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"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure. Calling a
ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth My counsel from a far country: yea,
I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it"
(Isaiah 46: 10, 11).
The `ravenous bird' symbolizes Cyrus. Xenophon wrote of him:
"He had for ensign a golden eagle, stretched upon a long spear; and this even still
continues to be the ensign of the Persian king" (Cyrop. 47).
The Hebrew ayet which is translated `ravenous bird' is very probably the root of the
Greek word aetoo, which is translated `eagle' four times in the N.T.
The title given to Israel in this chapter demands our attention, it is "Israel My glory".
Without consulting the original of this passage we should have felt practically certain
that the word translated `glory' here, would be the Hebrew word kabod, which is so
translated in Isaiah no less than 33 times. This guess turns out, however, to be a mistake,
the Hebrew word being tipharah which is translated 7 times `glory' in Isaiah. This word
occurs many more times than this in Isaiah, and is translated `bravery', `comely',
`beauty', as well as `glory'.
"In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of
beauty, unto the residue of His people" (Isa. 28: 5).
"I will glorify the house of My glory" (Isa. 60: 7).
"Thy God thy glory" (Isa. 60: 19).
"Our holy and our beautiful house" (Isa. 64: 11).
We meet the word first in the book of Exodus, where it is used to describe the holy
garments of the High Priest (Exod. 28: 2), and of the priests (Exod. 28: 40).
"And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty."
Israel are not only a `royal nation' they are a "Holy priesthood". They are to be a
`kingdom of priests' even as their Messiah is a "Priest after the order of Melchisedec",
who was king of Salem and also Priest of the Most High God. Israel's restoration not
only restores them as a nation, not only restores them to their land, not only restores their
city, the city of the great king, Jerusalem, it also restores their temple, and constitutes
them the priest-nation of the earth. Like the high priest of Zech 3: Israel will be
cleansed, clothed and crowned by grace to enter, at last, upon their high and holy destiny.
Let us never forget their crowning aspect of the blessed restoration which constitutes the
theme of Isaiah's prophecy.
"And they shall build the old wastes . . . . . and strangers shall stand and feed your
flocks . . . . . But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord: men shall call you the
ministers of our God" (Isa. 61: 4-6).