Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 45
Overview:
The deliverance of the Jews
By Cyrus.
(1-4) God calls for
obedience to his almighty power.
(5-10) The settlement of his
people.
(11-19) The
Conversion of the
Gentiles.
(20-25)
1-4 Cyrus is called
God's anointed; he was designed and
qualified for his great service
By the counsel of
God. The gates
of
Babylon which led to the
River, were left open the night that
Cyrus marched his
Army into the empty
Channel. The
Lord went
before him, giving entrance to the cities he besieged. He gave
him also treasures, which had been hidden in secret places. The
true
God was to
Cyrus an unknown
God; yet
God foreknew him; he
called him
By his name. The exact fulfilment of this must have
shown
Cyrus that
Jehovah was the only true
God, and that it was
for the sake of
Israel that he was prospered. In all the changes
of states and kingdoms,
God Works out the good of his
Church.
5-10 There is
No God beside
Jehovah. There is nothing done
without him. He makes peace,
Put here for all good; and creates
evil, not the evil of
Sin, but the evil of
Punishment. He is the
Author of all that is true, holy, good, or happy; and evil,
error, and misery, came into the world
By his permission,
through the wilful apostasy of his creatures, but are restrained
and overruled to his righteous purpose. This doctrine is
applied, for the comfort of those that earnestly longed, yet
quietly waited, for the
Redemption of
Israel. The
Redemption of
sinners
By the
Son of God, and the pouring out the
Spirit, to
give success to the
Gospel, are chiefly here intended. We must
not expect
Salvation without
Righteousness; together the
Lord
hath created them. Let not oppressors oppose
God's designs for
his people. Let not the
Poor oppressed murmur, as if
God dealt
unkindly with them. Men are but earthen pots; they are broken
potsherds, and are very much made
So By mutual contentions. To
contend with him is as senseless as for
Clay to find fault
with the potter. Let us turn
God's promises into prayers,
beseeching him that
Salvation may abound among us, and let us
Rest assured that the
Judge of all the
Earth will do right.
11-19 Believers may ask in
Prayer for what they need; if for
their good, it will not be withheld. But how common to hear
God
called to account for his dealings with
Man!
Cyrus provided for
the returning Jews. Those redeemed
By Christ shall be provided
for. The restoration would convince many, and convert some; and
all that truly join the
Lord, find his service perfect
Freedom.
Though
God be his people's
God and
Saviour, yet sometimes he
lays them under his frowns; but let them wait upon the
Lord who
hides his
Face. There is a world without
End; and it will be
Well or ill with us, according as it shall be with us in that
world. The
Lord we serve and trust, is
God alone. All that
God
has said is
Plain, satisfactory, and just. As
God in his
Word
calls us to seek him,
So he never denied believing prayers, nor
disappointed believing expectations. He gives
Grace sufficient,
and comfort and satisfaction of soul.
20-25 The nations are exhorted to draw near to
Jehovah. None
besides is able to help; he is the
Saviour, who can save without
the assistance of any, but without whom none can save. If the
Heart is brought into the obedience of
Christ, the knee will
cheerfully obey his commands. To
Christ men shall come from
every nation for blessings; all that hate his cause shall be
Put
to shame, and all believers shall rejoice in him as their Friend
and Portion. All must come to him: may we now come to him as the
Lord our
Righteousness, walking according to his
Commandments.