Isaiah Manuscript
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Contents
The Confession and Call of Isaiah
Five Names for the Coming Messiah
A Glimpse of the King and His Coming Kingdom
Unrolling the Scroll of History
The Revelation of the Future Kingdom
Faith Is Living without Scheming
Timeless Reminders of God’s Faithfulness
The Greatness of God on Display
Surprising Descriptions of Jesus the Messiah
The Gospel of Christ in Isaiah
Prophecies about the Amazing Grace of GodThe Final Word on the Future
The Confession and Call of Isaiah
Isaiah 1–6
Our Wisdom Journey now brings us to the book of Isaiah. And I must tell you, just saying that makes me feel like some mountain climber standing at the base of Mount Everest. I know the journey is going to be challenging and exhilarating at the same time.
Isaiah is the first of seventeen books of prophecy. The prophet Isaiah is the leading spokesman here in the Old Testament; he is going to lead us to the mountain peak of prophecy, and we are going to see the grandeur of God’s glory.
Sidlow Baxter wrote:
What Beethoven is in the realm of music, what Shakespeare is in the realm of literature, what Spurgeon was among the Victorian preachers, that is Isaiah among the prophets.[1]
Isaiah will minister 700 years before Jesus is born. He will serve four kings in Judah as the official court prophet. He will serve over a period of 50 years.
Now as we begin our Wisdom Journey through Isaiah, it is important to get the context here. The preaching of every prophet flows out of God’s commitment to the covenant He made with Israel. These prophets are God’s voice, calling Israel back to obedience.
And that is what Isaiah is doing—he is warning God’s people that judgment will come if they do not repent of their rebellion. He is also reminding them of what God has in store for those who follow Him—and by the way, that includes you and me today.
With that, let’s open this great book of prophecy and notice the first two verses:
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.”
Rebellion will bring judgment. Isaiah will go on to prophesy that God is going to use the wicked nations surrounding Judah to bring judgment on them and take them away into exile.
Now, true to the pattern of Isaiah’s ministry, he follows up this warning of judgment with a gracious invitation in verse 18:
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
Sin has stained their lives—and yours and mine too. And this is not just any stain, but deep red stains—the kind you can’t get out of your carpet or clothing. But God can! He can cleanse His rebellious people from all their guilt and make their lives, as it were, as white as freshly fallen snow. That is beautifully clean!
Those who are forgiven have permission to enter the glorious kingdom Isaiah begins to describe here in chapter 2:
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established . . . and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord . . . that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” (verses 2-3)
This will be fulfilled, as recorded in Revelation 20, when this thousand-year, or millennial, kingdom is established following the tribulation. Jerusalem will become the capital city of the Lord’s kingdom. Isaiah will have much more to say about the kingdom later.
Another aspect of Isaiah’s preaching is that he warns the nation about events that are in their near future, as well as events that will take place in the distant future—what we call today “the end times.”
And here in chapter 2, Isaiah begins to introduce that distant day of the Lord—that coming tribulation period when God pours out His wrath on the earth. Isaiah writes this in verse 19:
And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
Then, in chapter 3, Isaiah warns his people of something just around the corner. Verse 1 says, “Behold, the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah . . . all support of bread, and all support of water.”
There’s a famine just ahead as Jerusalem falls to these enemy nations. And we read this in Isaiah 4:1:
Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name.”
In other words, so many of Judah’s men will be killed by the Babylonian invaders that there will be only one man left for every seven women.
Will the nation be permanently destroyed by these foreigners? Absolutely not. Isaiah begins here in chapter 4 to talk about the revival and restoration of united Israel in the distant future—something that has not happened yet, beloved.
Isaiah describes it here in verse 2: “In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.” This is a reference to the Messiah sitting on His glorious throne in the coming kingdom. And who gets to be there with Him? A restored nation of Israel.
But then Isaiah broadens the invitation list in verse 3 to include “everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem.” Revelation chapter 21 tells us that those who enter the new Jerusalem are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Have you claimed Jesus Christ as your Messiah and coming King? Well, if you have, your name has been recorded in that book of everlasting life.
In chapter 5, Isaiah describes the wickedness of Judah, and frankly it reminds me of the wickedness of so many nations today. Verse 20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” and verse 21 adds, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” Beloved, any nation that calls evil things good and good things evil is heading for the judgment of God.
Then chapter 6 records Isaiah’s calling into the ministry. The date is 739 BC, and Isaiah is a young man. He records the event beginning in verse 1:
In the year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. . . . And one called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is filled with his glory.” (verses 1-3)
What is Isaiah going to do as he stands before a holy God? The same thing you and I would do—he says in verse 5, “Woe is me! . . . I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips!”
God responds to his confession by sending one of the angels with a burning coal from the altar to touch Isaiah’s mouth, saying, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (verse 7). This is the picture of forgiveness; it is a gift of God’s grace as we confess our sin.
In verse 8, God asks Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah answers, “Here am I! Send me.”
Now I don’t know how many men would volunteer for this ministry after hearing what God predicts for Isaiah. He says in verse 9 that the people are not going to listen or repent. Isaiah will not see many positive results. But Isaiah is willing to stay the course; he meant it when he said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Let’s be more like Isaiah today. No matter what the people around us are saying, no matter what our culture is doing, and no matter what the results seem to be communicating, let’s keep saying to our great God, “Here am I! Send me.”
The Sign of the Virgin Birth
Isaiah 7–8
You may remember that after the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel split in two. The ten tribes of the north called themselves Israel, and Samaria became their capital city. The two tribes in the south, Judah and Benjamin, remained loyal to the house of David and kept Jerusalem as their capital, calling themselves Judah. By the time Isaiah is preaching here in Jerusalem, this split, or division, is now some 200 years old.
As we arrive here at Isaiah 7, the setting is one of panic and terror. The empire of Assyria is growing more and more aggressive—frankly, they want the territory of Israel and Judah. The Assyrians were known for their military power, as well as their cruelty toward captured people. Rumor had it that the king of Assyria sat on a throne he had covered with the skin of conquered kings.
So, the nation of Israel—the ten northern tribes—created a coalition with their neighbor Syria. They now want Judah to join them in the hope that together they can defeat the Assyrian army.
But Ahaz, the king of Judah, knows that is a lost cause, and he will not join this coalition. So, Israel and Syria invade Judah in order to force them into this alliance.
As you can imagine, Ahaz is terrified; he and all of Jerusalem are in panic mode. Chapter 7 opens by telling us in verse 2, “The heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.”
Well, God tells Isaiah to take his son and go out to meet King Ahaz and reassure him. Isaiah’s son’s name, here in verse 3, is “Shear-jashub,” which means “a remnant shall return.” The presence of Isaiah’s son is a sign that God is not going to erase His covenant promises, no matter what happens.
Isaiah and his son meet King Ahaz and tell him, “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint” (verse 4). In other words, God has everything under control. Isaiah is effectively saying to Ahaz, “Listen, God doesn’t make plans—He’s always had plans. His plans go back into eternity past, and His plans are unstoppable, regardless of what coalitions and kings and evil empires try to do.”
Maybe that is exactly the message you need to hear today from the Lord. Maybe you are panicking over something; maybe your back is against the wall, and the pressure is on. The Lord is saying to you, “Be quiet, do not fear, do not let your heart be faint.”
Now what Isaiah does next is deliver one of the greatest prophecies about the Lord Jesus that we find in all the Bible.
Isaiah says to King Ahaz here in verse 14, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Immanuel means, “God with us.”
That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? In his Gospel, Matthew cites this text as being fulfilled in the virgin birth of Christ (Matthew 1:22-23). But here in Isaiah 7, it gets a little confusing because if you keep reading about the birth of this boy, you will find this in verse 16: “Before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.”
He is declaring that the kings of Israel and Syria, who are threatening the king of Judah, are going to die while this boy is still a little toddler. And that is exactly what happened before two years had passed.
So, is this prophecy talking about Jesus, or not?
One of the key elements to keep in mind as you study the prophets is this: prophecies can have an immediate fulfillment and a future fulfillment. There can be an immediate application and then a later application, and that is what we have here.
First, there is an immediate fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. Isaiah’s first wife has evidently died. We are not given the details, but we are told that Isaiah marries again, and he marries a virgin. They consummate their marriage, and around nine months later, she has this little boy. And God directs them to give two names to their son. One of his names is a sign, and the other name is his signature.
Isaiah and his wife do not need to think through a list of possible names—names that sound good with their names, names that come down the line from Grandpa Henry or Uncle Harry. God says here that the boy’s name shall be Immanuel. That name is a sign—God is reassuring His people that even in these panic-stricken, chaotic times, God is still with them.
Then over in chapter 8 we are given his signature—that is, his formal name, so to speak. Here is what Isaiah writes in verse 3:
And I went to the prophetess [his wife], and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.”
That’s a long name! I can imagine this kid is going to have a tough time in kindergarten learning how to write his name.
Even though this is his formal name, it also serves as a sign because it means “quick to plunder.” And if there’s any question about who is going to do the plundering, the Lord spells it out in verse 4: Assyria will be quick to plunder the kings of Israel and Syria.
All this, then, is the immediate application of this prophecy.
But the later fulfillment of the prophecy is indeed found in Jesus; and it is the greater fulfillment by far, according to the Gospel accounts of Mary. Mary was not just a virgin when she got married and then later conceived; no, Mary was still a virgin when she became pregnant. Matthew uses this text from Isaiah in its much more miraculous meaning.
Unfortunately, Isaiah’s message and the signs of his son’s names are ignored by Ahaz and the people of Judah. In fact, the people are rushing to hear from occult leaders and sorcerers who supposedly get in touch with the spirit world, all the while ignoring the Word of God.
Isaiah challenges them as he preaches, telling them they are trying to get direction from all the wrong places. He says here in verse 19 of chapter 8 that they “inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter.”
They are going to people who supposedly contact the dead and deliver their little messages to deceive their audiences. The people are going to spiritual advisers and occult practitioners; they are reading the stars.
Beloved, nothing much has changed to this day. Millions of people still check their horoscopes and seek out spiritual guides who have nothing to do with God’s Word.
One author told of a believer being pressed by a fortune-teller, who promised to tell him his future if he would give her some money. He said, “You mean you can tell me what I’ll be doing this time tomorrow?” She said, “Absolutely.” He said, “Listen, I’ll pay you double if you can tell me what I was doing this same time yesterday.” That ended the conversation.[2]
Isaiah goes on in verse 20 to challenge the people to return to God’s Word:
To the teaching and to the testimony! If they [spiritual advisers] will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
They have no light. Verse 22 adds, “They will be thrust into thick darkness.” And that is what happens when you ignore the dawn, the light of the gospel—you walk in the darkness of unbelief.
And with that, Isaiah delivers more amazing prophecies of the Lord Jesus in chapter 9. That is where we will pick up our Wisdom Journey next time.
Five Names for the Coming Messiah
Isaiah 9
In our last session, as Isaiah chapter 8 came to a close, the prophet delivered a grim picture of what it means to reject the Word of God. He wrote this in verse 22:
They will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.
Let me tell you, that is the perfect description of the world then—and the world today—darkness, confusion, anguish. So, is there any hope?
Well, now as chapter 9 opens, Isaiah delivers several prophecies that give the nation of Israel—and you and me today—wonderful hope in our Messiah. Isaiah says here in verse 1:
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.
The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, in the Galilean region of Israel, would have been the first tribes captured by Assyria, but Isaiah goes on to say here, “In the latter time, he has made glorious the way of the sea . . . [in] Galilee.” And Galilee is where Nazareth is located.
Isaiah is saying that something glorious is going to happen there in Galilee. And of course, that’s where the Lord lived and carried on most of His earthly ministry. Isaiah puts it this way in verse 2:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Seven hundred years after Isaiah wrote this prophecy, Matthew declared its fulfillment in Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. The dawning of the light on this old, dark earth had begun.
Later in His ministry, Jesus stood and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus was simply applying the prophecy of Isaiah to His life and ministry.
Isaiah describes the birth of the Messiah in verse 6, where he writes: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Now, we can look back and see that this has already taken place in the birth of Jesus. “For to us a child is born” relates to His humanity; “to us a son is given” relates to His deity.[3] From eternity past, He was God the Son. But now, through His miraculous conception and human birth, He has taken on flesh and joined the human race in order to redeem us.
Now with that, Isaiah gives us five different descriptions of—five different names for—the Lord Jesus. Look at verse 6: “His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
These names are more related to His nature than His signature. His signature was Jesus, but here we have a prophetic description of His nature.
The first name is “Wonderful.” I believe a comma should come after this first descriptive name. “Wonderful” is not an adjective, but a noun. Isaiah is not saying here that the Lord does wonderful things (which He does) or that belonging to Him is a wonderful thing (which it is); he is telling us that the Lord is—simply put—wonderful.
I have talked to young women planning their wedding ceremony over which I would preside as the pastor. And more than one of them have described their husband-to-be with gushing and sighing, saying, “He’s just so wonderful.” I can’t help but think, Just give it a few months! Of course, I don’t say that out loud.
I am sure he will be wonderful—at times. He will do some wonderful things every so often—and I hope often! But Isaiah says here that our Lord is altogether, consistently, unchangeably wonderful!
Second, He is also named “Counselor.” I am going to say something that might surprise you: I believe every woman today needs counseling. If you are a man, you are probably saying, “Amen.” Well, I’m not finished. Every man needs counseling too—probably even more so. And now all the women can say, “Amen to that!” Listen, every human being on the planet needs counseling.
Go to the one here who is described as the divine Counselor. He will never give you bad advice. He will never have to say, “I’m so sorry; I gave you the wrong direction to take in life.” No, His word—His counsel—is perfect. And by the way, the Lord is the only Counselor you will ever go to who does not need counseling Himself! He will never need our advice.
Now, the Lord Jesus also is called here, by Isaiah, the “Mighty God.”
This is another description of Jesus Christ’s deity; the Messiah is the Mighty El. El (God) is at the beginning of Elohim, the name of our sovereign God. El is at the end of Emmanuel, “God with us.”
The Messiah Jesus is not just like God; He is the physical embodiment of the triune God. He is God in the flesh. One day when you stand there in heaven, looking at God, you are going to be looking into the face of Jesus.
Isaiah then calls Him the “Everlasting Father.” That might sound somewhat strange when applied to Jesus. But in the Hebrew mind, the “father” of something was its originator, its source. In both Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, Jesus is declared to be the Creator, the one who spoke all things into existence. He is the originator of all things. This is another strong declaration of the deity of Jesus.
I had a man in my office some time ago who had taught Sunday school in a Protestant church for decades, but he said to me, “I just can’t think of Jesus being anything more than a Jewish rabbi.” Well, he is not listening to Isaiah.
Last in this list is the name “Prince of Peace.” Because of Jesus Christ, we can have peace with God (Romans 1:7; 5:1). No more battling God. We have surrendered and taken a pen and signed the peace treaty with God; the ink in that pen is the blood of Christ. We have peace with God, but we also have the peace of God, as we walk with Him in obedience (Philippians 4:7).
Isaiah calls Him the Prince of Peace, and this description is prophetic. Yet the birth of Christ did not bring peace to Planet Earth, did it? There have been eight major world wars since the seventeenth century alone. There are more than 150 wars taking place somewhere in our world today. There is no peace on earth, beloved, and there won’t be until this prophecy is fulfilled when the Prince of Peace returns to take His place on the throne of David.
But until then, peace can be found on Planet Earth, the peace you can have in your heart and life with God.
Isaiah prophesies of a future world peace when Jesus reigns in His earthly kingdom. Go back earlier in verse 6: “And the government shall be upon his shoulder.”
Isaiah is referring to a Jewish wedding custom in which the groom would remove the veil from his bride and lay it upon his shoulder. This signified that the responsibility for her protection and provision was now on his shoulder.[4] You, beloved, are the responsibility of the Lord. He is going to take care of you, His bride. This prophecy can come true spiritually in your life today.
So, why don’t you lay the veil of your circumstances upon His shoulder? Say to Him, “Lord, my protection, my provision, my direction—everything about my life, Lord—the veil of my life is on Your shoulder. One day You will rule the nations, but right now—today—Lord Jesus, rule as King in my life.”
A Glimpse of the King and His Coming Kingdom
Isaiah 10–12
As we begin our Wisdom Journey today, we recall that the glory of Israel’s coming Messiah has been described by Isaiah in chapter 9. There, verse 6 prophesies:
The government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
A Jewish wedding during Isaiah’s day would have featured that moment when the bridegroom lifted the veil from his bride and then draped it across his shoulder. That signified he was taking responsibility for the provision and protection and care of his bride.
Likewise, our divine Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, has gathered us who believe in Him into His bridal party. We have left the funeral march of the human race, and we are now members of the wedding party.
Here in the immediate context of Isaiah chapter 9, King Ahaz of Judah is not impressed with the promise of God’s protection. He would rather put his faith in a peace treaty with the Assyrian Empire, and that is going to come back to bite him, so to speak.
With that, here in chapter 10, Isaiah changes his focus from the southern kingdom of Judah to the northern kingdom of Israel. Israel is going to serve as a warning to Judah of the consequences of rebelling against God.
Isaiah warns the rebellious leaders in Israel, “Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain” (verse 4). In other words, God is going to use the brutal Assyrians to defeat Israel and execute the judgment of God.
Now don’t think that just because God uses some godless nation to do His will, that the ungodly are going to get away with their sin. Note the promise in verse 12:
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria.
Isaiah further prophesies in verse 33 that God will cut down the Assyrian army like a lumberjack cuts down a forest of trees. He says, “The great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low.” This will take place a few years later when God miraculously destroys the Assyrian army, as recorded in 2 Kings 19.
Isaiah then delivers a message of hope for the people of Israel. He continues the analogy of a forest that has been cut down, but he points out a stump of a tree. He says in Isaiah 11:1, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” That tree stump is Jesse, David’s father. And that green shoot is the royal line of King David, from whom the Messiah will descend. In Acts 13:23 the apostle Paul identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this promise of the fruitful branch from the stump of Jesse.
Listen to Isaiah describe the Messiah here in verse 2:
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Those are all “capital S”—references to the Holy Spirit. There is a lot I could say here, but I agree with one author who writes, “The church has never sufficiently confessed the influence of the Holy Spirit exerted upon the work of Christ.”[5]
Isaiah is saying that the ministry of the Messiah will be saturated with the divine power of the Spirit of God. Not only will the Messiah be divinely empowered, but as King He will also one day rule with perfect justice.
Now here in verse 6, Isaiah begins to describe this future millennial kingdom over which the Messiah-King will reign when He returns to earth with us, His redeemed.
One of the glorious aspects of the kingdom is the way the Lord is going to take us back, in some ways, to the pristine conditions of the garden of Eden. An obvious change will be in the animal kingdom. Isaiah writes, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat” (verse 6). Of course, in our experience, a leopard and young goat just do not naturally lie down next to one another, but they will in that future kingdom.
Isaiah continues in verse 6, saying, “The calf and the lion and the fattened calf [shall dwell] together; and a little child shall lead them.” Imagine that! A little child will have a lion as a pet—he’s going to lead that lion around like a dog on a leash.
I must say, I don’t like cats at all and never have, but a lion is one cat I wouldn’t mind having as a pet. My grandson and I have talked about this verse, and we both think it would be pretty amazing.
Now how is this possible? Isaiah tells us in verse 7: “The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” The Lord is going to change the digestive tracts and eating patterns of the animal kingdom. There will be no more carnivorous animals to fear, for they will return to the way they were originally created in Eden. Beloved, in the kingdom, Jesus the King will begin the process of reversing the curse on the earth, the redeemed human race, and the animal kingdom.
And how is this for more changes? Isaiah writes in verse 8: “The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.” Now I don’t like snakes at all—kingdom or no kingdom—but there will be absolutely nothing to fear. Even a little baby will be able to play alongside the deadliest serpent.
Notice what the Lord says about the kingdom age here in verse 9:
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
The millennial kingdom will give us just a taste of what life was like in Eden; creation and mankind will be reconciled as it were, once again.
Isaiah now prophesies about the return of Israel to their promised land:
[God] will raise a signal [a rallying point] for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (verse 12)
Israel will be reunited and joined to their Messiah.
As chapter 11 comes to a close, Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will rally all the exiled Jews in the world to come back to the land God promised them. Note verse 16:
There will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.
And let me tell you, this highway will look like rush hour as the Jewish people repent and receive their Messiah and flood into their promised land.
Listen beloved, God has not forsaken Israel. The church today has not replaced Israel. @end There’s coming a day when God will literally fulfill all His promises to that nation—and to us.
Now in chapter 12 Isaiah writes a song of thanksgiving, and every believer can sing it. In fact, we should be singing it today. The main stanza says this, here in verse 2:
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Beloved, if Jesus is your Messiah and coming King, you can joyfully sing those words today.
Unrolling the Scroll of History
Isaiah 13–23
Edward Gibbon, the author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, once wrote that history is “little more than the register of crimes and misfortunes of mankind.” I would say that is a rather pessimistic view of world history. A little more positive perspective was given by a former American president, James Garfield, who said that history is “the unrolled scroll of prophecy.” In other words, history shows us how God was indeed in charge. History is His story.[6]
Today in our Wisdom Journey, we are going to watch as Isaiah unrolls the scroll of history. He delivers a series of oracles that reveal the judgment of one nation after another.
Chapter 13 opens in verse 1 by saying, “The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.” The Hebrew word for “oracle” refers to a burden you must carry. These prophecies were a burden for Isaiah to bear. The prophet is not just rattling off judgments without any compassion or sorrow.
Let me tell you, beloved, any true preacher—any believer for that matter—who delivers the gospel feels this burden. We are delivering both the hope of the gospel and the warning of God’s coming judgment to those who refuse to follow Him. And that is a heavy burden.
Note what Isaiah says in his oracle to Babylon here in verse 19:
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.
You can go today to where we believe Sodom and Gomorrah were located and see layers of burnt ground. You can pick up little balls of sulfur the size of golf balls lying right there on the surface that God sent down to burn these cities to the ground.[7] Isaiah says that is the future of the defiant empire known as Babylon.
Listen to the arrogance of Babylon’s future king, here in chapter 14 of Isaiah:
“I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly … I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (verses 13-14)
I would say this is a pretty arrogant king—and His fall is going to be great. I believe this defiance describes the pride and rebellion of Satan himself. This highest of the created cherubim, this angel, who tried to overthrow God had a great fall. In spite of that, Satan is still at work in every age. But remember this: Satan is on a leash, and he cannot do anything to you or anybody else unless God permits it.
Chapter 14 closes with an oracle concerning the Philistines. They rejoiced when King Ahaz died, thinking Jerusalem was finished forever. But Isaiah unrolls the scroll to reveal that Jerusalem will one day stand, but the Philistines are going to fall to the Assyrians—which they did in 711 BC.
And let me just say, beloved, you have never met a Philistine today. That nation is gone. There is no Philistine ambassador at the United Nations. But there is an ambassador from Israel, whose capital city is Jerusalem.
Now in chapters 15 and 16, God’s judgment is turned on the people of Moab. The Moabites were bitter enemies of Israel. Isaiah unrolls the scroll a little farther and tells us here in chapter 16 that Moab will be crushed by the Assyrians.
Chapter 17 presents an oracle against Damascus, the capital of Syria. Israel had chosen the help of Syria over asking God for help, and Isaiah effectively says, “That was a big mistake!” Here in verse 1, Isaiah prophesies, “Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.”
The next nation mentioned in this scroll of history is Cush. The Cushites lived in modern-day portions of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia. They allied with Israel, and Isaiah prophesies here in chapter 18 and verse 7, they will bring an offering of thanksgiving to God, for destroying the Assyrian Empire.[8]
In chapter 19 we have an oracle “concerning Egypt.” The first fifteen verses describe the judgment coming upon Egypt. This particular oracle unrolls the scroll of history all the way to the second coming of Christ.
Amazingly, we are told that there will be a host of believers coming from the kingdoms of Egypt and Assyria who are going to worship the coming Messiah-King of Israel. This is a reference to the millennial kingdom, and listen to what Isaiah says here in verse 24:
In that day Israel will be the third [nation] with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
These are surprising converts! Beloved, don’t count anybody out. That person you think will never bend the knee to God just might become a wonderful testimony of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. There is no such thing as a hopeless case.
Now in chapter 20 God instructs Isaiah to walk around Israel barefoot and without an outer garment—essentially naked, in that day—and to do that for three years. You might think God has asked you to do some difficult things and then later you realized what He had in mind. Well, that is what happened to Isaiah, as God explains here in verses 3-4:
“As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years . . . so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles . . . naked and barefoot.”
Now in chapter 21, Isaiah delivers “the oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea” (verse 1). This refers to southern Babylon near the Persian Gulf. Verse 2 tells us the Elamites and the Medes will attack Babylon like a whirlwind, and Babylon will fall. We will see that victory described in Daniel 5, where we also learn those nations are joined by the Persians.
As Isaiah further unrolls the scroll of history here in chapter 21, we have an oracle concerning Edom, or Seir. Edom is given the promise that the Assyrian oppression is not going to last very long.[9]
Following that we have an oracle about Arabia. Isaiah prophesies the Arabians are not going to last more than a year before being overrun by the Assyrians.
Chapter 22 then begins “the oracle concerning the valley of vision.” This is a rare name for Jerusalem. The city is going to be judged right along with the pagan nations, including the Phoenicians, described in chapter 23. It must have been humiliating for Jerusalem to be judged along with those sinful nations. But God will keep His word and judge His people for their defiance. He will take them into a painful and difficult valley they will never forget.
But understand that this is a valley that becomes a place of vision. In the valley of despair, the people of Israel will recognize that God alone rules the world. Isaiah says this about their restored vision of God: “In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 17:7).
Maybe you are going through a valley of some kind right now. That valley might be painful and even confusing. But it can become a place where you get a fresh vision of God’s faithfulness and God’s promises in His Word so that you are not looking to anyone else for help but to your Maker, your Lord.
You see, valleys are not necessarily wrong turns that take you away from God’s plan. Valleys are on the map; they are God’s designated places where you learn more about Him and you learn to lean on Him like never before.
Valleys are places in life where you realize the scroll of your history, your story, is written by the hand of God, who loves you and promises to lead you as your Good Shepherd.
The Revelation of the Future Kingdom
Isaiah 24–27
Today’s Wisdom Journey brings us to chapter 24 in the book of Isaiah. These next few chapters have been called the “Little Apocalypse.” The word apocalypse is a Greek term that means disclosure, or revelation, particularly of future events. In fact, that is why the book of Revelation is called the Apocalypse. It describes the future judgments of the tribulation, as well as the kingdom blessings that follow.
The shift here in Isaiah from the nations surrounding Judah to the whole world is evident. The message for Judah in Isaiah’s day is to put their trust in the Lord, not other nations, which will all experience God’s judgment—if not soon, certainly in the end-times tribulation described here.
Isaiah’s message begins in chapter 24, verse 1: “Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.” Now I doubt there is a seismometer that can measure an earthquake so powerful that it twists the face of the whole earth, but that’s powerful language for the trouble that is coming.
Listen to this description:
The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word . . . The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt. (verses 3, 5-6)
And so, to the end of the chapter, the judgment of God is described. Thankfully, it is not all gloom and doom. In fact, we are given here a vision of a great choir singing:
They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord . . . give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. (verses 14-16)
The “Righteous One” here is our Messiah and King, the Lord Jesus.
Who are the people singing in this choir? Well, they are among those who have come to faith in Christ during the tribulation period—a great multitude of Jews and Gentiles, many of whom have responded to the gospel preaching described in Revelation 7.[10] The book of Revelation gives us many details of the world-wide spiritual awakening that will bring people from every tribe, tongue, and nation to faith in Jesus Christ.
Now in chapter 25, we are given a description of the millennial kingdom, the one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth promised by the prophets. The redeemed of all time are singing God’s praise during Christ’s earthly reign.[11] Their words present reasons for every believer in every age to sing the Lord’s praise.
The first reason is the faithfulness of the Lord, as we see in the opening words of the song:
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners’ palace is a city no more.(verses 1-2)
In other words, the Lord has kept His promise, and the city of Babylon, representing Satan’s consolidated power during the tribulation—as well as his wicked agenda throughout the ages—is now crushed. It will never be built again.
The second reason to sing is the fruitfulness of the kingdom. Verse 6 describes the festival and feasting here:
On this mountain [Jerusalem] the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
This is a reference to the overflowing blessings of Christ’s kingdom. Nobody will go hungry or unsatisfied again. Jesus promised, “Many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). I am looking forward to having a meal with Abraham—I would like to know what it was like to become a father at the age of 100, or what Isaac felt when he got on top of that altar, willing to die.
Well, a third reason to sing is the fulfillment of certain promises during the kingdom era. We read in verse 8:
He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away.
Listen, beloved, this is your future. No matter how hard, no matter how disappointing, no matter how many setbacks and valleys you have been through, no matter how many tears you have shed, you are heading toward a time when life is characterized as a banquet with Jesus. And we are assured that death is not invited. There will be no more farewells.
I love the fact that those in the kingdom are saying here in verse 9, “We have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him.” I love that: “We have been waiting for Him; we have been longing for this glorious life, and finally, it’s here.”
Isaiah 26 continues the description of our joy in the kingdom. “That day” in verse 1 indicates Isaiah is still speaking of the thousand-year reign of Christ. He says, “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah.”
The song describes two cities. One is the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the coming kingdom. Regarding that city, verse 2 says the Lord will “open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.” Being righteous means being “right with God,” and being right with God means you are right with the Son of God, the Lord Jesus—you have claimed Him as your Messiah.
And by the way, if you don’t want anything to do with Jesus now, you would be unhappy in this city, because Jesus is the King, and we will be celebrating our salvation.
Isaiah adds that those who know the Lord have perfect peace. He writes, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (verse 3). Imagine perfect peace. We can get only a little taste of it here and now; it is hard to keep our minds on Christ with all the distractions within and without. But in the kingdom, we will be glorified, having been given immortal bodies. With no more sin nature and no more distractions around us, we will finally experience unhindered, continual, perfect peace of mind and heart.
Chapter 27 continues the millennial picture, but here Isaiah focuses on the restoration of believing Israel.
Verse 1 informs us that “in that day the Lord … will punish Leviathan,” which here is used as a name for Satan. That old dragon, Satan, has sought ever since the garden of Eden to destroy God’s plan of salvation through Israel. He has done everything he could to stamp out the Messiah, but he has failed.
Israel is now described as a restored nation—a “pleasant vineyard” (verse 2). The Lord is the vineyard’s “keeper,” who will “water it” (verse 3). “Israel shall blossom and . . . fill the whole earth with fruit” (verse 6).
Isaiah writes in verse 13: “In that day . . those who were driven out [the Jewish people] . . . will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.” The people of Israel will receive their special place in Jerusalem. On “that day”—a reference to the kingdom age—the promises of God to Israel will finally and fully be realized.
Do you know what that means for you and me today? You cannot redo yesterday, and you must not worry about tomorrow. But you can and should live today in light of that coming day when you will literally reign with Christ in His coming kingdom.
Faith Is Living without Scheming
Isaiah 28–31
In my study—at home, I have a little commentary on Isaiah written by Warren Wiersbe. He summarized these chapters we are about to open today with this principle: “Faith is living without scheming.”[12] I would add that faith is waiting on God’s plans to come to completion.
Now as Isaiah 28 opens, the Assyrian army is threatening the people of God. Rather than repent of their rebellion and trust God, however, the southern nation of Judah starts scheming. They are looking to an alliance with Egypt for their protection. I think Moses and Jacob and Joseph would roll over in their graves, so to speak, to know that Israel is relying on Egypt.
Isaiah provides for us some of the background that led to their sinful decisions. The prophet focuses first on the northern kingdom of Israel, or Ephraim, here in verse 1:
Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
Simply put, “The Northern Kingdom was throwing away the blessings of God like a drunkard throws his money away for another drink.”[13]
Isaiah says the same thing to the southern kingdom of Judah in verse 7:
These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine.
In other words, the people of God have turned to Egypt for help while giving themselves over to alcohol to soothe their conscience and silence their conviction.
But it gets worse! They start making fun of Isaiah’s preaching with these words in verses 9-10:
“To whom will he [Isaiah] teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned . . . from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
They are mocking Isaiah as if he is repeating over and over the same things, like someone teaching a toddler. They are saying his teaching is not sophisticated enough. He is too elementary. Isaiah isn’t up with the times!
People are still saying that today, beloved, about those who believe the truth of God’s Word.
But in spite of their rebellion, the Lord offers the people His amazing grace:
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation.” (verse 16)
Isaiah compares this unstable alliance with Egypt to the rock-solid foundation and refuge God provides. The New Testament will identify this “cornerstone” as the Messiah, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:6).
Now the Lord knows the cornerstone, the Messiah, will be rejected, so Isaiah gives this prophecy:
With a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people [the nation of Israel],to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary . . . yet they would not hear.” (verses 11-12)
Jesus promised, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He was quoting Isaiah’s prophecy. But the nation refused Jesus, and this brings us back to Isaiah’s prophecy here in chapter 28, that God will give the nation a sign that they have rejected the true Messiah.
This sign of tongues, or foreign languages unknown by the speaker, will arrive 700 years later on the day of Pentecost when the Lord’s disciples begin delivering the gospel supernaturally in other languages (Acts 2:1-13).
The apostle Paul will clarify that this miracle is primarily for Israel. He writes in 1 Corinthians 14:22, “Tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers.” There is a lot of confusion today, beloved, about speaking in tongues. People want to experience something unusual, but they overlook the fact that tongues were given as a temporary sign to the unbelieving nation of Israel.
Now in chapter 29, Isaiah speaks to his people’s spiritual bankruptcy. He says in verse 1, “Add year to year; let the feasts run their round.” In other words, “You perform your religious ceremonies year after year, but they flow out of an empty heart.” And to this day, the religious ceremonies of our world look impressive, but they are empty.
Isaiah then prophesies a future deliverance for Israel here:
The multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust . . . and in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the Lord.(verses 5-6).
He goes on to write that in the “flame of a devouring fire” Israel’s enemies will be destroyed.
This description fits the great battle of Armageddon, when Christ returns at the end of the tribulation to defeat the Antichrist. He will destroy all the enemy nations that have come against Israel before He establishes His millennial kingdom on earth.
Now with that, chapter 30 opens with the Lord confronting a rebellious spirit here in verse 1:
“Ah, stubborn children . . . who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin.”
Then, in verse 6, Isaiah describes a caravan of camels heading for Egypt, loaded down with money and treasures to pay the Egyptians to help them against the Assyrians. The Lord warns them that they are throwing their money away and in verse 9 calls Judah “a rebellious people … children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord.”
There is nothing more frustrating to parents than children who will not listen. So much time—especially for all the mothers—is spent repeating yourself to your children, training them, warning them. But, of course, as a faithful parent, you will keep at it.
Isaiah describes the Lord’s faithful commitment to His children in verse 20:
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.
Here is a reference to seeing—one day—their returning Messiah.
Chapter 31 serves as a summary of the previous chapters, beginning in verse 1:
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!
Isaiah says, “Don’t put your trust in the biggest weapons or the fastest horses. Don’t scheme and manipulate instead of trusting the Lord.”
Then God gives this promise through Isaiah:
The Lord of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem. (verses 4-5)
God is pictured here as a hovering bird flying high in the sky where He can see everything down below. He is not going to miss anything—He knows what is happening.
Here is the mighty King Sennacherib and his great Assyrian army encamped against little Jerusalem. There is no way the city’s inhabitants are going to get out of this alive. But then one night, the angel of the Lord sweeps over this army and literally takes the breath out of 185,000 soldiers. In the morning, these men do not wake up. And Sennacherib retreats home in shame, where he is soon assassinated by his own sons (2 Kings 19).
God’s people were scheming to save their lives rather than trusting the amazing power and plan of God. How about you today? What are you trusting in? Your health report from the doctor? Your bank account? Your retirement plan? Your family tree? All your business contacts? Do you think everything is under control?
Oh, let’s learn from the mistakes of the ancient kingdom of Judah. Let’s follow the wisdom of God through Isaiah, who writes in Isaiah 30:15, “In quietness and in trust shall be your strength,” and in verse 18, “Blessed are all those who wait for him.”
Timeless Reminders of God’s Faithfulness
Isaiah 32–39
In this portion of our Wisdom Journey, we are going to sail through Isaiah chapters 32 to 39.
Isaiah has been building a case against the nation of Judah for pursuing an alliance with Egypt, rather than trusting in the Lord. For Judah, trusting Egypt is like your child getting scared and running next door to ask the neighbors for protection. Not only does your child not trust you, but what do you think this says to your neighbors? Well, just imagine what the Egyptians must be thinking about the God of Israel.
Isaiah is stepping forward here to warn Judah of their disobedience and lack of faith. But woven into the warnings from Isaiah are some gracious promises of God’s love and mercy.
As chapter 32 opens, we are prophetically taken into the kingdom age of the Messiah. Isaiah writes in verse 1, “Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.” This king is King Jesus, the Messiah, although Isaiah does not know His name yet.
Now Isaiah turns on the poetry to describe the Lord’s future reign. The prophet describes the Lord’s government in His coming kingdom here in verse 2:
[It] will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
There has never been a government on earth that can match this wonderful description.
Now with that, Isaiah addresses the rebellious men of his day through their wives. He speaks to these wives who are benefiting from the luxuries provided by their spiritually rebellious husbands. They might have two chariots in the garage and somebody to cut their lawn, but Isaiah has a warning for them:
You women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech. In little more than a year you will shudder. (verses 9-10)
The coming judgment of God means that “these aristocratic women in Jerusalem [along with their husbands] will soon have to give up not only their luxuries and but their necessities.”[14]
Now in chapter 33 we have a prophecy that is connected to events we have already covered in our Wisdom Journey, back in 2 Kings 18–19. Judah’s King Hezekiah has given Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, treasure from the temple to keep him from attacking Jerusalem. Sennacherib of course takes this protection money, but then he decides to come against Jerusalem anyway.
But Isaiah delivers a prophecy here in chapter 33 that spells the doom of Assyria. He writes these words of judgment in verse 1:
Ah, you destroyer . . . When you have ceased to destroy, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betraying, they will betray you.
In verse 2, Isaiah reveals that there are some in Judah who are trusting the Lord—they are remaining faithful to the Lord and waiting on Him. They say to the Lord here, “O Lord, be gracious to us: we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.”
That’s a wonderful prayer of faith and a worthy example for us. In fact, you might be praying that same prayer today: “Lord, I’m waiting. I need your arm of strength this morning, but I’m trusting You in Your good time to get me out of trouble.”
Here is little Jerusalem, with not much strength in the arms of its inhabitants. There are thousands upon thousands of Assyrian troops surrounding them. And then when all seems lost, and it appears it is too late for even God to do something, we read here in verse 10: “‘Now I will arise,’ says the Lord, ‘now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.’” The Lord is saying, “Your waiting is now over.”
And we know from Isaiah 27 as well as 2 Kings 19, that when the people of Jerusalem woke up the next day, 185,000 enemy soldiers had been killed by the Angel of the Lord the night before. There is no explanation and no visible sign of that angel, just 185,000 Assyrian soldiers who did not wake up the next morning—their lives taken in judgment. The people of Judah break out into celebration.
In chapter 34 Isaiah turns on the fire and brimstone as he preaches about the coming wrath of God against those nations that oppose His covenant people. He writes here in verse 2:
For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host; he has devoted them to destruction, has given them over for slaughter.
He speaks specifically of the nation of Edom in verses 13-14:
Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches. And wild animals shall meet with hyenas.
This doesn’t sound like a neighborhood where anybody would want to buy a house and live.
Following that description of judgment, Isaiah 35 swings back to hope and blessing. It opens with a new creation being “glad” and rejoicing. Why? Because, as verse 2 tells us, “They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.”
In verses 5-6 Isaiah adds:
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
And down in verse 10, we read, “Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
This has not happened yet. We still live in a world with plenty of deaf and lame and blind people and plenty of sorrow and sighing. But during the ministry of Jesus, He proved that He has the power to establish this kind of kingdom where no one is blind or lame or deaf—and one day He will!
Then in chapters 36–39, Isaiah records events from King Hezekiah’s reign. In fact, these chapters are nearly identical to 2 Kings 18–20. We will not repeat all this for the sake of space, as we take our Wisdom Journey through the Bible in three years.
But I do want to point out one verse here in chapter 37, where King Hezekiah receives a threatening letter from the Assyrian king. King Sennacherib basically tells Hezekiah that he doesn’t have a prayer—he doesn’t stand a chance against his army.
I love verse 14:
Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it out before the Lord.
It’s as if the king is saying, “Lord, You have to see this. I’m going to spread it out—I’m going to unroll this scroll. Lord, I need You to read this letter. I can’t handle this impossible situation on my own. My back is against the wall; I need You to give me courage and wisdom.”
Maybe there is something in your life right now that you need to spread out before the Lord. You need to say, “Lord, I can’t handle this on my own. I want You to take a look at this desperate situation I am in. I need courage and wisdom for today.”
Then pray this prayer with Hezekiah:
O Lord of hosts . . . you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear [to me], O Lord, and hear.” (verses 16-17)
Well, God heard Hezekiah—and God hears you. He will rise up and exalt Himself at just the right time; and along the way, He will give you courage and wisdom for one day at a time.
The Greatness of God on Display
Isaiah 40–48
Jewish rabbis through the centuries have called Isaiah 40–66 “The Book of Consolation.” I would agree. In fact, this section contains some of the most encouraging passages in all the book of Isaiah. And there is one primary reason for that, beloved: we are going to see in these chapters the greatness of God on display.
Beginning here in chapter 40, Isaiah reveals the greatness of God in His compassion:
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned. (verses 1-2)
The immediate application of this prophecy is the return of the Jewish people to their land following their exile; but there’s also a future application to the coming Messiah, whose sacrifice will pardon His people forever.
Isaiah gives his readers a sign here in verse 3, and it might sound familiar to you: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” All four New Testament Gospels will quote this verse in relation to John the Baptist, who prepares the way for Jesus, the Messiah.[15]
Can God’s compassion last 700 plus years—from this prophecy to the arrival of John the Baptist? Isn’t God going to grow weary of Israel? No, Isaiah says in verse 28, “The Lord . . . does not faint or grow weary.”
In fact, His promises enable you and me to walk with Him today. How? Isaiah tells us here in the following verses:
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength . . . they who wait for the Lordshall renew their strength. (verses 29, 31)
This Hebrew verb for “renew” means “exchange.” We are going to exchange our weakness for God’s strength. And when we do that, watch what happens in verse 31: “They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Four times in verses 28 to 31 the word faint is used. Neither God nor those who wait upon the Lord will faint or grow weary. Now you might get weary as you walk with God, but you will not grow weary of your walk with God.
In Isaiah 41 we see the greatness of God in His sovereign control. God will judge these unbelieving nations through one He raises up. In chapters 44 and 45, Isaiah actually names this man who is going to be the agent of God’s judgment—Cyrus, king of Persia.[16]
Now understand that Cyrus has not even been born yet. It will be about 160 years before Cyrus crushes the Babylonian Empire and brings an end to Judah’s captivity. So, this is a stunning prophecy that reveals the precision of God’s control. He knows exactly—by name—who is going to set His people free.
In chapters 42 and 43, we are shown the greatness of God in His condescension. Here we have the first of four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah. Isaiah is giving Israel a description of their coming Messiah.
For instance, Isaiah tells us in chapter 42 that the Servant/Messiah will bring forth justice (verse 1); He will bring the light of God’s revelation to the nations (verse 6); and He will open the eyes of the blind (verse 7).
He is also our God and Savior. In Isaiah 43:11, God says, “I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.” God condescended, or lowered Himself—God the Son became a man, a Servant—in order to save us.
Chapters 44 and 45 of Isaiah reveal the greatness of God in creation.
God has His hands all over the future. In fact, He has been involved in your past, and mine—all the way back to when your life began at conception. Isaiah 44:2 reads, “Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb.” Similarly, verse 24 says, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb.”
Let me say that when a woman is carrying a child, that baby does not really belong to her. Ultimately, that newly formed life belongs to—owes his or her very existence to—God, the Creator.
Now on a much larger scale, here in chapter 45 God says, “I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host” (verse 12).
Have you ever noticed how the Bible speaks of the universe and then focuses on the earth, even though the earth is a small part of the universe? Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens [the universe] and the earth.” Why this focus on the earth? Well, because the earth is unique. It is the focus of God’s creation and redemption. Isaiah says even more here in verse 18:
For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens . . . who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!).
Don’t miss that. God uniquely formed the earth different from the rest of the universe. He made it to be inhabited. Beloved, that should settle all the theories—and all the fear—of alien races out there invading the earth and using us for science experiments. The record of creation—had it been believed—could have saved us billions of dollars spent searching for another planet where humanity can go and live. God has clearly told us the universe is empty, literally uninhabitable. But the earth was uniquely, custom made to sustain life.
And listen, that gives your life purpose. There is a God out there who created you, loves you, and made a way for you to live with Him forever.
Now in chapters 46 and 47, we are shown the greatness of God in His conquest.
Isaiah predicts the downfall of Babylon and her false gods. We read in the opening verses, “Bel bows down; Nebo stoops ... [they] themselves go into captivity” (verses 1-2). These gods are supposed to be the great and powerful Babylonian gods, but they will be unable to save Babylon from Cyrus and the Persians.
Then in chapter 48 Isaiah describes the greatness of God in His care. He will not forget His people. In fact, Isaiah stresses the fact that God knows the names of Jacob and Israel.
And let me tell you, God knows your name as well. Again, in Isaiah 43:1, the Lord says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Several years ago, I was in India preaching in a number of states. One evening I was put up in a beautiful hotel—frankly, the most opulent hotel I have ever been in. The contrast to the poverty outside was something I have never forgotten. I walked into this ornate, marbled lobby; and while my host took care of the details, I noticed a beautiful room off to the side with white carpet. I walked over and looked inside. A man dressed in white clothing, wearing a white turban came over and greeted me. He said in perfect English, “Sir, if you will come in, I will tell you your future.” I said to him, “You can tell me my future?” He smiled and said, “Absolutely.”
I told him I was not interested, but he pressed me to come inside. Then the thought occurred to me, and I looked at him and said, “I will allow you to tell me my future, if you can first tell me my name.” He grinned and said, “I can’t do that.” I said, “How do you know what my future is if you do not even know my name?” He looked down and remained silent.
I said something to the effect that I follow a God who not only knows my future but also knows my name. Beloved, He knows yours as well.
Let us praise Him and walk with Him today.
Surprising Descriptions of Jesus the Messiah
Isaiah 49:1–52:12
Someone once said, “The world is full of people who want to serve in an advisory capacity.”[17]
That’s true, isn’t it? We have far too many celebrities and not enough servants.
Well, beginning here in Isaiah 49, the prophet reveals how the Messiah becomes a Servant. He is going to humble Himself in such a way that the terminal disease of sin can be given an antidote—a cure that will last forever.
This chapter begins the second of four Servant Songs here in the book of Isaiah. These are songs that describe the life and ministry of the Messiah. This song begins in verse 1: “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar.” This message is not just for Israel; it is for every nation that needs to hear the gospel.
The Messiah speaks here in verse 2, saying, “He [God] made my mouth like a sharp sword . . . he made me a polished arrow.” In other words, his message is a matter of life and death, and it never misses the bull’s-eye of our heart.
The Servant is addressed here in verse 3 as “Israel.” We understand that He will come from a Jewish lineage; but more than that, the Messiah will be the “embodiment of what the nation [of Israel] failed to be, that is, the one ‘in whom [God] will be glorified.’”[18]
In verse 4 we have one of the most personal moments ever recorded between the Messiah Jesus and God the Father. Frankly, we are not used to hearing how Jesus felt while serving here on earth. But remember, while Jesus is fully God, He is also fully man. He was touched with the same feelings we have (Hebrews 4:15), yet unlike us, He never allowed His feelings to draw Him into sin.
But in verse 4 Isaiah reveals how He felt at times, as he quotes the Messiah saying, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing.” As a man, Jesus had moments when He struggled over the rejection of His earthly ministry. His hometown folks tried to push Him off a cliff after He preached His first sermon there (Luke 4:28-29)! I have preached sermons some people did not like, but they didn’t try to push me off a cliff afterward!
The Lord’s half-brothers and sisters did not believe His claims, and at one point they came to take Him away, thinking He had lost His mind (Mark 3:21). Maybe your family thinks you are out of your mind for following the Lord.
Now you might think none of this hurt the Lord’s feelings at all, that He just sailed through it. My friend, you would be absolutely wrong. Listen, let’s not try to protect the Lord’s deity to the point of diminishing His humanity.
Can you imagine how encouraging it was for Jesus to hear at His baptism, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Well, He also heard this from His Father, who is speaking here in Isaiah 49:6: “I will make you [Jesus] as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
In chapter 50, we have the third Servant Song, and four times here the Servant-Messiah refers to God the Father as “Lord God”—Adonai Yahweh—which means, “Sovereign Lord.” And that is because this song features the submission of the Messiah to the will of His Father.
Now I have had people over the years tell me that Jesus cannot be deity because He obeyed God the Father; after all, didn’t Jesus talk about doing the will of His Father? Well, Philippians 2:6 tells us that Jesus is equal with God the Father, yet He did not grasp, or cling, to that equality. In other words, when He entered this world, He temporarily set aside His divine right to live like God in order to become subordinate to the Father in His role as the God-man. So, Jesus was equal in essence with His Father but subordinate in function, just like your children are equally human, but subordinate to you—or at least you hope they are at bedtime. Equal in essence; subordinate in function.
Another aspect of Jesus’ humanity here is that He’s going to learn the Word of God. He speaks here in verse 4:
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
If you have ever wondered what Jesus was doing during those thirty years before He began His ministry, it was not just working as a carpenter—He was studying and learning the Word of God. As one author has said, “If [Jesus] needed to study the Word of God, what about you? What about me?”[19]
We are also told of the Lord’s willingness to suffer. Listen to the amazing precision of this prophecy in verse 6:
I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
Does that sound familiar? That is exactly what happened to Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 26:67. (see also Luke 22:63).
But note this: Jesus depended on His relationship with His Father to make it through, just as we must do today. The Lord says that here in verse 7:
The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
All of chapter 51 and the first twelve verses of chapter 52 form another section of Isaiah’s prophecy. Here the focus is on the Jewish people who will suffer defeat and exile in Babylon.
In this section, the prophet is urging them to remember where they came from. He writes this:
“Listen to me . . . you who seek the Lord; look to the rock from which you were hewn . . . Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.”(Isaiah 51:1-2)
The point is clear: what the Lord began with Abraham, He is going to finish. By the way, this is the same promise given to you and me today in the book of Philippians: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
God is not finished with you, until He takes you home.
I read some time ago about Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist whose many achievements included the development of vaccines for several diseases. During his day, thousands of people died from rabies. So, Pasteur worked diligently to find a cure. At one point he was so convinced he had successfully formulated the vaccine for rabies that he was going to experiment on himself. But before he could, a young boy in his region, Joseph Meister, was bitten by a rabid dog, and his mother pleaded with Pasteur to try out his vaccine on her son. It was his only chance for survival.
Over a number of days, Pasteur gave injections to young Joseph, and the boy survived. He was completely cured of rabies. Many years later, as Louis Pasteur was preparing for his own death, he was asked what epitaph he would want carved on his tombstone. Keep in mind that Louis Pasteur had accumulated a lifetime of accomplishments and been given numerous awards. But Louis Pasteur thought for a moment or two and then responded that he wanted only three words carved into his headstone. Those three words were, “Joseph Meister Lived.”
This, to an infinitely greater degree, is the legacy of our wonderful, humble, sacrificial Servant-Messiah whose work has cured us from the disease of sin. Because of Jesus Christ, we live—in fact, we will live forever.
The Gospel of Christ in Isaiah
Isaiah 52:13–53:12
On this journey through Isaiah, we arrive at chapters 52 and 53 and what one author called the Mount Everest of messianic prophecy.[20]
This is actually a lengthy poem, and we are going to let this song do most of the talking. It is going to predict in a very moving way some of what the Messiah will experience as He suffers for our salvation.
Beloved, this is sacred ground; this is a description, not only of what the Messiah experienced, but also of what He felt as He suffered and died.
Here in verses 14-15, we read:
His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations.
This describes the result of the beatings He receives before being crucified. It starts with the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin, pummeling Him with their fists and mocking Him, saying, “Tell us who hit you.” It continues with the scourging He suffers from the Roman soldiers. That scourging was called by historians the “half-death” because the whipping left the victim half-dead. Jesus’ beatings literally disfigured His appearance, as Isaiah prophesies, beyond human recognition.
Yet did you notice Isaiah saying here that He shall “sprinkle many nations”? You can translate that Hebrew verb one of two ways. It can mean “to startle,” and this would refer to the appearance of Jesus so marred that no one would ever consider Him a candidate for Israel’s Messiah-King. But you can also translate the verb, as it is here in my English Standard Version, “to sprinkle.” This would be a reference to the priestly function of sprinkling sacrificial blood on the altar for the cleansing of sin (Leviticus 17).[21] His blood was splattered, so to speak, for our cleansing.
Verse 15 says, “Kings shall shut their mouths because of him.” When they understand the meaning of His death, they will be dumbfounded—speechless.
Now in chapter 53, Isaiah puts a question in the mouths of those who have heard the gospel concerning the Messiah. They ask here in verse 1, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” While the mighty power of God was revealed in Jesus, not many in Israel believed in Him. Isaiah prophesies that few in Israel will come to that cross and believe in Christ. Why not? Well, verses 2-3 explain:
He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
That is, nobody looked up to Him. There was nothing special about Jesus physically that caused people to think, He must be God in the flesh! Not even close. He had no beauty that we should envy Him or promote Him.
Don’t miss this: While He remained in glory prior to His incarnation, God the Son had the divine ability to literally choose what kind of man he would look like.
Now if we had that ability, we would probably arrange the DNA so that we were quite good looking. Ladies, you would stop traffic you would be so beautiful; and men, you would be handsome supermen. But we are told here that God the Son arranged to look like an unimpressive form or physique—quite literally, He chose to be an unattractive man.
His humility is quite amazing!
Why did He go through with this humility in becoming one of us? Isaiah tells us here in verses 4-5:
Surely he has borne our griefsand carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted.But he was pierced for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his wounds we are healed.
And by the way, to make sure there is no thought that anyone might have peace and spiritual healing apart from this suffering Messiah, Isaiah records these words in verse 6:
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Here, in the strongest terms possible, the Messiah’s prophesied death is described as substitutionary. He will give His life for each of us. Because of His grace and mercy, the piercing, crushing, chastisement that should be ours will be placed upon Him. The only way you can have peace with God and forgiveness for your sins is to trust in His work alone on your behalf.
To try to add your own efforts to His work is nothing less than an insult. That would be like picking up a paintbrush and walking over to the Mona Lisa and telling Leonardo da Vinci to step aside while you improve on his masterpiece.
Christ refused to defend Himself—to save Himself—choosing rather to die for you and me. In doing so, He fulfilled this prophecy of Isaiah to the letter—verse 7:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
We read here in verse 10, “It was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief.” The death of Jesus was not an accident—it was not misguided. It was the will of the Father that His Son voluntarily lay down His life for us.
Verse 10 goes on to speak of Christ’s vindication: “He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days.” His offspring are all who have placed their faith in this Lamb of God. The Old Testament believer looked forward to the cross. We in the New Testament era look back to the cross, knowing we are forgiven freely because Jesus paid it all.
Heaven is free to you today, my friend, because Jesus made the payment for your sin and mine. Isaiah writes here in verse 12:
He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many.
The wonderful truth here is not just that Jesus died; as one author said, “That is simply a fact of history.”[22] That is like saying Abraham Lincoln died. Listen, the glory of the gospel is personal—Jesus died for our sins. He died for you and me.
Beloved, our Lord Jesus was punished in our place. When He hung on the cross, just before dying, He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That’s one word in the Greek New Testament, tetelestai, which means, “paid in full.”
If you were sent to jail in the first century for stealing, the jailer would write your crime on a parchment—“stealing”—along with the length of your sentence. At the end of six months or so, after you finished serving your sentence, the jailer would write across that same parchment one word: tetelestai. He would hand you the parchment so you would have it to show as proof that you had paid in full for your crime.
This is the word Jesus cried out as He died: “Paid in full.” Jesus paid in full for your crimes and mine—for every sinful deed and every evil thought. You and I can be offered forgiveness and taken to heaven one day, free of charge, because Jesus paid it all.
Let me ask you this: Have you placed your trust in Him and what He did for you? Have you admitted you are a sinner and need Him to save you? You can do that right now—wherever you are. Accept Him now, and make Him your Lord and Savior.
Prophecies about the Amazing Grace of God
Isaiah 54–59
On our last Wisdom Journey here in Isaiah’s great prophecy, we came face to face with the suffering Messiah who was pierced for our transgressions, who was crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5).
Now, in chapters 54 through 59, the focus is on the theme of grace. Isaiah continues to invite the rebellious people of Israel to accept God’s grace and put their faith in the Messiah, who would suffer and die so they—like every one of us today who trust Him—could be forgiven.
As chapter 54 opens, Isaiah shows us what we will call grace illustrated. In the opening verses, he refers to Israel as a barren woman. They had been charged by God to represent Him to the nations, but they had rebelled and ended up spiritually barren—they had no spiritual fruit. Here God calls them, on the basis of their repentance, to “break forth into singing and cry aloud!” (verse 1).
But what is there to sing about? Their past might have been barren, but now God promises a very different future. Note verse 3:
“For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.”
This prophecy points ultimately to the millennial reign of the Messiah, His thousand-year kingdom on earth, which will be centered in Jerusalem.
Frankly, I cannot even imagine how Israel has suffered over the centuries because of their unbelief, but look at the future God promises them:
“For a brief moment I deserted you [that is, sent you into exile], but with great compassion I will gather you . . . with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. (verses 7-8)
Then look at their future here in the coming kingdom as God regathers them—verse 13: “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.” And down in verse 17, we read, “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed . . . [your] vindication [is] from me, declares the Lord.” This is the grace of God illustrated in Israel.
Now from Isaiah 55:1 to 56:8, we have grace expanded.
First, notice that grace will be expanded in scope. God’s grace began with the Jewish people, but it expands to the Gentile (non-Jewish) people of the world as well. The apostle Paul restates this truth in Romans 1:16, where he writes that the gospel of Christ came “to the Jew first and also to the Greek [Gentile].”
So, now we have this global invitation of grace in Isaiah 55:1, as God says here through Isaiah, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” And in verse 3 He adds, “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live.”
Let me ask you something: Are you thirsty? Are you thirsting for something that will satisfy your heart and your soul? Listen, the world can offer you only muddy water—polluted, unhealthy water. Only Christ can satisfy you with clean, satisfying water.
Now in chapter 56, all who put their trust in the Lord are promised in verse 5 “an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” The Lord then gives this promise in verse 7:
“I will bring [them] to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer . . . for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
This future celebration includes Gentile believers as well as Jewish believers. This is God’s grace expanded to the whole world.
I believe Paul had Isaiah’s prophecy in mind when he wrote Ephesians 3:6:
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs [that is, heirs of the kingdom promise along with the Jewish people] . . . partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
So, first, grace is expanded in scope. Second, grace is expanded in understanding.
Let me go back to chapter 55 for a moment, where Isaiah is attempting to explain the uniqueness of God’s grace. As one author wrote, “We tend to project our [flawed assumptions] about who God is onto Him instead of [letting] the Bible surprise us [with] what God Himself says.”[23]
The truth is, beloved, the concept of grace is naturally foreign to us—we can hardly begin to understand the grace of God. That’s why we are often determined to earn His love and forgiveness and why we often worry we are not good enough to be accepted by the Lord.
Listen as the Lord straightens our thinking out, here in verse 6-7:
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
Now wait a second; you mean all I have to do is come to the Lord and confess my sin and He will pardon me? You mean the grace of God is free? Forgiveness is free of charge? The answer is YES, though that’s not what we naturally think.
That is why Isaiah goes on to quote God here in verses 8-9:
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
A woman sat in my office not too long ago; and as I explained the gospel to her, this religiously devout woman began to weep. I asked her why she was weeping, and she said with a big smile and tears running down her face, “I can’t believe it’s free.” She bowed her head and trusted the promise of Jesus Christ to save her if she would only ask—and she did.
Grace leaves us nothing to do but praise Him for paying the price, so that we can accept what the apostle Paul described in Romans 6:23: “The free gift of God [which] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This is grace illustrated and grace expanded; now here in chapter 56 we see grace rejected.
Starting with Israel’s prophets and spiritual leaders, Isaiah condemns them all, saying in verse 11, “They are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain.”
Idolatry at every level of society is condemned in chapters 57 and 58. The people are constantly backsliding, and the materialism of the proud and greedy religious leaders is the norm. Justice is nonexistent. It seems that on every street corner and in every house, grace has been rejected.
But thankfully, God’s ways are not our ways. He does not wipe out the human race when He sees His grace being rejected over and over again. Instead, He offers hope.
That hope, Isaiah prophesies, arrives not in some government program or some self-improvement plan. No, hope arrives in a Person. Here is our only hope today, or ever—revealed in Isaiah 59:20: “A Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, declares the Lord.” This is grace confirmed.
Beloved, everything about our past, present, and future depends entirely upon the grace of God. And every Jew and Gentile alike who trusts the Messiah for forgiveness is promised—indeed, guaranteed by the promise of God—a future with their Redeemer forever.
The Final Word on the Future
Isaiah 60–66
We have arrived now at Isaiah chapter 60, and the wonderful future of Israel is spelled out here, beginning in verse 1:
Arise, shine, for your [Israel’s] light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. . . . the Lord will arise upon you . . . And nations shall come to your light. (verses 1-3)
Now this has not happened yet, beloved. If you have checked the news lately, you know the nations of earth are not going to Israel to ask for wise advice; in fact, they have done nothing over the centuries but try to keep Israel from having a voice at all.
But during the millennial kingdom—that thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth following the tribulation—Israel will be restored. Jerusalem, the capital of Christ’s kingdom, will be a glorious city of light.
Imagine this kind of peace in the Middle East during the kingdom age that Isaiah prophesies in verse 18:
Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.
The opening verses of chapter 61 focus on the earthly ministry of the Messiah:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (verses 1-2)
This is the text Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth, as recorded in Luke 4. After reading it, Jesus said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). In other words, “Your Messiah just showed up.” How clear can it be?
But the people of Israel were expecting the Messiah to be a conquering king. They expected Him to overthrow Rome; they certainly did not expect Him to die on a Roman cross. So, the nation eventually refused Him—and to this day they are unwilling to follow a suffering Messiah who died for their sin.
But that was not the end of the Messiah. The rest of Isaiah 61:2 tells us that the Lord will come back one day “to proclaim . . . the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus did not read that portion of verse 2, however, because that will not happen until Jesus comes back again. Jesus did not arrive the first time to conquer but to be crucified; He did not come the first time to deliver judgment but to invite people to believe in Him as the sacrifice, once for all, for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
Now in chapter 62 the Messiah reassures Israel with these words:
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. (verse 1)
In verse 4 He adds, “You shall no more be [called] Forsaken, and your land shall no more be [called] Desolate.” That hasn’t happened yet either, but it will happen when the Lord restores Israel in their land, never to be forsaken again.
Isaiah 63 begins to describe the vengeance of God’s judgment on earth. The Lord is described in verse 6 as coming from the battle of Armageddon, at the end of the tribulation, when He defeats the armies that have gathered to destroy Israel under the direction of the Antichrist. The Lord says, “I trampled down the peoples in my anger . . . I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
Beloved, there are a lot of people today who think Jesus is some kind of fragile, rather spineless, powerless man who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Well, according to Isaiah, the Messiah will return one day to deliver holy judgment against all who defy Him.
Many people are passionate about being politically correct—they say they don’t want to be “on the wrong side of history.” Well, let me tell you, my friend, you don’t want to be on the wrong side of God! Surrender now to Jesus Christ—the coming King—and get on the right side of God!
The reality of this coming judgment moves Isaiah to record a prayer on Israel’s behalf in chapter 64. He asks God to graciously act on behalf of His people, and in verse 9 he says, “Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever.” This request for salvation is tied to a confession of sin and trust in the Lord.
And so it is for you today. God invites you to confess your sin and trust in Christ as your Savior and Lord.
God’s concern is not for Israel alone, however. Notice His words here in Isaiah 65:1:
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.
Here the Lord invites to Himself not only the nation of Israel but every other nation—every other person on the planet.
The first half of Isaiah 65 informs us that because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, their dispersion and suffering will continue right into the seven-year tribulation period.
Now let me clarify an important point here—namely, the purpose of the tribulation. I have heard Christians say it is designed to purify the church—to get the church cleaned up and ready for heaven. Well, let me tell you, through Christ, the church is already purified. The idea that the church has to be purified before being taken into the kingdom is horrible theology. It’s salvation by works. You might as well believe in purgatory—and there is not a verse in Scripture about that either.
The church has not been promised the wrath of God but rather deliverance from the wrath of God—the hour of tribulation that is coming on the whole world (Revelation 3:10). The blessed hope of the church is not the appearance of the Antichrist but the appearance of the true Christ (Titus 2:13), as He comes to rapture His church and keep her from God’s wrath during this tribulation period. Let me put it this way: the purpose of the tribulation is not to get the church ready to meet the Lord but to get Israel ready to meet the Lord, their returning Messiah.
Here in Isaiah 65:17, the prophet says God will create “new heavens and a new earth.” This refers to what takes place at the end of the millennial kingdom when God creates everything new, just as He promised, as the eternal state begins.
But most of what follows here in chapter 65 describes the millennial kingdom immediately following the tribulation. You could describe this coming kingdom as a return to the garden of Eden. God is going to change this old earth, including the animal kingdom. We have already talked about this. A child will be able to have a lion as a pet—won’t that be something?
Chapter 66 continues the description of the millennium and especially the sudden change of heart in the people of Israel. Isaiah writes in verse 8:
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?”
This sudden reviving of Israel is the work of God’s Spirit as they welcome their Messiah at His return.
For those who believe, the Lord promises here in verse 12 that one day they will have “peace . . . like a river.” And in verse 13, He says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.”
Let me ask you, are you listening to Isaiah? Are you ready to meet the Lord? Here is the invitation: Trust Jesus Christ with your life; receive His gift of forgiveness, and follow Him now. If you do that, you will be able to worship Him one day in that kingdom, where peace will flow like a river and the comfort of God will never end.
And with that we conclude the book of Isaiah—this Mount Everest of prophetic Scripture.
End Notes
[1] J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book (Zondervan, 1987), 3:217.
[2] John Phillips, Exploring Revelation (Loizeaux Brothers, 1991), 18.
[3] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1992), 37.
[4] Paul P. Enns, Shepherd’s Notes: Manners and Customs of Bible Times (B&H, 1999), 31.
[5] Abraham Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit (Funk & Wagnalls, 1900), 97.
[6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1996), 42.
[7]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQl4KaRtef8
[8] John A. Martin, “Isaiah” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Victor Books, 1985), 1065.
[9] Wiersbe, 54.
[10] Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, eds., The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary (Harvest House, 2006), 134.
[11] Ibid., 135.
[12] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1996), 80.
[13] John A. Martin, “Isaiah” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Victor Books, 1985), 1077.
[14] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1992), 83.
[15] Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23.
[16] In chapter 41 this “one,” Cyrus, is said in verse 2 to be “from the east” and in verse 25 “from the north.” From Israel’s standpoint Persia was far to the east but Cyrus’s conquests extended to the north of Israel. He is identified by name in Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1.
[17] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1992), 121.
[18]The ESV Study Bible (Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1330.
[19] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume III (Thomas Nelson, 1982), 305.
[20] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted (Victor Books, 1996), 131.
[21]Thomas Constable, Notes on Isaiah, 2016 edition (Sonic Light, 2016), 254, planobiblechapel.org.
[22] Wiersbe, 141.
[23] Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers (Crossway, 2020), 155.