Isaiah 45-47
There was a great king over Persia and other lands long ago who was told of in the Bible many years before he was born. This king’s name was Cyrus; he lived more than a hundred years after Isaiah, yet God showed Isaiah just what this king would do, and he wrote:
“Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him ... ” Is. 45:1.
A man, “anointed.”, was one chosen for a special purpose; this man Cyrus was chosen by God to be a great ruler, to conquer nations by God’s help. God knew His people, Israel, would be captives in a far land, in much sorrow, and He told Isaiah to tell them that this great king would free them. He told of him so plaiy as though he were then alive:
Some of the words are even more direct as though to Cyrus himself:
“I will go before thee ... . I will give thee ... ..the treasures ... .. and hidden riches ... .that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by name, am the God of Israel...
“I have even called thee by thy name.. though thou has not known Me... I girded (strengthened) thee. That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me.” Isaiah 45:3-63And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 4For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:3‑6).
It was about a hundred years after Isaiah that the people of Israel were carried captives to Babylon and were in sorrow there for seventy years. Then the army of Cyrus got through the strong gates of Babylon and conquered it. You may have read of this in school, as there are old accounts which tell that the king and watchman thought the great walls and gates so strong they did not guard or lock them. It was taken easily, as God told Isaiah, “I will “loose” the lions (the strength) of kings, to open before him the leaved (hinged) gates; and the gates shall not be shut.” Isaiah 45:11Thus saith the Lord 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 before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; (Isaiah 45:1).
God told Isaiah, Babylon should be deated because its people “showed no mey” to Israel, and trusted in their many idols, enchanters, fortune tellers, who only deceive; they were “given to pleasures”, not believing God’s warnings (by his prophets), but said they would “nor he left in sorrow (Isa. 47:6-136I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst show them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. 7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. 8Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: 9But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. 10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. 11Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. 12Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. 13Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. (Isaiah 47:6‑13)).
After Cyrus began his rule in Babylon, he said all the captives of Israel who wanted to, could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and temple of God; he gave them the costly gold and silver dishes, which had been taken from the temple years before; so the words about “the hidden riches” came true, as did all the words of God about Cyrus, told to Isaiah, so long before. The captives who had read the writing of Isaiah would be helped to trust the words of the One to come, who would be far greater than Cyrus.
God knows each of us, as he knew Cyrus, and still says to all,
ML 01/11/1942