Isaiah 2 11 24 final
Overview
God's Sovereign Hand: From Cyrus to Christ
Two centuries before it happened, Isaiah named the Persian king who would release Israel from exile and rebuild Jerusalem. In Isaiah 44:24-28 and Isaiah 45:1-7, the Lord declares Himself the Maker who "frustrates the omens of liars" and "confirms the word of His servant," speaking of Cyrus by name—"He is my shepherd"—long before Persia even existed as a kingdom. The historical fulfillment is recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:5-11, where Cyrus issues the decree to rebuild the temple and returns the sacred vessels Nebuchadnezzar had carried away. The ultimate aim of this preservation reaches its goal in Galatians 4:4-5: God kept His hand on this people because from them would come the Messiah, born to redeem the world.
The Potter and the Clay
Such a sweeping plan would not come without complaint from those who could not see beyond their own circumstances. In Isaiah 45:9-12, the Lord silences the "Why me?" of the clay against the Potter. Luther warned that when trials of "why" arise, "close your eyes, kill reason, and take refuge with the Word—do not let the why get into your heart." The question "Why me?" too often presupposes that we deserve special treatment, when in truth we deserve nothing from God. Whether He fashions us in seasons of wholeness or seasons of brokenness, our purpose remains the same: to bring Him glory. Everything God allows serves His ultimate glory and our ultimate good. Because we know who He is in light of the cross, we can trust the Potter's hands.
The Hidden God Who Speaks
In Isaiah 45:15, the prophet confesses, "Truly you are a God who hides himself." God is hidden from the naturally sinful mind, yet He has taken steps to reveal Himself—supremely in His Word, as John 20:30-31 testifies. Outside of Scripture we have no reliable knowledge of Him. He has told us what we need to know, though not everything we might wish to know; as Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, His ways are higher than ours. When His providence baffles us, we return to what He has revealed. The alternative is idolatry—fashioning a god we can manage. Isaiah 46:1-4 pictures the Babylonian gods Bel and Nebo as helpless burdens carried off on weary animals, while the true God carries His people from the womb to old age. Isaiah 47:8-11 announces Babylon's own fall—proof that no nation, however proud, escapes the Lord's reign. As R.C. Sproul put it, if there were one maverick molecule in the universe, God would not be God.
Announcing Our Redemption
The closing word in Isaiah 48:17-20 calls the exiles to "go out from Babylon" and "declare with a shout of joy" that the Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob. If the return from Babylonian captivity warranted that kind of joyful proclamation, how much more does our redemption through the cross of Christ? Whatever we face—frightening times, hard providences, questions we cannot answer—God remains in charge of all history and is forming us for His glory. We are clay in the hands of a faithful Potter, a hidden God who has made Himself known, a Redeemer who has set us free. That is reason enough to announce His name with joy.
Transcript
Holy and gracious God, we come before you, Throne today, lambs of your own redeeming 3s
and sheep of your own fold, and in the confidence set as ours through the blood of Jesus Christ. 9s
We thank you for the reliability of your Holy Word and ask now your blessings on this 15s
study. 20s
In Jesus' name, Amen. 21s
Well, last week we took a look at chapters 40 to 44 of the book of Isaiah. 24s
And as you get to the second half of Isaiah, as we've been talking about, it really is the 30s
book of comfort, and that theme of comfort was certainly quite prevalent here. 34s
You had the word of comfort to exiles that would one day be even through the prophet Isaiah, 40s
the naming of the king that is going to release them out of exile. 48s
The comfort of the Lord Jesus Christ, the prophecy of the Messiah to come, and the comfort of 54s
the reliability of Holy Scripture. 61s
Well, today I'd like to examine with you chapters 44 to 48. 65s
So we're going to pick up back in 44 where we were leaving off last time and review a section 70s
that we had touched upon last time. 76s
I'd like to take a look at chapter 44 beginning with verse 24, 44 beginning with 24. 80s
Thus is the Lord your Redeemer who formed you in the womb. 90s
I am the Lord who made all things who alone stretched out the heavens, who by myself spread 96s
out the earth, who frustrates the omens of liars and makes fools of diviners who turns back 103s
the wise and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of His servant and fulfills 112s
the prediction of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, it shall be inhabited and of the cities 119s
of Judah they shall be rebuilt and I will raise up their ruins, who says to the deep be dry, 126s
I will dry up your rivers, who says of Cyrus, he is my shepherd and he shall carry out all my 136s
purpose and who says of Jerusalem, it shall be rebuilt and of the temple your foundation shall be 145s
laid. Now at the time of the writing here Isaiah is looking ahead 200 years. 154s
The Lord is giving him a vision of what will occur in 200 years and the rebuilding of the temple 162s
that would have been demolished by the Babylonians at the beginning here of the exile and how 169s
how strained these words must have sounded to the ears of the of the contemporaries here of Isaiah 176s
because when Isaiah was writing this, when Isaiah was writing it Jerusalem was was prosperous and thriving 187s
and it was bustling and Solomon's temples stood in all of its majesty and its glory and the Lord 196s
here is predicting this catastrophic disaster that is going to occur and this leading of the people 205s
away out of Babylonian captivity. Can you imagine how strange it must have sounded to their ears 213s
when they when they looked around that Jerusalem would become desolate, that it would become 220s
uninhabited that the temple would be hilaged and razzed and that the people would be let away 227s
for 70, 70 years. The historical fulfillment of this prophecy, we hear it in second chronicles, 235s
the 36 chapters. Let's turn there please Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 246s
Kings and then Chronicles. Chronicles the second chapter, verse, or chapter 36, verse 22, chapter 36, 257s
verse 22. And so here now is the is the fulfillment recorded of the prophecy that had been given. 269s
Second Chronicles, chapter 36, verse 22. In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, 281s
in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of 292s
King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom and also declared 299s
in a written edict. Thus says King Cyrus of Persia. The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all 305s
the kingdoms of the earth and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah, 313s
whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him, let him go up. 320s
Now you recall from what we studied last week that when Isaiah was giving this prophecy that the 330s
Lord had given him, the kingdom of Persia didn't even exist historically, it didn't even exist, 335s
obviously Cyrus did exist here. So you read second Chronicles the fulfillment here of the prophecy, 341s
you also read it in the very next book, the book of Ezra, so just turn the page there and you'll 348s
run right into into the book of Ezra, Ezra chapter 1, picking up in verse 5. 354s
The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin and the priests in the Levites, 364s
everyone whose spirit God had stirred, God ready to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 369s
So this is this is the conclusion now of the 70 years, this is the fulfillment here of the prophecy 377s
that the people are going to return and return and rebuild the temple. All their neighbors 382s
aided them with silver vessels with gold with goods with animals with valuable gifts, because all 388s
that was freely offered. King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that 394s
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem. You recall Nebuchadnezzar he was the king of Babylon, 401s
that was responsible here for the destruction. That Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem 407s
and placed in the house of his gods. King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge 416s
of Mithredath the Treasurer who counted them out to Shesh Bazar the prince of Judah. 423s
And this was the inventory gold basins 30 silver basins 1000 knives 29 gold bowls 30 other silver bowls 431s
410 other vessels 1000 the total of the gold and silver vessels was 5400 all this Shesh Bazar brought 441s
up when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. 451s
There's a turn now from talking about Cyrus in terms of the prophetic word and talking to Cyrus 460s
even though obviously when Isaiah wrote Cyrus wasn't alive. So let's go back to Isaiah chapter 45 470s
5 verse 1 Isaiah chapter 45 verse 1 478s
Thus is the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations 489s
before him and strip kings of their robes to open doors before him and the gates shall not be 495s
closed. I will go before you and level the mountains I will break and pieces the doors of bronze 503s
and cut through the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden 509s
in secret places so that you may know that it is I the Lord the God of Israel who call you by your name. 515s
For the sake of my servant Jacob in Israel my chosen I call you by your name I surname you 525s
though you do not know me I am the Lord and there's no other besides me there is no God. 531s
I arm you though you do not know me so they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west 539s
that there is no one besides I am the Lord and there's no other I form light and create darkness 546s
I make wheel and create wall either Lord do all of these things so it goes from talking about Cyrus 555s
to talking to Cyrus. End of the 70 years here God uses Cyrus the ultimate purpose of all of this 566s
Galatians chapter 4 so let's keep our finger here go to the New Testament 578s
Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and Romans first and second Corinthians then Galatians 583s
Galatians chapter 4 590s
verses 4 to 5 595s
Here's the ultimate purpose 599s
but when the fullness of time had come 603s
God sent his son born of a woman born under the law in order to redeem those who were 606s
under the law so that we might receive adoption as children. Remember the promise back to Abraham 612s
and Sarah back in Genesis the promise there that God was going to raise up a nation and out of 620s
this nation is going to come the Messiah the whole purpose here of God keeping his hands upon 628s
the people is these are the people out of which comes the Messiah the purpose of the redemption of 636s
the world. God's actions here would not come without complaint 644s
because those that would foresee the temple being destroyed those that would see Jerusalem 655s
absolutely flatten and become desolate. There would be complaint with regard to what is 660s
occurring so let's go back to Isaiah chapter 45 9 to 12 668s
and Isaiah addresses this of that which would occur 677s
14 684s
Woe to you 45 verse 9 684s
Woe to you who strive with your maker earthen vessels with a potter 688s
Does the clay say to the one who fashions it what are you making or your work has no handles 695s
Woe to anyone who says to a father what are you beginning or to a woman with what are you in labor 703s
Thee says the Lord the Holy One of Israel and its maker will you question me about my children 711s
or command me concerning the work of my hands I made the earth and created humankind upon it 721s
was my hands that stretched out the heavens and I commanded all their host 732s
Luther writes that that in this in this passage here the supreme temptation of why me is being addressed 742s
Luther Luther wrote this 754s
When such trials of why come beware that you do not answer and allow these attacks to get control 757s
rather close your eyes and kill a reason and take refuge with the word do not let the why 768s
Get into your heart. I'm here that again 777s
When such trials of why come beware that you do not answer and allow these attacks to get control 782s
rather close your eyes 789s
kill a reason and take refuge with the word do not let the why get into your heart 792s
Do the problem with asking why me 802s
When situations occur in in our lives 805s
Is it almost always presupposes that there is something in us or about us that deserves God's 809s
So when challenges come or difficulties come or hardship comes or something goes against what what it is 824s
We we desire and we're facing adversity or difficulty 830s
And we cry why me God why me 836s
Embedded in that question right is so often the sense of 841s
Why me me 846s
God, you know, you know, who's the recipient of this right God? It's it's me 847s
It's not the others. It's me 854s
Here that's the recipient of this and embedded in that 856s
Is this approach here that there's something in us that deserves God's special grace and 862s
favor 870s
What is it that we deserve from God? 872s
Absolutely nothing 876s
Absolutely 879s
Nothing 882s
So 884s
Luther cautions about the why me here the potter exercises complete control over the clay 885s
The clay are the word of his hand 895s
So we then can have confidence we can have confidence with regard to whatever we are experiencing here 900s
That that is being formed whether it is good or whether God allows challenges into our lives 908s
No matter whether we are broken or whether we are whole our one purpose is to do what but to bring glory to God 915s
And we are called to bring an empowered to bring glory to God not only in the good times 925s
but also in the 933s
Challenging times and God removes the why off of the table because 935s
Emory thing that God allows is for here comes the phrase again 942s
His ultimate good is ultimate glory in our ultimate good 947s
And so we can then say 952s
Because I know who you are in light of the cross because I know who you are in light of the word 957s
I can trust you then potter 964s
So we as the clay don't turn and say 968s
Why me 974s
Why me instead how can I give you glory God and empower me to give you glory amidst all of that 976s
That is the purpose with regard to why we are here is to bring him 985s
Glory take a look at chapter 45 verse 13 991s
I have aroused Cyrus in righteousness and I will make all his path straight 996s
He shall build my city and set my exiles tree not for price or reward says the Lord of hosts 1003s
God is in charge of all of history all of history 1010s
God is in charge of even even heathen nations to carry out his will 1016s
And so as one looks at the at the world and when has there ever been a generation that has not asked what's the world coming to 1023s
Right, that's a universal question right 1033s
As we look at the world and we say well, what is the world coming to as God's still in charge? Absolutely he is 1037s
Because to borrow a phrase from Rc sprawl 1044s
If there's one maverick molecule in the universe then God isn't God 1049s
If there's one molecule that's just kind of soon sand I'm doing my own thing 1055s
Then God isn't got 1060s
So God controls even 1063s
the heathen 1067s
nations 1068s
When we look at the frightening times or the frightening course sometimes of our lives 1070s
We can then say 1077s
God is in charge 1079s
And my purpose is to bring the hotter 1083s
Glory 1088s
Because I'm just clay I'm just clay 1090s
And so however he fashions it may I bring him 1094s
Glory that's freeing isn't it free 1099s
Okay, let's go on to 45 verse 15 1104s
Here we see a confession of his own faith that Isaiah gives 1111s
Truly you are a God who hides himself oh God of Israel the Savior 1117s
All of them are put to shame and confounded the makers of idols go in confusion together 1123s
But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all 1130s
Eternity 1139s
Interesting phrase there, isn't it? 1140s
Where it says in verse 15 as part of his confession truly you are a God who hides himself 1142s
God hides himself God is hidden 1150s
From the naturally sinful mind but God takes steps to reveal himself 1152s
Keep your finger here. Let's take a look at John the the 20th chapter 1159s
John the 20th chapter 1164s
Verse 31 1166s
Let's go to 30 get a little bit more context 1171s
John chapter 20 verse 30 1175s
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book 1179s
But these are written so that 1184s
You may come to believe that Christ is the Messiah the Son of God and that through believing you may have life in his name 1186s
He takes steps then to reveal himself and where does he reveal himself 1196s
He reveals himself in Scripture 1201s
So is God hidden from the naturally sinful mind? 1203s
Absolutely. Does God then take steps to reveal himself? 1207s
He does 1211s
Recorded in holy Scripture. Here's the second point underneath that 1212s
He remains hidden outside of the revelation of Scripture because outside of the revelation of Scripture 1217s
We have no 1224s
Reliable information about him 1226s
none 1230s
If we want to know who God is and what God says we must turn to his word because that's where he has revealed himself and that's where he has spoken 1233s
We don't turn inward 1245s
To ourselves we turn outward to his word 1248s
Here's a third subpoint of that 1253s
God has revealed to us what it is we need to know in his word 1257s
So that tells us right 1262s
Then we're not going to know everything nor are we going to understand everything. Let's go to Isaiah 55 1264s
We'll peek ahead a little bit 1270s
Isaiah chapter 55 verse 8 1273s
For my thoughts are not your thoughts 1286s
Nor are your ways my ways says the Lord 1289s
For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts 1293s
God is smarter than us 1301s
Right 1306s
God's God 1307s
And we're the creature 1309s
And that means we will not always understand his ways 1312s
But he has given us enough to know 1318s
So when we don't understand his ways 1322s
We return to that which we know 1327s
Which is what he has revealed to us in his word 1330s
We return amidst things we don't understand to what we know 1334s
His incredible love for us that through Christ he has opened up eternity for us that our sins have been atoned for 1340s
We turn to what he know we know all of his attributes that he's omnipotent omniscient etc 1347s
We return to what we know that we are here amidst things we can't understand 1352s
I'm its God reserves in his own counsel 1359s
To give him glory 1366s
And that's freeing 1369s
For us because the opposite course of action 1371s
Is when we don't understand his ways we are tempted to do what but build an idol 1375s
And why do we build an idol out of anything 1382s
We build an idol so that we can control it 1386s
We can control it 1390s
We can say 1393s
Here's God 1395s
Because I 1397s
And if we fashion it then 1400s
Then we say thus say if me 1405s
I have fashioned then a God 1409s
Instead of 1414s
Saying I will not fashion the God of my own making and turn to the God of my own making 1416s
In attempt to control a God that I can't always understand but I will rest in the surety of who God is 1423s
Reveal to his word and that'll be enough 1430s
That'll be enough 1433s
Because there are those times in life right where we say I don't understand this God. I don't understand 1435s
But I know who you are and I will trust in that 1444s
The hidden God speaks in his word and that is 1451s
Enough 1458s
It's enough 1460s
Well from the restoration of Israel the Lord then turns to the to the downfall of Babylon 1463s
You see him paying here 1471s
So he returned he returns now to this talking about the downfall of Babylon and the Lord depicts 1474s
The absolute helplessness of the gods 1482s
That the Babylonians had created and the Babylonians had had a bunch of gods a bunch of a gods 1486s
Two of their two of their gods was was Bell and Mibo 1495s
Um, so let's take a look at chapter 46 verses 1 to 4 1500s
And here Isaiah is talking about the downfall of Babylon 1506s
Chapter 46 Bell bows down Nebo stupes 1515s
Their idols are on beasts and kettle 1520s
These things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary animals 1524s
They stoop they bow down together they cannot save the burden 1528s
But themselves go into captivity 1534s
Listen to me O house of Jacob all the remnant of the house of Israel 1538s
Who have been born by me from your birth carried from the womb even to your old age. I am he 1542s
Even when you turn gray I will carry you I've made and I will bear I will carry 1549s
And will 1558s
save 1560s
These two of the prominent gods of Babylon among the multitude of gods neither of those gods 1562s
Could stop the fall of Babylon 1571s
Remember it and that that comes Persia Persia defeats Babylon 1575s
So rewind the tape there you got remember the power of Syria right 1580s
Syria was defeated by the Babylonians and then the Babylonians are defeated by the 1585s
By the Persians here 1591s
The picture then of these gods as pictured as as just 1594s
Hågley helps being carried out on the city on the backs of tired 1598s
ox 1605s
Isaiah's mission then is to announce 1607s
Not only the future captivity and release of the Jews 1611s
But also at Babylon itself would fall 1615s
Let's go to 47 1619s
Bruce 8 1621s
Now therefore hear this you lover of pleasures who sit securely who say in your heart 1625s
I am and there is no one besides me 1630s
I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children 1633s
Both these things shall come upon you in a moment in one day the loss of children in widowhood 1638s
Shall come upon you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your 1642s
enhancements 1651s
You felt secure in your wickedness you said no one sees me your wisdom in your knowledge led you astray 1653s
And you sit in your heart. I am and there is no one beside me 1658s
But the evil shall come upon you which you cannot charm away 1661s
Disaster shall fall upon you which you will not be able to ward off and ruin the shall come on you suddenly of which you know 1665s
Nothing 1675s
Isaiah already saw the downfall of Babylon 1677s
already saw 1684s
When you go to 48 1685s
You've got some classic law and and gospel that go on in chapter 48 1688s
The first portion of chapter 48 1694s
Is is really giving the law against the house of of Jacob the hardness of their hearts the second portion of 48 1697s
Um is a word of invitation 1706s
To leave Babylon and to trust in the Lord 1709s
So let's go to a 48 will pick up in in 17 1714s
Thus says the Lord your Redeemer the Holy one of Israel 1721s
I am the Lord your God who teaches you for your own good 1727s
Who leads you and the way you should go 1731s
Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments and your prosperity would have been like a river in your success like the waves of the sea 1734s
Your offspring would have been like the sand in your descendants like its grains their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me 1743s
Go out from Babylon 1753s
flee from Caldia 1755s
Declare this with a shout of joy proclaim it 1758s
Send it forth to the end of the earth say the Lord has redeemed his servant 1762s
Jacob 1771s
Verse 20 here tells the people this word of prophecy that when the time comes they are to announce to the ends here of the earth with 1772s
Shouts of joy their redemption here from Babylonian captivity 1783s
And when you think of us 1790s
God has redeemed us in a much greater way hasn't he 1792s
Then a release of the people out of captivity we've been redeemed through the cross of Jesus Christ and may we 1797s
As his redeemed people announce with great joy what God has done 1805s
If God called the people to announce with great joy here 1811s
The redemption from the Babylonian captivity how much more how much more 1816s
Do we have the joy and are we cold to express that joy and that reality 1824s
In terms of what God has done for us in Christ 1831s
So 1835s
We've seen here now today the raising up a Cyrus 1837s
The return of the Jews to Palestine to rebuild Jerusalem in the temple 1841s
That word of prophecy here 1846s
Ultimate purpose 1848s
Deserving the people out of which the Messiah will come and redeem the world 1850s
We've seen that whatever God makes of us 1855s
Are we broken or whole our purpose is to give him glory 1859s
We've seen 1865s
How the hidden God speaks through his word and if we want to know 1867s
Who he is and what he says 1873s
We don't go inward 1877s
We go outward to the word 1880s
We've seen the total helplessness of idols and our temptation to create our own idols in whatever form 1885s
When we cry out with the with the why me 1894s
And we've seen how God has redeemed us in a much greater way 1898s
No wonder we can announce with joy 1903s
Well, we'll continue next week as we turn to chapters 49 to 52 1906s