But the Lord also foretells the fall of Babylon and the release of the captives from Judah. We will study the remainder of Chapter 48, dealing with that fall and release, in two sections.
The Lord reminds the people that He is the Creator. Everything and everyone was made by Him and if He speaks a word, it will come true. "Listen to Me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first and I am the last. My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together." (Isaiah 48:12-13) He is the one and only God. There was no god before Him and there will be no god after Him because He is eternally existing. As difficult as the human mind finds this to grasp, there was no "before"---no time when God did not already exist. It's hard for us to imagine no starting point for His existence because we inhabit the time and space of this created universe. But it's the truth and that means He is all-powerful, self-sustaining, and is in control of all things. These prophecies He is giving will come true. A God who is eternally existing and who created all things is a God who will carry out His purposes.
"Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things?" (Isaiah 48:14a) None of their idols has said a word to them about the rise of Babylon, its invasion of Judah, its captivity of Judah's citizens, its defeat by another rising world power, or the setting free of the captives. Neither has any false prophet or pagan priest or astrologer said these things. We will learn later in the Bible that these idolatrous "authorities" in Judah were predicting peace and prosperity. Even if they had given a gloomy prophecy, it would have involved Assyria. Certainly it would not have involved Babylon since that nation didn't appear likely to stand up in great strength again.
The Lord has already mentioned a man named Cyrus who will conquer Judah's conqueror. He mentions him again, though this time not by name. "The Lord's chosen ally will carry out His purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against the Babylonians. I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission." (Isaiah 48:14b-15) Cyrus did not worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but that doesn't mean the Lord can't use him for His purposes. The Lord raises up kingdoms and He puts down kingdoms according to His will for mankind. He can use a person who worships Him but He can also use a person who does not acknowledge Him as their Lord.
Many scholars believe that Cyrus read the book of Isaiah, copies of which the captives took with them. This is because later in the Bible we find him saying that the God of the people of Judah told him to set them free and told him to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Cyrus didn't rebuild those himself but he gave supplies to the people when he told them they could go free. It is thought by a number of scholars that Cyrus read the prophecies that called him by name.
Isaiah urges the people to commit to memory the things he has spoken from the Lord. The message is completely trustworthy. Though they will be captured, that will not be the end of them or their nation. When these things come true, they will remember the message and that it was God who gave it. The first part of this verse appears to be a quotation from the Lord's words and the second half is Isaiah speaking of himself. "Come near me and listen to this: 'From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.' And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with His Spirit." (Isaiah 48:16)
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