ISAIAH CHAPTER 45 Cyrus's work and strength foretold, ISAIAH 45:1. God
hath all power, ISAIAH 45:5; will assist Cyrus, ISAIAH 45:13,14. The
mystery of Providence, ISAIAH 45:15. Idols and their worshippers shall
be destroyed, and God alone exalted, 16 21. The Gentiles come in to
Christ, ISAIAH 45:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GO BEFORE THEE, to remove all obstructions, and to prepare the
way for thee, as it follows. I WILL BREAK IN PIECES THE GATES OF
BRASS, AND CUT IN SUNDER THE BARS OF IRON; I will destroy all them
that oppose thee, and carry thee through the greatest difficulties.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TREASURES OF DARKNESS; such as have been stored up and long kept
in dark and secret places, as well in Babylon, JEREMIAH 50:37,
JEREMIAH 51:13, as in other countries, which Cyrus conquered; and from
which he took infinite treasures, as Pliny and others relate. THAT
THOU MAYEST KNOW, by the accom... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE EVEN CALLED THEE BY THY NAME; I have called thee to this
honour, and that by name; not for thy sake, but for Israel's sake;
therefore do not despise them, thou wilt find them a poor and enslaved
people, neither be puffed up into a great opinion of thyself. I HAVE
SURNAMED THEE, THOUGH THOU HA... [ Continue Reading ]
I GIRDED THEE; I made thee strong and active, and fitted and disposed
thee for these great and warlike enterprises. For these were the uses
and significations of girding in Scripture: see 1 KINGS 20:11 PSALMS
18:32, PSALMS 45:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY KNOW; that all nations may know it by my foretelling of
these things so long beforehand, and by the wonderful success that I
shall give thee, and by my overruling thins heart, and counsels, and
victories, to the deliverance of my people according to my promise.... [ Continue Reading ]
All men's comforts and calamities come from my hand.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE SKIES POUR DOWN RIGHTEOUSNESS; the righteous and gracious acts
of God for his people shall be so many and illustrious, as if God
rained down showers of righteousness out of heaven. LET THE EARTH
OPEN; open itself, either to receive those showers of righteousness to
be poured down from heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO HIM THAT STRIVETH WITH HIS MAKER! This woe is denounced,
either,
1. Against those Jews who, hearing this and many other prophecies and
promises of their deliverance out of captivity, and vet continuing in
captivity, were ever prone to distrust God, and to murmur at him for
punishing them s... [ Continue Reading ]
As it were an absurd and impudent thing for a child to quarrel with
his parents, either simply for begetting him, or for begetting him of
this or that sex, contrary to his desire; no better is it for any
persons to quarrel with God the Maker and FATHER OF ALL THINGS, as God
is called, 1 CORINTHIANS... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS MAKER; Israel's Maker, who not only created him, as I did all
others, but made him a new creature, and a peculiar people to myself.
ASK ME OF THINGS TO COME CONCERNING MY SONS, AND CONCERNING THE WORK
OF MY HANDS COMMAND YE ME: the words thus rendered contain a
concession or permission; and the... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE MADE THE EARTH, AND CREATED MAN UPON IT; they are wholly and
solely my creatures, and therefore absolutely at my disposal. ALL
THEIR HOST HAVE I COMMANDED; I have commanded them to be, or made them
by my command, or the word of my power: compare PSALMS 148:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE RAISED HIM; Cyrus, who; was named before, ISAIAH 45:1. IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS; not in a way of absolute sovereignty, as I might have
done, but most justly, to punish the wicked Babylonians, to plead the
cause of the innocent oppressed ones, to manifest my own
righteousness, and truth, and goodness.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LABOUR OF EGYPT; the wealth gotten by their labour. _Men of
stature_; a tall and strong people, who yet shall use their strength
not to oppose thee, but to serve thee, and to bring their labour to
thee. SHALL COME OVER UNTO THEE; either,
1. To thee, O Cyrus: because thou wast so generous as to... [ Continue Reading ]
These are the words of the prophet, drawn from him by the
contemplation of the great and various works and dispensations of God
towards his church, and in the world. THAT HIDEST THYSELF, to wit,
from thy people for a season. Thy counsels are deep and
incomprehensible, thy ways and carriages are past... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY; the idolatrous Gentiles, as it is explained in the end of the
verse, opposed to Israel in the beginning of the next verse. MAKERS;
either the artificers, or the chief masters that set them on work, and
consequently all their worshippers; although the makers being most
guilty, and the cause of... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH AN EVERLASTING SALVATION; not for a short time, as it was in the
days of the judges and of the kings, under whom their dangers and
calamities did frequently return upon them; but unto all ages, as it
follows; whence it appears that he speaks not only nor chiefly of
their deliverance out of Baby... [ Continue Reading ]
This description of God is here added, either,
1. To detect the vanity of idols, by asserting that none was to be
owned as the true God besides that one God who made the heavens and
the earth, and the inhabitants thereof. Or,
2. To demonstrate God's sufficiency to fulfil all these glorious
promise... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NOT SPOKEN IN SECRET, in a dark place of the earth: the heathen
idols deliver their oracles darkly and doubtfully, in obscure cells
and caverns of the earth, or out of the bellies of their priests; but
I have delivered my oracles to Israel publicly and plainly, as one
that was neither afraid... [ Continue Reading ]
ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES AND COME; DRAW NEAR TOGETHER; to debate the
business with me concerning the divinity of your idols, and hear what
I have said, and am now about to say again, in that matter. YE THAT
ARE ESCAPED OF THE NATIONS; the remnant of the Gentiles, which shall
survive those great and many... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER, to maintain the cause of their idols.
WHO HATH DECLARED THIS? this great work of which I have spoken,
concerning Babylon's destruction, and the redemption of God's people.
A JUST GOD AND A SAVIOUR; whereas the gods of the heathens are neither
just nor saviours to thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Upon these considerations, I advise all people upon earth, from one
end to the other, to cast away their _idols_, and to turn their eyes
and hearts to me, expecting salvation from me, and from me only; and
their labour shall not be in vain; for they shall be saved: the
imperative being put for the f... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF, which is the highest and most solemn oath that
is possible, HEBREWS 6:13, and therefore signifies that the matter
here sworn is of an extraordinary importance. THE WORD IS GONE OUT OF
MY MOUTH IN RIGHTEOUSNESS; it is not a vain word rashly uttered, and
afterwards never rememb... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL ONE SAY; or, _shall he say_; each or every one of those whom he
now said that they should bow their knees to God, and swear by him,
ISAIAH 45:23. Or, it shall be said; such active verbs being oft used
impersonally. IN THE LORD; by or from God alone, or the Messiah, who
is the true Jehovah as w... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SEED OF ISRAEL; all Israelites indeed, whether Jews or
Gentiles; all believers, who are frequently called God's Israel in
Scripture, as PSALMS 24:6 ROMANS 9:6, ROMANS 11:26 GALATIANS 6:16.
JUSTIFIED; acquitted both from real guilt before God, and from all
false aspersions before the world; f... [ Continue Reading ]