God’s Unlikely Instrument
We are getting further into this fascinating story of redemption that Isaiah tells—long before it happens. Today we look at chapters 45–48.
In Isaiah 45:1–4, God calls Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and sends him into Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar II had ruled Babylon, and the people of Judah had been captive for seventy years. They had been told before the exile that it would last that long (Jeremiah 25:11–12), and now the time had come.
Though many Jews had settled comfortably into Babylonian life, they still remembered who they were. Their faith remained intact, and they were ready to return to Jerusalem.
Babylon was a massive, fortified city. The Babylonians had overcome the Assyrians—how could Cyrus just walk in and take control? Isaiah tells us: God opened the gates. He went before Cyrus and gave Babylon into his hands (Isaiah 45:1–2).
Not the End of the Story
We often question how God might use people we oppose. They seem evil—and many times; they are. I would never claim that God led Adolf Hitler to commit the atrocities of the Holocaust. But the aftermath of World War II led to the UN Partition Plan of 1947, which paved the way to establishing the modern state of Israel in 1948.
Even before that, the Haavara Agreement (1933–1939) allowed 60,000 Jews to emigrate from Nazi Germany to Palestine. After the war, global sympathy for the Jewish people accelerated the movement toward statehood.
Writers like Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Menachem Rosensaft have explored the question of divine presence during the Holocaust—not to justify evil, but to ask how God’s purposes persist even in suffering(4). Their reflections echo the biblical pattern: God does not cause evil, but He can redeem it.
I see a parallel in Pharaoh’s resistance during the Exodus. He initially let the Israelites go, then changed his mind when he realized he was losing free labor (Exodus 14:5). God didn’t cause Pharaoh’s cruelty, but He used it to display His glory and deliver His people.
Our darkest days are often God’s best working conditions.
Resistance to Change
In Isaiah, God uses Cyrus to end the exile of His people. But as I mentioned, the people had built lives in Babylon. Families, homes, routines. Even when change is for our good, our first reaction is often resistance.
Isaiah 45:9 warns against arguing with our Maker:
“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker… Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’” (NIV)
We know God has a plan. He’s been faithful. There’s no reason to suspect harm. But we liked things the way they were. So we move forward—hesitantly.
A Bigger Plan
This wasn’t just about restoring Jerusalem. It was about something far greater: salvation for the entire world. Isaiah 45:14–23 is a sweeping invitation to all nations to turn to the Lord.
“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22, NIV)
Refinement and Faithfulness
Chapter 46 reminds us of God’s faithfulness. He carries us from birth to old age (Isaiah 46:4). But sometimes, we must endure refinement.
I liken it to sandpaper smoothing wood. The end product is beautiful—but the wood might disagree with the process.
Can you see changes in your life that you don’t understand? Maybe you don’t like them. You wonder, after being faithful, why God would let these things happen.
Isaiah 48:10 says:
“I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (NIV)
We are works in progress. God uses many circumstances to shape us into who He wants us to be.
Still Being Written
Whatever you’re going through today, remember: the story of you is still being written. Isaiah 48:17–18 reminds us that obedience leads to peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Stay tuned for the ending. God is still at work.
Tomorrow, we will read Isaiah 49-53.
Chicago-Style Citations
Isaiah 45:1–4, 45:9, 45:14–23, 46:4, 48:10, 48:17–18. New International Version.
Jeremiah 25:11–12. New International Version.
Exodus 14:5. New International Version.
“United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.” Encyclopedia Britannica, March 24, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Resolution-181
“Haavara Agreement.” Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. https://www.encyclopedia.com/…/ha-avarah-agreement
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Crisis and Covenant: Jewish Thought After the Holocaust. https://www.sefaria.org/Crisis_and_Covenant
Menachem Rosensaft, Burning Psalms: Confronting Adonai After Auschwitz. Ben Yehuda Press, 2025. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/01/professor-reimagines-psalms-holocaust-mind