Isaiah 45:20

Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. DRAW NEAR TOGETHER, YE (THAT ARE) ESCAPED OF THE NATIONS - those of the nations who shall have escaped the slaughter inflicted by Cyrus. Now, at last, we shall see the folly of 'praying to a god that cannot save' (). Ultimately those that shall be 'left of all the nations which shall come against Jerusalem' are meant (). They shall then all be converted to the Lord (; ;...

20._Assemble yourselves, _He challenges all superstitious persons, and, as it were, appoints a day that they may submit to a righteous judgment, as we have formerly seen in expounding other passages, in order to shew that they can plead nothing which shall not be speedily overtumed. Now, indeed, they delight in their superstitions; but all their smoke shall be dispelled, when they come to plead their cause, and without any difficulty they shall be convicted. Let them then “assemble” in crowds, let them conspire and make every effort by fraud, and threatenings, and terrors; the truth shall at length be victorious. This confirmation was highly necessary for the Jews, because in every nation and in every place they beheld the spread of wicked errors which buried the worship of the true God. We also ought to betake ourselves to this refuge, when we see how few and how feeble we are. The Maho...

20-25 The nations are exhorted to draw near to Jehovah. None besides is able to help; he is the Saviour, who can save without the assistance of any, but without whom none can save. If the heart is brought into the obedience of Christ, the knee will cheerfully obey his commands. To Christ men shall come from every nation for blessings; all that hate his cause shall be put to shame, and all believers shall rejoice in him as their Friend and Portion. All must come to him: may we now come to him as the Lord our Righteousness, walking according to his commandments....

ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES, AND COME - This, like the passage in Isaiah 41:1 ff, is a solemn appeal to the worshippers of idols, to come and produce the evidences of their being endowed with omniscience, and with almighty power, and of their having claims to the homage of their worshippers. YE THAT ARE ESCAPED OF THE NATIONS - This phrase has been very variously interpreted. Kimchi supposes that it means those who were distinguished among the nations, their chiefs, and rulers; Aben Ezra, that the Babylonians are meant especially; Vitringa, that the phrase denotes proselytes, as those who have escaped from the idolatry of the pagan, and have embraced the true religion; Grotius, that it denotes those who survived the slaughter which Cyrus inflicted on the nations. Rosenmuller coincides in opinion with Vitringa. The word used here

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

ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES, AND COME; DRAW NEAR TOGETHER, YE THAT ARE ESCAPED OF THE NATIONS,.... Not that escaped the sword of Cyrus's army, the Chaldeans; nor the Jews that escaped out of Babylon and other countries, by his means; but the remnant, according to the election of grace among the Gentiles; such who were called out of Heathenish darkness into the marvellous light of the Gospel, and escaped the idolatries that others continued in; these are called and summoned together, as to observe the grace of God to themselves, so to labour to convince others of their gross ignorance and stupidity in worshipping idols, and to judge and pass sentence on the obstinate among them: THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE THAT SET UP THE WOOD OF THEIR GRAVEN IMAGE; or that "lift up" or "carry the wood of their graven image" d; the inside of whose graven image is wood, though covered with some metal which is graved;...

While we are reading this chapter, and thinking of Cyrus, the Lord's anointed deliverer for Israel, let us not forget the greater Deliverer of whom the hymn writer sings, «Thus saith God of his Anointed; He shall let my people go Tis the work for him appointed, Tis the work that he shall do; And my city He shall found, and build it, too.» 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;_ It was thought impossible for any foreign troops to enter Babylon; yet the gates were found open, and the army of Cyrus marched in, and took possession of the city....

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

YAHWEH WILL DELIVER ALL WHO LOOK TO HIM. Yahweh created the earth to be, not desolate, but a dwelling-place for man. Nor has He concealed Himself in some remote mysterious shrine, like the oracles of some heathen deities. He has declared the truth when He has been inquired of. Even now the end of the conquests of Cyrus is not that the earth, apart from the land of Israel, shall become a desolation instead of a dwelling-place. The survivors are bidden approach. They have proved the impotence of their portable gods. But Yahweh long ago predicted these events; the issue has demonstrated His control of history. With surprising grace He invites all men to turn to Him for deliverance. Yea, He has proclaimed, and His word cannot but fulfil itself, that every man shall swear allegiance to Him. He is the only source of victory and strength. His opponents shall be discomfited, but Israel shall boa...

FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD— The Almighty here renews his discourse to the proselytes of the nations, to confirm them in their belief of the true religion, and to eradicate all the prejudices of idolatry from their minds. A preface suitable to the scope of the discourse is prefixed, consisting of two articles; the _first,_ in this verse, claiming to God the glory of creating this earth with a wise and gracious design: The _second,_ in Isaiah 45:19 wherein God, _first,_ opposes his predictions, and the manner of them, to the manner in which the ministers and prophets of the false gods delivered their prophesies, _I have not spoken in secret,_ &c. _Secondly,_ declares that they who sought him, should not do so in vain; and _thirdly,_ that his promises were righteous and true; and should never fail those who confided in them: After which, we have in the 20th and 21