The Vindication of Jehovah. 

        By the destruction of Jerusalem and His temple, Jehovah had been humbled in the eyes of the nations. Now He sum­mons them, that His honour may be vindicated (41:1). For this He uses three witnesses or agents: Cyrus (41:2-4t 21-29; 44:24-45:17; 46:1-48:16); Israel, His servant (41:8-20; 42:18-44:5; 44:21-23; 48:17-22); and the Servant of Jehovah (42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12).

        It will be noted that with the exception of the last three Servant passages, all these references are from chs. 40-48, which form a clear-cut section by themselves; they deal with the deliverance from the Babylonian exile. In chs. 49-55 (“The Book of the Servant”), not only do Babylon and Cyrus disappear, but even in one sense Israel; now we read of Zion and Jerusalem, for the spiritually unredeemed people have now returned from their physical exile, or rather all obstacle to their return has been removed (48:20, cf. with 52:Hf; 55:12).

        Cyrus was probably the first of those world conquerors who have swept meteor-like through the history of mankind, confounding every anticipation and inaugurating a new era in human history. Even What a contrast its confident foretelling was to the silence, confusion or ambiguity of the heathen oracles we learn of from Herodotus and other writers — even more so considering that it was written a century and a half before Cyrus was born!

        Cyrus did not know Jehovah (45:4f); this we know from his own inscriptions. From those of Darius I, we can infer with virtual certainty that he was a Zoroastrian who was polite to the gods of the countries he conquered (For Cyrus’ politic acceptance of the gods of Babylon cf, Finegan, p. 191, Kenyon, pp. 54, 141.). If, then, he does Jehovah’s will, he vindicates Him, for then assuredly the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile were Jehovah’s doing (42:24; 43:28). And as God’s agent he is given a remarkable series of titles, unique in the Old Testa­ment for a Gentile: My shepherd, i.e. My ruler (44:28), His anointed, i.e. Messiah (45:1), the man of My counsel (46:11), he whom Jehovah loves (48:14). But it is to be noted that no moral qualities are attributed to him; the titles are his not because of what he is, but simply because all unknowingly he carries out God’s will.

        Jehovah’s vindication through Israel is seen not merely in their restoration, but far more by their becoming His worthy representatives (41:8ff; 43:4-7, 10, 12; 44:21), although at the time they are slaves (42:22, 24) and entirely unworthy of their call (42:18-20; 43:21-24).