Chapter Nine - Deliverance of God's People (40-48)
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As a result of this chapter, you should be able to:
describe the contents of Isaiah 40-48 as it relates to the outline given in the commentary;
contrast God's greatness and deity to the false gods worshipped in Isaiah's day; and
correctly interpret the messianic passages found within this chapter.
This chapter is divided into the following eleven parts:
the comfort of God for delivered Israel (40:1-11);
the character and omnipotence of God (40:12-31);
further proof of the Lord's power and deity (41:1-29);
the Lord's servant who will bring judgment (42:1-9);
the power of God manifest through His servant (42:10-25);
Israel's privilege and responsibility as God's servant (43:1-28);
the powerful God and the powerless idols (44:1-28);
God's purposes through Cyrus, His anointed (45:1-25);
judgment on Babylon's idols (46:1-13);
judgment on the Babylonian empire (47:1-15); and
exhortations to the impenitent and unbelieving (48:1-22).
Mention has already been made of the general theme and arrangement of the second part of Isaiah. It looks through and beyond the Babylonian captivity that was announced by Isaiah to King Hezekiah at the close of chapter 39.
The general theme of the division is expressed in the opening verse of chapter 40: "'Comfort, 0 comfort My people,' says your God" (40:1).
In this section the prophet is allowed to assume an ideal viewpoint and to see the Babylonian captivity as already past, although it did not even begin until long after his own time. As seen earlier, this part of the book is divided into three sections of nine chapters each. The sections are clearly marked off by the refrain of "No peace for the wicked" (48:22; 57:21). It fits into the basic outline in this way:
PART TWO: THE COMFORT OF GOD (40:1-66:24)
1. Deliverance of God's People (40:1-48:22)
2. The Suffering Servant as the Redeemer (49:1-57:21)
3. The Glorious Consummation (58:1-66:24)
Each of those sections is arranged symmetrically. The present chapter divisions apparently follow rather closely (with some exceptions) the logical divisions of the prophet's message (as noted earlier from Delitzsch, who referred to Ruckert).
In the first nine chapters (40-48) the thought centers on the deliverance from Babylon, which is to be brought about by Cyrus, the Persian king. Cyrus is mentioned by name in the very heart of the section (44:28; 45:1). Throughout the section a contrast is drawn between Israel and the nations and Yahweh and the false gods. God's almighty power is demonstrated in contrast to the powerlessness of the idols. Above and beyond the deliverance of Israel from Babylon is the recognition of the greater deliverance through the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The first section of the second part of the book can be outlined as follows:
1. Deliverance of God's People (40:1-48:22)
1.1 The Comfort of God (40:1-31)
1.2 Further Proof of the Lord's Power and Deity (41:1-29)
1.3 The Lord's Servant Who Will Bring Judgment (42:1-29)
1.4 Israel's Privilege and Responsibility as God's Servant (43:1-28)
1.5 The Powerful God and the Powerless Idols (44:1-28)
1.6 God's Purposes Through Cyrus, His Anointed (45:1-25)
1.7 Judgment on Babylon's Idols (46:1-13)
1.8 Judgment on the Babylonian Empire (47:1-15)
1.9 Exhortations to the Impenitent and Unbelieving (48:1-22)
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1. THE COMFORT OF GOD FOR DELIVERED ISRAEL (40:1-11)
Verse 40:1
The opening of chapter 40 strikes the keynote for all that follows in the book, just as 1:2 strikes the keynote for the first part. In both cases God speaks of Israel as "My people." What God purposes to do for His people He calls on men also to do. Some commentators believe that the command is addressed to the prophets as a group, but perhaps it is broader than that, being addressed to all people who will listen and respond to God: "Comfort ... My people."
Verse 40:2
Those beginning verses look forward to a time when judgment will have ended, when Jerusalem will have paid enough for her iniquity. Young has pointed out that the three parts to the comfort of Jerusalem (v. 2) are developed in the three major sections in this part of the prophecy (Edward J. Young, The Book of Isaiah, NIC, 3:24):
"Her warfare has ended" (40:1-48:22).
"Her iniquity has been removed" (49:1-57:21)
"She has received of the Lord's hand double for all her sin" (58:1-66:24).
To identify Jerusalem as the church, as Calvin and many other commentators do, is to depart from a literal hermeneutic. Jerusalem in its apostasy, degradation, and severe punishment is scarcely identified by anyone as the church. The prophet's message, as was seen at its beginning (1:1), was addressed primarily to the kingdom of Judah and specifically to the city of Jerusalem. Of course, that does not refer to the stone walls and buildings but to the people inhabiting the city. This is not the heavenly Jerusalem in which the church, along with other groups among God's people, has a part (Hebrews 12:22-24), but the earthly city of Jerusalem. One certainly must recognize that the prophecy was not completely fulfilled by the return under Zerubbabel at the command of Cyrus. There is always in the picture the greater deliverance from sin and death through the greater "Anointed One.
Verses 40:3-5
The basis of the comfort is given in the next paragraph (vv. 3-5). The comfort is possible because of the Messiah, whose forerunner or herald is now introduced: "A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God"' (v. 3).
The New Testament shows that this is a prophetic reference to John the Baptist (Baptizer), the forerunner of Christ (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23).
As always in the Old Testament prophetical books, the two comings of Christ are not distinguished but blended together. The prophecies of verses 4 and 5 were not completely fulfilled at His first advent. When He comes again there will be a total fulfillment (cf. Revelation 1:7 with John 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16-18; and 1 John 1:1-2).
Verses 40:6-8
The guarantee of the comfort that is promised is the Word of God in its everlastingness (vv. 6-8). Those words are alluded to in 1 Peter 1:24-25. The gospel shows up the frailty in man, but God's Word is sure and enduring.
Verses 40:9-11
The comfort is proclaimed in the announcement about the same One who earlier is called Immanuel ("God with us," Isaiah 7:14; 8:8). Here the awe-inspiring statement is made: "Here is your God!" In verses 9-11 are seen both the strength and the tenderness of the Savior. His characterization as a shepherd is in harmony with the use of that as a title for God in a number of Old Testament passages (e.g., Psalm 23:1; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3) and foreshadows the application of that title by the Lord Jesus to Himself in John 10:11 (see also Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4).
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2. THE CHARACTER AND OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD (40:12-31)
Verses 40:12-14
The chapter next contains a description of the character and omnipotence of God, abounding in rhetorical questions that awaken one to a sense of the Lord's almighty power (cf. Job 38). The questions, as in Job, are intended to put into the hearts of God's people an awareness of the infinite being and character of the Lord. Verse 12 emphasizes His omnipotence; that which no one else could do He can do. Verse 13 similarly stresses His omniscience. No one can inform God of anything, because He has always known everything.
Verses 40:15-17
Verse 15 goes back to a reminder of God's infinity. The nations, in contrast, are not only finite (even though made up of a multitude of individuals) but actually infinitesimal - "like a drop from a bucket" or "a speck of dust on the scales."
Passages such as this should give believers a solemn and joyous realization of God's majesty and glory. The tendency among many Christians today is to overstress the immanence of God with a practical neglect or even denial of the truth of His transcendence. Yes, God loves us and is our friend; but more than that He is our God, our sovereign Lord. We can love Him intimately but we must not consider ourselves on a level with Him, much less patronize Him as though we are giving Him the favor of our friendship. He is completely worthy of all our deepest adoration and worship.
Verses 40:18-21
"To whom then will you liken God?" (v. 18). How could He be compared with anyone, for He is the Creator and everyone and everything else is His created property? To compare God with any one is to deny His infinite perfection. The question of verse 18 brings to light the absurdity of idolatry. For anyone to think he can make anything that would adequately represent God is utter folly, for God is the incomparable One. Verse 19 describes those who make metallic idols and verse 20 speaks of the procedure of one who is too poor to have an idol of gold or silver. The process of shaping a piece of wood into a "god" is described solemnly, but the satire is evident. The craftsman carefully carves and shapes the wood so that the "god" will have a firm base and will not be knocked over in the ordinary course of life.
Verses 40:22-24
The "vault" (NASB) or the "circle" (KJV) in verse 22 can refer either to the earth or to the heavens. At any rate, it emphasizes the immanence of God as His creation and refutes deism (the belief that God is the Creator but has no interest in or relationship to what He has made). Many writers have pointed out that this expression intimates, or at least does not rule out, the sphericity of the earth. The participial form is used, properly translated, "It is He who sits."
Verses 40:25-26
The question of verse 18 is repeated in the first person in verse 25 to emphasize again the impossibility of comparing God with anyone. The starry expanse is seen as evidence of His infinite power (v. 26). As we have built larger and greater telescopes, we have been able to see more of the immensity of the universe. Just to look at the stars with the unaided eye is awe-inspiring enough; one would think that the larger the vista the greater the awe, but unfortunately sin has blurred the effect. Instead of exclaiming at the almighty power of the Creator, people puff themselves up for being able to explore all those wonders. The fact remains that we cannot count the stars, but God knows all about each one. Verse 26 is like Psalm 19:1 and Romans 1:20 by asserting that the sight of our flaming universe ought to make people aware of the existence and power of God. Paul warns all that they are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20).
Verses 40:27-31
The closing paragraph of the chapter (vv. 27-31) shows the strength of God by demonstrating that He is able to give strength to those who lack it. The titles used for God - "the Everlasting God, the Lord (Yaweh), the Creator of the ends of the earth" - make clear His omnipotence and omniscience and imply His omnipresence. What a comfort it is to the worn and fatigued believer to know that God never becomes weary or tired (v. 28). In human affairs, even those with the most strength sometimes find that strength depleted and reach out in their need to someone or some thing beyond themselves. Only God can help. Waiting for the Lord (v. 31) is literally "entwining oneself around the Lord." The word translated gain means literally to "change" or "exchange." The idea seems to be that such persons will exchange their worn-out, weakened condition for His strength. With Paul they can say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, NKJV).
Mounting up "with wings like eagles" reminds one of those occasions of crisis or emergency when one needs exceptional power. Running also speaks of the spurts of energy needed for the exceptional exigencies. Walking describes the continuing, persistent plodding that is necessary for consistent living for God. Perhaps men would have reversed that order, but the Holy Spirit is seemingly teaching that the persistent, consistent believer's living is the true climax requiring God's constant supply of strength. Another possibility is, as a number of commentators have suggested, that the sequence describes the various ages of a believer: the soaring representing the young in their strength; the running, those who are further along in life's path; and the walking, the steady pace of the older saint.
F.C. Jennings summarizes the passage in this way:
Even the youths in the freshness of their morning powers succumb to weariness sooner or later, and eventually fall in utter weakness. But there are those who, while the strong are falling, still keep on their way without losing heart; or if at times their step, too, flags, lo, it is again renewed, and as though gifted with eagles' pinions, go on, their faith the wing that lifts them ever upward. Who are these thus blessed? They are those who wait on the Lord, owning their weakness, and drawing ever on the Lord Jesus, that limitless Source, for all that they lack, run without weariness, walk without fainting. May we each prove the truth of this in our journey through our one little life! (F.C. Jennings, Studies in Isaiah, p. 476)
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3. FURTHER PROOF OF THE LORD'S POWER AND DEITY (41:1-29)
In this section there is an emphasis on God's power as the guarantee of the deliverance of His people. Chapter 41 continues the thought of chapter 40 and gives further proof of the power of God as well as His deity - the fact that indeed He and He alone is God. In the Ryrie Study Bible, NASB, p. 1069, Charles Ryrie labels this whole section (chaps. 40-48) "The Greatness of God."
In this chapter, God hurls a challenge at the idolatrous nations that are trusting in supposed "gods" to guide and deliver them. A contrast is drawn between the last verse of chapter 40 and the first verse of chapter 41. Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, but how are the idolators to do so?
The full meaning of the name (Yahweh, or traditionally, Jehovah) is unfolded here. Delitzsch comments:
"God is called Jehovah as the absolute I, the absolute free Being, pervading all history, and yet above all history, as He who is Lord of His own absolute being in revealing which He is purely self-determined; in a word, as the unconditionally free and unchangeably eternal personality" (Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, 2:160).
Verses 41:1-4
One should remember that the whole prophecy has to do primarily with the deliverance of Israel from Babylon. The human deliverer has not yet been named, but he now comes into view in 41:2 - "one from the east." The New American Standard Bible is better here than the King James Version: "one from the east whom He calls in righteousness" rather than "the righteous man from the east." In spite of various attempts to make that refer to:
Abraham;
Christ;
Paul; and
others.
It seems most probable in this context that Cyrus is indicated, the Persian ruler who is specifically named in 44:28 and 45:1. God's hand is visibly manifest in history to those who are alive and alert enough to perceive it. The deliverer is seen as advancing into new territory, with God providentially delivering up nations before him. This is only one of many passages in the Old Testament that show the working of God in human history. In the light of the plain and extensive biblical teaching, the naturalistic historians are seen as having a woefully inadequate and unsatisfactory concept and philosophy of history. Who is it who performs and accomplishes these things? the Scripture repeats. Obviously, it is the sovereign God (v. 4).
Verses 41:5-7
The idolatrous nations are pictured as bolstering up their "gods" (idols) to try to withstand the invasion (vv. 5-7). There is sarcasm in this description of the plight of the idolaters. They encourage one another to work faster and faster, turning out more gods to "help" them.
Verse 41:8
The attention now shifts from the idolatrous nations to the nation of Israel, which God addresses directly in verse 8 and calls His "servant." This is the first mention of the servant in Isaiah, a theme that recurs several times. In passages such as this one the term is applied to the whole nation of Israel; in others it refers to the nucleus of the nations, the godly remnant; and in still others, to an individual - the Messiah. Many students of the Old Testament, especially those among the Jewish people, have failed to recognize those differences. As Delitzsch and others point out, this passage is filled with deep affection: "Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend" (v. 8).
Verse 41:9
God's sovereign election of Israel, mentioned in other places in the Scriptures, is prominent here (cf. Deuteronomy 14:2). Because the people were chosen in Abraham, the geographic references here must be to Ur and Mesopotamia.
God's choice is stated first affirmatively, then negatively: "I have chosen you and not rejected you" (v. 9). No matter how much Gentile rulers and others may rail against that doctrine and deny it, God does have a chosen nation, as both the Old Testament and the New Testament frequently and emphatically affirm. In fact, a person's theology can often be distinguished by his answer to the simple but crucial question: Does Israel as a nation have a future? Those who spiritualize the Old Testament promises and give them all to the church must answer "no" to be consistent.
Verse 41:10
One must make a distinction, however, between interpretation and application. The promise of verse 10 in its context refers to Israel, but the analogy of faith or the wider context of Scripture as a whole informs us that such a promise can be appropriated by any believing child of God in any age or dispensation (see Ephesians 1:3). Discernment is essential.
In contrast, God has never promised Gentiles one square foot of the land of Canaan, Palestine, or Israel to have for their possession, but He did promise the whole land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants. Nevertheless, a Christian under grace can appropriate the spiritual promises of the Old Testament (Ephesians 1:3).
The verbs in verse 10 show what God habitually does for His people. He acts in righteousness in upholding them. The word order here "heaps one synonym upon another, expressive of the divine love ... Language is too contracted to hold all its fullness" (Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, 2:164).
Verses 41:11-13
Verses 11 and 12 show the two parts of the picture. God's help to Israel spells the doom and punishment of Israel's enemies. This picture with its two sides is seen throughout the prophetic Word. Some nations are going to be brought to nothingness, to complete desolation. Verse 13 gives the reason for the overcoming of the enemies.
Verses 41:14-16
Jacob (not the individual but the nation descended from him) is addressed in verse 14 as a "worm," not to indicate worthlessness in God's sight but weakness and helplessness in the eyes of the nations. That is how Israel would really be apart from God's electing love, but He promises to make the nation "a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges" (v. 15). Restored Israel will become an instrument of judgment to the nations of the world, which in turn will be scattered (v. 16).
Verse 41:17
Water (as in v. 17) is so often used in Scripture as a symbol of blessing because it satisfies the burning thirst acquired in a sunny, hot area.
Verses 41:18-20
The promise of verse 18 is reminiscent of Chapter 35 (cf. Jeremiah 12:12). Seven trees are enumerated as the result of that divine irrigation (v. 19), probably indicating the perfection of that undertaking by God. The synonyms for perception (v. 20) show the great force of the impression that will be made. Those who have true knowledge will know and acknowledge that God is responsible. The last verb in the sentence - "has created" - is stronger than the previous synonym. God not only will have done that, but in doing it will have produced a new result.
Verse 41:21
In the latter part of the chapter (beginning with v. 21) the challenge implied at the beginning is brought out in detail. It is a call to the idols to prophesy. One of the great motifs of Isaiah is that only the Lord (Yahweh) can foretell the future, and His doing so proves that He is God. Prediction of the future is the prerogative of God alone because He and He only is the all-knowing One. That fact is asserted often in Isaiah. Prophecy is the seal of authentication that God has placed on His Word to show its genuineness.
"Present your case" (v. 21) is a technical phrase introducing a lawsuit. The One who calls for the suit is the "King of Jacob."
Verses 41:22-24
The false gods and their followers (v. 22) are challenged to compete with the Lord in history and prophecy. God has placed Himself in contrast to the pagans and their deities. To prove their deity the idols would have to speak, but not only do they not speak; they cannot speak. The contemptuous conclusion is voiced in verse 24: "Behold, you are of no account, and your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination."
Verses 41:25-27
In verse 25, after that awesome confrontation, the prophet goes back to the thought of verse 2, again mentioning the coming deliverer from the Babylonian captivity. He was said to be from the east, and here the sun rising is mentioned. Why is he identified as from the north? Only those familiar with the geography of the region - including what the historian Breasted named the "Fertile Crescent" - can see that there is no contradiction. The realm of the Medes and the Persians was indeed to the east of the land of Israel, but because of the desert any invaders from the east would have to enter Israel from the north, taking a route that would first proceed northwest and then southward.
Verses 41:28-29
None of the individual idols or all of them together can prevent God's fulfillment of that tremendous prophecy, for they are nonentities. The conclusion of the section comes in verses 28 and 29. God's challenge has gone by default, so to speak, for no one has answered Him. Both the idols and their worshipers stand condemned. "Their works" (v. 29) refer to the idols themselves (cf. Psalm 115:4-8).
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4. THE LORD'S SERVANT WHO WILL BRING JUDGMENT (42:1-9)
Chapter 42 is clearly a messianic passage. Much of the same thought is developed later in chapters 49 and 53 concerning the Servant. In the first nine verses of this chapter the Lord Jesus Christ is seen in His relationship to the Gentiles.
Verse 42:1
The "behold" of 41:29 and the "behold" of 42:1 are in sharp contrast. God is saying, "Look at My Servant, the antithesis of the false gods." The characterization of Christ as the Servant of Yahweh, first brought out in Isaiah, is expanded in the gospels, especially in Mark, which shows a close connection with Isaiah, and is also recognized by the church in the book of Acts (3:13; 4:26-30).
One should remember that previously (41:8) the nation is called the Lord's servant. But 42:1 is obviously different. The passage is clearly referring to an individual, and the New Testament use of it is conclusive in referring it to the Lord Jesus Christ. Delitzsch says:
"The Servant of Jehovah who is presented to us here is distinct from Israel, and has so strong an individuality and such marked personal features that the expression cannot possibly be merely a personified collective. Nor can the prophet himself be intended; for what is here affirmed of the servant of Jehovah goes infinitely beyond anything to which a prophet was ever called, or of which a man was ever capable. It must therefore be the future Christ; and this is the view taken in the Targum" (Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, 2:174).
Verses 42:2-4
Verse 2 expresses the mild demeanor of the Lord Jesus (cf. Matthew 11:28-30). He is unostentatious, not sensational. The passage looks forward to the complete accomplishment of His purposes. Yahweh's announcement to His Servant is echoed in other passages, particularly in chapter 61, as will be seen.
Isaiah 42:1-4 is quoted in Matthew 12:17-21 where the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is said to be the fulfillment of the prophecy. It should be noted again, however, that the two advents of Christ are as usual mingled together. There is the ministry of Christ in weakness and the ministry of Christ in power; the despised and rejected Christ and the conquering and judging Christ.
Verse 42:5
The sacred name - Yahweh - is used with emphasis here. No other "god" is ever given that name in Scripture. It is the distinctive personal name for the one true living God.
Verse 42:6
In contrast to the destructive, critical view that sees the ancient Israelites as entirely selfish in their concept of God, the reality is shown here: a recognition that the salvation brought by the Messiah will extend to the Gentiles (note particularly v. 6). This is not the first time that truth has been enunciated in Isaiah (cf. chapter 9), nor is it by any means the last.
Verses 42:7-8
The reference to "those who dwell in darkness" and the "prison" (v. 7) alludes to spiritual evil. That figure is often employed in Scripture, and the gospels so interpret it. The import of verse 8 is that God is pledging His own name; that is, His honor, that the work mentioned here will be accomplished by His Servant. Because God is who He is and what He is, His absolute holiness demands that He not be deprived of the honor that is rightfully His due. He not only will not, but cannot, surrender His glory to any other being.
Verse 42:9
In verse 9 the Lord appeals on the ground of fulfilled prophecy to His people's faith to be reposed in prophecies that are yet unfulfilled. The challenge to the idols that has been seen in the previous chapter is carried on throughout this section. Babylon, the center and hotbed of idolatry, is to be destroyed. God is going to see to it that idols do not get the glory that rightfully be longs to Him.
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5. THE POWER OF GOD MANIFEST THROUGH HIS SERVANT (42:10-25)
With the call to sing a new song (v. 10) comes a declaration of the power of God, which is manifest through His Servant the Messiah. The song is comparable to the exquisite song of salvation in chapter 12.
The chapter closes with a rebuke of Israel for unfaithfulness. The true explanation for the Babylonian captivity is seen in passages such as this one. God in righteousness must visit judgment on His people for their sins. Babylon, although exceedingly powerful as compared to the relatively tiny kingdom of Judah, could not have inflicted what it did on Judah apart from the permissive will of God. The theme of God's punishment of His wicked people by means of an even more wicked people is found in a number of the prophets, notably in Habakkuk (see Habakkuk 1:5-11).
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6. ISRAEL'S PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY AS GOD'S SERVANT (43:1-28)
In this chapter (a part of the section on the deliverance from Babylon) we see Israel's privilege and responsibility as God's servant. Addressing the people of Israel, God reminds them that He has chosen them.
Verse 43:1
A number of times He uses the name Jacob as well as the new name Israel as a designation for the nation, which must leave its Jacob-characteristics and become truly Israel. God's calling Israel by name (v. 1) shows the special relationship He established with the people of that nation by covenant. Israel belongs to Him in a special sense. Consequently, He will accomplish her ultimate good. That is a constantly reiterated marvel of God's grace found in Scripture. God bears a special relationship to Israel, not only as Creator, but also as Savior and Redeemer. The title the "Holy One of Israel (v. 3)," used in both major parts of Isaiah, shows that special relationship.
Verses 43:2-4
The experiences described in verse 2 have no doubt been encountered in numerous ways by the people of God in various generations. There was a literal fulfillment of the last part of verse 2 in the experience of Daniel's three friends - Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - in the fiery furnace in Babylon (Daniel 3:1-30).
Verses 43:5-9
The language of verse 5 and following seems to contain that familiar combination of the near view and the far view observed in various parts of Isaiah. There undoubtedly is allusion to the return (or strictly speaking, the returns) from Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:1-70; 7:1-10; Nehemiah 2:1-10), but there is also the recognition of a later return from all parts of the earth ("from afar" and "from the ends of the earth") - i.e. at the Second Coming of Christ.
Verse 43:10
The servant character of the nation of Israel is emphasized in verse 10. The Old Testament views Israel as a channel of God's blessing to the whole world. Israel in itself was largely a failure, but it is yet to be such a channel. Paul emphasizes that in Romans 11, showing how Israel's failure was overruled by God to bring blessings to the Gentiles in the church, but that even greater blessing will come to the nations of the world when Israel is restored in God's good time.
Verses 43:11-20
In verses 11-17 God reminds His people of His past intervention for them. Just as He delivered them at the Red Sea in the time of Moses (v. 16), He will deliver them now. In fact, the new deliverance by God will so overshadow the old that the "former things" will not be remembered (vv. 18-20).
Verses 43:21-25
"Yet," in spite of all God has done and all that He is capable of doing, "you have not called on Me," God says (v. 22). The grace of God stands out in all its brilliance when compared with the ingratitude of Israel. God formed Israel for Himself (v. 21) and longed for fellowship, but Israel did not call on Him. Instead, Israel wearied God with her iniquities (v. 24). Judgment must come because of the nation's sins; nevertheless God is the One who forgives sin (v. 25).
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7. THE POWERFUL GOD AND THE POWERLESS IDOLS (44:1-28)
In chapter 44, at the heart of the nine-chapter section (40-48) on the deliverance of Israel, God's promises to Israel are seen again. He can fulfill those promises because He is the all-powerful God as contrasted with the powerless idols. The promises are not based on what Israel has done or will do, but on what God has done by His own love and grace.
Verses 44:1-2
Twice He speaks of Israel as His "chosen." On the second occasion He used the symbolic name Jeshurun ("Upright," v. 2), which He had used in Deuteronomy 32:15 and 33:5, 26. That is the genius of the Word of God - one part alludes to other parts so that the person who is making a continual study of Scripture is always being amazed and delighted at the new connections, the new parallels, the new glimpses of truth placed there by the infinitely wise Author.
Verses 44:3-5
"I will pour out water on the thirsty land" (v. 3). That often-repeated figure is used here to portray the Holy Spirit's blessing on what would otherwise be barren ground. As noted previously, water is particularly appropriate as a symbol of God's spiritual blessings.
Verses 44:6-8
Again God mentions His omniscience as the proof that He can fulfill His promises (vv. 6-8). It is perhaps hard for today's reader to see the point of some of these allusions. One needs to realize that the people of Israel lived in an almost completely idolatrous environment and that Israel was a little island of monotheism in a great sea of polytheism. Worse than that, Israel was not even what God wanted her to be, for a great many of the people of Israel in Isaiah's day were idolaters. Even Hezekiah's reforms did not permanently affect the mass of the kingdom of Judah. Consequently, most of the people knew from first-hand experience what an idol was. The tragedy was that many, who by position ought to have been examples for the people of God, were making and falling down before idols.
Verses 44:9-20
That explains the relevancy of the magnificent satire (vv. 9-20). It is always a source of astonishment that men would attribute supernatural powers to something they had fashioned with their own hands. Isaiah paints a picture of a man who uses part of a log to warm himself and to cook his food, and then makes another part of the same piece of wood into a "god" (vv. 15-17). Of course, practically all idolaters, ancient and modern, have maintained that they do not worship the image but only what is represented by the image. In reality most of them, whether they acknowledge it or not, are worshiping the image; and even if they are not, they are not worshiping the one true and living God, who is Spirit (John 4:24) and cannot be represented by any image or likeness of anything.
Verses 44:21-27
Yet again, beginning with verse 21, is heard the glorious strain of a song of redemption for Israel. It is a song unconfined, a song of heaven and earth. God says to Jerusalem, which certainly was inhabited in Isaiah's time but which was to be come uninhabited and desolate in the Babylonian captivity, "She shall be inhabited!" (v. 26).
Verse 44:28
Finally, God mentions the man who is to be His instrument of deliverance from the Babylonian exile: "It is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid"' (v. 28).
That is actually the crux of the critics' problem about the book of Isaiah. Here isaiah in the eighth century B.C. announces Cyrus, who lived in the sixth century B.C., as the restorer of the people to Jerusalem. This is not the only place, however, where God has named a man long before his birth. For example, there was a similar prophecy about Josiah almost three centuries before his time (1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 22:1-23:25).
The whole thrust of the passage is that God, who is omniscient, is the One who is announcing events beforehand. That is proof of His deity. Destructive critics who say this passage must have been written in the sixth century by some otherwise unknown prophet in Babylon ("Deutero-Isaiah") are making the same mistake that the idolaters in Isaiah's day were making. They are also like the Sadducees of another time, to whom the Lord Jesus Christ said, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
The historical fulfillment of this prophecy is told in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-11. Cyrus gave the decree for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem in 538 B.C., almost two hundred years after this prophecy.
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8. GOD'S PURPOSES THROUGH CYRUS, HIS ANOINTED (45:1-25)
In chapter 45 God reveals His purposes through Cyrus, whom He calls His "anointed." This chapter, of course, is very closely related to the preceding one. In 44:28 Cyrus is introduced and described in the third person. In 45:1 and the following verses he is addressed directly in the second person. There is in these opening verses a prophetic statement of Cyrus's victories (vv. 1-8).
Verses 45:1-3
Cyrus is the only Gentile king who is called in Scripture God's "anointed." This is the translation of the Hebrew word normally rendered in English as messiah. Thus, Cyrus becomes in a sense a type of the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Typology is often misunderstood and abused. Some people deny the existence of types altogether and some go to the other extreme, as was said of some of the early church writers, that they made every stock of wood in the Old Testament a type of the cross!
A type is a divinely appointed prophetic symbol, usually a symbol of Christ. When a person or a thing is called a type, that does not alter its literal meaning or deny its historical reality. Cyrus was a Persian king, not an Israelite, and there is no evidence that he ever really knew the true God. In fact, God says, "You have not known Me" (45:4). Consequently, if one calls Cyrus a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, one is not saying he is like the Lord Jesus Christ in every respect (that would be blasphemy). The type is strictly limited. The only intended resemblance is in the fact that Cyrus was anointed by God to deliver the people of Israel from the Babylonian captivity. As such he points, without any intention on his part, to the greater Anointed One who is the Deliverer from a far worse captivity - the captivity of sin and Satan.
Verses 45:4-8
Although Cyrus did not know God (v. 4), God used him to work out His purposes for His people Israel. It will come undoubtedly as a shock to many people to discover that God in His sovereign providence regulates the affairs of mighty nations, such as Babylon and the Medo-Persian Empire, for the welfare of the widely despised and ridiculed people of Israel. Although Cyrus did not know it, it was God who enabled him to destroy the power of the Babylonian Empire. The transition of power from Babylon to the Medes and the Persians is seen in the book of Daniel, written by Daniel who lived at that time.
Verses 45:9-21
After the recital of the victories of Cyrus, God again reverts to the theme of His salvation of Israel (vv. 9-17). He speaks of an "everlasting salvation" (v. 17), and the word everlasting is a cue to the fact that He has more in store for His people than deliverance from Babylon, wonderful as that will be. Cyrus the "messiah" is only a temporary shadow; Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the eternal reality.
Verses 45:22-25
Here again, however, the message is clearly expounded that salvation through the Messiah is not to be restricted to the nation of Israel. Isaiah uses the expression that some may sometimes use without awareness of its origin: "The ends of the earth" (v. 22). The poor deluded idolaters of the Gentiles will yet be visited with the salvation of the Lord (Yahweh). Messiah will yet reign in universal righteousness and peace. God's oath that all will someday be in subjection to Him will be fulfilled: "That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance" (v. 23).
The New Testament echoes of that statement are not hard to find. The verse is directly quoted in Romans 14:11 and is most certainly alluded to in the great passage on the person of Christ in Philippians 2:10-11:
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11 KJV).
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9. JUDGMENT ON BABYLON'S IDOLS (46:1-13)
The judgment that God was to bring on the Babylonian Empire was described in the first part of Isaiah as the first of the oracles or burdens of the Gentile nations (Isaiah 13). In that passage Babylon was seen with other nations in a general view of Gentile judgment. At this point the prophecy gives more particulars about the judgment on Babylon, the great oppressor of the people of Judah. The judgment is viewed not only as something coming on Babylon itself, but also as an object lesson for Israel. It is only fitting that Babylon's downfall should be seen in connection with the deliverance of Israel, which is the general theme of this section (chapters 40-48) and inevitably had to include Babylon's defeat and destruction.
Verses 46:1-2
Judgment on Babylon also means judgment on Babylon's gods (vv. 1-2). Bel and Nebo were two of the leading gods of Babylon. This is indeed a graphic scene, depicting the confusion and rout brought about by the Medo-Persian conquest. Babylon's idols, unable to protect and defend her, are themselves being carried into captivity. The scene is laughable for anyone who has a sense of humor. These are gods bouncing and jolting along on the beasts of burden?
Verses 46:3-4
A decided contrast comes at the beginning of verse 3. God says in effect to Israel, "These gods of Babylon have to be carried if they are going anywhere, but l am the One who has carried you." God's providential care of His own extends from birth until death; He and His blessings are unchanging and continuous.
Verses 46:5-9
The theme of comparison - or rather, the impossibility of comparison - recurs in verses 5-7. One may wonder why God keeps bringing up that subject. No doubt it is because His people are so slow to learn. The psalmist rehearses the taunts of the pagan neighbors of Israel as they exclaim in effect, "We can see our gods; here they are; but you have a God you cannot see. Where is He?" The answer of the true believer is steadfast: "But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psalm 115:3).
Isaiah's conclusion is the same as that of the psalmist; "Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer; it cannot deliver him from his distress (v. 7).
Verses 46:10-11
Babylon's multitudinous pantheon cannot ward off the Persian power because the gods are nonentities. Consequently, the Lord's purpose will be fulfilled. Part of the good pleasure of God (vv. 10-11) is to call Cyrus and enable him to accomplish the destruction of the Babylonian Empire. Here he is called a "bird of prey from the east," but he is also called, "the man of My purpose from a far country" (v. 11). The fact that the Lord not only knew all about that but also announced it ahead of time exhibits for all to see His existence and deity. God is the only One who can declare the end from the beginning, and His declaring of that is, as Isaiah had previously stated, the proof of who and what He is. When the events come to pass, then men can learn of the Lord's omniscience and omnipotence.
Verses 46:12-13
All of this constitutes a warning to transgressors as God severely admonishes them to listen to Him (vv. 12-13). His salvation "will not delay." God's timetable of events is sure. Peter reminds us that God "is not slow about His promise (2 Peter 3:9).
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10. JUDGMENT ON THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE (47:1-15)
Verses 47:1-4
At the beginning of chapter 47 Babylon is pictured as a young woman who is being put in a position of disgrace and shame: "Sit on the ground without a throne" (v. 1).
This chapter should be compared with what has already been said in chapters 13 and 14. This Babylonian Empire, sometimes called in history the Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean Empire, reached its height under Nebuchadnezzar, who captured and destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.. At the time Isaiah prophesied, that was naturally in the future.
The book of Daniel describes conditions during the time of Nebuchadnezzar and afterward. Chapter 5 of Daniel records the fulfillment of the prophecy given in Isaiah 47, when the city of Babylon was captured by the army of the Medes and Persians.
Verses 47:5-9
Claiming to be the "queen of kingdoms" (v. 5), Babylon was used by God as an instrument of judgment on His own people Israel. Now Babylon is to be judged, not because of some arbitrary notion on God's part, but because Babylon is sinful and richly deserves the judgment. Although this is a judgment on historical Babylon, one may also note (as many have pointed out) that Babylon in Scripture is sometimes symbolic of man kind in organized rebellion against God. That is certainly the force of the term in the book of Revelation. From Genesis 11 on, Babylon (Babel) has manifested this character.
Verses 47:10-15
Babylon "felt secure in ... wickedness and said, 'No one sees me"' (v. 10). God has abundant reason for judgment. The principle of God's using a sinful nation to punish another sinful nation is observed in other prophetical books besides Isaiah. Jeremiah and Habakkuk particularly speak of it (e.g., Jeremiah 25:1-11; Habakkuk. 1:12-2:1).
Babylon was teeming with all kinds of idols, pagan priests, astrologers, soothsayers charlatans, and demon-inspired religionists. But not one of them was able to help. They too were to be destroyed. No doubt from a human point of view there was much that was admirable in the achievements of the Babylonians. They had a relatively high state of civilization, grand buildings, and a seemingly impregnable city. They were advanced in mathematics, astronomy, and literature. But the moral character of the empire was such that the people of God need not shed a tear over its downfall. In the book of Revelation, God calls on His people to rejoice, not to mourn as He announces the complete destruction of the world-system, symbolically called Babylon.
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11. EXHORTATIONS TO THE IMPENITENT AND UNBELIEVING (48:1-22)
Instead of being concerned about the downfall of Babylon, Israel should have been concerned about its own relationship to God. Chapter 48 contains exhortations to the impenitent and unbelieving. God has made known the things that were to come. Had His people profited from that revelation?
Verses 48:1-17
The people, as has been seen from the beginning of Isaiah, have given lip service to the Lord while continuing to practice idolatry. The picture that God paints of Israel in these verses is far from a flattering one: "not in truth nor in righteousness" (v. 1); "Obstinate" (v. 4); dealing "very treacherously" (v. 8). God addresses the nation as Jacob because that side of their ancestor's character was more prominent than the "Israel" side. God continues His gracious appeal that His people listen to Him (v. 12). This is one of the great passages in the Scripture that show the practical purpose and effect of prophecy. It is something that many of God's people today do not yet understand - the practical nature of prophecy. There are some who study the details of prophecy simply because they find a fascination in the subject. They are intrigued by it as if it were a cleverly constructed puzzle to be solved. They have missed the point. Prophecy ought to have some effect on a Christian's daily walk.
Verses 48:18-19
"If only you had paid attention to My commandments!" The Lord exclaims. "Then your well-being would have been like a river" (v. 18). Seeing God's sovereign control of history ought to solemnize any individual, so that one would give one's life to Him; so that one should recognize God's complete right to everyone.
Verses 48:20-21
This section emphasizes the almighty power of God in contrast to the idols. It closes with the admonition to God's people to disassociate themselves from the evil Babylon (v. 20) and to accept the salvation or deliverance of God.
Verse 48:22
Finally, there is the solemn warning: "No peace ... for the wicked" (v. 22), a refrain that marks off the sections and is encountered again at the end of chapter 57.
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12. REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER STUDY
An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books, Chapter 6, Moody Press: Chicago, 1986 Edition, by C. Hassell Bullock.
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