There is a short list of people in the church who are responsible for proclaiming a message from God to his people. Apostles, teachers, prophets, and evangelists, basically. That's the list.
Now, sometimes the specific word from God that needs to be communicated is controversial. If you're the prophet, or teacher, you know that your words are not going to be received very well. People are going to struggle to believe that this message is actually from God. Other times, you know that this message isn't one that fits people's theology, or beliefs. They will refuse to believe it's a word from God because of what they "know" about God, or Christianity, or whatever.
If you're a prophet, or teacher, and you know your target audience, you'll often have a pretty good idea of when things are going to be controversial. How do you handle that?
One option would be to simply pass over that issue. You refuse to tell people God's word (Jeremiah 20:9; contrast Isaiah 50:5). You might do that because you're a pastor with a spouse and kids, and it feels like the church (and not God) is the one keeping food on your table every month. You're scared, basically, of upsetting your "employer." Or you might do it because you value keeping the peace, more than speaking the truth. Church becomes like family holidays, where everyone kind of quietly agrees to not talk about those flash points like vaccinations, or Trump, or transgenderism.
If you want to avoid those flashpoints, as a pastor or teacher, it's often not that difficult. You can teach topically, and make sure to stay away from those things. Or, even if you teach through books of the Bible, it's not that hard to very slightly skip over the tough verses. Most people will never realize what you're doing. Who notices when your passage has 15 verses, and the teacher only talked about 5 of them? Does it register that the other 10 might be controversial, or that the teacher is possibly skipping over the really challenging, interesting stuff?
But let's say that a prophet, or a teacher, isn't willing (or can't; Jeremiah 20:9) to pass over the controversial thing. What's the best way to give that tough message?
Everyone might think I'm the wrong person to give advice for something like this, but I imagine that the best way to teach controversial things is to start by slowly preparing your audience to receive it. You push them, just a little bit, and stretch their thinking. And then right at the point when people's hackles are ready to come out, you back off. You leave them space to sit and think about it. Then, a couple weeks later, you bring it up again. Maybe you push it a little farther. Maybe, you don't. But you signal to people that this is something important, that isn't going to go away.
In Isaiah 40-55, there's a super controversial thing that God, through his prophet, wants to tell his people. God and his prophet know that this message isn't going to go over well. They've been trying to warm God's people in exile up to this idea slowly. They've introduced the tough thing, and then backed off. They reintroduced it, and then backed off again (and John Goldingay is the one who I found most helpfully presented this, although Christopher Seitz and Whybray also touch on it). The controversial thing has to do with how God will rescue them from exile. Specifically, with who God is planning to use. Who will be the new Moses, who will free God's people from their bondage?
Let's read those verses, and remind ourselves of them:
Isaiah 41:2-5 (NRSV updated no reason):
2 Who has roused a victor from the east,
summoned him to his service?
He delivers up nations to him
and tramples kings under foot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
like driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursues them and passes on safely,
scarcely touching the path with his feet.
4 Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the LORD, am first
and will be with the last.
5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid;
the ends of the earth tremble;
they have drawn near and come.
Isaiah 41:25-26:
25 I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,
from the rising of the sun (=from the east) he was summoned by name.[b]
He shall trample[c] on rulers as on mortar,
as the potter treads clay.
26 Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know,
and beforehand, so that we might say, “He is right”?
There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed,
none who heard your words.
Isaiah 43:14:
Thus says the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
For your sake I will send [WHO?] to Babylon
and break down all the bars,
and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation.[a]
Who will God send to Babylon? He doesn't even say. The word is missing. But it's Mystery Dude from the Northeast.
So three times, God has announced that his people's coming salvation will come from this Mystery Dude. God is working in and through this guy. God's giving him great success in battle. And Mystery Dude will conquer one nation after another, until Babylon, the superpower of its day, is conquered.
Now, all of God's exiled people hear these words, and they would've know exactly who was being talked about. There's only one man who fits the bill: King Cyrus. But God, and his prophet, haven't pushed this controversial thing all the way yet. They've given people space to think about it, and warm up to it.
Today, though, that space disappears. Today's message is designed to be pushy, and shocking. If the three earlier descriptions of Mystery Dude could've been proclaimed by a preacher with a wife and kids depending on him, this one sounds more like a pulpit supply preacher, who has a full-time job outside of the church. God, through his prophet here, sounds like someone who has nothing to lose, who walks into a church, blows everyone away on a Sunday morning, and then walks out the door. You've all known that preacher? Or am I the only one, who has been awed by what just happened on a random Sunday morning?
So imagine the prophet today putting on his pulpit supply preacher hat, and initiating a shock and awe campaign.
Let's start with just the first verse, Isaiah 44:24:
(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 announces himself to you, at the start, in two ways. First, He's your Redeemer.
This word, Redeemer, is a common way that Yahweh describes himself in this part of Isaiah (41:14; 44:6, 14; 47:4). It's also a word that we use in Christianity. Once in a while, we will talk about how God has redeemed us, or how Christ has redeemed us.
But it's also one of those kind of fuzzy Christian words, where we know how to use the word, and have this vague sense of what it means, but we might struggle to explain it to someone else. At least, that's been true for me.
So since this is the headliner for today's prophetic word, let's unpack this a little, and turn to Leviticus 25:29 (NRSV updated no reason). [Shalom Paul's commentary was helpful in here].
29 “If anyone sells a dwelling house in a walled city, it may be redeemed until a year has elapsed since its sale; the right of redemption shall be one year. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has elapsed, a house that is in a walled city shall pass in perpetuity to the purchaser, throughout the generations; it shall not be released in the Jubilee. 31 But houses in villages that have no walls around them shall be classed as open country; they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the Jubilee. 32 As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites shall forever have the right of redemption of the houses in the cities belonging to them. 33 Whatever property of the Levites that may be redeemed, that is, houses sold in a city belonging to them, shall be released in the Jubilee, for the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the Israelites. 34 But the pasturelands around their cities may not be sold, for that is their possession for all time.
In the OT, in certain situations, you can redeem a house that you've sold. And what that means, is that you can repurchase it, sometimes, to regain ownership of it. As a rule, land and houses were to be kept within the family inheritance forever, and the law was set up to help make that possible. You might have some debts, or some hard times, that force you to sell a house or a field. But there's a way to get it back. It can be redeemed.
And now let's hop down to Leviticus 25:47:
47 “If resident aliens among you prosper, and if any of your kin fall into difficulty with one of them and sell themselves to an alien or to a branch of the alien’s family, 48 even after they have sold themselves they shall have the right of redemption; one of their brothers may redeem them, 49 or their uncle or their uncle’s son may redeem them, or anyone of their family who is of their own flesh may redeem them, or if they prosper they may redeem themselves. 50 They shall compute with the purchaser the total from the year when they sold themselves to the alien until the Jubilee year; the price of the sale shall be applied to the number of years: the time they were with the owner shall be rated as the time of a hired laborer. 51 If many years remain, they shall pay for their redemption in proportion to the purchase price, 52 and if few years remain until the Jubilee year, they shall compute thus: according to the years involved they shall make payment for their redemption.
So other times, you get into financial problems, and you don't simply sell a house, or a field. You sell yourself, or you sell one of your families, to someone else to become their indentured servant. I'm trying hard to avoid calling these people "slaves," because that slavery language is unhelpful. If someone in your family is sold into this situation, they can be "redeemed" by a family member. When your financial status improves, you, and your brothers, and your uncles, can work together to "redeem" that person from that situation. Families stick together. Amen? If my brother or sister, or my in-laws, got themselves in a pickle, I'd do my best to get them out of it. And they'd do the same for me. Right? We can think of exceptions, of course. If I had a brother that didn't work, that mooched off my parents, and ended up getting sold as in indentured servant to one of his neighbors... well, sorry. Not sure I'd help him. But as a rule, families look out for each other. That's what makes family, family. And that's part of what means, when we say this is our church family.
So what does it mean, to say that Yahweh is your Redeemer?
You've found yourself in a tough spot, stuck in Babylonian exile, far from home. Yahweh, as your family member, as your Father, is the one redeeming you. He's purchasing you (Isaiah 52:3), and restoring you to your home. To talk about Yahweh as your redeemer is to say two things, I think. The first, is that you belong to Yahweh. You are his possession. Second, God views you, and treats you, as family. There's a powerful connection, and commitment, to this word "Redeemer."
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,
"My shepherd!," [Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24]
while every desire/pleasure of mine he will fulfill [Isaiah 44:26],
by saying to Jerusalem,
"She will be inhabited!,"
while to the cities of Judah,
"May they be rebuilt!,"
while the temple shall be founded. [Psalm 132:2-5; Ezra 1:2; 6:3]
If you were a member of God's people stuck in exile, the hallelujahs and amens came easy until you got to verse 28. In 28, we hear, for the first time, the identity of Mystery Dude from the east. God has been saying all along that his help is coming through this man. And the reason this name wasn't announced, until just this moment, is that this name is a stretch for you. Cyrus is toppling the New World Order. He's steadily wiping out the Babylonian empire. He doesn't seem to have any connection to Yahweh. He serves and worships his own gods.
But Yahweh calls Cyrus "My shepherd." He treats him like he treated King David. And when we compare verse 26 to 28, we see that Yahweh's words are echoed in Cyrus's mouth. "Jerusalem will be inhabited. The cities of Jerusalem will be rebuilt. And even the temple, the most holy of all buildings, the house that God wouldn't let King David build, but only his son Solomon, will be founded by Cyrus.
The story is often told by Christians (usually in the context of defending going to doctors for healing), about a man stuck on the roof of a house that's half underwater. He's going to drown. A man comes by with a boat, and offers to help, and the guy on the roof announces he's waiting for God to save him. Then a guy comes by in a helicopter, and the guy again refuses the help. He's waiting for God to save him. Well, the man drowns, and when he's in heaven he asks God, "Why didn't you help?" And God's like, "I sent a boat and a helicopter, and you refused them both."
Cyrus is basically the boat and helicopter. God's exiled people are as open to getting help from Cyrus, as we'd be open today to getting help from Biden. Who would believe that Biden's words are God's words, or that Biden is God's shepherd, or that God would redeem his people through Biden? Who would want that help? Who would accept that help?
So as God's exiled people, you find yourself in a tough choice here. Can you say "Hallelujah" and "Amen" to Cyrus helping? It'd be a lot easier to accept a Moses-- someone from within Israel, who would rise up with plagues and judgments on Babylon.
But the amusing thing is, even if you can't say "Hallelujah," you're getting a Cyrus and not a Moses. God's not giving you a choice in this, as far as whether or not you'll be redeemed through Cyrus. You're not going to die, and end up in heaven. You get the boat. The only question is whether or not you'll believe that Cyrus is God's help [and that's the prophet's main objective here, to persuade the people of that].
So up until now, Yahweh has given you a word through his prophet. You've been the audience. Now, starting in 45:1, we get to overhear what Yahweh has told Cyrus:
(45:1) Thus has said Yahweh to his anointed one-- to Cyrus,
whom I have grasped his right hand,
to subdue before his face/presence nations,
while the loins of kings I will uncover;
to open before his face/presence doors,
while gates will not be shut:
"(2) I, before your face/presence, I will go,
while the [impressive?; Is. 53:2] mountains I will level.
The bronze doors I will break,
while the bars of iron I will cut through,
(3) that I may give you to the treasures of the darkness,
and the hidden stockpiles of the secret places,
so that you may know that I [am] Yahweh, The One calling you by your name, The God (Elohim) of
Israel,
(4) for the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel, my chosen one,
and I will call you by your name.
I will bestow a title of honor on you,
while/even though you don't know/acknowledge me.
(5) I [am] Yahweh,
and there is no one besides [me].
Apart from me, there isn't a god/elohim.
I will gird (2 Samuel 22:40; Psalm 30:12 [EB 11]; contrast Isaiah 45:1) you,
while/even though you don't know/acknowledge me,
(6) so that they may know/acknowledge from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none, except only me.
I [am] Yahweh,
and there is none beside me--
(7) The One forming light, and The One creating darkness;
The One making peace/prosperity,
and the One creating disaster/evil.
I [am] Yahweh-- The One doing all these things."
Yahweh has revealed (past tense) himself to Cyrus, and explained to him how he will be blessed, and used, to restore God's people and bring honor to God. Yahweh will give Cyrus victory in battle. He will give him fabulous wealth-- all the treasures hidden away in dark, dusty treasure rooms. He will give him a title of honor-- maybe shepherd, maybe messiah, anointed one. And God will use Cyrus to show the entire world that Yahweh is the one who reigns supreme. God will make Cyrus great, and his people great, and himself great. Everyone will acknowledge that Yahweh is the One True God who lowers kingdoms, and raises kingdoms up.
And hopefully, you'll find yourselves part of that group that acknowledges God's hand (and I think rhetorically, this is actually the point. The question is, will you accept this?). God has revealed all of this to you, long before it's total fulfillment. And you will be in the unique position of being able to witness all of it ( a key theme and goal in these chapters). You'll be able to tell everyone around you, "We knew that all of this was Yahweh's hand at work. We knew that Yahweh alone rules the world."
Our passage closes off today with an invitation from God to his creation. God invites heavens and earth to join him in celebrating the rise of Cyrus. Verse 8:
(8) Bring rain, O heavens, from above,
while the clouds, may they flow with/of righteousness.
May it/she open the earth,
that they may be fruitful with/of salvation,
while righteousness, may it/she (the earth, probably) cause to grow with it. (Isaiah 61:11)
I [am] Yahweh.
I have created him [=Cyrus].
What God is pressing toward is a global celebration, involving heaven and earth, of God's faithfulness to his own people. Everyone, and everything, should rejoice over Cyrus.
---------------------------------------------------------------
One of the things that makes the Christian walk hard, at times, is that it's hard to know what God is doing, and how He's doing it. Most of the time, in my experience, we're not quite sure what world events are from God, or what exactly God is working toward.
And even on a much smaller scale, with my own life, what exactly is God doing? Which bronze doors are God opening for me? Which bars of irons is God cutting through?
There have been times when I've known, one way or another, what God is doing in my life, and why. Like, I have total clarity about God's intentions. About a year ago, my family received a prophetic word from someone who saw just a little bit of the future for one of my kids. This word was totally unprompted-- but the prophet saw, with spiritual eyes, our anxiety and need in a certain issue, and he reassured us that this need would be abundantly met. And that word has been remarkably fulfilled in bits and pieces over a period of months. Every time a new little part happens, it becomes a reason to praise God. Bronze doors opened in ways I didn't think were possible.
Other times, things have been a lot less clear. I'm not sure where to see God's hand. I'm not sure what God's plan is. And there's not always a prophet around, who has a clear message from God for us. Sometimes, we struggle to hear God's voice. Sometimes, we just walk by faith.
Our passage today is a great help, for these types of situations. It has a hint in verses 26, and 28, that gives us eyes to see, and ears to hear, what God is doing.
Notice how God's announced words in Isaiah 44:26 are echoed in the mouth of Cyrus, in Isaiah 44:28.
God is 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]
Then, in verse 28, we read that Cyrus fulfills God's desires by echoing God's words. He will say to Jerusalem,
by saying to Jerusalem,
"She will be inhabited!,"
while to the cities of Judah,
"May they be rebuilt!,"
while the temple shall be founded. [Psalm 132:2-5; Ezra 1:2; 6:3]
So what I would suggest is that sometimes in our lives, we will hear people say things to us, and they could've been God's words. You're laid up in bed, and someone comes to visit you, saying, "I've heard about what happened. I'm sorry. I'm here to help." It's your friend who says that, but your friend has been prompted, and sent, by God. And their words, and their help, are fulfilling God's desire to bless you in your need. God's help often looks like the boat, and the helicopter.
On a more global scale, I think it works the same way. There are world leaders who have been a great blessing to the church. They've helped God's people in need in remarkable ways, and their words could've been spoken by God. When you see leaders act in ways that help God's people in their need, it's okay to see God's hand behind it.
Now, the catch here is that the leaders God picks are not always the leaders we would pick. They have their flaws. They aren't even always Christians. But they have an anointing from God, an empowering from Him. They have been given a spirit of wisdom. And they find themselves fulfilling God's purposes. We wonder, maybe, if God could've used them without blessing them quite so much. Maybe, God didn't need to give them such an anointing, or such great honor, or such great wealth. But God is a generous God, who gives good gifts out of his abundant wealth.
And you all probably think I'm talking about Trump. There are certainly things about Trump that really bother evangelicals. But I would just encourage you, with any world leader, to ask yourself questions along two lines:
(1) Does the fruit of their work lead to blessings for God's church? Do God's people find themselves able to worship and serve God freely? Do they find persecution eased? Are they more free to live, and work, and witness about Jesus?
(2) Do their words sound like they could be God's words?
The people who God sends to help us aren't always our first choice. When we are laid up in bed, perhaps the one God sends to help us, is the one person we can't stand. Or perhaps, He sends someone who isn't a Christian. A Muslim coworker has heard about your problems, and the Imam at the local mosque sends gifts and people over to help you. Those Muslims are God's gift to you. They're how God's helps you. And their words of encouragement and support, are God's words.
Be open to receiving God's help from surprising people. Be open to hearing people's words, as an echo of God's. And last, praise God when the help comes.
Translation:
(24) Thus has said Yahweh, your Redeemer,
while the One forming you from the womb [Isaiah 44:2]:
"I [am] Yahweh,
The One making everything,
the One stretching out the heavens alone [Isaiah 40:22],
the One spreading out the earth by myself.
(25) The One breaking the signs of the false prophets (Jer. 50:36),
while the diviners He makes a fool of;
The One turning back [Ps. 44:11; Lam. 1:13; 2:3; *Shalom Paul] the wise ones,
while their knowledge He makes foolish;
(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;
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]
(27) The One saying to the deep,
"Dry up!," (Genesis 8:13; Exodus 14:21; Psalm 106:9)
while your rivers I will dry up (Nahum 1:4; Isaiah 42:15};
(28) The One saying to Cyrus,
"My shepherd!," [Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24]
while every desire/pleasure of mine he will fulfill [Isaiah 44:26],
by saying to Jerusalem,
"She will be inhabited!,"
while to the cities of Judah,
"May they be rebuilt!,"
while the temple shall be founded. [Psalm 132:2-5; Ezra 1:2; 6:3]
(45:1) Thus has said Yahweh to his messiah/anointed one-- to Cyrus,
whom I have grasped his right hand,
to subdue before his face/presence nations,
while the loins of kings I will uncover;
to open before his face/presence doors,
while gates will not be shut.
(2) I, before your face/presence, I will go,
while the [impressive?; Is. 53:2] mountains I will level.
The bronze doors I will break,
while the bars of iron I will cut through,
(3) that I may give you to the treasures of the darkness,
and the hidden stockpiles of the secret places,
so that you may know that I [am] Yahweh, The One calling you by your name, The God (Elohim) of Israel,
(4) for the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel, my chosen one,
and I will call you by your name.
I will bestow a title of honor on you,
and/while you don't know/acknowledge me.
(5) I [am] Yahweh,
and there is no one besides [me].
Apart from me, there isn't a god/elohim.
I will gird (2 Samuel 22:40; Psalm 30:12 [EB 11]) you,
and/while you don't know/acknowledge me,
(6) so that they may know/acknowledge from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none, except only me.
I [am] Yahweh,
and there is none beside me--
(7) The One forming light, and The One creating darkness;
The One making peace/prosperity,
and the One creating disaster/evil.
I [am] Yahweh-- The One doing all these things.
(8) Bring rain, O heavens, from above,
while the clouds, may they flow with/of righteousness.
May it/she open the earth,
that they may be fruitful with/of salvation,
while righteousness, may it/she (the earth, probably) cause to grow with it. (Isaiah 61:11)
I [am] Yahweh.
I have created him [=Cyrus].
