Isaiah 45:21

21 1Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God 2and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Isaiah 45:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 45:21

Tell ye, and bring them near, and let them take counsel
together
Tell them what I say of their ignorance and stupidity; and gather them all together, their gods, their makers, and their worshippers, and let them lay their heads together, and consult what proof they are able to give of their divinities, particularly by foretelling things to come: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that
time?
that is, who of all their gods or priests have ever declared this or anyone thing at any distance of time before it came to pass? either this everlasting salvation of my people, or the redemption by Cyrus, which was a type of it, and was spoken of beforehand? have ever any of them foretold anything like this, and it came to pass as predicted? not one of them. Have not I the Lord?
he had. Christ, by his Spirit in the prophets, signified before hand his sufferings and his death, and the glory that should follow, ( 1 Peter 1:11 ) and when he was here on earth, he foretold his being betrayed to the chief priests; his being delivered to the Gentiles; his scourging and crucifixion, and resurrection from the dead; all which came to pass exactly as he had predicted, ( Matthew 20:18 Matthew 20:19 ) : and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour:
there is "none beside me", Christ is the one God with the Father and Spirit, and there is no other; nor any Saviour of lost sinners, but him; there is salvation in him, and in no other; and he is "just" in things pertaining to God, in satisfying his justice, and fulfilling his law; he was set forth as Mediator to declare his righteousness, and which is displayed in the work of redemption by him; so that God is just, while he is the justifier of him that believes in him, ( Romans 3:25 Romans 3:26 ) .

Isaiah 45:21 In-Context

19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.
20 "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.
21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.
22 "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'

Cross References 2

  • 1. [Isaiah 41:22, 26; Isaiah 43:9]
  • 2. [Isaiah 43:11]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.