God Over All

Isaiah  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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In Chapter 40, we began to discuss God’s power, his provision and care for his people, the certainty of his word, and the future promise of his coming in Christ.
This week continues on a similar theme. God is beginning to prepare his people in the near term for the Babylonian captivity. With this would come a great deal of uncertainty and undermined confidence. As I mentioned in our review a few weeks ago, the Promised Land, the Davidic King, and the temple worship were the central features of Israel’s worship. And yet, Israel is now heading for a world in which those will be lost. That’s the near-term concern.
The medium term concern, as we began to unpack early in chapter 40, is the future coming of the Messiah. God himself will come to earth to redeem his people.
The long-term concern is God’s ultimate restoration of the earth. As we approach the end of Isaiah, that theme will become more prominent.
Those are the three main issues in the remainder of Isaiah. There’s a lot of zooming in and out between these three issues.
Chapter 41 and subsequent chapters contain language reflective of arguments in a trial (Motyer, Barnes). God is going to make a series of arguments in his favor as to why he alone is God, and why his people should place their trust and worship in him. We see this in verse 1.
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41 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;

let the peoples renew their strength;

let them approach, then let them speak;

let us together draw near for judgment.

This is basically a call for the court to convene (“let us together draw near for judgment.”) Be quiet, listen, because God is going to make his case. And see if there is anything to say.
The coastlands represent all the nations of the earth, including those that are far away. Everyone is to come and hear the word of God. This concept is fleshed out further in verse 5.
What’s interesting here is, as I mentioned in an off-the-cuff remark last week, is that no one has the right to stand in judgment over God. He is the maker and owner of all things. So not only is God one of the litigants in this trial, the prosecutor, he is the judge. God is the standard by which all other things must be judged, and they are all found wanting. And yet, despite the fact that God does not owe anyone an explanation or justification, he reveals this word to his people as to why they should continue to trust in him.
The first argument presented is this: Who is the ruler of the world?
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2  Who stirred up one from the east

whom victory meets at every step?

He gives up nations before him,

so that he tramples kings underfoot;

he makes them like dust with his sword,

like driven stubble with his bow.

There are varied interpretations as to who this “one from the east” is. Some say this is Abraham, who, as you may recall from Genesis, was raised up from the east by God and brought to the Promised Land, and found success and victory at every step because God was with him. This is the historic interpretation of commentators such as Calvin and Barnes.
Others (mainly modern interpreters such as Motyer and Sproul) say this is a future prophecy to Cyrus, the future king of Persia, who will authorize the Jews to return to their land from the captivity.

The Proclamation of Cyrus

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.’ ”

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12 Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste. 13 I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

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10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

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Later on, Isaiah will actually prophesy of Cyrus by name. (44:28-45:13).
Whichever theory you prefer, the point is that God has worked in creation to bring his will to pass. He is in control of the world.

3  He pursues them and passes on safely,

by paths his feet have not trod.

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If this is Abraham, we know from the Genesis account that Abraham faced opposition in many times and places, but he and his people were unharmed.
If Cyrus, his conquests are rapid and complete. A long long time ago we talked about , and how Babylon fell in one night to the Medes and Persians.

4  Who has performed and done this,

calling the generations from the beginning?

I, the LORD, the first,

and with the last; I am he.

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God is saying that this intervention in history is his doing. No one else can claim such a thing. Not the kings and armies of men. Certainly not their false gods. He has called his people to do his will throughout all of history.
Here we notice what will be a common feature of the latter chapters of Isaiah, is that these are long statements where God speaks in the first person. All of scripture is God’s word, but this is God’s direct address to his covenant people.
We have here God’s statement that he is the first and the last. This is reminiscent of the language in Revelation where God is the Alpha and the Omega (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet). He is before all things and will remain after all things because he is the creator of all things. God is not one god among many gods. He is not a former man who earned his godhood through good deeds (sorry, Mormons). He is not a learning, growing being who doesn’t know what is going to happen—he has orchestrated everything.

5  The coastlands have seen and are afraid;

the ends of the earth tremble;

they have drawn near and come.

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Quick aside
The coastlands and all these nations of the earth are afraid and in awe of God. They have drawn near to hear this case.
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6  Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

7  The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,

and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, “It is good”;

and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

6  Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

This is talking about the nations that do not fear God. Each “helps his neighbor,” referring to how the nations that do not trust God make alliances among themselves. This is reminiscent of faithless Judah under king Ahaz () trying to form an alliance with Assyria, and later Judah being cautioned against an alliance with Egypt. God’s people do not need to align themselves with worldly powers; they can trust in God’s protection and deliverance.
This is talking about the nations that do not fear God. Each “helps his neighbor,” referring to how the nations that do not trust God make alliances among themselves. This is reminiscent of faithless Judah under king Ahaz () trying to form an alliance with Assyria, and later Judah being cautioned against an alliance with Egypt. God’s people do not need to align themselves with worldly powers; they can trust in God’s protection and deliverance.

7  The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,

and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, “It is good”;

and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

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The “craftsman” and “goldsmith” are makers of idols. It is not just that these pagan nations trust in themselves and in their military power, they also trust in false gods who cannot help them or save them.
The “craftsman” and “goldsmith” are makers of idols. It is not just that these pagan nations trust in themselves and in their military power, they also trust
There are many examples in the Bible of the futility of worshipping false gods. We see God pouring out his judgment on the Israelites in the wilderness when they worship the golden calf in . We see the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in .

8  But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

9  you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

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God’s people are to be different from these other nations. God explains why.
My servant - They are to serve God. They are not to serve themselves, other gods, or other people.
“whom I have chosen” Of all the nations in the world, and there were plenty to choose from, of all the people that were going to be, God chose them.
Similarly, God chose us. Not because he had to. Not because we’re good. Not because we deserved it. God chose us simply because he is God and can choose whomever he pleases.
“you whom I took from the ends of the earth” Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldeans (interestingly, not too far away from Babylon). He was no one special from nowhere special.
Here I’m going to drop a controversial term: election. God, out of his own good pleasure, and based on no merit of the recipients, chose a people for himself.
Now, it could be argued that this is also referring to the eventual going of the gospel to the corners of the earth. Through Abraham, through Jacob, and specifically, through Christ, this promise is extended to all. says:
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3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Because God is sovereign over all kings and nations, and because he has called and chosen his people, this should elicit a particular response:
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10  fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Similar to the ending of Chapter 40, God promises to strengthen and uphold his people. Therefore, they have nothing to fear.
This is a very important truth for us to grasp. Because we are God’s, he is with us. God the Holy Spirit lives in us and strengthens us to face whatever we face.
This is no guarantee that life will necessarily go well. Again, remember Isaiah’s context, he is addressing this to a people who are going into captivity. Many of them will suffer and die. But death itself is not to be feared by the child of God.
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11  Behold, all who are incensed against you

shall be put to shame and confounded;

those who strive against you

shall be as nothing and shall perish.

Ultimately, God will destroy all his enemies. In the captivity, the Persians eventually destroy the Babylonians and allow the Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple and city.
We can have a similar confidence. We can read Revelation, where we see a good portion of that book dedicated to how and why God will destroy his enemies at the end of this age.

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

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12  You shall seek those who contend with you,

but you shall not find them;

those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

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Not only will God’s enemies be destroyed, they will be destroyed utterly and completely, so much so, that there will be no trace of them.

13  For I, the LORD your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, “Fear not,

I am the one who helps you.”

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God holds our hand to steady us. He helps us as we face the trials of this life. Think of how a younger person might help an elderly person across the street. That person needs help. They need steadied. They need someone to take their hand and make sure they get there safely.
So God is to us in our times of need. Our own strength fails, but his does not. Our own wisdom proves inadequate, but his is perfect and unchangeable. Our own efforts accomplish nothing, but he speaks and the mountains fall and the nations tremble.

14  Fear not, you worm Jacob,

you men of Israel!

I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD;

your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

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Who here likes the thought of being called a worm? Worms crawl on the ground, are slimy and gross. They’re also not particularly capable of defending themselves.
When I was a kid my dad and I would go fishing almost every weekend in the summer. When you’re fishing that much, worms get expensive. So what we would do is the night before we went fishing, we’d go outside and water our lawn in the evening. To escape the water, the worms would all crawl out of their holes and be just laying there on top of the lawn. And we’d go out with flashlights after dark and catch dozens of them for free. They didn’t have much to say about it. Worms can’t do much to help themselves when someone wants to do them harm.
This isn’t the only place in the Bible where such wormy language is used to describe man:
Job 25:6
Job 25:6 ESV
how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!”

6  how much less man, who is a maggot,

and the son of man, who is a worm!”

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Psalm 22:6 ESV
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
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God helps even us worms.
Another term is used here that is worth taking some time to flesh out: Redeemer.
In Israel, a redeemer was the next-of-kin who would take over the care of a distressed family. If you read the book of Ruth and the drama of Boaz seeking to marry Ruth, he is described as a kinsman-redeemer. The next one in line who takes care of the family after a great tragedy.
So, helpless worms and distressed people as we are, God still promises to help us. But this is not all he promises to do.

15  Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge,

new, sharp, and having teeth;

you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,

and you shall make the hills like chaff;

16  you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,

and the tempest shall scatter them.

And you shall rejoice in the LORD;

in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

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15  Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge,

new, sharp, and having teeth;

you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,

and you shall make the hills like chaff;

A threshing sledge is a tool used to harvest grain. God is going to take the helpless worms and make them into tools in his hands to bring judgement on the nations.
A threshing sledge is a tool used to harvest grain. God is going to take the helpless worms and make them into tools in his hands to bring judgement on the nations.
Once this is done, God’s people will rejoice in him.
The next few verses talk about God’s supernatural provision for his people.
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17  When the poor and needy seek water,

and there is none,

and their tongue is parched with thirst,

I the LORD will answer them;

I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

God will provide the needs of his people. In this case, water is cited as an example, which is one of the most basic needs of human life.

18  I will open rivers on the bare heights,

and fountains in the midst of the valleys.

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

18  I will open rivers on the bare heights,

and fountains in the midst of the valleys.

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

19  I will put in the wilderness the cedar,

the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive.

I will set in the desert the cypress,

the plane and the pine together,

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God will transform the earth to
We’ve discussed before the imagery often employed in Isaiah of the wilderness once again being filled with water and with life. God will redeem his people and transform creation on their behalf. He will cause trees to spring up there. After a period of sorrow and desolation, God will make all things new.

20  that they may see and know,

may consider and understand together,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it.

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This will be undeniably God’s doing. He will receive all the glory for it.
What follows in the remainder of this chapter (and through chapter 45) is often called the “Trial of the False Gods.” As said before, this is structured like a court proceeding. God is making his case for himself over and against the gods of the other nations. Here now, God directs his speech to these idols, to point out how worthless and futile they are. He will challenge them to do the things that he does and be the things that he is.

21  Set forth your case, says the LORD;

bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.

22  Let them bring them, and tell us

what is to happen.

Tell us the former things, what they are,

that we may consider them,

that we may know their outcome;

or declare to us the things to come.

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20  that they may see and know,

may consider and understand together,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it.

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False gods cannot tell the future. In fact, they can’t even tell the past or interpret what was going on there. Only God can do this.
We see this in various examples in scripture. When Joseph was in Egypt () God grants him the power to interpret dreams that accurately describe future events. When Daniel is in the Babylonian captivity, he is granted the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of future kingdoms. God gives the prophets, including Isaiah, explicit details on future events. As we’ll get to in a few weeks, he’ll call out Cyrus by name, who won’t be born for over 100 years. We’ll see detailed descriptions of Christ and his suffering in later chapters.

23  Tell us what is to come hereafter,

that we may know that you are gods;

do good, or do harm,

that we may be dismayed and terrified.

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23  Tell us what is to come hereafter,

that we may know that you are gods;

do good, or do harm,

that we may be dismayed and terrified.

24  Behold, you are nothing,

and your work is less than nothing;

an abomination is he who chooses you.

Not only can idols not tell the future, they cannot do anything. Here, they are challenged to do good or harm. They can’t, they won’t. And God renders a verdict on them.
Not only can idols not tell the future, they cannot do anything. Here, they are challenged to do good or harm. They can’t, they won’t. And God renders a verdict on them.
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24  Behold, you are nothing,

and your work is less than nothing;

an abomination is he who chooses you.

The verdict is in. Not only can idols not see the future, they cannot do anything at all. And, God proclaims judgment on anyone who would seek after them. They are an abomination, something accursed.

25  I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,

from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name;

he shall trample on rulers as on mortar,

as the potter treads clay.

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Commentators are pretty much unanimous that this is referring to Cyrus who is to come. Calvin says this is referring to both Cyrus and the Babylonians, with the Babylonians being the one from the north, and Cyrus being the one from the rising sun (the east). Cyrus also descends from the north into Babylon. Regardless of the specific description of the situation, God is countering the worthlessness of the false gods with his sovereignty over all things and all peoples.
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26  Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,

and beforehand, that we might say, “He is right”?

There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,

none who heard your words.

The idols cannot do anything like this. They cannot decree whatsoever comes to pass. They cannot raise up kings and nations to do their bidding.
“He is right,” is language used in the court to declare the verdict. God is claiming his victory in the judicial proceeding.

27  I was the first to say to Zion, “Behold, here they are!”

and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.

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“I was the first” God and God alone tells his people of future events. He did it then, and we still have it, as we have biblical prophecies that remain unfulfilled.
In the context of what is being set forth, Cyrus, the new conqueror God will raise up, will be good news, because that puts them one step closer to their return home.
God now turns to those who do not hear his words and believe them.
28  But when I look, there is no one;
28  But when I look, there is no one;
Isaiah 41:28 ESV
But when I look, there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer.
There are those who will not believe God’s word and continue to insist on their idols. But they have no answer to God. They have no wisdom of their own. Only God has the power to do these things and explain what they are and what they mean.
among these there is no counselor
among these there is no counselor
who, when I ask, gives an answer.
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who, when I ask, gives an answer.

29  Behold, they are all a delusion;

their works are nothing;

their metal images are empty wind.

Concluding the discourse against idols here, we have a neat summary statement about idolaters. Just as their idols are powerless, so are they. Just as the idols are false, so are the peoples’ hope in them. They are null and void.
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We serve the only true God. The only God who ever was and ever will be. That should be a great comfort to all of us whatever this life brings. It should also be a terror to us if we do not believe or if we sin and go astray. God sees and knows all.
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The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .
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