Psalm 150 (continued, part 12)
That is why the prophet told them to get their eyes off themselves and look by faith to the great God who loved them and promised to do great things for them. "Be not afraid!" he admonished them. "Behold your God!" (40:9).
Isaiah 40—41
Babylon and the release of the captive Jews (52:7–9). The good news today is the defeat of sin and Satan by Jesus Christ and the salvation of all who will trust in Him (61:1–3; Luke 4:18–19). God's arm is a mighty arm for winning the battle (Isa. 40:10), but it is also a loving arm for carrying His weary lambs (v. 11). "We are coming home!" would certainly be good news to the devastated cities of Judah (1:7; 36:1; 37:26).
weakness for His power (2 Cor. 12:1–10). As we wait before Him, God enables us to soar when there is a crisis, to run when the challenges are many, and to walk faithfully in the day-by-day demands of life. It is much harder to walk in the ordinary pressures of life than to fly like the eagle in a time of crisis.
"I can plod," said William Carey, the father of modern missions. "That is my only genius. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything."
The circumstances before us (vv. 12–26). The Jews were few in number, only a remnant, and facing a long and difficult journey. The victories of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia made it look as though the false gods of the Gentiles were stronger than the God of Israel, but Isaiah reminded the people of the greatness of Jehovah. When you behold the greatness of God, then you will see everything else in life in its proper perspective.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. The greatest heroes of faith are not always those who seem to be soaring; often it is they who are patiently plodding. As we wait on the Lord, He enables us not only to fly higher and run faster, but also to walk longer. Blessed are the plodders, for they eventually arrive at their destination!
God Is Greater than Our Fears (41:1—44:28) In this section of the book, the Lord seven times says, "Fear not!" to His people (41:10, 13, 14: 43:1, 5: 44:2, 8), and He says "Fear not!" to us today. As the Jewish remnant faced the challenge of the long journey home and the difficult task of rebuilding, they could think of many causes for fear. But there was one big reason not to be afraid: The Lord was with them and would give them success.
God is greater than anything on earth (vv. 12–20) or anything in heaven (vv. 21–26). Creation shows His wisdom, power, and immensity. He is greater than the nations and their gods. He founded the earth and sits on the throne of heaven, and nothing is equal to our God, let alone greater than our God. The next time you are tempted to think that the world is bigger than God, remember the "drop of a bucket" (v. 15) and the "grasshoppers" (v. 22; see Num. 13:33). And if you ever feel so small that you wonder if God really cares about you personally, remember that He knows the name of every star (Isa. 40:26) and your name as well! (See John 10:3, 27.) The same God who numbers and names the stars can heal your broken heart (Ps. 147:3–4). Someone has defined "circumstances" as "those nasty things you see when you get your eyes off of God." If you look at God through your circumstances, He will seem small and very far away, but if by faith you look at your circumstances through God, He will draw very near and reveal His greatness to you.
God seeks to calm their fears by assuring them that He is going before them and working on their behalf. The Lord explains a wonderful truth: He has three servants in His employ who will accomplish His will: Cyrus, king of Persia (41:1–7); the nation of Israel (vv. 8–29; 43:1–44:27); and the Messiah (42:1–25). God's servant Cyrus (41:1–7). God convenes the court and asks the nations to present their case against Him, if they can. At least seventeen times in his prophecy, Isaiah writes about "the islands" (kjv) or "the coastlands" (niv), referring to the most distant places from the holy land (11:11; 24:15; 41:1, 5; 42:4, 10, 12). "Produce your cause," He challenges these nations (41:21); "present your case" (niv).
The circumstances within us (vv. 27–31). Instead of praising the Lord, the nation was complaining to Him that He acted as though He did not know their situation or have any concern for their problems (v. 27; 49:14). Instead of seeing the open door, the Jews saw only the long road before them, and they complained that they did not have strength for the journey. God was asking them to do the impossible.
God is not afraid of the nations because He is greater than the nations (40:12–17); He controls their rise and fall. He announced that He would raise up a ruler named Cyrus, who would do His righteous work on earth by defeating other nations for the sake of His people Israel. Cyrus would be a shepherd (44:28) anointed by God (45:1), a ravenous bird that could not be stopped (46:11). "He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay" (41:25 niv).
But God knows how we feel and how we fear, and He is adequate to meet our every need. We can never obey God in our own strength, but we can always trust Him to provide the strength we need (Phil. 4:13). If we trust ourselves, we will faint and fall, but if we wait on the Lord by faith, we will receive strength for the journey. The word wait does not suggest that we sit around and do nothing. It means "to hope," to look to God for all that we need (Isa. 26:3; 30:15). This involves meditating on His character and His promises, praying, and seeking to glorify Him.
Isaiah called Cyrus by name over a century before he was born (590?–529), and while Isaiah nowhere calls Cyrus "God's servant," Cyrus did serve the Lord by fulfilling God's purposes on earth. God handed the nations over to Cyrus and helped him conquer great kings (45:1–4). The enemy was blown away like chaff and dust because the eternal God was leading the army.
The word renew means "to exchange," as taking off old clothing and putting on new. We exchange our
As Cyrus moved across the territory east and north of the Holy Land (41:25), the nations were afraid and
Isaiah 41
predictions come true? What have they predicted about the future? Did they announce that Cyrus would appear on the scene or that Jerusalem would be restored? "No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you," taunted the Lord (v. 26 niv). Not only were the idols unable to make any valid predictions, they were not even able to speak! The judgment of the court was correct: "See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion" (v. 29 niv).
turned to their idols for help. With keen satire, Isaiah described various workmen helping each other manufacture a god who cannot help them! After all, when the God of heaven is in charge of the conquest, how can men or gods oppose Him?
Cyrus may have thought that he was accomplishing his own plans, but actually he was doing the pleasure of the Lord (44:28). By defeating Babylon, Cyrus made it possible for the Jewish captives to be released and allowed to return to their land to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple (Ezra 1:1–4). "I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways; he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives" (Isa. 45:13).
The theme of "Israel God's Servant" is continued in Isaiah 43—44 with an emphasis on God the Redeemer of Israel (43:1–7). (Note also v. 14; 44:6, 22–24.) The word translated "redeem" or "Redeemer" is the Hebrew word for "a kinsman redeemer," a near relative who could free family members and their property from bondage by paying their debts for them. (See Lev. 25:23–28 and the book of Ruth.) God gave Egypt, Ethiopia (Cush), and Seba to Cyrus as a ransom payment to redeem Israel from Babylon, because Israel was so precious to Him. And He gave His own Son as a ransom for lost sinners (Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:6).
Sometimes we forget that God can use even unconverted world leaders for the good of His people and the progress of His work. He raised up Pharaoh in Egypt that He might demonstrate His power (Rom. 9:17), and He even used wicked Herod and cowardly Pontius Pilate to accomplish His plan in the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 4:24–28). "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes" (Prov. 21:1 nkjv).
Israel is God's servant in the world and also God's witness to the world (Isa. 43:8–13). This is another courtroom scene where God challenges the idols. "Let them bring in their witnesses!" says the Judge, but of course the idols are helpless and speechless. Twice the Lord says to Israel, "You are My witnesses" (vv. 10, 12 nkjv), for it is in the history of Israel that God has revealed Himself to the world. Frederick the Great asked the Marquis D'Argens, "Can you give me one single irrefutable proof of God?" The marquis replied, "Yes, your majesty, the Jews."
God's servant Israel (41:8–29; 43:1—44:28). The prophet presents four pictures to encourage the people. In contrast to the fear experienced by the Gentile nations is the confidence shown by Israel, God's chosen servant (41:8–13), because God was working on their behalf. In spite of their past rebellion, Israel was not cast away by the Lord. The Jewish captives did not need to fear either Cyrus or Babylon, because Cyrus was working for God, and Babylon would be no more. As you read their paragraph, you sense God's love for His people and His desire to encourage them to trust Him for the future.
Along with Israel's new freedom and new witness, Isaiah wrote about Israel's new "exodus" (vv. 14–28). Just as God led His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea (Ex. 12—15), so He will lead them out of Babylon and through the terrible wilderness to their home in the Holy Land. Just as He defeated Pharaoh's army (14:28; 15:4), so He will defeat Israel's enemies and snuff them out "like a wick" (Isa. 43:17 niv).
The title "My servant" is an honorable one; it was given to great leaders like Moses (Num. 12:7), David (2 Sam. 3:18), the prophets (Jer. 7:25), and Messiah (Isa. 42:1). But is there any honor in being called a "worm" (41:14–16)? "Servant" defined what they were by God's grace and calling, but "worm" described what they were in themselves. Imagine a worm getting teeth and threshing mountains into dust like chaff! As the nation marched ahead by faith, every mountain and hill would be made low (40:4), and the Lord would turn mountains into molehills!
When God forgives and restores His people, He wants them to forget the failures of the past, witness for Him in the present, and claim His promises for the future (vv. 18–21). Why should we remember that which God has forgotten? (v. 25) He forgave them, not because they brought Him sacrifices—for they had no altar in Babylon—but purely because of His mercy and grace.
From the pictures of a servant and a worm, Isaiah turned to the picture of a desert becoming a garden (41:17–20). The image reminds us of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness and God's provision for their every need. Water and trees are important possessions in the East, and God will supply both to His people. Certainly Isaiah was also looking beyond the return from Babylon to the future kingdom when "the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose" (35:1).
God chose Israel and redeemed them, but He also formed them for Himself (44:1–20). In this chapter, Isaiah contrasts God's forming of Israel (vv. 1–8) and the Gentiles forming their own gods (vv. 9–20). "I have formed thee" is a special theme in chapters 43—44 (43:1, 7, 21; 44:2, 24). Because God formed them, chose them, and redeemed them, they had nothing to fear. He will pour water on the land and His Spirit on the people (59:21; Ezek. 34:26; Joel 2:28–29; John 7:37–39), and both will prosper to the glory of the
The final picture is that of the courtroom (41:21–29). "Produce your cause!" means "Present your case!" God challenged the idols of the nations to prove that they were really gods. Did any of their
Isaiah 41—48
Jehovah again reveals Himself as the true and living God in contrast to the dumb and dead idols.
Lord. The final fulfillment of this will be in the future kingdom age when Messiah reigns.
The conqueror described (45:1–25). Just as prophets, priests, and kings were anointed for service, so Cyrus was anointed by God to perform his special service for Israel's sake. In this sense, Cyrus was a "messiah," an "anointed one." God called him by name over a century before he was born! Cyrus was the human instrument for the conquest, but it was Jehovah God who gave the victories. Anyone who opposed Cyrus was arguing with God, and that was like the clay commanding the potter or the child ordering his parents (vv. 9–10). God raised up Cyrus to do His specific will (v. 13), and nothing would prevent him from succeeding. Note the emphasis on salvation. The idols cannot save Babylon (v. 20), but God is the Savior of Israel (vv. 15, 17). He is "a just God and a Savior" (v. 21), and He offers salvation to the whole world (v. 22). It was this verse that brought the light of salvation to the great English pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon when he was a youth seeking the Lord.
Isaiah 44:9–20 shows the folly of idolatry and should be compared with Psalm 115. Those who defend idols and worship them are just like them: blind and ignorant and nothing. God made people in His own image, and now they are making gods in their own image! Part of the tree becomes a god, and the rest of the tree becomes fuel for the fire. The worshipper is "feeding on ashes" and deriving no benefit at all from the worship experience.
But God formed Israel (Isa. 44:21, 24), forgave His people their sins (v. 22; see 43:25), and is glorified in them (44:23). He speaks to His people and is faithful to keep His Word (v. 26). May we never take for granted the privilege we have of knowing and worshipping the true and living God!
God's Servant Messiah (chap. 42). Isaiah 42:1–7 is the first of four "Servant Songs" in Isaiah, referring to God's Servant, the Messiah. The others are 49:1–6; 50:1–11; and 52:13—53:12. Contrast "Behold, they [the idols] are all vanity" (41:29) with "Behold my servant" (42:1). Matthew 12:14–21 applies these words to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. He could have destroyed His enemies (the reed and flax), but He was patient and merciful. The Father delights in His Son (Matt. 3:17; 17:5).
The false gods disgraced (46:1–13). Bel was the Babylonian sun god, and Nebo was his son, the god of writing and learning. But both of them together could not stop Cyrus! As the Babylonians fled from the enemy, they had to carry their gods, but their gods went into captivity with the prisoners of war! God assures His people that He will carry them from the womb to the tomb. Verse 4 is the basis for a stanza of the familiar song "How Firm a Foundation" that is usually omitted from our hymnals:
It is through the ministry of the Servant that God will accomplish His great plan of salvation for this world. God chose Him, God upheld Him, and God enabled Him to succeed in His mission. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, one day there will be a glorious kingdom, and God will "bring justice to the nations" (Isa. 42:1 niv). Jesus Christ is "the light of the world" (John 8:12), and that includes the Gentiles (Isa. 42:6; Acts 13:47–48; Luke 1:79). Isaiah 42:7 refers to the nation's deliverance from Babylon (29:18; 32:3; 35:5) as well as to the sinner's deliverance from condemnation (61:1–3; Luke 4:18–19).
E'en down to old age, all My people shall prove, My sovereign, eternal unchangeable love, And then when grey hairs shall their temples
adorn, Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
—RICHARD KEEN
The closing section (Isa. 42:10–25) describes a singing nation (vv. 10–12), giving praise to the Lord, and a silent God who breaks that silence to become a shouting conqueror (vv. 13–17). God is longsuffering toward sinners, but when He begins to work, He wastes no time! The "servant" in verses 18–25 is the people of Israel, blind to their own sins and deaf to God's voice (6:9–10); yet the Lord graciously forgave them and led them out of bondage. Now God says to the Babylonians, "Send them back!" (42:22 niv).
How comforting it is to know that our God cares for us before we are born (Ps. 139:13–16), when we get old, and each moment in between!
The city destroyed (47:1–15). Babylon, the proud queen, is now a humbled slave. "I will continue forever—the eternal queen!" she boasted (v. 7 niv). But in a moment, the judgment for her sins caught up with her; and she became a widow. Neither her idols nor her occult practices (vv. 12–14) were able to warn her or prepare her for her destruction. But God knew that Babylon would fall, because He planned it ages ago! He called Cyrus, who swooped down on Babylon like a bird of prey. Babylon showed no mercy to the Jews, and God judged them accordingly.
How sad it is when God disciplines us and we do not understand what He is doing or take it to heart (v. 25). Israel's captivity in Babylon cured the nation of their idolatry, but it did not create within them a desire to please God and glorify Him.
The Jewish remnant delivered (48:1–22). The Jews had become comfortable and complacent in their captivity and did not want to leave. They had followed the counsel of Jeremiah (Jer. 29:4–7) and had houses, gardens, and families, but they had become so attached to those things that it would not
God Is Greater than Our Enemies (45:1—48:22) These chapters deal with the overthrow of Babylon, and one of the major themes is, "I am the Lord, and there is none else" (45:5–6, 14, 18, 21–22; 46:9).
Isaiah 48—49
God's Servant have to address the Gentile nations with such authority? From before His birth, He was called by God to His ministry (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15), and God prepared Him like a sharp sword and a polished arrow (Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16). Messiah came as both a Servant and a Warrior, serving those who trust Him and ultimately judging those who resist Him.
be easy for them to pack up and go to the Holy Land. Nevertheless, the Holy Land was where they belonged and where God had a work for them to do. God told them that they were hypocritical in using His name and identifying with His city but not obeying His will (Isa. 48:1–2). They were stubborn (v. 4) and were not excited about the new things God was doing for them.
All of God's servants should be like prepared weapons. "It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus," wrote Robert Murray McCheyne. "A holy minister [servant] is an awful weapon in the hand of God."
Had they obeyed the Lord in the first place, they would have experienced peace and not war (vv. 18–19), but it was not too late. He had put them into the furnace to refine them and prepare them for their future work (v. 10). "Go forth from Babylon; flee from the Chaldeans!" was God's command (v. 20; see Jer. 50:8; 51:6; 45; Rev. 18:4). God would go before them and prepare the way, and they had nothing to fear.
The Jewish nation was called to glorify God and be a light to the Gentiles, but they failed in their mission. This is why Messiah is called "Israel" in Isaiah 49:3: He did the work that Israel was supposed to do. Today, the church is God's light in the dark world (Acts 13:46–49; Matt. 5:14–16), and like Israel, we seem to be failing in our mission to take the good news to the ends of the earth. We cannot do the job very effectively when only five percent of the average local church budget is devoted to evangelism!
One would think that the Jews would have been eager to leave their "prison" and return to their land to see God do new and great things for them. But they had grown accustomed to the security of bondage and had forgotten the challenges of freedom. The church today can easily grow complacent with its comfort and affluence. God may have to put us into the furnace to remind us that we are here to be servants and not consumers or spectators.
As Jesus Christ ministered on earth, especially to His own people Israel, there were times when His work seemed in vain (Isa. 49:4). The religious leaders opposed Him, the disciples did not always understand Him, and those He helped did not always thank Him. He lived and labored by faith, and God gave Him success.
CHAPTER TEN Isaiah 49:1—52:12 THIS IS GOD'S SERVANT A
Our Lord could not minister to the Gentiles until first He ministered to the Jews (vv. 5–6). Read carefully Matthew 10:5–6; 15:24; Luke 24:44–49; Acts 3:25–26; 13:46–47; and Romans 1:16. When our Lord returned to heaven, He left behind a believing remnant of Jews who carried on His work. We must never forget that "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). The Bible is a Jewish book, the first believers and missionaries were Jews, and the Gentiles would not have heard the gospel had it not been brought to them by Jews. Messiah was despised by both Jews and Gentiles (Isa. 49:7), but He did God's work and was glorified (Phil. 2:1–11).
B.God's grace—49—57 (the Son, God's Servant)
plaque in a friend's office reads, "The world is full of people who want to serve in an advisory capacity." But Jesus Christ did not come with good advice: He came with good news, the good news that sinners can be forgiven and life can become excitingly new. The gospel is good news to us, but it was "bad news" to the Son of God; for it meant that He would need to come to earth in human form and die on a cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Liberty to the captives (49:8–13). Not only is God's Servant the "new Israel," but He is also the "new Moses" in setting His people free. Jesus Christ is God's covenant (42:6), so we can be sure that God will keep His promises. Moses led the nation out of bondage in Egypt, and God will lead His people out of captivity in Babylon. Joshua led the people into their land so they could claim their inheritance, and God will bring them back to their land "to reassign its desolate inheritances" (49:8 niv).
These chapters present God's Servant, Messiah, in three important relationships: to the Gentile nations (49:1—50:3), to His Father (50:4–11), and to His people Israel (51:1—52:12).
The Servant and the Gentiles (49:1—50:3) The Servant addresses the nations that did not know Israel's God. The Gentiles were "far off," and only God's Servant could bring them near (Eph. 2:11–22). Christ confirmed God's promises to the Jews and also extended God's grace to the Gentiles (Rom. 15:8–12). In this message, God's Servant explains His ministry as bringing light in the darkness (Isa. 49:1–7), liberty to the captive (vv. 8–13), and love and hope to the discouraged (49:14—50:3).
How does this apply to the Gentiles? If God had not restored the people, the city, and the temple, He could not have fulfilled His promises concerning the Messiah. Had there been no Bethlehem, where would He have been born? Had there been no Nazareth, where would He have grown up? Had there been no Jerusalem and no temple, where would He have
Light in the darkness (49:1–7). What right did
Isaiah 49—50
tificate of divorce" declared that the former marriage was broken and that the woman was free to remarry. But it also prevented the woman from returning to her former husband. God had indeed "divorced" the northern kingdom and allowed it to be assimilated by the Assyrians (Jer. 3:8), so she could not return. But He had not "divorced" the southern kingdom; He had only permitted His unfaithful wife to suffer chastening at the hands of Babylon. He would forgive her and receive her back again.
taught, suffered, and died? And He did this for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews.
Verses 10–12 look beyond the deliverance from Babylon in 536 BC toward the future glorious kingdom. The Lord will call the Jewish people from the ends of the earth and gather them again in their land (Isa. 14:1–3l; 35:6; 40:11; 43:19).
Love and hope to the discouraged (49:14—50:3). "The Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones" (49:13 niv). So sing the people of God as they contemplate their future deliverance, but the people of the captivity and those left in "the desolate inheritances" are not so happy. Instead of singing, they are complaining: "The Lord has forsaken me. And my Lord has forgotten me" (v. 14 nkjv).
The second picture in this paragraph is that of a poor family selling their children into servitude (2 Kings 4:1–7; Neh. 5:1–5). God had not sold His people; by their sins, they had sold themselves. God had called to them many times and tried to turn them back from their wicked ways, but they had refused to listen. Judah did not go into exile because of God's weakness, but because of their own sinfulness.
The Lord assures them of His love by comparing Himself to a compassionate mother (vv. 14–23), a courageous warrior (vv. 24–26), and a constant lover (50:1–3).
How could the people say they were forgotten and forsaken, when the Lord is a compassionate mother, a courageous warrior, and a constant lover? He is faithful to His Word even when we are unfaithful (2 Tim. 2:11–13). He is faithful to chasten when we rebel (Heb. 12:1–11), but He is also faithful to forgive when we repent and confess (1 John 1:9).
(1) A compassionate mother (49:14–23). The Bible emphasizes the fatherhood of God, but there is also a "motherhood" side to God's nature that we must not forget. God is compassionate and comforts us as a mother comforts her children (66:13). Isaiah pictures Israel as a nursing child, totally dependent on the Lord, who will never forget them or forsake them. The high priest bore the names of the tribes of Israel on his shoulders and over his heart (Ex. 28:6–9), engraved on jewels, but God has engraved His children's names on His hands. The word engraved means "to cut into," signifying its permanence. God can never forget Zion or Zion's children.
The Servant's message to the Gentiles was one of hope and blessing. He would deal with His people so that they, in turn, could bring God's blessing to the Gentiles.
The Servant and the Lord God (50:4–11) In the first two "Servant Songs" (42:1–7; 49:1–7), you find hints of opposition to Messiah's ministry, but in this third song, His suffering is vividly described. When we get to the fourth song (52:12—53:12), we will be told not only how He suffered, but why His suffering is necessary.
Zion seems like a forsaken and barren mother, but she will be so blessed of God that there will be no room for her children! They will be like beautiful bridal ornaments, not decrepit refugees from captivity. Once again, the prophet looked ahead to the end of the age when the Gentiles will honor Jehovah and Israel, and kings and queens will be babysitters for Israel's children!
Note that four times in this passage the Servant uses the name "Lord God." "Jehovah Adonai" can be translated "Sovereign Lord," and you will find this title nowhere else in the "Servant Songs." According to Robert B. Girdlestone, the name "Jehovah Adonai" means that "God is the owner of each member of the human family, and that He consequently claims the unrestricted obedience of all" (Synonyms of the Old Testament, Eerdmans, 1951; 34). So the emphasis here is on the Servant's submission to the Lord God in every area of His life and service.
(2) A courageous warrior (49:24–26). The Babylonians were fierce warriors, but the Lord would snatch Israel from their grasp. In His compassion, He would set the captives free and see to it that Babylon would never afflict them again. The fact that God permitted Babylon to conquer His people did not mean that God was weak or unconcerned. When the right time comes, He will set His people free: "… they shall not be ashamed that wait for me" (v. 23).
His mind was submitted to the Lord God so that He could learn His work and His will (50:4). Everything Jesus said and did was taught to Him by His Father (John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28). He prayed to the Father for guidance (John 11:42; Mark 1:35) and meditated on the Word. What God taught the Servant, the Servant shared with those who needed encouragement and help. The Servant sets a good example here for all who know the importance of a daily "quiet time" with the Lord.
(3) A constant lover (50:1–3). The image of Israel as the wife of Jehovah is found often in the prophets (54:4–5; 62:1–5; Jer. 2:1–3; 3:1–11; Hos. 2; Ezek. 16). Israel was "married" to Jehovah when they accepted the covenant at Sinai (Ex. 19—20), but they violated that covenant by "playing the harlot" and worshipping idols. But God did not forsake His people even though they had been unfaithful to Him
The Mosaic permission for divorce is found in Deuteronomy 24:1–4 (see Matt. 19:1–12). The "cer-
The Servant's will was also yielded to the Lord
Isaiah 50—52
not do for themselves. The "arm of the Lord" is a key concept in Isaiah's prophecies (30:30; 40:10; 51:5, 9; 52:10; 53:1; 59:16; 62:8; 63:5, 12). Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's righteousness and salvation will last forever. That righteousness will be displayed in a special way when Messiah returns and establishes His kingdom on earth.
God. An "opened ear" is one that hears and obeys the voice of the master. The people to whom Isaiah ministered were neither "willing" nor "obedient" (Isa. 1:19), but the Servant did gladly the will of the Lord God. This was not easy, for it meant yielding His body to wicked men who mocked Him, whipped Him, spat on Him, and then nailed Him to a cross (Matt. 26:67; 27:26, 30). The Servant did all of this by faith in the Lord God (Isa. 50:7–11). He was determined to do God's will even if it meant going to a cross (Luke 9:51; John 18:1–11), for He knew that the Lord God would help Him. The Servant was falsely accused, but He knew that God would vindicate Him and eventually put His enemies to shame. Keep in mind that when Jesus Christ was ministering here on earth, He had to live by faith even as we must today. He did not use His divine powers selfishly for Himself but trusted God and depended on the power of the Spirit.
The third admonition (51:7–8) focuses on looking within, where we find either fear or faith. Why should the nation fear men when God is on its side? "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid" (Isa. 12:2 nkjv). "Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread" (8:13 kjv). To have God's law in your heart means to belong to Him and be saved (Jer. 31:31–34; Heb. 10:16). The moth and the worm shall destroy the enemy, but God's salvation will endure. Moths and worms do not do their work conspicuously, but they work efficiently just the same. The seeds of destruction were already in the Babylonian Empire, and the leaders did not know it.
Verses 10–11 are addressed especially to the Jewish remnant, but they have an application to God's people today. His faithful ones were perplexed at what God was doing, but He assured them that their faith would not go unrewarded. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. often said, "Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light." But the unbelieving ones who try to eliminate the darkness by lighting their own fires (i.e., following their own schemes) will end up in sorrow and suffering. In obedience to the Lord, you may find yourself in the darkness, but do not panic, for He will bring you the light you need just at the right time.
"Awake, awake" (51:9—52:6). "Hearken to me" was spoken to admonish the people, but "awake, awake" is for the rousing of the Lord (51:9–16) and of Jerusalem (vv. 17–23; 52:1–6).
The remnant in Babylon prayed as though God were asleep and needed to be awakened (Ps. 7:6; 44:23; 78:65–72). They wanted God to bare His arm as He did when He defeated Pharaoh and redeemed His people from Egyptian bondage. The return from Babylon was looked upon as another "exodus" (Isa. 43:16–17; 49:9–12), with God wholly in charge and the enemy completely defeated.
The Servant and Israel (51:1—52:12) This section contains several admonitions: "hearken to me" (51:1 kjv; also 4, 7); "awake, awake" (vv. 9, 17; 52:1–6); and "depart, depart" (vv. 7–12). Except for 51:9–16, which is a prayer addressed to the Lord, each of these admonitions is from God to His people in Babylon.
God replied to their prayer with words of comfort (51:12–16; see vv. 3, 19). He reminded them again of the frailty of man (see 40:6–8) and the power of God the Creator (51:13). Why should they be afraid of grass when the God of the universe was on their side? Because they are His people, with whom He has deposited His Word, He will release them, protect them, and provide for them. They had an important task to perform and He would enable them to do it.
"Hearken to me" (51:1–8). These three admonitions are addressed to the faithful remnant in Israel, the people described in 50:10. In the first admonition (51:1–3), the Lord told them to look back and remember Abraham and Sarah, the progenitors of the Jewish nation (Gen. 12—25). God called them "alone," but from these two elderly people came a nation as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of the heaven (13:16; 15:5). The remnant leaving Babylon was small and weak, but God was able to increase them into a mighty nation and also turn their ravaged land into a paradise. "Be comforted!" God said to His people. "The best is yet to come!"
In the second "wake-up call," the prophet spoke to the ruined city of Jerusalem (vv. 17–23) and pictured her as a mother in a drunken stupor with no children to help her. In the Bible, judgment is sometimes pictured as the drinking of a cup of wine (29:9; 63:6; Ps. 75:8; Jer. 25:15–16; Rev. 14:10). Jerusalem's children had gone into captivity, but now they would return and give their "mother" new hope and a new beginning. God will take the cup of judgment from the Jews and give it to their enemies. To put your foot on the neck of your enemies was a humiliating declaration of their defeat, but instead of Babylon "walking on" the Jews, the Jews would "walk on" the Babylonians!
In the second command (Isa. 51:4–6), God told them to look ahead and realize that justice would come to the world and they would be vindicated by the Lord. Note the emphasis on the word my: My people, My nation, My justice, My righteousness, My arms, and My salvation. This is the grace of God, doing for His people what they did not deserve and what they could
The third "wake-up call" (Isa. 52:1–6) is also addressed to Jerusalem and is a command not only to wake up but to dress up! It is not enough for her to put off her stupor (51:17–23); she must also put on her
Isaiah 52
tarry. He also cautioned them not to take any of Babylon's uncleanness with them. "Touch no unclean thing" (52:11) would certainly include the whole Babylonian system of idolatry and occult practices that had helped to ruin the Jewish nation (47:11–15). Paul made the application to believers today in 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1.
glorious garments. Babylon the "queen" would fall to the dust in shame (47:1), but Jerusalem would rise up from the dust and be enthroned as a queen! Egypt had enslaved God's people, Assyria had oppressed them, and Babylon had taken them captive, but now that was ended. Of course, the ultimate fulfillment of this promise will occur when the Messiah returns, delivers Jerusalem from her enemies, and establishes Mount Zion as the joy of all the earth (61:4–11).
God had a special word for the priests and Levites who were carrying the vessels of the temple: "Come out from it [Babylon] and be pure" (Isa. 52:11 niv). This is a good command for all of God's servants to obey. If we defile ourselves, we will also defile the work of the Lord. How tragic for a holy ministry to be a source of defilement to God's people!
The city of Jerusalem is called "the Holy City" eight times in Scripture (Neh. 11:1, 18; Isa. 48:2; 52:1; Dan. 9:24; Matt. 4:5; 27:53; Rev. 11:2). It has been "set apart" by God for His exclusive purposes, but when His people refused to obey Him, He ordered it destroyed, first by the Babylonians and then by the Romans.
The prophet added a final word of encouragement: "The Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" (v. 12; see 58:8). This reminds us of Israel's exodus from Egypt when the Lord went before them (Ex. 13:21) and stood between them and the enemy (14:19–20). When God's people obey God's will, they can always count on God's leading and protection.
During the captivity, God's name was blasphemed because the enemy taunted the Jews and asked them why their great God did not deliver them (Ps. 115; 137). Paul quoted Isaiah 52:5 in Romans 2:24. But when the remnant is restored, they will know God's name and seek to honor it.
"Depart, depart" (52:7–12). The defeat of Babylon by Cyrus was certainly good news to the Jews because it meant freedom for the captives (40:9; 41:27). The good news we share today is that Jesus Christ can set the prisoners free (Rom. 10:15). For decades, the remnant had suffered in a foreign country, without an altar or a priesthood, but now they would return to their land, rebuild their temple, and restore their God-given ministry.
Isaiah has prepared the way for the "heart" of God's revelation of the Servant Messiah, the fourth Servant Song (52:13–53:12). We must prepare our hearts, for we are walking on holy ground.
CHAPTER ELEVEN Isaiah 52:13—53:12 CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST T
It has well been said that "good news is for sharing," and that is what happens in Jerusalem. The leaders (watchmen) take up the message and sing together to the glory of God (Isa. 44:23). But they not only hear what God has done; they also see it happening! The wilderness will join the song because the desolate cities and "waste places" will be transformed (51:3). The remnant prayed for God's holy arm to work, and He answered their prayer (v. 9).
hese five matchless stanzas of the fourth Servant poem are the Mount Everest of messianic prophecy." So wrote Old Testament scholar Dr. Kyle M. Yates over fifty years ago, and his words still stand. This passage is at the heart of chapters 49—57, and its message is at the heart of the gospel. Like Mount Everest, Isaiah 53 stands out in beauty and grandeur, but only because it reveals Jesus Christ and takes us to Mount Calvary.
Isaiah liked to use repetition: "Comfort ye, comfort ye" (40:1); "awake, awake" (51:9, 17; 52:1); and now, "depart, depart" (52:11). It seems strange that God would have to urge His people to leave a place of captivity, but some of them had grown accustomed to Babylon and were reluctant to leave. The first group, about fifty thousand people, left Babylon in 539–538 BC when Cyrus issued his decree. They were under the leadership of Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua the high priest (Ezra 1—2). They carried with them "the vessels of the Lord" (Isa. 52:11), the articles that were needed for the service in the temple. A second group of nearly eighteen hundred people led by Ezra left in 458 BC.
The messianic interpretation of Isaiah 53 was held by Jewish rabbis till the twelfth century. After that, Jewish scholars started interpreting the passage as a description of the sufferings of the nation of Israel. But how could Israel die for the sins of Israel (v. 8)? And who declared that Israel was innocent of sin and therefore had suffered unjustly (v. 9)? No, the prophet wrote about an innocent individual, not a guilty nation. He made it crystal clear that this individual died for the sins of the guilty so that the guilty might go free.
The Servant that Isaiah describes is the Messiah, and the New Testament affirms that this ServantMessiah is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God (Matt. 8:17; Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; John 12:38; Acts 8:27–40; 1 Peter 2:21–24). Isaiah 53 is quoted or alluded to in the New Testament more frequently than any other Old Testament chapter. The index of
God commanded them to depart because Babylon was a condemned city (Jer. 50:8ff.; 51:6, 45). He warned them not to linger but to get out quickly while they had the opportunity (Isa. 48:20). They did not have to flee like criminals, but there was no reason to
Isaiah 52—53
body was glorified. He ascended to heaven, where He sat at the right hand of the Father. He has all authority (Matt. 28:18) because all things have been put under His feet (Eph. 1:20–23). There is no one in the universe higher than Jesus. What an astonishment to those who esteemed Him the lowest of the low! (See Phil. 2:1–11.) Startled at the Servant's message (v. 15). The people whose mouths dropped open with astonishment at His humiliation and exaltation will shut their mouths in guilt when they hear His proclamation. Paul interpreted this as the preaching of the gospel to the Gentile nations (Rom. 15:20–21). "That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (3:19).
quotations in the appendix of my Greek New Testament gives at least forty-one different citations, and this may not be all of them.
The fifteen verses that comprise the fourth Servant Song fall into five stanzas of three verses each, and each of these stanzas reveals an important truth about the Servant and what He accomplished for us.
Exaltation: The Shocking Servant (52:13–15) His people did not admire or desire the Servant (52:2–3), and yet when it was all over, He shocked and astonished kings! If we take these verses in their chronological order, we see that people were shocked by His appearance (52:14), His exaltation (v. 13), and His message (v. 15). We have here our Lord's suffering and death, His resurrection and ascension, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel.
Many people have been tortured and killed in an inhumane way, but knowing about their suffering does not touch our conscience, though it may arouse our sympathy. Our Lord's sufferings and death were different, because they involved everybody in the world. The gospel message is not "Christ died," for that is only a fact in history, like "Napoleon died." The gospel message is that "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:1–4, italics mine). You and I are as guilty of Christ's death as Annas, Caiaphas, Herod Antipas, and Pilate.
Startled at the Servant's appearance (v. 14). "They shall see My Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there" (TLB). "So disfigured did He look that He seemed no longer human" (jb). When you consider all that Jesus endured physically between the time of His arrest and His crucifixion, it is no wonder He no longer looked like a man. Not only were His legal rights taken away from Him, including the right to a fair trial, but His human rights were taken from Him, so that He was not even treated like a person, let alone a Jewish citizen.
Now we see why people are astonished when they understand the message of the gospel: This Man whom they condemned has declared that they are condemned unless they turn from sin and trust Him. You cannot rejoice in the good news of salvation until first you face the bad news of condemnation. Jesus did not suffer and die because He was guilty, but because we were guilty. People are astonished at this fact; it shuts their mouths.
When He was questioned before Annas, Jesus was slapped by an officer (John 18:22). At the hearing before Caiaphas, He was spat upon, slapped, and beaten on the head with fists (Matt. 26:67; Mark 14:65; Luke 22:63). Pilate scourged Him (John 19:1; Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15), and his soldiers beat Him (John 19:3). Scourging was so terrible that prisoners were known to die from the ordeal. "I gave my back to the smiters," said God's Servant, "and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting" (Isa. 50:6 kjv). And they were doing this to the very Son of God!
The word translated "sprinkle" in Isaiah 52:15 can be translated "startle," but most likely it refers to the ceremonial cleansing that was an important part of the Mosaic sacrificial system (Lev. 14:1–7, 16; 16:14–15; Num. 8:7). While the sprinkling of blood, water, and oil did not take away sins, it did make the recipient ceremonially clean and accepted before God. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we can tell all the nations that forgiveness and redemption are offered free to all who will receive Him (1 Peter. 1:1–2).
The graphic account of His suffering that is given in some sermons is not found in Scripture, except perhaps in Psalm 22. The gospel writers give us the facts but not the details. Suffice it to say that when the sinners were finished with the Savior, He did not look human, and people were so appalled they turned their faces away. What was done to Jesus should have been done to Barabbas—and to us.
Humiliation: The Sorrowing Servant (53:1–3) Isaiah 53 describes the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (vv. 1–4), His death (vv. 5–8) and burial (v. 9), and His resurrection and exaltation (vv. 10–12). The theme that ties the chapter together is that the innocent Servant died in the place of the guilty. When theologians speak about "the vicarious atonement," that is what they mean. We cannot explain everything about the cross, but this much seems clear: Jesus took the place of guilty sinners and paid the price for their salvation.
Startled at the Servant's exaltation (v. 13). The Servant suffered and died, but He did not remain dead. He was "exalted and extolled, and [made] very high." The phrase "deal prudently" means "to be successful in one's endeavor." What looked to men like a humiliating defeat was in the eyes of God a great victory (Col. 2:15). "I have glorified thee on the earth," He told His Father; "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4).
There is quite a contrast between "the arm of the Lord," which speaks of mighty power, and "a root out of a dry ground," which is an image of humiliation and
Jesus was not only raised from the dead, but His
Isaiah 53
transgressions. We have gone astray, we have turned to our own way. He did not die because of anything He had done, but because of what we had done.
weakness. When God made the universe, He used His fingers (Ps. 8:3), and when He delivered Israel from Egypt, it was by His strong hand (Ex. 13:3). But to save lost sinners, He had to bare His mighty arm! Yet people still refuse to believe this great demonstration of God's power (Rom. 1:16; John 12:37–40).
He was "wounded," which means "pierced through." His hands and feet were pierced by nails (Ps. 22:16; Luke 24:39–40) and His side by a spear (John 19:31–37; Zech. 12:10; Rev. 1:7). He was crucified, which was not a Jewish form of execution (John 12:32–33; 18:31–32). Capital punishment to the Jews meant stoning (Lev. 24:14; Num. 15:35–36). If they wanted to further humiliate the victim, they could publicly expose the corpse (Deut. 21:22–23), a practice that Peter related to the crucifixion (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 1 Peter 2:24). On the cross, Jesus Christ was "bruised," which means "crushed under the weight of a burden." What was the burden? "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6; see v. 12; 1:4). Sin is indeed a burden that grows heavier the longer we resist God (Ps. 38:4). He was "chastised" and given many "stripes," and yet that punishment brought us peace and healing. The only way a lawbreaker can be at peace with the law is to suffer the punishment that the law demands. Jesus kept the law perfectly, yet He suffered the whipping that belonged to us. Because He took our place, we now have peace with God and cannot be condemned by God's law (Rom. 5:1; 8:1). The "healing" in Isaiah 53:5 refers to the forgiveness of sins, not the healing of the body (1 Peter 2:24; Ps. 103:3). Sin is not only like a burden, but it is also like a sickness that only God can cure (Isa. 1:4–6; Jer. 30:12; Nah. 3:19).
The Servant is God, and yet He becomes human and grows up! The Child is born—that is His humanity; the Son is given—that is His deity (Isa. 9:6). In writing about Israel's future, Isaiah has already used the image of a tree: Messiah is the Branch of the Lord (4:2); the remnant is like the stumps of trees chopped down (6:13); the proud nations will be hewn down like trees, but out of David's seemingly dead stump, the "rod of Jesse" will come (10:33—11:1). Because Jesus Christ is God, He is the "root of David," but because He is man, He is the "offspring of David" (Rev. 22:16).
Israel was not a paradise when Jesus was born; politically and spiritually, it was a wilderness of dry ground. He did not come as a great tree but as a "tender plant." He was born in poverty in Bethlehem and grew up in a carpenter's shop in despised Nazareth (John 1:43–46). Because of His words and works, Jesus attracted great crowds, but nothing about His physical appearance made Him different from any other Jewish man. While few people deliberately try to be unattractive, modern society has made a religion out physical beauty. It is good to remember that Jesus succeeded without it.
Once they understood what He demanded of them, how did most people treat the Servant? The way they treated any other slave: They despised Him, put a cheap price on Him (thirty pieces of silver), and "looked the other way when He went by" (Isa. 53:3
Sin is serious. The prophet calls it transgression, which means rebellion against God, daring to cross the line that God has drawn (Isa. 53:5, 8). He also calls it iniquity, which refers to the crookedness of our sinful nature (vv. 5–6). In other words, we are sinners by choice and by nature. Like sheep, we are born with a nature that prompts us to go astray and like sheep we foolishly decide to go our own way. By nature we are born children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) and by choice we become children of disobedience (2:2). Under the law of Moses, the sheep died for the shepherd; but under grace, the Good Shepherd died for the sheep (John 10:1–18).
TLB). They were ashamed of Him because He did not represent the things that were important to them: things like wealth (Luke 16:14), social prestige (14:7–14; 15:12), reputation (18:9–14), being served by others (22:24–27), and pampering yourself (Matt. 16:21–28). He is rejected today for the same reasons.
Expiation: The Smitten Servant (53:4–6) This is the heart of the passage, and it presents the heart of the gospel message: the innocent Servant dying as the sacrifice for sin. This message was at the heart of Israel's religious system—the innocent animal sacrifice dying for the guilty sinner (Lev. 16).
Resignation: The Silent Servant (53:7–9) A servant is not permitted to talk back; he or she must submit to the will of the master or mistress. Jesus Christ was silent before those who accused Him as well as those who afflicted Him. He was silent before Caiaphas (Matt. 26:62–63), the chief priests and elders (27:12), Pilate (27:14; John 19:9) and Herod Antipas (Luke 23:9). He did not speak when the soldiers mocked Him and beat Him (1 Peter 2:21–23). This is what impressed the Ethiopian treasurer as he read this passage in Isaiah (Acts 8:26–40).
Jesus bore our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), but He also identified with the consequences of Adam's sin when He ministered to needy people. Matthew 8:14–17 applies Isaiah 53:4 to our Lord's healing ministry and not to His atoning death. Every blessing we have in the Christian life comes because of the cross, but this verse does not teach that there is "healing in the atonement" and that every believer therefore has the "right" to be healed. The prophecy was fulfilled during our Lord's life, not His death.
The emphasis in verses 4–6 is on the plural pronouns: our griefs and sorrows, our iniquities, our
Isaiah 53:7 speaks of His silence under suffering and verse 8 of His silence when illegally tried and
Isaiah 53
Son suffer, for the Father is not pleased with the death of the wicked, let alone the death of the righteous Son of God. But the Father was pleased that His Son's obedience accomplished the redemption that He had planned from eternity (1 Peter 1:20). "It is finished" (John 19:30).
condemned to death. In today's courts, a person can be found guilty of terrible crimes, but if it can be proved that something in the trial was illegal, the case must be tried again. Everything about His trials was illegal, yet Jesus did not appeal for another trial. "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).
The death of the Servant also satisfied the law of God. The theological term for this is "propitiation" (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2). In pagan religions, the word meant "to offer a sacrifice to placate an angry god," but the Christian meaning is much richer. God is angry at sin because it offends His holiness and violates His holy law. In His holiness, He must judge sinners, but in His love, He desires to forgive them. God cannot ignore sin or compromise with it, for that would be contrary to His own nature and law.
The Servant is compared to a lamb (Isa. 53:7), which is one of the frequent symbols of the Savior in Scripture. A lamb died for each Jewish household at Passover (Ex. 12:1–13), and the Servant died for His people, the nation of Israel (Isa. 53:8). Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29 nkjv), and twenty-eight times in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is referred to as the Lamb.
How did God solve the problem? The Judge took the place of the criminals and met the just demands of His own holy law! "He was numbered with the transgressors" and even prayed for them (Isa. 53:12; Luke 22:37; 23:33–34). The law has been satisfied, and God can now graciously forgive all who receive His Son.
Since Jesus Christ was crucified with criminals as a criminal, it was logical that His dead body would be left unburied, but God had other plans. The burial of Jesus Christ is as much a part of the gospel as is His death (1 Cor. 15:1–5), for the burial is proof that He actually died. The Roman authorities would not have released the body to Joseph and Nicodemus if the victim had not been dead (John 19:38–42; Mark 15:42–47). A wealthy man like Joseph would never carve out a tomb for himself so near to a place of execution, particularly when his home was miles away. He prepared it for Jesus and had the spices and graveclothes ready for the burial. How wonderfully God fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy!
Grace is love that has paid a price, and sinners are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8–10). Justice can only condemn the wicked and justify the righteous (1 Kings 8:32), but grace justifies the ungodly when they trust Jesus Christ! (See Isa. 53:11; Rom. 4:5.) To justify means "to declare righteous." He took our sins that we might receive the gift of His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:17). Justification means God declares believing sinners righteous in Christ and never again keeps a record of their sins. (See Ps. 32:1–2; Rom. 4:1–8.) On the morning of May 29, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. Nobody has yet "conquered" Isaiah 53, for there are always new heights to reach. The important thing is to know personally God's righteous Servant, Jesus Christ, whose conquest of sin is the subject of this chapter. "By his knowledge [i.e., knowing Him personally by faith] shall my righteous servant justify many" (v. 11).
Vindication: The Satisfied Servant (53:10–12) The prophet now explains the cross from God's point of view. Even though Jesus was crucified by the hands of wicked men, His death was determined beforehand by God (Act 2:22–23). Jesus was not a martyr, nor was His death an accident. He was God's sacrifice for the sins of the world.
He did not remain dead! "He shall prolong his days" (Isa. 53:10) means that the Servant was resurrected to live forever. In His resurrection, He triumphed over every enemy and claimed the spoils of victory (Eph. 1:19–23; 4:8). Satan offered Christ a glorious kingdom in return for worship (Matt. 4:8–10), which would have meant bypassing the cross. Jesus was "obedient unto death," and God "highly exalted him" (Phil. 2:8–10).
"Now this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3 niv).
CHAPTER TWELVE Isaiah 54—59 PROMISES AND PUNISHMENTS T
Another part of His "reward" is found in the statement "He shall see his seed [descendants]" (Isa. 53:10). To die childless was a grief and shame to the Jews, but Jesus gave birth to a spiritual family because of His travail on the cross (v. 11). Isaiah's statement about Isaiah's natural family (8:18) is quoted in Hebrews 2:13 and applied to Christ and His spiritual family.
he Servant obediently finished His work on earth, and today He is at work in heaven, interceding for God's people (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34). But what are the consequences of His sacrifice? What difference does it make that He endured all that suffering? To Israel, it means restoration (Isa. 54:1–17); to the Gentile nations, it means an invitation (55:1—56:8);
The Servant's work on the cross brought satisfaction (Isa. 53:11). To begin with, the Servant satisfied the heart of the Father. "I do always those things that please him [the Father]" (John 8:29). The heavenly Father did not find enjoyment in seeing His beloved
Isaiah 53—54
well as the reproach of their "widowhood" in the Babylonian captivity.
and to rebellious sinners, it means an accusation (56:9—59:21), a warning from the Lord that they need to repent.
Another reason for confidence is the steadfast love of the Lord (54:5–6). Jehovah is their Maker and would not destroy the people He created for His glory. He is their Redeemer and cannot sell them into the hands of the enemy. He is their Husband and will not break His covenant promises. As an unfaithful wife, Israel had forsaken her Husband, but He had not permanently abandoned her. He only gave her opportunity to see what it was like to live in a land where people worshipped false gods. God would call her back and woo her to Himself (Hos. 2:14–23), and she would no longer be "a wife deserted" (Isa. 54:6 niv). She felt forsaken (49:14), but God did not give her up.
Restoration for Israel (54:1–17) The image in this chapter is that of Jehovah, the faithful husband, forgiving Israel, the unfaithful wife, and restoring her to the place of blessing. Isaiah has used the marriage image before (50:1–3) and will use it again (62:4). Jeremiah also used it (Jer. 3:8), and it is an important theme in both Hosea (chap. 2) and Ezekiel (chaps. 16 and 23). The nation was "married" to Jehovah at Mount Sinai, but she committed adultery by turning to other gods, and the Lord had to abandon her temporarily. However, the prophets promise that Israel will be restored when Messiah comes and establishes His kingdom.
A third reason for confidence is the dependable promise of God (54:7–10). God had to show His anger at their sin, but now the chastening was over, and they were returning to their land. (On God's anger, see 9:12, 17, and 21.) "With great mercies will I gather thee," He promised. "With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee."
What kind of restoration will it be? For one thing, it is a restoration to joy and therefore an occasion for singing (Isa. 54:1a). Isaiah is certainly the prophet of song; he mentioned songs and singing more than thirty times in his book. The immediate occasion for this joy is the nation's deliverance from captivity, but the ultimate fulfillment is when the Redeemer comes to Zion and the nation is born anew (59:20).
Whenever we rebel against God and refuse to listen to His warning, He must chasten us, and He does it in love (Heb. 12:1–11). Our Father cannot permit His children to sin and get away with it. But the purpose of His chastening is to bring us to repentance and enable us to produce "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" (v. 11). When God "spanks" His erring children, He may hurt them, but He never harms them. It is always for our good and His glory.
It will also be a restoration to fruitfulness when the nation will increase and need more space (54:1b–3). The nation had been diminished because of the Babylonian invasion, but God would help them multiply again. At the end of this age, only a believing remnant will enter into the kingdom, but the Lord will enlarge the nation abundantly. Israel may feel like a barren woman, unable to have children, but she will increase to the glory of God. God will do for her what He did for Sarah and Abraham (49:18–21; 51:1–3). The tents will need to be enlarged, and the desolate cities will be inhabited again!
God kept His promise concerning the flood (Gen. 9:11–17), and He will keep His promises to His people Israel. They can depend on His love, His covenant, and His mercy.
Not only will the captives be set free and the nation restored, but also the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt (Isa. 54:11–17). If the language here seems extravagant, keep in mind that the prophet saw both an immediate fulfillment and an ultimate fulfillment (Rev. 21:18–21). The remnant rebuilt the temple and the city under the leadership of Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest, Ezra the scribe, Nehemiah the wall-builder, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. But the restored Jerusalem was nothing like what Isaiah described here! For that beautiful city, we must wait till the return of the Lord and the establishing of His kingdom. Then every citizen of Jerusalem will know the Lord (Isa. 54:13), and the city will be free from terror and war (v. 14).
Paul quoted Isaiah 54:1 in Galatians 4:27 and applied the spiritual principle to the church: Even as God blessed Sarah and the Jewish remnant with children, so He would bless the church, though she is only a small company in the world. Paul was not equating Israel with the church or suggesting that the Old Testament promises to the Jews are fulfilled in the church. If we claim the Old Testament Jewish prophecies for the church, then we must claim all of them, the judgments as well as the blessings; and most people do not want to do that!
Israel's restoration to her land will also mean confidence (Isa. 54:4–10). Isaiah gave another one of his "fear not" promises (41:10, 13, 14; 43:1, 5: 44:2, 8; 51:7; 54:14) and explained why there was no need for the nation to be afraid. To begin with, their sins were forgiven (v. 4). Why should they fear the future when God had wiped out the sins of the past (43:25; 44:22)? Yes, the people had sinned greatly against their God, but He forgave them, and this meant a new beginning (40:1–5). They could forget the shame of their sins as a young nation, as recorded in Judges and 1 Samuel, as
Our Lord quoted the first part of verse 13 in John 6:45. When you read the context, beginning at verse 34, you see that Jesus was speaking about people coming to the Father. "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me" (v. 37 nkjv) does not mean that the Father forces sinners to be saved. People come to Him because they are "taught of God," and the Spirit draws them through the Word. Personal evangelism won't be
Isaiah 54—56
(49:6) and bring them to faith in the true and living God. While it was important for Israel to seek the Lord and be wholly devoted to Him, it was also important that they share this invitation with the nations.
needed in the New Jerusalem, for all the citizens will know the Lord.
Invitation to the Gentiles (55:1—56:8) The Servant died not only for the sins of Israel (53:8), but also for the sins of the whole world (John 1:29; 1 John 4:14). Isaiah makes it clear throughout his book that the Gentiles are included in God's plan. What Isaiah and the other prophets did not know was that believing Jews and Gentiles would one day be united in Jesus Christ in the church (Eph. 3:1–12).
What is involved in "seeking the Lord"? For one thing, it means admitting that we are sinners and that we have offended the holy God. It means repenting (55:7), changing one's mind about sin, and turning away from sin and to the Lord. We must turn to God in faith and believe His promise that in mercy He will abundantly pardon. Repentance and faith go together: "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21).
God gives a threefold invitation to the Gentiles: come (Isa. 55:1–5), seek (vv. 6–13), and worship (56:1–8).
But no one should delay in doing this! The phrase "while he may be found" suggests that, if we do not take His invitation seriously, the invitation may cease while we are delaying. In the parable of the great supper, God closed the door on those who spurned His invitation (Luke 14:16–24; see Prov. 1:20–33). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
Come (55:1–5). The invitation is extended to "everyone" and not just to the Jews. Anyone who is thirsting for that which really satisfies (John 4:10–14) is welcome to come. As in Isaiah 25:6, the prophet pictures God's blessings in terms of a great feast, where God is the host.
In the East, water is precious, and an abundance of water is a special blessing (41:17; 44:3). Wine, milk, and bread were staples in their diet. The people were living on substitutes that did not nourish them. They needed "the real thing," which only the Lord could give. In Scripture, both water and wine are pictures of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37–39; Eph. 5:18). Jesus is the "bread of life" (John 6:32–35), and His living Word is like milk (1 Peter 2:2). Our Lord probably had Isaiah 55:2 in mind when He said, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life" (John 6:27 nkjv).
It is not a mark of wisdom to try to second-guess God, because His ways and thoughts are far beyond our comprehension (Isa. 55:8–9). We make God after our own image and conclude that He thinks and acts just as we do (Ps. 50:21), and we are wrong! Have you ever tried to explain the grace of God to an unsaved person who thinks that heaven is a "Hall of Fame" for achievers instead of the Father's house for believers? In this world, you work for what you get, and you are suspicious of anything that is free.
How does God go about calling and saving lost sinners? By the power of His Word (Isa. 55:10–11). God's Word is seed (Luke 8:11). Just as the rain and snow are never wasted but accomplish His purposes, so His Word never fails. "The Word of God shall stand forever" (Isa. 40:8). We never know how God will use even a casual word of witness to plant and water the seed in somebody's heart.
People have to work hard to dig wells, care for flocks and herds, plant seed, and tend to their vineyards. But the Lord offered to them free everything they were laboring for. If they listen to His Word, they will be inclined to come; for God draws sinners to Himself through the Word (John 5:24). Note the emphasis on hearing in Isaiah 55:2–3.
Isaiah 55:12–13 describes both the joy of the exiles on their release from captivity and the joy of Israel when they share in that "glorious exodus" in the end of the age and return to their land. When the kingdom is established, all of nature will sing to the Lord (32:13; 35:1–2; 44:23; 52:8–9). Worship (56:1–8). The nation had gone into captivity because she had disobeyed the law of God, particularly the fourth commandment: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8). This commandment was a special "sign" between God and the Jews (31:12–18; Neh. 9:13–14); it was never given to the Gentiles. The Jews were rebuked for the careless way they treated the Sabbath during their wilderness wanderings (Ezek. 20:10–26) and when they lived in the land (Jer. 17:19–27). Even after their return to the Holy Land after the captivity, the Jews continued to violate the Sabbath (Neh. 13:15–22).