Isaiah 41:1-20
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:1 God alone guides history, for his glory and for the benefit of his people. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:1 God alone guides history, for his glory and for the benefit of his people. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:2 ONE FROM THE EAST. Cyrus the Great, leader of the rising Persian Empire, soon to conquer Babylon (see Isaiah 44:24). The Lord GIVES UP (that is, gives over) NATIONS BEFORE HIM (that is, before Cyrus). HE (the Lord) MAKES THEM LIKE DUST WITH HIS SWORD (that is, with Cyrus’s... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:4 CALLING THE GENERATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING. The rise of Cyrus is evidence of one divine plan governing historical events from the beginning. On THE FIRST and THE LAST in Isaiah 1:1, see also Isaiah 44:6 and Isaiah 48:12. The Lord is the one and only God, the ruler of every... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:5 The nations respond to the upheavals of history by nervously constructing more gods to believe in. But how can “created creators” save? ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:8 God reminds his people of his commitments to them. On Israel as the Lord’s SERVANT, see note on 42:1–9. Mention of God’s having chosen Jacob and of Israel’s status as the OFFSPRING OF ABRAHAM speaks clearly of God’s promises (Genesis 17:7; Genesis 22:17). This reminds the... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:10 YOU is the people as a whole (called “Jacob” in v. Isaiah 41:8). Unlike the terrified nations of v. Isaiah 41:5, the people of God can be fearless because of their faith in him (see vv. Isaiah 41:13). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:14 WORM.... THRESHING SLEDGE. The Lord makes his seemingly insignificant people into a force powerful enough to remove even great obstacles to the accomplishment of his will. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:17 THE POOR AND NEEDY. The people of God refuse the false salvations of idolatry. They look to God alone in faith. They are sustained as they make their way to Zion after release from exile. AND THERE IS NONE. With every human resource exhausted, only God remains. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:21 God challenges the false claims of human idols. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:22 LET THEM BRING THEM. That is, let the nations bring their idols, which cannot move without human help. TELL US. “Us” refers to God and the people of Israel. WHAT IS TO HAPPEN. Canaanite and Mesopotamian religions claimed prophetic powers. Here and in the following chapter... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:23 THAT WE MAY BE DISMAYED AND TERRIFIED. Human religion is intimidating but is empty, while the gospel is comforting (Isaiah 40:1) and offers good and sufficient reasons for faith. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, im... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:25 HE SHALL CALL UPON MY NAME. Cyrus used diplomatic God-talk (Ezra 1:1) but he was not a believer (Isaiah 45:4). Cyrus’s policies, however, were part of God’s strategy to reveal himself in history. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:26 God points to the failure of idolatrous religions to foretell the rise of Cyrus. THAT WE MIGHT KNOW... THAT WE MIGHT SAY. “We” refers to God and his people. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 41:29 THEY ARE ALL A DELUSION. That is, all who look to the idols of their own making for guidance and stability. God thus concludes the debate. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]