CYRUS, THE LORD’S CHOSEN ONE
ISAIAH CHAPTER 45
CYRUS, THE LORD’S CHOSEN ONE
Verse 1 – anointed one: This designation, commonly reserved for David or the Messiah, is here applied to Cyrus. Cyrus was anointed in the sense that he was selected to fulfil a special mission. The title was never used for any other foreign ruler (cross reference 1 Samuel 10:1: Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.; Romans 13:1: Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God).
Psalm 73:23: Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
Jeremiah 51:11, 20, 24: Sharpen the arrows! Lift up the shields![e]
For the Lord has inspired the kings of the Medes to march against Babylon and destroy her. This is his vengeance against those who desecrated his Temple… “You[g] are my battle-ax and sword,” says the Lord. “With you I will shatter nations and destroy many kingdoms…. “I will repay Babylon and the people of Babylonia.
for all the wrong they have done to my people in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.
. whose right hand he will empower: The Lord would give Cyrus victory over Babylon (see Isaiah 43:14: This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of).
Verse 2 – the mountains: As in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads the swellings.
Psalm 107:16: For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.
Isaiah 40:4: Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
Jeremiah 51:30: Her mightiest warriors no longer fight. They stay in their barracks, their courage gone. They have become like women. The invaders have burned the houses and broken down the city gates.
Verse 3 – so you may know: Cyrus’s victories provided factual proof that the Lord has power to fulfil His plans, whilst idols are false gods do not (see Isaiah 41:21-29).
Isaiah 49:1: Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away!
The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb, he called me by name. 48:14b-15: …The Lord has chosen Cyrus as his ally. He will use him to put an end to the empire of Babylon and to destroy the Babylonian armies. 15 “I have said it: I am calling Cyrus! I will send him on this errand and will help him succeed.
45:4-5: I call you by name: Cyrus did not know the Lord, but the Lord knew him. Isaiah prophesied the rescuer Cyrus by name 150 years in advance. This prophesy would prove to the exiles that the Lord is indeed God and that He knows the future from the beginning.
Verse 4 – Isaiah 43:1: But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
Acts 17:22-23: So Paul, standing before the council,[e] addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
Verse 5 – Psalm 18:39: You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
Isaiah 44:8: Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!”
Verse 6 – Malachi 1:11: For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
Verse 7 – light…darkness…good times and bad times: Everything is under God’s control.
Psalm 104:20: You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.
Amos 3:6-7: When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed?
Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it? 7 Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.
Verse 8 – Psalm 72:6: May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth.; 85:11: Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Isaiah 61:11: The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.; 62:2: The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth.
45:9-13: The Lord confronts those who question His right to use a pagan king to achieve his/her purposes. He, the creator is free and sovereign in His activities. He promised to bring His people back to their land, and would use anyone he chose to accomplish that purpose.
45:9-11: pot…its maker…baby…its father: It’s insane for a creature to question the wisdom of its creator.
Verse 9 – Romans 9:17-21: For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” (Exodus 19:16: But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth. This is Greek version) 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
Verse 12 – Nehemiah 9:6: “You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.
Jeremiah 27:5: With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.
Verse 13 – 2 Chronicles 36:22-23: In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, (The first year of Cyrus’s reign over Babylon was 538 B..) the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:
23 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!”
Isaiah 52:3: For this is what the Lord says: “When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”
Verse 14 – Egyptians….Ethiopians (Hebrew Cushites)….Sabeans: Israel’s restoration would bring them a new sovereignty. Foreign nations would honour God, and because they recognized God’s special blessing on His people, they would also want to honour His people.
Isaiah 14:1-2: But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. 2 The nations of the world will help the people of Israel to return, and those who come to live in the Lord’s land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies.; 49:23: Kings and queens will serve you (Israel) and care for all your needs. They will bow to the earth before you and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”
1 Corinthians 14:25: As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”
Verse 16 – Isaiah 44:11: All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen—mere humans—who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame.
Verse 17 – Israel would never again be humiliated and disgraced, oppressed, harassed, or abused. The finality of these declaration suggests that this promise will be fulfilled at the end time (eternal salvation).
Isaiah 51:6: Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below.
For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever.
My righteous rule will never end!
Romans 11:26: And so, all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
Isaiah 51:11: Those who have been ransomed by the Lord (i.e., the remnants) will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.
45:18-25: Salvation is from the Lord alone: He is the creator, the revealer, and the executor of His will in human history. He promised to establish a new era of salvation and righteousness (see Isaiah 45:8: “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them.) Every human being will submit to God, either willingly or unwillingly (Isaiah 45:23-24: I have sworn by my own name;
I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”
24 The people will declare, “The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.” And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.
Verse 18 – Ancient pagan people viewed the world as a place of empty chaos. However, God’s purposes are good, and He made the world from beginning as a place to be lived in with Him in harmony.
Genesis 1:1-2, 26: n the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters…. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Psalm 115:16: The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.
Isaiah 42:5: God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth.
Verse 19 – of Israel: Israel and Jacob are used interchangeably through out the Bible scriptures (see Psalm 105:6, 8-10: …you children of his servant Abraham,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones… He always stands by his covenant—
the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
9 This is the covenant he made with Abraham
and the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant.)
2 Chronicles 15:1-2: Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
Isaiah 43:12: First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.
No foreign god has ever done this. You are witnesses that I am the only God,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:10-14: This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
Verse 20 – Jeremiah 10:5: Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”; 32:11-14, 16: Then I took the agreement which showed that I had bought the field, both the agreement which was not to be opened, and the open one. 12 And I gave the written agreement to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. This was seen by Hanamel, the son of my father’s brother, and by those who watched me write my name on the agreement, and by all the Jews who were sitting in the open space of the prison. 13 I said to Baruch in front of them, 14 ‘This is what the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says: “Take these agreements, … “After I had given the agreement showing I had bought the field to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying,
Verse 21 – Isaiah 43:3, 11: For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place… I, yes, I, am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. ; 44:7: Who is like me?
Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future.
Matthew 12:32: Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
Verse 22 – Let all the world look to me: All humanity needs to seek the LORD, the true God who created all things, while He many be found (Isaiah 55:6: Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.)
. In God there is salvation, the only hope for humanity (Isaiah 45:8: “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them.)
Numbers21:8-9: Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!
Isaiah 52:10: The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
Micah 7:7: As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me,
and my God will certainly hear me.
Isaiah 51:8: For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation.”
Verse 23 – God’s words are always true. God’s swearing by His own name reinforces the certainty that He will never go back on His word (see Isaiah 14:24: This is what the Lord of Host says: “I, myself, have risen against Babylon! I will destroy its children and its children’s children,” says the Lord.; 54:9: “Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.; 62:8: The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength: “I will never again hand you over to your enemies. Never again will foreign warriors come and take away your grain and new wine.; Hebrews 6:13: For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name.)
. Every knee…every tongue: At the end of time all nations will submit to God authority, whether willingly or unwillingly (see Romans 14:11: For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”; 1 Corinthians 15:25-27: For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority. ”[(Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) ; Philippians 2:5-11: You (we) must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.)
. will declare allegiance to me: Literally will declare, or will confess; Greek version reads , will declare allegiance to God. (Romans 14:11)
Verse 24 – In this context, the people are all who turn to the LORD for salvation, even those from foreign nations (Isaiah 45:22: Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.)
Verse 25 – justified: This means righteous.
Isaiah 53:11: When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience, my righteous servant (Jesus Christ) will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.