Isaiah 45:1

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; These seven verses should have been appended to last chapter, and the new chapter should begin with Isa These seven verses should have been appended to last chapter, and the new chapter should begin with , "Drop down," etc. (Horsley). Reference to the deliverance by Messiah often breaks out from amidst the local and temporary details of the deliverance from Babylon, as the great ultimate end of the prophecy. THUS SAITH THE LORD TO HIS ANOINTED. Cyrus is so called as being set apart as king, by God's providence, to fulfill His special purpose. Though kings were not anointed in Persia, the expression is applied to him in reference...

1._Thus saith Jehovah. _He pursues the subject which he had begun to handle. He shews that not in vain did he promise deliverance to his people, since the manner of it was altogether decreed and appointed by him; (191) for when the question relates to our salvation, we always inquire into the way and manner. Although God frequently chooses to hold us in suspense, and thus conceals from us the method which he has ready at hand, yet, in this instance he indulges the weakness of his people, and explains the method in which he will deliver them. _To Cyrus his anointed. _He names the person by whose hand he will bring them back; for, since their faith would be sharply tried by other temptations, he wished in this respect to provide against doubt, that the difficulty of the event might not shake them. And in order to impart greater efficacy to this discourse, he turns to Cyrus himself: “I have...

1-4 Cyrus is called God's anointed; he was designed and qualified for his great service by the counsel of God. The gates of Babylon which led to the river, were left open the night that Cyrus marched his army into the empty channel. The Lord went before him, giving entrance to the cities he besieged. He gave him also treasures, which had been hidden in secret places. The true God was to Cyrus an unknown God; yet God foreknew him; he called him by his name. The exact fulfilment of this must have shown Cyrus that Jehovah was the only true God, and that it was for the sake of Israel that he was prospered. In all the changes of states and kingdoms, God works out the good of his church....

CHAPTER XLV _Prophecy concerning Cyrus, the first king of the Persians._ _Every obstruction shall be removed out of his way, and the_ _treasures taken from his enemies shall be immense_, 1-3, _To whom, and on what account, Cyrus was indebted for his_ _wonderful success_, 4-6. _The prophet refutes the absurd opinion of the Persians, that_ _there were two supreme beings, an_ evil _and a_ good _one,_ _represented by_ light _and_ darkness, _here declared to be only the_ _operation of the ONE true God_, 7; and m

THUS SAITH THE LORD TO HIS ANOINTED - This is a direct apostrophe to Cyrus, though it was uttered not less than one hundred and fifty years before Babylon was taken by him. The word ‘anointed’ is that which is usually rendered “Messiah” (משׁיח _mâshı̂yach_), and here is rendered by the Septuagint, Τῷ χριστῷ μου Κύρῳ _Tō_ _christō_ _mou_ _Kurō_ - ‘To Cyrus, my Christ,’ i. e, my anointed. It properly means “the anointed,” and was a title which was commonly given to the kings of Israel, because they were set apart to their office by the ceremony of anointing, who hence were called οι χρυστοὶ Κυρίου _hoi_ _christoi_ _Kuriou_ - ’The anointed of the Lord’ 1 Samuel 2:10,...

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 45:1 GOD'S WILL CONCERNING HIM ANNOUNCED TO CYRUS. This direct address of God to a heathen king is without a parallel in Scripture. Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Abimelech, were warned through dreams. Nebuchadnezzar was even promised Divine aid (Ezekiel 30:24, Ezekiel 30:25). But no heathen monarch had previously been personally addressed by God, much less called "his anointed," and spoken to _by his name _(Isaiah 45:4). Three motives are mentioned for this speci

THUS SAITH THE LORD TO HIS ANOINTED, TO CYRUS,.... Cyrus is called the Lord's anointed, not because he was anointed with material oil, as the kings of Israel and Judah were; but because he was appointed by the Lord to be a king, and was qualified by him for that office; and was raised up by him to be an instrument of doing great things in the world, and particularly of delivering the Jews from their captivity, and restoring them to their own land: WHOSE RIGHT HAND I HAVE HOLDEN; whom he raised up, supported, strengthened, guided, and directed to do what he did: TO SUBDUE NATIONS BEFORE HIM; which was accordingly done. Xenophon y relates, that he subdued the Syrians, Assyrians, Arabians, Cappadocians, both the countries of Phrygia, the Lydians, Carians, Phoenicians, and Babylonians; also the Bactrians, Indians, Cilicians, the Sacae, Paphlagonians, and Megadinians; likewise the Greeks th...

Isaiah 45:1. _Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me._ Long before the period of Cyrus's birth, this prophecy was written by Isaiah, and surely it must have flashed solemn conviction upon the heart of the king when he came to read words like these, in whic

ANOINTED The only instance where the word is applied to a Gentile. Nebuchadnezzar is called the "servant" of Jehovah (Jeremiah 25:9); (Jeremiah 27:6); (Jeremiah 43:10) This, with the designation "My shepherd" (Isaiah 44:28) also a Messianic title, marks Cyrus as that startling exception, a Gentile type of Christ. The points are: (1) both are irresistible conquerors of Israel's enemies. (Isaiah 45:1); (Revelation 19:19). (2

CHAPTER 45 The Word of Jehovah to Cyrus, to Israel and to the Ends of the Earth 1. _Thus saith Jehovah to Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1)_ 2. _Thus saith Jehovah: Israel shall be saved (Isaiah 45:14)_ 3. _Thus saith Jehovah to the ends of the earth: Every knee to bow (Isaiah 45:18) _ Cyrus is called in this chapter God's anointed (Messiah). Jehovah called him by name, but it was for the sake of Israel. But it is well to bear in mind that Cyrus, God's instrument, called and prepared to make the restoration of a remnant possible, is likewise a type of Christ, through whom alone the promises of God to the nation can be accomplished. Note the statements “Israel shall be saved in Jehovah with an everl