Praise God When His Help Comes (Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-8] Series

The prophet then describes Yahweh a second way. And if the idea of "Redeemer" maybe appeals to men more than women, this second way is probably the opposite. Isaiah 44:24, a second time:

(24) Thus has said Yahweh, your Redeemer [Isaiah 41:14; 44:6, 14; 47:4; Lev. 25:29, 47-55; Deut. 9:26],

while the One forming you from the womb [Isaiah 44:2]:

Yahweh is like a Mother who has been forming you since your very birth. While you were in the womb, your mother protected you, and provided for you. Your mother talked to you, which maybe seemed crazy to the men around her, but she knew that you were listening, and you knew her voice before you were even born.

There's a connection between a mother and her baby that's been built from the time the baby was 2 cells big. There's a commitment and love that can't be matched. And that's how God views you exiles. He's formed you from the very beginning-- from the time of Abram, and Sara. He's loved you, and watched over you, and formed you, for centuries.

It might be hard for you, stuck in exile, to hear Yahweh announce himself as these two things. You probably feel like a newborn cast aside by his mother. You probably feel abandoned by God in exile. But that's who Yahweh continues to be.

And now we come to what this God, Yahweh, says. As we read these verses, we will see that Yahweh describes himself in lots of other ways.

Now, the easiest way to teach this, is for you to temporarily at least become Pentecostal, of the slightly wild and slightly loud variety. You need to be the rowdy Pentecostal in the back. So when I say that Yahweh is The One doing this or that, you respond by saying "Amen," or "Hallelujah." But here's the thing. This is not something that's a joke, or funny. We shouldn't find ourselves laughing. We should find ourselves celebrating who Yahweh is. We should find ourselves completely agreeing this. And we should find that even though we had to put on a Pentecostal hat to do this, it actually feels really good, and entirely right. Okay?

"I [am] Yahweh,

The One making everything, [AMEN!]

the One stretching out the heavens alone [Isaiah 40:22], [AMEN!]

the One spreading out the earth by myself. [AMEN!]

(25) The One breaking the signs of the false prophets (Jer. 50:36),

while the diviners He makes a fool of; [AMEN!]

The One turning back [Ps. 44:11; Lam. 1:13; 2:3; *Shalom Paul] the wise ones,

while their knowledge He makes foolish; [AMEN!]

(26) The One establishing [1 Kings 2:4] the word of his servant,

while the plan [Isaiah 8:10; 46:10] of his messengers He fulfills; [AMEN!]

The One saying to Jerusalem,

"She will be inhabited!,"

while to the cities of Judah,

"May they be rebuilt!,"

while her ruins I will restore; [Ezekiel 36:33; Isaiah 58:12] [AMEN!]

(27) The One saying to the deep, [#POWER]

"Dry up!," (Genesis 8:13; Exodus 14:21; Psalm 106:9) [AMEN!]

while your rivers I will dry up (Nahum 1:4; Isaiah 42:15};

(28) The One saying to Cyrus,