A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 44-45

Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore
Published on 11 February 2025 *

Fig. 1

Introduction

This study treats Isaiah 44:24-45:25 as a cryptochiasmus in order to arrive at a coherent reconfiguration of the text ( see definition of cryptochiasmus in [1] ). If you wish to skip the technicalities of a chiastic parse, you may read starting from Section 4 of the Discussion section, which has the reconfigured text.

Isaiah 44:24-45:25 predicts the restoration of Israel at the start of the Millennial Reign of Christ and his Messiah. It also predicts that Cyrus the Great of Persia will, with God's help, become emperor over large parts of the inhabited world, and that he will restore the Judahites and Jerusalem.

Discussion

1. Presuppositions

We base our parse of Isaiah 44:24-45:25 on the assumption that it refers to 3 Periods:

1. Cyrus the Great Frees the Judahites and Builds a Vast Empire (c. 539 BC).
2. Christ's Ministry and The First Jewish–Roman War (26AD–73AD). The Judahites that rejected Christ and followed false doctrines were killed in this war.
3. Israel and the World turn to God at the Start of Christ's Millennial Reign (circa 2027AD).

2. Parsing the chiasmus

We will use the NIV Bible for this parse.

Parsing this chiasmus involves dividing portions of the text into three categories as above. We will call the time of Cyrus' victory over Babylon Period 1, the First Jewish-Roman War Period 2 and the start of Christ's Millennial Reign Period 3.

Categorizing Isaiah 44:24-45:25

Ch 44 vs 24 - Ch 45 vs 4a belong to Period 3. The coming Messiah will defeat the enemies of God and establish the New Israel at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign. Although most of this subunit could also describe Cyrus of Persia, some portions of it do not properly apply to him (like vs 4a - see comment in subunit below). We set the opening boundary of this subunit (and this prophecy) at 44:24, because 44:28 mentions Kurus (Cyrus) - one of the topics of this prophecy - and the quote in 44:28 begins in 44:24.

Ch 45 vs 4b-7 belong to Period 1. The Lord gives Cyrus of Persia the strength to rule the world, even before he knows and acknowledges the God of Israel. Ironically, the subunits that are regarding Cyrus of Persia do not contain his name. ( Verse 45:4a does not belong to this subunit, because it mentions Israel/Jacob, which typically refers to all of Israel - this Period is regarding Cyrus' dealings with the Judahites, the Southern Tribes.)

Ch 45 vs 8-11 belong to Period 2. Christ brings righteousness and salvation from God to the world. Many of the Judahites of this Period followed false doctrines that led them away from Christ, and they were punished for it during the First Jewish-Roman War. We expect to see a Period regarding the First Jewish-Roman War in all cryptochiasmi.

Ch 45 vs 12-13 belong to Period 1. Cyrus frees the Judahites from the Babylonians and helps rebuild the temple. We take vs 12, regarding God the creator, to be related to 45:7.

Ch 45 vs 14-25 belongs to Period 3. The Israelites turn back to their God and become a prosperous nation. The rest of the world is exhorted to worship the one true God.

Original text

We color-code the chiastic units of the original text (NIV) below for easy visual identification using: red for Period 1, blue for Period 2 and green for Period 3. We have retranslated parts of the text.

Isaiah 44 24 “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself, 25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, 26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers.
It is I who [a] says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’ 27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’ 28 who says of Kurus [b], ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’

Retranslation notes for Isaiah 44
[a] vs 26 "messengers. It is I who" instead of "messengers, who". Based on the NASB.
[b] vs 27 "Kurus" instead of "Cyrus". The name Koresh in the Hebrew of this verse refers to Cyrus (as seen in passages like Ezra 1:1). However, we will use Cyrus' original Persian name, Kurus.


Isaiah 45 1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Kurus [a], whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2 I will go before you and will make the rough places smooth [b]; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may see that I, the Lord, who summoned you by name, am the God of Israel [c]. 4a For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I have summoned you by name and bestowed [d] on you a title of honor.
4b Though you do not acknowledge me, [e] 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me. 6 I do this so [f] that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it. I [g], the Lord, have created it.
9 “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’? 10 Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?’
11 “This is what the Lord says— the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. [h]
12 It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. 13 I will raise him up [i] in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty.”
14 This is what the Lord says:
“The wealth [j] of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and of the Sabeans, men as tribute— [k] they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”
15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savior of Israel. 16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced; they will go off into disgrace together. 17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.
18 Surely [l] this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
20 “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21 Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” People will come to Him. All who have raged against him will be put to shame. [m] 25 But all the descendants of Israel will find deliverance in the Lord and will make their boast in him.

Retranslation notes for Isaiah 45
[a] vs 1 "Kurus" instead of "Cyrus". We use Cyrus' Persian name.
[b] vs 2 "make the rough places smooth" instead of "level the mountains". Based on the NASB.
[c] vs 3 "see that I, the Lord, who summoned you by name, am the God of Israel" instead of "know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name". Based on the KJV. Past tense from the Peshitta Bible so that it is consistent with vs 4.
[d] vs 4 "I have summoned you by name and bestowed" instead of "I summon you by name and bestow". Past tense based on the NASB.
[e] vs 4 "honor. Though you do not acknowledge me," instead of "honor, though you do not acknowledge me.". Changed the punctuation.
[f] vs 5,6 "me. 6 I do this so" instead of "me, 6 so". Based on the NET.
[g] vs 8 "it. I" instead of "it; I". For the regular chiasmus.
[h] vs 11 "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me." instead of "Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?". From the NKJV.
[i] vs 13 "him up" instead of "up Cyrus". Cyrus is not named in the Hebrew.
[j] vs 14 "wealth" instead of "products".
[k] vs 14 "and of the Sabeans, men as tribute" instead of "and those tall Sabeans".
[l] vs 18 "Surely" instead of "For".
[m] vs 24 "People will come to Him. All who have raged against him will be put to shame" instead of "All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame". Based on the New American Standard Bible.

3. Building the reconfigured text

From this parse, it appears that Isaiah 44:24-45:25 forms a cryptochiasmus as below:

A1   Ch 44 vs 24 - Ch 45 vs 4a Period 3. The coming Messiah will reign from Jerusalem
  B1   Ch 45 vs 4b-7 Period 1. Cyrus takes control of Babylon
    X   Ch 45 vs 8-11 Period 2. The Judahites that reject Christ are punished
  B2   Ch 45 vs 12-13 Period 1. Cyrus frees the Judahites
A2   Ch 45 vs 14-25 Period 3. The world will worship the One True God

We now reconstruct the passages in the right order based on the chiastic structure above and based on the ordering rules of a cryptochiasmus [1].

We lead with central pivot point 'X'. The corresponding subunits (for example; subunit A1 corresponds to A2) are placed contiguously to form units (for example, A1,A2 is a unit) so that we get a list of such units.

The sequence selected for rearrangement is:

X  [A1,A2]  [B1,B2]        (1)

Translating (1) into verse numbers, we get:

Ch 45 vs 8-11   [Ch 44 vs 24 - Ch 45 vs 4a, Ch 45 vs 14-25]   [Ch 45 vs 4b-7, Ch 45 vs 12-13]        (2)

We arrive at the reconfigured passage in the next section by rearranging the verses so they are in sequence (2).

4. Isaiah 44:24-45:25 Reconfigured

Christ's Ministry and The First Jewish–Roman War (26AD–73AD) (Ch 45 vs 8-11)



Israel and the World turn to God at the Start of Christ's Millennial Reign (circa 2027AD) (Ch 44 vs 24 - Ch 45 vs 4a, Ch 45 vs 14-25)

Chiasmus 1: Israel is spiritually and physically restored


Chiasmus 2: The whole world must worship the One True God



Cyrus the Great Frees the Judahites and Builds a Vast Empire (c. 539 BC) (Ch 45 vs 4b-7, Ch 45 vs 12-13)

5. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text

5.1 Christ's Ministry and The First Jewish–Roman War (26AD–73AD) (Ch 45 vs 8-11)

This Period is arranged in the form of a two-unit chiasmus:

A1 45:8a The righteous Judahites who accept Christ are blessed
  B1 45:8b-9a Woe to the wicked Judahites who reject Christ
    X 45:9b Many Judahites resist the transforming power of Christianity
  B1 45:10 Woe to the wicked Judahites who reject Christ
A2 45:11 The righteous Judahites who accept Christ are blessed

Subunit A1: The righteous Judahites who accept Christ are blessed (45:8a)

Chapter 45 8a “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it.

Many of the Judahites converted to Christianity, the New Covenant, and were transformed through the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit ("rain down my righteousness...") (see also Zech 12:10-11). They were saved ("let salvation spring up") both spiritually, with the everlasting life that comes with righteousness, and physically, from death at the hands of the Romans.

Subunit B1: Woe to the wicked Judahites who reject Christ (45:8b-9a)

Chapter 45 8b I, the Lord, have created it.

God avers that He is the author of the New Covenant from Christ ("it").

Chapter 45 9a “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground.

In this first metaphor, God derisively compares the wicked among the Judahites to mere "potsherds" lying on the ground. God pronounces woe on these unworthy Judahites who quarrel with their creator over the New Covenant - they are brutally killed in the First Jewish-Roman War (see details on this Period in our parse of the 70 Weeks of Daniel [2]).

The Satanic doctrines that these wicked Judahites followed - doctrines such as Gnosticism - place God in an inferior, relatively powerless position in the pantheon of gods, and they teach that people are themselves gods. So adherents of these doctrines have no qualms about questioning God's work, ignoring his commands and even giving Him orders (see also Isaiah 28:16). God puts them in their place, saying that they are like mere broken pieces of pottery and so not worthy of quarrelling with Him, their Creator.

Pivot X: Many Judahites resist the transforming power of Christianity (45:9b)

Chapter 45 9b Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?

In this second metaphor, God is the "potter" and the Judahite tribe is the "clay" that is being transformed into a "pot", i.e., into a righteous Christian community. Those Judahites who question this transformation ("What are you making?"), that mock God's ability to mould them into righteous people through Christianity ("The potter has no hands"), are as ridiculous as potter's clay that questions the work of the potter.

Subunit B2: Woe to the wicked Judahites who reject Christ (45:10)

Chapter 45 10 Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?’

In this third metaphor, God is compared to a "parent" and the New Covenant is His "child" (see 45:8b in the corresponding subunit B1 above). Questioning God on His "child" is as inappropriate and offensive as denigrating children before their parents ("What have you begotten...?"). The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law questioned the New Covenant and persecuted Christians for their beliefs (Acts 4:3-22, 6:8-8:1 etc.); through this war, God punished ("Woe") these non-believers with death.

Subunit A2: The righteous Judahites who accept Christ are blessed (45:11)

Chapter 45 11 “This is what the Lord says— the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.

While the hostile, wicked Judahites must not dare question their Maker (see Unit B and Pivot X above), righteous Christian Judahites ("My sons", "the work of My hands") are encouraged to pray to their Father in heaven - Christians may ask their God about His plans for them ("things to come") and make righteous supplications ("command Me") (see for ex. Matthew 6:9-13).

5.2 Israel and the World turn to God at the Start of Christ's Millennial Reign (circa 2027AD) (Ch 44 vs 24 - Ch 45 vs 4a, Ch 45 vs 14-25)

Chiasmus 1: Israel is spiritually and physically restored

The passage below in 44:24-45:4a, 45:14-17 is arranged in the form of a two-unit chiasmus:

A1 44:24-26a Israel is spiritually restored
  B1 44:26b-28 Israel is physically restored
    X 45:1-4a The coming Messiah will be victorious and powerful
  B2 45:14 Israel is physically restored
A2 45:15-17 Israel is spiritually restored


Subunit A1: Israel is spiritually restored (44:24-26a)

Chapter 44 24a “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:

The Israelites have been chosen by God to be His people, even from the time of Abraham ("formed you in the womb") (cf. Isaiah 44:2, see Gen. 17). God, who has redeemed Israel in the past, will once again redeem and restore Israel at the start of the Millennial Reign (see also Isaiah 52:9).

Chapter 44 24b I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself, 25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, 26a who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers.

Prior to the Millennial Reign, the Israelites had worshipped idol gods and had been deeply influenced by their pagan teachings, because God had hidden His face from them (Isaiah 8:17). At the start of the Millennial Reign, God opens their spiritual eyes once more and reveals to them that He is the One True God; He exposes the foolishness of the false prophets of other gods (cf. Isaiah 28:7-8), and He shows the Israelites that the great "knowledge and wisdom" of philosophers and sages who teach false doctrines from Satan are just nonsense (see 1 Corinthians 1:20). At the same time, He, the creator of all things, fulfils all the predictions of His own prophets, to reveal His greatness and power (see for ex., Dan. 2:27-28).

Subunit B1: Israel is physically restored (44:26b-28)

Chapter 44 26b It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’ 27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’

God will restore Israel, which had been rendered destitute by millennia of punishment from Him ("ruin") (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68), so that it is once again a thriving nation ("Jerusalem" and "towns of Judah", Isaiah's lands, synecdochically refer to the New Israel) (see also Jeremiah 30:18). The Israelites will gather in the New Israel (Isaiah 11:11-12), and all hostile peoples that come against Israel ("the watery deep", "streams" - water bodies represent people, as in Rev. 17:15) will be defeated and destroyed ("dry up") (see also Isaiah 11:15-16).

Chapter 44 28 who says of Kurus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’

The Messiah of the Millennial Reign, Kurus, will be a shepherd and king to the Israelites and the world, for he will implement the decrees of God and Christ on earth ("all that I please") (cf. Isaiah 11:1-10). The Messiah will build the New Jerusalem and its temple (see 1 Chron. 17:11-14). ( Note that "Jerusalem" and "temple" literally refer to the capital of the New Israel and its temple in this passage, while in 44:26 "Jerusalem" synecdochically represents all of Israel.)

The coming Messiah will be called Kurus or some variation of that name. Kurus is the original Persian name of Cyrus the Great (Cyrus is his Latinised Greek name, Kyros is his Greek name and Koresh is his Hebrew name); the Messiah will have a similar name, but it will be based on something appropriately Christian (for ex., Cyril instead of Cyrus).

Pivot X: The coming Messiah will be victorious and powerful (45:1-4a)

Chapter 45 1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Kurus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

God will help Kurus, the coming Messiah (Messiah means "Anointed One"), defeat hostile nations ("subdue nations", "strip kings of their armor") and He will remove all impediments to the Messiah's reign over Israel and the world ("open doors", "gates will not be shut") (see for ex. Rev 19:11-21).

Chapter 45 2 I will go before you and will make the rough places smooth; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3a I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places,

After He removes all opposition to the Messiah's reign over the world (see 45:1), God installs him as King over Israel and the world, and makes the promises of this passage to him:

• God will lead the Messiah ("go before you") during his reign and ease his journey as king ("make the rough places smooth").
• God will defeat and destroy all powers that resist his righteous reign over Israel and the world ("break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron", where bronze represents spiritual powers and iron represent physical powers, as in Dan. 7:19).
• God will give the king access to all kinds of hidden wealth: spiritual, intellectual and physical ("hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places").

Chapter 45 3b so that you may see that I, the Lord, who summoned you by name, am the God of Israel. 4a For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I have summoned you by name and bestowed on you a title of honor.

From the extraordinary powers that God gives the king in order that he may lead Israel to glory (as detailed in the previous passage - 45:2-3a), Kurus will see first-hand that the "God of Israel" favours His chosen nation. God Himself selects Kurus ("summoned you by name" refers to Kurus' name mentioned in 44:28 and 45:1), and anoints him king over His people, so that he is the "Messiah" (a "title of honor") (see 45:1, Dan. 7:13,14), all to ensure that Israel has a suitable, righteous leader during the Millennial Reign.

Subunit B2: Israel is physically restored (45:14)

Chapter 45 14 This is what the Lord says:
“The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and of the Sabeans, men as tribute— they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’”

In this Period of the Millennial Reign, "Egypt" represents the Western Empire (USA, Britain, France...) (see parse of Isaiah 18 [5]). "Cush" also refers to "Egypt", because the Cushites (Ethiopians) ruled Egypt in Isaiah's time, and "Sabeans" refers to the people of "Egypt", because the Sabeans were a prominent Cushite tribe (Gen 10:7). So, in this passage, "Egypt", "Cush" and the land of the "Sabeans" are synonymous.

The Western Empire ("Egypt"), one of the primary "heads" of the 7-headed Beast of Rev. 13&17, will play a vital role in controlling the world for Satan during the Reign of the Beast; the Western Empire will, as part of the Beast army, also launch an attack on the New Israel (Rev. 19:19). But after the Beast is defeated at the start of the Millennial Reign (Rev 19:19-21), the nations of the Western Empire will have to bow down to the Israelites and their Almighty God; they will be vassals to the New Israel ("in chains") and they will pay tribute to Israel in the form of wealth, merchandise and manpower (see also Isaiah 18:7,19:21).

This is no reflection on the good Christians of these nations, who have been the mainstay of Christianity worldwide for the last two millennia.

Subunit A2: Israel is spiritually restored (45:15-17)

Chapter 45 15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savior of Israel. 16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced; they will go off into disgrace together. 17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.

God had hidden his face from His own people, the Israelites, for the waywardness of their forefathers - the Israelites were idol worshippers until this Period (see Isaiah 29:9-10). But now God will reveal Himself, so that the Israelites will turn back to their God and reject their idol-gods; they will remain faithful and blessed throughout the Millennial Reign (see also Isaiah 30:21-23).

Chiasmus 2: The whole world must worship the One True God

The passage below in 45:18-25 is arranged in the form of a single-unit chiasmus:

A1 45:18-20a The rest of the world must turn to the God of Israel
    X 45:20b-21 The God of Israel is vastly superior to idol gods
A2 45:22-25 The rest of the world must turn to the God of Israel


Subunit A1: The rest of the world must turn to the God of Israel (45:18-20a)

Chapter 45 18 Surely this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

The God of Israel is the One True God, the great creator of the heavens and the earth, and he created it to be occupied and enjoyed by beings that worship Him (see Gen. 1:28).

Chapter 45 19 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. 20a “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations.

God has been open and clear in His dealings with His people - as opposed to Satan, whose work is necessarily done in secret. Those Israelites who have sought their God have not sought in vain - they have been given the truth from God. God makes these statements to reassure those outside Israel who wish to worship the God of Israel; these "fugitives" from the "darkness" of pagan religions are invited to come to God for the "light" of truth (cf. Matthew 7:7).

Pivot X: The God of Israel is vastly superior to idol gods (45:20b-21)

Chapter 45 20b Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.

God derides those who worship other gods - "gods" that are really Satan and his fallen angels - and mocks their religions that require idol-worship. These gods have a limited ability to answer supplications from humans, but they are no match for the Almighty God of Israel.

Chapter 45 21 Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.

God challenges the other gods to consult with each other and predict the future, the way He has done. Through these many prophecies in His Word, God has accurately foretold events well into the future, something none of the other gods could do. He presents this as proof that He is the only true God. (cf. Isaiah 41:21-24).

Subunit A2: The rest of the world must turn to the God of Israel (45:22-25)

Chapter 45 22 “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24a They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” People will come to Him.

God calls on the rest of the world to turn to Him, for He is the One True God. From this time of the start of the Millennial Reign, everyone on earth will have no option but to acknowledge Him as the Mighty God and the Deliverer from wickedness (see Zech. 14:16-19, cf. Phil. 2:10-11). ( Note that Paul applies 45:23 to Christ in Philippians 2:10 and quotes the passage in another context in Romans 14:11.)

Chapter 45 24b All who have raged against him will be put to shame. 25 But all the descendants of Israel will find deliverance in the Lord and will make their boast in him.

All those who oppose God will be put to shame, but the Christians, the spiritual "descendants" of Israel (Matthew 8:11, Romans 11, Galatians 6:16), will be forgiven of their sins and praise the God they worship.

5.3 Cyrus the Great Frees the Judahites and Builds a Vast Empire (c. 539 BC) (Ch 45 vs 4b-7, Ch 45 vs 12-13)

This Period is arranged in the form of a two-unit chiasmus:

A1 45:4b-5 Cyrus is strengthened: He defeats Babylon
  B1 45:6 Cyrus is given power so that God is glorified
    X 45:7 There is only one God
  B1 45:12 Cyrus is given power so that God is glorified
A2 45:13 Cyrus is strengthened: He restores Jerusalem

Subunit A1: Cyrus is strengthened: He defeats Babylon (45:4b-5)

Chapter 45 4b Though you do not acknowledge me, 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me.

Even before Cyrus the Great knew and acknowledged God, God gave him the power to invade Babylon and later vast territories of the inhabited earth (see also Ezra 1:2).

Subunit B1: Cyrus is given power so that God is glorified (45:6)

Chapter 45 6 I do this so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

God later revealed Himself to Cyrus, and though Cyrus worshipped other gods, he did acknowledge the God of the Judahites as the source of his strength after defeating Babylon, so that all the world ("from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting") knew the power of the One True God (see Ezra 1:2, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23).

Pivot X: There is only one God (45:7)

Chapter 45 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.

This pivot refutes the dualism that is at the core of many Satanic doctrines and false religions. Dualism is the belief in two supreme opposed powers - a virtuous god of "light" and a corresponding demonic god of "darkness". God avers that He alone is God and He is God of everything - light and darkness.

Subunit B2: Cyrus is given power so that God is glorified (45:12)

This passage continues from 45:6 in the Subunit B1 above.

Chapter 45 12 It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.

For the benefit of Cyrus and the rest of the pagan world, God declares that that He is the great creator and sustainer of the universe and all that is in it (see also Genesis 1:1-3).

Subunit A2: Cyrus is strengthened: He restores Jerusalem (45:13)

Chapter 45 13 I will raise him up in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty.”

God raised up Cyrus and made him king over Babylon to fulfil His righteous plan, removing all obstacles to his reign ("make all his ways straight"). Cyrus was made aware that it was the God of the Judahites that enabled him to defeat many nations, and in particular Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:22). In gratitude, Cyrus released the Judahites from their Babylonian captivity and helped them rebuild their temple in Jerusalem (Cyrus himself did not aid in rebuilding the city, but the Judahites he freed began the process of rebuilding; also, the temple can be considered as foundational to the city). Since he had been aided by the God of the Israelites, Cyrus did not seek a tribute from the Judahites ("not for a price"), but on the contrary returned the precious articles of the temple and encouraged the Judahites to make donations towards the temple reconstruction (Ezra 1:1-4, 2 Chron. 36:22-23).

Conclusion

With this chiastic reconstruction of the text, we have shown that Isaiah 44:24-45:25 contains prophecies on three distinct Periods. Cyrus of Persia, who restores Jerusalem in Period 1 is a type of the Messiah, who restores Israel in Period 3; the two leaders even have similar names. On a straight-through reading of this prophecy, it would appear that God has called a pagan king, Cyrus of Persia, His Messiah, but this chiastic reconfiguration fixes this incongruity - the Anointed One of 45:1 is of the line of David and he is the king of Israel during the Millennial Reign.

References

[1] A Definition of Cryptochiasmus
[2] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The 70 Weeks Of Daniel"
[3] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Obadiah
[4] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Jeremiah 50-51
[5] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 18





* First version published on 29 January 2022.