Isaiah 45
OGCEXAMINATION Chapter S FORTY-FOUR THROUGH FORTY-EIGHT
DEFINITION
(Define the following words or phrases as they were discussed in the comments.)
Jeshurun
hidest thyself
graven image
Nebo
delight
show yourselves men
shut their eyes
virgin
seen the fire
mistress
liars
tender, delicate
anointed
profit
MEMORIZATION
I am Jehovah, and there is _____ else; besides me there is no _____. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me; that they may know from the _____ of the sun, and from the west, that there is _____ besides me; I am Jehovah, and there is none else. I _____ light, and _____ darkness; I make _____, and create _____; I am Jehovah that _____ all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7)
For my _____ sake I will defer mine anger, and for my _____ will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not _____. Behold, I have _____ thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of _____. For mine _____ sake, for _____ own _____, will I do it; for how should my _____ be profaned? and my _____ I will not give to another. (Isaiah 48:9-11)
EXPLANATION
Explain the stupidity of idol making.
Explain how God shuts the eyes of idolaters.
Explain how Cyrus could be used of God in redemption.
Explain how God proves that idols are not gods.
Explain what was new about some of Jehovah’s predictions.
Explain why Jehovah always acts primarily for His own name’s sake.
APPLICATION
(In its context every scripture has one meaningthe author’s intended meaning. How may the following be applied in the believer’s life?)
Would man in our enlightened age be stupid enough to call a thing God?
Does God’s statement that He creates both goodness and calamities apply to modern history?
What application may we make of God taking an oath on His own name?
Of what value is biblical typology today?
Why is the teaching about idolatry so continually relevant to every age of civilization?
Is the teaching about listening to false prophets relevant for today?
Is there an application concerning the practice of astrology today from the teachings of Isaiah concerning Babylon’s astrology?
SPECIAL STUDY THE TRANSCENDENT GOD REVEALED HIMSELF
by Paul T. Butler INTRODUCTION
I.
THE POSSIBILITY OF GOD REVEALING HIMSELF
A.
Once established from Theism (natural revelation) that God exists and that He is the Uncaused, First Cause, with eternal power and deity (Romans 1:20), the Purposing Designer of the universe
then unless that which He created is greater than He. and
unless the laws He created are greater than the Lawgiver.
There is no escaping the conclusion that He can, if He wishes, intervene in the universe to reveal Himself, to accomplish His omnipotent will and purpose.
B.
Uniformitarianism (dogma of the so-called immutable laws of nature) does not preclude the possibility of supernatural intervention
The uniformity of nature is not a force, it is a mere abstract designation of the force that is observed to be working.
Both Heisenberg’s principle of indeterminacy and Einstein’s principle of relativity show that natural law is not immutable.
The absolute uniformity of nature depends upon human observation of all time and all experiencehuman observation has not been long enough into the past to say that these laws have always acted uniformitynor can human observation say with any absoluteness what these laws will do in the immediate future!
The question whether God has revealed Himself or not must be decided on the basis of evidence. Is there any evidence of supernatural intervention or revelation?
II.
THE PROBABILITY OF GOD REVEALING HIMSELF
A.
Would God create man and leave him all alone? All reason cries NO!
A man given a free will might do things contrary to the will of his Creator and be in danger, so the Creator would want to warn the creature.
The Creator is a Being of Purpose. There must be some purpose for man. There is no way for man to find the Purposer’s purpose for him unless the Purposer tells it!
B.
All religions, however pagan, have some form of revelation from their gods. Where did this idea of the higher being revealing himself come from if God did not put it there and if such a revelation had not, in fact, occurred?
III.
THE PROGRAM OF GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF
A.
In History (events and deeds)
B.
In Words (directly and through human agents in human language)
C.
In Person (Jesus Christ)
DISCUSSION
I.
GOD REVEALED HIMSELF IN HISTORYIN EVENTS, DEEDS OR IN NATURE
A.
In Acts 14:15-18, Paul told the citizens of pagan Lystra that the Creator-God did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons.
B.
In Acts 17:22-30, Paul told the Athenian philosophers that what they and their poets had been led (by a revelation they had of God through nature and reason) to worship was a Person, not a thing of stone or wood. The Athenians should have known this and deduced it from the nature of their own being!
C.
In Romans 1:19-20, Paul writes that the Gentiles had a revelation of the wrath, the eternal power and deity of God in that which had been created (nature); cf. Psalms 19:1-4.
D.
God has revealed Himself through supernatural events (we call them miracles) which have taken place historically. Such events cannot be explained as natural phenomena (parting of the Red Sea; Noachian Flood, etc.) except by men who choose to deliberately ignore the facts (cf. 2 Peter 3:5).
As a result of such supernatural events, having been empirically demonstrated, God expects man to reason to the Uncaused Cause (cf. Exodus 14:10-18; Psalms 44:1-3; Psalms 67:7-7; Psalms 78:1-72; Psalms 105:1 ff; Psalms 106:1 ff; Psalms 136:1 ff).
Compare these references also: Daniel 4:34-37; Hebrews 2:2-4; John 5:19-23; John 10:31-39; John 14:8-11.
E.
Some still refuse to admit, even in the face of demonstrable, historical evidence, that miracles have occurred. C. S. Lewis puts it this way in Miracles. Because such an admission would force them to admit there is a living God! Men exclude miracles from the realm of possibility today because in so doing they fashion for themselves a God who would not do miracles, or indeed anything else. Men are reluctant to pass over from the notion of an abstract and negative deity to the living God. An abstract and negative deity does nothing, demands nothing. He is there if you wish for Him, like a book on a shelf. He will not pursue you. It is with a shock that we discover a living God. You have had a shock like that before, in connection with smaller matterswhen the line pulls at your hand, when something breathes beside you in the darkness. So here; the shock comes at the precise moment when the thrill of life is communicated to us along the clue we have been following. It is always shocking to meet life where we thought we were alone. -Look out,-’ we cry, -it’s alive!-’ An impersonal Godwell and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own headsbetter still. A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tapbest of all. BUT GOD HIMSELF, ALIVE, PULLING AT THE OTHER END OF THE CORD, PERHAPS APPROACHING AT AN INFINITE SPEED, THE HUNTER, KING, HUSBAND, THAT IS QUITE ANOTHER MATTER! There comes a moment when the children who have been playing cops and robbers hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (-Man’s search for God-’) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE DENY THAT GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF HISTORICALLY IN EMPIRICALLY WITNESSED DEEDS. OR PERSONALLY IN JESUS CHRIST. HE IS, THEN, THE LIVING GOD!
II.
GOD REVEALED HIMSELF IN WORDSIN HUMAN LANGUAGE
A.
A verbal revelation is necessary
Some historical events lend themselves to interpretation by the innate capabilities of the mind of man alone (Romans 1, etc.)
Most events, however, must be interpreted by God to man in a verbal communication if man is to understand their revelatory nature.
Revelation then consists of event and interpretation. God acts in history and discloses by words the meaning of His acts.
The interpretation of the prophets, of Jesus Christ and of the apostles of what God has done in History is itself a part of the revelatory situation.
God communicated in words to Adam even before Eve was created (Genesis 2:15-17)God gave Adam the ability to use language and name the animals before Eve was created (Genesis 2:20).
B.
The nature of language as a medium of revelation
Written words have the same validity as the actual words of the speaker and this is shown by the fact that written words are admissible as evidence in a court of law, carrying the same weight as those of a living and present witness.
Speech, as defined by Wm. J. Martin, is the act by which the speaker provides with perceptible garments the invisible offspring (thoughts) of his mind.
Language makes the communication of thoughts possible by providing verbal deputies for the ingredients of many situations.
By language it is possible also for a speaker to superimpose his will on another, and thus it becomes possible for the Holy Spirit to superimpose His will upon us and within us through a verbal revelation.
Language makes possible even the communication of inaccessible matter (the supernatural wisdom and plan of God, which would be inaccessible if He did not speak it to us in language).
Language is necessary even for the mind of man to communicate with itself, for the mind is never completely happy until it has reduced its problems to linguistic terms.
C.
Existential theology denies that God can or will reveal Himself propositionally (that is, they affirm that God does not reveal Himself verbally, through words, but by direct confrontation, subjectively)BUT
We cannot have the knowledge of God without the knowledge about God!! anymore than we can have a knowledge of our wives or children without a knowledge about them!
We cannot claim the transcendent experience, the oneness of the soul with God, without the truth that God gives of Himself in the saving events of history, the truth of which comes to us by historical media.
Christian faith is not hung on a sky-hook but is founded securely in fact. One senses that the writers of the N.T. were terribly empirically minded. The fact-basis of faith is everywhere apparent in Scripture.
Faith without truth is impossible! and that truth is not some ether that haunts the atmosphere or the brain but something that is the function of statements and that grasps us when there is conveyed that which is actually the case.
To be personal means to be a self, a rational self, a moral self, and a purposing self. Man is both intellectual and moral. The one cannot be separated from the other. Response to the truth is moral as well as intellectual. Therefore there must be propositional truth in verbal form before there can be either an intellectual or moral confrontation with God!!
Confrontation involves the meeting of minds, of common response to one anotherin the truth. The confrontation of persons involves the communication of truth. Truth is a function of language!
D.
Language and Personal Encounter
Events (nature, history) cannot bring about the personal encounter which the genius of language alone can accomplish.
By means of the sense of hearing, as the receiver of verbal communication, one mind can make contact with the mental world of another mind and can influence that inaccessible and mysterious realm of thought.
Further, with the voluntary cooperation of the recipient, one may learn in turn something about the contents of that other mind.
Without such voluntary cooperation and without communication THERE IS AN IMPENETRABLE BOUNDARY TO PERSONAL ENCOUNTER. this is exactly what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:11. For what person knows a man’s thought except the spirit of the man which is in him? The mind of the man sitting next to you may be quite inaccessible to you, while at that very moment a friend a 1000 miles away may be allowing you, by means of a letter, to learn something of what is beyond this boundary. the act of crossing this boundary is one of the most remarkable phenomena of our experience.
If God willed to cross this boundary, He could surely do so by the existing means so extensively used between man andman. This is what the Psalmist infers in Psalms 94:8 ff. If God made the eye, He can see. AND IF GOD MADE THE TONGUE, HE CAN TALK!
E.
The Bible leaves us in no doubt whatever that the vehicle of revelation is language (words).
Language is versatile: it is unique in the reception and transmission of knowledge; it is the only means which possesses such potentiality.
Mystical communication, in which the intellect is in abeyance and the object of the participant is to merge himself by a non-verbal process in the Godhead, is excluded by a word often on the lips of the writers of the O.T. The word is translated to hear, and signifies not only to hear, but to understand and even to respond to what is said.
There are literally thousands of references in both O.T. and N.T. representing God as speaking words (cf. Exodus 20:1; Deuteronomy 1:6; Psalms 33:9; Jeremiah 7:13; Jeremiah 14:14; John 6:63; Matthew 24:35; John 17:14; John 17:17).
Language is the only conceivable means of communicating non-empirical places, things or concepts (heaven, hell, remission of sins). It has the ability to cross dimensional limits of time, space, etc., and communicate by verbal deputies (figures of speech, analogies, etc.) the non-experienceable. It has the ability to bring about PERSONAL ENCOUNTER, 1 Corinthians 2:13.
Yet language is inadequate to describe the ultimate realities of such things as heaven, hell, etc. ON THE OTHER HAND, INADEQUACY DOES NOT MEAN ERRONEOUSNESS. Paul was caught up into the third heaven and heard things it was impossible for him to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) We do not believe the book of Revelation’s description of heaven is in any ultimate sense, adequate, yet it is adequate enough in its relative sense to engender love, faith and purpose in the believer’s heart.
III.
GOD REVEALED HIMSELF IN A PERSON, HIS UNIQUE SON, JESUS CHRIST
A.
Because God is personal, the final revelation of Himself was a Person.
Hebrews 1:1-4, In times past God revealed Himself in many ways, and through many servants (prophets), but in the last dispensation He has revealed Himself in the Son, This Son is: Heir, Co-Creator, Glory of God, Express Image of His Person, Sustainer, Majesty on High.
John 1:1-18, The Third Person of the God-head became Incarnate and tabernacled among men. Men beheld His glory as of the only unique Son from the face-to-face presence with the Father. No man has seen God at any time, but the Son has declared Him (exegesatos) exegeted Him.
Philippians 2:5-10, God took upon Himself the form of a man and suffered the death of the cross, revealing the love of God.
2 Corinthians 5:19, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.
Hebrews 10:4-10, He came in a body prepared for Him to do the will of God willingly, and by that will we are sanctified.
His name is Immanuel (God with us), Matthew 1:23.
B.
The Son of God became Incarnate and acted in history and spoke exactly and exclusively the very words God willed Him to speak!! Luke says his gospel document is a treatise. of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Acts 1:1.
Jesus lived and taught the love of God perfectly.
Jesus lived and taught the compassion of God perfectly.
Jesus lived and taught the righteousness of God perfectly.
C.
The most important statement of Jesus concerning His personal revelation of the Father is found in John 14:7-11.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works-’ sake.
CONCLUSION
I.
PERSONAL REVELATION INVOLVES DECISION, RESPONSE TO THE PERSONAL GOD
A.
God meets man in the act of revelation not as an Idea, an Unmoved Mover, but as a PERSON who speaks to man and requires a response from man.
B.
To say that revelation is historical, verbal and personal means, in brief, that God has come into our midst and because He has so come, we can never remain the same as we were before.
II.
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD IN THE FLESH, HEAR YE HIM!
A.
In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9
B.
Do you want to know what God thinks? Read the words of Jesus and the apostles.
C.
Do you want to know how God acts? Look at the life Jesus lived.
D.
Do you want to know what God thinks of man? Read the Bible.
E.
Do you want to know what God promises to men of faith and obedience? Read the New Testament!
F.
Do you want to know what God commands man to do? Read the New Testament!
III.
AT THE END OF THIS AGE GOD IS GOING TO REVEAL HIMSELF ONCE AGAIN
A.
Historically, Verbally, Personally
B.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 ff; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:1-3; John 14:1-6; Acts 1:9-11
IV.
WHAT IS YOUR DECISION? GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO YOU PERSONALLY, VERBALLY, YOU HAVE HAD A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD HERE, NOW!
HIS PERSONAL INVITATION TO YOU IS COME, RECEIVE, OBEY, TRUST. THE BIBLE IS HIS LOVE LETTER TO YOU.
SPECIAL STUDY TYPOLOGY
Definition:
From tupos meaning literally to strike; the mark or impression of something; stamp; impressed sign; emblem. Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians 10:11; John 20:25 Print of nail (lit. usage) Webster: A figure or representation of something to come; a token; a sign; a symbol; correlative to antitype.
Synonyms:
skia (shadow), Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 10:1
hypodeigma (copy), Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:23
semeion (sign), Matthew 12:39
parabole (parable), or (figure), Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 11:19
antitypos (antitype), Hebrews 9:24; 1 Peter 3:21
Characteristics of types:
They are thoroughly rooted in history. They are not myths or allegories. This is where they differ from symbols. Symbols do not necessarily have to be historical realities (such as the dreams and visions of Daniel and John in Revelation). Types are actual, historical persons, events, institutions.
They are prophetic in nature. Again they differ from symbols in this aspect. Symbols may or may not be figurative of future things. Types must always predict.
They are definite, integral par of redemptive history. They were intended to be part of God’s plan of redemption. They are not afterthoughts read back into the O.T. story. They retain their typical significance even after the antitype has appeared (1 Corinthians 10:1-11) (Romans 15:4).
They are Christocentric. They all point to Christ in one way or another (Luke 24:24-44; Acts 3:32ff).
They are edificatory. They have spiritual meaning for God’s people in both dispensations. The OT saint was undoubtedly edified by the typical significance of such things as circumcision (Deuteronomy 30:6), the sacrifices (Hosea 14:2) and the coronation of Joshua (Zechariah 6:9-15); also the tabernacle, etc.
We must be careful not to think the OT saints perfectly understood all the type taught about Christ (1 Peter 1:10-12). If they understood all, it would take away the type’s prophetic nature.
They are in variety. There was a necessity for a great variety of types to give anything like a correct idea of the Messiah. Just as a single letter, or a very few letters from the alphabet could not express the full ideas of authors, so no type could fully exhibit the promised Savior in the dignity of his person, the mystery of his incarnation, excellency of character, union of offices, depth of humiliation, etc. Moses was an eminent type as a prophet, but he was no priest; Aaron was a chosen priest, but no prophet; David was a king and prophet, but no priest. While one goat slain was a type of the death of Christ, another must be sent away alive to typify his resurrection.
Importance of Studying Types: 1.
Absolutely necessary if we are rightly to understand the revelation of God.
Types and their antitypes are like a book with a large number of pictures of things, institutions, events followed by words of descriptions and explanations. It is difficult to conceive of any one trying to understand the descriptions and explanations without referring to the pictures themselves. Yet this is how the Bible is often treated. Many people are satisfied to read the N.T. without any reference to the types of the O.T.
The typology of the O.T. is the very alphabet of the language in which the doctrine of the N.T. is written.
It is very clear that God himself sets great value upon types. In Hebrews we learn that in the construction of the Tabernacle every detail was planned by Him. And He warned Moses to follow those details! For example: The veil in the Tabernacle was not merely a curtain to divide rooms. there was great meaning. a great lesson conveyed in that vail.
God Himself rent that veil from top to bottom. He added the finishing touches to that picture! Doesn-’t this show the great importance God puts upon the types!?
Jesus set great value upon types. Again and again He referred to them and showed how they pointed to Himself (Manna from heaven; Jonah’s death and resurrection from the whale; Light of World; etc.)
The very high place that is accorded types by the writers of the N.T. show their importance (Hebrews, Romans, Gospel of John, Revelation). The Epistle to the Hebrews is almost entirely made up of references to the O.T. The O.T. is the shadowsChrist is the substance.
We sometimes forget that the writers of the N.T. were students of the O.T.; that it was their Bible, and that they would naturally allude again and again to the types and shadows, expecting their readers also to be familiar with them. If we fail to see these allusions, we lose much of the beauty of the passage, and cannot rightly understand it.
We fit the type to the antitype as a glove to the hand. as we prove a criminal’s steps by fitting his boot into the tracks, so are we enabled, by a comparison of these types, to declare to the world that we have not followed any cunningly devised fables when we made known the power and coming of our Lord Jesus. He alone answers to the typical photographs. Such is the unity of the Divine purpose, that, look at what portion of it we will, there meets us some allusion to or emblem of our common salvation. The Scheme of Redemption is one gorgeous array of picture-lessons. The nation who typified it was a rotating black-board, going to and fro, and unfolding in their career the Will of the Eternal. Let us not despise the day of small things.
Some Rules for Interpreting Types:
The literal meaning of the word (strike) is not that which is generally found in the Scriptures.
We must never expect the type and the antitype to be the same. It is therefore utterly impossible to find something in the antitype that is analogous to every feature of the typeor that the type has perfectly prefigured the antitype.
For one purpose, generally, the type has been selected. Always rememberone point, or, at most, for but a very few features of similarity only.
It must predict something.
It must have been intended to represent something. Types are not coincidental.
The Scriptures should be allowed to interpret them, as far as possible.
We are always safe in calling anything a type that is so named in the word of God. But it is not necessary to suppose that we are limited to these named ones only.
Just like in the interpretation of symbols, the similarity between type and antitype will lead, in most cases, to the true meaning. (Lamb, Laver, Priest, etc.).
Anything, to be a type, must have been a real person, thing, event, or office.
The antitype is always superior to the type. The type is always visible at the time it is given, because it is material; but the antitype contains divine or spiritual thought.
Sometimes figurative language is employed in giving a typical event.
The rules for the interpretation of symbols apply as well as to types.
a.
Many of the symbols have been interpreted in whole or in part by their authors. Let them interpret, first.
b.
Other symbols have been interpreted by other inspired authors. Second choice of interpretation.
c.
Other scripture illustrations help where authors have not interpreted. Third choice of interpretation.
d.
Names of symbols are to be understood literally.
e.
There must be found a resemblance, more or less clear, between the symbol and the thing signified.
f.
The condition of those to whom the symbol was given must be known, if possible. to get the meaning the author intended for his primary audience.
Why types:
I.
There was something ultimately greater and more perfect than the OT.
A.
The Gospel age is the end of the ages (1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 11:40; etc.)
B.
The Gospel age is called the dispensation of the fulness of time (Ephesians 1:10).
C.
In the Gospel dispensation only is the great mystery of God in connection with man’s salvation disclosed (Luke 1:78; 1 John 2:8; Romans 16:25-26; Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10).
D.
In the NT are the realities which were before in the OT mere shadow and partial revelations (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5).
E.
Even the most eminent of people in the OT (John the Baptist) were said to be inferior to the least in the Messiah’s kingdom (Matthew 11:11).
F.
The OT predicts its own fulfillment by something ultimate (Jeremiah 3:15-18; Jeremiah 31:31-34, etc.).
II.
To prepare the way for the introduction of these ultimate objects, He placed His chosen people under a course of training which included instruction by types (designed resemblances) of what was to come.
A.
There must have been in the Old the same great elements of truth as in the antitypes of the New.
Spiritual necessities of men have been the same in every age. So the truth revealed to meet these necessities, however basic or progressive, must have been fundamentally the same or essentially one in every age.
Primary elements of truth embodied in Gospel (atonement, sacrifice, purification, etc.) had their origin as primary elements of truth even in the types.
B.
Presented more simply and palpably in the OT types.
In a shape or form the human mind could easily grasp.
From type to antitype involves a stretch of the mental faculties.
THIS IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF THE WHOLE IDEA OF TYPOLOGY: One truth in both type and antitype, but that truth existing first in a lower, then in a higher stage of development. III.
Something more was needed than mere prophecy.
A.
Training (experiential) of a very peculiar kind was needed.
B.
Touching, seeing, tasting the spiritual realities which could not be seen and touched was needed.
C.
The Jew had constantly presented to his sight and touch, in the outward and earthly things, the fundamental truths and principles of eternal-spiritual relationships which cannot be seen and touched.
Several kinds of types: (not exhaustive)
Typical persons
a.
Adam (type of Christ in that he was opposite from Him, Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:45).
b.
Moses (type of Christ as leader, prophet and mediator, Deuteronomy 18:15-18; Acts 3:22-24)
c.
Joshua (leader)
d.
Melchizadek (priest and king togethernot from Levitical genealogy, Genesis 14:18-20; Psalms 110:4; Hebrews 5:5-10; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:1-17).
e.
David (king after God’s heart, Acts 13:33-35; Isaiah 9:6-7).
f.
Solomon (2 Samuel 7:13-15; 1 Kings 8:18-20; Romans 1:1-4)
g.
Zerubbabel (Haggai 1:1-12; Zechariah 4:1-10; Zechariah 6:12-14).
h. Cyrus (a type of Christ as deliverer and anointed of God, Isaiah 44:27-28; Isaiah 45:1-4); as Servant of God also.
i. Ahithophel (type of Judas, 2 Samuel 15:30-35; Psalms 41:9; Psalms 55:12-20; Acts 1:16-20).
j. Elijah (type of John the Baptist, Malachi 3:1; Malachi 4:5-6; Isaiah 40:3-4; Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 1:17; Matthew 11:7-15; Matthew 17:9-13).
Typical things
a.
Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:9-10)
b.
Temple (John 2:13-22; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
c.
Serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14; Numbers 21:9)
d.
Lambs slain by priests (John 1:35; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 5:12).
e.
Laver before the tabernacle (Titus 3:5-7; Hebrews 10:22).
Typical institutions
a.
Sacrifices and offerings of patriarchs and Law (Hebrews 10:1 f)
b.
Day of Atonement; Jubilee (Hebrews 9:25; Luke 4:18-21).
c.
Sabbath (Hebrews 4:1-10; Matthew 11:28-30)
d.
Cities of refuge (Numbers 35:9-34; Hebrews 6:18-20).
e.
Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles (1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 15:20; John 7:37-39; John 8:12)
f.
Ablutions, laying on hands, etc. (Hebrews 6:1-8)
Typical offices
a.
Prophet
b.
Priest
c.
King
Typical conduct
a.
Abraham’s faith, type of Christian response (Romans 4:1-25; James 2:18-26; Hebrews 11:8-12).
b.
Many of the prophets performed deeds that were typical (Jeremiah, Hosea, etc.)
Typical events
a.
Passage through the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-10).
b.
The Flood (1 Peter 3)
c.
The Manna in the Wilderness (John 6)
d.
The deliverance from Egypt (Hosea 11:1)
e.
Wilderness Journey (Hebrews 3)
Typical places
a.
Egypt (Bondage and sin)
b.
Jordan (death)
c.
Canaan (heaven)
d.
Babylon (proud paganism opposing God’s people)
THE TABERNACLE
I. The earthly tabernacle was a parabole of the Christian age (Hebrews 9:9)
A.
It is said to be a shadow of the heavenly, Hebrews 8:5
All the law of Moses was a shadow of the good things to come, Hebrews 10:1
Thousands of years before the N.T. church was instituted it was typified, and prefigured in the Tabernacle, built according to the pattern.
(The pattern was for the tabernacle, not the N.T. church)
B.
The Altar of Burnt Offering
Sacrifices twice daily, besides all the feasts
For atonement of sins; offerer must lay hands on head of sacrifice (doctrine of laying on hands, Hebrews 6), to signify substitutionary nature, Leviticus 1:3-4
Christ is our Lamb; He was a willing sacrifice (Hebrews 10), not the blood of dumb animals
We lay hold of our sacrifice by faith and obedience to the initiatory commands of the Gospel, demonstrating that He died for us and we accept His death in our place.
C.
The Laver
Priests must wash hands and feet (complete cleanness and sanctification) before entering Holy Place; on penalty of death, Exodus 30:17-21
Laver is certainly figure of our cleansing and separation from world unto God; would then be typical of baptism
a.
b.
c.
We have two things to do before entering God’s new Holy Place (the church); accepting in faith the substitutionary death of Jesus; cleansing in the laver of regeneration, 1 Peter 3:21
D.
The Lampstand
It was for a light in the Holy Place, Exodus 25:37
It was to be made of pure gold and burn pure oil
It was to burn continually, night and day; no other light was to shine in the Holy Place
It typifies the Word of God in the church
a.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathway
b.
We have been delivered from the power of darkness into the light of his kingdom by the word of God
c.
The church is to continue stedfastly in the apostles doctrine
d.
The word is sufficient light (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-4)
e.
The church is the pillar of truth, 1 Timothy 3:15 Christ symbolized the church with seven lampstands in Revelation 2, 3 as pillars of truth in Asia Minor
E.
The Table of Shewbread (Presence)
Twelve loaves renewed each week (Leviticus 24:5-7)
Eaten as memorial each week to deliverance from Egypt and as a memorial to their being set apart to good works
Priests had to partake each week
Apparently typifies the Lord’s Supper, a memorial of our deliverance, Christ’s presence, our sanctification to good works.
F.
Altar of Incense
Just before the veil and smoke and scent of incense permeated the whole tent (drifting even into the Holy of Holies)
Was to be made according to the will of God and to be pure (Nadab and Abihu were slain for offering incense contrary to God’s will)
Burned at times of prayer
A figure of prayer in the N.T. church
a.
Psalms 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee.
b.
Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4, prayers of saints going up as incense before throne
c.
Our prayers must be according to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15)
G.
Ark of the Covenant
God’s presence was there in the Shekinah glory (Spirit)
It was the place of mercy
The people were separated from it by a veil, signifying that an open and free access to mercy and glory had not yet been made
The High Priest entered once a year to atone for sins
The veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom when Christ was crucified, signifying that the way into mercy and glory had been made and we may now enjoy (every one, not just High Priest) the presence of God in the Spiritthe church is the habitation of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Typology of Scripture, Fairbairn, Baker
Hermeneutics, D. R. Dungan, Standard Publishing Co.
Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, Baker, pg. 533-534
Principles of Interpretation, Clinton Lockhart, Central Seminary Press
Types and Metaphors of The Bible, J. W. Monser, John Burns Book Co.
Shadow and Substance, Victor E. Hoven, Northwest Christian College Press
The Study of The Types, A. R. Habershon, Kregel
Christ: The Fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, James D. Bales, Lambert Book House
Things Old and New In Religion, Hoyt Bailey, C.E.I. Pub. Co.
Survey Course In Christian Doctrine, Vol. II and IV, C. C. Crawford, College Press, Pg. 256f
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. V, art. Types Eerdmans
The Theology of the Older Testament, Payne, Zondervan
Class notes from Hebrew Epistle, Butler, unpublished.
Bible Types and Shadows, John W. Wade, Standard Pub. Co.
Isaiah 45:1-8
SOVEREIGN IN SALVATION, CHAPTER 45
a.
OMNIPOTENCE
TEXT: Isaiah 45:1-8
1
Thus saith Jehovah 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 the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
2
I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron;
3
and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that it is I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.
4
For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
5
I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me;
6
that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else.
7
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.
8
Distil, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up together; I Jehovah have created it.
QUERIES
a.
How will Jehovah loose the loins of kings before Cyrus?
b.
Why did God surname Cyrus for Jacob’s sake?
c.
How may the skies pour down righteousness?
PARAPHRASE
This is what Jehovah says to Cyrus the man He has especially chosen and whose career of conquest and government Jehovah will guide and sustain. The Lord will subdue great world powers and strip emperors of their strength for him; He will open city gates and no one will be able to shut them against Cyrus. Jehovah says, I will be the One preparing your path of conquest. All obstacles will be removed. Doors of brass, barred with iron will not stand in your way. Secret treasures which these kings assume cannot be found will be given to you to the end that you may know that I am God and that it is I, the God of Israel, who called you by your name many years before you were born. I have called you primarily for the sake of My servant, Israel, My chosen people. I have prophesied your name long before your birth, even though you do not acknowledge Me as the Only God. There is no other god. I, Jehovah, am sovereign in the affairs of all men. It is I, Jehovah, who will empower you in your conquests Cyrus, although you do not acknowledge Me. I will do this so that the whole world will have opportunity to know there is no god besides Me. I am Jehovah, and there is no other god. I create both light and darkness; I send both blessing and woe; I, Jehovah, am the creator of everything. I, Jehovah, have created all of heaven and earth and I will command it and use all My creation to bring about the blessings of salvation and righteousness which I have promised to Israel, My chosen.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 45:1-4 ANOINTED: The word translated anointed is the Hebrew word meshikho a form of the word messiah. It is astounding to learn that Jehovah has anointed a pagan emperor to become a messiah for His people. Yet, the Lord has used many servants from among the heathen (see Daniel 7, 8, Jeremiah 27:1-11) to fulfill His redemptive plan. It is apparent that Cyrus, in his deliverance of Israel, served as a type of the Messiah-Servant to come, Jesus Christ (see special study on Types in this volume). Cyrus was not born for more than a hundred years after this prophecy. Cyrus was born in a little province in north-western Elam and just south of Media. He came to power in about 559 B.C. He was actually Cyrus II, a descendant of Achaemenes (700-675 B.C.). Cyrus-’ own cylinder indicates he was thoroughly imbued with the idea that he was the man of destiny: (the opening lines are quoted here)
Through all the lands he (Marduk) searched, he saw him (Cyrus), and he sought the righteous prince, after his own heart, whom he took by the hand. Cyrus, king of Anshan, he called by name; to sovereignty over the whole world he appointed him.
The rule of Cyrus meant for all the conquered world a renewed and continuous political prosperity and a religious liberty unknown in the annals of other rulers. He was the protector and the bounteous promoter of the welfare of his subjects. Their deities and their methods of worship were graciously restored, and dignified by elevating them to their former positions. The peoples, also, who had been forcibly deported from their native lands, were restored by the king’s decrees. This generous policy, in contrast with that of preceding rulers, gave Cyrus great influence and power over his subjects. Part of his popularity may have been due to the fact that he was an Aryan (Caucasian), with newer and freer ideas than those of Semitic potentates.
There is an interesting statement in Josephus to the effect that Cyrus read Isaiah’s prophecy and was influenced by it to free the Jews (Antiq. XI.1.2.). It is not impossible! Cyrus was a man interested in the religion, culture, and history of all his subjects. In his proclamation (Ezra 1:1 f; 2 Chronicles 36:22 f) Cyrus attributes his actions to a knowledge of what Jehovah commanded him to do. There were, as we have mentioned, other reasons for Cyrus-’ actions; (1) it was national policy to restore peoples to their own dwelling places. (2) Palestine had been from time immemorial a buffer state between southwestern Asia and Egypt. To occupy and hold the strong fortress of Jerusalem was the first step toward the conquest of the rival power. If Cyrus could secure that advantage by aiding the Jews to rebuild and hold it, he would be setting up one battlement in the face of Egypt’s army. For one of his next strokes, after Babylon, would be at the rival imperial power on the Nile. For more on Cyrus and the Medo-Persian Empire see Daniel, by Butler, College Press, pages 223-233 and 296-298.
There are three distinct reasons God uses Cyrus and speaks so intimately to him nearly 200 years before his birth:
(a)
Cyrus is to know that the God of Israel is the only God there is, (Isaiah 45:3).
(b)
Cyrus is to serve Jehovah for the sake of Israel, (Isaiah 45:4).
(c)
Cyrus is to serve Jehovah in order that all men may know Jehovah is the only God there is, (Isaiah 45:6).
It is apparent that Cyrus was never converted to monotheism or the worship of Jehovah as the only God, for in many of his proclamations, he acknowledges Marduk as god. Whatever Cyrus accomplished, it was because Jehovah, sovereign Lord of all creation, permitted him to do it. Not only did Jehovah permit it, He assisted Cyrus in its accomplishment (cf. Jeremiah 27:1-11).
Isaiah 45:5-8 ALMIGHTY: This is one of the great passages of the Bible teaching that God is immanent in His creation. God has not created the universe and wound it like a clock, only to go off somewhere and let it run itself. He is personally and directly involved in its day-by-day operation.
a.
In Christ, all things consist, or hold together, Colossians 1:17
b.
He upholds all things by the word of His power, Hebrews 1:3
c.
He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, Matthew 5:45
d.
He gives rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, Acts 14:17
e.
His wrath is revealed from heaven, Romans 1:18-32, in the things that have been made.
f.
In everything God works for good with those who love him, Romans 8:28-29
g.
All that happens in history and nature is under the sovereign Throne of God and the Lamb (cf. Revelation 4-9).
If there is one thing made abundantly clear from the prophets (and confirmed by the New Testament) it is that God is sovereign of both weal and woe. Is God in the whirlwind? Yes! (Nahum 1:3; Zechariah 9:14). Is God in the earthquake? Yes! (Isaiah 29:6; Acts 16:26; Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:5, etc.). God is in locusts plagues, fires, floods, famines, droughts, plagues. Does evil befall a city except the Lord hath done it? (Amos 3:6). When some good comes everyone is agreed it is directly from the Lord. When some woe comes let us be equally assured it is from the Lord. Do tornadoes, earthquakes and famines mean those who are victimized are worse sinners than others? No! Jesus cleared that up in Luke 13. Whatever happens, wherever it happens, it is God’s message to a cursed and doomed universe to repent! All who do not repent will likewise perish! What of those who are repenting and yet perish? They come out of their great tribulation (Revelation 7:13-17); they are rested from their labors (Revelation 14:13); and their works follow after them. They are blessed! There is only one part of God’s creation granted the sovereign exercise of free willman! All the rest of His creation is under His direct operation. Nature is simply a word used by man to evade this fundamental issue that it is God who is Creator and Sustainer. But both good and evil, no matter with whom they originate, are never out of God’s control. Even Satan’s deliberate evil and the freely chosen evil deeds of men are under His control and are being used (and will be ultimately used) to serve His sovereign purposes and redound to His Absolute glory! Both the weal and woe of God is designed to lead man to repentance (cf. Romans 1:18 with Romans 2:4); see Isaiah 14:24-27; Isaiah 44:24-28; Jeremiah 27:1-11; Job 2:1-6; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Daniel 2:20-23. Do men still rule by God’s sovereign permission? Does God still send famines, earthquakes, fires, floods, whirlwinds, sun and rain, fruit and harvest season? Yes! He is the same God today He was thousands of years ago! Men still choose sin and evil rebellion because God has granted them the freedom to make that choice, and God is in no way to blame for their choice nor is He the author of their evil. But rest assured their evil will in no way triumph over the sovereign will of God. It is His will that their impenitent, unforgiven evil shall be punished foreverand so it will be! Furthermore, their evil in this life is permitted by Him and used as chastening, warning, perfecting, strengthening agents upon all who will put their trust in Him.
Verse eight appears to be Isaiah’s own surrender to the expressed sovereignty of God just proclaimed. It is, as it were, a prayer of Isaiah looking forward to the prospective mission of Cyrus and its salvation for the people of God. Isaiah prays that God’s whole universe join in with God’s program of redemption for Israel and the nations. Let all of God’s creation bring forth and pour down spiritual blessings in heavenly gifts, according to the will and in the power of Jehovah, whose ultimate purpose is a new spiritual creation. Any man who believes and contemplates the absolute sovereignty of Jehovah as expressed by Isaiah here must be led to the same adoring prayer!
QUIZ
Why would God use the term anointed to refer to Cyrus?
Is it possible that Cyrus might have known about this prophecy?
How did Cyrus fulfill this prophecy?
To what extent does God exercise control over the universe today?
Is God the author of evil?
Isaiah 45:9-13
b. OBEDIENCE
TEXT: Isaiah 45:9-13
9
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10
Woe unto him that saith unto a father, What begettest thou? or to a woman, with what travailest thou?
11
Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.
12
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded.
13
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.
QUERIES
a.
Who is God warning not to strive with his Maker?
b.
Why does God challenge, ask me of the things that are to come?
PARAPHRASE
Cursed is the man who contends with Me about what I have just predicted! Men are creatures, not Creatorsthey are like earthenware pots and have been formed. They are not Formers! Now, shall the clay (man) say to him that fashions it (God), What do you think you are doingYou can-’t do that!? For man to tell God He cannot do what He says He will do is as foolish as an unborn son telling his father and mother they cannot bring him forth in birth. This is what Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, Sovereign Creator says: Will you dare to question Me about what I intend to do in the future? Do you presume to tell Me what I can and cannot do with My covenant children? I am the Omnipotent Creator of everything that is! I created the earth and I created man; I created the heavens and all the heavenly beings, and everything that exists is at My command. As I predicted, because of My own righteous purpose, I raise up Cyrus and I will personally make all his ways successful. He will build My city, Jerusalem, and he will free My people from their captivity. He will not do it because he has been paid to do so; he will do it because the Lord Jehovah of hosts has spoken!
COMMENTS
Isaiah 45:9-11 PRESUMPTION: God knows His former prophecy that Cyrus, a pagan emperor, is to be His anointed servant to deliver God’s people, will meet with incredulity. It would not be easy for a Jew to accept the idea that a pagan monarch could be God’s anointed! That Jehovah, God of Israel, would ever give success to a goyim (Gentile) was unacceptable (cf. Habakkuk 1:12 to Habakkuk 2:5; Luke 4:16-30). But the rejection of God’s word is moral rebellion and inexcusable. God has demonstrated in the past that He may do anything He wishes to do. He has demonstrated that when He speaks it comes to pass. Those who thus contend with Him are like kheres (earthenware pots) talking back to their yatsar (former) (cf. Isaiah 29:16; Jeremiah 18:1 ff; Romans 9:20; Isaiah 10:15). God pronounces woe on such presumption. It is insolent disobedience to question God’s word as if to say, God, what do you think you are doing by anointing a Gentileyou can-’t do that! The phrase, He hath no hands implies the skeptic is charging God with ineptitude, as if God is going to make a mess of things by anointing Cyrus. Actually, it is the skeptic who is absurd. For a man to advise God is as ridiculous as an unborn child telling its parents they cannot conceive it or bring it to birth. The two verbs shealvuni (ask) and tetsavvuni (command) are imperatives. This may be translated as either command or question. We have chosen to understand it as a rhetorically satirical question from God to the skeptic. You dare to question Me about My prophecies? You presume to command Me what to do about My redemptive program for My covenant people? And all this presumptive meddling in God’s preannounced program is an attempted remonstrance with God about things that have not yet come to pass!
Isaiah 45:12-13 PROCLAMATION: God reiterates His sovereignty. He is omnipotent and omniscient. He is so by right of His Creatorship. He made earth, man, heaven, angels and everything that exists. Everything that exists is at His commandeven a Gentile emperor! But more significantly, Israel is His to command. God’s prophecy of deliverance by Cyrus is a command to Israel. Her proper response is obediencenot presumptive skepticism. What God is going to do with Cyrus is on account of God’s righteousnessnot Cyrus-’ goodness. The Lord plainly states that Cyrus shall be His servant to rebuild Jerusalem and to free the captive Jews. There were four decrees by Persian rulers authorizing the Jews to return, rebuild and reinstitute their commonwealth (see our comments in Daniel, College Press, pgs. 347-348). Cyrus made the first decree in 536 B.C. and it is recorded in Ezra 1:2-4. The astounding thing about this statement of Isaiah (Isaiah 45:13) is that it was made approximately 150 years before the fact! This is proof positive of the supernatural character of the book of Isaiah! It is also of great significance that Isaiah predicts the motivation for Cyrus-’ freeing of the Jews and his part in rebuilding their nation will not be for price nor reward. Cyrus will not have to be paid off, or bribed. The Jews will not be released for ransom. Zechariah’s prophecy reveals that God will keep the world at peace so the Jews may rebuild their temple and their citiesnot by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord, (cf. Zechariah 4:5-14). It is nothing short of amazing that a powerful emperor like Cyrus would free his captives without a struggle and by his own imperial edict. It would be totally unexpected behavior in a world ruler of those days. To allow some 100,000 people, who in 70 years had become an integral part of the economic, political and social system of the empire, to pick up and leave suddenly would cause unimaginable problems. But as uncommon and unimaginable as it may have seemed then, it happenedjust as it was predicted. God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus and the Jews were returned to Palestine. No great army overpowered Persia; no exchange of money took place; there was not even a summit meeting of diplomats working out a release of the captives. Only the amazing power of the fulfillment of the Word of God being demonstrated!
Note the following things about the return from the captivity:
a.
It was begun in 536 B.C., exactly 70 years after the first captivity of Judah in 606 B.C. This exact 70 years was predicted by God’s prophets (cf. Jeremiah 25:11-12; Daniel 9:2)!
b.
It was instituted by Cyrus, emperor of Persia; He was predicted to be the instigator of the return 150 years before he was born, (Isaiah 45:1-13)!
c.
The release of the Jews from Persia would in no way profit the emperor Cyrus. There would be no pay-off. As a matter of fact, Cyrus decreed that people of his realm should contribute to the financial needs of the Jews to help them rebuild their nation (cf. Ezra 1:1-4)!
d.
Not only were the Jews released from captivity, they were charged by the Persian emperor to reinstitute their commonwealth. This meant they were to return to self-governing nationhood (cf. Ezra 7:11-26)!
When Isaiah was making this prophecy of the release of the exiles by the hand of Cyrus, the people of Judah had not yet been taken captive! In fact, their captivity was yet some 50 years away! The point is that Isaiah’s people are refusing to believe they are going away into captivity. How much more incredible to believe they will someday be released and returned to their land by an unborn, uncrowned emperor of an unformed empire. One only has to read the book of Jeremiah (esp. Jeremiah 27-28) to understand the stubborn incredulity of the people of Judah about their subjugation to Babylon. The prediction of the prophets that God’s covenant people would be taken into exile was almost totally unacceptable to the populace. The prophets who told God’s truth were considered traitors!
Mankind, on the whole, changes little in its attitude toward God’s promises that the kingdoms of this world are doomed. Few believed Jesus when He predicted the destruction of Jerusalemnot even the disciples (cf. Matthew 23:37 to Matthew 24:28); not many believed the predictions of John the apostle that Rome would fall (cf. Revelation 6-20; esp. ch. 17-18); and there will continue to be scoffers, following their own passions and saying, -Where is the promise of his coming?-’. (cf, 2 Peter 3:1-13). But the word of the Lord is sure! The return of the Jews by Cyrus proves it! Let us heed Isaiah, Will you question me about my children, or command me concerning the work of my hands? (Isaiah 45:11). God will do as He has said, and no one (not even Cyrus) will deter Him! God has spoken! Man’s only intelligent, hopeful response is obedience. Even when God’s declarations are prophetic and, as yet, non-existent man must believe and act accordingly!
QUIZ
Why the emphasis on the sovereignty of God’s predictive word here?
How are the scoffers characterized in this passage?
When did Cyrus let Israel return to its homeland?
Why is the return of the Jews so amazing? (name four features).
How is God’s prophecy of deliverance by Cyrus a command to the Jews?
Is there a lesson to be learned today from this prediction of the return?
Isaiah 45:14-19
c. ORDER
TEXT: Isaiah 45:14-19
14
Thus saith Jehovah, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall go after thee; in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
15
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16
They shall be put to shame, yea, confounded, all of them; they shall go into confusion together that are makers of idols.
17
But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be put to shame nor confounded world without end.
18
For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.
19
I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
QUERIES
a.
How would the wealth of the Egyptians come to the Jews?
b.
Why say God hides himself?
c.
What is the point of reminding of Jehovah’s creative power?
PARAPHRASE
As a result of what I am going to do with Cyrus, says the Lord, Israel will eventually inherit the wealth of those who once opposed her, like Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sabeans. That wealth will be the best of mankind putting itself in willing servitude to follow the leadership of Israel. Men from all over the world will bow down and confess that the True God is in this new Israel, beseeching her, Let us join you for we believe there is no God except your God. Of a truth, O God of Israel, you are a Saviour who works mysteriously and incomprehensibly to the finite mind of man. At that time, the great contrast between the futility of worshipping idols and the complete and eternal salvation Jehovah gives will be made manifest. The idol worshippers will be shown to be confused and the worshippers of Jehovah will never be confused. This is what Jehovah, the One who does everything for a purpose, says. Jehovah is the God of Order and Design. Everything He does has as its goal the exaltation of His name and the salvation of maneven the captivity and return of His children. He is Creator, and there is no other! He is Sovereign, and there is no other! All of this concerning His sovereignty and His purposefulness He has made known by revelation. He has even revealed His intention to redeem mankind. He has not, like the false gods, made Himself inaccessible or unknowable. I have never said to Israel, You may look for Me but I will not let you find Me. I am Jehovah, and I speak the truth openly; whatever I say is right, and it will come to pass!
COMMENTS
Isaiah 45:14 CONVERSION: What is predicted in this verse will come as a consequence of what has been said about believing and obeying the promise of deliverance from the captivity through Cryus. God is going to form a new Israel by the process of judgment (captivity) and redemption (return). He is going to prepare a remnant of faithful believers through which He may bring the Messiah and redeem the whole world. This messianic advent is not going to occur immediately after the return from captivity. There is no necessity to force the passage to say that. But the release of the captives and the restoration of the Jewish commonwealth will be the beginning of that total process which culminates in the first coming of Christ (cf. our comments, Daniel, College Press, Daniel 9:24-27, pgs. 343-356). The figurative picture of many nations coming to Israel with their treasures is a favorite expression of Isaiah to predict the messianic age (cf. Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 19:16-25; Isaiah 23:18; Isaiah 60:5-22; Isaiah 61:5-11, etc.). It would demand too much to force this passage to a literal meaning. We have here a prediction that the inveterate enemies of Israel will, as a result of Israel’s return to her homeland, willingly turn over to Israel their wealth, willingly surrender to Israel in chains, and willingly beseech Israel to be allowed to join in the worship of Israel’s God. Such action has certainly never occurred by political or military persuasion. It could only be the result of conversion. Isaiah is predicting that the new Israel, resulting from the restored and repenting messianic remnant, will one day see the wealth of its enemies willingly surrendered to it. This new Israel will also see men of all nations, Gentiles, becoming bondservants to Jehovah and His kingdom. Gentiles will one day recognize that there is only One true God, and He is Jehovah, and they will beg to be joined to His people. Cyrus-’ release of the exiles will serve this purpose. Isaiah does not tell us all the events of history that will transpire between Cyrus and the conversion of the Gentiles to the new Israel. That is not relevant here. The point of Isaiah’s message here is that Jehovah is sovereignHe is supreme. Jehovah is a God of purpose and order, the prophet affirms and Jehovah’s ultimate purpose is the redemption, not just of a 100,000 exiles from Mesopotamia, but of the whole world.
Isaiah 45:15-17 CERTITUDE: Isaiah now moves to an expression of awe and praise for the unsearchableness of God’s ways. The Hebrew word misettatter is translated hidest thyself, and is similar to the Greek word musterion (mystery) which means simply, unknown, or unrevealed. God is knowable when He reveals Himself. But there are depths to the character and mind of God that finite man could never know even if they were revealed to him. Man, living in a physical, time-space, temporal capsule is incapable of comprehending a non-physical, non-time-space, non-temporary existence. God reveals as much of Himself as man needs and is able to assimilate for the purpose of redemption and salvation and sanctification. Beyond that man is at a loss to know, not because God is unwilling, but because man is incapable (cf. Isaiah 55:6-11; John 16:12; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 2:6-13). God’s predictions that He will work through a pagan ruler (Cyrus) to return the exiles and that from this will come a new Israel which will incorporate slaves who have willingly surrendered from Egypt, Ethiopia, etc., is unsearchable and inscrutable, God works in His plan of redemption according to His sovereign will (this is the message of Romans 9-11). Man may understand enough of God’s nature to know He is sovereign. But what man needs more than understanding is belief and obedience.
Incomprehensible as it may seem, the work of God through the new Israel, begun with the return of the exiles by Cyrus, will result in a great demonstration of the futility of idolatry. It seems altogether incongruous that a great pagan emperor who worships idols would begin a work that would ultimately expose the shamefulness of idolatry, but that is the meaning of Isa 45:16. In contrast with the chaos and hopelessness of idolatry, the new Israel will know the orderliness and salvation of the One True God. The Israel of God will never know shame or confusionher salvation and hope will outlast time. The Israel of Isaiah’s day was to put its hope in this as a certitude because Jehovah is the God of order and purpose. His ways are not reducible to human reasoning or human experience, but He has revealed His nature sufficiently that human beings may trust Him completely to have their redemption and glorification as His purpose in everything He does and says. Faith in the certitude of God’s purpose would be the only thing that would sustain Isaiah’s people through Babylonian captivity and the long centuries of indignation until the coming of the Messiah.
Isaiah 45:18-19 COHERENCE: Isaiah continues the theme of purpose-fulness. God made the world for order and purpose. He did not intend it to be perverted and turned into chaos by rebellion and sin. But man made waste of God’s creation when he believed Satan and disobeyed God. This is Isaiah’s message in Isaiah 45:18. The implication is that God will, through the work begun by Cyrus and the returned exiles, proceed to restore order and purpose to His creation. Restoration of order is the message of Romans 1-8; it is the message of Heb 2:5-18. Man once had dominion over an ordered, purposeful, paradise; he forfeited it by sin and his paradise became a futility (cf. Romans 8:20); Christ’s meritorious work paid the redemptive price for man and his planet and one day this redemption will be consummated (Hebrews 2:5-18), and man redeemed by covenant relationship to his Maker will once again have dominion over Paradise. This is the ultimate purpose of Jehovah and the goal of the work of Cyrus and the returned exiles! The coherent reunion of man with his Maker and man with his surroundings is the goal of God. Man in oneness with his God and with his fellow man is what Jesus fervently prayed for and died for (cf. John 17:1 ff). Only God could accomplish that. And He would accomplish it through things unsearchable and inscrutable to the wisdom of menthe gospel of the cross (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10-31). All the philosophies and political schemes of men put together will never accomplish what God can do through the foolishness of the message of the cross of Christthat is, reunite man in a divine coherence with his Maker!
Although the ways and means by which God does this may not be fully understood, the fact that He is going to do it is no secret! This is what the prophet says in Isaiah 45:19. Jehovah makes every possible effort to reveal Himself. He wants men to trust Him and love Him and obey Him. He is not like the pagan gods and their devotees whose one aim seems to be to conceal. Those who worshiped idols and practiced sorcery found themselves being told their gods could only be discovered by secret rituals and then only a select few could know the rituals. Most Gentiles understood clearly that their gods were simply creatures of mythology and fantasy. Most were skeptical of any reality connected with religion. Jehovah is not like that! When He speaks He speaks truth. When He acts, what He does is right and real. He spoke in revelation to man. In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets. (Hebrews 1:1). There was no dearth of communication from Jehovah, both in word and deed, even to the day of Isaiah. He declared His purposefulness and faithfulness over and over. Now, Isaiah is calling upon his contemporaries to believe Jehovah is speaking again, openly, plainly and purposefully.
QUIZ
What connection does this text have with what has been said before about Cyrus and the exiles?
Why is the statement about the labor of Egypt etc. to be understood figuratively?
How may God hide Himself and reveal Himself at the same time?
How will Cyrus-’ work result in demonstrating the futility of idolatry?
What kind of coherence does God seek in His creation?
How will God bring about that coherence?
Isaiah 45:20-25
d. OUTREACH
TEXT: Isaiah 45:20-25
20
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21
Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.
22
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.
23
By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24
Only in Jehovah, it is said of me, is righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all they that were incensed against him shall be put to shame.
25
In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
QUERIES
a.
Why direct the escaped of the nations to gather?
b.
When shall every knee bow, etc.?
c.
Who is incensed against Jehovah?
PARAPHRASE
When this work, begun by Cyrus, resulting in a new Israel shall have culminated, all you Gentiles who wish to escape the judgment of Jehovah gather yourselves together and draw near. Those who worship idols are ignorant and lost; they pray to gods that are unable to save. Let all idol-worshippers who wish to contest My sovereignty combine all their wisdom and power and try to keep My predictions from coming to pass! After all, who has made such prophecies and had them come to pass-one of your idol-gods? No! Only Jehovah knows the future with certainty. I am the Only God there is! I am absolutely just and faithful to keep My word and I am the only Saviour there is; Let all the world turn to Me and be saved, for I am the only God there is; there is no other Savior! Since I am the only Absolute, I have sworn by My absolute sovereignty. I have spoken in these prophecies on the basis of My absolute faithfulness; they will come to pass! Indeed, every human being will ultimately acknowledge My sovereignty; every knee will bow and every tongue will confess some day that I am Lord. Some, who say, Only in Jehovah may we have real righteousness and strength, will come to Me and be saved. Those who continue to hate Jehovah will eventually acknowledge His sovereignty, but in disgrace. Through Jehovah’s grace and power all the spiritual offspring of true Israel will be vindicated and justified because they have put their trust in Him, and Jehovah will give them of His glory.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 45:20-21 INDICTMENT: These verses continue and amplify the train of thought that has gone before concerning the long-range, culminating result of Jehovah’s redemptive work begun with Cyrus-’ freeing of the Jewish exiles. This redemptive work of God will have a world-wide outreach. All those Gentiles who repent of their idolatry and acknowledge, in faith, the sovereignty of Jehovah will be saved. The Hebrew word hikavetzu, translated assemble yourselves, is stronger than merely assemble. It means form yourselves into a specific group. Those that are escaped among the goiyim (Gentiles) are the future people from all nations who will have seen the culmination of the work begun in the return from the captivities (the institution of the messianic kingdom through Jesus Christ), recognize the sovereignty of the God of Israel, wish to escape His judgment and choose to accept His offer of salvation. In other words, it is the church of the New Testament. Isaiah is affirming (in predictive-present) that a specific group of goiyim will thus choose to escape the judgment upon all religions except that of Jehovah which will be made apparent to honest-minded believers through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12) and this will be confirmed and affirmed centuries after Isaiah predicts it here. Many of the Gentiles would, when the new Israel (the church) began to proclaim its gospel, acknowledge the futility of their pagan religions and their own lostness (cf. Acts 19:11-20). The indictment of Jehovah is that idols cannot save and those who worship them are without knowledge of the truth.
Many of the goiyim would challenge that last statement! Even some of the Jews of Isaiah’s day would find it objectionable. Through the centuries from Isaiah until Christ, the whole Gentile world remained in ignorance and superstition and idolatry. Even after the resurrection of Christ men continued to cling to their idols and human philosophies (cf. Acts 17:16-33). Hundreds of millions of people today worship gods of wood and stone that cannot save them. But the sovereignty of God is demonstrated, as Isaiah 45:21 states, through the fulfillment of God’s prophetic word (cf. 2 Peter 1:16-21). Jehovah offers the goiyim an opportunity to state their case and even invites them to pool their counsel and see if they can gainsay the predictions of Jehovah through His prophets. Jehovah alone knows the future and He has demonstrated it from the beginning of time by predicting events great and small in minute detail, thousands of years before their fulfillment. Much of this was prior to Isaiah’s time! There was plenty of evidence even in Isaiah’s day that Jehovah’s word always came to pass. Isaiah himself was able to believe in the Christ as the culminating work of Jehovah (cf. John 12:36-43); Abraham saw the day of Christ by faith and rejoiced (John 8:56-59). But most certainly, when the prophecies Jehovah made by Isaiah gained their fulfillment, the Gentiles would have every possible proof that Jehovah is God and there is no other!
Isaiah 45:22-25 INVITATION: The Hebrew word peneu means turn, thus Isaiah 45:22 should read, Turn unto me, and be ye saved. There are two other Hebrew words also used to mean turnshuv and nacham. Peneu means more literally, turn to or towards; follow; turn to face something or someone. Peneu is the imperative of panah, so it is Jehovah’s command that all the world turn to Him for salvation. The word translated be ye saved is heuashe-‘u, the imperative of yasha-’, and so the Lord is here expressing His deep desire that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:3; 2 Peter 3:9). It is really Jehovah’s tender insistance that all the world face up to the fact that He is the only God and Savior of mankind there is! Isaiah is truly the spokesman of the Old Testament for the universality of the gospel. God’s outreach is to the ends of the earth. The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save (cf. Isaiah 59:1-3), it is man’s sin (rebellion) that keeps him from being saved. In other words, man’s salvation is complete and readily available but in the final analysis, it is up to man. He must choose. He must accept the covenant terms.
The salvation of all mankind. is of great significance. It is what all of history functions for; it is that for which God has stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to return the exiles. Man’s redemption and regeneration is that for which God longs, plans, works and sacrifices (even His own Son). It is His total goal. So He supports His invitation to all the world with an oath. He swears by Himself. There is nothing greater to swear by (cf. Hebrews 6:13-20) He swears on His eternality (cf. Genesis 22:16; Romans 14:11). The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ was the greatest, most specific and thoroughly confirmed oath of God ever made. It was there, in history, God validated the certainty of all His promises and the faithfulness of His own nature (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:19-21; Hebrews 6:17 f) when He interposed Himself with an oath. God, in the flesh, dying and coming to life again by His own power! Once and for all God proved through the empty tomb that He is the resurrection and the life. He proved that no one comes to the Father but by Jesus Christ. With absolute historic certainty God proved there that every word of His comes to pass in righteousness. He also proved that eventually every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is God (cf. Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10 f.). While time lasts, men are free to acknowledge His sovereignty or deny it. But when time ceases to be and men inhabit the eternal destinies they have freely chosen, they will all acknowledge His sovereignty. Eventually every thing created must acknowledge His Lordship. Some, as Isaiah 45:24 points out, will confess His righteousness and strength and come to Him (for salvation). Others, incensed, hateful and rebellious to the end will know and acknowledge His sovereignty but will be put to shame.
Jehovah will justify (vindicate) all the seed of Israel and glorify them. In our context (the work of God, begun with Cyrus, culminating in redemption for the whole world) this seed must refer to the spiritual Israel (cf. Romans 2:28-29; Romans 4:13-25; Galatians 3:6-9; Galatians 3:27-29; Galatians 6:14-16). All, both Jew and Gentile, who turn to Jehovah for salvation by faith will have that faith vindicated when God, bringing many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10), finishes His work at the consummation of it all. Right now we are being changed, by faith, from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). One day, when time ceases to be, we shall have all the glory our Great God has prepared for usthen our faith will be vindicated! God is sovereign in salvation!
QUIZ
What is the nature of the assembly the nations are to make?
Who are the escaped?
What is God’s challenge to the Gentiles who will not accept His sovereignty?
How insistent is God that the whole world look to Him for salvation?
What demonstration do we have that God’s good news was universally intended?
What was God’s greatest oath to the world of His faithfulness to keep His promises?
Who are the seed of Israel?