Isa 41:29 | KingComments | STEP | Again the LORD makes clear that power and authority belong to Him alone in the exaltation in which He disposes of national and international affairs. That is why He repeats the prophecy about Cyrus ( ). He has aroused him “from the north, and he has come”. In this way the LORD shows again His omniscience and continues His challenge of the idols. The “north” is Media ( ). No one else can do it, none of the heathen deities has revealed it ( ). No one has heard about it from them. They have not expressed themselves. There is no answer to the challenge of the LORD. Had there been an answer, their divine power would have been recognized. But the LORD speaks! As the Only One, He formerly addressed the word to Zion ( ). They are the first to receive the promise of blessing. All others can only repeat what He has already said. They cannot say anything new that He would not know. With a clear delight in the lasting good for His people, He promises to give Jerusalem a messenger of good news. The “messenger of good news” is also the LORD Himself. With the words “behold, here they are” He calls upon Zion to see how He has fulfilled His promises, looking to the future time of fulfillment. gives the expected outcome of the lawsuit. The idols and their worshipers are silent. There is no counselor to say a word. The case concludes with an explanation of the contempt and anger of the LORD ( ), which literally reads: ”Behold them all! Nullity! Their product is nothing; wind and desolation are their molten images.” This is the deathblow for idolatry. The faithful remnant is now convinced of the foolishness of idolatry, which will reappear in the future during the great tribulation in the most penetrating way ( ).

‏ Isaiah 41:29

The LORD Foretells Future Things

Again the LORD makes clear that power and authority belong to Him alone in the exaltation in which He disposes of national and international affairs. That is why He repeats the prophecy about Cyrus (Isa 41:25). He has aroused him “from the north, and he has come”. In this way the LORD shows again His omniscience and continues His challenge of the idols. The “north” is Media (Isa 41:2). No one else can do it, none of the heathen deities has revealed it (Isa 41:26). No one has heard about it from them. They have not expressed themselves.

There is no answer to the challenge of the LORD. Had there been an answer, their divine power would have been recognized. But the LORD speaks! As the Only One, He formerly addressed the word to Zion (Isa 41:27). They are the first to receive the promise of blessing. All others can only repeat what He has already said. They cannot say anything new that He would not know.

With a clear delight in the lasting good for His people, He promises to give Jerusalem a messenger of good news. The “messenger of good news” is also the LORD Himself. With the words “behold, here they are” He calls upon Zion to see how He has fulfilled His promises, looking to the future time of fulfillment.

Isa 41:28 gives the expected outcome of the lawsuit. The idols and their worshipers are silent. There is no counselor to say a word. The case concludes with an explanation of the contempt and anger of the LORD (Isa 41:29), which literally reads: ”Behold them all! Nullity! Their product is nothing; wind and desolation are their molten images.” This is the deathblow for idolatry. The faithful remnant is now convinced of the foolishness of idolatry, which will reappear in the future during the great tribulation in the most penetrating way (Rev 13:14-15).