Yesaya 45:7

45:7 I am ¹  the one who forms light

and creates darkness; ² 

the one who brings about peace

and creates calamity. ³ 

I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.

Yakobus 1:17

1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift ⁴  is from above, coming down ⁵  from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. ⁶ 

[45:7]  ¹ tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.

[45:7]  ² tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”

[45:7]  ³ sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).

[1:17]  ⁴ tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.

[1:17]  ⁵ tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”

[1:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).