Isaiah 45 – 50

This is a complex situation, Israel is being delivered by Cyrus who although they are not the chosen ones, God is blessing them. Verse 45:5 states this fact:

I am the Eternal One; there is no other God but Me,
        and even though you don’t know Me, I am preparing you for victory.

God is speaking to people that do not know Him to reveal His glory to them and to deliver Israel from slavery. This shows God will help anyone to meet his end goal.

Verse 45:8 is another potter analogy which shows the people truth:

How bad it will be for anyone who disputes with the very One who created him!
    After all, a human being is nothing more than one clay pot among many.
Imagine the clay saying to the potter, “What do you think you’re doing?”
    or “You don’t have the hands for this.”

Think about this analogy and what it means. We are created not to “do what we want” but rather to glorify the maker. We need to first acknowledge that there is a maker and that we are not evolved from some primordial ooze. People have a tough time with this since even when we accept God’s gift, we want it on our terms. We want our pot lined with gold and in a prominent spot, not used as a waste receptacle. I am not saying strive for a better life, just understand you are where you are to give glory to God.

Verse 47:2 brings to light the different economic “strata” in our society:

And with those delicate fingers grab the heavy millstones and grind the grain.
        Take off your lacy veil, lift your skirt, bare your legs, and
    Cross the mud and muck of the river on foot like any other slave.

Think about this statement, does it say the rich just rest on their laurels? We all need to get it and work like everyone else; wealth does not give us privilege but rather an ability to help others even more. I think that is the problem people have had with rich over the years, they become so obsessed with wealth that they lose perspective on people. When all is said and done how you treat others fills your funeral, not how much you have.

Think about this more. When you are dead, you are dead. All the money in the world will not stop this fact and therefore that should never be the focus in life. People often look at life and figure the stages of significance. First part is dependence on parents, then independence from all, to striving for wealth, to finally wanting significance. The key is when these steps happen and when they change. If you can get to striving for significance in your 20’s that rocks! The key is money only helps, people are what really matters in the end.