Deliverance and Restoration of Israel – Isaiah 45-48

Bible Passage: Isaiah 45 – 48

God’s Sovereignty Over All Things

It is erroneous to assert that the God of Israel only dealt with the matters concerning the Israelites, just as what some believers of other faiths suggest that different gods deal differently with people of different cultures.

In the beginning of chapter 45, we read that God had chosen King Cyrus, who did not even know Him, to accomplish His purposes. (vv. 1 – 5)

His message to Cyrus was one that declared His sovereignty, almightiness and oneness.

From the Book of Ezra, it was recorded that King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the destroyed temple. All these were the plans of God which was brought about through the hands of Cyrus.

Cyrus’ obedience to carry out God’s will for Israel was indeed praiseworthy, so the Israelite’s constant rebellion against God’s commandments seemed to have inspired Prophet Isaiah to pen down the words in vv. 8 – 13.

We must ponder deep into these words in the passage to truly understand our Maker’s almightiness, and also to reflect upon our submissiveness to His sovereignty and His words.

He created us and make us His children, and He also shower us abundantly with His unconditional love; so how can we not submit to Him and put full trust in Him as our Father who would guide us in all matters?

Can God Be Substituted?

In yesterday’s Bible reading passage, we read that in Isaiah 44: 9 – 20, God spelled out the foolishness of making idols and to fall down to worship them. For they are fashioned from the same wood that men use to burn for warmth and for cooking; therefore they are no gods at all.

In today’s reading, in chapter 46: 6 – 7, God again warned against the foolishness of making idols to worship. This time, even though these idols are made of gold and silver, they are no better then those idols made of wood mentioned in chapter 44. They still needed man to carry them around and they are dumb and blind.

Because man-made idols are no gods at all, and therefore they can neither save nor deliver anyone.

This gives us a reminder that we must not make idols for ourselves. Idols are substitutes for the True God, things that we value and serve other than our God, and these idols will definitely do us no good.

God must not be substituted by anything at all; instead we must place Him in the center and most important place of our hearts. That was why Prophet Isaiah emphasized so many times that our God is the only true and living God. (40: 18 – 28, 41: 5 – 10, 44: 9 – 20, 45: 15 – 21, 46: 1 – 10)

Only God can fill up the emptiness in us, only He can give us the knowledge of salvation, and idolizing other things will surely lead us back to emptiness and even to our destruction.

May God always bless us with a heart of submission to His words, and strength to do His will.

Shalom