Isaiah 44:24-28

The Promise to have Jerusalem Rebuilt

This section, according to a careful analysis, belongs to the next chapter, for it takes up the deliverance of Israel as effected in consequence of the decree of Cyrus.

v. 24. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, Cf v. 2: I am the Lord that maketh all things, the supreme Ruler and Guide of the universe, the Sovereign of the world and all it contains; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, 40:22; 42:5; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself, without assistance,

v. 25. that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, of the vain talkers, especially the necromancers, and maketh diviners mad, so that they appear as fools with their false prophecies; that turneth wise men backward, so that they are relegated to the background, and maketh their knowledge foolish, exhibiting their ignorance before the whole world;

v. 26. that, by way of contrast, confirmeth the word of His servant, establishing the prophetic message which His prophets proclaimed, and performeth the counsel of His messengers, so that not one of His words falls to the ground; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited, rising once more out of the ruins, and to the cities of Judah, which had likewise been plundered and sacked, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof;

v. 27. that saith to the deep, in another exhibition of His power, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers, to serve His purpose at all times;

v. 28. that saith of Cyrus, the prophecy here giving the exact words of the Lord's command to him as it came to pass more than a century later, He Is My shepherd, the designation referring to his leadership of nations, and shall perform all My pleasure, namely, in bringing about the deliverance of Israel; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and to the Temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. This prophecy was literally fulfilled; for the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem and of the Temple took place in accordance with the express command of Cyrus. That his name is mentioned so many years in advance need cause no more surprise than the fact that Josiah's work of reformation was predicted at the time of Jeroboam I, more than three centuries intervening between prophecy and fulfillment. The God of prophecy is the omniscient God, before whom nothing is hidden.