Isaiah 44:21-28 Remembered
God promises Israel that they will be remembered by Him. Not as a fond memory of the past but one of a beautiful future too. He started a good thing and WILL complete it.
He who began a good work, WILL be faithful to complete it! This is God’s promise to Israel. Her sins have brought her low, but He will lift her up again and forgive those sins. And He has already made preparations for their restoration.
One important thing to note about those sins. When they turn their hearts back to Him, He will restore them. Notice, that I didn’t use “if” in this process. God has already seen it happen and has appointed someone to see that it is done.
This is the kind of prophecy I LOVE reading about! Not just for the good that God has promised, but for the fact that He NAMED the one who would do the work He has foretold. Isaiah DID NOT know of Cyrus. Turning to Google, I see that the Cyrus God is speaking of here is not the only Cyrus ever to rule. Cyrus is not a title though; it is a given name. THE name of the ruler who would return the captives of Judah to their homeland and help them rebuild both Jerusalem and the Temple.
Think of ALL the steps that had to be put into place for this prophecy to happen. At just the right time, a mother had to give birth to a son and give him the name Cyrus. He had to be raised with at least an understanding of Israel’s God. His heart had to desire to know more and to please this foreign God. He had to rise in power through the ranks, unless he was born into the position of leadership. He had to rule with such purpose that he could conquer the largest powers of the time. He had to be aware of the people already enslaved by those he conquered. He had to be sensitive to their plight. He had to wield enough power and influence that releasing these people didn’t topple him from his position of power. He had to be believed by those he sought to assist. He had to have the resources to help them without depleting his nations coffers. And he had to stick with his decisions in the face of opposition.
ANY break in this chain of events may have resulted in continued captivity for Israel/Judah. God knew EVERY step LONG before Cyrus was even born. We see that for a fact in the prophecies spoken of him before he even was! Let’s see a false god do that!
All this to say, God does NOT give up on those He loves. He Israel would fall before He even called Abram. He saw her captivity before her birth. He also saw her future beauty. NOTHING she did was a surprise to Him. And He started laying down a plan for her redemption before she was even formed. Not once did He alter His plans.
God has done the same for each of us. He KNOWS those who will call upon His name. He has a plan for their lives. He has a journey that will take each of us to THE place He has prepared for us. Not all will be as grand as Cyrus’ but each will be important and special to His plan. A plan for your good. And His glory!
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11). This promise is NOT a guarantee of a straight and smooth path. It is a PROMISE to knit together everything we face into a profitable path. One that leads us to our Lord and a deeper relationship with Him all along the way. It is NOT a promise of never making a mistake or having to relearn a lesson. It is a promise NEVER to give up on us, no matter how long the journey takes.
Please be patient. God isn’t finished with me yet.
Father God, I am SO glad You know what tomorrow holds. Not so You can hold it over me but so You can direct me in the paths I should go for my good. I know I don’t always go the way I’m directed but You get me there eventually. THANK YOU for NEVER giving up on me. Sometimes I wish I could see what is ahead. Other times, I’m GLAD I don’t know what is coming. I might try and run the other way if I did. So long as You are with me though, I’ll be safe. And loved.
