God Calls Cyrus by Name
Study note
Cyrus the Great was the king of Persia who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. Isaiah wrote this prophecy about 150 years before Cyrus was born, calling him by name. God chose Cyrus as his instrument to set the Jewish people free from their exile in Babylon. The phrase 'his anointed' is remarkable because this title was normally reserved for Israel's own kings and priests. God declares that he uses even foreign rulers to accomplish his purposes. The repeated phrase 'I am the LORD, and there is none else' is a strong statement against the many gods worshipped by surrounding nations.
1 Here is what the Lord says to Cyrus, the one he has anointed, whose right hand he grips tightly: "I will crush nations in front of you and strip kings of their armor. I will throw open doors for you that no one can shut." 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 you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in pieces the bars of iron." 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:
3 "And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who calls you by your name, am the God of Israel." 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 "I have called you by name for the sake of my servant Jacob, my chosen people Israel. I have given you a title of honor, even though you have never known me." 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.
5 "I am the Lord, and there is no other God. There is no God except me. I will equip you for battle, even though you do not know me." 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 "I do this so that everyone from sunrise to sunset will know that there is no other God. I am the Lord. That is it. There is no one else." 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.
7 "I create light and I make darkness. I bring good times and I bring hard times. I, the Lord, am behind all of it." I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
8 "Let the heavens shower down righteousness from above. Let the clouds pour it out. Let the earth crack open so that salvation can sprout and righteousness can grow alongside it. I, the Lord, have brought this about." 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.
The Potter and the Clay
Study note
Some Israelites may have questioned why God would use a pagan king to rescue them. God responds with the image of a potter and clay. Just as a clay pot has no right to tell the potter what to make, people have no right to question God's plans. God reminds them that he made the earth and the heavens, and he is the one who raised up Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and free the captives, not for money or reward, but because it was his will.
9 How awful for anyone who picks a fight with their Maker! Can a broken piece of pottery argue with the other broken pieces lying on the ground? Does clay say to the potter, "What on earth are you making?" Does a pot complain, "You have no idea what you are doing"? 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?
10 How awful for the child who demands of a father, "Why did you bring me into the world?" or of a mother, "Why did you give birth to me?" Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
11 Here is what the Lord says — the Holy One of Israel, your Creator: "Are you going to question me about my own children? Are you going to order me around about what my hands should do?" 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 made the earth and put people on it. My own hands stretched the heavens wide, and I told every star where to go." 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.
13 "I have raised up Cyrus to do what is right, and I will smooth out every road in front of him. He will rebuild my city and set my captive people free — and he will not charge a penny or ask for any reward," says the Lord who rules over all. 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.
Nations Will Bow to Israel's God
Study note
God promises that the wealth of nations like Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba will come to Israel. These nations will recognize that the true God is with Israel. The phrase 'a God who hides himself' reflects the mystery of God's ways. While idol-makers will be put to shame, Israel will be saved with a salvation that lasts forever. God declares that he did not create the earth to be empty but to be lived in, and that he has always spoken his plans openly and honestly.
14 Here is the Lord's message: "The wealth of Egypt and the goods of Cush will come over to you. The tall people of Seba will cross over to your side. They will follow you in chains, bow before you, and pray to you, saying, 'Surely God is with you, and there is no other God anywhere.'" 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.
15 You truly are a God who works behind the scenes, O God of Israel, the Savior. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 Every person who makes idols will be put to shame and embarrassed. They will all slink away in disgrace together. They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord with a salvation that never expires. You will never be ashamed or humiliated, not for all of eternity. But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
18 Listen to what the Lord says — the Creator of the heavens. He is God. He designed the earth and built it. He set it firmly in place. He did not make it to sit empty but shaped it to be lived in. He says, "I am the Lord, and no one else exists." 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.
19 "I have not spoken in secret or from some hidden corner of the world. I did not tell Israel's people to look for me and find nothing. I, the Lord, speak truth. I say what is right." 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.
Every Knee Shall Bow
Study note
God issues a bold challenge to the survivors of the nations: gather together and see which god predicted these events. No idol could do this. Only the Lord declared it from ancient times. The climax comes in verse 23, where God swears by himself that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess allegiance to him. The apostle Paul later quoted this verse in his letter to the Philippians, applying it to Jesus Christ. The chapter ends with the promise that all of Israel will be made right with God and will praise him.
20 "Come together, you survivors from the nations. People who haul around wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot rescue anyone do not know anything at all." 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.
21 "Go ahead and lay out your case. Talk it over among yourselves. Who announced this from ancient times? Who declared it long ago? Was it not I, the Lord? There is no other God but me. I am a God who does right and saves. There is nobody else." 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 "Turn to me and be saved, every person in every part of the earth! I am God, and there is no one else." 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 my own name. This promise has left my lips in truth and it will never be taken back: Every knee will bend before me, and every tongue will swear allegiance to me." 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.
24 People will say, "True righteousness and strength can only be found in the Lord." Everyone who raged against him will come before him and be put to shame. 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 Through the Lord, every child of Israel will be made right with God. They will celebrate his greatness. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.