Isaiah 41:1-7

‘’Silence in court!’’

The chapter opens with God calling the ‘’nations’’ together at ‘’the place of judgment’’ (1). He summons them to an imaginary courtroom and challenges them to speak in their defence. These are the nations who are hostile to His people. They will need ‘’strength’’ because, as we will see, He is going to challenge them to display the power and knowledge that He Himself possesses (21-29). They will not be up to this encounter with the awesome God who dominates the chapter, and the book as a whole. It will be a formidable meeting. Who can stand before His Holy presence, apart from being clothed in the righteousness of Christ?

The ‘’one from the east’’ is Cyrus king of Persia (2-4). Isaiah later identifies him by name (44:28). It would be another hundred years before Cyrus’ birth. Yet God (and Isaiah, because of God) knew that this man would be called into God’s service to free the Jewish exiles from captivity and restore them to their land (Ezra 1:1-4). When it says that God called him ‘’in righteousness to his service’’ (2), it doesn’t mean that Cyrus was himself righteous, but that God would use him to fulfil a righteous purpose, namely the restoration of His people. God will be with Cyrus, just as He has been (and will be) with every generation in history (4), from ‘’first’’ to the ‘’last’’ (see Revelation 22:13). He is the Lord of history; the eternal God. It’s not surprising, then, that He could foretell the coming of Cyrus. ‘’Who did this? Who made it happen? Who always gets things started? I did. GOD. I’m first on the scene. I’m also the last to leave.’’ The Message. From a human perspective, Cyrus was a political giant; a great, and even terrifying, leader: ‘’…pulverizing nations into dust, leaving only stubble and chaff in his wake.’’ The Message. But we get to see the larger perspective that he was in fact an instrument in God’s Hand to get His work done.

The people of the world will see Cyrus coming and ‘’tremble’’ (5). They will attempt to form alliances against him, but all to no avail (6). Their leaders will try to strengthen morale, even while their craftsmen attempt to build better idols (7). But Cyrus will prove unstoppable. ‘’Far-flung ocean islands see it and panic. The ends of the earth are shaken. Fearfully they huddle together. They try to help each other out, making up stories in the dark. The godmakers in the workshops go into overtime production, crafting new models of no-gods, Urging one another on – ‘Good job!’ ‘Great design!’ – pounding nails in at the base so that the things won’t tip over.’’ The Message.

The reference to Cyrus being called ‘’to his service’’ (4) is literally ‘to his foot’, i.e. to follow at His heels (see Judges 4:10). The true Commander here is the great ‘’I am’’, the Lord of history (4; see 45:2, 4).

Perhaps, today, we need this reminder that no frighteningly powerful individuals are in control of the world. There may be those who are permitted to cause mayhem for a time. But the Sovereign Lord of history is in ultimate control. Ultimately, we all have a date booked to appear in His courtroom.

Prayer: Lord God Almighty, help me to lift my eyes to your throne, and know that you are in control of all things.