LESSON 15

NEVER, NEVER LOSE HOPE

ISAIAH CHAPTER 44

Isaiah opens chapter 44 by telling of a time of unprecedented blessing that God has in store for Israel in the future.  Faced with hardship and difficulties as an individual or nation, the key to spiritual victory is to never lose hope in what God has in store for His family in the future.  Winston Churchill in his commencement address before World War II told the graduating young men “to never, never, never give up.”  Following this short address, he sat down, but later lead these young men to victory in World War II as Prime Minister.  “The Lord made thee and fashioned thee from the womb, and thus they need not fear because they were chosen.”  God sees in these first verses of chapter 44, His people, not as they are, but as He intends them to become in end.  God’s viewpoint is something we all should seek when faced with life’s trials and difficulties.  This promise to pour out His Spirit is not to be confused with the Day of Pentecost.  This reference has more to do with Joel 2:28-32, which also has to do with the future of Israel.  The wonders in Heaven referred to,did not take place at Pentecost.  Joel said the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh.  While at Pentecost there were 120 disciples and 3,000 believers.  That’s not all flesh, for there were probably one million people in Jerusalem at the time of the New Testament Pentecost.  There is a point to be made here, and that is the greatest days of Israel’s glory are yet future. 

In Isaiah, 44:6-8, God makes it clear that idols cannot foretell the future, but Jehovah alone has made Israel a living witness of His ability to tell the future.  Then Isaiah ridicules in (verses 9-20) the tools and materials, which are used in production of useless gods.  The Prophet is amazed that people will take a tree, use some of it to keep warm, and use some of it to roast meat and cook food, then make a god to whom they bow down and worship.  The wooden idol can’t speak and must be carried yet it alone has the ability to tell the future?

In view of the hopelessness of idol worship, God calls upon His people in Isaiah 44:22, “To return unto me, which is the very heart of his prophetic message.”  The brief call upon heaven and earth to enjoy the redemption of Israel reminds us of Isaiah 1, which begins with a call to heaven and earth.  What we have here is a call to a joyful celebration of Israel’s redemption.

This prophecy of Isaiah has a near and far fulfillment.  Isaiah 44:4-28 shows God had appointed Cyrus to fulfill His purpose.  This was written 150 years before Cyrus was born and before the coming to power of the Medes and Persians of Daniel who came onto the world scene.  This whole promise is that Jerusalem will be inhabited again and that the Temple of God will be rebuilt.  This prophecy is so detailed that it reveals how Cyrus would conquer Babylon.  The Greek historian Herodotus recorded this event in his history, relating how Cyrus dried up the Euphrates so that it was only one foot deep, by diverting its waters into the basin of Sepharuaim.  In this way, the Persian army was able to enter the supposedly impenetrable city of Babylon.  This made Daniel 5:22-31 come alive as we see the event come to pass and reveals a God who can detail the future down to the smallest detail.  What an encouragement this should be to every true child of God!