Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Far be it for me to ever advocate the re-establishment of any form of communist government; however, in the case of the former state of Yugoslavia, where ethnic cleansing is an ongoing reality, one could almost wish for a successor area government with the backbone and the means to put an end to the slaughter. Even if we might be unwilling to admit it, some of the world’s empires were actually improvements over the control of local bandits or pirates. When ancient Rome came to power over the Mediterranean world, very, very many of the new provincial kingdoms welcomed the peace and security brought through the rule of Rome - so much so that the provincial peoples began to worship the spirit and wisdom of Roma. In time this ideological worship became just one more god in the panoply of paganism. The Roman peace lasted for almost two hundred years and the administration of Rome took almost a thousand years to decline.
A more modern and enlightened empire was that of Britannia, which at the turn of this century controlled the lives and encouraged the prosperity of one fourth of the world. Long term, Victoria’s ministers planned to turn the Indian Ocean into a British lake. From the Cape to Cairo, from Suez to the straits of Malacca, all around the world in the Empire upon which the sun failed to set for several hundred years, the social consciousness of the gospel was imposed upon former bandits, pirates and pagans. At least in the case of Victoria’s Empire there was no imposition of Empire worship. Quite the contrary; in the late forties as Britain prepared to let India go its own way, a survey of the common people was taken to determine their feelings after three hundred and some years of rule. The survey was quickly abandoned when it was found that most of the common people in the villages of rural India had no idea that the British Raj was even a reality. What better report could an Empire deserve?
So we have seen that in the rise and fall of great empires a greater service is rendered than we might commonly suppose. Even in antiquity the Empires sometimes served a better purpose than they really supposed. In our forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah we read of a coming Median-Persian empire which will do better than most of that era . In fact, in this chapter we see that the times and purposes of the Cyrus yet to come, will be anointed to accomplish the will of our Great God and Father in heaven. Certainly, as we understand from later reports, this Cyrus had some limited knowledge of the God of the Hebrews, but as verse four indicates, his service was not out of religious devotion.
Instead the Almighty God of heaven will direct the service of Cyrus to serve the divine purpose. Our passage may be divided into four sections for our consideration today. The first section of eight verses is devoted to prophesying an event a century and a half in the future. The second section, in verses nine to thirteen, challenges the unbelief of those in every age who doubt the prophecies of the prophets. The third section, in verses fourteen to nineteen, opens up a promise of the gentiles coming unto the Father with an invitation to Israel. The last section, from verse twenty to twenty-five, ends with an invitation to all people in every age to turn to God and be saved.
In our first section, Isaiah develops the revelation that he introduced earlier. One day there will come a conqueror by the name of Cyrus. Here Isaiah reveals that the Lord has appointed this Cyrus to subdue the nations within the plan and providence of the Almighty. God promises that He will go before Cyrus and make his way possible. The wealth conveyed to Cyrus ought to teach him of the power of the Hebrew God. Further, God would have it known that even this heathen king will do what the Lord has planned for the benefit of His own people. Cyrus, if he heard this passage from Daniel, may be addressed directly through Isaiah’s revelation in verse four. Centuries before he was born, Cyrus’s name is revealed through Isaiah and his specific purpose by the prophet Jeremiah. That purpose is returning God’s people to their mountain, their city and their Temple so that a greater Son of David might be revealed in the fullness of time. Isaiah and Jeremiah are to reveal these facts years before hand so that everyone might know that God is indeed greater than, and separate from, the mere gods and goddesses made in the image and idea of mortal man.
That purpose is stated in verse six. In verses seven and eight we see celebrated in verse the greatness of the Lord who is revealed in this act of prophecy. May we be so reminded that the purpose of this revelation is sincere and that these verses were not, as the worldly supposed, written after the fact to amend an earlier scroll from the pen of Isaiah. In fact the great error of the modern worldly “theologians” is specifically denied here in these very words of our second section. Look carefully at the words of warning in verse nine. “Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’” That would be like denying the role of fathers and mothers in bringing a new child into the world. Does any child doubt the fact of his or her own parentage? Believe me, such knowledge is being taught at an earlier and earlier age. Of course their may be some cultural confusion over exactly which father might be responsible, but as the logic here in verse ten would teach us, we ought also be able to deduce that creation demands a Creator.
And this Creator God speaks to us firmly in the next verses. Would the worldly really question Him about the His interest in and provision for His own children? Just as children ought to know that they have parents, so the worldly at the very least must know that God has His own children in the midst of this world. Who do the worldly think they are to demand control of God’s own creation or ownership of His children? In verse twelve God testifies that He has indeed made the earth, created mankind and He has stretched out all the starry hosts in their particular place in heaven. He who can accomplish all of that can just as easily manage to raise up Cyrus and cause him to rebuild Mt Zion and return God’s people to their homeland. Further, we see that Cyrus will not do this for a price, but of his own volition in trying to firmly establish his worldly empire.
By contrast we will see in our third section that there is another Kingdom to which all peoples are called. In this section Isaiah introduces a theme that will be further explored in later chapters. The gentile people will come over to the Covenant Church and beg for admission. This day we know became reality in and through the ministry of Christ and His apostles. But here this coming is hundreds of years in the future. But the gentile treasurer from Ethiopia could take comfort from this and other passages, as he delivered the gifts to Jerusalem and found a greater gift in knowing Christ, just as Isaiah foretold. How many people are as privileged as the Ethiopian Treasurer to find their coming to Christ written about so many centuries before fulfillment? Certainly he could say to Philip “Surely God is with [me] and there is no other; there is no other god.” All makers of idols, as we read in the last chapter, will be put to shame and disgrace.
But all of those called to glory will never be put to shame or disgrace. Our calling, like Isaiah’s and the Ethiopian has fallen on open ears. For us God has not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness. No indeed, as we see in our last section today, the gospel invitation is for all of the elect. Today we may gather together and come; we may assemble completely ignorant of idols and those who make them. We have been blessed with a life free from prayer and worship to gods that cannot save. How well we know and believe that there is no God but our God. The God of the prophet Isaiah has spoken. If we would believe the revelation of Isaiah, we too might accept the invitation in verse twenty-two. However, we may choose like Cyrus to go our own way and serve the Lord God of the universe unwittingly and unwillingly. How much better it would be to come to Him for salvation. Look there in verse twenty-four at those who would ignore the invitation and speak out against Him. Even those who refuse the revelation of this prophet Isaiah may be found here, and their multiple Isaiah theories will bless them not at the close of the age.
And yet, the worldly theories serve their ultimate purpose in encouraging people to take the Scriptures less seriously to their own eternal downfall. One day verse twenty-two will be fulfilled exactly, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. May we be counted with the elect noted in verse twenty-eight, and being found there may we exult in the Lord who revealed His plan of redemption through the revelation of Isaiah and all the rest. Amen.
Resources Used:
Ellis, Charles..
The Wells of Salvation.
Thomas, Derek..
Welwyn Commentary Series: God Delivers.
Young, Edward J.
The Book of Isaiah.
Youngblood, Ronald F. The Book of Isaiah: An
Introductory Commentary.
The Holy Bible.
New International Version (1984 Edition)
NOTE: I am not able to automatically
recommend any future editions.
Christ Covenant Reformed (Presbyterian Church in America) -
Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213
(c) 2001
11 September 94
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.