44
Isaiah

God the Creator and the Call of Cyrus for Israel's Restoration

Isaiah 44:24-45:25
24Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the belly: I am the LORD, who does all things, who stretches out the heavens by myself, who beats out the earth—who was with me? 25I frustrate the signs of the diviners and make fools of the soothsayers; I turn the wise back and make their knowledge foolish. 26I confirm the word of my servant and fulfill the counsel of my messengers, saying to Jerusalem, 'Be inhabited,' and to the cities of Judah, 'Be built,' and I raise up her ruins. 27I say to the deep, 'Be dry,' and I dry up your rivers. 28I say to Cyrus, 'My shepherd,' and he fulfills all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, 'Be built,' and to the temple, 'Be founded.'
Chapter 45
1Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him and to open the loins of kings, opening doors and gates before him so that they are not shut. 2I go before you and level the exalted places; I break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut down the bars of iron. 3I give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches, so that you may know that I am the LORD, who calls you by name, the God of Israel. 4For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen one, I called you by your name; I named you though you did not know me. 5I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no God; I gird you, though you did not know me. 6So that they may know from the rising of the sun and from its setting that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7I form light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil; I am the LORD who does all these things. 8Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open and bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. 9Woe to the one who contends with his Maker—an earthen vessel among the vessels of earth! Shall the clay say to its maker, 'What are you making?' or your work, 'He has no hands?' 10Woe to the one who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'What are you bringing forth?' 11Thus says 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 me. 12I made the earth and created man upon it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. 13I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I make all his ways straight; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward, says the LORD of hosts. 14Thus says the LORD: The toil 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 shall plead with you, saying, 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.' 15Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. 16They shall be ashamed and also humiliated, all of them together; they shall walk in shame, the makers of idols. 17Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you shall not be ashamed or humiliated to all eternity. 18For 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 a formlessness; he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other. 19I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek me in formlessness'; I the LORD speak righteousness; I declare uprightness. 20Assemble and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations; they have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols and pray to a god that cannot save. 21Declare 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. 22Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other. 23By 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.' 24Only 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. 25In the LORD all the seed of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.
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