Isaiah 45:14-25. Today’s reading is the rest of the mini message we began yesterday. In that part of the message we saw the amazing prediction about Cyrus, a prediction which came true aver 150 years later. And it was very, very specific giving the actual name of the person involved. At the end of yesterday’s reading we also saw a warning to people who would doubt God; his plan and his power. Today’s reading continues that whole discussion about what God is doing and how different people respond.
Remember that Isaiah was writing to the people of Judah during some very troubling times, times of invasion. Scholars tell us that we cannot know exactly when these messages were first given, but if we take Isaiah at his word (Isaiah 1:1) this book was put together through the reign of Hezekiah. It was during Hezekiah’s reign that the Assyrians invaded Judah and were destroyed by a miracle of God in 701 BC. So that is the setting here. The people of Judah had been promised that Jerusalem would be spared in their day but would eventually be conquered by Babylon (Remember Hezekiah’s reaction to that prediction in Isaiah 39:5-8, he was kind of stupid in his response, self-centered). As we know from history the captivity by Babylon was ended by Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, after he conquered the Babylonian Empire. In yesterday’s reading we saw hints at this captivity and the fact that Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. At the end of yesterday’s reading some were objecting to what God was doing. In that case, probably because God was using an unbelieving king, Cyrus, to carry out part of his plan.
In the first few verses of today’s reading we see God telling the people of Israel that three groups of people for Africa will come to them, bringing gifts, and wanting to follow them. These people will come in humility and honor the God of the Israelites. If you have been reading along you might remember chapters 13-23 contained several predictions of what would happened to various nations (including Judah) because of their pride. Now here we see nations responding to God with respect and in humility (without pride). These three nations (which may be an example of what all nations will do) make four statements about God in his honor. The recognize that the God of the Israelites is the true God (God is with you alone), There is no other real God, that God’s ways cannot be understood without help from Him (hidden), and that the God of Israel (Yahweh, though they do not name him in these verses) is the savior. In verses 16-17 God supports what the three nations have said about him by assuring the people of Judah that the people who follow idols will be ashamed, humiliated, confounded, or disgraced. The idea here is really the opposite of pride. It reminds me of Rabshakeah earlier in Isaiah when he boasted about how his king, Sennacherib, had conquered all of the area and how the gods of the people had not saved them. Later Sennacherib was murdered by two of his sons while he was worshipping in the temple of his god, Nisroch (Isaiah 37:37-38). All that pride in stupid useless wood and metal objects. In contrast Israel will not be humiliated because Yahweh (LORD) has saved them with an everlasting salvation, into eternity. So we see two different responses to God, trust and honor or dishonor and trust in idols. And it’s not just people of Judah who trust in God, people from other nations are trusting in the God too.
Verses 18-25 give us more of the picture about God’s plan. First we see a reminder of who God is, the creator. Next we see an important part of God’s plan for his creation, us. God did not create the universe so it would be empty, he made it to be inhabited. Next we are told that God did not keep his secrets to himself but that he has communicated to us, specifically through the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites. And the information he has given us is right and upright. The idea is that God has not left us guessing. A lot of times people ask the question, “How could God let a thing like that happen?” They are second guessing God, questioning how life is. Sometimes it is a person’s excuse for not following God or not believing in Him. But the idea here is God gives us all the information we need to understand what we need to know abut Him and life. In many religions you are left guessing or wondering or keeping a score and hoping you counted correctly. But with God there is no guessing and there is no score to keep. God is the savior and he has a plan and he is working it out.
In verses 20-21 God challenges the idol worshippers to a duel or sorts. “Rock, Paper, Scissors” and the idols always lose because God knows the end from the beginning (OH wait that verse is not until tomorrow Isaiah 46:10). The fact that God knows the future before it happens is proof to us that he is God. I like verses 22-23, in them God asks people to come back to Him and be saved. If we turn to him he will save us. What from? Our broken relationship with him and the eternal consequence of separation from him. In other words he will bring us back into his forever family.
The end of verse 23 through verse 25 shows us that God’s salvation has a serious side. Paul quotes the last part of Isaiah 45:23 in Romans 14:11-12 warning the believers in Rome that we will all stand before God and have a little chat with God about our lives. In Philippians 2:10 Paul also quotes this verse in relationship to Jesus, telling us that it is Jesus who we will honor in this way. Every human being will bow down to the one true God. Unfortunately some will be accepted into heaven forever and others will be sent away from God forever (Matthew 7:21-27; 25:1-46; Revelation 20:11-15). But remember which way you go depends on your response to God (Isaiah 45:22), turn to God and be saved. The talk about your actions in those verses in Matthew is not about how you get to heaven but what you do because you are going there. The idea is that if you really love God it will show in your life. The end of verse 24 and verse 25 put it in an interesting way. Are you like so many people today who are angry at God? If you are you will be ashamed. Either you will turn back to God like the people of Egypt and Cush and the Sabeans (who are described like slaves, a very humble description) and be humbled now or you will be humbled by the face to face judgment of God when you fall down realizing who he is but it’s too late and you are sent away in shame forever. The only way to be made right with God is through Yahweh (LORD). It is only by his actions for us that things between him and us can be made right. And because he alone saves us (v. 17. See Also Matthew 6:13-14 with John 14:6) he will be honored. This promise is not just to the “offspring” or children of the man Israel but to all from the nations who will turn to God.
It’s sad how one of the idols of today is the earth or maybe even the universe. There are definitely people today who think that mankind is a parasite and that the universe would be a better place without us. But God loves people, enough to become one of us and to die for our sins (disobedience and rebellion) (Philippians 2:5-8; 1 John 2:2). He died for every one but not every one will turn to him. The question is will you? It’s not enough to just call him your master though. If you really love God it should show in your life. Is Jesus really the first love of you life or are you clinging to some idols. If you are let them go and grab on to the true God who loves you and will care for you for an eternity. Lord thank you for being the real deal. You have proven yourself and shown yourself. Open our eyes so we can see. Open our hears so we will latch onto you. Help us understand what pleases you. Help us remember, remember, remember and be faithful to you. Lead us in the way everlasting.