Isaiah 45: Turning to God
THERE IS A well-known story of the conversion, on January 6, 1850, of the great Baptist preacher C. H. Spurgeon. One Sunday, while he was still a teenager, he attended a service at a Primitive Methodist Chapel. Because a snowstorm had prevented the appointed preacher from arriving, one of the stewards, a shoemaker, had to teach. Having nothing much to say, he stuck to the words of his text—Isaiah 45:22: "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." Finally, recognizing Spurgeon as a stranger, he said, "Young man, you look very miserable—look to Jesus. Look. Look. Look!"
"I looked," said Spurgeon, "until I could almost have looked my eyes away; and in heaven I will look still, in joy unutterable."Warming Up to God
Spend some time looking at the Lord in worship and in awe. Focus yourself on him before you begin.
Read Isaiah 45. »
Discovering the Word
- In 44:28 God says of Cyrus (king of Babylon) that he is his shepherd who will cause Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt. What will God do for Cyrus according to 45:1-8?
- In verses 9-13 why does Israel complain and what is God's reply?
- What do verses 14-19 say about God's relationship with Israel?
- In verses 20-25 the horizons widen to the "ends of the earth." What are these foreigners summoned to do?
- What is the implication of the phrase "by myself I have sworn" in verse 23?
Applying the Word
- What practical conclusions follow from the statements of this chapter that behind the activities of a world conqueror (v. 1), behind darkness as well as light (v. 7), behind disaster as well as prosperity (v. 7) stands the sovereign Lord God?
- When have you complained to God? How did God reply?
- Might it be said of you that you find righteousness and strength in the Lord (v. 24)? Why or why not?
Responding in Prayer
Pray for the salvation of family and friends who do not know the Lord.
For Further Study
Worship & Celebration by Jan Johnson