The Strand Study Bible

ISAIAH 44:21

ISAIAH 45:5

1102

The promise to relay the Temple foundation (Fulfilled - Ezra 3:10 - 535 BC) 28 That saith of 5 Cyrus, He is my shep- herd, 2 and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, 6 Thy foundation shall be laid. PP Isaiah 45 The promise of Babylon’s fall to Cyrus of Medo-Persia (Fulfilled - Dan 5:30,31 - 539 BC) (Note - This portion of Isaiah’s prophecy took place in the 27th year of King Hezekiah’s reign) Date Written - c. 700 BC/AM 3300 1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, 2 whose right hand I have holden, 7 to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, 8 to open before him the 9 two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; PP 2 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: 8 I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: PP 3 8 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret plac- es, that thoumayest know that I, the LORD, 2 which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. PP 4 2 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. P 5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: 2 I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: P

liver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? The promise to bring Israel back to Jerusalem (Fulfilled - Ezra 1:1-3 - 536 BC) 21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have 1 formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, 2 thou shalt not be forgotten of me. P 22 I have 3 blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; 2 for I have 4 redeemed thee. P 23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: 2 for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. P 24 Thus saith the LORD , thy REDEEMER , and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that tur- neth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26 That confirmeth the word of his ser- vant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, 2 Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: P 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and Iwill dry up thy rivers:

1. or, “birthed” - Isa 44:2,24 & 46:3 & 49:15 & Jere 2:3 & Exo 14) 2. Fulfilled - Ezra 1:1-3 (Israel Returns Under Cyrus) 3. Isa 43:25 4. Exo 15:13 5. II Chro 36:22 & Ezra 1:1 6. Fulfilled - Ezra 3:10 (Temple Founda- tion Relayed) 7. Isa 13:3 8. Fulfilled - Dan 5:30-31 (Fall of Babylon) 9. that is, “the double gates of the city of Babylon”

44:23 This statement ( lower parts of the earth ) is referring to the surface of the earth, not the center of the earth. There is no singing or mountains or forests or trees in the center of the earth. Interestingly enough, this statement ( lower parts of the earth ) is only mentioned two other times in Scripture: Psalms 63:9 and Ephesians 4: 7- 9 . 44:27 According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Cyrus (vs. 28) marched his armies in the direction of Babylon until he came to the banks of the Gyndes, a deep river which discharges into the Tigris and can only be crossed by boat. When one of his favorite horses bolted off into the Gyndes and was carried downstream to his death, Cyrus became enraged and vowed to break the river’s strength, saying that future generations would be able to cross it without getting their knees wet. Cyrus then commissioned his army to divert the flow of the river by digging three hundred and sixty tributaries, a project that took about a year to complete. Cyrus and his army then crossed the river, as if it were dry, and defeated Babylon. 45:1 This is the only place in the Bible where this title ( anointed ) is used of a Gentile. Cyrus, the future king of Medo-Persia, would serve as a chosen vessel (anointed one) to deliver God’s people from their Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:1-3 – 536 BC). NOTE – The origin of the term ( anointed ) comes from the Israelite custom of anointing with oil those who would assume positions of leadership, such as, prophets (Psa 105:15), priests (Lev 4:3-5), and kings (I Sam 24:6-10). In Cyrus’ case, he was named 164 years in advance by Isaiah to show God’s people that God was in total control of their lives and their nation, and that Cyrus was merely a tool used by Him to accomplish His great purpose. 45:3 God’s purpose in blessing Cyrus with incalculable wealth ( treasures of darkness ) was to make him an instrument for delivering Israel from their captivity and returning them to Jerusalem (vs 13). 45:4 Even though Cyrus was called before birth by name by God to bring the Jews back to Jerusalem and to relay the Temple foundation (Ezra 1:1-3 & 3:8-11), Cyrus did not know God ( though thou hast not known me ). Men do not have to know God for God to use them (Jn 11:47-53). It’s called the sovereignty of God ( Eph 1:11 ). God is so completely in control ( Isa 46:10 ) of everything (including history) that He can even reach down into the life of an unbeliever and place him into a position to accomplish His sovereign will and purpose. Just ask Pharaoh ( Exo 3:19-20 & 4:21 ) or Esther (Esther 4:9-14).