Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 54:16

"Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the fire of coals, and bringeth forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy." — Isaiah 54:16 (ASV)

Behold, I have created the smith - The meaning of this verse is this: ‘Everything that can affect your welfare is under my control. The smith who manufactures the instruments of war or of torture is under me. His life, his strength, and his skill are all in my hands, and he can do nothing that I will not deem best to permit him to do. So it is with the enemy of the church himself—the waster who destroys. I have made him, and he is wholly under my control and at my disposal.’

The smith who blows the coals denotes the man who is engaged in forging instruments for war or for any other purpose.

Here it refers to him who would be engaged in forging instruments of battle to attack the church; and why should it not also refer to him who would be engaged in making instruments of torture—such as are used in times of persecution?

That brings forth an instrument for his work - Lowth: ‘According to his work.’ Noyes: ‘By his labor.’ The idea is that he produces an instrument as the result of his work.

I have created the waster to destroy - I have formed every man who is engaged in spreading desolation by wars, and I have every such man under my control (see the notes at Isaiah 10:5-7; Isaiah 37:26–27; Isaiah 46:1–6).

The meaning here is that as God had all such conquerors under his control, they could accomplish no more than he permitted them to do.