By: Gen. Jim — 1/25/24
What is the meaning behind Isaiah 45:7? : “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Since I have given the Hebrew definition of “evil” (ra/raal = adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, mischief, do harm, punish, etc.”), which means physical rather than moral evil, I want to examine what Isaiah meant leading up to v.7. One can read from various Bible translations and find various words describing the commission of King Cyrus, which some have a hard time understanding WHY God calls a pagan/non-Israelite king, “His anointed.” I have shown in previous articles that “anointed” means “messiah;” Messiah comes from the Hebrew Cyrus, a foreign emperor/king is called “His (God’s) anointed” just as he is called “My shepherd” in Isaiah 44:28, because the LORD God has anointed him to carry out a divine command/commission – to dethrone the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. This Babylonian ruler was similarly called “My servant” in Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6; 43:10.
The original “anointed” was Christ, “the Servant” (Isaiah 42:1: “Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on him and He will bring justice to the nations.”) (Note: quoted in part in Matthew 12:18-21 with reference to Christ Jesus.) Also, there are 4 servant songs in which the “Servant” is “Christ,” the “Messiah:” Isaiah 42:1-4, 7, 8, 9; 49:1-6 (or 49:1-7 or 49:1-13); 50:4-9 (or 50;4-11); 52:13; 53:12.
Cyrus was introduced in chapter 41 as a deliverer from Babylon, but the “Servant” would deliver the world from sin (42:7) the “Servant” – “Christ” (see Isaiah 42:1-4)- is called “the Anointed One” in Daniel 9:25, 26 (see NIV text note on Matthew 1:17). See also Psalms 2:2 and note, right hand… hold. See Isaiah 41:13 and note.
We read where God appointed the pagan king, Cyrus, to invade Nebuchadnezzar’s fortified Babylon. God was to be close to Cyrus – “whose right I take hold of” – in this endeavor. Verse 3 is interesting: “And I will give the TREASURES of DARKNESS, and HIDDEN RICHES of SECRET PLACES, that thou may knowest that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel” (v.3). This commission would be impossible without God’s help, for Babylonian gates were of brass, bars of iron, not mere wood. Verse one tells us a lot if one cares to research what Cyrus had accomplished previously – “Subdue nations… loose the loins of kings.” God had promised Cyrus that he would be anointed to UNLOOSE the loins of kings (see chapter 5:27 in reference to “loins be loosed”). Xenophon puts forth a list of nations conquered by Cyrus: the Syrians, Assyrians, Arabians, Cappodocians, both the Phrygians, Lydians, Carians, Phoenicians, Babylonians. Not only this but he also reigned over the Bactrians, Indians, Cilicians, the Sacae Paphlagones and Mariandyni.
All the above kingdoms he acknowledges, in his decree for the restoration of the Jews, to have been given to him by God (see Ezra 1:2). You see, God is in CONTROL of ALL the nations of the world – then and now! While men think they do what they do, God either backs them or anoints others to take them down. Psalm 47:8 says, “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.”
Psalms 47:7 says, “For God is the King of all the earth…” we know God anoints and appoints men/nations for war… and “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalms 46:9). I could quote dozens of Scriptures proving God is SUPREME.
The invasion:
We know now Cyrus entered Babylon: “… to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut” (Isaiah 45:1). “The gates,” reads Adam Clarke’s critical notes on chapter 45, “of Babylon within the city reading from the streets to the river, were providentially left open, when Cyrus’ forces entered the city in the night thru the channel of the river.” Herodotus ((1:191) says, “The Persians would have been shut up in the bed of the river, and taken as in a net, and all destroyed. And the gates of the palace were opened imprudently by the king’s orders, to inquire what was the cause of the tumult without; when the two parties under Gobryas and Gadatos rushed in, got possession of the palace, and slew the king” (see Xenoph, Cyropadeia Vll p.528).
God, when He determines it to be so, can and will use His own people or the world’s people to Champion/fulfill His plan or purpose. The “Divine” anointing and protection that attended Cyrus, and the purposed war expedition against Babylon was remarkable. As Ovid, Amar. ii. 16 says, “Let the lofty mountains fall down and make level paths in the crooked valleys.” Herodotus (I, 179) tells us that Babylon had 100 gates of brass (see Herod. I., 180, 181 also).
Verse 3, I will spend a fair amount of time on – “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places.”
It is a fact that both Sardus and Babylon were extremely wealthy cities whom Cyrus took. It is said that Crassus, celebrated beyond all the kings of that age for his RICHES, gave up his treasure to Cyrus, with the account in writing, each wagon load carried away. (See Xenoph Cryopadeia Lib.7, p.503, 15, and 40).
There was an account of the amount taken by Cyrus in Asia, given by Pliny: 34,000 pounds of gold (Wow!), besides golden vessels etc.; 15,000 talents of silver and other objects of silver (the Egyptian talent = 80 pounds). Varro and Pliny estimated that a large vessel, out of which were filled drinking cups, weighed around 1,200 pounds. There was plenty of gold and silver in those days, not counting jewels etc. No wonder kings fought to take cities and lands.
If you stop and think, hasn’t America gone to war for riches – OIL!!! – Oh, yes! What was the whole 9-11 all about? Don’t be deceived, America is as corrupt as it gets.
The “treasure of darkness” not doubt referred to treasure buried under the ground, in fear of being invaded/robbed.
The treasures/booty which Cyrus accumulated from his conquests, especially from Croesus in Lydia, made possible the financing of future campaigns.
Lest we forget, “the earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalms 24:1). It is up to Him who get the riches or riches is taken away (see Job 3:21; Proverbs 24:1). Xenophon reports a conversation of Cyrus with Gobryas, speaking of enormous WEALTH of Babylon (Cyropaedia v. 2. 8 ibid VII. 2. “in reference to Sardis). (See also Natural History xxx111.15).
The LORD lets us know in v.7 that it is He who makes peace (some versions have “weal”) and creates evil (or “woe”). Getting into the Hebrew language, v.7 (translations here as finite verbs) reflect the hymn style (see 44:24-28) as profs. WR Bowie and P. Scheser (editor/executive editor of exposition of The Interpreter’s Bible), tells us. They make note of the effect: “from the light… create darkness,… make peace,… create evil.” They point out that this passage has often been understood as polemic against Zoroastrian dualism. There the forces of Ormazd, he god of light, were arrayed against Ahriman, the god of darkness. But research shows that this view has largely been discarded. The primary thought is the “Oneness of God.” The EVIL which God creates is NOT MORAL but physical (see Strong’s definition) Amos 3:6 (NKJV) is the correct Hebrew word, “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is CALAMITY in a city, will not the LORD have done it?” Some version use “disaster” – “evil,” “calamity,” “disaster,” etc. are words describing physical, not moral events/judgments such as plagues, wars and such.
Again, let me taken you to Strong’s concordance #7451, “evil”/”ra”/”raah”/ “raa” where a #7489 lengthy definition is given – “adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, grief, sorrow, trouble, harm, punish, vex, break-in-pieces.” None of these Hebrew words are used in the moral/sin context, only the physical (and the physical causes mental anguish).
You may want to read Isaiah 41:21-24 along with Isaiah 45:7. V.23 reads “… yea, do good, or do evil…” Another version reads, “do good, or do harm…” The context (v.21-24) is “let the pagan deities account for Cyrus,” i.e. the stirring up of Cyrus by God’s Spirit to do what he has done and shall do. God used Cyrus to subdue nations and ungird the loins of kings (Isaiah 45:1). It is/was God who used Cyrus, not pagan gods!
So, my dear readers, it is God, not man nor demons that is – IS – the dominant factor in history, favorable or unfavorable. God and evil represent prosperity and adversity, success and disaster. Isaiah is not denying the human factor in events; but the part men/women play is always subordinate, including demons. The conditions of welfare and distress, of sunshine and gloom, are largely outside human control.
This reminds me of Plato’s “The Republic” (II.379): “God is he be good, is not the author of all things, as many assert, but He is the cause of a few things only, and not of most things that occur to men: for few are the goods of human life, and many are the evils, and the good only is to be attributed to him: of the evil other causes have to be discovered.”
Jesus Himself distinguishes between physical and moral evil (see Mark 7:18-23). Jesus mentions “evil” 3 times: “evil thoughts” (v.21, the Greek word is “kakos”, a primary word meaning “worthless (intrinsically), depraved, bad, wicked” etc., these “evil thoughts” can be immoral/sinful, do harm/hurt to others etc. Verse 22, “evil eye” is another Greek word (poneros) which means, “hurtful, degeneracy (from original virtue), diseased (especially morally), derelict, vicious, mischief, malice, the devil, sinner, bad, wicked,” etc. All these show an evil/wicked character. Verse 23, “evil things,” uses the same Greek word as v.22.
There are other Hebrew/Greek words that describe “evil” as well. (SC#2554, 2556, 5337, 2559, 987, 988, etc. in the Greek). The Hebrew has another meaning beside 7451: SC #1100 = (beliyyaal) = “without profit, worthless, destruction, belial, ungodly, wicked, corruption.”
So, there is “moral evil” and “physical evil.” God uses the latter. God does not sin, neither did Jesus – He was without sin but used harsh language (rebuke) against the “religious” in Matthew 23 et al.
Light and darkness was the great principle of the Magian religion, which prevailed in Persia in Cyrus’s time. This religion believed in 1 supreme, co-eternal, and independent causes always acting in position: good vs. evil, happiness vs. misery. But Isaiah was showing that the only Supreme Being the LORD GOD, was GOOD and could bring/allow EVIL – God asserts His omnipotence (“all powerful”) and absolute supremacy, hence, Isaiah 45:7. What the Persians believed to be the original authors, were no other creatures of God, the instruments which He employs in His government of the world, ordained/permitted by Him in order to execute His wise and just decrees; and that there was/is no power either of good or evil, independent of the One Supreme God, Infinite in power and in goodness.
John wrote: “All things were made through Him (Word/Christ), and without Him nothing was made…” (John 1:1, 2, 3).
Paul wrote, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities (i.e. rulers) or powers (i.e. authorities). All things were created thru Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).
Hyde, De Relig. Vet. Pers. cap. xxii states that “evil” principles, in some cases, are subordinate to “good.” This belief prevailed in Persia at the time of Cyrus. Xenophon’s Cyropaedia claims the same doctrine in reference to the human mind: “O Cyrus, I have certainly two souls; and this piece of philosophy I have learned from that wicked sophist, Love. For if I had but one soul, it would not be at the same time good and evil; it would not at the same time approve of honorable and base actions; and at once desire to do, and refuse to do, the very same things. But it is plain that I am animated by two souls; and when the good soul prevails, I do what is virtuous; and when the evil one prevails, I attempt what is vicious. But now the good soul prevails, having gotten you for her assistant, and has clearly gained the superiority.” (Lib. Vip. 424).
Did Paul think of the quote above when he wrote Romans chapter 7? “For, that which I do, and allow not for, what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I…”
(See Romans 7:15-24). Paul was an educated, well-read man. Did he compare his life to what Lib.vi stated = 2 souls?
Paul was saying that he was a slave, and under the control of his tyrannical master (darkness/evil); He was aware of 2 different and opposite principles/forces/natures – one good, the other evil/sinful/flesh vs. Spirit/sensual/spiritual.
James uses the words “double-minded” (James 1:8; 4:8, Greek #1374 dipsuchos), “two spirited.” Greek #5590 (Psuche) = “spirit,” traced back to heart, life, mind, soul, you.”
What I’m trying to show is that there was/is opposites, as Isaiah 45:7 was showing. In reference to what Isaiah was saying (quoting God), “I make peace, and create evil,” evil is here evidently put for war and its attendant miseries. He was saying, “I will procure “peace” for the Israelites, and destroy Babylon by “war.”
So, as darkness is the privation of light, so the evil of war is the privation of peace.
Cyrus acknowledged that all his success came from Jehovah. And this sentiment is an effect contained in his decree or proclamation.
Read Ezra 1:1-4 (for dates read footnote 1:1 in the NIV).
This pagan king was used of God whereas many Israelites were not because of their sinfulness/rebellion. Cyrus allowed the nations whom he took captive keep their gods, unlike the Assyrians and the Babylonians. It was Cyrus that sent the captive Jews back to Israel to rebuild their temple etc.
