Isaiah 45

Thus says the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut. Wesley: His anointed—His king, whom God has designed, and separated, and fitted, in all respects, for this work. Loose—I will take away their girdle, which was about their loins; their power and authority, whereof that was an ensign. Gates—The great and magnificent gates of their cities and palaces, which shall be opened to him as conqueror.

Anointed is his king, designed, separated, and fitted for this work; belts loosed are girdle, power, and authority taken; gates of cities and palaces open to the conqueror. Shared loudly with Calvin: Persian Cyrus, the LORD’s anointed for this work, not the Christ-Servant of 42:1–9. Designed and fitted already; the right hand is grasped.

Thus says the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus. Calvin: pursues 44’s subject; names the person by whose hand he will bring them back; turns to Cyrus himself. Calls Cyrus his Anointed: the designation of Israel’s and Judah’s kings representing Christ, bestowed on a heathen king not by a perpetual title, but because he discharged for a time the office of Redeemer—avenged and delivered the Church from the Assyrians. Instructed by Daniel; regarded the God of Israel with reverence as Highest, but was not converted and did not forsake superstitions. For this single benefit (the Church’s salvation) a heathen is called the Messiah/Anointed. Loose the loins of kings: deprived of strength and authority. Gates cannot resist God.

Anointed is a time-bound Redeemer-office for the Church’s deliverance, not conversion and not a perpetual messianic title. Shared loudly with Wesley: Persian Cyrus, not the Christ-Servant of 42:1–9.

I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces and cut apart the bars of iron. Wesley: Go—To remove all obstructions, to destroy all them that oppose thee, and carry thee through the greatest difficulties.

The LORD goes before to remove obstructions, destroy opposers, and carry Cyrus through the greatest difficulties. Both note: I will go before you; bronze doors broken; iron bars cut.

I will go before you and make the rough places. Calvin: easy, rapid victory; God removes obstructions.

The LORD levels what is exalted and takes the gates himself; Cyrus’s speed is the LORD’s going before. Wesley concurs: obstructions removed; bronze and iron give way.

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that I, the LORD, the God of Israel, am the one who calls you by name. Wesley: The treasures—Such as have been long kept in dark and secret places.

Treasures long kept in the dark are given so Cyrus may know it is the LORD, who calls you by your name, even the God of Israel, who calls him by name. He calls him by name; the knowing is that it is the LORD who calls.

I will give you the treasures of darkness. Calvin: hidden treasures; historically Croesus of Lydia. That thou mayest know I am Jehovah: special knowledge for the work, not regeneration, not the Spirit of regeneration. Call by name: chosen for a particular work (cf. Isa 43:1), not the flock-calling of believers (John 10:3).

Croesus’s hoards as the dark treasures; Cyrus knows Jehovah for this work, not as a converted sheep of John 10. Wesley reads it the same way: treasures long kept in the dark; called by name.

For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me. Wesley: I have—I knew, and called thee by thy name, when thou didst neither know nor think of me; nay, when thou hadst no being.

Named for Jacob’s sake when Cyrus neither knew nor thought of the LORD—nay, when he had no being. Common confession: for Jacob my servant and Israel my chosen; called by name though he does not know me. He named him when he had no being; he is not discovering whom to call.

Calvin: free-grace election; they do not make themselves servants. Cyrus has not known me: not his merits; he must not despise the Jews. Josephus’s Alexander anecdote is Calvin’s illustration of unusual preservation—not the verse’s referent.

Jacob is servant by free-grace election, not self-made; Cyrus is named for their sake, without merit and without knowing him. Wesley says as much: for Jacob and Israel; named though he does not know me. Named before he knew; election already stands.

I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me. Wesley: I girded—I made thee strong and active, and disposed thee for these great and warlike enterprizes.

He girded Cyrus—made him strong and active and disposed him for warlike enterprizes—though Cyrus does not know him. Shared sovereignty: I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. There is no other; he already equips.

I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Calvin: I am Jehovah; I have girded thee though thou hast not known me. Courage from the Lord; he presides over wars.

Jehovah girds the unknown king; courage and wars are his. Wesley concurs: I am the LORD, and there is no one else; God equips Cyrus though he does not know him. Besides me there is no God; he is not becoming God as the campaign unfolds.

“That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no one besides me.” I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Wesley: That—That all nations may know it by my foretelling these things so long before, and by the wonderful success that I shall give thee, and by my over-ruling thine heart and counsels, to the deliverance of my people.

Nations know by the long-before prediction, by Cyrus’s success, and by the LORD over-ruling his heart and counsels to deliver Israel. Shared sovereignty: from sunrise to sunset there is no one besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Foretold so long before; heart over-ruled.

“That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no one besides me.” Calvin: all nations shall know—not necessarily immediately; the return is prelude to future redemption.

East and west will know there is none besides him; the return is prelude, not a finished timetable. Wesley says as much: all nations are to know that I am the LORD, and there is no one else.

I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am the LORD, who does all these things. Wesley: Light—All mens comforts and calamities come from thy hand.

All men’s comforts and calamities come from his hand; he forms light and creates darkness. Shared sovereignty: I form the light and create darkness. I am the LORD, who does all these things. He does all these things; fortune is not a rival.

I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. Calvin: forming light / creating darkness is peace and war, prosperous and adverse—not only those two. Peace versus evil names afflictions, wars, adverse events. Fanatics who make God the author of sin (guilt) abuse the passage. Ordinary distinction: God is author of the evil of punishment, not of the evil of guilt. He uses wicked men to chastise (Pharaoh) without inspiring their malice. God alone is author of all events; none may attribute to fortune.

Light and darkness, well-being and calamity, are his; punishment-evil is his, guilt-evil is not; Pharaoh is used without inspired malice. Wesley concurs: comforts and calamities from his hand; I am the LORD who does all these things.

Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it. Wesley: Drop—The righteous and gracious acts of God for his people, shall be so many, as if God rained showers of righteousness out of heaven. Open—Open itself to bring forth those fruits which may be expected from such showers. Them—The heavens and the earth conspiring together. Together—Together with salvation. It—This great work of salvation and righteousness; whereof, tho’ Cyrus is the instrument, I am the author.

Showers of righteousness; earth opens to the fruit; heavens and earth conspire; Cyrus is the instrument, the LORD the author of this salvation and righteousness. Shower, O heavens; salvation and righteousness sprout; I the LORD have created it.

Rain, you heavens, from above. Calvin: commands heaven and earth to bring forth salvation and righteousness. First: deliverance from Babylon, Cyrus the instrument. Then: these words bear a spiritual import to the kingdom of Christ, but first observe the simple interpretation about the return from captivity.

Return first, Cyrus the instrument; Christ’s kingdom is the larger end, not a substitute for the captivity’s end. Wesley says as much: Cyrus the instrument, the LORD the author; heavens and earth bring forth salvation and righteousness.

Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, What are you making? “Or your work, He has no hands?” Wesley: Woe—As God here makes many glorious promises to Cyrus, so he pronounces a curse upon them, who should endeavour to hinder him. Contend—Contend, if you please, with your fellow creatures, but not with your creator. Or—He turns his speech to the potter.

Woe is a curse on those who would hinder Cyrus; contend with fellow creatures, not with your creator; the speech turns to the potter. Both readings hold: woe to him who strives with his Maker; clay does not say to the potter, What are you making?; Maker.

Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who formed him. Calvin: restrains complaints of men who murmur in adversity and strive with God. Potsherd with potsherds; clay to the potter. Paul uses the same metaphor in Romans 9 for eternal predestination, but Calvin explicitly: Isaiah reasons about the course of the present life; Paul ascends to heavenly and eternal life. Do not treat Romans 9 as this verse’s subject.

Woe restrains murmurers in adversity; clay has no right to debate the potter about the present life’s afflictions; Romans 9 is a higher subject, not Isaiah’s fight here. Wesley concurs: woe to him who strives with his Maker; clay does not say to the potter, What are you making?; Maker.

Woe to him who says to a father, What have you become the father of? Or to a mother, What have you in labor? From v. 9: Woe is a curse upon them who should endeavour to hinder Cyrus; contend with fellow creatures, not with your creator; he turns his speech to the potter. So here: Woe to him who says to a father, What have you become the father of? Or to a mother, What have you in labor?—the same strive-not-with-the-creator.

Questioning father and mother is the same woe as striving with the Maker who promised Cyrus. Woe to him who says to a father–; Maker.

Woe to him who says to a father, What have you begetting? Calvin: grouped with v. 9—restrains murmurers who strive with God; potsherd with potsherds; clay to the potter. Isaiah reasons about the present life’s course, not Paul’s heavenly ascent.

Questioning the begetting is the same murmur in adversity; the clay still has no right to debate. Wesley says as much: Woe to him who says to a father–; Maker.

The LORD, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker, says: You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons, and you command me concerning the work of my hands? Wesley: Thus saith—Will you not allow me that liberty which yourselves take, of disposing of my own children and works, as I see fit?

He takes the same liberty they take—disposing of his own children and works as he sees fit; they may not command him. The LORD, the Holy One of Israel and Israel’s Maker, speaks; will you question me about my sons, or give me orders about the work of my hands? He already disposes as he sees fit.

So speaks the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and Israel’s Maker. Calvin: do not prescribe to God how to treat his sons and works. Ask of things to come is not a license to drag God to the bar.

Inquiry about things to come is allowed; commanding him about his children is not; no bar for God. Wesley concurs: he disposes of his own children and works; they may not command him.

I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens. I have commanded all their army. From v. 11: Will you not allow me that liberty which yourselves take, of disposing of my own children and works, as I see fit? So here: I have made the earth, and created man on it; my hands stretched the heavens and commanded their host—the works he disposes.

Maker of earth, man, heavens, and host already has the liberty to dispose of children and works. I made the earth; created man; stretched out the heavens; commanded all their host. He made and commanded; he is not learning the host.

I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens. I have commanded all their army. Calvin: if he governs the world he cares for his family. Jesus’ words about the sparrows (Matt 10:29) express the same care.

Maker of earth and heavens cares for his family as he cares for sparrows; government of the world is care, not absence. Wesley reads it the same way: I made the earth; created man; stretched the heavens; commanded the host.

I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of Armies. Wesley: Him—Cyrus. In righteousness—Most justly, to punish the wicked Babylonians, to plead the cause of the oppressed ones, to manifest my righteousness, and truth, and goodness.

Him is Cyrus; righteousness is just punishment of Babylon, pleading the oppressed, manifesting righteousness, truth, and goodness; city built and exiles freed, not for price. Shared loudly: Persian Cyrus; he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward. Persian, not the Christ-Servant of 42:1–9. I have stirred him; I will make his ways level.

I have raised him up in righteousness. Calvin: faithfully, to manifest his righteousness in saving his people. Him is Cyrus. He shall build my city (by edicts, Ezra / 2 Chronicles) and release captives not for a price. Persian, not the Christ-Servant of 42:1–9.

Raised in righteousness is faithful manifestation of righteousness in saving the people; city built by edicts; captives freed without price. Shared loudly with Wesley: Him is Cyrus; Persian king building the city and setting exiles go free, not for price nor reward. Persian, not the Servant of 42:1–9.