God's Message To All (Isaiah 45:1-25)

Introduction

God makes declarations to Cyrus (vv. 1–7), to the Jews (vv. 8–19), and to the gentile nations (vv. 20–25); and in these messages, He speaks to His people today.

1. God’s message about His SOVEREIGNTY (Isaiah 45:1-7)

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;

1 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again.

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:

2 This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

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.

3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

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.

4 “And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when you did not know me? It is for the sake of Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one.

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:

5 I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know 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.

6 so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

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

7 I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.

His message to Cyrus was one of SOVEREIGNTY, focusing on His uniqueness: Jehovah is the Creator and the Lord of history. Cyrus did not even know the Lord, yet the Lord called him by name and used him to accomplish His purposes.

When life seems to be tumbling in, remember that God is on the throne and is sovereign.

2. God’s message of SUBMISSION (Isaiah 45:8-19)

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.

8 “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them.

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?

9 “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

10 How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father, ‘Why was I born?’ or if it said to its mother, ‘Why did you make me this way?’ ”

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.

11 This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?

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.

12 I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.

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.

13 I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people—without seeking a reward! I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

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.

14 This is what the Lord says: “You will rule the Egyptians, the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans. They will come to you with all their merchandise, and it will all be yours. They will follow you as prisoners in chains. They will fall to their knees in front of you and say, ‘God is with you, and he is the only God. There is no other.’ ”

15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

15 Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways.

16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

16 All craftsmen who make idols will be humiliated. They will all be disgraced together.

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

17 But the Lord will save the people of Israel with eternal salvation. Throughout everlasting ages, they will never again be humiliated and disgraced.

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.

18 For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other.

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.

19 I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.

His message to Israel emphasized SUBMISSION. God can tell the rain clouds what to do, but His own people resist Him. This is like the clay telling the potter what to do (Jer. 18) or the child scolding the parents. If Israel would trust Him, they could share in the great things He was doing. Cyrus would cooperate with the Lord, and he did not even know Him!

3. God’s message of SALVATION (Isaiah 45:20-25)

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.

20 “Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!

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.

21 Consult together, argue your case. Get together and decide what to say. Who made these things known so long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it not I, the Lord? For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me.

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

22 Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.

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.

23 I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”

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.

24 The people will declare, “The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.” And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.

25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

25 In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified, and in him they will boast.

The message to the Gentiles was one of SALVATION. God’s purpose through Israel was that all nations be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3). One day God will gather His people and establish His kingdom, and then the nations will know the true God and trust the Savior. Meanwhile, we must get the message of salvation to every tribe and nation.

Conclusion

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in the minds of some of us, was the greatest preacher since the apostle Paul. When he was 22 years of age, he preached sermons that some of us hope we may preach before we die. We won't, but we can dream. Until his death, he preached to five thousand people--morning and evening--in London in the days before you had great big crowds before transportation was like what we know today.

When Spurgeon was 15 years of age, he had not come to a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. On a blustery, snowy Sunday morning, he decided to go to church. He couldn't get to his planned destination because the weather was so bad. So he turned into a side street and went into a Methodist church. The preacher didn't even get there. Only fifteen people had come to the church. A layman decided worship ought to take place, so he got up to preach. He used (Isaiah 45:22), "Look unto me and be saved, all you ends of the earth." In ten minutes he had exhausted all that he could think to say.

Then he noticed a boy in the back, under the balcony. He said, "Young man, you look like you're in trouble. Look unto Jesus and be saved." That's exactly what happened that morning. Charles Haddon Spurgeon gave his life to Christ. That troubled young man became the mightiest preacher of the last century. He was led to faith in Christ by a man nobody knows--an obscure layman.

Have you looked to Christ by faith and received His gift of salvation?”