Isaiah 45

CHAPTER 45THEME: Calling of Cyrus before he was born; creation of the universe; continuance of IsraelThis chapter continues the theme of the preceding chapter. This chapter begins with Cyrus as the last chapter closed with him. It is rather unfortunate that the final verse of chapter 44 is not the first verse of this chapter, but I am sure you understand that chapter and verse divisions were made of men. It is said that a monk of the Middle Ages marked off the chapters while riding a donkey through the Alps. Each time the donkey came to a halt, he came forward with his pen, and that marked the end of a chapter. Of course, this is a fable, but it looks as if certain places were certainly divided that way. In fact, there are times when I get the impression that perhaps the donkey did some dividing on his own! Let me repeat the final verse of chapter 44, since it properly belongs here: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid [Isa_44:28].Cyrus was named and identified almost two hundred years before he was born. This unusual prophecy has caused the liberal critic to construct out of the web of his imagination the figment of “the great unknown” writer of this section of the Book of Isaiah. The fact that Isaiah could name a man two centuries before he appears is too strong a tonic for the weak faith of an unbeliever. The question is, “Why was Cyrus marked out like this two centuries before he was born?” I believe there are three reasons. Primarily it was for identification. When Cyrus did appear on the scene, there would be no misunderstanding about whom Isaiah had spoken. Also, Cyrus would be the man responsible for a decree that would return the nation Israel to her land. Another reason Isaiah called Cyrus by name through the revelation of God was so that his accuracy could be demonstrated. If in two hundred years Isaiah would be accurate about Cyrus, he also would be accurate in his prophecy concerning the One born of a virgin, Immanuel, God with us, who was to come seven hundred years later. The instructed Israelite should have been prepared for Christ’s coming. Notice that God calls Cyrus “my shepherd,” and says that he “shall perform all my pleasure” and shall rebuild Jerusalem. Remember that God used Assyria to take the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity. Then He used Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take the southern kingdom into captivity. The men God used to do this were wicked, and God judged them for what they had done. But Cyrus is different. God calls him “my shepherd” who shall “perform all my pleasure.” When we get to heaven I believe there will be two things that will be a surprise to all of us: (1) the folk who will be there whom we didn’t expect to make itand I think Cyrus is going to be one of them, and (2) the folk whom we expected to be there who won’t be there. And, my friend, the only reason any of us will be there is because Christ is our Savior. It is interesting to note that God says that Cyrus “shall perform all my pleasure"not only God’s will, but also His pleasure. After all, both Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar performed God’s will in taking Israel and Judah into captivity, but Cyrus will perform God’s pleasure, and that is a little different.

Isaiah 45:1

CALLING OF CYRUS BEFORE HE WAS BORNThis is a remarkable prophecy. Cyrus did not appear in the pages of history until two hundred years after Isaiah spoke of him. Cyrus came out of the East, from Persia. The ruins of his tomb have been found in Pasargadae, Iran, and you cannot read the inscription without recognizing that he was a humble man who trusted God. Most of the great rulers of the past were braggarts and most of them were liars. Everything they said you have to take with a grain of salt. The records they left magnified their greatness (sort of like the ones left by modern politicians) and cannot be trusted. But Cyrus was different. He made no great claims; he did not boast, and yet, he conquered the world! Also note that God calls Cyrus “his anointed,” a title that applies only to the Lord Jesus. Why did God give such a title to Cyrus? Because he carried out the will of God and delivered the Israelites from captivity and permitted them to return to the Land of Promise. Also he encouraged the Israelites who did not return to send rich gifts of gold, silver, and precious things with those who did go back. In that respect Cyrus was a gentile messiah of Israel and a vague foreshadowing of the One who was to come. “The two leaved gates” is evidently a reference to the numerous gates of Babylon which shut Israel out from returning to Palestine. Cyrus opened those gates and said that the Israelites could walk out. They were free to return to their homeland. Now God says this of Cyrus:

Isaiah 45:3

The rich treasures of Babylon, which the kings of Babylon had taken as spoils of war from all nations, especially from Jerusalem, fell to Cyrus.

Isaiah 45:4

God chose Cyrus before he knew the Lord. It is reasonable to conclude that Cyrus came to know the living and true God. “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (Ezr_1:2).

Isaiah 45:7

CREATION OF THE UNIVERSEHere is a remarkable statement relative to the creation of the universe before all time. God says: Zoroastrianism began in Persia. It teaches that Mazda is the god of light. God says He creates light, and that it is no god. The Persians were getting very close to the truth. Many have wondered why they worshiped one god in the midst of idolatry. Well, you must remember that they came in contact with the nation Israel, and Israel was a witness to the world. In Zoroastrianism darkness was Ahriman, the god of evil. God takes responsibility for creating the darkness also. “And create evil"the word evil does not mean wickedness in this instance, but rather “sorrow, difficulties, or tragedies"those things which are the fruit of evil, the fruit of sin. This is the Old Testament way of saying, “The wages of sin is death …” (Rom_6:23). If you indulge in sin, there will be a payday for it! By the way, let me introduce something else at this point, since we are living in a day when it is said that good and evil are relative terms, that whatever you think is good, is good. The argument is put forth: The Bible says “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not steal” (Exo_20:13, Exo_20:15). But what is the Bible? Who should obey it? Or why should we listen to the God of the Bible? The Lord has another very cogent argument. God says that if you indulge in sin, you will find that sin has its payday. It pays a full wage, by the way. This is what God is saying through Isaiah. God has so created the universe that when you break over the bounds that He has set, you don’t need a judge, a hangman’s noose, or an electric chair; God will take care of it. He says, therefore, that He is the One who creates light and darkness. He is answering Zoroastrianism which worshiped the god of light. God says, “I want you to know that light is no god; I created it.”

Isaiah 45:9

Why fight against God? You are going to lose anyway. The Greeks had a proverb that went something like this: The dice of the gods are loaded. That is exactly what God says in His Word. He says, “Don’t think that you can fight Me. Settle your case out of court.” “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa_1:18). My friend, don’t gamble with God, because when He rolls the dice He knows exactly how they are coming upyou don’t. This is tremendous! Now the Lord makes some other claims.

Isaiah 45:12

It is interesting that God says He “stretched out the heavens.” This is no accident. It was Sir James Jeans, a Christian astronomer in Great Britain, who advanced a theory that today most astronomers follow. I notice here in Pasadena that some of the men connected with Cal Tech, who work in the field of astronomy, take the position that you and I live in a universe which Sir James Jeans called an expanding universe. It gets bigger every minute. The planets and worlds and galactic systems are all moving out away from each other. God says, “I stretched out the heavens.” That is the way He did it although He hasn’t told us exactly how He did itor how He could take nothing and make something out of it.

Regardless of what theory you adopt, you have to move back to the place where there is nothing and then there is something. If you can tell me how nothing becomes something, then I will listen to you. Until you can answer that, you can talk about tadpoles and monkeys all you want and I’ll just sit and smile at you. I’m a skeptic; I don’t believe you. Only God has a reasonable answer. God says, “I created it.” By His fiat word He brought the universe into existence.

Do you have a more intelligent answer than what God has given to us in His Word?

Isaiah 45:17

CONTINUANCE OF ISRAELThis brings us to the third division: the continuance of Israel for all time and eternity. God won’t let us forget this subject. Those who believe that God is through with Israel should take a long look at this passage. Israel’s salvation is everlasting. God says, “Yes, you are going to be judged, Israel. You are going to Babylon, but you are going to return to the land. Rebellion is still in your heart, but ultimately I am going to save you.” Again He gives them an invitationit was wide open then and it is wide open today.

Isaiah 45:22

This is the verse, used by an ignorant man, which was responsible for the conversion of Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon was on his way to church one Sunday morning when a snowstorm hit London. Because he couldn’t make it to his church, he stopped at a little church along the way. The storm was so severe that the preacher did not make it to this little church, so a man got up and said a few words. Spurgeon never knew the man’s name; he only knew that he was an uneducated man. He chose Isa_45:22 as his text, and what he lacked in lightning, he made up for in thunder.

He said, “This verse says, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved.’” He began to talk about the verse. “God says you should look to Him and be saved.” By that time he ran out of ammunition. He had said all he could say about the verse, so he went into the thunder department and began to roar and pound the pulpit, “Look to God, all the ends of the earth, and be saved.” He looked way back in the congregation and saw the young fellow Spurgeon sitting there with a very miserable look on his face. The man said to Spurgeon, “You look to Jesus, and you will be saved.” Spurgeon was a very brilliant man, but he did what this ignorant man suggestedhe looked to Jesus and was saved.