The Light Ahead [44-45]

Here we read God's reassurance to Israel in exile. Most importantly, we read God's promise to pour His Spirit on their descendants [44:3], which is fulfilled in the New Testament. Israel is reassured that God will care for His people, and will completely forgive and forget all their sins.

We also get numerous attributes of God, all of which portray God as the ultimate. He is the First and the Last [44:6], and the one who drives diviners mad [44:25] (my personal favorite...God will tell us what we need to know. We do not need to seek answers elsewhere).

We are also introduced to Cyrus, who allowed Israel to return from. What I think is most interesting about Cyrus is that he is aware that the Lord is the God of Israel, that he has been chosen by God, named by God, but still does not know God [45:3-4]. In this instance, God did not choose someone of His own people to lead Israel out of exile. He chose (if you'll excuse the expression) a heathen. God can use any tool He likes to carry out His will. This reminds me a bit of the Silmarillion, where the creator-god Eru/Iluvatar incorporates the song of the evil one, Melkor, into his own song and uses it in a good way. Cyrus is not one of the chosen people, but is valuable nevertheless as a tool for carrying out the return of Israel to the Promised Land.

I have raised him up in righteousness,
And I will direct all his ways;
He shall build my city
And let My exiles go free,
Not for price nor reward.
[45:13]

Cyrus does receive a ransom for Israel, the idolaters of Egypt, Cush, and the Sabeans, but it is not for this that Cyrus releases the people of Israel. Cyrus does it because God willed it.

Importantly, God says "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob 'seek Me in vain.'" God has no mysteries for His people. The Lord speaks, and whoever is willing to listen gets to hear it. I point this out because many of the Gnostic gospels portray God, Jesus, and their religion as being something mysterious that only certain people can know, while others will always seek in vain. As Christians, it is vital to remember that God has revealed Himself to and for everyone. He is not a diviner, revealing only cryptic clues every so often to special people. Through all of Israel's trials and tribulations, God sends His prophets to warn the people, and to let them know that their suffering will not last forever.