Spoke 1
Isaiah 45  Romans
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8.29
The Doctrine of Justification is perhaps the greatest common theme
that unites Isaiah 45 with Book 45, Romans. Both the justification of sinners and
the justification of God (called a theodicy by theologians) are touched upon. I begin
with a rather long passage starting in Isaiah 45.17
But
Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation:
ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the
LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made
it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be
inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret,
in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me
in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Note the powerful Spoke 1 KeyTheme of
Creation which establishes
God's absolute authority and the associated declaration of the righteousness
of God which will play a significant role below.
In passing, we should note that this verse also
contains this KeyLink between Isaiah 45 and Romans:
| KeyLink Phrase: 'Israel Shall Be Saved' | | Isaiah 45Romans |
This KeyLink is disccussed in the article The Pot and the Potter.
Continuing in Isaiah 45:
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped
of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven
image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near;
yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time?
who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God
else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God,
and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of
my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me
every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength:
even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be
ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Before moving on to the theme of this article, we should note that this verse also
contains another KeyLink between Isiaih 45 and Romans:
| KeyLink Phrase: 'Every Knee Shall Bow' | | Isaiah 45Romans |
This KeyLink is disccussed in the article The Pot and the
Potter.
Now let us review the declarations found in Isaiah 45:
I the LORD speak righteousness
[I am] a just God and a Saviour
in the LORD have I righteousness
In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified,
and shall glory.
Who could miss the spirit of Romans shouting from these words? We have clear
statements of both the justification of Israel (the body of believers)
and the justice of God the Creator. Both of these issues dominate the book of
Romans.
The great promise of justification and glorification of the believers
is found in Romans 8.30 (quoted at the head of this page) which ends with
the words and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
These words form a strong link between Isaiah 45 and Romans. Searching the entire
Bible for all verses that contain the words "justified" and "glor*" (i.e. glory,
glorified, or glorification) yields four verses: one from Isaiah 45.25,
two from Romans (4.2 and 8.30), and one
from I Timothy 3.16 that speaks of the manifestation of God in the flesh. We have
therefore a strong Thematic - but not Key - Link between Isaiah 45 and Romans:
| Thematic Link: Justification and Glorification of Believers | | Isaiah 45Romans |
The Doctrine of the Justice of God is important for two fundamental reasons.
There was the apparent failure of God's promises to Israel and the
explicit question of His righteous. We read (Romans 9.6f):
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not
all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham,
are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They
which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but
the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word
of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only
this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
These verses are so rich! I begin with the last phrase from Romans 9.14:
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Here we have an exact answer to the statement from Isaiah 45.21:
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together:
who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time?
have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a
Saviour; there is none beside me.
We have another strong Thematic Link:
| Thematic Link: The Righteousness of God | | Isaiah 45Romans |
These verses also touch upon the Doctrine of Election which links
primarily to the Book of Genesis on Cycle 1 of Spoke 1. These are discussed
briefly in the article called Abraham, the Father of the Faith.
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