Isaiah45

Isaiah 45 declares the LORD's absolute sovereignty, specifically in raising up Cyrus, a pagan king, to fulfill His purposes for Israel. God proclaims Himself as the sole Creator and only God, asserting His power over all things, including light and darkness, peace and calamity. The chapter contrasts the futility of idol worship with the everlasting salvation offered to Israel and a universal call for all to look to the LORD and be saved.

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God Anoints Cyrus for Israel's Sake

Thus saith Jehovah 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 the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:

I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth; I will break in pieces the doors 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 it is I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.

For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me;

that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else.

I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.

Distil, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up together; I, Jehovah, have created it.

The Creator's Authority Cannot Be Questioned

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Woe unto him that saith unto a father, What begettest thou? or to a woman, With what travailest thou?

Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded.

I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Israel's Everlasting Salvation

Thus saith Jehovah, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall go after thee, in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

They shall be put to shame, yea, confounded, all of them; they shall go into confusion together that are makers of idols.

But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be put to shame nor confounded world without end.

The Lord, the Only God and Savior

For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.

I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.

By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Only in Jehovah, it is said of me, is righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all they that were incensed against him shall be put to shame.

In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Study Notes for Isaiah 45

Verse 1

The term 'anointed' (*mashiach*) is applied here to Cyrus, a pagan king. This is unique in Scripture and demonstrates that God uses any agent, regardless of their knowledge of Him, to fulfill His sovereign historical purposes.

Verse 2

God promises to remove all obstacles for Cyrus’s conquest, specifically mentioning 'gates of brass' and 'bars of iron,' likely referring to the formidable defenses of Babylon, which history records fell unexpectedly.

Verse 3

The purpose of Cyrus’s success and the acquisition of wealth is theological: so that he (and the world) might recognize that Yahweh, who calls him by name, is the true God of Israel.

Verse 4

Cyrus’s election is not for his own merit but entirely for the sake of Jacob/Israel, God’s elect servant. God uses the powerful Gentile ruler as a means to restore His covenant people.

Verse 5

This reiterates the core theme of Second Isaiah: absolute monotheism. God equipped ('girded') Cyrus with strength and authority, even though Cyrus did not acknowledge Him, confirming God's supremacy over all national deities.

Verse 7

God asserts His ultimate sovereignty over all creation and experience. The word 'evil' (*ra'*) here means calamity, distress, or disaster, emphasizing that God is the source of all conditions, contrasting with dualistic systems that posit two equal opposing gods.

Verse 9

This 'woe' is directed at the exiles who question God’s mysterious plan, particularly His decision to use a pagan king (Cyrus) to deliver them. The analogy of the potter and the clay asserts God’s absolute right to define His purpose.

Verse 11

The phrase 'command ye me' is a rhetorical challenge, highlighting the arrogance of humanity attempting to dictate terms or understand the mysterious ways of the Holy One of Israel concerning His people.

Verse 13

God ensures that Cyrus will execute the restoration of Jerusalem and the release of the captives 'not for price nor reward,' emphasizing that the return will be an act of divine grace, not a political payoff.

Verse 14

This verse looks beyond the immediate return from exile to the final, glorious salvation, where powerful nations (Egypt, Ethiopia) will willingly submit to Israel, recognizing that God dwells among them.

Verse 15

This verse is a profound confession of faith. Even when God’s methods (like using Cyrus) or timing seem confusing, He is still the ‘God that hidest thyself’—His power is veiled, yet He remains the ultimate Saviour of Israel.

Verse 18

God appeals to creation as evidence of His character. He created the earth purposefully, 'not in vain,' but 'to be inhabited,' assuring Israel that His covenant promises are equally purposeful and reliable.

Verse 20

This is a global summons for all nations to assemble for judgment. The prophet mocks the ignorance of idolaters who rely on gods made of wood that 'cannot save,' contrasting them with the living God.

Verse 22

This is a universal call to faith. The salvation promised to Israel is extended to 'all the ends of the earth,' confirming Yahweh’s desire to be recognized as the sole God and Savior of humanity.

Verse 23

God swears by Himself, guaranteeing that universal submission will occur. This prophecy is quoted in the New Testament (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10–11) to affirm the ultimate authority of Jesus Christ.

Verse 25

The final outcome of God’s sovereignty is the justification and glory of His people. Israel’s restoration is the means by which God’s righteousness and faithfulness are demonstrated to the world.

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Isaiah45

God Anoints Cyrus for Israel's Sake

The Creator's Authority Cannot Be Questioned

Israel's Everlasting Salvation

The Lord, the Only God and Savior

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