Isaiah 41 - The Holy One of Israel Reigns!

Chapter 40 began a renewed focus on the glory of God as He reveals Himself to His people. Chapter 41 continues, with a triumphant proclamation of YHWH's power and glory in the judgment of the nations.

Isaiah 41:1 (HCSB) “Be silent before Me, islands! And let peoples renew their strength. Let them approach, then let them testify; let us come together for the trial."

We see in the first verse the setting for this passage: it's a courtroom, where someone will be on trial and someone else will be the Judge. The One before Whom all people are to be silent is the Judge.

Isaiah 41:2-4 (HCSB) "Who has stirred him up from the east? He calls righteousness to his feet. The LORD hands nations over to him, and he subdues kings. He makes ⌊them⌋ like dust ⌊with⌋ his sword, like wind-driven stubble ⌊with⌋ his bow. He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet. Who has performed and done ⌊this⌋, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, am the first, and with the last—I am He.”

Another person has entered the scene - has been stirred up from the east, who calls righteousness to his feet. YHWH hands nations over to him and He subdues kings, makes then like dust, drives them as stubble. He is hardly touched by the creation, calling generations into being. This is YHWH, the Alpha and Omega - God the Son!

Isaiah 41:5-7 (HCSB) The islands see and are afraid, the whole earth trembles. They approach and arrive. Each one helps the other, and says to another, “Take courage!” The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who flattens with the hammer ⌊supports⌋ the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good.” He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.

The earth and all her peoples tremble at the sight of the Son. They try to encourage (give courage to) one another as they build their idols. Man loves to admire the work of his hands. God warned the infant Hebrew nation not to put their tools on the rocks of the altar they were building because they would pollute the altar (Exodus 20:25). There is only One who does not pollute what He touches; mankind is by nature full of sin and unable to do anything good. Making dumb gods is the height of man's rebellion as he shamelessly declares his allegiance to the work of his hands.

Isaiah 41:8-10 (HCSB) But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, My friend—I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: You are My servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

In stark contrast to the people of the world, Israel - the servant of Jacob, the chosen One, descended from Abraham, the friend of God - has been brought from the ends of the earth. I ask you, dear reader: who does the Bible describe in these terms, who is this Israel? Jacob was later named Israel, foreshadowing the true Israel of God, the Lord Jesus Christ! His servants are the saints. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (HCSB) "A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God’s mysteries. In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one ⌊of them⌋ be found faithful." These are the true descendants of Abraham. Galatians 3:29 (HCSB) "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise." The saints are His friends. John 15:15 (HCSB) "I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father." And these are called from the four corners of the earth. Revelation 5:9 (HCSB) "And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed ⌊people⌋ for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Dear brothers and sisters - all we have that is worthwhile is because we have been redeemed by and united to Christ! God set His affection on people and done EVERYTHING necessary to bring them to Himself.

Isaiah 41:11-14 (HCSB) Be sure that all who are enraged against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will become as nothing and will perish. You will look for those who contend with you, but you will not find them. Those who war against you will become absolutely nothing. For I, Yahweh your God, hold your right hand and say to you: Do not fear, I will help you. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel: I will help you— ⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

God continues to encourage (give courage to) His people, assuring us that all who rage against us will come to nothing and perish.  YHWH holds His people, He brings help to His own - though we are but worms. No mortal can withstand Him! This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes!

Isaiah 41:15-16 (HCSB) See, I will make you into a sharp threshing board, new, with many teeth. You will thresh mountains and pulverize ⌊them⌋ and make hills into chaff. You will winnow them and a wind will carry them away, a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

A threshing board was a heavy wooden sledge with stones or iron teeth on the bottom side. It was dragged across sheaves of wheat to separate grain from chaff, winnowing the wheat. John declared that Jesus had His winnowing fork in His hand as he told the self-righteous Jews that they could not rest on their fleshly connection to Abraham. Those who are shown to be grain and not chaff will rejoice in YHWH and boast in the Holy One of Israel - the redeemer and advocate of all who believe.

Verses 17-20 continue the revelation of God's tender care for His own, is word pictures drawn from national Israel's history. All of this to be done "so that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it." (41:20) 

The scene changes in verse 21, as court (alluded to in verse 1) is now in session. Isaiah 41:21 (HCSB) “Submit your case,” says the LORD. “Present your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.

These people summoned are asked to testify in verses 22 & 23; judgment is rendered Isaiah 41:24 (HCSB) Look, you are nothing and your work is worthless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.

Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. These people who have not been redeemed are nothing, their work is worthless, their associates are detestable.

Another stark contrast as God declares, Isaiah 41:25 (HCSB) “I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, one from the east who invokes My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mud, like a potter who treads the clay." This One who is raised up and invokes YHWH's name will march over kings as though they are mud, as a potter with his clay. Anybody else think of the potter mentioned in Romans 9? This idea of God who makes vessels from dirt or clay is replete in Scripture, always showing Him as the One who forms what He wants. His associates are vessels for honor, made as such by His hands. Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron as He judges the world.

Isaiah 41:26-29 (HCSB) Who told about this from the beginning, so that we might know, and from times past, so that we might say: He is right? No one announced it, no one told it, no one heard your words. I was the first to say to Zion: Look! Here they are! And I gave a herald of good news to Jerusalem. When I look, there is no one; there is no counselor among them; when I ask them, they have nothing to say. Look, all of them are a delusion; their works are nonexistent; their images are wind and emptiness.

Our chapter comes to an end with another passage reminiscent of the last few chapters of Job, as the people of the world are asked if they knew about these things from the beginning. But no one told of it, none had heard it. YHWH was the One to give good news to Jerusalem from Zion. But He looked and found no wise men among them; these people can say nothing in their defense when He queries them. They are in a delusion; their works are nothing; the idols are like the wind and empty.

Futility is the hallmark of natural man. Again - if you are not in Christ you are empty and driven before the wind; deluded and worthless. Behold the Lord Jesus - He is the good news, God become man to save sinners! Look unto Him and be saved - there is no other!