Isaiah 44:23-28 The Glory of the Savior King (part 1)
Overview:
Here at the mid-point of Part 1 (Isaiah 40-48), the theme of God's power reaches a crescendo with this picture of God as Savior-King of His people and Cyrus, His human agent tasked with performing this part the LORD's redemption plan. On the surface, Isaiah 45 seems to focus on the figure of Cyrus, but Cyrus is only a tool and a small part of the much bigger picture. The overarching theme is that God is the only Savior, and not just of Israel but the whole earth. This narrative section begins in Isaiah 44 and carries into Isaiah 45, and it breaks down into four main dialogue sections:
To keep the blog from running overly long, I will break this discussion into two parts: 1) God's opening statements and the picture of Cyrus, and 3) God's rebuke of Israel's complaint and closing statement. Today, we start with Isaiah 44:23-28.
Isaiah 43:23
The imperative command to sing in Isaiah 43:23 marks the end of the previous series of rebukes and consolations addressing Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry and proclaims the good news of redemption and salvation as the narrative moves into the next picture, this time of a king. In Isaiah's consolation passages, the "sing" commands always accompany pictures of the savior kings, almost like princely heralds. In Isaiah 42, the description of the Servant was followed by a "sing" command. Here in Isaiah 44, it precedes the picture of God as Savior-King, and His tool, Cyrus of Persia, who is also a savior-king in his tasking. The command to sing will show up again in Isaiah 48, 49, 52, and 54 associated with the Sin-bearing Servant. So, there is a pattern to them.
Isaiah 43:24-28
So far, in Isaiah 40-44, God has made a case for His power (omnipotence) and His wisdom and far-sightedness (omniscience). Now, Isaiah 44 ends with a grand poetic statement of His enduring presence among His people, Israel. He points out that He has been with her in the past, from her beginning; He is working in her now; and He will deliver her in the future with a coming deliverer.
A poetic structure sets these verses apart from the rest of the text. There are three sets of "who" statements describing a progression. The LORD is building toward something. Let's consider the progression.
Verse 24 begins with a grand "Thus, says the LORD," followed by a description of His relationship to Israel. He is her Redeemer. He is her Creator who formed her from the womb. He makes the initial statement, "I am the LORD," and follows it with three simple "who" statements that describe Him from the beginning:
These three simple statements are followed by three more complex sentences in verses 25-26a that describe His work in the present (that is, Isaiah's day):
His creatorship has already been discussed thoroughly in the past chapter, so let's look more closely at His work in Israel's present. It says that He frustrates the babblers, the diviners, and the wise (44:25). These were the experts and “influencers” in Isaiah’s day. They were the ones who had the people’s attention—the most “followers.” They were considered the authorities and trusted sources of information, but their credibility was based on their own self-promotion and the power that the people gave them, not on God’s truth. Even so, they had the power to sway people’s opinions, behaviors, and lifestyles with their messaging, endorsements, and visionary views of Israel's future. But they were selling a false message and product. They cried "Peace, peace!" when there was no peace, and they comforted God's people very little when the reality of their situation broke over them. And so, God messed with these forecasters and experts, just to show His power. They are a sharp contrast to God's own servant and messengers, whose word He validates and brings to pass.
Our world today, like Israel's, is full of babblers. They are the talking heads on the news stations and social media that blast out their forecasts 24/7. They are the social influencers who try to mold our future for us with dire warnings of what will happen if we don't embrace their worldview and lifestyles. (Have you ever noticed how often they use fear tactics in their messaging? That is the tool of an oppressor.) God laughs at their efforts. He drives the forecasters mad, and turns back the "wise"—those expert advisors who send us down one course in life only to be confronted with a lack of success. When they reach the conclusion that what they had prescribed wasn't the way to go, they scratch their heads, change their messaging, and go winging off on another, more popular idea. Their credibility is based on how many people listen to them—their powerbase—and their knowledge lacks true understanding, discernment, and wisdom.
This is the scary thing, though. If you hear a particular message often enough and to the exclusion of all else, you begin to buy it, even if it is a lie. Israel bought the lie and look where it landed her.
The very first promise that God made in Isaiah 40 was that His word would endure forever. It has been and will be ever-present throughout the ages of man, despite our current culture's effort to eradicate it. That gives it stability and a proven track record, more than all the trending fads and talking heads in social media. It is for His own glory and faithfulness to His word that He frustrates the efforts of babblers and experts alike and gives them over to the lie.
Just as He frustrated the influencers in Israel's day, He will frustrate the influencers of our own day who reject the truth for a lie, and when we see that happening, that will be a sign to us that a shake-up is coming, as Paul says:
Paul finishes his counsel in 2 Thessalonians with this encouragement:
We find comfort in knowing what the Word of God says about these events, His love for us, and also the promise He gives to us that because of His grace, we are not destined for the wrath to come, as Paul writes in his earlier letter to the Thessalonians:
So, this was Israel's present culture in Isaiah’s day. She is bombarded with the messaging of the babblers, authorities, and experts, who are at odds with God's messengers. But then God goes on to declare Israel's future. Notice the details of His prophetic words in the last set of verses. They specifically foretell the cities of Judah and Jerusalem being rebuilt. God speaks of "the deep" and it's rivers being made dry--a figurative reference to the Gentile empire of Babylon and their reversal of condition which He will accomplish through Cyrus of Persia. Cyrus is now specifically named and specifically tasked with facilitating the rebuilding of Jerusalem and laying the foundation of the Temple, both of which were accomplished as a result of his decree. God lays out the future in glorious detail, something which no other god can do.
God's Highway Project
God's highway project described here is specific to Israel's near future, and yet we see His transcendent character on display. He is God—past, present, and future—which He reveals through His work with Israel. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present—the beginning and the end—and not just in Israel's life but in ours.
We have been applying the lessons in these chapters from the aspect of comforting broken and struggling people. This is the elevated view of Himself that God gives to Israel when she is at her lowest. The challenge for us is to take this view of Him and make it relevant to our struggling person, because this isn't just for Israel. These aspects of His character are universal and never-changing.
Here are my own suggestions for personal reflection:
You can point to God's work with Israel as one proof, but your struggling person might not find that relatable, so you will need to point them to other evidence. If they are believers who have walked away from God, as Israel did, perhaps they have their own personal examples from the past of which you can remind them (as God does with Israel). But what if they are unbelievers without any background with God? To what evidence can you point? There is your own life. . .
You could always ask God to give you the experience you need for the sake of witnessing to your struggling person. That is a specific prayer. You might even ask for it in front of them.
If you can find a way to draw your struggling person into your walk of faith with you, it can be a very, very powerful thing, but it will only happen if you yourself believe in the power and love of God and are willing to bear witness of it.
Here at the mid-point of Part 1 (Isaiah 40-48), the theme of God's power reaches a crescendo with this picture of God as Savior-King of His people and Cyrus, His human agent tasked with performing this part the LORD's redemption plan. On the surface, Isaiah 45 seems to focus on the figure of Cyrus, but Cyrus is only a tool and a small part of the much bigger picture. The overarching theme is that God is the only Savior, and not just of Israel but the whole earth. This narrative section begins in Isaiah 44 and carries into Isaiah 45, and it breaks down into four main dialogue sections:
- God's declaration of His transcendent (past, present, and future) work in Israel (Isaiah 44:24-28)
- His commissioning of Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1-8) to which there is an objection from Israel. He answers that objection with a rebuke (Isaiah 45:9-13).
- His second address to Cyrus (Isaiah 45:14), followed by another third-party's response, this time of praise (Isaiah 45:15-17).
- His summation of His universal power to save not just Israel but the world (Isaiah 45:18-25). His summation parallels the pattern of His opening declaration, but the scope of His salvation plan expands.
To keep the blog from running overly long, I will break this discussion into two parts: 1) God's opening statements and the picture of Cyrus, and 3) God's rebuke of Israel's complaint and closing statement. Today, we start with Isaiah 44:23-28.
Isaiah 43:23
The imperative command to sing in Isaiah 43:23 marks the end of the previous series of rebukes and consolations addressing Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry and proclaims the good news of redemption and salvation as the narrative moves into the next picture, this time of a king. In Isaiah's consolation passages, the "sing" commands always accompany pictures of the savior kings, almost like princely heralds. In Isaiah 42, the description of the Servant was followed by a "sing" command. Here in Isaiah 44, it precedes the picture of God as Savior-King, and His tool, Cyrus of Persia, who is also a savior-king in his tasking. The command to sing will show up again in Isaiah 48, 49, 52, and 54 associated with the Sin-bearing Servant. So, there is a pattern to them.
Isaiah 43:24-28
So far, in Isaiah 40-44, God has made a case for His power (omnipotence) and His wisdom and far-sightedness (omniscience). Now, Isaiah 44 ends with a grand poetic statement of His enduring presence among His people, Israel. He points out that He has been with her in the past, from her beginning; He is working in her now; and He will deliver her in the future with a coming deliverer.
A poetic structure sets these verses apart from the rest of the text. There are three sets of "who" statements describing a progression. The LORD is building toward something. Let's consider the progression.
Verse 24 begins with a grand "Thus, says the LORD," followed by a description of His relationship to Israel. He is her Redeemer. He is her Creator who formed her from the womb. He makes the initial statement, "I am the LORD," and follows it with three simple "who" statements that describe Him from the beginning:
- "Who makes all things,"
- "Who stretches out the heavens all alone,"
- "Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself"
These three simple statements are followed by three more complex sentences in verses 25-26a that describe His work in the present (that is, Isaiah's day):
- "Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviners mad;"
- "Who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness;"
- "Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers;
- "Who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' to the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' and I will raise up her waste places;"
- "Who says to the deep, 'Be dry! and I will dry up your rivers'"
- "Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," and to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."'"
Q: What comfort does an ever-present God offer?
His creatorship has already been discussed thoroughly in the past chapter, so let's look more closely at His work in Israel's present. It says that He frustrates the babblers, the diviners, and the wise (44:25). These were the experts and “influencers” in Isaiah’s day. They were the ones who had the people’s attention—the most “followers.” They were considered the authorities and trusted sources of information, but their credibility was based on their own self-promotion and the power that the people gave them, not on God’s truth. Even so, they had the power to sway people’s opinions, behaviors, and lifestyles with their messaging, endorsements, and visionary views of Israel's future. But they were selling a false message and product. They cried "Peace, peace!" when there was no peace, and they comforted God's people very little when the reality of their situation broke over them. And so, God messed with these forecasters and experts, just to show His power. They are a sharp contrast to God's own servant and messengers, whose word He validates and brings to pass.
Q: Who are the "babblers" in our world today?
Our world today, like Israel's, is full of babblers. They are the talking heads on the news stations and social media that blast out their forecasts 24/7. They are the social influencers who try to mold our future for us with dire warnings of what will happen if we don't embrace their worldview and lifestyles. (Have you ever noticed how often they use fear tactics in their messaging? That is the tool of an oppressor.) God laughs at their efforts. He drives the forecasters mad, and turns back the "wise"—those expert advisors who send us down one course in life only to be confronted with a lack of success. When they reach the conclusion that what they had prescribed wasn't the way to go, they scratch their heads, change their messaging, and go winging off on another, more popular idea. Their credibility is based on how many people listen to them—their powerbase—and their knowledge lacks true understanding, discernment, and wisdom.
This is the scary thing, though. If you hear a particular message often enough and to the exclusion of all else, you begin to buy it, even if it is a lie. Israel bought the lie and look where it landed her.
Q: How do we know what is truth and what is a lie? How do we sort out God's servants and messengers from the world's babblers and so-called experts?
The very first promise that God made in Isaiah 40 was that His word would endure forever. It has been and will be ever-present throughout the ages of man, despite our current culture's effort to eradicate it. That gives it stability and a proven track record, more than all the trending fads and talking heads in social media. It is for His own glory and faithfulness to His word that He frustrates the efforts of babblers and experts alike and gives them over to the lie.
Just as He frustrated the influencers in Israel's day, He will frustrate the influencers of our own day who reject the truth for a lie, and when we see that happening, that will be a sign to us that a shake-up is coming, as Paul says:
"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God . . . The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12 NKJV)
Q: The LORD is speaking here of the beginning of the End Times, when an ungodly one-world government under one lawless ruler will appear on the scene. It will rock our age much like the coming of Cyrus rocked Babylon’s age. Where do we find comfort when all this is begins to happen?
Paul finishes his counsel in 2 Thessalonians with this encouragement:
"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work." (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 NKJV)
We find comfort in knowing what the Word of God says about these events, His love for us, and also the promise He gives to us that because of His grace, we are not destined for the wrath to come, as Paul writes in his earlier letter to the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 5:2-6, 8-11 NKJV - "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober . . . putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."
Q: We may have this comfort for ourselves, but where is our comfort when, despite our best efforts, our children succumb to the social pressure of the world's influencers and fall for their lies? (Spoiler alert: God is going to comfort these concerns as well in Isaiah 49 and 54).
So, this was Israel's present culture in Isaiah’s day. She is bombarded with the messaging of the babblers, authorities, and experts, who are at odds with God's messengers. But then God goes on to declare Israel's future. Notice the details of His prophetic words in the last set of verses. They specifically foretell the cities of Judah and Jerusalem being rebuilt. God speaks of "the deep" and it's rivers being made dry--a figurative reference to the Gentile empire of Babylon and their reversal of condition which He will accomplish through Cyrus of Persia. Cyrus is now specifically named and specifically tasked with facilitating the rebuilding of Jerusalem and laying the foundation of the Temple, both of which were accomplished as a result of his decree. God lays out the future in glorious detail, something which no other god can do.
God's Highway Project
God's highway project described here is specific to Israel's near future, and yet we see His transcendent character on display. He is God—past, present, and future—which He reveals through His work with Israel. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present—the beginning and the end—and not just in Israel's life but in ours.
We have been applying the lessons in these chapters from the aspect of comforting broken and struggling people. This is the elevated view of Himself that God gives to Israel when she is at her lowest. The challenge for us is to take this view of Him and make it relevant to our struggling person, because this isn't just for Israel. These aspects of His character are universal and never-changing.
Q: How do you do it? How do you make this view of God relatable to a person who is despairing and disillusioned with life, who has perhaps finally woken up to the reality of their situation and the lies they've been told, and has hit rock bottom? Perhaps, I should ask, how do you prepare for this conversation?
Here are my own suggestions for personal reflection:
Q: Ask yourself, do I believe this picture of God myself? Do I believe that God has had a hand in all the things that have happened to me in life, good and bad? (If you don’t believe it yourself, you won’t be able to convince others.)
Q: Why do you believe it?
Q: What can you use as real-life evidence of God’s presence at work in your life?
You can point to God's work with Israel as one proof, but your struggling person might not find that relatable, so you will need to point them to other evidence. If they are believers who have walked away from God, as Israel did, perhaps they have their own personal examples from the past of which you can remind them (as God does with Israel). But what if they are unbelievers without any background with God? To what evidence can you point? There is your own life. . .
Q: Can you point to any specific examples where God has worked in your own life? Maybe you have prayed for something or simply asked God a question and it was answered in a way that it could only have come from God?
Q: What if you don’t have that experience yet? How do you get it?
You could always ask God to give you the experience you need for the sake of witnessing to your struggling person. That is a specific prayer. You might even ask for it in front of them.
Q: Do you have enough faith in the LORD to sit down with your struggling person and pray a specific prayer?
Q: Do you think God would honor that request?
If you can find a way to draw your struggling person into your walk of faith with you, it can be a very, very powerful thing, but it will only happen if you yourself believe in the power and love of God and are willing to bear witness of it.
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