Isaiah 45
THEN Israel rejected God's messengers the prophets, who sought to bring the people back to Him, He at length turned them over to enemies who transported them to the regions of Assyria and Babylonia.
Isaiah lived during the last clays of the tell tribes whose capital was at Samaria, when they were carried away by the Assyrians, but he died about a hundred years before Jerusalem was destroyed, by one of the two nations which overcame Assyria-Babylonia.
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar took the Jews to their country, but after 70 years the Babylonian Empire was overthrown by the Persian king Cyrus, of whom our chapter speaks, and he, in the first year of his reign, proclaimed liberty to the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed (2 Chronicles 36; Ezra 1).
Babylon was the greatest city, and Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful monarch. world had ever known. When Israel sinned so deeply that God was compelled to give them up, He gave power to the Gentiles, and empire succeeded empire (Daniel 2 :37-45), since then have been "the times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21 :24).
It was a part of the chastening God visited upon the Jews, that they, like their brethren of the ten tribes, should be captives in a land devoted to idolatry. The Persians, on the other hand would have nothing to do with idols, though they had false gods of their own.
God raised up Nebuchadnezzar for a scourge for the Jews, and again raised up. Cyrus to restore to them a measure of liberty. Cyrus is used in Isaiah as a foreshadowing of Christ under whom the true and final restoration of Israel will take place.
Babylon was thought to be so well provided with defensive walls and gates that it could not be captured, but God was on Cyrus's side (verse 1-7) and the city was taken as recorded in Daniel 5.
Verse 8, leaving Cyrus and his work for God, begins the consideration of the events which are yet future. When the time is come for blessing on earth, God will bring it in, but let not any presume to strive with their Maker! (verse 9).
God's hiding Himself (verse 15) is because of His forbearance; when He reveals Himself again on earth in the Person of His Son, it will be, first of all, to execute judgment. Notice in this connection the Lord's words to the Jews in Matthew 23:3939For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39). Those who are numbered among the redeemed in that day will receive Him by faith in their hearts before they see Him.
Verse 21: How could He be "a just God and a Saviour?" The only way was to have His beloved and only Son take the guilty sinner's place on the cross, exhaust sin's judgment (for all who believe) upon Him. This has been done, blessed forever be His name!
Messages of God’s Love 1/7/1934