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Isaiah 45:5 meaning

God’s sovereignty is unrivaled.

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me” (v.5). Here, the prophet Isaiah conveys that the LORD alone stands as the sole, all-powerful deity in the universe. The surrounding context reveals that God is speaking to Cyrus, the Persian king who reigned from 559-530 BC, emphasizing that even a ruler mightily used to topple great empires depends on the true God’s plan and provision. Although Cyrus hails from Persia (a region corresponding to modern-day Iran), God asserts that His sovereignty reaches far beyond Israel’s borders and well into the kingdom of Persia, reaffirming that no matter the geographical location or earthly power, there is only one true God.

Isaiah explains throughout the chapter that the LORD’s unique power exists independently of human recognition. When He states, “I will gird you, though you have not known Me” (v.5), He refers to empowering Cyrus for a divine purpose despite Cyrus’s own ignorance about the LORD’s identity. Historically, this fits into a remarkable timeline where the Babylonian captivity is soon to end in 539 BC, and Cyrus is chosen by God to deliver the exiled people of Judah back to their homeland. This mirrors a broader biblical pattern that no human authority can achieve anything apart from God’s sovereignty (see John 19:10-11).

From a spiritual standpoint, the singular identity of God in “I am the LORD, and there is no other” (v.5) proclaims His exclusive rights to worship and glory. As the narrative of Scripture progresses, Jesus fulfills the plan of God’s redemption for all nations, illustrating the same truth that salvation and true hope can only come from the LORD (John 14:6). Despite any worldly status or lack of knowledge of Him, every achievement and deliverance is orchestrated by the one true God.

Isaiah 45:5