接下來以賽亞就虛無的假神與全能的上帝作一比較，以賽亞認為：工匠既用同一塊木頭雕刻供人祭拜的偶像，又用同一塊木頭當柴燃燒。相形之下，創造的主宰早在幾世紀前就預言祂要興起一位安慰百姓的人（波斯王古列），意謂上帝要用他解救受壓迫的百姓，所以上帝的審判要臨到拜偶像的巴比倫的是毫不足奇的！因為巴比倫竟敢以樹木、石頭代替萬軍之耶和華、以色列的聖者！

        你曾經因上帝施展奇妙的方法──以人或事件完成祂在地上的旨意──感到驚異嗎？
        上帝以「濕羊毛」呼召基甸加入服事祂的行列（士6：36-38），祂也讓一隻會說話的驢子責備巴蘭（民22：28），還派一條饑腸轆轆的大魚吞下約拿（拿1：17），更奇妙的是，為了掃蕩祂國家裡低迷邪惡的屬靈氣氛，上帝使用一支更邪惡的「掃把」──殘暴的迦勤底人（哈1：5、6），並且還興起一個異教君王，將百姓從流放中贖回釋放，重建敬拜上帝的聖殿（賽45：1，4）。
        你能了解你的生命中發生的事與上帝的旨意有什麼關聯嗎？或者國際情勢對你國家的影響與上帝的旨意有什麼關聯？重讀以賽亞書四十五章，把意思是「我已」、「我是」、「我要」（或「我必」）的經文圈出來，然後在一張紙上畫三欄的格式，一欄記錄上帝過去的作為（我已），一欄是上帝現在的作為（我是），最後一欄是上帝將來的作為（我要；我必）完成後，你發現會有一個奇妙的禱告和讚美的題材：「天父，我看到祢過去的信實，使我的信心建立在祢的裡面，深信祢也會完成祢現在和未來的旨意！」

        預言聖殿重建而非拆毀
        古列，從主前五四六至五三○年統治瑪代波斯帝國，在位時曾頒佈重建耶路撒冷聖殿的喩旨；然而聖殿在以賽亞時代尚未被毀（賽44：28），當以賽亞明確的預言到古列，是早一百五十多年前呢！

上帝在剎那間做的事比人在千年間做的更多。

English

        Isaiah next contrasts the impotence of idols with the omnipotence of Israel's God. From the same piece of wood a workman fashions gods to be worshiped and logs to be burned. By contrast, the God of creation predicts centuries in advance the agent of His comfort (Cyrus, king of Persia) and the means He will employ to deliver His oppressed people. Is it any wonder God calls forth judgment upon idolatrous Babylon, which would dare to substitute trees and rocks for the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel?

        Have you ever wondered about the unusual way God uses people and events to accomplish His purposes on earth?
        God used a wet washcloth to call Gideon into His service (Judges 6:36-38). He used a talking donkey to rebuke Balaam (Numbers 22:28). He used a hungry fish to turn Jonah around (Jonah 1:17). He swept His spiritually dirty nation clean by using an even dirtier broom—the brutal Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:5-6). And He raised up a heathen king to free His people from exile and rebuild His holy house of worship (45:1, 4)!
        Can you see God's purpose linked with personal events in your life, or with international developments in the life of your nation? Go back through chapter 45 and circle the words I have, I am, and I will every time you find them. Then make three columns on a sheet of paper describing God's activities in the past (I have), the present (lam), and the future (I will). When you're finished, you'll have a wonderful prayer and praise prompter: Father, as I see Your trustworthiness in the past, build my confidence in You to accomplish Your purposes in the present and future as well!

        Predicting die Rebuilding of a House Not Yet Fallen
        Cyrus, who ruled Medo-Persia 546-530 B.C.—more than 150 years after Isaiah's prophecies concerning him—is proclaimed as the one to command the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple which in Isaiah's day had not yet been destroyed (44:28)!

God can do more in a moment than man in a millennium.