What is the meaning of, “Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: ‘Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?’” (Isaiah 45:11).
One has said that this verse could read as a question, “Do you ask Me what I purpose far in the future concerning My sons, or do you command Me concerning the work of My hands?” (William MacDonald). Mr. MacDonald goes on to say, “In other words, ‘What right do you have to question Me.”
If we read the first 10 verses, we would see that this is exactly what the children of Israel were doing. In verses 1-4 the Lord writes directly to a Gentile King of Persia named Cyrus, “Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: ‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who CALL YOU BY YOUR NAME, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even CALLED YOU BY YOUR NAME; I HAVE NAMED YOU, though you have not known me.”
At the time of this writing Israel was in Babylon as captives. The Lord was telling Cyrus that he would be raised up, by God’s sovereignty, to conquer the Babylonians and other nations as well. This is why God called Cyrus “His anointed,” for God was appointing him to serve His purpose in delivering His people from Babylon and Cyrus which would allow them to travel back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple. We see that in the last verse of chapter 44, “Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built, and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.” Though Cyrus was not yet a believer in the LORD God, he was so impressed with this prophecy where God had “called him by his name” that he was moved to “perform all of God’s pleasure.” You can read of this prophecy being fulfilled in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-4.
Instead of Israel rejoicing in God’s promise to sovereignly deliver them back to their homeland through King Cyrus, they questioned God’s ways in using a Gentile. Because of this God says to them in verses 9-10, “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd stive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiworks say, ‘He has no hands’? Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth.’” This a well-deserved SHARP REBUKE, for Israel is the CLAY and God is the POTTER and they had no right in questioning the ways of their Creator. So, as we saw in verse 11, they were questioning “the works of God’s hands” and in essence they were trying to tell him what He should do.
In closing, let’s read on in verses 12-13, “I have made the earth, and created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness and I will direct all his ways; he shall build me My city and let My exiles go free, not for price nor reward,’ says the LORD of hosts.” The Lord solemnly reminds them of His sovereign act of creating the heavens, the earth and all their host, along with mankind, and in His sovereignty, He will raise up Cyrus to do His bidding. God’s HANDIWORK is seen in all that He does and shame on them for questioning anything that He does. This lesson is for us too, dear reader, for we should NEVER question God’s works. He is the POTTER; we are the CLAY. Please read Romans 9:14-21. (DO) (683.1)