In Isaiah 45 we continue the section where the Lord prosecutes his case against the so-called gods (represented by idols). In this chapter He gives His convincing proof and compelling arguments for His unique position as the one and only God, the creator, controller and saviour of Israel and the world.
The logic of the Lord’s argument centres on His ability to predict and direct history for the sake of His people and the glory of His own name. Other gods have been challenged to give evidence that they can do the same. But none can. All who trust in false gods/idols wind up being ashamed (24). As such, they are invited to forsake their futile allegiance to false gods and turn to the Lord for salvation (22). Further, God’s people, Israel, are given solid ground for hope; in the Lord they “shall be justified and shall glory” (25).
The chapter opens with a continuation of the thought begun in the previous section (44:24-28). Having introduced Cyrus, a future Persian king as the Lord’s “shepherd” (leader) who would fulfill God’s “purpose” in seeing to the rebuilding of Jerusalem (44:27-28), Isaiah now goes into more detail about God’s work in and through Cyrus (45:1-7)
The Lord addresses Cyrus (yet unborn) telling him that he will be His chosen instrument to restore Israel and show His greatness to the peoples of the earth. The Lord speaks of taking Cyrus by the “right hand” and subduing “nations before him” (1). The Lord will go before Cyrus, breaking “in pieces the doors of bronze” and giving him “the hoards in secret places” (2-3). The Lord will do all this for and through Cyrus even though Cyrus does not “know” Him (“though you do not know me”—4,5).
Why would the Lord choose Cyrus and work powerfully through him? He does this “for the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen” (4). Cyrus is God’s instrument to accomplish His plan to regather Israel and rebuild Jerusalem. But there is a larger purpose behind God’s choosing (anointing (1), equipping (5) and assisting (2,3)) Cyrus; the Lord will do all this so that Cyrus (3) and all the people on earth (5) may know “that there is none beside me; I am the Lord and there is no other” (6).
Critical scholars argue this text was written not by Isaiah, but by someone living much later. They contend this passage was composed when Cyrus was already proving victorious (a century and a half after Isaiah’s time). Or they assert that the name Cyrus was added by later scribes as a gloss. This downgrading of the prophetic nature of the text reveals an anti-supernatural bias and destroys the validity of the main argument of the passage. The Lord’s proof for His claim that there is no god like Him rests upon His unique ability to predict and control future events. He can call Cyrus by name even before he’s born (4) because He alone is God. So, if Isaiah 45 was written after the fact, God’s argument becomes both disingenuous and defeated.
In light of the Lord’s declaration that He “makes well-being” and also creates “calamity” (7)—causing kings and nations to rise and fall for His purposes—the Lord commands a response from His creation (8-10) and confronts all who dare question His authority (9-11).
In verses 8-10, the Lord commands creation to shower its blessings on the earth. He uses the imagery of falling rain and sprouting plants to speak of the “righteousness” He will rain down and the “salvation” that will spout up from His righteous acts (9). Although these may seem natural processes (rain, sprouting), the Lord is the One who “makes well-being” on the earth!
Next, the Lord confronts those who question His right to fashion and use His creatures as He wills (10-11). Clay pots have no right to challenge the creative work of the Potter (9). Newborns have no right to rebuke the parents who brought them to life (10). In the same way, the peoples of the earth have no grounds for questioning what God does with His creation—including kings like Cyrus. He has the right as Creator to “create darkness” and calamity.
To close off this section where God declares His plan to raise up Cyrus to rule over nations for the good of His people, Israel, verses 11-13 present God’s summary statements. As Israel’s Maker (“the one who formed him”—11) and the creator of the heavens, earth and its people (12), the Lord once again declares His plan to raise up Cyrus to release the exiles and rebuild Jerusalem: “‘I have stirred him up in righteousness and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,’ says the Lord of hosts” (13).
In the back half of the chapter, the Lord continues His “court case” against the gods. Having summoned the nations to defend their gods (41:1), having made an unassailable case that He alone is God (41:2-45:13), the Lord now makes a powerful statement of His place as the One and only God (45:14-25). He gives hope to His people, Israel (14-17), reiterates His credentials (“created the heavens” and “formed the earth”—18), refutes all other gods as worthless (20-21) and appeals to the nations to turn to Him for salvation (22-25).
The Lord’s encouragement to Israel comes in a form of a promise that extends far beyond the return of the exiles from Babylon and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. He promises that other nations will stream to Jerusalem in submission and confession: “They will plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him’” (14). Israel will experience God’s salvation, not just for a season, but an “everlasting salvation” will protect them “to all eternity” (17).
The false gods, represented by their worthless idols, are given a final dismissal in verses 18-21. While the nations can describe the Lord as “a God who hides himself” (15), the Lord can also declare that He “did not speak in secret” (19). He does, much of the time, work behind the scenes in history, accomplishing His purposes through kings like Cyrus who don’t know or acknowledge Him (3-5); however, He has made declarations about future situations that provide verifiable historical evidence that He is the controller of future events. No other god can make such a claim (21). As the Lord asserts with authority: “And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a savour, there is none beside me” (21).
In a stunning invitation in the midst of this disputation, the Lord calls out to the nations (including Israel) that have foolishly relied on their idols and false gods: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (22). Here we see the saving heart of God on full display. He invites sinners to repent (“turn to me”) and be included in His salvation! God’s heart has always been to bless the nations of the earth (Gen 12:1-3).
Now is the day of salvation for all who will turn and trust in the Lord. Those who refuse will still find themselves coming under His sovereign Lordship: “By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return; ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance’” (23). One day, all peoples will bow before the One, True God.
Isaiah finishes the chapter with a personalized note of hope for his people, Israel. “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory” (25).
Behold Your God
The Lord is God—beside Him there is no other. Repeatedly in this chapter (and in chapters 41-15) we hear the Lord declare there is “no other” god “beside me” (5,6, 18, 21). Ultimately, the people from the nations on earth confess the same truth: “Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god beside him” (14). One day, “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue shall swear allegiance” (23; compare Romans 14:10-12). The major message of this chapter is the uniqueness of the Sovereign God of Israel and the nations. In light of this emphasis on “no other gods”, it is incredibly significant that Paul quotes verse 24 and applies it to the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 2:10-11).
The Lord writes history before it happens. A primary proof for the Lord’s contention to be the only true and living God among a myriad of false gods is his ability to predict and control future events in world history. He promises to raise up Cyrus to a place of ascendancy over the nations in order to have Cyrus accomplish he larger purposes for Israel: “For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me” (4). Cyrus, though not acknowledging the God of Israel, will unwittingly do His will: “he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward” (13). No other god beside the Lord can script world history and make it happen according to His will.
The Lord draws straight lines with crooked sticks. Though some question the propriety of the Lord raising up Cyrus and bringing down nations before him (9-10), the Lord declares His ways of running the world are “righteous” (8, 13). He works through pagan rulers and nations to perform His purposes for His people. In our day and time, the Lord continues to raise up rulers who do not “know” Him to carry out His plans and purposes (Rom 13:1). As the saying goes, “God draws straight lines with crooked sticks.”
The Lord wants all peoples to repent and be saved. After shredding their foolish reliance on false gods, the Lord makes a plea to the nations: “Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other” (22). God’s compassionate heart moves Him to invite all peoples to repent and receive His salvation. He is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet 3:9).
Behold Your God
As a clay pot, I have no right or reason to insolently challenge the Potter. The Lord silences those who would “strive” with Him or defiantly challenge His handiwork in history (8). We are clay pots, and He is the Master Potter. He is the Father who caused us to be born; we are infants dependent upon Him (8). While we can ask Him about His plans (11) and speak to Him of our inability to see His ways (“Truly, you are a God who hides himself”—15a; compare 55:8), we are to continue to trust Him fully (“O God of Israel, the Savior”—15b)
I can trust the Lord to write my future and the world’s future. The Lord is the One and Only God who determines and declares what will happen before it does. He is the One who “stretched out the heavens” (12). As His son and servant, I have every reason to rely on Him for my future. I also can rest in His control of the nation-shaping events of world history. He will be exalted so that all people (“from the rising of the son and from the west”—6) may know that He is the Lord!
Rick and Linda Reed 