Isa 41 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 41:1-7: 41:1-7 The Lord here invited the nations to a trial where he would prove that he alone is God. They were defenseless as he declared that a king from the east (41:2 ) would crush Babylon, opening the way for Israel to return. 41:1 The nations coming together for a trial have to listen in silence to the presentation of God’s arguments. • Bring your strongest arguments: Literally let them find new strength, a play on 40:31 . • God invited the nations to come ... and speak , challenging them to refute his case.

Summary for Isa 41:1-7: 41:1-7 ^a The Lord here invited the nations to a trial where he would prove that he alone is God. They were defenseless as he declared that a king from the east (41:2 ^b) would crush Babylon, opening the way for Israel to return. 41:1 ^c The nations coming together for a trial have to listen in silence to the presentation of God’s arguments.

• Bring your strongest arguments: Literally let them find new strength, a play on 40:31 ^d.

• God invited the nations to come ... and speak, challenging them to refute his case.
41:2 ^e This king from the east was Cyrus, the Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BC and permitted the Jews to return to their land and rebuild Jerusalem (538 BC; Ezra 1:1-4 ^f). Isaiah’s prophecies about Cyrus (see Isa 44:28–45:13 ^g; 48:14-15 ^h) encouraged Israel to look to the Lord as sovereign over all of human history, including the actions of great kings.

• Who gives this man victory over many nations? As victorious as the conquering Cyrus was, he was still subject to the Lord.
41:4 ⁱ each new generation from the beginning of time: God is sovereign over all things. From the beginning he has unfolded each stage of history according to his plan.

• In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev 1:8 ^j, 17 ^k; 2:8 ^l; 21:6 ^m; 22:13 ⁿ).

• I alone am he: The Lord alone is God (see also Isa 43:10 ^o, 13 ^p; 46:4 ^q; 48:12 ^r; Deut 32:39 ^s). Jesus used similar expressions for himself (see John 6:35 ^t; 8:12 ^u, 24 ^v; 9:5 ^w; 10:7 ^x, 9 ^y, 11 ^z, 14 ^aa; 11:25 ^ab; 14:6 ^ac; 15:1 ^ad, 5 ^ae).
Summary for Isa 41:5-7: 41:5-7 ^af This taunt against idolatry was a response to God’s raising up of Cyrus; the nations hope to find protection in their idols.
41:6 ^ag Be strong! The nations put their hope in things that have no strength, objects made by human craftsmen.
Summary for Isa 41:8-16: 41:8-16 ^ah These two prophecies of salvation for God’s servant Israel (41:8-13 ^ai, 14-16 ^aj) prepare for the first of the suffering servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4). 41:8 ^ak The servant—here the nation of Israel—was God’s chosen one, whose calling was grounded in God’s purposes.

• Abraham my friend: The phrase in Hebrew could mean Abraham who loves me or Abraham whom I love. See also Jas 2:23 ^al.
41:9 ^am I have chosen you restates 41:8 ^an to emphasize God’s commitment and faithfulness to his people Israel, who had not been faithful to him.

• not throw you away: Because of the Exile, the people felt that God had rejected them (see 49:21 ^ao; 54:6 ^ap). However, God had good purposes for them.
41:10 ^aq I am with you: The promise of God’s presence (see 7:14 ^ar) is central to the Bible. Because God is present, his people do not need to fear (see also 43:1-2 ^as, 5 ^at).

• I am your God: The Lord used the language of the covenant to affirm that he is their God and that they are his people (see also Jer 7:23 ^au; 31:1 ^av, 33 ^aw; Ezek 14:11 ^ax; 36:28 ^ay; 37:27 ^az; Zech 8:8 ^ba).

• hold you ... my victorious right hand: The Lord used language reminiscent of the Exodus (cp. Exod 15:6 ^bb) to encourage Israel (see also Isa 41:13 ^bc; 63:12 ^bd).
41:14 ^be In exile, Israel was in a lowly state.

• God is the Redeemer. He works mightily to rescue and restore people from sin and its consequences (for Israel, the Exile; for application to Jesus, see Luke 2:38 ^bf; 21:28 ^bg; Rom 3:24 ^bh; 1 Cor 1:30 ^bi; Gal 4:5 ^bj; Eph 1:1-14 ^bk; Titus 2:14 ^bl; Heb 9:12 ^bm).
41:16 ^bn When the grain is thrown into the wind, the chaff is blown away. Likewise, Israel’s enemies appeared to be strong but would easily be driven off.
41:18 ^bo rivers ... fountains ... pools of water ... springs: These images would strike a responsive chord in an agrarian culture. They also suggest that rescue from the Exile would be a second exodus (cp. Exod 15:27 ^bp; 17:6 ^bq).
Summary for Isa 41:21-29: 41:21-29 ^br This trial scene develops the Lord’s case against idolatry. Idols are nothing but a human creation, whereas God is the Creator of all things. Idols cannot speak, act, accomplish anything, or save their worshipers. 41:21 ^bs the King of Israel: See 6:5 ^bt; 43:15 ^bu; 44:6 ^bv.
41:25 ^bw I have stirred up a leader: The God who had planned the Exile through Babylon had already planned for Israel’s restoration from exile through Cyrus (see 41:2 ^bx; see also 13:17 ^by).

• Although Persia is located to the east, rough terrain required those traveling to Israel and Judah to enter from the north.

• I will give him victory ... He will trample them: As Babylon was sent to trample Assyria, so Persia would trample Babylon.
41:26 ^bz Idols and false gods could not predict the future.
41:27 ^ca The messenger with good news told of God’s coming to rescue his people (see 40:9 ^cb).