I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
12. Is introductory to Isa 45:13; it is the Creator of all things who has destined Cyrus to be the emancipator of Israel.
I, even my hands ] The “I” merely lends emphasis to the possessive: “ my hands, and not another’s.”
all their host (the stars, not the angels, Isa 40:26) have I commanded ] or, “ordained.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I have made the earth – God here asserts that he had made all things, doubtless with a view to show that he was able to hear their cry, and to grant an answer to their requests. His agency was visible everywhere, alike in forming and sustaining all things, and in raising up for them a deliverer. They might, therefore, go before him with confidence, and spread out all their needs.
Have stretched out the heavens – (See the notes at Isa 40:26).
And all their host – The stars (see the notes at Isa 40:26).
Have I commanded – All are under my direction and control. What more can be needed by his people than the friendship and protection of him who made the heavens and the earth, and who leads on the stars!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 45:12
I have made the earth
Nature and Scripture
(with Isa 45:22):–The study of Nature reveals a Creator.
This is the order: God, creation, fishes, animals, men, women, the human race, the culture of the soil, the building of cities, the navigation of the sea, and, in course of ages, the formation of society as we know it. But man as a moral agent required moral laws; having also a capacity for religion, he needed spiritual light. This made revelation from above necessary. Mankind have had both vocal and written messages from God.
Creation tells of His power, and the Scripture tells of His salvation–the two books together revealing His perfect glory.
I. A careful study of nature and man will bring vividly before you THE LAW OF DEPENDENCE. The man who would attempt to be independent of Nature would soon die of hunger and thirst, and the soul that is arrogant enough to deem itself independent of Christ will soon find that saying true, He that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.
II. In nature you see also THE LAW OF CULTIVATION. Every living thing needs cultivation, and is improved, beautified, and perpetuated by it. Man, the living soul, is under the same law. In a higher sense the soul of man is subject to this law of cultivation. The fruits and flowers found in a cultivated soul are faith, prayer, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity.
III. Nature conspicuously displays and relentlessly enforces THE LAW OF DEPRIVATION. In the great eaves of Kentucky there are dark waters where the light never comes. Eyeless fishes swim there. Their ancestors had eyes that could see; but their descendants, choosing to dwell in lightless waters, have only rims and specks in their heads v, here eyes might have been. Use well a sense, a faculty, a power, and you increase it; neglect it, and it will die. That is the law of Nature. Scripture teaches you the same lesson as to the spiritual world.
IV. Nature does also undoubtedly embrace THE LAW OF TERMINATION. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth. The bones of leviathan whiten the deep places of the sea. And what of man? To him also the law of termination applies. Shall nature, man, life as we know it, continue as they are for ever? No, for both Nature and Scripture proclaim the law of termination (2Pe 3:10).
V. But both Scripture and Nature point us to another law–THAT OF CONTINUITY. And this eternal law of continuity will be in existence after the present world is left behind. Consider, then, these natural and spiritual truths. Let Nature teach you how great the Creator is: let Scripture teach you that His salvation and love and righteousness are for ever and ever. (G. W.MCree.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
I have made the earth, and created man upon it; they are wholly and solely my creatures, and therefore absolutely at my disposal.
All their host have I commanded; I have commanded them to be, or made them by my command, or the word of my power: compare Psa 148:5.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. The same argument forprayer, drawn from God’s omnipotence and consequent power, to grantany request, occurs in Isa40:26-31.
I, even my handssoHebrew (Ps 41:2), “Thou. . . thy hand” (both nominatives, in apposition).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have made the earth,…. The Targum adds, “by my Word”; the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; see Heb 11:3, this, with what follows, is said to show that the Lord was able to bring to pass things to come, concerning his children, and the works of his hands, which he allowed his people to inquire of him concerning, and to insist upon the performance of them; since he was the Creator of all things, and had made the earth out of nothing, in the beginning of time, by the word of his power:
and created man upon it; the last and chief of the creation, for the sake of whom the earth was made; and man was made to dwell upon it, manure, and cultivate it:
I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; as a canopy over the earth, as a curtain and tent to dwell in; a phrase often used to express the greatness and majesty of God; see Isa 40:22:
and all their host have I commanded; into being, and to perform their offices regularly and constantly, the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the heavenly host of angels; see Ps 33:9, what is it that such a God cannot do? he is able to do more than his people can ask of him, or think to receive from him, Eph 3:20.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. I made the earth. He appears merely to maintain the power of God, as be had formerly done; so that there is an indirect contrast between God and idols, which superstitious persons worship. Foolish men ask counsel of idols, as if the world were governed at their pleasure. On the contrary, God calls us back to himself, when he says that he
“
made the earth, and placed man upon it, and that his hands stretched out the heavens.” (Gen 1:1.)
But it will be more appropriate, in my opinion, to apply the whole of this discourse to the nature of the present subject. “Can anything be more foolish than that men shall uphold their own rank, and shall haughtily interrogate, and treat as a criminal, God, whose majesty is above the heavens?” Thus he indirectly censures the madness of men, who do not scruple to exalt themselves above the very heavens. Yet at the same time he reminds them that, if it must come to a strict examination, God will not want arguments to defend his cause; for, if he governs the whole world, he undoubtedly takes a peculiar care about his own people, and does not care for strangers, so as to allow the members of his family to be scattered and wander. Thus, then, I understand this verse. “Shall I, whose vast and inconceivable wisdom and power shine brightly in heaven and earth, not only be bound by human laws, but be degraded below the ordinary lot of men? And if there be any doubts of my justice, shall not I, who rule and govern all things by my hand, be careful of those whom I have adopted into my family? Shall I not watch over their salvation?”
Thus it is an argument from the less to the greater, and this meaning is agreeable to Scripture. We know that we have been adopted by God, in such a manner that, having been received under his protection, we are guarded by his hand; and none can hurt us, but by his permission. If “a sparrow,” as Christ tells us, “does not fall to the ground without his permission,” (Mat 10:29,) shall we whom he values more than the sparrows be exposed by him at hazard to the rage and cruelty of enemies? And, therefore, since God upholds all the creatures by his providence, he cannot disregard the Church, which he prefers to the whole world. We must, therefore, betake ourselves to this providence, even in the most desperate affairs, and must not give way to any temptations by which Satan attacks us in various ways.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) I have made . . .The Creator is also the Ruler, supreme in history as in nature.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Ver. 12. I have made the earth, ] q.d., I am the mighty maker and monarch of the world; therefore pray on, and patiently wait for a gracious answer, “he that believeth maketh not haste.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
have made, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 1:1). App-92.
man = Hebrew. adam. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
made the earth: Isa 45:18, Isa 40:28, Isa 42:5, Gen 1:26, Gen 1:27, Psa 102:25, Heb 11:3
my hands: Isa 40:12, Isa 40:22, Isa 44:24, Jer 27:5, Jer 32:17, Zec 12:1
all their host: Gen 2:1, Neh 9:6
Reciprocal: Num 16:30 – make a new thing Ezr 1:2 – he hath charged Psa 28:5 – operation Psa 93:1 – world Psa 104:2 – stretchest Isa 51:13 – that hath Jer 10:12 – stretched Jer 51:15 – and hath Eze 34:11 – I Joh 1:3 – General Act 7:50 – General Heb 1:2 – by whom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their {o} host have I commanded.
(o) That is, the stars.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Again, God has the right to do with His creation what He chooses. If God created the universe, He certainly has the right to shape human history as He will.