Isaiah

 

Isaiah Chapter 45

 

  • Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
  • 2  I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

This shows the power of God over the nations. Babylon was allowed power as long as the Lord allowed it. Just as soon as the seventy years was over, Gods plan for Israel's deliverance had arrived. God sent Cyrus of the Medes and Persians to take over. Through Cyrus, Israel was allowed to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Of course this was written way before any of this happened. Cyrus was mentioned by years before he was even born.

Josephus writes:

1. In the first year of the reign of Cyrus which was the seventieth from the day that our people were removed out of their own land into Babylon, God commiserated the captivity and calamity of these poor people, according as he had foretold to them by Jeremiah the prophet, before the destruction of the city, that after they had served Nebuchadnezzar and his posterity, and after they had undergone that servitude seventy years, he would restore them again to the land of their fathers, and they should build their temple, and enjoy their ancient prosperity. And these things God did afford them; for he stirred up the mind of Cyrus, and made him write this throughout all Asia: "Thus saith Cyrus the king: Since God Almighty hath appointed me to be king of the habitable earth, I believe that he is that God which the nation of the Israelites worship; for indeed he foretold my name by the prophets, and that I should build him a house at Jerusalem, in the country of Judea."

2. This was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left behind him of his prophecies; for this prophet said that God had spoken thus to him in a secret vision: "My will is, that Cyrus, whom I have appointed to be king over many and great nations, send back my people to their own land, and build my temple." This was foretold by Isaiah one hundred and forty years before the temple was demolished. Accordingly, when Cyrus read this, and admired the Divine power, an earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was so written; so he called for the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them, that he gave them leave to go back to their own country, and to rebuild their city Jerusalem, and the temple of God, for that he would be their assistant, and that he would write to the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver for the building of the temple, and besides that, beasts for their sacrifices.

End of Josephus insert.

God was with Israel and went before them every step of the way. How much better it would have been if Israel would have obeyed God throughout history. They would have never been scattered all over the world and hated by other nations. They would have been firmly planted in their own land given to them by God and no other nation could ever have supplanted them. No nation, no matter how powerful can overcome a nation that is protected by God. The only way they can touch a God fearing nation is when God lifts His hand of protection.

This should make any nation tremble. How can we dare kick God out of our schools? Teach that He doesn't exist? Turn our backs on Him like we have been doing? Declare the bible unconstitutional? We should be trembling. The country of the United States is letting sin and unbelief in the God to allows them to exist to destroy them.

Without God this nation may not last much longer. Look at the example of Israel in the bible. Those scriptures were written for our learning. If He could allow His own chosen people Israel to suffer because of their disobedience, how much more will He judge the United States. We have had the knowledge of God, Jesus Christ and the bible. We have had prosperity, education, and high technology. God has allowed us to become the greatest nation upon the earth and yet we turn our backs on Him and declare Him who gave us all these things to be unconstitutional.

  • Isaiah 45:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
  • 4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

Imagine God writing to someone that is not yet born and ordaining that person to be a vessel to restore Israel back into their own land. Cyrus was certainly used of the Lord even though he didn't know God.

To know the God of Israel and trust in Him. To follow Him and enjoy His fellowship is the greatest thing we can do as an individual, a community and a nation. There is nothing that can compare with constant, daily fellowship with the Lord. Trust me; a person who receives Jesus Christ as Lord and becomes filled with His Holy Spirit, and decides to walk with the Lord, will never, never regret that decision. I have never seen a person who lived like that ever say that he or she was sorry that they ever received Jesus Christ into their lives. If anyone ever says that he or she regrets knowing, walking and receiving the Lord, than you can be sure that they never have known the Lord in the first place.

  • Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
  • 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

God is still speaking to Cyrus here even though he didn't yet exist. This is awesome.

  • Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

God is in charge of the nations, at His word they rise or fall.

  • Isaiah 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

This is the promise of God that righteousness will prevail in the end. I want to be found on the Lord's side and walking in His righteousness.

  • Isaiah 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands ?

He that resists the Lord and refuses Him, shall not prevail. I tremble when I hear the talk I hear in today's world. People dare to defy, deny and go against God and reject His word. It is scary.

It is like us saying to God, "Why did you create me? You have no right to tell me what to do? I can do as I please."

  • Isaiah 45:10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

This is a comparison to striving with our maker. A child shows much disrespect when he or she dishonors his mom and dad in this manner.

  • Isaiah 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
  • 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

God is speaking of His sons here. To ask of Him about His sons. Ask Him of His creation. Let us stop once in a while in our busy schedules and think of His wonders of creation. God must be greater than any of us can imagine.

Speaking of His Sons, I can't help but think it must concern the sons (daughters) who receive Jesus Christ as savior. According to John 1:12

  • " But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

Any true believer is a son of God, however there is only one begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, according to John 3:16,

  • "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

  • Isaiah 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

Here God speaks of someone who He has raised in righteousness to build His city.

This refers to the immediate fulfillment of Cyrus who lets the captives of Israel go free and rebuild their city and to the future when Jesus Christ rules in righteousness and builds a kingdom upon the earth.

  • Isaiah 45:14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

As far as I know this part has not yet come to pass but is yet future. Egypt, Ethiopia and many others will be converted at the reign of Jesus Christ. We know this has not happened yet. They may have accepted a religion as opposed to former idol worship but they do not bow down and worship Israel and they do not as yet recognize Israel as chosen of God and highly esteemed.

Also prophecy concerning Babylon is not yet fulfilled but has a latter day fulfillment. Many do not realize that Cyrus did not destroy Babylon but just took it over. Babylon is to be destroyed in the latter days so it most probably will be rebuilt unless Babylon has a different meaning but many think it will have a literal fulfillment in the last days.

  • Isaiah 45:15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

The God of Israel here is pictured as the one who brings salvation to the whole world.

  • Isaiah 45:16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

Idol worship shall be permanently done away with in the future. We see from the book of Revelation that many in the latter days before the coming of Christ, there is a revival of idolatry. Of course many religions even now still use images in their worship. Some even use them to represent Christ, Mary and the apostles but this is forbidden by both Old and New Testaments. We are not supposed to use any images to represent God or as a means to worship God. Not even a cross.

  • Isaiah 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Israel will be saved and brought to the knowledge of the truth. They will not always be the despised nation that they are now.

  • Isaiah 45:18  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

God is the one we are to worship and no other. It is a comfort to know that He created the earth to be inhabited. He didn't create it for sin.

  • Isaiah 45:19  I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

It is comforting to know that there is one in charge who we can trust, who rules in righteousness, who will never change and in whom we can personally know because of the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ who showed us the way to God. We now can know God personally. We can walk in fellowship with Him. Our sins that used to separate us from fellowship with God is put away by faith in Jesus Christ. We now have access to the very throne of God. Jesus split the veil that separated us from God the very moment that He died on that cross. The eternal sacrifice was made. The way of salvation was fulfilled.

Animal sacrifice only pointed the way to the future way of salvation. Animal sacrifice could not cleanse away sin permanently. They were saved by faith in looking to the one who was to come in the future by sacrificing animals but when Jesus came, that was no longer necessary because the eternal sacrifice was made when Jesus died for our sins. He had no sin and did not die for His own sins. He was without spot or wrinkle and worthy to pay the price for the sins of all the sinners in the world. The sacrifice for sins only count though for those who accept and believe it by repenting and coming to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing.

  • Isaiah 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

Other gods and religions cannot save from sin. There is no way to get rid of sin by other methods.

  • Isaiah 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
  • 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
  • 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

A prophecy in the New Testament:

  • Philippians 2: 9 " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
  • 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
  • 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Also, Romans 14: 11:

  •  " For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

This is a good thing. Only the real God cares about us. The devil is out to steal, kill and destroy our very souls. 

  • Isaiah 45:24  Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
  • 25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

The only way of salvation is pictured clearly in all of Isaiah. It shows the coming of the perfect way of salvation, it shows the righteous reign of the coming Messiah, it shows the future restoration of Israel and all those who accept God's plan of salvation.

  • Romans 5:12 " And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

Also in:

  • Isaiah 11:10, " And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."

This shows that salvation is for the Gentiles as well as the Jewish people. All who trust in this root of Jesse, Jesus Christ will have salvation.

Isaiah 46

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