ISAIAH LESSON 53
We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 45:13 "I have raised him up
in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my
city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith
the LORD of hosts."
God has a purpose in all of this. God, Himself, raises up Cyrus
to carry out the purposes of God. Cyrus was not righteous, but God
clothed Cyrus in His righteousness. The Hebrews will be set free, not
for monetary gain, but because God directed Cyrus to do this. Many
people who work for God are doing it to please God, not for money.
Isaiah 45:14 "Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and
merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come
over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come 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."
Egypt symbolizes the world. In this case, the unconverted world.
The Ethiopians, Sabeans, and Egyptians were not only "men tall of
stature" physically, but were thought of as men of power. They were
merchants. At one time, Egypt was thought of as a very powerful
nation. They would not have been easily conquered. The power of God
in Cyrus brought around their surrender. We know they are conquered,
because they are in chains. All of these mighty men are aware that
Cyrus had supernatural help from God. They recognize God's hand in
this and worship Him as the One True God.
Isaiah 45:15 "Verily thou [art] a God that hidest thyself, O God
of Israel, the Saviour."
This is speaking of the mysteries of God. God is hidden, until we
reach out and search for Him. Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given
you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
God was hidden to the heathen people, until Jesus made salvation open
to all who would believe. God had revealed Himself to the Israelites
alone. God gave His law to the Hebrews, but grace was given to all
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Isaiah 45:16 "They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of
them: they shall go to confusion together [that are] makers of idols."
People worshipped idols, because they were not acquainted with
the One True God. To worship an idol is about the most foolish thing a
person can do. The idol could not be of any help at all to them. A
desire to worship God was built into men. They just had not found the
real God to worship. The only thing that would keep a person from
being saved would be to choose to worship an idol over God.
Isaiah 45:17 "[But] Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an
everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world
without end."
The salvation that the LORD provides, is not a temporary
situation, it is for all eternity. Notice, "in the LORD". If we are in
Him and He in us, we are His. Abraham's faith in God was counted unto
for righteousness. All who place their faith in the LORD will be saved
like their father faithful Abraham. It is your faith that saves you.
Read Romans chapter 10 verses nine and ten.
Isaiah 45:18 "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it,
he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the
LORD; and [there is] none else."
We spoke before, how God created the earth and the heavens for
the habitation of mankind. When God created the earth, heavens, and
everything, and everyone in it, He said it was good. Everything,
including man, was created good. Man's use has caused the sin. God
actually created man to live forever, but man sinned and brought
death. God, who created all things, is good. God, realizing the
failure of man to live victorious on this earth, gave us a better plan
of salvation which is grace. God is God. Let Him be God alone.
Isaiah 45:19 "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the
earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the
LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right."
God spoke from the mountaintop to the people at mount Sinai. They
could not bear to hear, and God then spoke to them through Moses.
God's presence was in the tabernacle in the wilderness. He was not a
God that hid from them. He showed Himself over and over to His people.
The law was not bad, if they had kept it. No man lives above sin, so
God sent a Saviour {Jesus Christ}. God is Righteousness. When we
believe, we take on the righteousness of Christ, which puts us in
right standing with God. The seed of Jacob is the same as the seed of
Abraham. Galatians 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises
made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to
thy seed, which is Christ." Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Isaiah 45:20 "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together,
ye [that are] escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set
up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god [that] cannot
save."
This explains the futility of worshipping a god that cannot save.
They are escaped of the idolatrous country, now they must escape the
worship of idols, and come to the God that saves.
Isaiah 45:21 "Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take
counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath
told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God
else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me."
This is a challenge to the false gods. God does not care how many
false gods they have. There is no strength and wisdom in all of them
combined. God has told from the beginning of His saving power. All He
has said, He has done. God had proved over and over that the idols
were nothings, that He alone is God. Men can put their faith in God
and be saved. God is a just God. His justice is Holy. The things you
can look for in God are mercy, truth, peace, joy, happiness, and
righteousness. He is, also, the Saviour of the world.
Isaiah 45:22 "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else."
Another way to say this is found in the following Scriptures.
Zechariah 1:3 "Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of
hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto
you, saith the LORD of hosts." Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, [and]
to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan
unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance
among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." God made man
from the dust of the earth. God breathed the breath of life into man.
That breath is our life. The will of man is in the fact that he became
a living soul. The thing that separates man from animals, is the power
to choose. This is the soul of man. Animals have breath, but they do
not have a soul. Man alone has the power to choose to follow God, or
not. Notice, in verse 22 above, it is an act of the will. We must
recognize God for who He is, and allow Him to save us.
Isaiah 45:23 "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my
mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every
knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
This same statement is made about Jesus in Philippians 2:10 "That
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and
[things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;" Philippians 2:11
"And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord,
to the glory of God the Father." God said it - it is so.
Isaiah 45:24 "Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I
righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all
that are incensed against him shall be ashamed."
There is coming a time when those who denied Him will be ashamed,
for all shall know Him. Hebrews 8:11 "And they shall not teach every
man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:
for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest."
Isaiah 45:25 "In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be
justified, and shall glory."
LORD is Jehovah here. Jesus means Jehovah Saviour. This then, is
speaking of the salvation that all mankind can have in Jesus Christ.
When I see "all the seed of Israel" I believe it is speaking of the
physical and spiritual house of Israel. We will be "justified" {just
as if we had never sinned}, because He paid the price for our sins
with His precious shed blood. The glory is His and the Father's.
Isaiah 53 Questions
1. Why did God raise up Cyrus?
2. What gives Cyrus righteousness?
3. What does Egypt symbolize?
4. What was meant by "men of stature"?
5. How do we know these 3 countries are conquered?
6. What effect does the victory have on the people of Egypt?
7. What is verse 15 speaking of?
8. Quote Matthew chapter 7 verse 7.
9. Who were the only ones God had revealed Himself to, in the past?
10. Verse 16 tells us what will happen to the makers of idols?
11. Quote Isaiah chapter 45 verse 17.
12. Abraham's _________ was counted unto him for righteousness.
13. What chapter and verse in Romans tell us what is necessary to do
to be saved?
14. God created the earth to be _____________.
15. What did God say, after He created each thing?
16. What is the better plan of salvation?
17. Where had God spoken to the Israelites?
18. What effect did it have on them?
19. When do we receive the righteousness of Christ?
20. Quote Galatians chapter 3 verse 16.
21. What is verse 20 explaining?
22. Verse 21 is a challenge to what?
23. What are some of the things you can look for in God?
24. Quote Zechariah chapter 1 verse 3?
25. What is the life of man?
26. What separates the man and animals?
27. Who had God sworn by?
28. __ ___ _____ shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall
glory.
29 What does "justified" mean?
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