In Isaiah 45 today verses 1-7 is a charge to Cyrus. This was written 137 years before he was born. He would read this when he was about 50-60 years old, that’s 200 years later. Think how he must have felt, that the LORD not only named him but gave him so much power and victories in battle. Think on this as we read the next 7 verses. Isaiah 45 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.45:1] Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
Written to Cyrus by Isaiah through the mouth of the LORD. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be Cyrus at this moment, reading this about 200 years after being written by Isaiah? And to hear that all he had accomplished was given to him by the LORD.
Isa.45:2] I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
Cyrus must have thought for a moment on just how easy it was for him to do these things. Also prophesied that God would do these things in Psa.107 and verse 15 reads.
Psa.107:15] Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
[16] For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
Back to Isa.45 and verse 3 reads.
Isa.45:3] And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
This is saying; I the LORD will give all these to you, and you will know I have done this by reading that I the LORD named you, and it was written for your sake, that you might know I Am the LORD.
Isa.45:4] For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
[5] I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
[6] That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Something very interesting was written in Psalms 102, let’s begin in verse 15 and it reads.
Psa.102:15] So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
[16] When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
[17] He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
[18] This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
Knowing that prophecies are written as examples for those in the end times, 1Cor.10:11. They are also written for the near future to be that example. As the saying goes; history repeats itself. Back to Isa.45 and verse 7 reads.
Isa.45:7] I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Look closely at what was just said. I form the light, Salvation for this world age. And formed the darkness, this is creation. He created Satan and Satan fell because of pride. I (the LORD speaking) make peace, the Prince of Peace is Jesus Christ, the two are One. And create evil, now this needs a little work. We find it is H7451 raʻ pronounced rah, and means; calamity. God does not create evil, evil is a creation of itself, normally through pride. But as we just read, God does create calamity. Let’s go to Amos 3 and verse 6 reads.
Amos 3:6] Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Shall there be calamity and the LORD not done it?
Amos 3:7] Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Get that? It said; Truly the LORD will do nothing except he gave it to his prophets so that they might record it. Like Jesus would say, it is written, have you read? Back to Isa.45, from verse 8-13 we have, The LORD, The Creator. And verse 8 reads.
Isa.45:8] Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Remember that Cyrus is reading this also. Cyrus is learning of Jesus Christ, Salvation would come into the world. Cyrus is also learning that God is creator of all things, and there is but One God.
Isa.45:9] Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
We have a woe here. A woe is a dire warning that your soul is at risk. He has no hands means; He didn’t make me, or he made a mistake. Do not argue with the LORD, if he made you a woman, then you’re a woman. If he made you a man, then you’re a man. The perversion in the world today was written long ago, teach them to love God or they will face his wrath. Let’s go to Rom.9 and verse 20 reads.
Rom.9:20] Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
[21] Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
He can make out of the same clay, a flower pot or a chamber pot. Back to Isa.45 and verse 10 reads.
Isa.45:10] Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Notice that father is lower case, this is the son to his father here on earth. Saying to his mother and father I will decide whether I’m this or that. Another woe, breaking the fifth commandment, Honor thy father and thy mother.
Isa.45:11] Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
Sons here should have been translated prophets. God is saying; ask me of my prophets, of my Word and I will show you all things. Let’s go back to Isaiah 8 and verse 16 reads.
Isa.8:16] Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
[17] And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
[18] Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
[19] And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
[20] To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
If what they say does not align with God’s word, then they are a false teacher. Back to Isa.45 and verse 12 reads.
Isa.45:12] I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Their host, are the angels in heaven. We are those angels who he spoke to and commanded. What was his commandment? Let’s go to Gen.1 and verse 26 reads.
Gen.1:26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
God said let us make man flesh, an exact image after our likeness. This word likeness is where we get our word phantom from, it means exact copy. This word Our means he is talking to you and me. We see that the LORD has given everything to us by his law, Moses, and his prophets for us to have and read. Nothing being kept from us.
Gen.1:27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And the LORD placed our spirits within the flesh at conception, and determined at that time whether we are male or female. There should be no argument. Back to Isa.45 and God speaking to Cyrus still, verse 13 reads.
Isa.45:13] I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
So, Cyrus is given his commandment from the LORD here. He shall let them go out of captivity, and rebuild his city, that’s Jerusalem. Now I’m going to take a minute here to explain Isaiah. Have you noticed how prophecy works? Isaiah has told of the coming of Jesus (Isa.7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.) fulfilled in Mat.1:22-23. He has taught the house of Israel they will go into captivity to the king of Assyria, and the house of Judah they would go into captivity to the king of Babylon. Both are examples for the sixth trump. We have read here in Isaiah that God is the beginning (Genesis) and the end (Revelation). Now, look at the example Cyrus is, he is the example of the millennium. Before the house of Jacob (all twelve tribes) go into the promise land, they must be released from captivity. As we read on, the comparison between leaving Egypt and going into the promise land is likened unto Cyrus. Isa.45 and verse 14 continues.
Isa.45:14] Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
There is no other God the last should have been translated. Mentioned here are Egypt, Ethiopia for Africa and Sabeans as for the worst of the bunch. Think of the terrorists of today. Think of Sudan and Nigeria today.
Isa.45:15] Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
Jesus mentioned here again in Isaiah, Savior.
Isa.45:16] They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
They shall be ashamed, pray for mountains to fall on them. They are confounded, 2Thes.2:9 they are given strong delusions. They shall go to confusion, Babylon means confusion. We know the king of Babylon in the end times is Satan. They will be deceived and worship the antichrist thinking he is Christ.
Isa.45:17] But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
We, being saved, will have everlasting Life. Let’s go to John 3 and verse 15 reads.
John 3:15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Verses 18-25 is; Salvation will only come by the LORD. Back to Isa.45 and verse 18 reads.
Isa.45:18] For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
[19] I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Those who have studied with me in Gen.1:1-2 or in topical teachings; The three Earth and Heaven Ages, have been privy to the blessings of God’s word. These two verses teach us that God did not create the earth void and without form, but that they “Became” void and without form at the Katabole G2602 from G2598, the overthrow or throwing down of Satan in the first earth age. The first was destroyed by water, the second will be destroyed by fire.
Isa.45:20] Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Come out of confusion, many will just before the seventh trump. The others during the millennium.
Isa.45:21] Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Have not I the LORD told you in the Old Testament, as well as in the New. Notice the prophecy of Jesus.
Isa.45:22] Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Only God can and will save.
Isa.45:23] I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Swear is confess, let’s go back to Rom.14 and verse 11 reads.
Rom.14:11] For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
[12] So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Now let’s go to Philippians 2 and verse 9 reads.
Phi.2:9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
[10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
[11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
For the glory of the Father all shall confess his Holy name, Jesus Christ is Lord. back to Isa.45 and verse 24 reads.
Isa.45:24] Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
They hated (incensed) him long before they hated us.
Isa.45:25] In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Let’s finish this lesson in 1Cor.1 and verse 30 reads.
1Cor.1:30] But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
[31] That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
I hope you can see how a prophet works, Isaiah has been giving us the Word of God, and it is written for our admonition on who the ends of the world have come. Today we even saw that Cyrus learned what is written will happen exactly as it is written. Great study, let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible