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In the last 27 chapters of Isaiah (40-66), the prophet unfolds God's promise of future blessing through His Messiah. But He will bring this about in "strange and mysterious ways" (v. 15), not in conformity with Israel's expectations. This chapter contains the startling announcement—150 years in advance—that God had chosen a Gentile monarch to deliver His exiled people, and that salvation would be extended to all nations.

Isaiah 45:9-12, Isaiah 45:22-25

1. What, according to verses 11-12, is the proper attitude of created beings to their Creator?
2. What two illustrations does Isaiah use (vv. 9-10) to drive home the folly of challenging the Almighty?
3. Why did God brand Cyrus His anointed one (44:28; 45:1, 13)?
4. How is the fulfillment of a specific prophecy such as this a vindication of God's accurate foreknowledge and power (v. 19)?
5. How did God's plan for Israel (v. 17) go well beyond temporal deliverance from its enemies?
6. Why would the salvation of a universal God (v. 22) need to be universally extended?
7. Describe a scenario you can imagine of verse 24b, when all those who resisted God acknowledge their error.

Thank God for being much too independent, wise, and good to be limited by our expectations or understanding.

9 "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?' 10 How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father, 'Why was I born?' or if it said to its mother, 'Why did you make me this way?'" 11 This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: "Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? 12 I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command."

22 "Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. 23 I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to me." 24 The people will declare, "The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength." And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed. 25 In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified, and in him they will boast.

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Almighty Creator, help me to comprehend how totally different You are from created beings like me.

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