Isaiah 45:1-25

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 take the authority away from kings. The *Lord will open the gates of cities for Cyrus.

Now the *Lord speaks to Cyrus: v2 ‘I will march ahead of you to make the mountains level. As you attack cities, I will burst open their metal gates. I will completely destroy the bars of iron on the gates. v3 I will give you rich things that you did not expect to find. And valuable stores that people have hidden in secret places. In that way you will realise that I, the *Lord, Israel’s God, have called you by name to my service. v4 But I have appointed you for the benefit of Jacob my servant. That is, for my people called Israel whom I have chosen. Cyrus, I have called you by name and I have given you great honour. And I have done all this although you have not known me. v5 I am the *Lord, the God of Israel. Apart from me, no god exists. It is I, the *Lord, who have given you the strength for the task. I have done this although you do not recognise me. v6 I am doing this so that everybody in all the world may know me, the *Lord. And that there is no other god. v7 I form light and I create darkness. That is, everything in the natural world. I cause harmony and I bring about disagreements. That is, everything in human relationships. I, the *Lord, do all these things. v8 Tell the heavens to send justice (fair judgements) like rain from the sky. The earth will be ready to receive it. And cause freedom and justice (fair judgements) to grow like plants. I am the *Lord who will make all this to happen.’