Introduction to Isaiah
Courage and Confidence
At a time when empires were rising and falling and his nation was in peril, Isaiah wrote, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 30:15 NKJV). And when a new generation faced the arduous task of rebuilding a ruined nation, it was the words of Isaiah the prophet that gave them courage: “Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (40:31 NKJV).
Isaiah was a man who had God’s light, and he was not afraid to let it shine.
Chastened and Restored
In Isaiah’s book, we shall meet not only this outstanding prophet, but also some mighty kings and rulers; and we shall witness the rise and fall of magnificent kingdoms. We shall see God’s people chastened and then restored. But above all else, we shall see the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Suffering Servant, as He does the will of God and suffers and dies for the sins of the world.
As you study Isaiah and discover God’s prophetic plan for the nations of the world, don’t miss his emphasis on the personal message of God’s forgiveness. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (1:18).
—Warren W. Wiersbe