Isaiah 45:7

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].

I form {H3335} the light {H216}, and create {H1254} darkness {H2822}: I make {H6213} peace {H7965}, and create {H1254} evil {H7451}: I the LORD {H3068} do {H6213} all these things.

I form light, I create darkness; I make well-being, I create woe; I, ADONAI, do all these things.

I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

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

Isaiah 45:7 is a powerful declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and unique identity as the one true Creator and orchestrator of all things. This verse asserts that nothing happens outside of God's ultimate control, challenging the dualistic worldviews prevalent in ancient times and offering profound theological insights for believers today.

Context

This verse is found within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66), a section of Isaiah written to encourage the Jewish exiles in Babylon with promises of future restoration. Chapters 40-48 particularly emphasize God's incomparable power and His ability to predict and control future events, specifically the rise of King Cyrus of Persia. The declaration in verse 7 directly confronts the prevailing dualistic religious philosophies of the Persian Empire, such as Zoroastrianism, which posited two opposing deities—one of light and good, and one of darkness and evil—who were constantly at war. Isaiah unequivocally states that the LORD alone is the source of all existence and events, demonstrating His singular authority over both light and darkness, peace and adversity.

Key Themes

  • Absolute Divine Sovereignty: The verse emphatically states that God is the sole originator of all things. He "forms the light and creates darkness," signifying His control over the entire cosmic order, from natural phenomena to the very fabric of existence. This theme underscores that there is no independent force or power beyond His reach.
  • Monotheism Against Dualism: Isaiah 45:7 serves as a stark contrast to polytheistic and dualistic beliefs. By declaring "I the LORD do all these things," God asserts His unique identity as the only true God, dismissing any notion of rival deities or competing powers. This was a crucial message for a people about to be influenced by Persian religious thought.
  • God's Control Over Calamity and Prosperity: The phrase "I make peace, and create evil" is central to understanding this verse. It highlights God's sovereign hand not just in blessings and well-being (peace/shalom) but also in adversity and hardship (evil/ra'). This does not imply God is the author of moral evil or sin, but rather that He permits or orchestrates difficult circumstances, including natural disasters, judgments, or troubles, as part of His overarching divine plan. As Amos 3:6 asks, "Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?", referring to calamity.

Linguistic Insight

The KJV translation of "evil" in "create evil" can be misleading if understood as moral wickedness. The Hebrew word used here is ra' (רָע), which, while it can mean moral evil in other contexts, more frequently refers to calamity, adversity, disaster, misfortune, or trouble in passages describing God's actions or judgments. God is inherently good and righteous, and He does not tempt anyone with evil (James 1:13). Therefore, in Isaiah 45:7, "create evil" is best understood as God's sovereign initiation or permission of difficult circumstances, often for purposes of discipline, justice, or to bring about His ultimate plan, just as He brings peace (Hebrew: shalom, meaning wholeness, well-being, prosperity).

Practical Application

For believers, Isaiah 45:7 offers profound comfort and a call to trust. In a world often filled with confusion, suffering, and seemingly random events, this verse reminds us that God is ultimately in control of everything. It encourages us to:

  • Trust in God's Plan: Even when facing adversity, we can rest in the knowledge that God has a purpose. Nothing is outside His knowledge or authority.
  • Find Peace in His Sovereignty: Understanding that God ordains both peace and what seems like "evil" (calamity) helps us to accept difficult seasons with greater faith, knowing He is working all things for His glory and our good, as Romans 8:28 affirms.
  • Worship the One True God: This verse is a powerful affirmation of monotheism, urging us to worship and depend solely on the LORD, who alone holds the universe in His hands.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:13

    Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?

  • Ecclesiastes 7:14

    In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

  • Amos 3:6

    Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]?

  • Psalms 75:7

    But God [is] the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

  • Job 2:10

    But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

  • Amos 4:13

    For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what [is] his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, [is] his name.

  • Isaiah 31:2

    Yet he also [is] wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

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