Here are far too many details in
this section of Isaiah disallowing any reference to Cyrus at all. Such a statement
may appear somewhat arbitrary, but indeed there are very good reasons for it:
1.
As has been shown (or will be), all the
prophecies in Isaiah 40-66 are built on Hezekiah and his times. Then the sudden
insertion of about 25 verses about Cyrus is completely out of character and
away from the main purpose of this part of the book, which so evidently is: to
use Hezekiah in order to foreshadow the Messiah.
2.
All through ch. 40-53 “my servant” is another
title for “Jacob-Israel”. Many times these names come in close conjunction
(e.g. 41:8; 44:1, 2; 48:20; 49:3). This is evident in two places (44:21; 45:4)
in the section (44:21-45:19) now under special consideration. Then, is it credible that in the middle of this mass of uniform usage there should be a
sudden solitary allusion to Cyrus as “my servant”?
3.
The same portion of the prophecy includes two of
Isaiah’s characteristic blasts against idol-worship. “The Lord . . . that
frustrateth the tokens of the lairs, and maketh diviners mad” (44:25). “They
shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion
together that are makers of idols” (45:!6). And all this follows immediately on
the prophet’s most withing onslaught on the folly of idol-worship (44:9-20). In
such a context is it conceivable that Cyrus, a dedicated idolater, would be
held up for the esteem and adulation and gratitude of the faithful? (Harry
Whittaker, Isaiah [Wigan: Biblia, 1988], 394)
