Isaiah 45:4-7

Isaiah 45:4-7  For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.  I will gird you, though you have not known Me,

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me.  I am the Lord, and there is no other;

7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.

Too often we make God an idol in that we don’t see Him or accept Him in His fullness.  We are quick to declare Him as a God of love, a Redeemer, an all-powerful God, and a holy God.  But, too often we fail to understand or embrace Him in His fullness.  In fact, the call on the life of a believer – one truly saved – is to know Him!  To sit at His feet and listen, learn, embrace, practice and declare His fullness (FAITH – facts/learn, agree/learn, internalize(me!)/embrace, trust/practice and herald/declare).  Too often we are like the children of Israel with Moses removed – who resort to a God of great power and great value as depicted in a golden cow – and in doing so deny that He is spirit, holy, infinite, all-wise, and/or personal, and MORE!

For 2022, we need some learning in order to grow our faith that God might be pleased and more about using us in His service – our country and families need this – as do we!

So, let’s ponder on just four verses from Isaiah 45:

1. God is engaged in our world – He has servants! He uses kings, magi, shepherds, poor folk like Mary and Joseph, the Caesar, angels and even Satan!
2. God has an elect – a select. God has a people of His own – Mary and Joseph. God is adopting, growing, and using His own dear family to bring about His will.
3. God is infinite – outside of time yet fully engaged in time. God declared of a coming empire (not the Assyrians or Babylonians, but the Medes), who her king would be, and of his lack of faith – “not known Me”.
4. God is Lord of lords – two centuries before Cyrus was born or king, God declared what he was to do – he was to restore Jerusalem and let the Jews return home, 45:13.
5. God is alone – there is no other – none close!  Satan is an angel with power but NOT God and not even close!
6. God is King of kings – I will gird you/crown you.  It is by God’s will and work that King Cyrus will rule or that any ruler will rule.  It is by God alone that kingdoms rise and fall, 45:1.
7. God is universal – He is the God of the whole world. God is the God of 2022, the God of the USA and the God of Omaha.  The God of Cyrus and of Luther is the God of our day and world!
8. God creates and allows – God created the sun and moon and rotation and revolution and thus night and winter.  God creates and controls so to use it that men everywhere might know that He is God.  They are without excuse, Romans 1:20.
9. God is all-wise – Man complains about pain and evil and accuses God of not being God as man thinks he understands all that is happening.  Man labors under the lie that “you will know good and evil” but God sees vastly more and even uses “calamity.”   God used the terrible evil of Jacob’s sons against their brother that unjustly sent him to prison for 13 years to ultimately bring them “salvation” – to save them from starving.  Genesis 50:20, You meant it for evil but God meant it for good!

And there is more in this chapter about God to learn, embrace and let control life such as: righteous, declaring the future, right/holy, just, Savior, judge, word keeper and receiver of glory.

Let us have a deeper understanding of God so more faith so to cope with 2022 to His glory!