INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 45 This chapter contains prophecies concerning Cyrus, the deliverer of the Jews from captivity; and concerning the grace, righteousness, and salvation of Christ; and the conversion of the Gentiles. An account is given of Cyrus, and of the great things God would do for him, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD TO HIS ANOINTED, TO CYRUS,.... Cyrus is called the Lord's anointed, not because he was anointed with material oil, as the kings of Israel and Judah were; but because he was appointed by the Lord to be a king, and was qualified by him for that office; and was raised up by him to b... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GO BEFORE THEE, AND MAKE THE CROOKED PLACES STRAIGHT,.... Or, "level the hilly places" c; as pioneers do. The sense is, that he would remove all impediments and obstructions out of his way, and cause him to surmount all difficulties: I WILL BREAK IN PIECES THE GATES OF BRASS, AND CUT IN SUND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL GIVE THEE TREASURES OF DARKNESS, AND HIDDEN RICHES OF SECRET PLACES,.... What had been laid up in private places, and had not seen the light for many years. The Jewish Rabbins say f, that Nebuchadnezzar having amassed together all the riches of the world, when he drew near his end, consid... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR JACOB MY SERVANT'S SAKE, AND ISRAEL MINE ELECT, I HAVE EVEN CALLED THEE BY THY NAME,.... Not so much for the sake of Cyrus, and to do honour to him, was it that he so long before he was born called him by his name; but to assure the people of the Jews, the Lord's chosen people, and who were his... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE LORD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE,.... Whom thou, O Cyrus, for the words are directed to him, ought to own, serve, and worship: THERE IS NO GOD BESIDES ME; in heaven or earth, in any of the countries conquered by thee, and thou rulest over; for though there were gods and lords many, so called,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY KNOW FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN, AND FROM THE WEST,.... That all the inhabitants of the world, from east to west, which takes in the habitable part of the world, that from north to south not being entirely so; that all within this compass, by hearing what great things God did by Cyrus,... [ Continue Reading ]
I FORM THE LIGHT, AND CREATE DARKNESS,.... Natural light, or that light which was produced at the first creation, and of which the sun is the fountain and source; or day which is light, and night which is darkness, the constant revolutions of which were formed, appointed, and are continued by the Lo... [ Continue Reading ]
DROP DOWN, YE HEAVENS, FROM ABOVE, AND LET THE SKIES POUR DOWN RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Or, "the righteous One", as the Vulgate Latin version; the Lord our righteousness, Christ the author of righteousness, who was to bring in an everlasting one; and whose coming was to be, and was, as the rain, as the fo... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO HIM THAT STRIVETH WITH HIS MAKER,.... That contends with him, enters into a controversy, and disputes with him, or litigates a point with him; quarrels with his purposes and decrees; murmurs and repines at his providences, and finds fault with his dispensations: this seems to have respect t... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO HIM THAT SAITH UNTO HIS FATHER, WHAT BEGETTEST THOU?.... That quarrels with him, and complains of him, because he was not of the other sex, or not so wise, or so rich, or so handsome, as others: OR TO THE WOMAN; disdaining to call her mother: WHAT HAST THOU BROUGHT FORTH? equally as absur... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, AND HIS MAKER,.... He whose name alone is Jehovah, who is glorious in holiness, the Sanctifier of his people, and the Maker of them, both as creatures, and new creatures: ASK ME OF THINGS TO COME CONCERNING MY SONS, AND CONCERNING THE WORK OF MY HANDS CO... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE MADE THE EARTH,.... The Targum adds, "by my Word"; the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; see Hebrews 11:3, this, with what follows, is said to show that the Lord was able to bring to pass things to come, concerning his children, and the works of his hands, which he allowed his people to... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE RAISED HIM UP IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Though this may be said with some respect to Cyrus, yet chiefly to Christ, of whom Cyrus was a type; him the Lord appointed and determined to be the Saviour and Redeemer of his people; him he sent forth in time for that purpose, in righteousness or faithful... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... The following words are said not to Cyrus, nor to Christ, but to the church, as the feminine pronouns show; and Kimchi observes, they are directed to Jerusalem: THE LABOUR OF EGYPT, AND MERCHANDISE OF ETHIOPIA, AND OF THE SABEANS, MEN OF STATURE, SHALL COME OVER UNTO THEE;... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY THOU ART A GOD THAT HIDETH THYSELF,.... Who hid himself from the Gentile world for some hundreds of years, who had no knowledge of the true God, lived without him in the world, and whose times of ignorance God overlooked, and suffered them to walk in their own ways; though now he would make h... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED, AND ALSO CONFOUNDED, ALL OF THEM,.... This refers not to any persons spoken of before; not to Israel or the church, or converts among the Gentiles that came to her; but to those that follow, of whom the same is said in other words: THEY SHALL GO TO CONFUSION TOGETHER, THAT AR... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED IN THE LORD,.... Not the carnal seed of Israel, or the natural posterity of Jacob, for only a remnant of them were saved; indeed, in the latter day, when there will be a general conversion of them, there will be a general salvation of them, ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED; but h... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD, THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS,.... These words, and what follow, are the words of the Son of God, of the Lord the Saviour, in whom Israel is saved with an everlasting salvation; and this is said to assure them of it, as well as to distinguish himself from the gods of the Gentiles... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NOT SPOKEN IN SECRET, IN A DARK PLACE OF THE EARTH,.... In a private whisper, in a muttering manner, and out of the belly, as the Heathen priests did; and from out of cells, dens, and caverns of the earth, from whence the oracles of Heathen deities were delivered; but in a free, open, clear,... [ Continue Reading ]
ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES, AND COME; DRAW NEAR TOGETHER, YE THAT ARE ESCAPED OF THE NATIONS,.... Not that escaped the sword of Cyrus's army, the Chaldeans; nor the Jews that escaped out of Babylon and other countries, by his means; but the remnant, according to the election of grace among the Gentiles; su... [ Continue Reading ]
TELL YE, AND BRING THEM NEAR, AND LET THEM TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER,.... Tell them what I say of their ignorance and stupidity; and gather them all together, their gods, their makers, and their worshippers, and let them lay their heads together, and consult what proof they are able to give of their div... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOK UNTO ME,.... And not to idols, nor to any creature, nor to the works of your hands; to your own righteousness and doings; to your wounds; to your tears and humiliations; to your own hearts and frames; to your graces and the exercise of them; all must be looked off of, and Christ only looked unt... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF,.... Christ being the true God, he could swear by no greater, Hebrews 6:13, this shows that what follows, and is here sworn unto, is of great importance, and strictly true, and would certainly be accomplished: THE WORD IS GONE OUT OF MY MOUTH IN RIGHTEOUSNESS; both what goes... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY, SHALL ONE SAY, IN THE LORD HAVE I RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH,.... That is, one and everyone of these that shall be brought to submit to Christ, and to confess him, shall declare it as their faith, that in Christ alone is their "righteousness or righteousnesses" f; that they have a full and c... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LORD SHALL ALL THE SEED OF ISRAEL BE JUSTIFIED,.... All the spiritual Israel of God, whether Jews or Gentiles; all the spiritual seed and offspring of Christ, to whom he stands in the relation of the, everlasting Father and federal Head; these being given to him, and being in him, are justifi... [ Continue Reading ]