Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 43

Verses 1-25

XIX

THE BOOK OF ISAIAH PART 11

Isaiah 43-45

The theme of these three chapters is the conflict with the forces of idolatry outside of Israel and arrayed against Israel. The special theme of Isaiah 43:1-44:5 is, "The Free Grace of Jehovah Brings Redemption."

Jehovah, speaking to Israel in Isaiah 43:1, contrasts the curse spoken of in the closing part of the preceding chapter with his free grace of protection. He says, "But now thus saith Jehovah." Then follows a statement of his relation to Jacob. He was Israel’s Creator, Former. Redeemer, and Caller. He created Israel, i.e., brought Israel into being, and when Israel was chaotic, he formed it into an organized nation. When Israel was in bondage to Egypt, he redeemed it, and throughout its history he has called it by name and with special favor he has nourished it.

"Waters," "rivers," and "fire" in Isaiah 43:2 mean troubles of various kinds through which Israel must yet pass. It is a back reference to the Red Sea incident and the crossing of the Jordan, and a prophecy literally fulfilled in the case of the Hebrew children in the furnace of fire. But it has a strong and impressive symbolical meaning. They were yet to pass through the floods and fires of persecutions in their captivity, and dispersion which was to come later on in their history.

Jehovah had saved Israel from Pharaoh, from the Amalekites, from Jabin, from Midian, from the Philistines, from Zerah, and from Sennacherib. The term. "Saviour." is quite a favorite with Isaiah in these last chapters of his book. The prophet had his eyes fixed on the deliverance of Israel from the rouble captivity of sin and of Babylon and thus he saw Jehovah not only as their Saviour in the past but their future Saviour as well. The thought is extended in the expression, "I have given Egypt as thy ransom," which means, "In my counsels I have already assigned to the Persians, as a compensation for letting thee go free, the broad countries of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba." This was fulfilled when Cambyses, the son of Cyrus effected the conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia about 527-6 B.C. This is a marvelous prediction and for its fulfilment, goes far beyond the date of this part of Isaiah assigned by the critics.

In the prophecy of Isaiah 43:5-6 Isaiah saw a greater dispersion than the one of his day and also a greater gathering than the return from the captivity. Though there was a primary fulfilment in the restoration from Babylon, that does not by any means fulfil the conditions herein set forth. They were to come from the north and the south, the east and the west. But no such gathering of the Jews has yet been witnessed. We look to the future for the glories of this prophecy.

In Isaiah 43:8-13 we have a challenge to the nations to try their hand on prophecy, either old or new, and to set forth the claims of their gods against Jehovah. He challenges them to produce the evidence in their case or acknowledge the truth as revealed by Jehovah. Israel is Jehovah’s witness, and also his chosen Servant. Therefore the conclusion is that they have no god; that Jehovah is the only true God. Not only his predictions prove him superior to the other gods, but his power to bring them to pass is beyond all power to hinder.

Israel was Jehovah’s witness (Isaiah 43:10), thus:

1. Israel was Jehovah’s witness to the truth of the proposition that he was the only God as shown in the records of its history. A look at the records proves them to be genuine and in them are found the many predictions and their fulfilments which are unquestioned. These may be mentioned: the overthrow of Jeroboam’s altar at Bethel by Josiah, David’s descendants on the throne of Judah, the long continuance of the house of Jehu, and many others. These are outstanding witnesses of the power of Jehovah to predict the future, as no other god can do.

2. Israel is yet one of the most powerful witnesses for the truth of revelation. No other nation has been so preserved in its dispersion. But all this is found in the prophecy concerning Israel. The proposition of the "Jew" is the one unanswerable argument for the inspiration of the Bible with all infidels. On all other questions they can find a fairly satisfactory answer to themselves but they cannot get by the "Jew." He is the one unanswerable argument for the truth of our religion to the skeptic. "That Jew, that Jew; what shall we do with that Jew?"

The "servant" of Isaiah 43:10 is an added witness and is distinct from Israel though of Israel. This refers to the Messiah, the true servant of chapter Isaiah 42:1-7 whose work was largely witnessing for the Father. He is called the "Faithful Witness" (Revelation 1:5; Revelation 3:14), who "came into the world that he might bear witness of the truth" (John 18:37).

The counterpart to this picture of Israel’s redemption as stated in Isaiah 43:14-21 is the destruction of Babylon, with several correspondences between this deliverance and the deliverance from Egypt.

There are several of these back references here. "The way in the sea," "path in the mighty waters," "the chariot and horse," "the army and the mighty man" are references to the incidents of the Exodus from Egypt and correspond to the power of Babylon and the way in the desert by which God will deliver them from Babylon. The "rivers in the desert" is a reference to the supply of water by Jehovah on the journey from Egypt to the Holy Land. But this deliverance is to be so much greater than the former one they are asked not to mention that one at all: to blot it out of their memory. But did the return from Babylon under Zerubbabel and Joshua fulfil this prophecy? It could not be claimed that this return was sufficient to fill out such an outline. But when we consider the typical aspect of this event as it related both to Israel and Babylon we get the spiritual deliverance of Israel from Babylon. This is impressively pictured in Revelation where the Israel of God is delivered from the mystical Babylon. So in its far-reaching application, the future of Israel so eclipsed the past that they were not to remember the former things.

In Isaiah 43:22-28 the Lord reproves Jacob for his sin and shows that Israel had never done anything to merit this deliverance but on the other hand, his father, Abraham, and his teachers, the priests and prophets, had all gone out of the way and there was no reason for his deliverance except for Jehovah’s own sake, purely an act of grace.

The passage (Isaiah 44:1-5), is set over against the closing verses of Isaiah 43 to which it really belongs as a conclusion, and in which Jehovah states that he had profaned the princes of the sanctuary, i.e., the priesthood had been deprived of its function, as a part of the punishment of Israel’s sin, and that he had made Israel a curse and a reviling. In the opening verses of Isaiah 44 the prophet again strikes the joyful note of promise: that the thirsty land should be refreshed; that the Spirit would be poured upon the seed of Jacob, and there would come the blessings of a matchless prosperity, at which time the Gentiles would come to take the name of Jacob and Israel.

"Jeshurun" in Isaiah 44:2 is one of Israel’s proper names. It is found in only four places, viz: Deuteronomy 32:15; Deuteronomy 33:5; Deuteronomy 33:26, and here in Isaiah 44:2. Of these proper names given to Israel it is well for us to note some of them in this connection. "Hebrew" is derived from Heber, the ancestor of Abraham. "Jacob" marks them as descendants of the patriarch by the same name. "Israel" marks their militant character, as soldiers for God. So when we speak of them from the standpoint of their origin, we say, "Hebrews"; when we take the standpoint of the founder, we say, "Jacob": when we refer to their militant character it is "Israel"; when we think of their standard of moral excellence, it is "Jeshurun, the upright."

The promise here of the outpouring of the Spirit connects back with Joel 2:28; Isaiah 32:15, and is enlarged upon in the promises of John the Baptist and Christ, and has its fulfilment in Acts 2.

The import of Isaiah 44:5 is that Israel in that day will be so flourishing that the Gentiles will not be ashamed to own her, but rather, they will seek to take the name of Jehovah and his people. One will say, "I am Jehovah’s; another, "I am of Jacob"; and another, "I am of Israel."

The special theme of Isaiah 44:6-23 is the "Contrast Between the Living God and Powerless Idols." The prophet introduces this theme (Isaiah 44:6-8) by exalting Jehovah as king and redeemer of Israel, and the one eternal living God, who founded Israel and revealed himself to him as his impregnable Rock. The prophet then shows the shame of idol makers. The ones who make them are "confusion," or "darkness"; there is no profit to their idols; their own witnesses, the idols, do not know; they expect something from them; the failure affects the whole guild of idol makers; all their efforts working together cannot save them from the fear of Jehovah. Their utter failure is their shame.

The whole process of image-making is here reviewed. First comes the making of the adz, or graving tool. The smith works and hammers, and is hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Then follows the carpenter, lining off the idol and shaping it with various tools into the form and beauty of man. But these idols must be made of cedars or other trees, which have to be planted, which also have to be watered by the rain from Jehovah, the purpose of which is to be burnt by man. But the idol maker divides the tree, making part into a god, taking part to burn for warming himself, and cooking his food. Then bowing down before his handmade god he worships it, prays unto it and says, “Deliver me; for thou art my god." A strange god is such a contrivance as this!

The reason for all this perversion is summed up in one sentence in Isaiah 44:20, thus: "A deceived heart hath turned him aside." The paragraph, as a whole, throws much light on their condition. They do not know because God "hath shut their eyes." But they once could see and turned away from the light. Then God turned them over to hardness of heart and reprobacy of mind (see Romans 1:18-32). This is the judicial blindness that comes to those who have the light and reject it. Such is the condition of the heathen world today, except where the gospel has been proclaimed. One of the greatest results of gospel light is the destruction of idols. The Jews are also under judicial blindness today because they rejected the Messiah when he came. The lesson for us is a missionary one. There is but one thing that can dispel the ignorance here described, and that is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is in line with Paul’s commission, to open the eyes of the Gentiles, that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, etc." (Acts 26:16-18).

The cheering message to Jacob and Israel in Isaiah 44:21-23 is the message of forgiveness and redemption, with a call upon all nature to rejoice in the salvation of Jehovah, "for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob and will glorify himself in Israel."

The special theme of Isaiah 44:24-25 is "The Mission of Cyrus." Jehovah here introduces himself, and the introduction is in this form: "Thus saith Jehovah,"

1. Thy redeemer;

2. That formed thee from the womb;

3. That maketh all things;

4. That stretcheth forth the heavens alone;

5, That spreadeth abroad the earth (by myself) ;

6. That frustrateth the signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad:

7. That turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

8. That confirmeth the work of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers;

9. That saith to Jerusalem, She shall be inhabited, and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof;

10. That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;

11. That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure;

12. Even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built, and of the Temple) Thy foundation shall be laid.

Some of this language is plain enough but several of these items need special comment. In the sixth item occur the words, "signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad," which is a reference to the prognostications of the astrologers and soothsayers, that pretended, falsely, to have a knowledge of future events.

In the eighth item occur the words, "servant" and "messengers." "Servant" refers to Isaiah himself and "messengers" to the prophets generally. This means that God attested his prophets in their work just as he did the Lord and his apostles in their work, bringing to pass their predictions.

In the tenth item the words, "Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers," refers to the action of Cyrus in drawing off the water of the Euphrates when he took Babylon.

In the eleventh item are found the terms, "Cyrus" and "shepherd," a term applied to Cyrus with the statement, "and shall perform all my pleasure." The occurrence of "Cyrus" here is very largely responsible for the theory of two Isaiahs, which is amply discussed in the introduction. Suffice it to say here that the giving of Cyrus’ name in this passage is not inconsistent with God’s method of revelation. For instances of names given beforehand by inspiration, see introduction. "Shepherd" here applied to Cyrus places him above the ordinary Oriental monarch in his mission. Cyrus was under a special commission of the Almighty, though he was, in a large measure, unconscious of divine direction. He may have had this prophecy pointed out to him, as Josephus claims and his statements in Ezra 1:2 indicate. In doing the pleasure of Jehovah Cyrus was executing the orders of the unseen hand behind his throne and of the Great Governor of the universe, who exalts kings and deposes them at his own will.

The prediction concerning Jerusalem in the twelfth item is a marvelous prophecy, the fulfilment of which is as certain and definite as history can possibly make it.

The message of Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1-7) was that he was to be especially anointed to subdue the nations before him, as Hazael and Jehu were anointed for their work. He was to take Babylon and liberate Jehovah’s people, build their temple and establish them in the land. The purpose herein expressed was threefold: (1) That Cyrus himself might know that it was Jehovah who had called him by name; (2) That Israel should reap the benefit and advantage of his labor; (3) That the whole world might be taught the unity of God.

It seems most probable that there is a reference in Isaiah 45:7 to the dualism of Zoroastrianism, which advocated two external principles, light and darkness which were perpetually at war with each other. This verse seems to have supplied a corrective to that error, making God the Creator of all things.

The final aim of all God’s providential acts (Isaiah 45:8) was that of the kingdom of heaven and therein righteousness and salvation, should be planted upon earth. The two words for righteousness in this verse are different. The first is rather the norm, or the principle of righteousness; the second, the embodiment of this principle and character and conduct. The living principle descends from heaven and the quickened earth shoots forth "trees of righteousness."

The prophet shows the folly of striving with one’s Maker (Isaiah 45:9-13). It would be absurd for the clay in the hands of the potter to say, "What makest thou?" or the unborn babe to question and find fault with its parents. So in this wonderful thing that Jehovah is about to do, he assured Israel that it is done in righteousness, and his purpose in Cyrus is the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the restoration of the exiles. In Isaiah 45:13 Jehovah says, "I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways." This refers to Cyrus as an instrument of God’s righteous purposes, but the question arises here with respect to his character and his attititude toward religion. The character of Cyrus has been admitted by both ancient and modern writers to have been singularly noble. There is none like him in the ancient world. The explanation of it all is found in this passage in Isaiah. He was God’s "anointed." He had a special vocation from the God of Israel, was raised up by him in righteousness, was loved by him and chosen to perform his will on Babylon. As to his attitude toward the religion of Jehovah, it was friendly, but there is no evidence, positive, that he ever embraced it or even became a monotheist. In Ezra 1:2-4 he talks like a believer, but this may have been due to his acquaintance with this prophecy, rather than any personal acquaintance with Jehovah. In addressing Cyrus (Isaiah 45:4-5) Jehovah says, "I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me."

The far-reaching effect of the work of Cyrus (Isaiah 45:14-17) was to be that -the heathen, put to shame, should confess Jehovah to be the Saviour of Israel. Isaiah 45:15 shows the mysterious ways of God’s providence, and Isaiah 45:17 is an expression of the highest faith in Israel’s everlasting salvation by Jehovah.

After declaring himself creator and the only God, Jehovah Bays (Isaiah 45:19), "I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right." The exposition of this text presents some exceedingly broad views of the government of God. The prophet viewed the children of Judah here as captives in Babylon, with their city and temple destroyed, and Babylon the world empire and the invincible, as holding them. This caused many difficulties in the way of this text, which seemed to make vain the commandment to seek his face. First there was the seeming invincible power of the world empire, Babylon. This Jehovah was taking care of through his own unconscious instrument of power, Cyrus, whom he raised up, endowed, and prepared. Secondly, their own degraded condition was a most serious difficulty in the way of building a nation. But Jehovah would put away their sins and restore the nation for his own name’s sake. (For a full discussion of this text see the author’s sermon, "Encouragement to Prayer," in Evangelistic Sermons, p. 183.)

Jehovah here challenges all the nations, that have escaped, to try their hand with their gods and see if they can match this proceeding of Jehovah, and after again asserting that he is the only just God and Saviour, he throws out the broad invitation to all the earth to come and be saved, in view of the decrees which had gone forth by the oath of God, that every knee should bow and every tongue confess. Here, then, back of all human exertion, and back of all kaleidoscopic presentations of seemingly chaotic views of men and purposes, is the great purpose of God, to bring this whole world under the domination of his Son, Jesus Christ (see Philippians 2:5-11).

In a little chapel, a primitive Methodist chapel, an exceedingly ordinary building, there is in one of the pews on the right hand side of the church from the pulpit, a tablet which says that right under that tablet, Aug. 6, 1850, Charles H. Spurgeon heard an ignorant preacher, who seemed to occupy the pulpit that day by accident, read this forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, and heard the words, "Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved," and he was saved right then and there. This is an illustration of the power and application of this broad invitation. Surely it is not in vain to seek God.

QUESTIONS

1. What the general theme of these three chapters?

2. What the special theme of Isaiah 43:1-44:5?

3. How does Jehovah here in Isaiah 43:1 express his relation to Jacob, or Israel?

4. What the meaning of "waters," "rivers," and "fire’’ in Isaiah 43:2?

5. When had Jehovah been Israel’s Saviour, what the meaning of "I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead" and when was this prophecy fulfilled?

6. What the fulfilment of the prophecy of Israel’s gathering in Isaiah 43:5-6?

7. What the challenge by Jehovah in Isaiah 43:8-13 and what the results as herein forecast?

8. How was Israel Jehovah’s witness and who the servant in Isaiah 43:10?

9. What is the counterpart to this picture of Israel’s redemption as stated in Isaiah 43:14-21?

10. What back references do we find here to the former exodus from Egypt and how is this exodus to compare with that?

11. How is this deliverance of Israel shown to be purely of grace?

12. What new contrast in Isaiah 44:1-5?

13. Who was Jeshurun and what the significance of the different names of God’s people in the Old Testament, when was the promise here of the outpouring of the Spirit fulfilled, and what the import of Isaiah 44:5?

14. What the special theme of Isaiah 44:6-23?

15. How does the prophet introduce this theme (Isaiah 44:6-8)?

16. How does the prophet then show the shame of idol makers?

17. What the prophet’s sarcastic description of the process of idol making (Isaiah 44:12-17) and what the point of ridicule?

18. What the reason for all this perversion as here assigned by the prophet (Isaiah 44:18-20) and what the lesson?

19. What the cheering message to Jacob and Israel in Isaiah 44:21-23?

20. What the special theme of Isaiah 44:24-45:25?

21. How does Jehovah here introduce himself and what the interpretation of each item of introduction?

22. What the message to Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1-7) and what the purpose expressed?

23. What the interpretation of Isaiah 45:7?

24. What the final aim of all God’s providential acts (Isaiah 45:8)?

25. How does the prophet show the folly of striving with one’s Maker (Isaiah 45:9-13)?

26. What the character of Cyrus and his relation to the religion of Jehovah?

27. What was to be the far-reaching effect of the work of Cyrus (Isaiah 45:14-17)?

28. What encouragement to prayer in this connection (Isaiah 45:18-19) and what the difficulties to be overcome?

29. What the outcome and application of all this discussion about Cyrus?

30. What great preacher was converted by accepting this great invitation and what the circumstances of his conversion?