Isaiah 45

Cyrus, Gods Instrument

1 Thus says the Lord to His anointed, Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:2 I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.3 I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.4 For Jacob My servants sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me.6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things. 8 Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.9 Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, What are you making? Or shall your handiwork say, He has no hands?10 Woe to him who says to his father, What are you begetting? Or to the woman, What have you brought forth?11 Thus 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, you command Me.12 I have made the earth, And created man on it. IMy handsstretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward, Says the Lord of hosts.

The Lord, the Only Savior

14 Thus says the Lord: The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains; And they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, Surely God is in you, And there is no other; There is no other God.15 Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!16 They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols.17  But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.18 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is no other.19 I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, Seek Me in vain; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.20 Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.22 Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.24 He shall say, Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.25 In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.

ISAIAH 45

Cyrus Obeys //the [Lord]'s Commands

1 The [Lord] said to Cyrus, his chosen one:
I have taken hold
of your right hand
to help you capture nations
and remove kings from power.
City gates will open for you;
not one will stay closed.

2 As I lead you,
I will level mountainst
and break the iron bars
on bronze gates of cities.

3 I will give you treasures
hidden in dark
and secret places.
Then you will know that I,
the [Lord] God of Israel,
have called you by name.

4 Cyrus, you don't even know me!
But I have called you by name
and highly honored yout
because of Israel,
my chosen servant.

5 Only I am the [Lord]!
There are no other gods.
I have made you strong,
though you don't know me.

6 Now everyone from east to west
will learn that I am the [Lord].
No other gods are real.

7 I create light and darkness,
happiness and sorrow.
I, the [Lord], do all this.

8 Tell the heavens
to send down justice
like showers of rain.
Prepare the earth
for my saving power
to sprout and produce justice
that I, the [Lord], create.t

The [Lord]'s Mighty Power

The [Lord] said:

9  t Israel, you have no right
to argue with your Creator.
You are merely a clay pot
shaped by a potter.
The clay doesn't ask,
“Why did you make me this way?
Where are the handles?”

10 Children don't have the right
to demand of their parents,
“What have you done
to make us what we are?”

11 I am the [Lord], the Creator,
the holy God of Israel.
Do you dare question me
about my own nation
or about what I have done?

12 I created the world
and covered it with people;
I stretched out the sky
and filled it with stars.

13 I have done the right thing
by placing Cyrus in power,
and I will make the roads easy
for him to follow.
I am the [Lord] All-Powerful!
Cyrus will rebuild my city
and set my people free
without being paid a thing.
I, the [Lord], have spoken.

The [Lord] Alone Can Save

14 My people, I, the [Lord], promise
that the riches of Egypt
and the treasures of Ethiopiat
will belong to you.
You will force into slavery
those tall people of Seba.t
They will bow down and say,
“The only true God is with you;
there are no other gods.”

15 People of Israel,
your God is a mystery,
though he alone can save.

16 Anyone who makes idols
will be confused
and terribly disgraced.

17 But Israel, I, the [Lord],
will always keep you safe
and free from shame.

Everyone Is Invited

18 The [Lord] alone is God!
He created the heavens
and made a world
where people can live,
instead of creating
an empty desert.
The [Lord] alone is God;
there are no others.

19 The [Lord] did not speak
in a dark secret place
or command Jacob's descendants
to search for him in vain.
The [Lord] speaks the truth,
and this is what he says

20 to every survivor
from every nation:
“Gather around me!
Learn how senseless it is
to worship wooden idols
or pray to helpless gods.

21 “Why don't you get together
and meet me in court?
Didn't I tell you long ago
what would happen?
I am the only God!
There are no others.
I bring about justice,
and have the power to save.

22 “I invite the whole world
to turn to me and be saved.
I alone am God!
No others are real.

23  t I have made a solemn promise,
one that won't be broken:
Everyone will bow down
and worship me.

24 They will admit that I alone
can bring about justice.
Everyone who is angry with me
will be terribly ashamed
and will turn to me.

25 I, the [Lord], will give
victory and great honor
to the people of Israel.”