Isa 44:26-28 | KingComments | STEP | The Redeemer of Israel, Who formed His earthly people since their earthly existence, is the LORD Who made everything ( ). He formed His people, but also heaven and earth. He can and wants to redeem Israel as well. This redemption is now explained. Jerusalem is rebuilt and Babylon is judged. This explanation starts with “thus says the LORD” as an indication of a new section. refers to the Babylonian soothsayers. Perhaps the Jews who live there are also tempted to ask these fortune-tellers how things will go. The LORD will cut off that road. He deals with these soothsayers with the same power with which He created heaven and earth and makes their so-called knowledge foolish (cf. ). The LORD is the Only One Who truly foretells the future ( ), while the soothsayers are unmasked as inventors of lies. The LORD turns the wisdom of the world into foolishness, while confirming the word of His servant and carrying out the announcement of His messengers ( ; ). Let us, to whom the message of the gospel has been entrusted, draw new courage from it. Amidst religious superstition and various forms of opposition, we know that His Word will not return to Him empty ( ). Israel is the faithful servant here, as are all the faithful prophets through whom God gives His message to His people and to the nations. The servant is also now the one through whom God speaks. If His Word is faithfully passed on, He will do so because it is His Word. In order to fulfill His Word toward His people, He causes the rivers of Babylon to dry up ( ). Again ( ) King Cyrus is mentioned by name, about 160 years before his performance. This is a proof that only He, the one true God, Who created heaven and earth, is capable of making that advance announcement. What Cyrus will do in draining the rivers of Babylon to capture it, to this end he receives from the LORD the insight. This gives him the opportunity to work on the destruction of Babylon and to restore Jerusalem ( ). The LORD calls Cyrus “My shepherd” because in this as an instrument in His hand, however weak, he is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who will deliver His people in a perfect and definitive way and bring them into the blessing.

‏ Isaiah 44:26-28

The LORD Promises Restoration

The Redeemer of Israel, Who formed His earthly people since their earthly existence, is the LORD Who made everything (Isa 44:24). He formed His people, but also heaven and earth. He can and wants to redeem Israel as well. This redemption is now explained. Jerusalem is rebuilt and Babylon is judged. This explanation starts with “thus says the LORD” as an indication of a new section.

Isa 44:25 refers to the Babylonian soothsayers. Perhaps the Jews who live there are also tempted to ask these fortune-tellers how things will go. The LORD will cut off that road. He deals with these soothsayers with the same power with which He created heaven and earth and makes their so-called knowledge foolish (cf. 1Cor 1:20b). The LORD is the Only One Who truly foretells the future (Isa 41:21-29), while the soothsayers are unmasked as inventors of lies.

The LORD turns the wisdom of the world into foolishness, while confirming the word of His servant and carrying out the announcement of His messengers (Isa 44:26; 1Cor 1:21-22). Let us, to whom the message of the gospel has been entrusted, draw new courage from it. Amidst religious superstition and various forms of opposition, we know that His Word will not return to Him empty (Isa 55:11). Israel is the faithful servant here, as are all the faithful prophets through whom God gives His message to His people and to the nations. The servant is also now the one through whom God speaks. If His Word is faithfully passed on, He will do so because it is His Word.

In order to fulfill His Word toward His people, He causes the rivers of Babylon to dry up (Isa 44:27). Again (Isa 41:2 ; 25) King Cyrus is mentioned by name, about 160 years before his performance. This is a proof that only He, the one true God, Who created heaven and earth, is capable of making that advance announcement.

What Cyrus will do in draining the rivers of Babylon to capture it, to this end he receives from the LORD the insight. This gives him the opportunity to work on the destruction of Babylon and to restore Jerusalem (Isa 44:28). The LORD calls Cyrus “My shepherd” because in this as an instrument in His hand, however weak, he is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who will deliver His people in a perfect and definitive way and bring them into the blessing.