Isaiah 44–45: The Idol-Maker's Lunch, and Cyrus the Anointed
Scripture: Berean Standard Bible
But now listen, O Jacob my servant,Israel, whom I have chosen.This is the word of the LORD, your Maker,who formed you from the womb and who will help you:“Do not be afraid, O Jacob my servant,Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.For I will pour water on the thirsty land,and currents on the dry ground.I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants,and my blessing on your offspring.They will sprout among the grasslike willows by flowing streams.One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’another will call himself by the name of Jacob,and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’and will take the name of Israel.”
Thus says the LORD,the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last,and there is no God but me.Who then is like me?Let him say so!Let him declare his case before me,since I established an ancient people.Let him foretell the things to come,and what is to take place.Do not tremble or fear.Have I not told you and declared it long ago?You are my witnesses!Is there any God but me?There is no other Rock;I know not one.”
All makers of idols are nothing,and the things they treasure are worthless.Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend,so they are put to shame.Who fashions a god or casts an idolwhich profits him nothing?Behold, all his companions will be put to shame,for the craftsmen themselves are only human.Let them all assemble and take their stand;they will all be brought to terror and shame.
The blacksmith takes a tooland labors over the coals;he fashions an idol with hammersand forges it with his strong arms.Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength;he fails to drink water and grows faint.The woodworker extends a measuring line;he marks it out with a stylus;he shapes it with chiselsand outlines it with a compass.He fashions it in the likeness of man,like man in all his glory,that it may dwell in a shrine.He cuts down cedarsor retrieves a cypress or oak.He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.It serves as fuel for man.He takes some of it to warm himself,and he kindles a fireand bakes his bread;he even fashions it into a god and worships it;he makes an idol and bows down to it.He burns half of it in the fire,and he roasts meat on that half.He eats the roast and is satisfied.Indeed, he warms himself and says,“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”From the rest he makes a god, his graven image.He bows down to it and worships;he prays to it and says,“Save me, for you are my god.”
They do not comprehend or discern,for he has shut their eyes so they cannot seeand closed their minds so they cannot understand.And no one considers in his heart,no one has the knowledge or insight to say,“I burned half of it in the fire,and I baked bread on its coals;I roasted meat and I ate.Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it?Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”He feeds on ashes.His deluded heart has led him astray,and he cannot deliver himself or say,“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
Remember these things, O Jacob,for you are my servant, O Israel.I have made you, and you are my servant;O Israel, I will never forget you.I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud,and your sins like a mist.Return to me, for I have redeemed you.Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this;shout aloud, O depths of the earth.Break forth in song, O mountains,you forests and all your trees.For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,and revealed his glory in Israel.
Thus says the LORD,your Redeemer who formed you from the womb:
“I am the LORD,who has made all things,who alone stretched out the heavens,who by myself spread out the earth,who foils the signs of false prophetsand makes fools of diviners,who confounds the wiseand turns their knowledge into nonsense,who confirms the message of his servantand fulfills the counsel of his messengers,who says of Jerusalem,‘She will be inhabited,’and of the cities of Judah,‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’who says to the depths of the sea,‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’who says of Cyrus,‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’who says of Jerusalem,‘She will be rebuilt,’and of the temple,‘Let its foundation be laid.’ ”This is what the LORD says to Cyrus his anointed,whose right hand I have graspedto subdue nations before him,to disarm kings,to open the doors before him,so that the gates will not be shut:
“I will go before youand level the mountains;I will break down the gates of bronzeand cut through the bars of iron.I will give you the treasures of darknessand the riches hidden in secret places,so that you may know that I am the LORD,the God of Israel, who calls you by name.For the sake of Jacob my servantand Israel my chosen one,I call you by name;I have given you a title of honor,though you have not known me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;there is no God but me.I will equip you for battle,though you have not known me,so that all may know,from where the sun rises to where it sets,that there is none but me;I am the LORD, and there is no other.I form the light and create the darkness;I bring prosperity and create calamity.I, the LORD, do all these things.
Drip down, O heavens, from above,and let the skies pour down righteousness.Let the earth open up that salvation may sproutand righteousness spring up with it;I, the LORD, have created it.
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many.Does the clay ask the potter,‘What are you making?’Does your work say,‘He has no hands’?Woe to him who says to his father,‘What have you begotten?’or to his mother,‘What have you brought forth?’ ”
Thus says the LORD,the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:
“How dare you question me about my sons,or instruct me in the work of my hands?It is I who made the earthand created man upon it.It was my hands that stretched out the heavens,and I ordained all their host.I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness,and I will make all his ways straight.He will rebuild my cityand set my exiles free,but not for payment or reward,says the LORD of Hosts.”
This is what the LORD says:
“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,along with the Sabeans, men of stature,will come over to youand will be yours;they will trudge behind you;they will come over in chains and bow down to you.They will confess to you:‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other;there is no other God.’ ”
Truly you are a God who hides himself,O God of Israel, the Savior.They will all be put to shame and humiliated;the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.But Israel will be saved by the LORDwith an everlasting salvation;you will not be put to shame or humiliated,to ages everlasting.
For thus says the LORD,who created the heavens—he is God;he formed the earth and fashioned it;he established it;he did not create it to be empty,but formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the LORD,and there is no other.I have not spoken in secret,from a place in a land of darkness.I did not say to the descendants of Jacob,‘Seek me in a wasteland.’I, the LORD, speak the truth;I say what is right.
Come, gather together, and draw near,you fugitives from the nations.Ignorant are those who carry idols of woodand pray to a god that cannot save.Speak up and present your case—yes, let them take counsel together.Who foretold this long ago?Who announced it from ancient times?Was it not I, the LORD?There is no other God but me,a righteous God and Savior;there is none but me.
Turn to me and be saved,all the ends of the earth;for I am God,and there is no other.By myself I have sworn;truth has gone out from my mouth,a word that will not be revoked:Every knee will bow before me,every tongue will swear allegiance.Surely they will say of me,‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’ ”
All who rage against himwill come to him and be put to shame.In the LORD all descendants of Israelwill be justified and will exult.