Isaiah 45-46

Isaiah 45-46

Scripture Thought (What I Learned): 

                These two chapters go me thinking… we know that there is no other god, besides God the Father… but verse 7 states that God creates evil and peace, lightness and darkness. But why? Why would God create evil?

                This is where most people who start to hate the idea of religion or God start to point fingers and say that if God loves us, why is there pain and suffering? To answer this question we have to go back to Deuteronomy 8:2-3; 5-6 during the 40 years Israel wandered in the wilderness… which states:

                “…thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna… man doth not live by bread only, but by ever good word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

                “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3; 5)

                In the Book of Mormon we read further that “…it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so… righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad…” (2 Nephi 2:11)

                Even though it sounds weird, God does love us and that is why bad things happen. We look at things as time is now… God looks at an eternal persepective which cannot be compared to our time here on earth and is ultimately for our own good.

Chapter 45: Come unto Christ

                The Lord calls upon Cyrus to subdue nations. Cyrus and Israel will know the Lord, who formed the light and created darkness.

“I for the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

The skies are commanded to rain down righteousness, and the earth to bring forth salvation. Resisting the creator is foolish. God’s role as the creator of heaven and earth is emphasised alongside the deliverance of Israel via Cyrus. When the Lord is revealed as the true God, idolaters will submit and God’s people will be saved. The Lord has not concealed Himself, but let Himself be known. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth…” (Isaiah 45:22)

Chapter 46: Idols are not to be compared to God

False gods are carried away on carriages. The Lord will carry His people into old age. Golden idols are mute and incapable of offering help. The Lord knew the end from the beginning. A bird of prey shall be called from the East. Salvation will be placed in Zion, and glory in Israel.