Isaiah 41:1-29

Isaiah: God controls the nations

God promises comfort to his people

Isaiah Chapter s 40 to 48

Norman Hillyer

Chapter 41

Know who really controls events

v1 God speaks: ‘You people in distant nations, be silent! Listen to me. Collect your evidence. Then prepare what you want to say, as if in a court. You will have your opportunity to speak. Then together we can calmly reach a decision about who controls the events through history.

v2 Who is it that has brought a man from the east? That man wins battles wherever he goes. It is God the *Lord who allows him to overcome many nations. And to walk over kings. And to reduce many armies to dust. That man’s weapons (military arms) scatter armies like so much straw that the wind blows away. v3 He pursues their armies, but he himself is never in any danger. He travels at such speed. One could say that his feet never seem to touch the ground.

v4 There is only one who has made all this to happen. The one who has decided the events through history. The same one who has always been calling people to his service. I, the *Lord, was there at the beginning. I, the *Lord, will be there at the end.’

v5 People who live even in distant nations are greatly afraid. The whole world trembles at what is happening. v6 So people gather together and tell each other to be brave. v7 But they also hurry to make a new *idol. One worker is skilled to use wood. He encourages the worker who is skilled to use gold. One worker hammers the metal flat. He encourages his partner who shapes it on the *anvil. One worker tells the other worker that he has done a good job. And he uses nails so that the *idol will not fall down.