God's Righteousness and Salvation Draw Near to All Nations

Isaiah 45:5 declares that Yahweh's righteousness is near, and this nearness carries profound weight. The prophet teaches that an evangelical law—the law of Christ, the law of faith (Isaiah 42:3)—proceeds from God Himself, bringing both righteousness and salvation to the children of men.

This divine righteousness operates in four essential ways: First, Yahweh contrives and brings it about through His sovereign will. Second, He accepts this righteousness for us and accepts us through it. Third, He works this righteousness within us, transforming the believer from within. Fourth, it is salvation that arises from Him and terminates in Him alone—no intermediate mediator stands between the soul and its Redeemer.

Crucially, there exists no salvation without righteousness, yet wherever God's righteousness appears, His salvation follows. The prophet emphasizes that this righteousness is eggus (near) both in time and in place—not distant or difficult to obtain, but immediately accessible (Romans 10:8).

Most radically, this evangelical righteousness shall not remain confined to the Jewish nation alone but extends to the Gentiles. Yahweh's arm judges the impenitent, yet that same arm becomes the refuge of those who trust. The universality of this salvation reflects the character of God: His justice and mercy operate simultaneously, ensuring that all nations may approach His throne of grace.