who carries out the words of his servants
    and fulfils the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,”
    of the towns of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt,”
    and of their ruins, “I will restore them,”
27 who says to the watery deep, “Be dry,
    and I will dry up your streams,”
28 who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd
    and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’
    and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’”

The introduction of Cyrus at this point in the narrative is quite abrupt and shocking.

Why?

After all, we have been introduced to him before (41:2). So in one sense it isn’t a surprise. But, on the other hand, we have just heard the most scathing attack on idolatry, and now we discover that God is going to carry out His decree, through a pagan, idolatrous king. But the fact that God uses someone does not mean He agrees with every detail of their lifestyle. He is free to use those we don’t necessarily approve of, and we should not draw wrong conclusions from their being chosen as His instruments.

‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,’
declares the Lord.
9 ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8,9.

Cyrus was going to conquer Babylon and allow the Jews to return to their land (44:28;45:1). He founded the Persian Empire, which defeated Babylon in 539 B.C (Dan.5:30). The next year he would issue his famous decree, allowing the Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1-6).

Many liberal scholars cannot accept that Isaiah, inspired by God, was actually able to name Cyrus 150 years before He existed. But then you have to ask, ‘What kind of God do they believe in?’ The God of the Bible is the eternal God, to whom all time is present and who knows all things. If we accept His reality why would we stumble over such prophetic utterances.

A few pages further on, we come to the magnificent 53rd chapter. It was written around 700 years before the time of Jesus, yet its depiction of His crucifixion is so graphic, Isaiah might well have been an eyewitness at the foot of the Cross.

Isn’t God’s Word simply marvellous?!!