Isaiah 45:1-3
The *Lord is directing all the actions of Cyrus that benefit God’s people.... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord is directing all the actions of Cyrus that benefit God’s people.... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD PROMISES COMFORT TO HIS PEOPLE ISAIAH CHAPTER S 40 TO 48 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 45 THE *LORD APPOINTS CYRUS v1 The *Lord has chosen Cyrus as his champion. The *Lord has given power to Cyrus to overcome nation after nation. The *Lord is sending Cyrus to... [ Continue Reading ]
Twice we read that the *Lord calls Cyrus ‘by name’. This emphasises the fact that the *Lord can announce perfectly the details of some future event. No ‘god’ (*idol) can do that. • Isaiah writes as if the *Lord is speaking to Cyrus personally. This is a literary form of words in the original langua... [ Continue Reading ]
Cyrus himself will not be aware that he is merely the *Lord’s agent to bring about God’s purposes.... [ Continue Reading ]
These are impressive ways to say that nothing can ever be outside God’s plan and purpose. *WOE TO PEOPLE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH GOD’S ACTIONS V9 *Woe to anyone who argues with God who created him. That is like a pot that argues with its maker. The *clay cannot argue with the person who shapes it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cyrus was not a *Jew. The *Jews did not think that their God could use a foreigner to benefit God’s special people.... [ Continue Reading ]
God made all that exists. So he has the right to do with it whatever he wishes.... [ Continue Reading ]
God has the right to use anyone to carry out his purposes. THE *LORD ALONE IS GOD V14 This is what the *Lord says to the people from Israel: ‘The wealth of Egypt and Cush will be yours. The tall men from Seba will serve you as slaves. They will follow you with chains on their arms and legs. They w... [ Continue Reading ]
At different times, the *Israelites have been in the power of the three countries called Egypt and Cush and Seba (see my note on Isaiah 43:3). Now the result of the *Lord’s actions is that the *Israelites have exchanged places with their enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
God hides himself. That is, *human beings cannot see him.... [ Continue Reading ]
People who give honour to home-made *idols can certainly see them. But that is no benefit whatever, because the *idols themselves are without life. THERE IS NONE LIKE THE *LORD V18 God the *Lord created the heavens and he formed the earth. But he did not make the world to be a empty place of confu... [ Continue Reading ]
This was God’s purpose when he created the world. He created it to be a beautiful place that produced much fruit (see Genesis 1:1-2).... [ Continue Reading ]
God’s purpose was not a secret. Nor did God hide his purpose in darkness. • God cares about his people at all times. GOD IS THE *LORD OF ALL THAT EXISTS V20 ‘Gather together! Come here, you people who remain alive. People who are still carrying their wooden *idols with them understand nothing wh... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord does not want to punish people who have made *idols. He wants to save people. That is, he wants to rescue them from the effects of their wrong behaviour. But first, they must turn to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
This was the form of words that God used for his serious promise to Abraham (see Genesis 22:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
Those who accept God’s invitation to come to him will then understand the real purpose of their lives. But people who still refuse God’s offer will suffer the loss of everything. LORD ~ God’s personal name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s name ‘Lord’ means ‘head over all’ and ‘God alway... [ Continue Reading ]