Isaiah Chapter 45

Cyrus, the LORD’s Chosen One

         45^:1This is what the LORD says to Cyrus his anointed

                        whose right hand he’ll empower                   

                              to subdue nations and dethrone kings,

                              to open fortress gates so they won’t be shut:

                  ² “I’ll go ahead of you to level out the mountains,

                        shatter bronze gates, and cut through their iron bars.

                  ³ I’ll give you treasures stored in the dark

                              and wealth hidden in secret places,

                        so you’ll know it’s me,

                              the LORD God of Israel, who calls you by name.

                  ⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant,

                              Israel my chosen one,

                        I’ve called you by name

                              and given you an honorable title

                              even though you didn’t know me.                        

Is 45:1-4

                  ⁵ I’m the LORD; there’s no other;

                              there’s no God but me.

                        I’ll arm you for war though you don’t know who I am,

                              ⁶ so people from sunrise to sunset

                                                      can know there’s no God but me.

I’m the LORD; there’s no other,

                  ⁷ the LORD that creates light and makes darkness,

                        that sends peace and brings catastrophe—

                        I’m the LORD that does all of that.                             

Is 45:5-7

                  ⁸ “Sky, shower from above;

                        clouds, rain down goodness;

                        ground, open up so salvation can sprout

                              and goodness can spring up from you.

                        I’m the LORD your creator.                                        

Is 45:8

                  ⁹ “Misfortune awaits the ones that fuss at their Maker

                              like a clay pot fussing at a potter!

                        Will a pot say to a potter, ‘What are you doing?’

                              or ‘What you’re making doesn’t have any handles’?

                  ¹⁰ Misfortune awaits the baby that says to its father,

                                    ‘Why did you beget me?’

                              or its mother, ‘Why did you have me?’”             

Is 45:9-10

                  ¹¹ The LORD, the Holy One of Israel and your Maker, says

                        “Will you question me about my children

                              or tell me how to do my work?

                  ¹² I’m the One that made the world and created people in it;

I stretched out the sky and hung the stars there.

                  ¹³ I’ll stir up Cyrus for my righteous purposes

                              and smooth his paths;

                        he’ll rebuild my city and free my exiles

                              without payment or reward.”                              

Is 45:11-13

The LORD, the Only Savior

                  ¹⁴ The LORD says,

                        “Egyptians, Nubians, and Sabeans—men of stature—

                                    will come in chains and fall down in front of you;

                                    their wealth and merchandise will be yours.

                        They’ll say to you,

                        ‘God is with you for sure;

                              there’s nobody else, no other God.’”

                  ¹⁵ Truly you’re a God that works in mysterious ways,

                              God of Israel, Savior!

                  ¹⁶ They’ll be disgraced who manufacture idols;

                              they’ll go away together in humiliation.

                  ¹⁷ The LORD will deliver Israel permanently;

                              Israel won’t ever be put to shame.

Is 45:14-17

                  ¹⁸ The LORD says—who created the sky,

                              who made the earth and shaped it,

                              who didn’t make it waste and void,

                                    but shaped it to be lived in—

                        “I’m the LORD; there’s no other.

                  ¹⁹ I haven’t spoken secretly in some dark corner;

                              I didn’t tell Jacob’s descendants

                                    to look for me in a desolate place;

                              I’m straightforward

                                    and declare what makes sense.                      

Is 45:18-19

                  ²⁰ “Get together and return;

                              come near together, refugees from the nations around.

                        They don’t know what they’re doing

                              who carry around wooden idols

                                    and pray to gods that can’t save.

                  ²¹ Consult together and set forth your case.

                        Who predicted those things from of old?

                              What idol has proclaimed it for so long?

                        Am I not the One, the LORD?

There’s no God but me,

                              an upright God and Savior;

                        there’s none but me.

                  ²² Turn to me and be saved, people everywhere,

                              because I’m God, there’s no other.                    

Is 45:20-22

      ²³ I’ve sworn by myself;

                  I won’t take back the reliable message,

                  the message that every knee will bow to me

                        and every tongue will swear allegiance.

      ²⁴ They’ll say about me,

‘Godliness and strength are only in the LORD.’

            People will come to me;

                  everyone that’s been mad at me will be put to shame.”

      ²⁵ Israel’s offspring will be justified

                  and honored in the LORD.                                    

Is 45:23-25