Devotion 5 of 10 in the series I Am the LORD: Isaiah 45:1-7

What in the World?

What in the World_map of the world

Isaiah 45:1-7 (ESV)

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you
and level the exalted places,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the LORD,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Digging into God’s Word

We live in a time of political discontent, with people feeling deep angst coupled with tired resignation over a failing political process. These complaints pale in comparison to the injustices our brothers and sisters around the world experience as brave souls who dodge war-driven bullets and car bombs, risk imprisonment and even death to speak their mind or worship Jesus, and scour train tracks and garbage dumps to find food. Context provides perspective.

What we are experiencing is also nothing compared to what the Israelites were fearfully enduring when Isaiah penned the Spirit-inspired words of chapter 45. The northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated by the Assyrians. Isaiah lived in the southern kingdom of Judah, and for practically his whole life, his country lived under threat of being taken captive. The threat was palpable, for decades. Judah would not be defeated in Isaiah’s lifetime. In fact, through revelation from God, Isaiah tells his compatriots that it will be another kingdom–the Babylonians–who will eventually defeat them and take them by force to a country not their own. The devastating news comes with a promise: Eventually, a ruler named Cyrus will emerge, and he will allow the people of Judah to return home and rebuild their capital.

One hundred and fifty years before the events come to pass, God addresses Cyrus by name in this passage. “I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me,” God says of Cyrus in verse 4.

!

Can we just sit on that for a moment? When we become distressed over world events, many times justifiably so, it helps to remember:

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

God is not uninvolved in world events. Neither is He uninvolved in our everyday lives.

Digging Deeper

As you are able, spend time with God, reflecting on these questions or journaling your thoughts.

  1. Review Isaiah 45:1-7. What did you learn about God in this passage that surprised you or that was a good reminder for you?
  2. Which political or world events are of serious concern to you? Take them to God in prayer, asking Him to rectify those situations and to calm your heart with trust in Him as the ruler over all.
  3. If God can turn world events, how much more can He help us in our daily lives. Bring any immediate and personal concerns to the Lord in prayer.
  4. Find a creative way to remind yourself that God is Lord over all, and there is no other God. Following are some ideas, but make this your own! Print or share the shareable image, which quotes Isaiah 45:5. Play or sing a song that reminds you that He has it all in His hands. Write a poem expressing God’s sovereignty in the world or in your life.

Extra Info!

If you missed the first devotions in this series, I encourage you to go back and work through them, especially the first one, which sets up the context of Isaiah 44 and 45. It is very meaningful, offering an important message of hope! You can find it here. Then come back and join us for the rest of the series “I am the LORD.”

Devotions are posted on Mondays and Thursdays. Please don’t rely on Facebook posts to receive them! Sign up on the website or at THIS LINK.

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