Isaiah 45:1 Thus says Adonai to Koresh, his anointed,
whose right hand he has grasped,
so that he subdues nations before him
and strips kings of their robes,
so that doors open in front of him,
and no gates are barred:
2 “I will go ahead of you,
levelling the hills,
shattering the bronze gates,
smashing the iron bars.
3 I will give you treasures
hoarded in the dark,
secret riches hidden away,
so that you will know that I, Adonai,
calling you by your name,
am the God of Isra’el.
4 It is for the sake of Ya‘akov my servant,
yes, for Isra’el my elect,
that I call you by your name
and give you a title, although you don’t know me.
5 I am Adonai; there is no other;
besides me there is no God.
I am arming you, although you don’t know me,
6 so that those from the east and those from the west
will know that there is none besides me —
I am Adonai; there is no other.
7 I form light, I create darkness;
I make well-being, I create woe;
I, Adonai, do all these things.(Complete Jewish Bible)
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Isaiah, chapters 44 and 45, contrasts the God of Jacob with the inadequacy and foolishness of those choosing to create false gods. Such idolatrous images are incapable of saving anyone. In contrast to such futile efforts, stand the saving actions revealed through the God of Jacob.
Isaiah portrays God as both architect and draftsman, the one who originates the design for the creation while also overseeing the details of its implementation. From the perspective of this implementation, even Cyrus becomes an important player in bringing the full intentions of the creator into being. These intentions include: establishing order out of chaos; bringing light out of darkness; pouring water onto thirsty land; providing streams for the land that is dry. With such rich imagery Isaiah weaves a poetic language in which God comes to meet us as well.
Dear God of Jacob, we acknowledge your greatness and pray that the intentions for your creation will serve as the blueprint for our lives always. Amen.
Chris Quello, '66
Retired Pastor, Appleton, Wis.
Isaiah 45:1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him-- and the gates shall not be closed:
2 I will go before you and level the mountains, 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 riches hidden in secret places, so 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 surname you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me,
6 so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things. (New Revised Standard Version)
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