Isaiah 44 ends, and Isaiah 45 begins with an interesting prophecy regarding Cyrus, the Persian king. This is an amazing prophecy because God called Cyrus by name over 100 years before he was even born. God as God calls prophets; God calls kings. God called Cyrus. And just as prophets, priests, and kings were anointed for service, so Cyrus was anointed by God for the task God called him to do. Cyrus was an instrument in the hand of God. God used Cyrus to restore the Jews to their land (44:28; 45:13). This is why Cyrus is referred to in Isaiah 45:1 as God's “anointed” (cf. Scofield's notes, p. 753). Stressing the importance of Cyrus in the plan of God, WE Vines said that Cyrus' restoration of the Jews “had a preparatory part in leading to the proclamation of a worldwide Gospel in these times” (Isaiah). Since God raised up Cyrus to do God's work, those that opposed Cyrus were opposing God's program. God's prophetic program is one of the great themes running through the book of Isaiah (cf. Isa. 45:9-13). God has a program and it is my job and your job to be part of that program. It is foolish to disobey God. It is foolish to oppose God. I have entitled tonight's message, “The Folly of Striving with God” (45:9).
SERMON ACTIVITY
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James J. Barker is a graduate of Tabernacle Baptist Bible College, Virginia Beach, Virginia. He started Bible Baptist Church, May 1990, in Queens, NY. The LORD commissioned him to minister in the new location of Elmont, NY in 1998. The church has moved from storefront to tent...