Isaiah 45:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He, God, who shaped the earth and brought it into existence. Did He merely divide it, as the shameless Greeks have postulated, assigning some deities to the underworld and others to the heavens? Yet He declares that He is the one God of all creation; His dominion upon the earth is such that everything visible testifies to His greatness. Moreover, He is beyond adequate description, and no one can fully comprehend Him. Aquila and Theodotion state, This is the Lord who creates the heavens; He is the God who forms the earth and perfects it. This demands interpretation. Everything God has created is intimately close to Him. He, maintaining and governing all things, is perpetually engaged in the act of creating and establishing. The Septuagint states, He created all things perfectly and completely, and He Himself discerned what He formed; others express it as prepared and established; the Septuagint states He detected, meaning He revealed what was concealed by the depths of waters. In the beginning, there was no division, as water and earth were intertwined. To disperse a vast expanse of water and reveal the dry land is an act of divine might. We can witness this in the present, when the sea is tumultuous, and the crashing waves threaten to engulf the land. Yet, even in the face of such a threat, it cannot bring it to fruition, for it is evident that God established the earth from the very start, and created it with intention, so that it might serve as a dwelling for His creatures. Indeed, the sea itself was deemed capable of believing in the divine promise that God would save humanity rather than bring destruction. It was not without purpose that He formed it. In another scripture, it is stated, Hast Thou created all the sons of men in vain? (Psalm 88:48). The earth was fashioned for your sake and prepared as your residence, to sustain and nurture you. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

He provides essential guidance to both Jews and Greeks, accompanied by clear signs that demonstrate His identity as the true God and Creator, affirming that there is no deity apart from Him. Hence, He asserts, Thus saith the Lord, not merely ‘the Lord’—as many may unlawfully bear that title in heaven and upon the earth—but He alone, who is truly what He calls Himself by virtue of His divine nature and actions, holds an unimaginable glory. For it is He who fashioned the heavens: to create the heavens, to reveal the earth, and to establish it is a magnificent testament to His supreme glory and all-powerful might. He divided the earth, transforming it from being hidden in the depths—unseen and chaotic—into a visible and orderly realm by setting its boundaries, as noted in the book of Genesis, Let the waters be gathered together, and let the dry land appear (Gen. 1:9). Thus, it arose from the depths, and He positioned it—initially submerged and lifeless—with barriers and gates over the abyss, distinctively separating it from the waters. He arranged this creation not only to be visible but also to be inhabited, mirroring the holy angels in heaven, as He prophesied, 'I did not create it to be empty, but to be a dwelling place.' Therefore, for us who tread upon it, it exists as a vessel and a home. If He is the origin of all existence, does justice not demand us to recognize that we were made solely to worship Him and to acknowledge Him as the Father of humanity, offering Him our songs of gratitude? For if He is indeed the Creator of the heavens and the Revealer of the earth, and did not bring it forth for mere vanity but for habitation, what other god could we conceive? Who could rival Him in power and glory? Who could even approach Him? Does not every aspect of creation fall short compared to His unparalleled glory, might, and wisdom? There is none who could compare to Him. Hence, God is singular in essence and true; no other even enters into consideration. Some may query, ‘Who understands His intentions, and who can ascertain whether He bestows divine honor and titles upon anyone else, or keeps it all for Himself?’ Thus, He responds, 'I have not spoken in secret places of the earth; I did not instruct the descendants of Jacob to call upon futility.'

This assertion can be more aptly understood in the context of the apostles’ preaching, for while Moses addressed only one nation in the secluded wilderness, the apostles’ message resounded throughout the entire world, reaching the farthest corners of the earth (Psalm 18). He did not instruct the descendants of Jacob, "Seek Me in vain"; for He assured them of the kingdom of heaven, initially declaring, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). I spoke the truth and proclaimed righteousness with the intent that they would depart from the rituals and customs of the law and embrace the truth of the gospel.