Isaiah 45
45
God’s Shepherd, Cyrus
1“This is what Yahweh says to his anointed one, # 45:1 Or “Messiah [Anointed One].” The Septuagint reads “To Cyrus, my Christ.” Cyrus became an amazing picture of Jesus, the Anointed One (see Acts 10:38). Both Cyrus and Jesus are called shepherds (see Isa. 44:28; Heb. 13:20) who will perform all God’s pleasure (see John 8:29). God took the right hands of both Cyrus and Christ (see Heb. 10:12–13) and subdued nations before them (see Ps. 2; Phil. 3:21). Both Cyrus and Christ had open doors before them (see Rev. 3:7–8) and were given the treasures of darkness (see Matt. 27:45) and the hidden riches of secret places (see Mark 1:35; Col. 2:3; Rev. 2:17).
Cyrus, # 45:1 Cyrus, the Persian king, is mentioned twenty-two times in the Bible. His name means “the rays of the sun.” God calls him his “shepherd” (Isa. 44:28) and his “anointed one” (Isa. 45:1). On October 12, 539 BC, he conquered Babylon and its king, Nabonidus, and his son Belshazzar (see Dan. 5:25–31). It is possible that Daniel, after the fall of Babylon, showed Cyrus the prophecies of Jer. 25:11–12 and 29:10. whose right hand I have grasped as my servant # 45:1 That is, God is about to take Cyrus as a partner to accomplish heaven’s purpose.
to conquer nations and dethrone their kings. # 45:1 Or “The belts of their kings I will loosen,” a Hebrew idiom for disarming or dethroning. Babylon was taken in one night by Cyrus. Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. See Dan. 5:1–31.
For I will open doors before him
and no fortified gate will remain closed.
2“ ‘I will march out in front of you and level every obstacle. # 45:2 Or “every swelling,” a possible metaphor for what looms up in front of you.
I will shatter to pieces bronze doors
and slice through iron bars.
3I will give you hidden treasures of darkness # 45:3 God is light, so what could be these treasures of darkness? They are the things/truths/revelations that dark powers have stolen from us, God’s people. We will reclaim what was originally part of our inheritance but was stolen and perverted. Revelation that was once hidden will now be brought into the light.
and wealth waiting in secret sites
so that you recognize me, for it is I, Yahweh,
the God of Israel, who calls you by your name! # 45:3 The Hebrew wording allows for this possible translation: “I, Yahweh, who calls you by your name, the gods [judges or mighty ones] of Israel.” The word for “gods” is elohim (plural) and is translated in some verses as “judges.” See Ps. 82:1, 6.
4For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name and give you a title of honor.
But you don’t even know me.
5I am Yahweh, the only God there is,
and you’ll never find another.
I will strengthen you for victory,
even though you do not intimately know who I am.
6Yet through you everyone will know who I really am.
Those from the rising sun in the east to the west,
everyone everywhere will know
that I am Yahweh, the one and only God,
and there is no other. # 45:6 There are four reasons God chose and favored Cyrus, the heathen king: (1) so that Cyrus would acknowledge the greatness of God; (2) to accomplish God’s purpose with Judah (see Ps. 78:68–72); (3) so the nations would see that Yahweh is the only true God; and (4) so Jerusalem would be rebuilt.
7I create light, and I make it dark.
I make bliss, # 45:7 This is the Hebrew word shalom and can be translated “prosperity,” “bliss,” “wholeness,” “completeness,” “health,” “peace,” “welfare,” “safety,” “soundness,” “tranquility,” “perfectness,” “fullness,” “rest,” “harmony,” or “the absence of agitation or discord.” Shalom comes from a root verb meaning “to be complete, perfect, and [paid in] full.” and I create adversity. # 45:7 Or “woe,” “disaster,” “calamity [judgment],” “affliction,” “disturbance,” “distress,” “misery,” or “trouble.”
I am Yahweh who does all these things.’
8“Shower down righteousness, O heavens above.
Let the clouds drip with deliverance!
Let earth’s womb open and bear salvation’s # 45:8 The Hebrew word for “salvation,” yĕshuw’ah, is nearly identical to the Hebrew name Yeshua (Jesus). fruit,
with righteousness rising up beside it! # 45:8 Or “and blossom with mercy” (LXX).
I, Yahweh, have created all of them!
9Shame on the one who argues with his Creator,
like one clay pot among other pots arguing with the potter.
Should the clay say to the potter,
‘What in the world are you doing with me?
Your hands are clumsy’? # 45:9 Or “Your work has no hands [or handles].” This is a way of saying, “What you’re doing with me shows that you have no skill, like someone who has no hands trying to form me!”
10Shame on the one who complains to a father,
‘Why in the world did you conceive me?’
Or to a mother, ‘Why in the world did you bring me to birth?’ ”
11Listen to what Yahweh,
the Holy One of Israel, the One who shaped him, has to say:
“Why do you question me about the destiny of my children # 45:11 Or “ask me about things to come concerning my children.” If “ask” should be taken in the imperative mood, then the sense would probably be ironic: “Go ahead and question me concerning the things to come; command me concerning my children and the works of my hands.”
or tell me what to do with my children and what I have made?
12I created the earth and populated it with people.
With my own hands, I spread out the cosmos
and then commanded the starry host to shine!
13I am the one who raised him # 45:13 Although God has raised up Christ and us in righteousness, the context here points to Cyrus. up in righteousness!
I will make all his paths straight and level.
He will build my city and release my exiled people,
not because he was bribed or hired to do it,
declares the Almighty Yahweh!”
Yahweh, the Hope of the Nations
14This is what Yahweh says to Cyrus:
“Egypt’s wealth, Cush’s # 45:14 Or “Ethiopia’s.” treasures, and the tall Sabeans # 45:14 A people group that once lived in the southern parts of Arabia (modern-day Yemen).
will all be handed over to you.
In chains they will walk behind you.
They will be brought before you and they will bow down
and address you reverently, saying,
‘Truly God is with you. He alone is God, and there is no other.’ ”
15Truly, O God of Israel, the Savior,
you are a God who hides himself. # 45:15 Or “a God who keeps himself hidden.” These words of Isaiah show us that God must be revealed by his Spirit to each heart.
16All the idol-makers will be ashamed and disgraced,
and each one will walk away in confusion.
17But Yahweh saves Israel with everlasting salvation!
You will not be put to shame nor disgraced for all eternity!
18This is what Yahweh says, heaven’s Creator, who alone is God.
He created the earth, shaped it, and established it all by himself.
He made it fit and orderly and beautiful # 45:18 Or “He did not create it a chaos.” for its inhabitants.
He says:
“I am Yahweh, and there is no other god.
19I didn’t whisper in secret, in a realm of darkness.
I didn’t say to Jacob’s tribes,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I am Yahweh!
I speak the truth and declare to you what is right!
20“Come together! Assemble yourselves!
Draw near, you refugees from among the nations.
Those who parade their powerless wooden idols
have no revelation-knowledge.
They keep on praying to gods who cannot save them.
21Declare what is to be and state your case.
Go ahead and take counsel together.
Who knew all about this and declared it long ago?
Was it not I, Yahweh? There is no god apart from me.
I am a righteous God and a Savior.
There is no one you can compare to me.
22So turn your heart to me, face me now,
and be saved wherever you are,
even from the ends of the earth,
for I alone am God, and there is no other.
23I make this solemn oath to you in my own name;
this word sent from my mouth in righteousness
will not return unfulfilled:
‘Truly every knee will bow before me
and every tongue will solemnly swear allegiance to me!’
24All will say of me,
‘Yes! Only in Yahweh do I find righteousness and strength!’
And all who were angry with me
will come before me and regret it!
25In Yahweh, all of Israel’s offspring will triumph # 45:25 Or “will be made right again.” See Rom. 11:26–27. and shine!”
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Isaiah 45: TPT
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