Isaiah 48:9-11

In the Bible, the word ‘name’ does not merely mean the word that we may use to call someone. It also means that person’s honour, character and authority. So when the *Lord protects his name, he is acting to defend the honour of his most holy character.

The *Lord chose Israel to be his special people (see Genesis 32:28). They belong to him. His name links them to himself. That name associates the *Lord with the way that Israel behaves.

• But Israel’s behaviour is evil. Therefore Israel must suffer punishment by the *Lord. It is his name that they have damaged.

• But the *Lord puts a limit on the punishment. Otherwise the punishment would totally destroy the nation. Israel would not still exist. Then enemies could say that the *Lord was too weak to control his own people. Or they could say that other gods were stronger than the *Lord.

The *Lord chooses Cyrus

v12 ‘Listen to me, my people called Israel. Listen to me, you people that I have chosen. I alone am God. I, the *Lord, am the First. I was there at the beginning. I, the *Lord, am the Last. I shall be there at the end. v13 My own hands laid out the foundations (base) of the earth. And my right hand spread out the sky. When I spoke, they immediately began to exist.

v14 Come together, all of you, and listen. None of your *idols announced what Cyrus, my special helper, would do. I, the *Lord, have chosen him to attack the country called Babylon. He will do what I want him to do. v15 I, the *Lord, appointed him to carry out this task. And so he will succeed.’