Isaiah 44 – 48
This wonderful passage not only talks about the Lord pouring water on a thirsty land, but also his Spirit on their descendants and his blessing on their children. How eloquently he discusses the futility of idols, how people can take a bit of wood or iron and manufacture idols, then worship these same things their hands have created.
Isn’t it amazing that one-hundred fifty years before Cyrus is born, the Lord through the prophet Isaiah talks about him rebuilding Jerusalem and restoring the temple. After all, the temple is still standing at this time. The Lord talks about Cyrus being the anointed one and how kings will be paralyzed with fear.
According to this, Cyrus was raised up “for Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one,” “to fulfill my righteous purpose.” Cyrus was raised up to restore the Lord’s city (Jerusalem) and to free his captive people.
The Lord also makes it clear that the whole world must look to him for salvation, that every knee will bend to him and every tongue confess allegiance to him.
Mention is made of Babylon’s gods Bel and Nebo. The irony is that such gods must be hauled around on ox carts. Those false gods cannot protect the people and the people cannot protect their false gods. God tells the people to remember him, what he has done for them in the past, that he alone is God and there is none like him. Babylon will come to an end. Disaster and catastrophe are in Babylon’s future.
Finally, in Isaiah 48, Isaiah reminds Israel how he predicted these things would come to pass, how he would rescue them for his sake. More than one hundred fifty years before Cyrus would be heard of Isaiah tells how Cyrus will put an end to the Babylonian empire and redeem the people of Israel.
Tomorrow, we’ll be reading II Kings 18:9 – 19:37 and Psalm 46, 80, and 135.
A Funny Cartoon
No matter where you stand on the subject of the government mandating that insurance companies provide contraception, you have to agree that this is hilarious.
Until next time…
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