[Brother V]

Isaiah 43-45

Isaiah 43

1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

In some printings of the Bible (KJV1611) when Jesus speaks, it's printed in red. There is no color coding for words that God the Father speaks. If there were, this chapter would be in that colour. I think the heavenly Father's words should be in royal purple.

Reading this chapter of the LORD's words makes me think he's kind of like David... a slight bit manic depressive.

3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

I often think back to the events that led the children of Israel into Egypt. Joseph was already in Egypt, then there was the severe area drought. Jacob sent his boys to go get grain. Joseph then talked his brothers into bringing everyone into Egypt. There they survived the drought. Then their families multiplied... LOTS. After several generations, they left. When they left, they had to conquer several nations. The people there had survived the drought, and thrived. Then they got killed by people who abandoned their land in search of a free meal. So, whenever you hear about the hebrews in Egypt, just think back to the events that led them there. All of them were directly caused by the LORD. God didn't just bring the people out of Egypt, he orchestrated the events that put them there, (and based on the survival of Edom and other tribes that they had to conquer) needlessly.

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Does this mean that there was time before God? No, He's just saying he was the first thing. He'll also be the last.

11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

It's kind of douchebaggy to put a mouse into a labyrinth where all the outcomes include death, there is no exit from that maze. On the outside of that labyrinth is the cheese. The only way for the mouse to get to the cheese is for the person who put the mouse in, to take it out. God is that douchebag, BUT in order for him to take you out of that labyrinth, you have to praise him. He will take you out, but you really have to want to get out.

14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

God is now talking about how great he is, for taking the people away from the Babylonian captivity. This would probably be toward the end of that captivity. Again, God is great, he's the one who allowed his people to be taken away in the first place.

21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

Remember that mouse?

22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

If it doesn't ask to be let out of the maze, it'll die. Israel is that mouse. YOU are that mouse.

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Exactly when was it that God blotted out the transgressions? When was it that he didn't remember the sins? Off the top of my head, I can name several instances where he remembered the sins and therefore didn't follow through on pacts.

28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

Didn't he just say in verse 25 that he forgave? Then why did he curse the people if he forgave them? That sounds like some really crappy forgiveness.

Isaiah 44

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

God continues.

Why would the only God chose a people for himself?

5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Because the people know that God chose Israel, they are going to be proud to be Israelites again.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

If God doesn't know of any other gods, and God knows everything, then there's obviously no other gods.

9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

If you make your own god, then you are the one who verifies it. God verifies himself.

18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

God doesn't really comprehend why people would create false gods. He just knows that people who make them can't understand him.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

God just took some time to blot out the transgressions. It's like sending a child to sit in the corner. After it's been long enough, they can come out and play again. After the punishment, then you need to remember that punishment has been fulfilled and there shouldn't be anymore punishment for the previous act. Punish, and forget.

28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Here we have Cyrus as a messianic figure. He is the shepherd of the LORD. He's the on who leads the flock back to Israel.

Isaiah 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;

God continues...

This time he's talking to Cyrus. Cyrus conquered most of the known world, did he do it on his own? No, God made it easy for him.

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.

God will make Cyrus rich.

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.

God used Cyrus for his great work, Cyrus didn't know that. Cyrus didn't even know who the real God was. One of the greatest workers of God's plan had no clue that he was one of the main pieces of it.

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:

Yes, Cyrus didn't know God.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Very few churches will preach on this verse. Very few branches of christianity even will acknowledge this verse. Modern christianity likes to make God into a happy hippy who sits in the corner and carries you when you are tired. Anything bad that happens occurs because of the devil. Friends, God made the devil. God put the knowledge of good and evil into the tree. God makes bad things happen. God makes good things happen too, but NEVER FORGET, GOD CREATED EVIL! Why God created evil is anyones guess. I think the world would function without it, but then, I'm not God.

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.

God made the earth, as well as evil.

17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Everlasting? Apparently this everlasting salvation hasn't started yet. I'll bet that after Cyrus promised to send the people back, that they thought they'd never have troubles again, but they have a tendency to be sent to the corners of the world.

22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

God is the only source of salvation from the destruction that he created as well.

So what have we learned today?

1. God likes to show himself as the redeemer, he doesn't normally show that he allowed the events to spiral out of control so that a redeemer was needed.

2. God's shepherd, Cyrus didn't know that he was actually God's shepherd.

3. God makes all things happen. He makes the good things that happen to you, he makes the bad things that happen to you too.

YIC
V

[Levi Jones]

That's truly amazing. I guess it had been so long since I have studied Isaiah, I never associated the Cyrus character with the Persian king Cyrus the Great.

[Brother V]

Originally Posted by Levi Jones

That's truly amazing. I guess it had been so long since I have studied Isaiah, I never associated the Cyrus character with the Persian king Cyrus the Great.

Thankfully, it's not Miley or Billy Ray.