Chapters 41& 42 Part 1& Chapter 45 -  The Righteous Man

Chapter 41:1 begins Keep silent before me o islands - the gentile nations have nothing to say before The LORD - but let the people stand gird themselves and declare their cause before me. Could The LORD getting ready demand and response from those who have come against His people and His City because judgment has come- Daniel 5 (verses 28-31)

See Isaiah 41: 21-24

 

When judgment of the nations draws near what should God's people be doing (Isaiah 40:9)

They are those of renewed strength - (Isaiah 40:39

When God demands an answer from those He declares righteous - (Job 38:3, 40:7) how will they answer Job 42:2-6)

Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 

Verse 41:2 - 3 - The LORD asked who raised a righteous man that brought judgment to the islands?

He answers the question himself in verse 4 - I The LORD did.

 

Lets look at this righteous man.

First application - Cyrus

Isaiah 41:25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

Isaiah 42:1 ¶ Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Ezra 3:10)

Isaiah 45:1 ¶ 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; (Ezra 1:2)   (See Note #1)

Isaiah 45:1-4 - The LORD sanctified Cyrus before he was in the womb to be his righteous servant to conquer the nations and rebuild His house to make the path strait for His people to follow back to worship.

 

Isa 45:13 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. (when Cyrus let the Jews return to build the temple he did not charge them tribute but provided the vessels removed from the temple and orders other supplies be provided)

 

Isaiah 32:1-4 ¶ Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

This king will have honest and honorable princes ruling under him. Their rulings will be just.

 

Cyrus - Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 42:4 Cyrus will become ruler and all the nations will be subject to his law. Cyrus was a king that ruled well, his righteous kingdom did not only bless Judah, Jerusalem and Israel but all nations. The nations will be waiting to hear for Cyrus.

Isaiah 42:5-7 he is going to revive God's people breath and spirit - life after the death of Isaiah 22:14

45:6 a covenant for the people - I am not through with the Jews - the promise to Abraham - Cyrus was going to be used to show His covenant will stand -

45:6 - light unto the gentiles and the blind

Isaiah 45:11-16 Cyrus was to be a witness to all the world that The LORD He is God and the nations hear Cyrus and his testimony and will be ashamed when they come before him.

 

I wonder if Cyrus ever read Isaiah's writings - what would he have thought when he saw his history some 100 years before he was born - could this be part of the reason he gave all the credit for what he accomplished to the LORD God of Israel? If he read the prophesy after he defeated the nations would he have said to himself, and all this time I thought it was me that was in charge of the Medes and Persians. I wonder if Cyrus ever though it is not about me it is about the Lord God of Israel and the worship due His name by His chosen people.

Note #1 The two gates

The gates of Babylon were left open while there was a great feast using the vessels taken from the The LORD's temple.

45:2 - Brass & Iron gates of the cities of the nations Cyrus conquered were opened by the LORD, No nation could close their gates to keep Cyrus, God's anointed out. The LORD anointed Cyrus as the judge of Israel's enemies.

Psalm 24:7 ¶ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

 

Cyrus here is a type of Christ as judge on the nations and leading God's chosen people back to Jerusalem and to true worship.

 

 

Next Lesson The Righteous King  - read Matthew Chapter 12:14-20, 38-42, Revelation 3:17