God’s Work Through Cyrus

Isaiah 45

YHWH says to Cyrus ʜɪꜱ anointed, whose right hand I have hold in order to subdue nations before him, strip kings of their armor, and open-open the doors before him, and the gates will not be shut:

“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces and cut apart the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, YHWH, who calls you by your name, even the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me. I am YHWH, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen+45:5 or, equip you, though you have not known me, that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no one besides me. I am YHWH, and there is no one else. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am YHWH, who does all these things.

 

Y’all rain, O heavens above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, YHWH, have created it.

 

Woe to the one who strives with their Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Does the clay ask the one who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or does your work say, ‘He has no hands?’ Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you given birth to?’”

 

YHWH, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker says: “Are y’all questioning me about what is to come concerning my sons, and are y’all commanding me about the work of my hands! I have made the earth, and created humans on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens. I have commanded all their army. I have roused him in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level. He will build my city, and let my exiles go free, not for price nor bribe,” says YHWH Almighty.

 

YHWH, The Only True Savior

YHWH says: “The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and those tall Sabeans, will come over to you and be yours. They will walk behind you, and come over in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no one else. There is no other god. Most certainly you are a God who has hidden yourself, God of Israel, the Savior.’” They will be disappointed, yes, confounded, all of them. Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together. Israel will be saved by YHWH with an everlasting salvation. Y’all will never be ashamed or humiliated, to ages everlasting.

 

For YHWH who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn’t create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited says: “I am YHWH. There is no other. I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness. I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Y’all should seek me in vain.’ I, YHWH, speak righteousness. I declare things that are right.

 

“Y’all assemble and come. Y’all draw near together, those who have escaped from the nations. Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image, and pray to a god that can’t save. Y’all declare and present it. Indeed, let them take counsel together. Who has shown this from ancient time? Who has declared it of old? Haven’t I, YHWH? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior. There is no one besides me.

 

“Y’all look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by myself. The word has gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear allegiance. They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in YHWH.’” Even to him will men come. All those who raged against him will be disappointed. All the offspring of Israel will be justified in YHWH, and will rejoice!