The Only Savior

Isaiah 45:1–8 ESV

1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: 2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. 4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. 8 “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.

Historical Background God raises up Cyrus of Persia and gives him an empire so that the Jews will rebuild Jerusalem, so that the gospel of Christ may spread to the ends of the earth. God reveals the name of the coming conqueror, Cyrus the Great, who will destroy the Babylonian Empire and build an empire of his own. This Cyrus will decree that the Jews return to the promised land and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. God’s purpose in all this, however, is far greater than a surprising prediction or even than his covenant love to Israel. God’s ultimate purpose is the salvation through Christ of the elect from every nation, tribe, people, and language (Rev 7:9).

1). God willed that Salvation would come from the Jews.

2). God willed that the gospel of Salvation through faith would begin in Jerusalem and spread to the ends of the earth.

God’s plan was to give Cyrus a temporary empire in order for God’s plan to eventually give Jesus Christ an eternal kingdom of souls from every nation on the face of the earth.

God calls Cyrus his anointed a title usually reserved for Jewish Kings.

No obstacle would deter the expansion of Cyrus’s kingdom.

Paul said in Acts 17:26

Acts 17:26 ESV

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

God has pre-ordained the appointment, time, and boundaries of all the kingdoms of the earth.

God promises to Cyrus “treasures of darkness.” (vs. 3)

Why is the study of Soteriology so Important in Scripture? (the study of Salvation)

The nature of Our Salvation

The Source of Our Salvation

The Need of Our Salvation

The Extent of Our Salvation

Theology of salvation, or soteriology, is the study of God's plan to save humanity from sin, death, and spiritual separation through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Illustration: In a dark theater, a single bright Light shines. No matter how many distractions are around, every eye is drawn to that light. It exposes everything else as shadows.

Connection to Isaiah 45: The Light is Jesus Christ and the stage is the world He came to save.

This chapter is like God turning His light on Humanity

“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God” (v. 5).

In a world crowded with competing “lights” — idols, powers, human pride — God alone shines as the true Creator and Savior. Everything else is a shadow.

So that the World May Know....

1. He Alone is Lord of Our Salvation

In Isaiah 45, the phrase “I am the Lord, and there is no other” (or a closely related version, such as “there is no God besides Me”) is repeated six times to strongly emphasize God’s absolute uniqueness and sovereignty.

*The Lord’s People are Always at the Center of His Plan.

Notice that God allows Cyrus to have a Kingdom for the purpose of restoring Jerusalem and bringing about our Salvation. God’s plan goes far beyond Cyrus. Remember that God see’s the beginning from the end. His desire is that Jerusalem would be restored and that His name would be made great in all the earth.

This could only happen through Christ’s plan for redemption. Whatever God does he has his people in view. God’s desire, love, and affection is for His children.

a) God Knows Us

In this chapter, God speaks both to Cyrus (a pagan ruler) and Israel (His covenant people), emphasizing that:

He is the only true God (vv. 5–6, 18, 21–22).

He acts in history with intentionality — nothing happens outside His plan.

To be known by God means being chosen, called, and used by Him to display His glory.

Cyrus is Known by God for a Purpose

God says of Cyrus:

“I name you, though you do not know me.” (v. 4)

That’s astonishing. Cyrus does not have a covenant relationship with Yahweh, yet God knows him — by name, by purpose, by destiny.

To be known by God, even in this sense, means:

God has identified you for His purposes,

God orders your steps, even when you are unaware,

and God reveals Himself through you, whether you realize it or not.

Cyrus’ “being known” is not about intimacy but divine appointment — a display of God’s sovereign knowledge and control over history.

God’s sovereignty and Lordship extends even over those who do not know Him.

Scripture is full of examples where pagan rulers, nations, or individuals are used by God to accomplish His redemptive purposes, even when they have no covenant relationship with Him.

1). Pharaoh (Exodus 5–14; Romans 9:17)

“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you.” — Romans 9:17; Exodus 9:16.

Why it matters: Pharaoh’s opposition became the stage on which God revealed His supremacy over Egypt’s gods and His faithfulness to redeem His people.

2). Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (Daniel 1–4; Jeremiah 25:9)

“Nebuchadnezzar… my servant.” — Jeremiah 25:9.He was God’s instrument to bring judgment on Judah for idolatry. Later, through his humiliation (Daniel 4), God demonstrated His authority over all earthly rulers. Even proud kings can be used for God’s purposes.

Why it matters: Nebuchadnezzar’s story shows that even proud kings are tools in God’s hand — and that God can humble and even transform pagans to recognize His glory.

3). The Assyrians (Isaiah 10:5–7)

“Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!” — Isaiah 10:5. “5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!”

Why it matters: God used a violent and idolatrous nation to carry out His justice — yet He also later judged Assyria for its arrogance. This shows that God’s sovereignty never excuses evil but still works through it.

4). The Philistines (1 Samuel 4–7; Judges 13–16)

Their oppression repeatedly led Israel to cry out for deliverance, raising up judges like Samson and Samuel.

Why it matters: Even Israel’s enemies became tools God used to awaken His people to repentance.

5). King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) — The Book of Esther.

Through his court decisions (and Esther’s courage), God preserved His people from annihilation under Haman’s plot.

Why it matters: Though God’s name isn’t mentioned in Esther, His providence weaves through every event — showing that He rules even in the hidden places of pagan politics.

6). Balaam, the Pagan Diviner (Numbers 22–24; 2 Peter 2:15)

God constrained Balaam to speak blessings over Israel instead of curses — even using his donkey to correct him!

Why it matters: God’s sovereignty extends even to the mouths of false prophets when it suits His redemptive plan.

7). Pontius Pilate (John 19; Acts 4:27–28)

“Herod and Pontius Pilate… did whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” — Acts 4:27–28. Though cowardly and unjust, Pilate’s actions fulfilled God’s plan of redemption through Christ’s crucifixion.

Why it matters: Even the world’s most unjust verdict became the means by which God accomplished salvation.

8). The Roman Empire (Luke 2:1; Galatians 4:4)

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…” — Luke 2:1. The census decree brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, fulfilling Micah’s prophecy (Micah 5:2). Later, the Pax Romana (“Roman peace”) enabled the rapid spread of the gospel.

Why it matters: God used the infrastructure of an idolatrous empire to prepare the world for His Son and the early Church’s mission.

God’s purpose goes far beyond one man. God intends to use Cyrus’s conquests to advance his master plan for the salvation of the elect from every nation, including the Jews first.

So God tells Cyrus plainly that he summons him by name for the sake of Israel, his chosen one (vv. 4–5). And beyond even Israel, God has his eyes on the elect from every nation, “so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me. I am the LORD, and there is no other” (v. 6).

b) God Alone Creates Success and Disaster

“I Form Light and Create Darkness”

“I Make Well-Being and Calamity”

Evil and Prosperity

Evil is the Antithesis or opposite of others.

In Philosophy and psychology there is a concept that suggests that everything has an opposite and that these pairs are interconnected, like “light and dark” or “joy and sorrow,” shaping human behavior and the perception of our reality.

Duality in Scripture

God & Mammon (worldly wealth)

Good and Evil (fundamental struggle of humanity)

Truth and Error (the importance of holding to the truth)

Faith and Works (the constant tension and pull away from faith)

Make no mistake though, God is not in competition with evil or anything in this physical existence that we live, move, and breath in everyday.

The Servant say’s “I am the Lord.”

So, what is the purpose of such opposites in Scripture.

Establishes Moral Choices: The constant presence of opposing forces serves to define moral choices and the consequences that stem from them.

Revealing Divine Judgement: The Bible shows the cosmic structure that reveals human existence to have two distinct outcomes: one that leads to life and the other that leads to death.

Demonstrating Exclusive Allegiance: the irreconcilable nature of certain opposites. It forces a clear choice and demonstrates that commitment is required.

Illustrating a Spiritual Reality: Such dualistic realities are caught in between two kingdoms or allegiances compelling individuals to choose a side.

*You woke up this morning and had to make a choice whether to go to church or hit snooze and go back to bed.

*You are on the internet and you have to make a choice whether to look at something is morally impure or not.

*You are at work and have to make a choice whether to say something that is honoring and glorifying of God or sinful and of questionable character.

C) The Lord Makes Righteousness Spring Up

vs. 8 There is a call for God to shower righteousness from heaven, so that Salvation and Righteousness may take root and sprout from the earth. Notice that heaven initiates and the world responds.

CRACKED SOIL AND UNEXPECTED GRACE

Illustration: After a long drought, a cracked field looks dead. Then the rains come. Within days, green shoots spring up from the parched ground. What looked lifeless was only waiting for the right conditions to release the life within.

Connection: God’s righteousness often springs up in places that seem spiritually dry and hopeless. His mercy and truth are like rain that softens hardened hearts, bringing forth a harvest of righteousness where no one expected life.

“Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it.” — Isaiah 45:8

Application: Never underestimate what God can bring forth from a dry season, a broken person, or a dark time. His righteousness often springs up where we least expect it.

Man at Mighty Oaks with dry cracked soil

Isaiah 45:9–13 ESV

9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’? 10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ ” 11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: “Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? 12 I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. 13 I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.

2. He Alone is Lord of All Creation

Sermon Illustration — “The Clay That Tried to Be the Potter”

A potter places a lump of clay on the wheel to shape it. But imagine if the clay suddenly tries to take over, spinning itself, pulling its own edges, deciding what it wants to be. Instead of a vessel, it collapses into a shapeless mess.

That’s what happens when humanity tries to be God. Instead of flourishing, we fall into disorder, confusion, and brokenness. Only in the Potter’s hands can we become what we were created to be (Isaiah 45:9).

Some of the way’s that we try to take over the created work of God and subtly inserted our own work.

1) Redefining Truth and Reality

One of the clearest ways the world tries to act like its own god of creation is by attempting to redefine what God has already defined.

God says, “In the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1), but culture says, “We define what’s real, true, or good.”

Instead of receiving identity as something given by a Creator, society increasingly treats identity, gender, morality, and truth as something we create for ourselves.

Many view truth as subjective—“my truth” or “your truth”—rather than God’s truth.

Spiritual issue: This is a rejection of God’s authority and an exaltation of self as the ultimate definer of reality.

2) Exalting Human Reason Above God

Modern society has been putting its ultimate trust in human intellect, science, and progress for years, as if they can answer every question and solve every problem.

Building a new Babel: We do not need God; we can build our own future. Human pride eventually collapses under its own weight.

Spiritual Issue: People worship human achievement rather than the Creator who gave us the ability to achieve. Human kingdoms built on human glory will always fall; God’s kingdom is the only one that will endure forever.

3) Controlling and Rewriting Creation

We try to control life and death.

We try to manipulate the natural order as though we are the architects of life itself.

We treat creation as raw material for self-advancement rather than a trust from God to steward.

4) Forgetting We Are Created

When people attempt to be their own gods, they forget they are but dust (Genesis 2:7)

We did not create ourselves.

We do not sustain ourselves.

We cannot save ourselves.

Yet the world lives as though human hands can solve what only God can redeem.

God’s Answer to His Creation

“I am the Lord, and there is no other”

God alone:

Defines our reality,

Creates life,

Sustains the world,

And holds the authority to rule over it forever.

Human attempts to replace Him only reveal how desperately we need the true creator.

The Counterfeit Architect (Trying to build what only God can design)

Illustration: Imagine a group of people finding the blueprints to a massive suspension bridge. Instead of following the engineer’s plans, they decide to rewrite the design on their own. They leave out the support cables, alter the foundation, and start building. At first, it looks impressive. But the moment pressure comes, the bridge sways, buckles, and collapses into the river.

Connection: When humans attempt to act as their own creator, they’re trying to rewrite the “blueprints” of reality that belong to God alone.

God designed creation with moral order, identity, and purpose.

Humanity tries to rebuild it without Him.

It might look stable for a moment—but the collapse is inevitable.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1 “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker…” — Isaiah 45:9

God was determined to raise up Cyrus to execute his righteous plan, and he will level all of Cyrus’s paths so he can succeed.

Cyrus is the one who will rebuild the city of Jerusalem and set the Jewish exiles free. But he will receive no price or financial reward for doing it. This action can only be explained by the sovereign activity of God on his heart; God “moved the heart” of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1, 5 NIV), and so it was done.

Isaiah 45:14–17 ESV

14 Thus says the Lord: “The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.’ ” 15 Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. 16 All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. 17 But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.

3. He Alone is Lord of His Mysterious Plan

This depicts the success of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth; the “riches” of these nations has to do with the delight Jesus will have in their Spirit-empowered, heart-felt worship.

The “chains” they wear may either be the chains from which Christ will liberate them or the forcefulness/compulsion of the Spirit’s drawing them to Christ: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” John 6:44

John 6:44 ESV

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Such an awesome complex plan must draw us breathless before the Lord.

The extraordinary grace of God is indeed one of the greatest mysteries in all of Scripture — not because it is vague or unclear, but because it is so unlike anything human logic would invent.

Grace overturns our expectations about what God should do, and reveals the depths of His love in ways that stagger the human mind.

Sermon Illustration — “The Prisoner Who Walked Free”

A true story is told of a man on death row who unexpectedly received a full pardon. When the guard opened the cell and said, “You’re free,” the prisoner just stared in shock. He knew he deserved death. Nothing in him could claim innocence. He walked out of the cell trembling, knowing he was free only because of someone else’s mercy.

This is the mystery of grace: it sets the guilty free, not because they earned it, but because God chose to love them.

Paul cries out in Romans 11:33

Romans 11:33 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

— Why God’s Grace Is a Mystery:

It is undeserved,

It flows from God’s heart, not human effort,

It came through a crucified King,

It transforms those it touches,

It elevates the unlikely,

It’s free to us but costly to Him,

And it reveals His glory, not ours.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me…”

Isaiah 45:18–25 ESV

18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right. 20 “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. 21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. 22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ 24 “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. 25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”

4. He Alone is Lord of The Ends of the Earth

What is so significant about the Ends of the Earth?

We read in verse 18 that God did not create the world to be an empty waste land. He created it to fill it with people from every tongue, tribe, and nation.

*It Declares God’s Universal Rule

When Scripture speaks of “the ends of the earth,” it is proclaiming that God’s sovereignty is not limited to Israel—it stretches to the farthest places imaginable.

“For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.” — Psalm 22:28 “Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’” — Psalm 96:10

In the ancient world, people often believed gods had territorial boundaries—but the God of Israel declares, “I am the Lord of the whole earth.”

*It Points to the Global Reach of the Gospel

When Jesus gives the Great Commission, He deliberately echoes the prophetic language:

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

This isn’t accidental. Jesus is declaring:

His death and resurrection are not for one people alone.

His church is a sent people, carrying His glory to every tribe, tongue, and nation.

The “ends of the earth” are the scope of His kingdom

*It Reminds us that God’s Plan is Bigger than Us

Isaiah 46:10 ESV

10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

For Israel, “the ends of the earth” was a reminder that God’s love extended beyond their nation. For the church today, it reminds us:

The mission of God is not just about us.

His heart beats for every people group.

Our calling is to carry His light outward.

This gives the church its global, outward-looking posture, not a closed one.

Sermon Illustration: The Lighthouse

Illustration: A lighthouse sits on a rocky coast, shining its light far out into the night sea. The purpose of that light isn’t to keep the light locked inside the tower — it’s to reach the farthest ship on the horizon.

In the same way, God’s glory and grace were never meant to stay confined to one people.

His light is meant to shine to the ends of the earth.

CONCLUSION

What is it going to take for this end of the earth to take place?

He calls out to the distant lands in plain, gospel language: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other” (v. 22). The word turn implies a turning away from something and a turning to something else.

Matthew 24:14 ESV

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Christ’s return is certain. ✅ The gospel reaching the nations is part of His plan. ✅ The Church is invited to join that mission.

This means missions are not a side project — they are the main storyline of history leading to the return of the King.

The Unique Lamb of God

Contemporary Western Christian thought say’s in essence all of the religions in the world are the same. The religions of the world do not just disagree on secondary issues they disagree on the primacy of who is Jesus. Buddhist are waiting for the next reincarnation to take place so they can reach ultimate enlightenment, the Bible teaches there has only been one incarnation which is Jesus Christ. They cannot both be right, the law of non-contradiction demands that they cannot both be right. “Don’t bank on coming around as a squirl.”

In a New York Times article the Afghani leader representing the Taliban, was compelled to say that his people has great respect for Christ as someone who cured Lepers and brought the dead back to life. It concludes by ending their conference by saying praise be to Jesus Christ who will eventually come as a Muslim and follow the teachings of Islam.

This is the ultimate expression of blasphemy, it should be hell to us that Jesus would be blasphemed in this way. Jesus made and created Mohamed. Jesus is the only unique Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and one day very soon all of this will just be a memory or blip in the screen of time.

The great theologian Steve Miller once sang “Time is slipping away into the future?”

Will you be among the redeemed on that day, or will you still be waiting for another way - perhaps another re-incarnation - or another God.