Isaiah 45:7
I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse is a bold theological statement against the prevalent dualistic beliefs of the time, asserting that God, and God alone, is the sovereign source of both what we perceive as good (light, peace) and what we perceive as bad (darkness, calamity). It emphasizes that these apparent opposites are not independent forces but are actively shaped and controlled by the one true Lord.
This prophecy is directed towards Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who is described as God's "anointed" instrument. God declares that He is sovereign over all earthly powers, using Cyrus to bring about His purposes, including the destruction of nations and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The passage emphasizes that Cyrus, though unaware of the God of Israel, is being used by the LORD to reveal His supreme power to the whole world.
Ever feel like good and bad things happen randomly? This verse declares something profound about the source of all events.
Isaiah 45:7 makes a powerful statement about God's complete control over everything that happens in the world. The verse explicitly states, 'I form the light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity.' This isn't a suggestion; it's a declaration of divine authority.
No Independent Powers
What does the Bible mean when it says God 'creates calamity'? It might not be what you think.
The word 'evil' (or 'calamity' in some translations) in Isaiah 45:7 is crucial for understanding God's character and purposes.
Beyond Moral Evil
Understand the original words
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A state of wholeness, peace, health, and prosperity, often used to describe the result of God’s blessing or covenant relationship.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Often refers to disaster, adversity, or evil, used here to demonstrate God’s sovereignty over all aspects of existence, including judgments or difficult circumstances.
This verse speaks directly to the context of the Babylonian exile and the rise of Cyrus the Great. It challenges the prevailing dualistic beliefs, particularly those associated with Persian Zoroastrianism, which posited separate powers for good and evil. Isaiah declares that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is sovereign over all aspects of existence – both light and darkness, peace and calamity – asserting His absolute control in a world where people might have attributed these forces to different deities.
c. 550-539 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus, a Persian king, begins his conquests, eventually leading to the downfall of the Median and Babylonian empires.
539 BC— this verse
Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, an event that has profound implications for the Jewish people, who had been in exile there.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
This passage describes God's initial act of creation, where He explicitly forms light and speaks darkness into existence, directly paralleling the first part of Isaiah's declaration.
Job 1:21In the midst of immense suffering, Job acknowledges God's sovereignty over both good and bad, stating 'The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away: blessed be the name of the LORD.' This reflects the same idea of God's ultimate control over well-being and calamity.
Amos 3:6This verse directly questions the idea that calamity could occur without God's involvement: 'Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be in a state of alarm? Shall evil befall a city, and the LORD not have done it?' It echoes Isaiah's assertion that the LORD is the author of all these things.
Romans 9:20-21Paul uses the analogy of the potter and the clay to illustrate God's sovereign right to create and use vessels for different purposes, mirroring Isaiah's statement about God forming and creating according to His will.
1 Samuel 2:6Hannah's prayer proclaims, 'The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.' This highlights God's power over life and death, prosperity and adversity, reinforcing the theme of His total authority presented in Isaiah 45:7.
bensonIsaiah 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."
Isaiah 45:7 . I form the light, and create darkness, &c. — All men’s comforts and calamities come from my hand. “It was the great principle of the Magian religion, which prevailed in Persia in the time of Cyrus, and in which probably he was educated, that there are two supreme, coeternal, and independent causes, always acting in opposition one to the other; one, the author of all…
clarkeIsaiah 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."
I form the light, and create darkness - It was the great principle of the Magian religion, which prevailed in Persia in the time of Cyrus, and in which probably he was educated, that there are two supreme, co-eternal, and independent causes always acting in opposition one to the other; one the author of all good, the other of all evil. The good being they called Light; the evil b…
This verse is a bold theological statement against the prevalent dualistic beliefs of the time, asserting that God, and God alone, is the sovereign source of both what we perceive as good (light, peace) and what we perceive as bad (darkness, calamity). It emphasizes that these apparent opposites are not independent forces but are actively shaped and controlled by the one true Lord.
This prophecy is directed towards Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who is described as God's "anointed" instrument. God declares that He is sovereign over all earthly powers, using Cyrus to bring about His purposes, including the destruction of nations and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The passage emphasizes that Cyrus, though unaware of the God of Israel, is being used by the LORD to reveal His supreme power to the whole world.
This prophecy is directed towards Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who is described as God's "anointed" instrument. God declares that He is sovereign over all earthly powers, using Cyrus to bring about His purposes, including the destruction of nations and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The passage emphasizes that Cyrus, though unaware of the God of Israel, is being used by the LORD to reveal His supreme power to the whole world.
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God uses what we perceive as 'calamity' not out of malice, but as part of His larger, redemptive plan, often serving as a corrective measure or a means to achieve His ultimate purposes for humanity.
"I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things." — This verse is a bold theological statement against the prevalent dualistic beliefs of the time, asserting that God, and God alone, is the sovereign source of both what we perceive as good (light, pea…
