Isaiah 45

Prophecy concerning Cyrus, the first king of the Persians. Every obstruction shall be removed out of his way, and the treasures taken from his enemies shall be immense, Isaiah 45:1-3 , To whom, and on what account, Cyrus was indebted for his wonderful success, Isaiah 45:4-6 . The prophet refutes the absurd opinion of the Persians, that there were two supreme beings, an evil and a good one, represented by light and darkness, here declared to be only the operation of the One true God, Isaiah 45:7 ; and makes a transition to the still greater work of God displayed in the dispensation of the Gospel, Isaiah 45:8 . Great impiety of those who call in question the mysterious providence of God towards his children, Isaiah 45:9-12 . The remaining part of this chapter, interspersed with strictures on the absurdity of idolatry and some allusions to the dark lying oracles of the heathens, may partly refer to the deliverance begun by Cyrus, but chiefly to the salvation by the Messiah, which, it is declared, shall be of universal extent and everlasting duration, Isaiah 45:13-25 .