Isaiah 45:7
“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”
Explanation and Commentary of Isaiah 45:7
God created both the light and the darkness in Genesis 1. When he says it here, he means it to be both literal and symbolic, and his next statement shows that. It is God who brings prosperity, light. It is God who creates disaster, darkness. This is a great mystery. Taken out of context, this is a hard teaching. But in the context of the whole redemptive story, this is a powerful and good truth. God does everything for his glory, and that is a wonderful thing for us.
The fact is that God is the most glorious. He has created the whole of existence, in heaven and on earth. All of it glorifies him. He has managed to create beings—heavenly beings, and mankind on earth who have their own volition. Some in both realms have rebelled against God, but he has still managed to have his will done and see his sovereign plan through. It is a mistake to believe that anytime something happens that we like, it is God working, and anytime something happens that we don’t like, disaster, it is satan. Though Satan and sin have a hand in disaster, God is still sovereign over all of it. He does everything, controls everything, and does not violate our free will to do it. He does it all for our good and his glory, which are concepts in partnership.
As Christians, we must trust God’s plan, work for good, and prove faithful with whatever he gives us. There are many things that God is doing which we will never know. He is God, and we are not. His ways are higher than our ways. But it is good that the most glorious being gets the most glory. It is good that the one who is the most good is the one who is in charge. Trust in him and have peace.
Breaking Down the Key Parts of Isaiah 45:7
#1 “I form the light…”
In the beginning, God said, “‘Let there be light’, and there was light” (Gen 1:3). Also, God is the author of truth and goodness. God has the ultimate knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:22). God has created goodness.
#2 “…and create darkness,”
There is no true good without evil. This is a hard truth, but God is sovereignly in control of everything, and everything has a purpose for our good and his glory.
#3 “I bring prosperity and create disaster;”
God is here stating explicitly what he said previously. God’s hand works under and through our choices. God is in control of all things.
#4 “I, the Lord, do all these things.”
Isaiah is explaining, per the instructions of God, that what is going to happen to Israel and the world is God’s doing and it is all for a purpose.
Expert Overview of Isaiah 40-66
Biblical Translations of Isaiah 45:7
NIV
“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”
NLT
“I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.”
ESV
“I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
KJV
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.”
NKJV
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.”
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.