Isaiah 45:17, commentary and pictures

God promises His people a rescue worked in Himself alone that lasts forever, so that they will never be put to shame or left confused, unlike makers of idols who end together in disgrace. He alone can give it because He alone is God, just and able to save, who blots out transgression, redeems and glorifies Himself in His people, and in whom is righteousness and strength. The Israel thus saved embraces all who believe on Him who died for the sins of the world, justified by faith through His merits and not by human goodness. Though His professed people have failed and been wayward, He bears with them and continues His redeeming work, and when they repent and heed Him He cleanses them, saves them eternally by grace, and makes them lasting monuments to its power. The pledge looks to the soon appearing of the Saviour to bring the rest, glory and heavenly home prepared for those redeemed by His blood, when He opens Paradise, finishes the battle, and wipes former sorrows from memory.

Setting and Promise

The promise belongs to the section in Isaiah 41-45 where God's purpose for His people is fully revealed, continuing the promises of Isaiah 44, 45 and onward in which He covenants what He will do with His people. It shows what He has done and what He will do if they follow on to know the Lord, whose going forth is prepared as the morning, and it is to be read personally yet is too little appreciated. That purpose directs them to seek wisdom from God and not to turn away from His wisdom to look to finite man for wisdom.

God does not forget Israel but blots out transgressions as a thick cloud, redeems Jacob, and glorifies Himself in Israel. Therefore He calls people everywhere to look to Him alone for salvation, for He alone is God, just and able to save, and there is no God else beside Him. His people are to seek wisdom from Him and not turn away from His wisdom to look to finite man for wisdom.

Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation that lasts forever. Those so saved will never be put to shame nor confounded. This stands in contrast to the makers of idols, who are ashamed and go to confusion together. The same everlasting salvation is the deliverance and rest awaiting those who believe in Christ, and it belongs with the righteousness found in Jesus Christ by which the sinner is justified by faith.

In the Lord Israel has righteousness and strength. All the seed of Israel shall be justified in Him and shall glory, while all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. All will bow before Him. This salvation comes by looking to God, being justified in Him, and receiving righteousness and strength from Him.

The verse means the righteous nation that keeps the truth enters through opened gates into a strong city where God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks. Those whose minds are stayed on God because they trust in Him are kept in perfect peace, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Trusting in the Lord forever keeps every mind free from everything that depresses.

Salvation in Christ

Israel is all who believe on Him who died for the sins of the world, and their being saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation is centered in Christ. That everlasting salvation is received through Christ's merits and not through human righteousness, for the righteousness found in Jesus Christ justifies the sinner by faith, and those so saved will never be put to shame nor confounded. Heaven itself comes through those merits alone.

This salvation is God's gracious work for a people who have failed and are wayward, not a reward for any goodness in them. Though the church has failed, the Lord continues His work of redemption and bears with His people. When they repent, are converted, and heed His instruction, He cleanses their perverse tendencies, saves them eternally by the power of His grace, and makes them lasting monuments to the power of His grace.

The Redeemer saves with this everlasting salvation those who draw closer and still closer to Him, to whom He gives light every day and a power that God alone can supply and that must be had. They are those who flee all reliance on self and rest on God as their sure foundation, trusting that they will never be put to shame or confounded. They believe Christ's words and hold their confidence firm to the end, walk in the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, and hide self in Jesus Christ. After doing the will of God they hold their confidence with patience to receive the promise.

The verse looks to the soon appearing of the Saviour to bring the deliverance and rest awaiting those who believe in Christ, which is the future glory prepared for the redeemed. That glory will soon be given to those redeemed by His most precious blood. He will open wide the gates of Paradise to believers, finish the battle and win the victory, and bring believers to see Him in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered, where the trials and sufferings of this life will seem as nothingness and former things will not be remembered. The salvation that lasts forever leaves the saved never put to shame nor confusion.

This salvation is pictured as entering God's city, praising the Lamb with immortal tongues, and receiving immortal life, with assurance of never being ashamed or confounded.

Heavenly Hope Applied

The chapter is worthy of deep study because it directs thought toward heaven, the lasting home and citizenship of God's people above, rather than toward a world that will soon be destroyed to which lives must not be devoted. It tells of the city to be sought, whose Builder and Maker is God. The verse shows the greatness of the love and compassion of God in giving everlasting salvation. It holds this in pure, excellent language with elevating, ennobling principles and the loftiest themes of thought.

It calls for stretching the faculties of the mind to comprehend it, is better than romance or fable, belongs as a valuable study in schools, and is to be revealed in living characters. The hope calls those saved to stand free in liberty, lift up their heads, rejoice in God, praise Him, and be at peace among themselves. It is pictured as entering God's city, praising the Lamb with immortal tongues, and receiving immortal life. It calls people to flee from coming wrath and to perfect holiness in the fear of God, since only those prepared in holiness can see the King.

The covenanted pledge of enduring deliverance is given as present encouragement, to be read personally, showing what the Lord has done and what He will do if they follow on to know the Lord, whose going forth is prepared as the morning. It is too little appreciated. It calls God's people to wake up while time lasts, to show more missionary work and missionary spirit in the churches, confident that the Lord God of heaven works through them so His name is honored even out in the highways and hedges.

Being saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation is the reward to be given to the tried and faithful, for every member of a family. It is to be earnestly desired, prayed for by name in daily worship, and kept asking for until father, mother, and children are kept by His power. Those prayed for are all dear to His heart, He is waiting to be gracious to them and will receive them if they will come to Him and learn of Him. They gain precious experience by cooperating with God, and being so saved they will be used in saving other youth, honored with a sacred trust as laborers together with Him, so that the home in which father, mother, and children are consecrated to the service of Christ is blest and doubly blest.