Isaiah 45:1-7

The Deliverance by Cyrus a Proof of Jehovah's Power

v. 1. Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, the king set apart by the Lord's providence, for His special purpose, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to sustain and strengthen him in the work of his calling, to subdue nations before him, Cyrus being victorious by Jehovah's strength; and I will loose the loins of kings, taking off the girdle which enabled them to go forth into battle, the Lord's action thus rendering them defenseless, to open before him the two-leaved gates, those of all cities against which he would make war; and the gates shall not be shut, no city daring to withstand him:

v. 2. I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight, removing all obstructions and hindrances; I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron, as those of the city of Babylon, for the city was taken in spite of its strong defenses;

v. 3. and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, those kept in subterranean vaults, and hidden riches of secret places, where they were stored for safe-keeping, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, namely, to enter His service, am the God of Israel, in whose interest Cyrus was chiefly to be active.

v. 4. For Jacob My servant's sake and Israel, Mine elect, for the purpose of delivering His people, I have even called thee by thy name, for this special work; I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me, Long before there was any idea of saving knowledge in the heart of Cyrus, if, indeed, it may be assumed that he was at least temporarily a believer.

v. 5. I am the Lord, and there is none else, Jehovah's absolute deity being stressed once more; there is no (other true) God beside Me. I girded thee, giving him strength for battle and victory, though thou hast not known Me;

v. 6. that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the West, throughout the habitable world, that there is none beside Me, the very heathen realizing, with a sort of instinctive feeling, that God himself was directing the campaigns of Cyrus. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

v. 7. I form the light, he made it at the beginning of the world, and create darkness, by withdrawing light, which is His creation; I make peace and create evil, both good fortune and misfortune being sent by Him; I, the Lord, do all these things. The Lord Himself has ever guided the events of the world's history in order to carry out the plans of His loving-kindness and tender mercy.