The Vision of Isaiah

Chapter 45

God calls Cyrus for his church's sake, 1-4. By his omnipotence he challenges obedience, 5-19. He convinces the idols of vanity by his saving power, 20-25.

1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him, and I will ungird 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 apart the bars of iron.

3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places so that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant's sake and Israel my elect, I have even called you by your name. I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no one else. There is no God besides me. I girded you, though you have not known me,

6 So that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else.

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

8 Drop down, you 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.

9 Woe to him who contends with his Maker! Let the potsherd contend with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him who fashions it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your work say, 'He has no hands'?

10 Woe to him who says to his father, 'What are you begetting?' or to the woman, 'What have you brought forth?'"

11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "You ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and you command me concerning the work of my hands.

12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded.

13 I have raised him up in righteousness and I will direct all his ways. He shall build my city and let my captives go, not for price nor reward," says the LORD of hosts.

14 Thus says the LORD: "The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you, and they shall be yours. They shall come after you. In chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down to you. They shall make supplication to you, saying, 'Surely God is in you, and there is no one else, there is no other God.'"

15 Truly you are a God who hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior.

16 They shall be ashamed and also confounded, all of them. They shall go in disgrace together who are makers of idols.

17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation. You shall not be ashamed nor confounded to a world without end.

18 For thus says the LORD who created the heavens (God himself who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited): "I am the LORD, and there is no one else.

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. I have not said to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.

20 Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped of the nations. They have no knowledge who set up the wood of their engraved image and pray to a god that cannot save.

21 Announce, and bring them near, even let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have I, the LORD, not? And there is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior. There is no one besides me.

22 Look to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no one else.

23 I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

24 Surely, one shall say, 'In the LORD I have righteousness and strength.' Even to him men shall come. And all who are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

25 In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Isaiah, Chapter 45[➚]

Notes

[v.1] - "ungird" - Literally, open. From the Jamieson-Faucet-Brown Commentary: "The girdle off the loins; and so enfeeble them. The loose outer robe of the Orientals, when girt fast round the loins, was the emblem of strength and preparedness for action; ungirt, was indicative of feebleness (Job 38:3, 12:21)."

[v.2] - "and make the crooked places straight" - LXX: "and will level maountains"

[v.9] - Reference, Romans 9:20.

[v.23] - Quoted in Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11.

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