Sharper Iron — The Fifth Evangelist - Isaiah 41:1-7: Who Stirs Up One from the East?

The LORD calls even the coastlands to hear the testimony of who He is. As evidence, the LORD presents Himself as the One who stirs up someone from the east who will be victorious at every turn. Although Cyrus of Persia will fulfill this promise in part, ultimately, the LORD speaks here of Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is the first and the last who rules over all nations in every generation. The nations, however, do not heed this call to repentance; instead, they continue in their idolatry, which cannot save.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Isaiah 41:1-7.

“The Fifth Evangelist” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through Isaiah 40-66. Though Isaiah lived one hundred years beforehand, he writes to the people of God in exile in Babylon to assure them that their God reigns and will rescue them through the work of His servant. These promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose work Isaiah proclaims vividly seven hundred years beforehand.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Isaiah 41:1-7

Fear Not, for I Am with You

41 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;
let the peoples renew their strength;
let them approach, then let them speak;
let us together draw near for judgment.

²Who stirred up one from the east
    whom victory meets at every step?^[a]
He gives up nations before him,
    so that he tramples kings underfoot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
    like driven stubble with his bow.
³He pursues them and passes on safely,
    by paths his feet have not trod.
⁴Who has performed and done this,
    calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first,
    and with the last; I am he.

⁵The coastlands have seen and are afraid;
    the ends of the earth tremble;
    they have drawn near and come.
⁶Everyone helps his neighbor
    and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
⁷The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,
    and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good”;
    and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

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Footnotes

Isaiah 41:2 Or whom righteousness calls to follow?

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).