
Context
Isaiah 48 sits in a section where God speaks to a people who have not listened well. They are in exile in Babylon, and through the prophet, God lays out both their stubbornness and His unwavering commitment. He has refined them in affliction, and now He declares something new: He will use Cyrus, a Persian king, to bring them home. Before giving that specific promise, God calls His people to attention. He addresses them as Jacob and Israel, the nation He chose and called. Then He names Himself in the most absolute terms: the eternal, unchanging One who was there before history began and will be there after it ends. This self-identification is the bedrock on which every promise rests.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for listen here is shema. It means more than hearing a sound. It carries the sense of paying attention, obeying, letting what you hear shape your life. God is not asking for passive acknowledgment. He wants Israel to lean in and trust what He is about to say.
The phrase my called translates a word from qara, meaning to summon or name. It is a gentle description of who Israel is: a people God personally invited into relationship. Not because they earned it, but because He chose them. That same call reaches anyone who belongs to Him today.
The heart of the verse is I am he. I am the first. I am also the last. The Hebrew ani hu echoes the great confession in Deuteronomy 32:39: God alone is God. And rishon (first) and acharon (last) stretch the thought from eternity to eternity. This is not just a statement about time. It is a claim that nothing exists outside His authority, and nothing will ever outlast or overcome Him.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this verse as a profound declaration of God's exclusive deity and sovereignty. Reformed commentators like Calvin see it as God's way of saying He is always consistent, never changing, and thus worthy of trust. Matthew Henry, writing in the Puritan tradition, points out that this truth encourages faith when circumstances seem hopeless: the God who is first and last can do what He promises. Others, like Baptist expositor John Gill, hear the voice of Christ in these words, linking them to Revelation 1:8 where Jesus calls Himself the Alpha and Omega. The verse is also central to the argument against idols: only the eternal God can predict history and bring it about. All these readings agree on one point: God's self-identification as first and last is the solid ground for hope.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
Main takeaway: Because God is the first and the last, nothing in your past or future is beyond His reach or authority.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God says He is the first and the last. That means He was there before everything, and He will be there after everything. He is bigger than anything you worry about.
For ages 9, 12
Have you ever been scared about something that might happen? Maybe you worry about a test or a friendship. In Isaiah 48:12, God says, “I am the first and the last.” He is the one who holds all of history in His hands. That includes your life. When you feel small or afraid, remember that the God who made the whole world is with you. He will not let go.
Questions People Ask
What does 'I am he' mean in Isaiah 48:12?
The Hebrew phrase 'ani hu' ('I am he') echoes Deuteronomy 32:39, where God declares that He alone is God. It is a strong statement of His unique, absolute identity. There is no one else like Him.
Who is speaking in Isaiah 48:12?
In the immediate context, it is God (Yahweh) speaking through the prophet Isaiah. Many Christian commentators also see this as a reference to Christ, noting that in Revelation 1:8 Jesus applies the title 'the Alpha and the Omega' to Himself.
How is 'the first and the last' different from just saying 'eternal'?
Eternal means without beginning or end. 'First and last' adds the idea of sovereignty over all of history. It means God not only exists forever, but He is the Lord of every moment, from start to finish.
Why does God call Israel 'my called' in this verse?
The word translated 'called' comes from a Hebrew root that means to summon or name. It reminds Israel that they are not a random people. God chose them, called them by name, and made them His own. It is an identity based on His grace, not their merit.
Does this verse relate to the Cyrus prophecy in Isaiah?
Yes. Verses 14-15 immediately after this mention Cyrus by describing a ruler God loves who will defeat Babylon. By first declaring Himself the first and the last, God lays the foundation for why He can guarantee that prophecy: He is the Lord of history who can raise up any king He chooses.
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