I. The Coastlands Should Fear God (1-7)
God challenges the coastlands to come before him to justify their paganism and idolatry. The coastlands refers to far-away nations.
There is one raised up by God in the east, whom nations are given to, and who rule over kings. (v2-4) Theologians argue whether it would be Abraham or Cyrus. Cyrus seem to be more potential here due to the context of Isaiah's political prophecies. In either case, God was the one who controlled the raising and downfalls of all leaders.
"Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He." (v4)
God has a plan for the whole of history and for the future. He planned how it started, and He has a plan on how it will end. Jesus was given the same title in Revelation 22:13: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
The coastlands saw the power of God and were afraid. Instead of accepting the truth and surrendering to the creator, they encourage themselves to go on building more idols. (v7)
II. Israel Does Not Have To Fear (8-20)
Israel, however, was different. It was chosen by God, the descendants of Abraham and Jacob. They were called God's servant, that God will never cast away. The word servant is a position of privilege, given to such as Moses and David. It confirmed the identity of the Jews.
However, Jesus called the believers something even more intimate: "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:14-15)
God told Israel not to fear, because He is with them. He will strengthen them and help them, and uphold them in His righteous right hand. (v10) The nations who are incensed against Israel will be disgraced. Their threats will be as nothing, and they will soon perish, just as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greece and even the Romans (v12)
They are not to fear, for God is their redeemer who transform them from a worm with no teeth to a nation with sharp teeth and be like a threshing sledge that can thresh down mountains. (A threshing sledge is an instruments made to remove the chaff from the grain.)
God will hear those who is in need of water but can't find it. He will open up rivers in the remote heights and fountains in the valleys. Even the dessert and wilderness will spring water, and cedar, acacia trees, the myrtle, the cypress and pine will grow there. God will refresh them.
The people will see this and will remember that God was there to do this for them. (17-20)
III. God Challenges the Idols (22-29)
There are many religions and idol worshippers even today. God is saying, "present your case and explain the reason for your belief." They are to show that they can do something or tell the future, to prove they are "gods".
Paul said: "Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one." (1 Cor 8:4)
God will raise a leader from the North who will fight against the "princes", meaning Babylonians. This leader was probably Cyrus, who had high respect of the Lord. Only God could have declared this from the "beginning" to prove his power and righteousness. No idols could have done this.
IV. Summary
This chapter has many "I wills":
· I will strengthen you. (Isaiah 41:10)
· I will help you. (Isaiah 41:10, 13, and 14)
· I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
· I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth. (Isaiah 41:15)
· I will open rivers in desolate heights. (Isaiah 41:18)
· I will make the wilderness a pool of water. (Isaiah 41:18)
· I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree. (Isaiah 41:19)
· I will set in the desert the cypress tree. (Isaiah 41:19)
· I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings. (Isaiah 41:27)
These are generous messages directed to His people.
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