Isaiah

He saw Jesus’ glory

and spoke about Him

1
 Contents

Copyright © Paul Blackham

Introductory thoughts from Paul Blackham ......................................................5
The right of Paul Blackham to be identified as author of this work has been asserted
by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 All about Book by Book ..............................................................................................7
First published 2011
Introduction to Isaiah ..................................................................................................9
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, Study 1 Human Shame ........................................................................................13
recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher. Study 2 Immanuel’s Glory....................................................................................23

Unless otherwise stated biblical quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, Study 3 World Panorama ....................................................................................41
New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society,
used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Study 4 Glory to the Righteous One ..............................................................55
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
Study 5 The Glory of the Foundation Stone ..............................................67
New Living Translation, Copyright © 1966. Used by permission of Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights Reserved. Study 6 The Glory of the Angel of the LORD ..............................................83
ISBN: 978-1-905975-34-1
Study 7 The Glory of the Servant ....................................................................99
Published by Biblical Frameworks

Reg. Office: 23 Coe Lane, Tarleton, Preston. PR4 6HH

Study 8 The Glory of the Cross ......................................................................115

Cover design, typesetting and production management by Study 9 The Glory of the Gospel ....................................................................129
Verité CM Ltd, Worthing, West Sussex UK +44 (0) 1903 241975
Study 10 The Glory of the New Creation ......................................................143
Illustrations by Richard Thomas

Printed in England Suggested Answers to the Bible Study Questions ......................................157

Biblical Frameworks is registered in England No: 5712581 Appendix 1..................................................................................................................189

Charity No: 1116805.
Appendix 2..................................................................................................................191

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 I. Introductory thoughts from Paul Blackham
The longest chapter in the Bible is all about… the Bible! Psalm 119 is all
about the wonder of the Word of God. Verse 103 shows us the heart of
someone who really loved the Bible. He cries out to the LORD God:
Psalm 119:103 – “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than
honey to my mouth!”
Whether you are reading the Bible alone or in some kind of group with
others, expect to be thrilled by the words of the Living God. This is not
like reading any other book. When we read and study the Bible the
ultimate Author can be present with you, showing you His words and
applying them to you.
Thousands of small groups are starting up all over the world – but what
is it that is going to sustain them? It has to be the Bible.
So often, people don’t quite know what to do with these small groups.
Meeting together, sharing testimonies and experiences or sharing the odd
verse is ultimately too sparse a diet to sustain people’s spiritual needs in
the long run, and really help them to grow.
What is needed is confidence in the Bible, and the ability to go to a book
of the Bible rather than just an isolated verse. Each book of the Bible was
written with a purpose, and it is only as we digest it as a book that we
understand the real message, purpose, direction, storyline and characters.
It’s a lot easier than people often think. You might think, “Oh, I can’t
manage a whole book of the Bible”, but what we’re trying to do in Book
by Book is to break it down and show that it’s easy.
The Bible was written not for specialists, not for academics – it was
written for the regular believers, down the ages.
The world is in desperate need for answers. How can the world live at
peace? How can we live together with justice and truth and compassion?
There are so many religions and so much division and bloodshed: what is
the real and living way that takes us to the Living God who can give us
all a new beginning?
The Statute of Liberty The Bible is the answer of the Living God to all our questions.

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Our desire is that many Christians would experience the joy and C. SOME TIPS ON HOW TO USE BOOK BY BOOK
confidence in the Scriptures that is found throughout Psalm 119 – “How The beauty of Book by Book is that it offers not only great Biblical depth,
sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” but also flexibility of approach to study. Whether you are preparing to lead
a small group, or study alone you will find many options open to you.
II. All about Book by Book And it doesn’t matter if you are a new Christian or more experienced at
leading Bible studies, Book by Book can be adapted to your situation.
A. WHAT IS BOOK BY BOOK? You don’t need to be a specially trained leader.
Book by Book is a Bible study resource with accompanying DVD. It has Group study: preparing
been designed principally for use in small groups, but can also be used for
Select your study (preferably in the order of the book!)
personal study or larger group situations.
Watch the DVD programmes
B. THE STRUCTURE OF BOOK BY BOOK Read the commentary
Use the suggested Bible Questions…
The Study Guide
…or formulate your own questions (the Mind Maps and Key Truths
A Key Truth to focus on the most important truth in that section of are a great guide for question structure).
the Bible Book.
Group study: suggested session structure
A Mind-Map diagram giving an overview of the study.
We recommend you set aside about an hour for each study:
An explanation of the Bible text, divided under suitable headings.
5 minutes – read the relevant section of the Bible
Further Questions to stimulate deeper thought and discussion.
15 minutes – Watch the DVD programme
A week of suggested daily Bible readings to fill out and explore the
30 minutes – work through the Bible Questions (either your own or
themes from the study.
the ones in the guide), allowing time for discussion
A Bible Study with detailed questions, designed to lead the individual 10 minutes – If the study got the group thinking about wider issues
or group deeper into the text. of life today, then consider the Further Questions to stimulate a
A Bible Study answers section at the back of the study guide, for broader discussion
extra help if need be. Taking it further – Suggest that group members look at some of the
Daily Readings to follow up on the theme of the study
The DVD
Given the volume of material you may even choose to take two weeks
Key features provided on each DVD are as follows: per study – using the DVD to generate discussion for one week and the
There is a 15 minute discussion on the DVD linked to each section Bible Questions for the next.
of the Study Guide Bible passage
The on-screen host is Richard Bewes, with co-host Paul Blackham.
A specially invited guest joins them in the Bible discussions.

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Individual study III. An introduction to Isaiah
There is no set way to conduct personal study – here are some ideas:
The whole earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can be no room
Select your study (preferably in the order of the book!) for any of the shame, pride and sin of the human kingdoms or religions.
Read the Bible passage and related commentary. The book of Isaiah shows us how the kingdoms of this world all fall under
Try looking at the Mind-Map diagrams and seeing how the book has the judgment of Immanuel, the Anointed Servant, as He knocks down all
a structure. that stands in His way as His Church goes out to all the peoples of the world.
Take a look at the Key Truths and decide if they are the same Isaiah chapter 53 is quoted in the New Testament more than any other
conclusions you had reached when you read the book. part of the Old Testament. Yet the whole book of Isaiah is referred to and
quoted over and over again by Jesus and His apostles (See Appendix 1 for
Perhaps focus on the week of daily Bible reading to help you to
a comprehensive list of references). When they wanted to display the
explore the rest of the Bible’s teaching on the themes of each
glory of Jesus (His mission and character), then Isaiah was of such great
section of study.
help. Long ago, hundreds of years before the human birth of Jesus of
Work through the Bible Questions. Don’t worry if you get stuck, Nazareth, Isaiah met Jesus and saw His glory. As John says in John 12:41
there is an ‘answers’ section at the back of the guide! – Isaiah “saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him”.1
That is the great theme of Isaiah’s mighty book: the glory of Jesus. Isaiah
challenges the Church and the world of his day (and every age) to turn
away from the shame of the world, the flesh and the devil and turn to the
revolutionary glory of Jesus, the Suffering Servant, Immanuel, the Mighty
God, the Divine King. Though the fallen human world has “no soundness”
yet Jesus is full of righteousness. Even though we are corrupt from head to
toe (Isaiah 1:6), even though all human religion is worthless, even though
the nations are full of idolatry and greed, yet the Living God has formed His
own Church for a righteous eternal destiny through the glorious suffering
work of Jesus. Both Jew and Gentile are joined together in the Church by
the glorious Cross of Jesus, ‘conquering’ the world with His gospel.
The Holy Spirit had opened Isaiah’s eyes to the worthless glory and
shameful corruption of the human condition. Yet, the glory of the
conquering King of Heaven, displayed most in His weakness and

1 “Jesus our Jehovah – In Isaiah 6:5, when Isaiah saw his vision of heaven, with the Lord high and lifted
up, he said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people
of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord (Jehovah) of hosts.” Yet the apostle John,
referring to this same incident, writes that Isaiah saw Christ’s glory, “and he spoke of Him” (Jn. 12:41)…
The simple fact is that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not witness to the true Jehovah of Scripture. They reject
His own witness and the witness of His Word that Christ Himself is Jehovah who came to earth in
human flesh.” (C. H. Spurgeon, sermon entitled Who is Jehovah? Who is Jesus?)

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suffering, stands forever. The nations and the ‘glory’ of this passing age are and he built up the army to over 300,000 well-equipped soldiers with
decaying away, but the glory of Jesus grows on into that new creation advanced military technology (2 Chronicles 26:11-15). However, in his
future when even the lion and the lamb will live peacefully together. pride he tried to offer incense in the temple as if he were an Aaronic
We need to keep Deuteronomy 28 in mind as we read through Isaiah. priest and the LORD inflicted leprosy on him as he was trying to push
The language of the blessings and curses of the Law come up time after through the protesting priests (2 Chronicles 26:16-23). He also failed to
time after time. Yet, Isaiah reminds us that the Law was looking at more get rid of all the places of pagan worship (2 Kings 15:1-7).
than just the land of Canaan. The Law was always looking to that new Uzziah had leprosy for the rest of his life so he had to live apart from
creation future when Christ will renew the whole creation and pour out everyone else (2 Chronicles 26:21), and his son Jotham effectively managed
those blessings on the new heavens and the new earth. the kingdom for him. After Uzziah died, when Jotham was 25 years old, he
This great book of Isaiah begins by telling us how many kings came and became king (2 Chronicles 27:1). Jotham also did what was right before the
went while Isaiah was preaching: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Isaiah LORD but he did not root out the pagan practices in the country. Still there
saw these human kings come and go while he was preaching the gospel of remained centres of pagan worship in the high places and the pagan shrines
Christ the LORD, the Everlasting King, perfect in righteousness and humble from Solomon’s time were allowed to continue. Not until the reign of
in service. Isaiah must have experienced all the hopes, fears and disturbance Josiah were all these evil places totally removed (2 Kings 23). Jotham
that each of these political orders brought, and he was appointed to preach managed to conquer the Ammonites and “grew powerful because he
about the Divine, Righteous King who was and is and always will be. walked steadfastly before the LORD his God” (2 Chronicles 27:6).
However, when his son Ahaz became king, aged 20, he actually promoted
Approximate dates for the kings of Judah pagan worship. He “made idols for worshipping the Baals. He burned
King Reigned from Reigned until sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the
fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations” (2 Chronicles
Uzziah (Azariah) 790 739
28:2-4). So the LORD allowed the king of Israel to inflict heavy casualties
Jotham (as co-regent) 750 739 on Judah (2 Chronicles 28:5-8), although Israel was unable to take
Jotham in sole charge 739 731 Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:5). Ahaz tried to make an alliance with the king of
Ahaz 735 715 Assyria, using the treasure from the temple, and when he met with the
Hezekiah 715 686 king of Assyria in Damascus he saw a pagan altar which he replicated in
the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:10-18).
Isaiah’s preaching work began the year that king Uzziah died (as we learn Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he was
in chapter 6) around 739BC. Throughout more than 50 years Isaiah saw faithful to the LORD God. He did his best to cleanse the temple of pagan
the terrible way that the nation of Judah tried to find security in religion influences (2 Chronicles 29; note also 31:1) and he led the whole of Israel
or political alliances rather than in Christ the LORD. In the first five and Judah in an incredible Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 30). While
chapters Isaiah gives us a general picture of the society he lived in the temple was being consecrated so many animals were sacrificed that
through his 50 years of preaching. the ordinary Levites had to help the Aaronic priests with the preparation
Uzziah was a good king who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. of the animals (2 Chronicles 29:32-35). In 2 Chronicles 31 the people of
He developed agricultural production (2 Chronicles 26:9-10); he defeated Judah started to celebrate all the different festivals, tithes and offerings
the Philistines and built new towns in their place (2 Chronicles 26:6-8); that were originally described in the Law of Moses.

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Though Hezekiah led these wonderful reforms, to what extent were the Study 1 Human Shame: Isaiah 1:1-5:30
hearts of the people reformed as well? We see this concern throughout
the book of Isaiah. These outward ‘means of grace’ are only pleasing to
the LORD if they come from hearts that are full of love and trust towards
KEY TRUTH
Him. The rituals and offerings were only ever pointers towards the Person
Anything that tries to replace Jesus in our lives provokes the
and Work of Jesus Christ the LORD and if He was ignored, if His glory was
anger of the Living God.
forgotten, then the ‘Church activities’ were meaningless.
Hezekiah looked to Christ the LORD for his security so when the armies
of Assyria arrived, with great arrogance and blasphemy, the Angel of the 1. Empty Religion: 1:1-31 4. Woe to those who spurn
LORD (one of the titles of Jesus in the Old Testament) went out and the Holy One of Israel:
defeated the entire Assyrian army overnight (2 Chronicles 32:1-23).2 5:8-30
This is the great theme that Isaiah sets before us in his book. At the
centre of reality is King Jesus in His great glory. He is the Servant King 2. The Day of the LORD: 3. The LORD enters into
2:1-22 judgment: 3:1-5:7
who lays down His life for His people, the conquering Messiah who in His
resurrection redeems the whole creation to be the future home of
righteousness forever and ever. Yet, our hearts and minds so easily put
creatures of empty glory in His place: human power; money; religion and 1. Empty Religion – 1:1-31
self-improvement. Isaiah thunders out against anything that takes the Sin is deeply unnatural. It seems impossible that the creatures of the
place of the glorious LORD Jesus, whether in the Church or in the Living God should turn against Him. All the plants and animals, the stars
societies outside. Jesus is for everybody, whether religious or not, whether and angels, walk in step with His ways day after day, night after night.
Jew or Gentile, whether ‘inside’ or ‘outside’. Yet, the human race has become so corrupt, so unnatural, that we
2 The personal name of ‘Jesus’ occurs only rarely in the Old Testament and normally He is referred to
instinctively turn away from the Living God. By nature we do what is
simply as ‘the LORD’ or through some of the other Messiah-titles like ‘Branch’, ‘Son’, ‘King’, ‘Angel of the evil and will not trust the One who made us. The book of Isaiah will
LORD’ etc. It is important for us to remember that God the Father has always sent God the Son as His expose the corruption, greed and foolish idolatry of all the nations
mediator, in the power of the Spirit. It is very dangerous for us to think that in the Old Testament God
the Father spoke for Himself without His Mediator but that in the New Testament He decided to have a around Israel, but from the beginning and all the way through, the
Son to speak for Him instead! No, God the Son is and always has been the One Mediator between God greatest accusation is against the Church herself for the way she
and humanity. We see that in the creation of the universe itself when the Father created all things
through the Son. We see the same thing all the way through the Hebrew Scriptures as the Christ the behaves towards her LORD.
LORD appears and speaks usually through the prophets. Perhaps the most basic Christian confession is
that Jesus is the LORD. It is a wonderful thing when this ancient Mediator, God the Son, is born as one of Even the Church, the redeemed community that has been set free from
us and pushes aside all the prophets and priests to speak simply and directly to everybody for Himself. that slavery of sin and condemnation, also turns against the LORD God.
In this study guide, like all the other study guides in the Book by Book series, we will sometimes refer to Even that community that was formed to show another way, the way of
Christ the LORD in the Old Testament using His name ‘Jesus’. We do this for two reasons. First, the
Church of the first and second century did this, including the apostles themselves as we see in Jude 5. It Life, often seems almost ignorant of her own LORD and Saviour!
is only in relatively modern times that this practice has declined. Second, we normally refer to God the
Son as ‘Jesus’ in all our songs and sermons, so it is good for us, especially for those new to the Bible, to
Isaiah begins by calling on the whole creation to witness the bizarre and
make this strong connection to Him in the Old Testament just as in the New. When the New Testament wicked behaviour of the Church: “Hear me, you heavens! Listen earth!”
writers refer to ‘the Lord’ most modern writers and preachers are happy to use the word ‘Jesus’ when
they explain their meaning so perhaps it is helpful for us to sometimes do the same when the Old
Even animals know who looks after them, but Israel does not have the
Testament writers refer to ‘the Lord’ as well. understanding of an ox or donkey (verses 1-3).

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To be lost in the darkness of paganism is one thing, but to actually After He was born through Mary, Jesus of Nazareth was the least
forsake Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, is the worst of all. When Christ ‘religious’ person in history and He was constantly in conflict with those
the LORD is our life and strength, our peace and joy, then to turn our who were hiding behind the ceremonies, rituals and outward appearance.
backs on Him is to hurt ourselves (verses 5-6). He alone can heal us. It is so unreasonable for us to pretend at religion and stay in the filth and
He alone can give us new birth and take away that deep corruption that corruption of our sins. If Israel would only stop and think clearly, then
covers every part of us. she could find cleansing and blessing from the LORD – verses 18-20.
The corruption inside Israel in Isaiah’s day was reflected in the nation and The curses of the Law could so easily become the blessings of the Law
countryside. Back in Deuteronomy 28-29, the LORD God established through repentance and faith.
curses and blessings that would reflect the way His Church treated Him.
The chapter concludes with two images: a city and an oak tree (verses
If they loved and trusted Him, keeping all His commandments, then their
21-31). Just as ‘The City’ or London can represent the entire economic
life and environment would reflect that gracious friendship and love.
state of the United Kingdom or New York or Tokyo can stand for their
However, if they turned against Him, spiritually committing adultery and
nations, so Jerusalem, throughout the whole book, stands for the spiritual
refusing to love or trust Him, then the land would be under a curse. Isaiah
state of the nation. If she was once faithful, she is now more like a
begins by pointing out how the symptoms of this curse can already be
prostitute (verse 21). All her blessings have become cheap and nasty
seen in the land (verses 7-8).
as she turns to greed, ignoring the widow and orphan (verses 22-23).
Surely the worst cities in the whole Bible have to be Sodom and She is like an addict who cannot heal herself and the LORD must
Gomorrah. Even in popular culture they are infamous for their immorality intervene to bring about restoration (verses 24-28). He will reform the
and ungodly living. Yet, Isaiah addresses the leaders of the nations as if nation, getting rid of the sinners but preserving those who repent and
they were the leaders of those cities – verse 10. It is only the grace of God trust in Christ. When the LORD Christ has saved His people then they will
that has prevented Jerusalem being judged just as Sodom and Gomorrah be righteous (verses 26-27).
were – verse 9.
Israel had been using ‘sacred’ oaks for their secret pagan worship, but like
Yes, but surely Jerusalem isn’t so bad! Jerusalem has the temple and
a dry old oak this must all be burnt up “with no-one to quench the fire”
sacrifices, festivals and prayer. How can such a ‘religious’ city be
(verses 29-31).
compared to those pagan places? Yet, in verses 11-15, the LORD cuts
through all that religious pretence and hypocrisy. None of it means a Our secret sins – our love of money, entertainment, pride and ‘religion’ –
thing unless it contains the true life of God from hearts that love Him and cannot be hidden from the Holy One of Israel. The LORD Jesus sees all
trust Him. He will not even listen to their prayers until they are right with that we are doing and the true state of our hearts. If we will not turn to
Him (verse 15). He literally hates all these temple activities when Him in repentance, love and trust, then we leave Him no alternative
the reality is not there. Hezekiah had re-established the new moon feasts except to purge us and prune us through chastisement and suffering.
(2 Chronicles 31:3) yet the LORD doesn’t want them unless they are These opening chapters have no specific historical markers so they could
focussed on the Way of Christ. apply to any and every year in Isaiah’s ministry and challenge the Church
In words that would later inspire James 1:26-27, the LORD describes the in every age. It may be that Isaiah only began his preaching ministry after
only kind of ‘religion’ that He will acknowledge – “Stop doing wrong, learn the commissioning of chapter 6 and he places these first chapters to give
to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of a sense of the circumstances he faced and the message he preached
the fatherless, plead the cause of the widow” (verses 16-17). throughout his whole ministry.

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2. The Day of the LORD – 2:1-22 cleansed of all the darkness, selfishness and evil that pollute it. Israel was
If Israel had been absorbing the pagan practices of the surrounding full of false religion, superstition, greed and a deep confidence in human
nations, Isaiah set a much better vision before the Church of his day power (verses 6-9).
(2:1-5), a vision of the opposite influence, a time when people from all Therefore, they will not be able to stand on the Day of the LORD.
over the world would be followers of Christ the LORD. When the glorious LORD Jesus comes in the “splendour of His majesty”
“The people intended by the Lord to be magnetic to the world people will try to hide in the caves (verse 10 and 19-21 – compare
(vv2-4) have, instead, allowed the world to magnetize them – Revelation 6:15-17). In the light of Jesus’ glory all human pride will be
into worldliness, fortune telling, attempts at collective security, humbled (verse 11).
acquisitiveness, militarism, false religion, humanism.”3 All the way through the book of Isaiah human and demonic pride is
If the earthly Jerusalem was an unfaithful prostitute, then the Jerusalem challenged. When the corrupt and selfish ‘glory’ of the creatures tries to
above, the mountain of the LORD, is exalted and glorious, full of the light replace or compete with the uncreated, self-sacrificial majestic glory of
of the LORD Himself. As Psalm 87 says, Gentiles from all over the world the LORD Jesus Christ, it provokes the deepest anger of the Living God.
will be “born in Zion”, fellow members of the LORD’s family, united Notice how the Day of the LORD is all about destroying human pride and
together in the Church, the heavenly city of God. Instead of being empty glory (verses 12-18).
implacably opposed to one another, the nations find true peace and unity Only the LORD Jesus Christ is worthy of our trust and love – “Stop
in the global, multinational Church of Christ the LORD. Perhaps verse 4 will trusting in human beings, who have but a breath in their nostrils.
not fully happen until the day of resurrection, but even now as we follow Why hold them in esteem?” (verse 22).
Jesus in loving our enemies and turning the other cheek we can begin to
taste the future when the time of war will be ended – “They will beat their 3. The LORD enters into judgment – 3:1-5:7
swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (2:4). In our sin we place our confidence, our security, our comfort in anything
other than the LORD Christ Himself. The Father has always sent Him to
If we are going to deny ourselves now, in this passing age, we need to see
be our helper and our friend, our Saviour and our LORD, but we look to
the great hope and joy that is set before us. We can put the flesh to death
money, earthly leaders, sex, entertainment, houses, nationality, comfort
only when we can see how it is all going to end. If we live with this
or status to make us feel safe and secure.
glorious vision before us then we can begin to live that way even now,
as the Church is a global, multinational community of peacemakers. So, when the LORD speaks of His judgment on Judah in chapter 3 He
Jesus has already been among us to teach us His ways (verse 3) so we shows how He will take away all the created things that make them feel
can strain towards that resurrection future day by day where we work, in secure – whether food, water, “the hero and the warrior; the judge and the
our neighbourhoods and in our families. prophet; the diviner and the elder” – verses 2-3.
Yet, that great resurrection hope of Christ the LORD bringing universal Again, through the book of Isaiah, we will see how the LORD God will
peace to the whole world can only happen because on that Day He will shake up and cast down both the Church and the nations in order to
first bring His great and terrible judgment against the world. The world break their grip on their false gods: the mere creatures that take the place
can never be the everlasting home of righteousness until it has been of Jesus Christ.
The leaders of the nation, the ones who should care for the LORD’s
3 Alec Motyer in a letter from June 2011 vineyard, have led His people astray – verses 12-15. False teaching always

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produces social injustice (verse 14-15) and sexual immorality (verses 16- He was with them. In the same way, when He has cleansed them through
17). If the men were taking pride in their military prowess, the women the Spirit of judgment and fire, He will be with them like that and they
were obsessed with their appearance and their fashion (verses 18-26). can take refuge in Him.
Yet, when the LORD takes away their false security the men will have That wonderful vision of the Messiah from the Branch of David according
been killed off and the women will be deeply humiliated (4:1). to His human birth, but caring for them as He did long ago in the Exodus,
The colourful and striking imagery of Isaiah may disturb us or even shock is followed by the song of the vineyard. Isaiah’s song describes how the
us, but it arises from his passion for the glory of Jesus. How shameful it is LORD carefully planted His vineyard hoping for justice and righteousness
when we choose the passing worthless treasures and strength of this life (5:7), but instead finding only “bad fruit” (5:2). Even the people of
rather than the everlasting and glorious Word of Life, Jesus the Eternal Son! Jerusalem and Judah must agree that anybody with such a useless
vineyard would just destroy it. Having stated the problem of “bad fruit”
The point of the judgment is not to bring shame on the men and women
the rest of chapter 5 goes into that accusation in much more detail.
of Judah for its own sake. No! The LORD God takes away the false ‘gods’
only so that His people will cling to the true God, the Branch (4:2-6).
4. Woe to those who spurn the Holy One of Israel – 5:8-30
“The Branch” is a title for Christ, especially when He is considered as the This series of woes gets right to the heart of all the ‘idols’ that take the
King and Priest – (see Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). We are place of Jesus in our hearts.
here thinking of a family tree and a Branch of the tree surviving and
flourishing. Woe to those who think that property and beautiful homes will give
security (5:8).
“In 3:18 they sought a false, transient ‘beauty’ but now they
Woe to those who turn to alcohol to drown out their sorrows and silence
discern true beauty in him and he beautifies them… ‘Glory’
the questions (5:11).
had been their destruction (2:10) and ‘pride’ (2:12) their ruin.
Now the divine glory dwells among them, they rightly pride Woe to those who “are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing
themselves in him and he imparts a true dignity to them”4 drinks” (5:22).
Woe to those who think that ‘going out’ and parties will make them
The Messiah will deal with the sin and shame of Jerusalem – “He will
happy (5:12)
cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by the Spirit of judgment and the
Spirit of fire” (4:4). Coming in the power of the Spirit, Jesus Christ would In searching for life anywhere other than Jesus, there can be nothing but
remove the sin and shame of His people by judgment and fire on the loneliness (5:8); barrenness (5:9-10); exile (5:13); hunger and thirst (5:13);
Cross. As we will see in such detail later in Isaiah, it is by the death of the death and hell (5:14); and humiliation (5:15).
LORD Jesus Christ that our sin is removed. Woe to those who are tired of waiting for the Living God to show His
In the Exodus, after the judgment and salvation of the Passover, the Angel plans (5:19).
of the LORD (Jesus Christ Himself), travelled with the Church in the Woe to those “who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for
wilderness. He protected them and cared for them, defeating their light and light for darkness” (5:20). It is so easy to convince ourselves that
enemies and giving daily bread from heaven and water from the rock. condemning sins of greed, lust, pride, gossip, vanity and laziness is just
The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night constantly showed them that old-fashioned or merely the product of human cultures. Yet when we are
so ‘clever’ that we no longer know what is good and evil we are in the
4 Alec Motyer The Prophecy of Isaiah, IVP, 1999, page 54 depths of darkness and ignorance.

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Woe to “those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own Study 1 Bible Questions
sight’ (5:21). To be “wise in our own eyes” means that we think that we
are so smart; that we have gained understanding through our own brain Isaiah 2:1-22
power; we judge our wisdom by our own vision rather than by the 1. Verse 2. Isaiah looks into the future, beyond the Jerusalem of his
Wisdom of God. day at the new creation and the Mountain of the LORD (see
Woe to those who allow injustice for greed (5:23). Hebrews 12:22). Given the judgment on Jerusalem described in
chapter 1, what was the purpose of this prophecy of ‘the last days’?
All these ways of ‘living’ are so common in this dark age, and yet there is
no life or substance in such an empty life. When the fires of judgment or 2. Verses 2b-3. Think about the fears of the people of Jerusalem in
the storms of life come, such a life is quickly destroyed (5:24). There is no terms of the armies and empires threatening them. How does the
future outside of Jesus, the Holy One of Israel. LORD’s view of the world differ from theirs? How do these words
still speak to us today?
The anger of the Living God is provoked against His vineyard and it is
3. Verse 4-5. Is this vision of a war-free world simply about our new
time for it to be destroyed (5:25-30). He has decided to call for the
creation future? What does it mean to live now with that hope in
nations of the world to come to Jerusalem, not to worship there as in 2:1- front of us? How does verse 5 relate to this?
5 but to carry out His judgment. Ready and eager for battle these nations
4. Verses 6-8. The contrast with the state of Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day
come to leave Judah in chaos and darkness (5:30), as if Judah would be
is strong. List all the ways that the ancient Church had turned away
returned to the chaos and darkness of Genesis 1:2 before God the Word
from that new creation hope that Christ would bring.
brought light, life and order.
5. Verse 9-12. It is as if Isaiah prays that the LORD will set everything
Isaiah has presented us with a profound diagnosis of Judah and Jerusalem right in verse 9. What is the final answer to this prayer?
in his day. Though king Jotham tried to get rid of pagan practices, king
6. Verses 13-18. How do all these images help us to understand what
Ahaz encouraged them. So, there may have been great excitement when
will happen on the Day of the LORD?
Hezekiah did so much to destroy the pagan worship and restore true
worship to the temple. However, what was going on in the hearts and 7. Verses 19-21. When the skies are filled with the glory of Christ the
minds of the ordinary people? Though they got involved in the Passover LORD, the arrogant world will try to flee underground. How does
and offerings at the temple, yet they were still greedy, still getting drunk, Isaiah show the revolution of that day?
still looking for security in their property, their appearance or their social 8. Verse 22. This summary verse gives us one of the deep truths of the
life. whole Bible. How do we feel this challenge in our own lives today?
In these opening 5 chapters Isaiah forces the Church in every age to see
that our lives and actions tell the truth about us, whether we really do
love and follow Christ the LORD. We may pretend when we go to Church,
but how do we really live day by day?
Is our Church life respectable on the surface but underneath it provokes
the LORD God to judge us and chastise us?

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 Study 1 Further Questions Study 2 Immanuel’s Glory: Isaiah 6:1-12:6
1. If the sinful corruption of humanity stretches to every part of us
(see Isaiah 1:5-6), then how do we account for all the good and
amazing things that human beings do, whether they are Christians KEY TRUTH
or not? Jesus is the Everlasting King who showed His divine glory
when He was born as one of us through the Virgin Mary.
2. Can religion ever be a good thing or does it always lead us away
from the real and living LORD God? What about human traditions,
buildings, rituals or festivals? 1. King Jesus, the LORD, 4. The Shoot from the
3. Isaiah 5:20 seems to speak powerfully to our age. Materialism and high and exalted: 6:1-13 stump: 10:33-12:6
‘treasure on earth’ is hardly noticed even within the Church family
and in the wider world all kinds of evils are celebrated as good. Why
have the values of the world invaded the Church so deeply? 2. The sign of the child: 3. Cutting back to the
7:1-9:7 stump: 9:8-10:32

Study 1 Daily Readings

1. King Jesus, the LORD, high and exalted – 6:1-13
Day 1 Isaiah 1:1-20
We are right back into the realm of specific history, at a specific time and
Day 2 Isaiah 1:21-2:5 place. Isaiah was in the temple in the centre of Jerusalem in the year that
Day 3 Isaiah 2:6-22 King Uzziah died. Uzziah had tried to get into that very temple to offer
Day 4 Isaiah 3:1-26 incense as if he were an Aaronic priest, and the LORD had struck him with
Day 5 Isaiah 4:1-6 leprosy as a punishment. He had spent his remaining years cut off from
Day 6 Isaiah 5:1-7 political life and unable to worship in the temple – according to the laws
Day 7 Isaiah 5:8-30 of Leviticus 14. Even in his death he had to be buried in a separate burial
plot (2 Chronicles 26:23).5 Jotham, his son, had already been acting as
king in his place and now he was going to enthroned in an official sense.
The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all What would the future hold? Where could stability be found? Who could
of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible the ancient Church rely on if even a good king like Uzziah could fall so
that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering. badly? Uzziah had reigned for 52 years, so perhaps Isaiah and the nation
Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we felt uncertain about the future when this great king was dying under the
think through the key issues each week. curse of leprosy.

5 “For years the king had lived in alienation and separation, under divine displeasure (2 Kings 15:5; 2
Chronicles 26:16ff), and as his death approached he remained, to the human eye, uncleansed. Thus,
Uzziah, as the darkness of death closed in upon him, was symbolic of Isaiah’s view of the nation, its
plight and its problem.” (Motyer, 75)

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The true and everlasting King of heaven appeared to Isaiah in the temple. In the presence of the glorious LORD Jesus, Isaiah is completely shaken,
“He saw the Lord Jesus; so this vision is explained Jn. 12:41, that just as the temple itself was shaking. He may have lived a live of religious
Isaiah now saw Christ’s glory and spoke of him, which is an diligence coming to the temple, but when he is confronted by the real
incontestable proof of the divinity of our Saviour. He it is who and living Messianic King, the Eternal Holy One of Israel, he knows how
when, after his resurrection, he sat down on the right hand of God, deeply sinful and corrupt he is. To see the King, the LORD Almighty, turns
did but sit down where he was before, Jn. 17:5” (Matthew Henry). his world upside down (6:5). When the apostle John also saw Jesus in His
glory, he too was completely shattered by the sight (Revelation 1:9-18).
King Uzziah may have tried to force his way in, but King Jesus is so glorious, When we see Jesus “as He is” (1 John 3:2-3) we will become like Him.
seated on His heavenly throne, that even the hem of His priestly robe filled
the entire temple! (6:1). The temple itself was shaking in His presence.6 In Isaiah chapter 5 it was all about woe to other people who have fallen
into sin, but now Isaiah cries out “Woe to me! I am ruined”. Not only are
The earthly kings were served by earthly creatures that were corrupt and the people he lives with unclean but he is also a man of unclean lips (6:5).
compromised, but this glorious and exalted King was attended by the Isaiah’s great gift was his speaking and writing. He is brilliant in his use of
wonderful seraphim (6:2-4). These amazing heavenly creatures are language and yet it is at that very point that he most feels his sin.8
enthralled by and ever-fearful of the glory of the LORD Jesus.
The burning angels know what to do and one of them takes a coal from
Verse 3 is an extraordinary claim. Can the world really be full of His glory? the altar and applies it to Isaiah’s lips (6:6-7).
As Isaiah had looked around at Judah and Jerusalem, not to mention the
surrounding nations, he had seen endless sin and corruption. Yet, these Sin can be the deliberate breaking of a known command or simply falling
burning angels declared that the whole earth is full of the glory of this below the standard of perfection that is set for human life, the glory of
Exalted King, the LORD Christ.7 God (Romans 3:23), and if the whole earth is full of His glory, then all our
sin is constantly right before Him, right in the presence of His glory. If we
We may sing “Jesus is LORD, creation’s voice proclaims it”, but do we also could see the glory of Jesus, the manifestation of who He really is,
really believe that His glory fills everything in His earth? Have we then we would feel just as Isaiah did.
become so spiritually short-sighted and narrow-minded that we look at
the world in a materialistic and atheistic way? Will we allow the The remedy for sin is atonement. Sin is not removed by mere repentance
Scriptures to correct our vision, showing us how to view the sun, moon, or sorrow. It can never be washed away by doing good work or beginning
stars, mountains, sea, animals, our food and even ourselves as a ‘fresh start in life’. Even in our own relationships we know that when we
presentations of the glory of Jesus? have deeply hurt someone, it is not good enough to cover it up with good
behaviour or sweet words: the wrong needs to be properly confronted,
6 “Shaking is the customary reaction of earth to the divine presence” (Motyer, 77) exposed and dealt with.9 If the sinless seraphim are so respectful of the
7 The Hebrew word seraphim literally means “burning ones” and given that the temple was filled with divine holiness then our offences against this Holy and Majestic God
smoke (6:4), we must assume that there was plenty of fire around them (see Psalm 104:4). Each of the
seraphs had 6 wings: two to fly with; two to cover their faces and two to cover their feet. As they flew
clearly need a serious remedy. How can we put right what has gone
around the temple, they constantly proclaimed the utter holiness of the LORD Almighty and the fact wrong? If we have actually angered this exalted King by our actions,
that the whole earth is full of His glory (6:3). Even these pure celestial creatures, who have never lived
among the sin and corruption that we have done, dare not show their faces in the presence of the Holy 8 The apostle Peter was a fisherman yet it was when the LORD Jesus gave him the miraculous catch of
One of Israel, the Glorious LORD Jesus. When they are in His immediate presence they are constantly fish that Peter cried out “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). At our very strongest
shielding themselves from His majestic glory, using their wings for protective cover as a bird does while point is where we most keenly feel our sin.
nesting. Yet, having experienced such exposure to the nature and personality of the Eternal Son, they 9 In fact, if we refuse to face what we have done wrong then the ‘sweet words’ only create more offence
declare that the whole earth is full of His manifested character, His glory. and irritation.

24 25
words and even our thoughts and feelings, then how can we “make it up” Christ is preached it produces a reaction, either opening blind eyes or
to Him? What can we do or say or give that will soothe His anger and closing eyes more tightly; either bringing life or else bringing death.
restore peace? Whenever we are confronted with the Light of Christ we either come into
Right from Genesis 2:17 the consequence of our sin is death. If the earth His Light or else we retreat further into the darkness (John 3:19-21).10
is full of His glory then there is no place for any creature that defies or Isaiah is given the task of preaching the truth with great clarity and
falls short of that glory. On the final day of judgment He will tell all who power knowing that most people will not respond and instead become
have sinned to depart from Him forever (Matthew 25:41). Yet, because even more hardened in their selfishness and sin.11
He loves us so much He has shown a way for that death to be headed Isaiah is alarmed at this prospect (6:11), but he is told that he must keep
off, a way for the Divine anger to be soothed before that final judgment. on with this mission until the exile comes (6:12), until everyone who has
As we will see in Isaiah 53, He died our death for us. He suffered the God- become blind and deaf has been taken away and the Holy Seed will
forsaken rejection that our sins require so that we can remain in His remain as the stump in the land (6:13).
world, in His presence forever.
Verse 13 is very important. As we read through Isaiah we hear how the
So, the seraph went to the altar of burnt offering where the fire was LORD’s judgment is going to fall on Judah, on Israel, on all the
always kept burning. Here the sacrificial animals were daily presented to surrounding nations, and finally on the whole heavens and the earth.
make atonement for sin, to act as a sign pointing forward to the future It might be nice to imagine that there will always be a faithful few
death of the Lamb of God, the Messiah Himself. Applying that coal to the people who are good enough to survive the LORD’s judgment, that we
lips of Isaiah was a painful, attention-grabbing reminder to him that the all have a chance if we are good enough, zealous enough, trusting
LORD had a way to take away His guilt and make atonement for him. enough. Yet, the truth is that none of us can stand on the Day of the
The ever-burning fire of the altar stands for the ever burning LORD. In verse 13 it looks at first as if a tenth will remain, but then even
hostility of holiness to sin. This fire of holiness is satisfied on a that tenth is laid waste. In the end there is only One who remains: only
substitute offering. The ‘live coal’ symbolises the application to One who can endure the Day of His Coming and that is Christ Himself.
Isaiah of the satisfied fire of holiness. This is not ‘purification by Isaiah will preach this same message to us over and over again
fire’ but atonement by substitution.(Alec Motyer) throughout his book.
With atonement applied Isaiah is ready to hear the voice of the Divine Jesus is the Glorious Holy One of Israel and everyone else must fall before
King (6:8). Him.12 Everybody is blind and deaf and even Isaiah is a man of unclean
Who are the ‘us’ at the end of verse 8? It has been claimed that it is 10 See also Romans 1:21-32. When we turn from goodness and choose evil, our love for evil is
simply like Queen Victoria saying “we are not amused” whereby a strengthened and our hatred of the good is confirmed. We cannot reject Christ with impunity even right
monarch speaks in the plural. However, these words are referred to Jesus here and now, let alone the future day of judgment.

Himself in John 12:41 but also to the Holy Spirit in Acts 28:25-27. 11 “Isaiah must preach to them, and they will hear him indeed, but that is all; they will not heed him; they
will not understand him; they will not take any pains, nor use that application of mind which is
Therefore Christ is speaking on behalf of the whole Trinity when He necessary to the understanding of him; they are prejudiced against that which is the true intent and
requires a servant to preach for the Trinity here. meaning of what he says, and therefore they will not understand him, or pretend they do not… Note,
there are many who hear the sound of God’s word, but do not feel the power of it… Forasmuch as they
Isaiah is very willing to volunteer (6:8) but his mission is very discouraging: would not be made better by his ministry, they should be made worse by it; those that were wilfully
the effect of his gospel preaching would be to make people even harder, blind should be judicially blinded (v. 10).” (Matthew Henry).
to close their ears to the truth (6:9-10). Whenever the good news of Jesus 12 In Acts 3:14 Peter clearly states that Jesus is the Holy One of Israel.

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lips. Jesus is the Holy Seed, the One to whom all the promises refer. He is Ahaz was a man lost in deep darkness, profoundly deaf and blind in the
the Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15); He is the Seed of Abraham sense of 6:9-10. So, in a wonderful show of grace and mercy, the LORD
(Genesis 12:7) and He is the Seed of David (2 Samuel 7:12). Jesus is the offers Ahaz an incredible opportunity for a sign to prove the words of
Holy Seed whose glory Isaiah saw. comfort that Isaiah had preached. Ahaz could ask for anything no matter
how impossible. By way of comparison, his son Hezekiah would later ask
2. The sign of the child – 7:1-9:7
that the shadow cast by the sun go back ten steps on his stairway
From the glorious presence of Jesus we are right back into the turmoil of (2 Kings 20:8-11; Isaiah 38:7–8; 2 Chronicles 32:24). The mind boggles at
the kings of Judah (7:1). We skip over the reign of Jotham and arrive under how difficult it might be to cause a shadow to do this. We may think of
the godless regime of Ahaz (7:1). Ahaz was so unfaithful to the LORD that the miracle done for the Gibeonites in Joshua 10:12-14. Yet, Ahaz had no
he had actually sacrificed his own son in the fires to the pagan gods interest in proving the reality of the LORD God (7:12).15
(2 Kings 16:3).13 The Aramean king and the Israelite king formed an
alliance to fight against Judah, presumably to force Judah into an alliance Therefore the LORD God Himself sets out a sign that will prove His
against the Assyrians. Although the military pressure was unsuccessful, reality; a sign that would indicate His solution to all the troubles of His
Ahaz and his people were deeply shaken (verse 2) and were clearly people; a sign that would show how the Church could stand firm in her
thinking of forming an alliance of some kind with the Assyrians (which is faith in every generation. This was truly a sign beyond anything in “the
what happened in 2 Kings 16:7-9). deepest depths or in the highest heights”. This prophecy of the birth of
Isaiah is a creative artist, full of visual imagery and powerful metaphors. Jesus has become so precious to the Church of every age – “the virgin will
Even in verse 2 he describes how the people were shaken “as the trees of conceive and give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel” (7:14).16
the forest are shaken by the wind.” All through the book we find a Immanuel means “God with us” and surely that is the greatest security
constant stream of intensifying metaphors and images. The LORD used for any and every crisis that we might face, whether an invading army or
these aspects of Isaiah in so many ways. For example, here in verse 3, we the crises of health and conflict in our own individual lives. By His virgin
see that Isaiah had called his son “Shear-Jashub”, meaning “a remnant will birth Jesus has become one of us.17
return”.14 So, as Isaiah was standing there delivering his message, his child
was also standing there silently declaring, by his name, that judgment 15 At first glance we might think that Ahaz is giving a godly answer if we compare it to the words of Jesus
in Matthew 4:7. However, when we read the following words of Isaiah we realise that Ahaz simply has
was coming but that a faithful remnant, a Faithful One, would be left no interest in the LORD.
over from the destructive fire. 16 Some argue that the Hebrew word alma might only refer to a young woman rather than virgin.
If Ahaz is looking to human strength for his security, Isaiah is sent by the However, young women give birth to children every day all over the world and such an event is hardly
a sign “in the deepest depths or in the highest heights”! Bethulah is the word for a young woman of
LORD to the place where presumably Ahaz was preparing water supplies marriageable age, married or unmarried, whereas alma is the Hebrew word for a virgin.
for the anticipated siege of Jerusalem (7:3). The LORD tells Ahaz not to
worry about Aram and Israel: they were both nations that were about to be 17
GLORY be to God on high, Him the angels all adored, We, the sons of men, rejoice,
wiped out within 65 years (7:8). The real issue is placed firmly before Ahaz And peace on earth descend! Their Maker and their King. The Prince of peace proclaim;
God comes down, he bows the sky, Tidings of their humbled Lord With heaven’s host lift up our voice,
– “if you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (7:9). And shows himself our friend: They now to mortals bring. And shout Immanuel’s name:
13 The irony must never escape us. The pagan gods demand so much from their followers, even the God the invisible appears! Emptied of his majesty, Knees and hearts to him we bow;
sacrifice of their children, yet the real and Living God sacrifices His own Son for our sake – a point that God, the blest, the great I AM, Of his dazzling glories shorn, Of our flesh and of our bone,
Isaiah makes abundantly clear. Sojourns in this vale of tears, Being’s source begins to be, Jesus is our brother now,
And Jesus is his name. And God himself is born! And God is all our own.
14 Note that the surviving remnant is symbolised by just one man. In the end there is only One Man who
(Charles Wesley 1707-1788)
survives the divine judgment on the world: Jesus Christ Himself.

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By the time this Immanuel child was born the problem of king Rezin of extraordinary speech of the LORD that runs from verse 12 right down to
Aram and king Remaliah of Israel would be long, long gone (7:15-16). If the end of verse 18, we see that He speaks as if He were completely part
Ahaz would set his heart and mind on Christ then he would see things of the people of Israel, seeing Himself as a member of the same family
from such a bigger perspective and see how the house of David (verse 2) (verse 18).20
would not be utterly wiped out by any of these enemies. However, This incredible speech from the pre-incarnate LORD Jesus is introduced
because of Ahaz’s faithless sin a much bigger enemy than Aram or Israel in such serious tones – “This is what the LORD says to me with His strong
was coming to destroy Judah: Assyria (7:17-25).18 hand upon me…” So what does the LORD have to say?
If Isaiah already had a son who embodied the message (7:3) he is now Verses 12-13 are taken up by Peter in 1 Peter 3:14. If we are going to live
told to father another son called “Speed to plunder; haste to spoils”.19 as faithful followers of Jesus then our fear of the Living God must drive
His name was to be publicly known and verified (8:2) before he was even out all other fears. Ahaz was frightened of the invading armies but if he
born so that everyone would know about it. This son was planned to truly feared the LORD Almighty then he would have nothing else to fear.
publicise the fact that the Assyrian armies would race in and sweep over
Judah collecting their plunder with great speed – which is what the Just as Moses called Christ the Rock (see Deuteronomy 32:4, 15-18,
prophet describes in verses 6-10. 30-31 and see also 1 Corinthians 10:4) so too Isaiah likes to refer to
Christ as the Rock or Stone (8:14 and see also 28:16 and 1 Peter 2:4-8).
However, the Immanuel who would be born of the virgin in later Here the LORD refers to Himself as a Rock that can be a holy place or a
generations was also already with His people even when the Assyrian refuge for them if they fear Him but if not then that Rock will make them
armies would flood over the land (end of verse 8). Yes, even when His land stumble, fall and be broken (8:14-15).21
and His people were suffering the punishment of their sin, yet He would
be with them and bear it with them. Furthermore, the plans of Assyria to Verses 16-18 are extraordinary and worth careful meditation. The LORD
utterly destroy Judah would not be allowed to succeed precisely because Himself says that He “will wait for the LORD” and He will “put my trust
Immanuel is with His people. in Him” (8:17). Hebrews 2:13 makes special mention of this. God the Son
in His identification with His people joins them in waiting for and trusting
Grasping this identity between Jesus and His Church is vital to in the LORD God. When Jesus became one of us, as Immanuel, born of a
understand this whole section. The exalted LORD God whose glory filled virgin, He fully entered into our experience and He Himself prayed and
the temple in chapter 6 is the same God who is with us as a newborn trusted, learned obedience and patience throughout His life. The Psalms
baby, born through the flesh and blood of an ordinary Hebrew woman take us deep into the personal prayer life of the LORD Jesus Christ as He
(7:14). Even before this happened He already thought of Himself as put Isaiah 8:17 into practice. Consider for example Psalm 22 when He
completely one with His people, so that when they were persecuted He was on the Cross. Immanuel showed us how to wait for the LORD and
too is persecuted with them (cf Acts 9:4-5). When we read the
18 “The way of faith has been rejected. The king of Assyria has been adjudged a greater security than the 20 Note that in Hebrews 2:10-14 we are told how it was Jesus speaking the words of Isaiah 8:17-18 – “
Lord and his promises. What now follows has the inevitability of biblical logic: the alternatives to the Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is
way of salvation are always ways of destruction; those who hate wisdom love death (Proverbs 8:36)” not ashamed to call them brothers. He says… “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am
(Motyer, 88). I, and the children God has given me.” Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their
humanity…”
19 It is fascinating to see that Isaiah was married to a prophetess (8:3). Some have suggested that this was
an honorary title given to her because Isaiah was the great prophet, almost as if she was known as Mrs 21 “It is as if a rock were put across a road to block the traveller from danger but, in carelessness or scorn,
Prophet. However, it seems more likely that Isaiah married someone who shared his mission and he refuses the warning and stumbles to his death… The same God in his unchanging nature is both a
passion in the service of the LORD Jesus. sanctuary and snare; it depends on how people respond to his holiness.” (Motyer, 95).

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put our trust in Him in all the circumstances of life, including the times over the Gentiles that war never could (9:3-5). All this will be possible
when the fear of death might threaten to overwhelm us. because Immanuel will be born: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is
The speaker of verse 18 is the same as verse 17, the Immanuel who given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called
suffers with His people and ensures that they will never be completely Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
destroyed (8:8 and 10). Furthermore, the only child that has explicitly Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will
been called a sign is the virgin-born Immanuel of 7:14.22 reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing it and
upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for
Christ is happy to be associated with all those who trust Him and call
ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”
them His own family.23 Yes, Immanuel and His Church may be a rejected
minority even in Judah, but they are still signs and symbols of Israel, the These world famous verses explain the birth, character and mission of the
real Church of all ages, those who are born in Zion.24 LORD Jesus Christ is such glorious terms. He is already God the Son, yet
He is given to us. He not only suffers with His people, but He bears the
Immanuel – God with us – was with His people in their current crisis and
leadership of the Church forever in a way that these earthly, sinful kings
would be born of a virgin to actually become one of them. He was not
never could. Other kings conquer the world through war, but He will
ashamed to call them His family. They could turn to Him for strength and
conquer the Gentiles through gospel evangelism and peace, bringing true
wisdom whenever they needed. Yet, instead they consulted mediums to
justice and righteousness to the whole world.
try to contact the dead! (8:19-22). Instead of coming into the light of
Immanuel, they were slipping into the darkness of death. Life was Think of the four titles that this virgin-born Child will have: Wonderful
becoming meaningless and deeply depressing (8:22). Nothing satisfied Counsellor; Mighty God; Everlasting Father; Prince of Peace. Notice that
them anymore (8:21) and instead of turning to God for help they were this human child will be called El Gibbor (Mighty God), the very title
shaking their fists at Him in anger. The final destination of such a path given to the LORD (Yahweh) Himself in Isaiah 10:21.
would be the utter darkness of Hell (end of verse 22). In chapter 8:18 Christ the LORD spoke about His children in the Church
Yet, even for these people lost in darkness and for the Gentiles too lost in family and so He is known as their “Everlasting Father”. He is the father
their own pagan darkness, all hope is not lost (9:1-2). Immanuel really of the new human race; the Second Adam.
would be born right among them, even in Galilee of the Gentiles, making
3. Cutting back to the stump – 9:8-10:32
the light shine in their lost darkness. The birth of Jesus would enlarge the
nation (9:3) to even include all the Gentile nations, achieving a victory Isaiah now turns from Judah and gives the same kind of message to Israel,
with all its tribes and factions.25
22 At first glance it might be assumed that verse 18 is spoken by Isaiah as he volunteers himself once
again (cf 6:8), together with his two specially named sons. Isaiah’s name means “the LORD’s salvation” That glorious hope of Christ, taking the Church from the land of Israel out
and we have seen how his two sons Shear-Jashub(1) and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz(2) were also named to
embody the prophetic message. to the whole world, is set in stark contrast to the arrogance, pride and
(1) “A remnant will return” shame of Israel. They believed that they could rebuild (9:10) a strong and
(2) “Speed to plunder; haste to the spoil”
23 John Gill, the 18th century Bible scholar, is right to explain this verse in terms of Jesus Christ – “Christ 25 “The prophets regularly saw both of the divided kingdoms as within their sphere of ministry.
and his spiritual children: Christ the Immanuel, the son of the virgin, is “for a sign”, given by the Lord Theologically the reason for this is that human sins and errors cannot thwart the purposes or rewrite
himself, even of the same deliverance, Isaiah 7:14 and a sign of the love of God to his people, and of his the promises of God. The northern tribes had thrown off their Davidic allegiance (1 Kings 12:16) and
care of them, and regard unto them.” apostasized from the Lord (1 Kings 12:25ff) but the Lord does not revise his plans in the light of this. All
24 Compare the reference to Zion here with Psalm 87. Jesus and His human family are all citizens of Zion, who are written unto life (4:3) will be brought home to Zion through the same Messianic policy and
the heavenly Jerusalem, regardless of their circumstances or nationality on the earth. the same promised king.” (Motyer, 106)

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influential future with political alliances and pagan religion! However, in Christ the LORD alone (verse 20). When He is standing alone as the
that is not the future that the LORD wants for His people and instead He only One who can stand on the day of judgment, then His people will
will strengthen her enemies – the Arameans and Philistines – and keep on return to Him and trust Him (10:20-23).
with this judgment until they have been cut right down to size (9:14-15). So, the Church does not need to fear the coming judgment from Assyria
Notice the repeated sentence at the end of verses 12, 17, 21 and 10:4 – (10:24-34).26 The judgment will not last long (verse 25) and then the
the LORD’s anger is not satisfied with these judgments: there are more LORD’s judgment will be re-directed away from Israel and towards the
to come. Assyrians. He reminds them of how He cared for them in the Exodus and
They should have returned to the LORD (9:13), but the leaders take them freed them from the Egyptians (10:26-27). Though they are taken into
even further astray (9:16 and 10:1-3). This corruption affects everybody, exile, the Church will be given an exodus from exile (note verses 26-27).
from the top of society to the bottom (9:17). The wickedness of Israel 4. The Shoot from the stump – 10:33-12:6
destroys it and they even fight against each other (9:19-21).
Both Israel and Judah will be cut right back to the stump. The LORD will
Yes, Assyria would be used to bring about this judgment, but Assyria too use Assyria to judge them and prune them, yet a faithful stump will be
will be judged for pride and arrogance (10:12-13). The Assyrians have preserved.
their own agenda of destruction (10:7-11) rather than the LORD’s
concern for the Church and Immanuel. Assyria thinks that it has made Will there be many who are left, who are righteous and faithful to the
itself strong and has built an empire through its own wisdom (10:13-14), LORD? No, in the end there is only One: Christ Himself.
but it is just like an axe, rod, saw or club, all needing someone to wield Whether Isaiah examines Judah or any of the other nations of the world,
them. Every nation is just a tool in the hands of the Living God, and He there are none who are righteous, no not even one. Only Christ the LORD
alone decides what to do with them (10:15). Therefore, Assyria too will Himself is faithful. He is the Holy One of Israel.
need to be cut back and humbled (10:16-19) by Christ, the Light of Israel. It is important, as we go through Isaiah, to notice how often Christ is
The Immanuel who suffers with His people and calls them His family will referred to as the Holy ONE of Israel. In all of Israel there is only one
also go out to avenge them and protect them. single Holy One: only one who can be left when the LORD’s judgment
Isaiah “creates one of the Bible’s central utterances about the has fallen on the world.27
relation between heaven and earth in human history… The thrust Jesus Christ, the Branch (see 4:2-6) will be born from Jesse, a descendant
of the passage is clear: the absolute sovereignty of the Lord in the of David, ready to be the Immanuel King who takes the government of
world. Without forester and carpenter, axe and saw lie lifeless… God’s kingdom.
There is only one Agent and he does all things well. Under him, Isaiah 11 is one of the greatest descriptions of the person and work of
history is the outworking of moral providences. The Assyrian Jesus Christ in the whole Bible. Verse two gives us an incredible insight
holocaust was not ‘let loose’ on the world; it was sent, directed into His dependence on the Spirit for all that He does. As the name
where it was merited, kept within heaven’s limits, and in the end demands, the Messiah (“the Anointed One”) will be full of the Spirit
Assyria was punished for its excesses.” (Motyer, 113). without measure (John 3:34).
Just as the purging of Judah would lead to a new beginning in Christ the 26 Note that when the Hebrew Scriptures want to refer to the faithful saints of the Church they may be
LORD, so the purging of Israel would clear away everyone and everything referred to as “in Zion” or even “born in Zion”.
other than the Holy One of Israel. Israel will no longer trust in Assyria but 27 Notice that in Acts 3:14 Peter specifically says that Jesus is the Holy One, the Righteous One.

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Often people think of the LORD Jesus almost as if He were an Here, in Isaiah 11:2, we are especially shown how the Spirit gives Jesus
independent ‘god’ rather than a member of the Trinity. In other words, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and delight in His
sometimes people forget that He is always sent from the Father in proper fear of His LORD. This takes us so deep into the life of the Trinity!
the power of the Spirit – in creation, revelation and redemption. If one danger is to think of the Living God as just one person, then
Jesus Himself said that of Himself He could do nothing (John 5:30, see another danger might be to think of the Father, Son and Spirit as so
also Acts 10:38). It was the Puritan Thomas Goodwin who really opened distinct, so full of everything they need without each other, that we end
my mind to the depths of these Spirit-prophecies of Isaiah. In Volume 6 up almost with the idea of three gods! However, in reality this One Living
of his works (The Work of the Holy Ghost), chapter 3, he outlines nine “of God is such a close communion of the Three, all wrapped up in the same
the works of the Holy Ghost upon Christ our Saviour”: life together, that they need each other for all they do. The Father does
The Holy Spirit: all His work through the Son, by sending Him to do His will and speak His
word and the Spirit empowers the Son to do all that He does.
1. Formed the human nature of Christ in the womb of Mary
(Matthew 1:18). Everything that the Trinity does is from the Father, through the Son
2. Joined the divine and human natures (though Goodwin feels in the power of the Spirit.
that this is properly ascribed to the Son more than the Father Isaiah chapter 11 takes us from the birth of Immanuel right through to
or Spirit – see Hebrews 2:16). the day when He will judge the world and renew the whole creation.
3. Consecrated Him to be the Christ, quoting Isaiah 11:2. “What In verses 3-4 He will not make superficial judgments based on earthly
is Messiah or Christos but the Most Holy One anointed? values, but will get to the truth, making sure that the poor get a fair share
Daniel 9. Now, with what oil was Jesus anointed and so made of everything. The wicked will not be able to resist Him as He will destroy
Christ? Acts 10:38, ‘God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the them with a word and a breath (see Revelation 19:15 and 21;
Holy Ghost.’ The Holy Ghost is that oil he is anointed with 2 Thessalonians 2:8).
above his fellows; and he hath his name of Christ, which is “First, the Messiah buds forth and then, through him, new life for
the chief name of his person, from the Holy Ghost, as he hath people becomes possible on a world-wide scale and the life of
that of Jesus for saving us, which is his work.” nature itself is transformed. Verses 6-8 offer three facets of the
4. Consecrated Him to all His offices: prophet; priest and king renewed creation and verse 9 is a concluding summary. First, in
(Luke 4:18). verse 6 there is the reconciliation of old hostilities, the allaying of
old fears; predators (wolf, leopard, lion) and prey (lamb, goat,
5. Anointed Him with power to do all His miracles and all the calf, yearling) are reconciled. So secure is this peace that a
good that He did (Acts 10:38; Matthew 12:28). youngster can exercise the dominion originally given to
6. Raised Him from the dead (Romans 8:11). humankind. Secondly, in verse 7 there is a change of nature
7. Filled Him with glory at His ascension (Psalm 45). within the beasts themselves: cow and bear eat the same food,
as do lion and ox. There is also a change in the very order of
8. Anointed Him as King in heaven (Acts 2:33-36). things itself: the herbivoral nature of all the creatures points to
9. Proclaims Him as King in human hearts (1 Corinthians 12:3; Eden restored (Genesis 1:29-30). Thirdly, in verse 8 the curse
John 16:14). removed. The enmity between the woman’s seed and the serpent

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 is gone (Genesis 3:15)… Finally, in verse 9 the coming Eden Study 2 Bible Questions
is Mount Zion – a Zion which fills the whole earth. Peace (9a),
holiness (9b) and ‘knowing the LORD’ (9c) pervades all.” Isaiah 11:1-11
(Motyer, 124). 1. Verse 1. What is the meaning of the reference to Jesse? (see
The Messiah is not only the Branch growing from the stump of Jesse 1 Samuel 16:1). Why is it important to know that a shoot is coming
(11:1) but He is also the Root of the stump! (11:10) He is the Root and from the stump of Jesse? (see 2 Samuel 7:12-13)
the Shoot – the origin and the destination. He is older than His ancestors! 2. Verse 2. What does the word ‘Messiah’ (Hebrew) or ‘Christ’ (Greek)
What a wonderful and cryptic way of speaking of the glory of Christ the actually mean? Why is that relevant to the prophecy of verse 2?
LORD! 3. We sometimes say that everything that God does is “from the
Jesus Christ will summon His people from all the nations, raising up a Father, through the Son and in the power of the Spirit”. How does
banner for all the nations to rally to (11:10-16). Israel and Judah will be this help us to appreciate verse 2?
reconciled together (11:12-13) and the LORD’s people will be able to 4. Verse 3-4a. What is wrong with judging by what we see or hear?
return home from exile in Assyria just as they returned home from exile How do His judgments for the poor and needy show this?
in Egypt in the Exodus (11:16). 5. Verse 4b. Why is important to know that Christ the LORD will
Sheltering in that One Faithful Remnant, Christ Himself, the Church will ultimately strike the earth in judgment even though He first comes
survive the anger of the Living God (12:1-3). When the Church as the Suffering Servant?
appreciates this then there will no longer be any confidence in political 6. Verses 6-8. For the animals to behave like this there would need to
treaties or religious practices or pagan worship, because the LORD be far more than a superficial change to the world. Why does Isaiah
Himself, the Divine Messiah, “is my strength and my defence; He has pick these combinations of animals? How does this holistic vision
become my salvation” (12:2). Only He can stand on the day of judgment of the animal world remind us of Eden at the beginning?
and only He can provide safety for His people, both now and on that day. 7. Verse 9. What is the fundamental explanation for the radically new
biological order of the world?
In the book of Acts we see how Jesus did make ‘Israel’ or the Church a
global nation, spreading out to all the nations. People from every nation 8. Verses 10-11. What is the centrepiece and climax of the new
can rally to the One Righteous person and join Israel, grafted in, whether creation? What is the goal of Christ’s redemption?
Jew or Gentile. Isaiah chapter 12 is a celebration of this time of renewal
and restoration when the LORD’s anger is taken away. In 12:4-5 the great
desire is that the Church will take this message out to the nations of the
world – “let this be known to all the world.”
If we are members of Zion, and if our trust really is in the Holy One of
Israel, the LORD Jesus Christ, then not only must we be captivated by His
glory but also thrilled to tell others about Him.

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 Study 2 Further Questions Study 3 World Panorama: Isaiah 13:1-20:6
1. Why don’t Church leaders have the kind of encounters with Christ
and the angels today as Isaiah had in chapter 6?
KEY TRUTH
2. In the 20th century several leading ‘thinkers’ suggested that the The whole earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can
Virgin Birth of Jesus was not very important, that it made no real be no room for any of the shame, pride and sin of the human
difference to who He is. What do we make of this idea? If we kingdoms or religions.
imagine that Jesus had been produced through a human father,
would this make any difference to His holiness or divinity?
1. Babylon and its king: 3. The African empires:
3. Isaiah gives us such real and specific descriptions of the new
13:1-14:27 18:1-20:6
creation that Jesus will bring about. How seriously do we take his
words about the lion and lamb lying down together? Do we have a
truly ‘physical’ future hope? 2. Humbling the neighbours:
14:28-17:14

Study 2 Daily Readings

1. Babylon and its king – 13:1-14:27
Day 1 Isaiah 6:1-13
When we live in the shadow of mighty empires of this world, whether
Day 2 Isaiah 7:1-25 they are religious or political regimes or multi-national companies or
Day 3 Isaiah 8:1-22 even the control of family or work in our own circumstances, we need to
Day 4 Isaiah 9:1-21 remember that none of them are going to last. Everything that can be
Day 5 Isaiah 10:1-34 shaken is going to be shaken, torn down and destroyed (see Hebrews
Day 6 Isaiah 11:1-16 12:26-28). The empires and tyrannies, with all the injustice and suffering,
Day 7 Isaiah 12:1-6 of this passing age will be wiped away when the LORD Jesus Christ
returns to the world in great glory to renew the whole creation and make
the kingdoms of this world into His kingdom (Revelation 11:15). Even
The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all now He brings down the arrogant empires and systems that stand in the
of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible way of His plans for the Church.
that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
“The most striking use of the city motif is ‘the tale of two cities’.
Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
The ongoing history of the world produces a global society
think through the key issues each week.
structured without God, the humanly-made, humanly-centred
city, created by human cleverness for human salvation… With
the inevitable divine overthrow of this city there is created the
‘city of God’, a new world order constructed by God on his plan,
with himself at the centre and from where he reigns over a
universe of righteousness and peace.” (Motyer, 17).

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The prophecy that deals with Babylon and the spiritual powers behind “Because the LORD has set his hand to a moral judgment that is
her is split into three parts: cosmic (verse 10) and world-wide (verse 11) in extent the
the judgment of the world (13:1-16); heavens tremble and the earth will shake. The ordered movement
of the heavens and the stability of the earth, all that was
the judgment of Babylon (13:17-14:2 and 20b-27);
achieved by creation, will be undone in judgment.” (Motyer, 139).
the judgment of Babylon’s king, both human and demonic
(14:3-20). Having rejected the Glorious Immanuel who cares for His flock, the world
is like “sheep without a shepherd” (verse 14). Though they run to find a
Ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) was divided into two competing
place of safety, there is nowhere to hide and even the women and
states: Assyria and Babylon. Assyria was the ruling power, but the
children suffer the destruction.
Babylonians were on the way up. Isaiah looks beyond the rise of Babylon
to its future fall, yet the subject of ‘Babylon’ has a wider and deeper Having convinced us that all the nations of the world, even the sun, moon
context than the immediate time of Isaiah. and stars, will be shaken down on the LORD’s day of judgment, in 13:17
the camera zooms down to the much nearer target of Babylon itself in
At the centre of a developing empire was the city of Babylon. It may have
the time of Isaiah.29
had its origins in the building of the tower of Babel described in Genesis
11:1-9, and the name Babylon seems to mean something like “Gate of The Medes and the Persians brought about the destruction of Babylon in
the gods”, indicating the pagan religion associated with that city from its 539BC, as Isaiah prophesied here (13:17) more than 150 years before it
earliest times. Throughout the Bible Babylon has a symbolic value, happened! The kind of total judgment that will happen at the very end
indicating the whole of this world’s order in its opposition to the Living on that final Day of the LORD’s anger will fall on Babylon much sooner,
God. The reason that Revelation chapters 17 and 18 are all about Babylon just as it did on Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 19). There is no future for
is because those chapters are really about the overthrow of this world’s the Babylonian kingdom.
order of greed, power and injustice. This section of Isaiah takes such a big However, the judgment on Babylon (and the world) is only the other side
and cosmic perspective because the fall of Babylon is really the fall of the of the one great covenant plan (14:1-2). The Church does have a future,
kingdoms of this world.28 and that future involves all the nations of the world (verse 2). Through
So, if the banner was raised to summon the nations into the Church in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Israel has gone out across the world
11:12, now the banner is raised to gather the holy ones for war: the final ‘conquering’ the nations, bringing them into the global family of the
war of global destruction when the Rider on the White Horse rides out Church – “they will make captives of their captors and rule over their
against the whole world – see Revelation 19:11-21. Verses 1-5 introduce oppressors.”!30
the coming judgment for Babylon, but then from verses 6-13 we are
shown the global judgment that the Messiah will bring to the whole 29 “The day of the Lord has many interim fulfillments. 14:17-22 will find one such in the overthrow of
creation, the heavens and the earth. Assyria. Further on in history, it will be foreshadowed again in the fall of Babylon… In this way verses
17-22 are related to verses 2-16. It is not that Isaiah is here naming retrospectively the warriors who
were summoned in verses 2-5; that summoning awaits the day, which even in our time, is yet to come.
But the same principles that operate in that climactic day of history operate throughout. The God
28 Revelation 17:5; 18:1-3. “the more we think of chapters 13-27 as a study of the principles of world whom that day reveals is the God who directs history now, and sinful human nature, which will then be
history merging forward into eschatology, the easier it becomes to see that from the start Babylon seen in its true colours, is the nature which drives people on today.” (Motyer, 140)
carries overtones of the ‘city of emptiness’ (24:10) whose fall is the end of all that opposes the Lord’s 30 “The reality of all this is the spreading kingdom of peace into which the convert presses gladly and by
rule” (Motyer, 142). choice and takes the servant’s place within the community of grace.” (Motyer, 142)

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In the King James Version of the Bible Isaiah 14:12 is translated as All that Isaiah has spoken in this long prophecy of judgment is fixed,
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning.” planned and determined by the LORD Almighty (14:25-27). The whole
The name Lucifer is taken from the Latin translation of the Hebrew earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can be no room for any of
Scriptures meaning “bearer of light”, but it occurs only in this one place. the shame, pride and sin of the human kingdoms or religions.
It is not clear that Isaiah is primarily referring to the fall of the devil here.
The prophecy as a whole seems to refer to the human ruler of Babylon in 2. Humbling the neighbours – 14:28-17:14
a highly symbolic judgment, but it is quite possible that Isaiah is also Having painted the big picture of judgment on the whole world and the
speaking about the devil in the background.31 Certainly the words of specific judgment on Babylon as the symbolic centre of the human world
14:12-15 are very appropriate both to the attitude of the devil but also in rebellion against the Living God, the words of judgment now come
his fate as cast down to the earth, crawling on his belly and finally much closer to home, to the peoples immediately surrounding Judah.
doomed to hell itself.32 The Assyrians were still dominant and seeking to expand to the west.
The tyrant of Babylon is doomed to fall and his reign is spoken of as if it Egypt was another great power to the south, themselves being pushed by
has already ended. The tyranny over the other nations will be broken and the Cushite empire to their south. How could the smaller states of Syria
then the people can rejoice (14:5-8). When this king is killed, Sheol, the based in Damascus, Philistia, Moab, Judah and Israel survive among the
realm of the dead (sometimes represented as ‘hell’), is stirred up because rise and fall of these great powers? Could they or even should they join
the punishment of death has even reached this one that seemed together in an alliance? Should they try to negotiate treaties with Egypt
untouchable (14:9-11). As his body rots, so he is brought down to the or Assyria in order to buy some security?
same level as everybody else. He acted as if he were a god, as if he could
reach up to the highest heaven itself, yet he ends up at the very bottom Over the next 20 chapters the prophet Isaiah addresses these deep
of creation with all the rubbish, awaiting the final judgment of Hell questions, not by explaining clever political strategies but by pronouncing
itself.33 This king will be humiliated in death (14:16-20). the LORD’s judgment on every security other than Christ the Rock.
The wicked will not be resurrected to inherit the earth (verse 21), but These nations may try to find a glory of their own or look to the glories
rather they are simply to be forgotten. Babylon, with all that she of each other, but to reject the glory of the LORD Jesus is to invite
represents and any of the demonic forces that control her, have no place judgment.
in Jesus’ renewed creation – “I will sweep her with the broom of
destruction, declares the LORD Almighty” (verse 23). The Philistines (14:28-32)
In the year that Ahaz died, the Philistines receive this word of judgment
31 In Ezekiel 28 we find two remarkable prophecies: one to the “ruler of Tyre”, a man who thinks he is a
god; and then another prophecy to the “king of Tyre”, a guardian cherub who was in Eden who fell into (verse 28). Ahaz had been embroiled in power politics, having been
sin and had to be thrown out. Perhaps here too Isaiah is speaking of the ruler in the heavenly realms, defeated by the Arameans from Damascus (2 Chronicles 28:5) and
the prince of Babylon, the power behind the throne of this great symbolic city of worldliness, greed and
corruption (cf. Daniel 10:13). If the glorious LORD Jesus is the Messiah-King behind the city of Zion in suffering heavy casualties from the Israelites (2 Chronicles 28:5-8).
the heavens, then Satan himself is the ruler of the city of man, the city of the world and the flesh. Ahaz had paid the Assyrians (using treasures from the temple) to fight
32 Verse 12 may be referring to two of the astrological gods of the Babylonian pantheon or even
specifically to the plant Venus, also known as the morning star, which can be seen ‘falling down’ even as
back against the Edomites and the Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:16-21,
the sun rises. see also 2 Kings 16:5-9).
33 Note: Sheol or Hades is the place that the wicked go when they die to await the general resurrection
and the final judgment of Hell itself. The righteous are delivered from Sheol and wait with the LORD Perhaps the Philistines were rejoicing that Ahaz was dead and his Assyrian
Jesus Himself in paradise (see Psalm 86:13). allies had failed (verse 28). However, Isaiah warns them that the new king

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(a viper) will bring destruction to them, as Hezekiah does in 2 Kings Chapter 15 begins as if we are in the aftermath of the sudden destruction
18:5-8. He takes back the towns they had captured and defeats them in of Moab (15:1). Everywhere we look people are humiliated and mourning
their own land (14:29-31). Even those who survive the battle die through (verses 2-3), with grief and despair in every city. Verse 5 begins with a the
famine (verse 30). The Philistines may be rejoicing at the thought of LORD God Himself weeping over and with Moab yet promising to bring
Judah’s fall, but Immanuel has established His people and will never let “still more upon Dimon” (verse 9). All through Isaiah we see the glory of
them fall. the LORD Jesus as He not only judges the world who forsakes Him but
The Philistines may have no refuge in their coming conflict, but for those also goes out to them with genuine compassion, offering them life and
who look to Him the LORD has established Zion as a refuge for all His security if they will find their refuge in Him.
afflicted people (verse 32). Is this an offer for the Philistine people to find Chapter 16 takes us to a different scene with refugees arriving in Zion,
refuge in Zion, in Christ Himself, even as their judgment comes upon bringing lambs for sacrifice, asking for shelter. Then in 16:4-5 Isaiah
them? describes how Christ the LORD will bring peace to the world (cf. 2:3-5;
9:5; 11:6-9) – “One who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of
The Moabites (15:1-16:14)
righteousness” (16:5).
The structure of these two chapters is important to keep in mind.
Moab needed to take this offer of refuge in Christ to heart and make a
Throughout the prophecies of judgment the LORD weeps over Moab and
speedy decision to seek Him because within three years (16:14) the
at the centre of the prophecy is a description of the Moabites being
judgment was going to fall. The glory of Moab would be swept away, but
offered a way to join the people of God in Zion under the peaceful reign
of Christ Himself (the son of David). the glory of Jesus remains as a refuge for her. We all imagine that life will
go on just as it has, yet for us all, and for the whole world, the day of
15:1-9 – The judgment and humiliation of Moab. judgment is coming. We cannot postpone it or pause its advance for even
16:1-5 – Moabites offered refuge in Zion through trusting in the one second. There is refuge in Christ Jesus, secured by His death and
Promised Messiah. resurrection, yet the time is short.36
16:6-14 – Further judgment on Moab’s pride (16:6) and paganism Jesus words in Luke 21:33-36 could have been spoken to Moab, and to us
(16:12).
all – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
The tribes of Jacob had a strange relationship with the Moabites, the away. Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation,
descendants of Lot. In one sense they were ‘relatives’, both looking back drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you
to men who had trusted in Christ (even though Lot had not been the best unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the
example of living out that faith!), but they were also drawn into conflict face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may
at different times.34 However, in this long prophecy it is made clear that be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able
“the promises which will be fulfilled for David in Zion are for all who will to stand before the Son of Man.”
take refuge there” even if they are Moabites.35
36 “In their location after verses 1-5, verses 6-13 warn Moab that there can be no ‘cheap grace’ in recourse
to Zion and David. They have to face the falsity of their pride (v.6), the reality of their suffering (vv 7-
34 The reference to Zoar in 15:5 is perhaps a subtle way of reminding the Moabites of their shameful
11), the failure of their religion (v12), and the prospect that the future will be even worse than the past
origins, described in Genesis 19:30-38.
(vv 13-14). Then they need to return to their confession in verses 1-5 and make it a description of their
35 See Motyer, 149. future.” (Goldingay – New International Biblical Commentary, Isaiah, Hendrickson 2001, page 111)

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Damascus (17:1-14) separate histories. Both Psalms 68 and 87 speak about people from Cush
The same pattern is used against Damascus, a sandwich of judgments and Egypt coming to join Israel, finding their true identity as citizens of
with a gospel filling. Zion. So, as we read these prophecies about Cush and Egypt we need to
see how these nations have long been involved in the Biblical story.
17:1-5 – The judgment of Damascus (representing the kingdom of
Aram) and the removal of its glory. Cush – (18:1-7)
17:6-8 – Looking to the Rock, their Saviour, the Holy One of Israel. Cush is introduced as a land of flying insects, great rivers (cf Genesis
17:9-14 – The judgment for forgetting Christ the Rock. 2:13), papyrus boats and tall, impressive, smooth-skinned people. They
Notice how Aram and Ephraim are treated as an alliance here, which send out ambassadors to make political alliances (verse 2). Yet, the LORD
presumably reflects the politics of the day as the northern kingdom of is not impressed with the security offered by Cush or her arrogance
Israel joined with others for security. Aram will suffer this fading and among the nations. As Cush tries to expand her influence and empire, the
wasting (verses 3-4) to bring them down to a realisation of their true LORD will cut her back to size (verse 5). Notice the extent of the pruning
state. The glory of Israel, Judah and Damascus must fade so that only the in verses 6-7. All is cut down and left out for the animals. When the
glory of Jesus Christ remains.37 When the false glory that draws the grapes are getting ready to mature, then all the branches are cut off with
Arameans away from Christ is removed, then they can “turn their eyes to no harvest left at all. Is there then no hope for Cush? Not in Cush itself,
the Holy One of Israel” (verse 7). The idolatry will have been cleansed but the people of Cush will come to Zion to trust in the Name of the
away (verse 8). Whenever the LORD is called the Rock (verse 10) we are LORD Almighty (verse 7). In Zion Christ is the One who remains even
reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4 – “that after all the judgments and pruning have been done.
Rock was Christ”. The judgments will take away all the Aramean security. Over and over again, the same pattern that was established in Judah is
The nations are like the chaotic restless sea (verse 12) instead of taking played out in all the nations. The LORD wants to bring people to Himself
refuge in the solid, immovable Rock of Christ. from every nation, all across the world. He comes in judgment to destroy
them so that the wicked can be cut away and burned up, so that Christ
3. The African empires – 18:1-20:6 Himself is left as the only place of refuge.
The empire of Cush seems to be an empire to the south of Egypt, and it
has a very distinguished role in the Bible. It is first mentioned in Genesis Egypt – (19:1-25)
2:13 when one of the great Edenic rivers flows out to Cush, presumably In Exodus the Angel of the LORD38, Christ Himself, came on the night of
the original ancestor of the river Nile as we know it today. Later Cush is the Passover bringing judgment so He comes again to Egypt, causing
identified as one of Noah’s grandchildren, a child of Ham, who himself was deep fear (19:1). They will turn against each other and their worship of
the father of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8; see also 1 Chronicles 1:8). The empire the dead (with their mummies) will come to nothing (verse 2-3) as they
of Xerxes in Esther 1:1 stretches all the way from India in the east and are conquered. The Nile is the great life source of Egypt, and that too will
Cush in the west. The Ethiopian empire of Cush sometimes took control of fail them (verses 5-10). The Egyptian wise men will become like
her north African neighbour Egypt, but they are distinct empires with drunkards, unable to make any sense (verses 11-15). If other nations were
37 Again, the end of verse 3 sounds as if a remnant of Damascus will survive the judgment and it will be like used to judge Judah, He is ready to use Judah to bring judgment on the
the remaining glory of Israel. But then we are told that this glory must fade and waste away. Just as the Egyptians (verses 16-17).
tenth will also be laid waste in 6:13, so the remnant also must fade and waste away here. Only Christ, the
Holy One of Israel, can remain. In verse 6 he states that the judgment will be so complete that only two 38 To see how the LORD Himself, the Angel of God, brought judgment to Egypt and deliverance to His
or three survive, but then in verse 7 in turns out that there is in fact only one Holy One in Israel. people see also Exodus 11:4-8; 12:27; 13:18-22 and 14:19-24.

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Yet, again this judgment is designed to make Egypt forsake its religion of Egypt and Cush – (20:1-6)
death and turn to the LORD Christ. We don’t know which five cities are the However, there is a further warning to Egypt and Cush. The Philistines put
focus of verse 18, but they will have become followers of the LORD their trust in an alliance with Egypt, but Sargon of Assyria came to
Almighty. Just as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob built altars and monuments to Ashdod and defeated them (20:1). To vividly and disturbingly proclaim
the LORD God in the book of Genesis, so the Egyptians will have the same the foolishness of trusting in Egypt or Cush the LORD told Isaiah to
history for themselves (verse 19). When Israel was in slavery in Egypt, they remove all his clothes for three years (verse 3) as a constant sign in
cried out and the Angel of the LORD came down to rescue them (see Exodus Jerusalem of the way the Egyptians and Cushites would be taken away to
3:1-6). So, now the same ‘exodus’ will be given to the Egyptians if they too exile in shame. “Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be
cry out to Him – “He will send them a Saviour and Defender, and He will dismayed and put to shame.”
rescue them.” When the Israelites were rescued they were taught how to
make offerings and sacrifices at Mount Sinai, so the Egyptians will be taught Isaiah confronts us with his powerful words and images, but in living
to make the same offerings (verse 21). This time His plagues on Egypt will naked for three years he must have created a scandal around the
be to heal them, to rescue them from their own pagan tyranny (verse 22). Jerusalem temple. This shocking way of vividly presenting the message
was necessary because the profound question of trusting in Egypt was
In a glorious conclusion Assyria joins in the worship of Christ the LORD going to be the top issue facing Judah over the coming years.
with Israel and Egypt. A glorious highway running from Baghdad to Cairo,
via Jerusalem, stretches right across the Promised Land as it was We so often pretend to be civilised and respectable when in reality we
originally defined to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21. All three are defined are full of darkness and unbelief. If the Living God has to offend our
equally as the LORD’s people, His Church – “Blessed be Egypt my people; sensibilities to get our attention then so be it. If He needs to destroy all
Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance” (verse 25). our comforts and securities before we will look to Him for refuge, then so
be it. Our hard and narrow hearts will rarely listen to simple reason, as
“They shall have an interest in the great Redeemer… Doubtless
Isaiah was told in 6:9-10.
Jesus Christ is the Saviour and the great one here spoken of,
whom God will send the glad tidings of to the Egyptians, and by We might complain of feeling embarrassed about sharing the message of
whom he will deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, Jesus with our friends, neighbours or colleagues at work. Yet, if Jesus asked
that they may serve him without fear, Luke i. 74, 75. Jesus Christ us to live like Isaiah for three years, are we so passionate for Jesus that
delivered the Gentile nations from the service of dumb idols, and we would obey? It is unlikely that He would ask such behaviour of us, but
did himself both purchase and preach liberty to the captives… what of the simple teaching that He has given to us all. Do we follow that
They shall come into the communion of saints. Being joined to with the same total abandonment and passion that we see in Isaiah?
the Lord, they shall be added to the Church, and be incorporated Would we be fools for Christ if it meant that people might be won for
with all the saints.” (Matthew Henry).39 Him?
39 “The knowledge of God shall prevail among them, v. 21. They shall have the means of knowledge. For
many ages in Judah only was God known, for there only were the lively oracles found; but now the Lord,
and his name and will, shall be known to Egypt. Perhaps this may in part refer to the translation of the
Old Testament out of Hebrew into Greek by the LXX., which was done at Alexandria in Egypt, by the
command of Ptolemy king of Egypt; and it was the first time that the scriptures were translated into
any other language. By the help of this (the Grecian monarchy having introduced their language into
that country) the Lord was known to Egypt, and a happy omen and means it was of his being further
known.” (Matthew Henry).

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 Study 3 Bible Questions Study 3 Further Questions
1. More than one thinker has suggested that cities are one of the main
Isaiah 17:1-14
problems in the world and that it would be better for us all to live
1. Verses 1-3. Damascus was the capital of the kingdom of Aram, yet in a much more ‘spread out’ way in the countryside. On the other
the LORD announced a judgment of destruction against it such hand at the centre of the new creation is the vast City of God, the
that flocks of sheep will be free to graze right where the mighty city home of the Father Himself. What are the strengths and weaknesses
once stood. Why did the Arameans (and us still today) need to of cities, where humanity is all gathered tightly together?
know that no matter how impressive our cities might be, they have
2. If the LORD God humbled nations in the past through war,
no future?
economic decline and diseases, then do we believe that He still
2. Verse 4. Why does Isaiah make us think of Jacob as a large man who does that to nations today? Can we see any evidence of this in
has wasted away with age and illness? recent history?
3. Verses 5-6. Another image shows us the corn field and the olive
orchard after the harvest has finished. What is the power of this
image? Is there any hope at all? Study 3 Daily Readings
4. Verse 7-8. What is the purpose behind this cutting down of human Day 1 Isaiah 13:1-22
pride? Who is our Maker and who is ‘the Holy One of Israel’? Is the
Day 2 Isaiah 14:1-32
fundamental character of an idol that it is “the work of (our)
hands”? Day 3 Isaiah 15:1-16:14
5. Verse 9. Imagine the city or town where we live being deserted and Day 4 Isaiah 17:1-14
overgrown with weeds. How does this change our perspective on Day 5 Isaiah 18:1-7
the life or ‘glory’ of that town or city? Day 6 Isaiah 19:1-15
6. Verses 10-11. The apostle Paul reminds us that the Rock of Israel Day 7 Isaiah 19:16-20:6
was Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 10:4). What happened when
those ancient people forgot Him?
The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
7. Verses 12-13. How does Isaiah present the rising arrogance and of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
pride of the nations? What is the response of the Rock to this raging that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
sea? Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
8. Verse 14. Sudden disaster can take any or all of us away. What is think through the key issues each week.
Isaiah’s message as we face such an uncertain future?

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 Study 4 Glory to the Righteous One: Isaiah 21:1-27:13

KEY TRUTH
We can never be forgiven as long as we refuse to trust in
Christ the LORD

1. To bring down their pride 3. The LORD is coming

21:1-23:18 out of His dwelling:
25:1-27:13

2. Glory to the Righteous

One: 24:1-23

1. To bring down their pride – 21:1-23:18

The new cycle of prophecies goes back to Babylon to begin again.
Babylon is the symbolic city of this world. The judgment and fall
of Babylon means the judgment and fall of all cities and nations.
This chapter of Isaiah is the key background reference for John’s visions
about the global fall of Babylon in Revelation 17-18. From this new vision
of global judgment, Isaiah once again announces coming darkness and
judgment for the nations around Judah.
The whole earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can be no room
for any of the shame, pride and sin of the human kingdoms or religions.

The gods are fallen (21:1-10)

The great threat during this time in history was not from Babylon but
Assyria. Babylon may have been trying to promote uprisings against
the great Assyrian empire but it would be 100 years before the golden
age of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. So, as this prophecy begins we
might at first think that it is about the fall of Assyria, yet only in verse
9 do we see that it is about the fall of Babylon. This most likely
Seven brides for one brother refers to Sennacherib’s destruction of Babylon in 689BC, towards the

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end of Hezekiah’s reign.40 Edom and Arabia (21:11-17)
The Elamites and the Medes were laying siege (verse 2) and Isaiah is Looking towards the south, Judah’s nearest neighbours were the Edomites
overwhelmed by what he sees (verses 3-4). Yet, Isaiah seems to be and the Arabs. For Edom there is darkness, and the great question is “how
watching from Jerusalem and he is trying to rouse the city (verse 5) to long will this darkness last?” The fearful news is that although the
take note of what is happening. The destruction of Babylon was an urgent morning will eventually come, yet so will the night, over and over again.
warning about the destruction that was coming to Jerusalem very soon. “As history moves forward, greater darkness envelops the world,
A watchman is posted to look for news of what is happening (verses 6- bringing greater uncertainty – ‘where is everything going?’… Thus
9) and finally a man in a chariot brings the news: “Babylon has fallen, has a solitary Gentile experience mirrors world history: the end will
fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground” (verse 9). come, the end is not yet. Hope lies in the undated future and
In Revelation 14:8, as the three angels announce the divine judgment on though it is deferred it is sure.” (Motyer, 177).
the whole world, they quote Isaiah 21:9. Babylon, with its greed, luxury War and refugees are coming into Arabia as well (verses 13-15), to these
and worship of false gods, represents the world in its opposition to the other members of Abraham’s family. Kedar was the first son of Ishmael,
Living God. If Babylon falls under the LORD’s judgment then all who are Abraham’s son (Genesis 25:13). The strength of these desert bowmen will
with her must also fall under judgment, as Revelation 14 makes so clear. be gone, even within one year of this prophecy. Why? Because the LORD,
This is wonderful news for the Church who is crushed and attacked by the the God of Israel, has spoken. In Isaiah 42 we will see how these
world in every generation. The gods of this world will all be cast down in Abrahamites are among the very first to welcome the Messiah, so this
judgment and destruction. Now they may all seem so powerful, but none time of judgment and “cutting back to the stump” of Christ alone will
of them have any lasting future. Babylon will fall. This glorious also bring salvation among the Ishmaelites.
announcement must comfort us too as we see the religious, political and
financial empires of our age with all their tyrannical arrogance, The Valley of Vision (22:1-25)
persecuting the Bride of Christ. There is only room for one woman in the Three prophecies are brought together in chapter 22: Jerusalem (verses 1-
world filled with Christ’s glory – and it is not Babylon (see Revelation 14); Shebna (verses 15-19) and Eliakim (verses 20-25). Their common
17:1-6 and 19:7-9). theme is the sin of trusting in this world and its resources rather than the
“The cryptic title (1a) indicates that Isaiah is looking beyond a glorious LORD Jesus.
historical incident to the Babylon which first appeared in Shinar How can the mountain of Jerusalem be a valley of vision? Perhaps Isaiah
(Genesis 11:1ff) and encapsulated in the spirit of self-sufficiency, is showing how the sin of the people has turned everything upside down.
the confidence of human beings that they could find security For Isaiah the mountain has become a valley (see verse 4), a place of sin
through their own technological expertise. It is that Babylon he and darkness, a place where the city is destroying itself without any
has in mind as he warns the people of God to maintain their invading armies harming them (verses 2-3). Yes, the streets may be full of
separate identity (cf. 52:11).” (Motyer, 176). parties (verse 2), but if they could see the judgment that is coming there
would be only deep sorrow. The armies of judgment are gathering (verses
40 “Sennacherib records that he filled the city with corpses, ‘the gods dwelling therein – the hands of my 6-7) and the LORD has taken away His protection from Judah (verse 8).
people took them and… smashed them.’ The buildings and walls were razed and, says Erlandsson, ‘his
final gesture was to have huge volumes of water released over the ruins… to obliterate every trace of 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:30 describe how Hezekiah organised a
that city which had been constantly in revolt.’” (Motyer, 172) major engineering feat of providing water into the city. Yet, in verses 9-

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11 Isaiah is not impressed. This made the people even more trusting of “The LORD Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her
their own strength and technology rather than trusting in Christ who splendour and to humble all who are renowned on the earth” (verse 9).
alone could give them true security. He can give them Living Water from This same principle comes up over and over again throughout Isaiah.
the ancient waters of life (verse 11), but they did not look to Him. The whole earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can be no room
Verses 12-13 provide the stark contrast. The people are living a high life for any of the shame, pride and sin of the human kingdoms or religions.
of celebration and security (verses 13) when the LORD Almighty is 2. Glory to the Righteous One – 24:1-23
summoning them to a time of deep repentance and weeping. They were
putting on their best party clothes when they needed to put on their In chapters 24-27 of Isaiah there is a sequence of praise or rejoicing after
sackcloth. They were spending time on hairdressing when they needed to each of the major prophecies of judgment.
tear out their hair (verse 12) in profound sorrow. The judgment of the whole earth (24:1-13)
The sin that cannot ever be forgiven is that of ignoring the LORD Himself. The song of praise – Glory to Jesus! (24:14-16)
All other sins can be atoned for and forgiven when we look to Christ the The judgment of the heavens and the earth (24:17-23)
LORD for forgiveness, but if we refuse to look to Him then we can never find The song of new creation praise (25:1-9)
forgiveness for any of our sins. Verse 14 states this judgment in blunt and
The judgment of Moab, bringing down their pride (25:10-12)
direct terms. If we do not look to the Rock, to the Atoning Sacrifice, to Jesus
Himself, then as long as we live we will never find atonement for our sin. The song of praise – trusting in the Rock (26:1-19)
Shebna,(verses 15-19) was building fortifications in Jerusalem and taking The day of judgment on the devil (26:20-27:13)
pride in the Judean chariots (verse 18), yet his pride would be turned to Isaiah has shown us the same pattern over and over again. The LORD God
disgrace when he was removed from his position. He would be replaced will not ignore or forget the nations of the world. He claims them all for
by the LORD’s servant Eliakim (verses 20-25), a man who would offer His own and He will not give them over to darkness and sin. He will come
much better leadership for Jerusalem and Judah. He would handle the in judgment on all the nations to destroy their ‘glory’, showing them that
legacy of David properly (verse 22-23). However, his family would try to there is only the Glory of Christ the LORD. He alone can stand the fire of
load him up with their own glory and therefore he too would eventually the LORD’s presence. Christ alone can be the refuge for all the nations of
be knocked down to size (verse 25). the world.
Whenever anyone tries to rival the glory of Christ the LORD they must Yes, the judgments are terrible but these judgments reveal how there is
be humbled and removed. no lasting security or glory in any of military plans, alliances or
fortifications. There is no security in any mere creatures.
Tyre and Sidon (23:1-18)
Only Christ the Rock can be the true refuge and strength for anybody and
Tyre was the powerful trading base for a mighty mercantile empire
everybody in every circumstance.
spread right across the Mediterranean Sea, as far as Tarshish in Spain.
Cyprus (verse 1), Egypt (verses 3-5) and Sidon were all dependent on Chapter 24 takes this to the whole earth. A day is coming when not just
Tyre’s trading empire and would be completely stunned if it was ever each of the individual nations, one by one, but the whole earth on a
destroyed. Yet the glory of Tyre must also be humbled so that even the global scale must be judged and destroyed (24:1). This will affect
business obsessed Tyre might also be involved in what the LORD is doing everybody regardless of their status or occupation (verse 2 cf. Revelation
(verse 18). 19:17-18). The earth itself has become defiled by the wickedness of

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humanity and is withering away (verses 4-6). The civilisations of this All the time throughout Isaiah the challenge to the glory of Jesus will be
passing order must be destroyed so Christ the LORD remains to renew brought down, in various historical acts of judgment here and now but in
the whole earth as the everlasting home of righteousness. that final day of judgment on a global and cosmic scale. The glory of
Notice again the pattern of judgment-gospel-judgment. In verses 14-16, Jesus is that He provides safety and refuge for all those who trust in Him,
between the two descriptions of the earth’s judgment and destruction, both now and forever.
comes the earth’s singing, from east and west, “Glory to the Righteous Chapter 26 takes us back into a song of praise. The righteous have a city
One”. That faithful remnant from the whole earth will acknowledge the with foundations, whose builder and maker is the Living God Himself
glory of Jesus when all the false glory of corrupt humanity has been taken (verses 1-2 – cf Hebrews 11:10 and 16). Jesus is the eternal Rock in whom
away. Even the glory of the sun and moon will fade away before the we trust (verses 3-4 cf 1Corinthians 10:4). When we read Isaiah’s
uncreated glory of Jesus (verse 23). prophecies we might feel as if history is an endless turmoil of war and
destruction, of judgment and danger. Yet, those who trust in Christ find
3. The LORD is coming out of His dwelling – 25:1-27:13 “perfect peace” and calm through it all (verse 3). Again, the proud and the
Chapter 25 is mostly a song of praise that we will sing in that new ones who have raised themselves too high must be brought down and
creation future when the earth has been shattered but made again, put under the feet of the poor and oppressed (verses 5-6).
when we live in the glory of the resurrection with Jesus, the Father and When the righteous trust in the Righteous One they find that their way
the Spirit forever and ever. On that day, while the wicked are judged the through life is level and smooth. Through all the hardships and suffering,
humble saints will find refuge in the LORD. Then the marriage supper of we find His presence with us and we know where we are going and how
the Lamb will be for all peoples (verse 6). Death itself will be destroyed to live each day. The key to this wisdom of the righteous is that instead
(verse 7 – cf 1 Corinthians 15:54-55) and the LORD will personally wipe of looking out for themselves they look to the LORD Jesus Christ and say
away “the tears from all faces” (verse 8 – cf Revelation 21:4). In the “your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (verse 8). Day or
sheer joy of that day we will realise that we are there simply because night, we long for Him and His people learn how to be more like Him.
we trusted Jesus (verse 9) and not by any wisdom or power or glory of Yet, the wicked do not learn from Him whether He is kind to them or
our own. punishes them (verses 10-11). They do not acknowledge His glory
This chapter is full of our new creation future in such vivid and clear (end of verse 10).
terms. Until death is destroyed our tears can never be fully wiped away. The righteous recognise that any honour that they have, anything they
Yet, we must always remember that the new creation is only possible in have ever done of any value, “you have done for us” (verse 12). Though we
the aftermath of the day of judgment. Until the world has been cleansed might have a boss at work and all kinds of earthly authorities have power
from all the sin and darkness it can never be the everlasting home of over us, yet “your name alone do we honour” (verse 13). The wicked, who
righteousness. So, after the first song of praise we are taken back into a tried to make a name for themselves, have been judged by the LORD and
prophecy of judgment. Moab is selected in verses 10-12 as symbolic of they have no future. There will be no resurrection life for them (verse 14)
all the wicked. Just as Satan is crushed under Christ’s feet, so the wicked and they are simply forgotten. Their glory is for this life only.
are trodden underfoot on that day (verse 10). They will be thrown into a In all that the LORD Jesus does for the Church He has gained glory for
lake not of fire but of manure and their pride will be brought right down Himself (verse 15). In His creation, revelation and redemption, His life,
low, “to the ground, to the very dust” (verses 11-12). death, resurrection and ascension, He has revealed who He is: the Servant

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King, the Dying Conqueror, the Sacrificial Priest. We are joyful to The LORD Jesus wields His sword so protectively because He is watching
acknowledge that we could not save ourselves. We were in pain, as if we over His vineyard. Day and night He guards it (27:3). The choice for His
were pregnant, yet all that we produced was wind as if we had digestive enemies is clear: destruction or surrender (27:4-5). He would prefer His
problems (verses 16-18). But, in contrast, the LORD Jesus is totally enemies to come to Him to make peace, but if they will not then it
fruitful in His painful labours: His dead will be resurrected to eternal glory means battle and fire. His vineyard will have fruit all over the world (verse
with Him (verse 19). The spirits of the dead that belong to Jesus are 6) so now He must bring His judgment down to show how there is no
refreshed by Him. hope in anyone other than Himself. Even His own vineyard is filled with
So, in the day of judgment, we can take shelter as He comes from heaven people “without understanding” (verse 11).
to destroy the wicked. The LORD is coming out of His dwelling in the This time of judgment will reach right across the Promised Land of
heavens (verse 21) to punish the earth for all its sins. How can the Church Genesis 15:18-21, from Egypt to Assyria (verses 12-13). When the
survive such a global and comprehensive judgment? We shelter under trumpet finally sounds, there will be people from all over the world who
the sign of His blood and therefore His anger will pass over us (verse 20- have trusted in Christ alone and they will be gathered back together from
21 cf the Passover in Exodus 11-13). all these nations.42
That final day of judgment will finally deal with the devil himself (27:1).41
If He is coming from His dwelling to sort out the whole world, then His
“fierce, great and powerful sword” will be used to destroy the devil:
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse,
whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes
war… Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down
the nations. “He will rule them with an iron sceptre.” He treads the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty… The rest of them
were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on
the horse…” (Revelation 19:11-21).
“Notice how the triple description of the Lord’s sword as fierce,
great and powerful matches the triple description of his foes
(serpent… serpent… monster)… The picture of the power of the
air, the coiling serpent on the ground and the ‘dragon which is
in the sea’ shows the whole creation infested with alien
powers which will be sought and destroyed wherever they are”
(Motyer, 222). 42 See Zechariah 9:14; Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16. “…there will be Gentiles
awaiting the great trumpet heralding their full atonement… From the ends of the earth, and even from
the supreme oppressors themselves (Egypt the first, Assyria the contemporary), there will be those
whom the atonement trumpet calls to Zion. The gathered Gentiles will worship the LORD on the holy
41 In order to appreciate the identity of Leviathan, note how the book of Job begins with Satan coming in mountain in Jerusalem. They will be united to the Lord in worship, full participants in the holy
to cause trouble in the courts of heaven and then the whole book reaches that climactic chapter 41 community and welcomed in Jerusalem as members of the strong city itself (cf Ephesians 3:6).”
when the greatest power of the LORD is shown in His ability to defeat and tame Leviathan. (Motyer, 226)

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 Study 4 Bible Questions Study 4 Further Questions
1. Given that all the nations of the world are passing away and their
Isaiah 26:1-13
glory is judged by the Living God, how should the Christians deal
1. Verse 1. In chapter 24 Isaiah confronted us with the destruction of with issues of patriotism and nationalism? How important should
the whole earth under the LORD’s judgment. Even the powers in our nationality be to us? When the glory of our nations is brought
the heavens will be judged (24:21). The cities of this age will all into that new creation future, how different will our nations seem
crumble away (25:2). However, what enduring hope does the then? (see Revelation 21:26)
Church have in every age?
2. How can we keep a balance between our hope of heaven when we
2. Verse 2. What is the entry requirement to enter into this strong and die and our hope of the new creation on the final day when Christ
eternal city of God? the LORD returns? If we think only of the final hope we can lose the
3. Verse 3. How can we have peace even when everything in our lives personal comfort of “absent from the body, present with the Lord”,
seems to be falling apart? but on the other hand if we think only of going to be with Him in
4. Verse 4. How does Isaiah encourage us to trust in Christ the eternal heaven we lose sight of the grand and holistic regeneration of all
Rock? things that is the goal of salvation.
5. Verses 5-6. What is the alternative to trusting Him? What is the
outcome of that?
Study 4 Daily Readings
6. Verses 7-8. We might worry that the road ahead of us is completely
broken and full of holes, but how can we walk on a level and Day 1 Isaiah 21:1-17
smooth road through life? What must capture our hearts even Day 2 Isaiah 22:1-25
when fears and pain surround us? Day 3 Isaiah 23:1-18
7. Verses 9-11. Describe the difference between the righteous and the Day 4 Isaiah 24:1-23
wicked. Can we say they have different hearts and different eyes? Day 5 Isaiah 25:1-12
8. Verse 12. How are we to think of the fruit we produce in life? Day 6 Isaiah 26:1-21
9. Verse 13. How are we to cope with the forces and empires that try Day 7 Isaiah 27:1-13
to control us? What can we do if even the government opposes us?
How can we support our brothers and sisters who are in constant
danger from oppressive regimes? The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
think through the key issues each week.

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 Study 5 The Glory of the Foundation Stone:
Isaiah 28:1-35:10

KEY TRUTH
Christ the Rock is the very foundation stone of Zion, the
heavenly city of the Living God.

1. A Stone in Zion: 3. Your God will come:

28:1-29:24 32:1-35:10

2. Woe to those who rely

on Egypt: 0:1-31:9

In the most complete manuscript of Isaiah from the Dead Sea Scrolls the
book of Isaiah is divided into two halves after chapter 33. It is as if the
book has two distinct parts, the first dealing with Isaiah as an
ambassador of the LORD Jesus to Judah and the nations, then the second
half where the LORD Jesus Himself steps into the foreground.
“From the vision of divine purposes (chapters 13-27) Isaiah turns
to the reality of divine power. It is the task of chapters 28-37 to
demonstrate that the Lord does actually rule world history and
that, therefore, his as yet unfulfilled promises and purposes are
sure. At two climactic points in chapters 13-27 (19:24-25; 27:13),
Isaiah predicted the gathering of Egypt and Assyria into full
membership of the Lord’s people… To Isaiah’s contemporaries
this must have seemed both marvellous and unlikely – that aliens
should become members, inveterate enemies friends, and
imperial powers quietly submissive! Isaiah therefore offers the
greatest of his interim fulfilments, a period of history in which
divine sovereignty over Judah, Egypt and Assyria would be
demonstrated before their very eyes… As we shall see, the
occasion is that of the ‘Egyptian alliance’ in the days of Hezekiah.
In the land of the blind Judah is seen wilfully refusing the way of trust in the Lord for trust

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 in Egypt; Egypt is revealed as blustering and ultimately ineffective; the Living God will give His truth to the foreign nations and then they will
and the Assyrian army, bending its colossal power to punish the come to preach to them in these Gentile languages that they cannot even
rebels, is destroyed by the Angel of the Lord.” (Motyer, 227). understand (verse 11). They had a clear message of where to find rest (verse
12), but even that clear message will sound nonsense to them (verse 13).
1. A Stone in Zion – 28:1-29:24
In 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 Paul refers us back to this passage from Isaiah
The garlanded head of Ephraim (28:1-6) to show how important it is for us to hear the Word of God in clear terms
Samaria was the capital of Ephraim and in Amos 3:12-15 and 6:1-6 we in our own language. A local Church may well have people from different
learn how they had built up the city to be a luxury palace, adorned with nations, speaking different languages, but if the message is spoken in a
ivory. Sitting on top of its mountain it would have looked like a garland generally unknown language without translation then it would be as if
on the head of Ephraim. The fertility and harvest celebrations had they were living under the judgment against Ephraim/Jerusalem, hearing
descended into drunkenness and pride (28:1). So, the true LORD of the the truth in an unknown foreign language.
harvest would bring down that pride with terrible weather (verse 2) and Jesus, the solid foundation (28:14-22)
the garland of natural glory will be trodden underfoot. When the
The prophets and priests made no sense, so the people had turned to the
judgment has fallen on Ephraim then it will be clear that Christ alone, the
very political alliances that the LORD warned them against. The covenant
LORD Almighty, is the only glorious crown for His people. He will bring
with death might refer to a political agreement with Egypt. They might
justice and strength in the Spirit and His Church will have no other
have seen it as a chance of life, but Isaiah simply describes it as a death
wreath, no other glory, than Jesus alone.
agreement.43 Yet they have tried to find refuge in a lie and a falsehood.
The nonsense teachers (28:7-13) Right there in front of them was a true refuge, a true Rock that would give
“In modern nations the besetting temptation of religious leadership is them guaranteed security in the coming crisis (verse 16). Christ the Rock
sex. In Israel it was drink (vv7-9). The former distorts peoples’ insight, but is the very foundation stone of Zion, the heavenly city of the Living God.
the latter does so more obviously.” (Goldingay, 154). He is a ‘tested stone’, proven to deliver on His promises and keep His
people safe. The city of God depends entirely on Him for its structure
The priests and prophets were supposed to lead the people to
because He is both the foundation underneath and the cornerstone of
Christ the LORD, but all they did was utter childish nonsense the building.
(verses 9b and 10). The alcohol had confused their thinking and
though they no longer had any true wisdom we can well imagine The faithful saints that reject human glory and look only to Christ’s glory
in the materialistic hedonism of Samaria that these religious are not thrown into the foolishness of panic but can keep a clear mind.
leaders might try to come up with a message of restraint and Justice and righteousness are the test of any refuge for God’s people and
religion to fit in with the situation. But it was just nonsense. Mere Egypt obviously do not have them. Just as the LORD destroyed Egypt
rules and legalism do nothing to control sin, as was clearly with hail in the Exodus, so He will judge them again (verses 17-19).
demonstrated in their own lives.
The Hebrew for verses 11 and 13 is sav, asav sav lasav, kav lakav kav lakav 43 It is possible that the covenant with death is meant more literally as they looked to the pagan worship
of the dead to find security. Perhaps they had ‘good luck charms’ of bones that were supposed to keep
intended to sound like the meaningless words that these prophets might them safe when the Assyrian invasion came or maybe they offered sacrifices (even of children) in order
speak. So, if they are willing to listen to incomprehensible messages then to satisfy the hunger of the realm of the dead (verse 15).

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 “The metaphor of the bed reflects ironically the refused resting prevented them from understanding the prophetic words of Isaiah
place of verse 12. They have made their own bed and must (29:11-12). When we turn away from the LORD it has a terrible legacy,
now lie on it, but only to find that if they lie full stretch the bed driving us further into the darkness. Yes, the people were prepared to play
is too short, and if they curl up the blanket is too narrow!” at ‘Church’, outwardly going through the motions and pretending at
(Motyer, 234). ‘religion’ (29:13).
Just as the LORD gave His anointed king (David) great victory over his They have the religious traditions, which are done with all the reverence
enemies in 2 Samuel 5:17-25, even as he was securing Jerusalem, so and show, yet in their hearts the people were far away from the Living God.
Christ would rise up against His enemies again to secure Zion, even We can so easily deceive even ourselves as we substitute religion for
though His enemies now are not the Philistines but the people of Judah reality. Jesus is always the ultimate enemy of ‘religion’ because religion
living in Jerusalem. This work of judging His own people is “His strange covers over the truth about us. He wants our hearts and our lives or else
work.. His alien task”, yet He will do it nonetheless (verse 22).44 He wants nothing of us at all.
The magnificent wisdom of the LORD (28:23-29) In our religious delusion we imagine that the LORD can’t see what is
really going on in our hearts, that we can hide the truth from Him (29:15-
As we have seen, the destructive judgments of the LORD on Israel, Judah 16). We act as if we could manipulate our Maker, as if the clay could
and all the nations are only a preparation for a fruitful harvest. The breaking shape the potter (verse 16).
up of the hard ground is only so that the planned crop can be produced.
Each kind of crop needs its own special kind of sowing and harvesting, so Rejoice in the Holy One of Israel (29:17-24)
this is how the LORD deals with the nations. The farmer learns how to farm The Living God is no mere idea or fantasy, so He will come down from
from God (28:26), so the LORD knows the right methods for each nation. the heavens and prove His reality. Even to those who are blind and deaf,
His plan is wonderful and His wisdom is magnificent. lost in the darkness, He will bring sight and salvation (29:18). He will open
blind eyes and show Himself in spite of His people’s rejection of Him.
As it is in a dream (29:1-8)
Then the humble will rejoice in Him and the proud mockers will be taken
So, although Jerusalem (Ariel) will be humbled to the dust (29:1-4), yet the away with all their social injustice (29:19-21). When His people see how
enemies that came to besiege her will themselves be destroyed by the the LORD has healed the blind and wayward people, giving them
LORD just when these enemies were already tasting their victory. Her understanding and making them eager for instruction, then the shame of
enemies will feel as if they are just about to get all the plunder, but will His people will be gone (29:22-24). This is the work of the LORD’s hands
actually get nothing, as if they were just dreaming of their victory (29:7-8). and all the glory goes to Him.
Their hearts are far from me (29:9-16) We can never save ourselves. We can’t even escape from the evil desires
that control us. Only when the LORD Jesus opens our blind eyes by His
The LORD’s people have chosen blindness and stupidity (as Isaiah was
Spirit do we really see who He is and what He has done for us.
warned right back in chapter 6), so the LORD has confirmed their choice
(29:10). He has given them over to their own hardness of heart and 2. Woe to those who rely on Egypt – 30:1-31:9
44 “Isaiah’s call to reform is based on what he knows is coming (he has heard it from the Lord; he The great concern of these chapters is the danger of relying on Egypt for
advocates repentance not because repentance will prevent it (it is definite) but because there is no security and trying to find refuge in any merely human strength or
other way to prepare. The only way to flee from God is to flee to him.” (Motyer, 235). wisdom. When human resources are seen as an alternative to the glory

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of Christ the LORD then judgment must come. As we have seen so many that looks strong but actually bursts apart in a moment (30:12-14).
times, the pattern is judgment-gospel-judgment (judgment (30:1-17) – The alternative to relying on Egypt is always trusting in Christ, basking in
gospel (30:18-33) – judgment (31:1-9)). His glory. There was still time to go another way:

Woe to those who look to Egypt for refuge (30:1-17) “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is
your strength, but you would have none of it” (30:15).
In all these judgments against trust in Egypt we need to understand the
universal power of these prophecies. In our nations, our Churches, our So, far from being strong they will be weak and cowardly. Even if they
communities and our own individual lives we are always faced with this outnumbered the Assyrians 1000 to 1 they would still be too afraid to
same basic choice: Christ as the desire of all nations or else human glory, attack (verse 17), running away at the slightest danger.
human strength, human wisdom. This is so true of us in every generation. The LORD’s people want security
Jesus Himself declared that we must chose between God and Mammon, and peace, yet when we look for it apart from Him we are cursed with
where Mammon is all that belongs to the glories of this passing age fear and confusion, with depression and despair. He will not share us with
(Matthew 6:24). the gods and idols of this world.
When we make our own plans and decide what is best for our lives, then The LORD longs to be gracious to you (30:18-33)
there is only woe for us (30:1). The plans we need are the LORD’s and the In spite of all the betrayal and unfaithfulness, still “the LORD longs to be
alliance that is best for us is the one with Christ by His Spirit. The people of gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion.
Judah were looking to Pharaoh and Egypt for their refuge, but there is no For the LORD is a God of Justice” (verse 18). Note that it is the LORD’s
advantage there, only shame and disgrace (30:4-5). Remember that all the justice that means that He will be gracious and compassionate. The idea
time Isaiah is giving these prophecies he is naked, showing the shame that that His justice is the opposite of His mercy comes from that pagan view
will fall on the Egyptians when they too are led away to exile (20:1-6). of justice as an impersonal dispenser of punishment. In reality justice not
All the resources that the LORD had given to His people are carried away only punishes the wicked but will also restores those who repent and call
through the desert hardships of the Negev in order to buy the ‘help’ of on the LORD.
Egypt (30:6-7). The Church wastes her blessings on useless help, on Egypt The LORD is quick to forgive His people if only they will cry to Him –
the “do-nothing” (verse 7). How this must hurt the heart of our Loving “As soon as He hears, He will answer you” (verse 19). Though they will
God! He gives us good things and then we use them to rebel against Him, eat and drink affliction for a time (30:20) yet after that they will learn to
to sinfully serve our own desires and foolish ideas. know their Teacher, the Holy Spirit Himself, who will guide them at all
So, Isaiah was to write out a complaint from the LORD and perhaps post times.45 Then all the idols of political security or pagan worship will be
it up in a public place for all to see, describing how the children of the thrown away (verse 22).
LORD are rebellious and unwilling to listen to Him (30:8-9). They actually
try to silence those who speak His Word (verses 10-11) – “Stop
confronting us with the Holy One of Israel! Stop talking about Christ all 45 “The period of affliction will be a time of divine self-concealment (8:17) but it will be followed by a
the time! Stop calling us to Him when we want to go our own way!” time of direct relationship. The translation teachers is permissible, but the context requires the singular,
which the form also allows, i.e. ‘your Teacher’, referring to the Lord as the law/instruction giver.
So, this sin of relying on Egypt and trying to silence the Word of Christ This divine self-revelation will be matched by powers of receptivity, eyes to see and ears to hear.”
will bring disaster on them. Their alliance with Egypt will be like a wall (Motyer, 250).

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So, when the day of judgment comes, though it will mean slaughter and ways, Isaiah is reminding the Church of the events of Exodus when Egypt
destruction for the world, yet for the Church it will mean great blessing. was proved to be far, far weaker than the Angel of the LORD.
The Church is the moon, shining with the reflected glory of Jesus, so on
that day she will shine as brightly as the sun, which shines seven times 3. Your God will come – 32:1-35:10
brighter (30:23-26). In the next section of our studies (chapters 36 through to 41) Christ (the
Again Isaiah shows us the LORD Jesus Christ coming on the day of Angel of the LORD) does in fact come to save Jerusalem from the
judgment (verses 27-30), the majestic and glorious Divine Judge judging Assyrian war machine. All that the LORD has promised through Isaiah
the world and saving His people. If He can do that in the far future, about His ability to defend them will be vindicated when He actually
He can certainly “shatter Assyria” in the immediate future (verse 31). does it before their very eyes.
Even while Assyria is being destroyed by the LORD, His people will be So, chapters 32-35 help to prepare us for the coming of the Angel of the
celebrating with harps and tambourines (verse 32). LORD in salvation and judgment.
“Little did the Assyrians know that their imperial progress to The King of Righteousness (32:1-20)
(Jerusalem) (10:8-11) was their funeral procession with the pyre
long since laid!” (Motyer, 253). We begin by looking at the Messiah-King reigning in righteousness, as
prophesied back in 9:1-7 and 11:1-10. The rulers under Him embody all His
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help (31:1-9) principles of truth and justice. In that new creation future, there will be
protection from every threat. Even the deserts will have streams of water.
If that is how the LORD is about to defeat Assyria, then why would the
Living in the shadow of Christ the King will be like the cool shelter of a
leaders of Judah ever want to make an alliance with Egypt? The only
great Rock in a thirsty land. The NIV says “each man will be like a shelter”
explanation is that they do not trust the LORD. They do not believe that
but the Hebrew is literally ‘a man’, referring to Christ the King Himself.46
He can defeat the Assyrians in that way.
In 6:9-10 Isaiah would face people who see but never perceive, who hear
In our day too we might imagine that military power will give us safety or
but never understand. Yet, in the kingdom of Christ the LORD, those
perhaps that medical technology will secure our lives, yet it is the Holy One
seeing eyes and hearing ears will truly perceive and understand.
of Israel (verse 1) who alone can really help us. We might think that the
The fearful mind will understand and the stammering tongue will be free
world will make a good friend, but in making friends with the world we
to speak clearly (verse 4). The fool and the scoundrel (whose wickedness
make an enemy of the Living God and He “can bring disaster” (verse 2).
is described in verses 6-7), will no longer receive the respect that they do
If we have the world as our enemy then it can do us some damage, but in this dark age.47
if the LORD Jesus is our enemy then He can not only end our life in this
In contrast to the Messiah’s future kingdom, Isaiah speaks to the women
passing age but also throw us body and soul into Hell itself (Matthew
of Jerusalem about their comfortable complacence, their merriment and
10:28). The Egyptians are just human beings, but Christ is the Living God
revelry in the condemned city of Jerusalem. This old order of sin and evil
(31:3).
when the glory of Christ is rejected and fools and scoundrels are
The LORD is a much better defender of His people than Egypt or any
46 King James Version – “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the
other ally ever could be. He is like a lion that is scared of nothing, or like tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”
birds flying overhead the LORD will pass over His people to rescue them. 47 “An imperfect society imperfectly accords honour. Isaiah looks forward to a true aristocracy of
This reference to the Passover (31:5) is quite deliberate. In all kinds of character.” (Motyer, 258).

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honoured will soon be judged and destroyed. There is no future for this then His consuming fire will burn away the sinners and the godless, who
sinful world order. The time of the LORD’s justice dwelling and renewing give birth to the tinder for the fire that consumes them.
the deserts will not come until the old is swept away and the Spirit is “The tragedy of sin is that it ruins the life of the sinner; the danger
poured out from on high (verse 15). Then creation will blossom, the curse of sin is that it excites the wrath of God” (Motyer, 265).
of thorns and barrenness will be gone and sin itself will be cleansed away.
When the world is right with God then peace, quietness and confidence Calling to the Gentiles far away and the Hebrew people nearby (verse
will flourish forever (verse 17). After the judgments have destroyed the 13), the LORD summons the world to acknowledge His power (verse 13)
cities and the forests, yet the LORD’s people will live in safety with fertile Who can dwell in that everlasting, consuming fire of the LORD’s presence
crops and animals (verses 18-20). (verse 14)? This refers to the fire burning on the altar that consumes each
What a glorious vision of our resurrection future! We yearn for that day sacrifice, the fire that indicates the holy presence of the LORD yet the fire
of judgment because beyond it is the new creation kingdom of Christ. that also marks the impassable boundary between heaven and earth.
Only One Person is able to cross this boundary and enter safely onto the
Betrayal by Assyria; faithfulness from Christ (33:1-24) mountain of God – Christ Himself. He alone can fulfil the demands of
Chapter 33 takes this vision forward. This prophecy was probably given in 33:15, as described in Psalm 15, but especially when His ascension up to
the context of 2 Kings 18:13-18 after Assyria’s apparent acceptance of the Mountain is described in Psalm 24:3-10.
Hezekiah’s deal. However, the attack on Jerusalem was continued as if no Yet, and here is the glory of Jesus, He does not ascend to the heights
agreement had been reached. So, it is woe to those who destroy and alone. He brings His people with Him so that they may see the beauty of
betray, because there will come a time when the tables will be turned and the King and see His glorious heavenly country (verse 17). The wicked
Assyria will be betrayed and destroyed (33:1). and arrogant who are now in power, whose confusion is apparent in their
In contrast to these traitorous Assyrians the people of God should turn to confused and unintelligible speech (verses 18-19) will be taken away and
Him asking for mercy, seeking strength from Him each morning. With the forgotten.
Assyrians banging on the gates, in the time of distress, the ancient Church That glorious resurrection future when we will see Jesus as He is and
turns to their Saviour (verse 2). Yes, right now we may suffer but in the end, enjoy His renewed heavens and earth will sustain us even now as we set
the LORD’s army is terrifying to the nations and the battle is over before it our hearts and minds on Him. Even now we focus on that City of God,
even began (verse 4 and Revelation 19). He brings justice to His city. where the river of life flows out from the throne of God. In that heavenly
Christ alone is the sure foundation, the reliable Friend and Ally in all city of God there will be no illness and no sin (verse 24).
troubles. In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
The LORD is angry with all nations (34:1-17)
(33:6) and the key to the treasures in Him is simply to fear Him – to love
Him and trust Him. Isaiah calls out to the whole world that the LORD’s judgments will fall on
all nations (verses 1-3) and even on the heavens above (verse 4). It is as
Verses 7-9 might well relate to the incidents in 2 Kings 18 when the if He is making a mighty sacrifice of all the world, with Edom chosen as
Assyrian siege of Jerusalem carries on even though the peace envoys had the example for all (verses 5-7). Edom was the nation descended from
tried to buy peace with the temple treasures. Verse 8 refers to the broken Esau and perhaps for this reason typifies the problem with the world.
treaty. This treachery seems to be the final straw for the Angel of the Esau could have submitted to Jacob so easily, leading his people into the
LORD who will now arise to defend His people. When the LORD arises ancient Church of Israel. Instead, he lived for the moment, putting a

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higher value on his immediate desires. Out of that he produced a people descriptions), but it was always for the joy that was set before Him, that
who carried on with the ways he taught them leading to a history of renewed heavens and earth that would be the everlasting home of
conflict with the LORD’s people (see 1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:14; righteousness.
1 Kings 11:1-25; 2 Kings 8:20; 2 Kings 14:7-10; and Edom’s hostility at the The earth has been under a curse of decay and futility since human sin
fall of Jerusalem in Obadiah 10-14). defiled the creation at the very beginning. The creation will suffer a
Edom had so many opportunities to return to the LORD, yet consistently cosmic judgment (chapter 34), but it will only prepare it for a cosmic
went their own way. They were an Abrahamic people, yet refused the true renewal when even the deserts and wilderness places will become fertile
heritage of Abraham: faith in Christ. gardens (verses 1-3). The glory of the LORD Jesus will be seen by the
The divine sword has slaughtered Edom as if it were a lamb or goat or bull earth itself, making the wilderness as glorious as Lebanon.48
prepared for the altar. The coming day of God will be a day of vengeance So, with that bright future in front of us, we can keep going even now
when the LORD will vindicate His people (verse 8). Recalling the with all the struggles and pain of this passing age. As Judah faced the
destruction that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, Edom will be turned into threat of Assyria and then later exile under the Babylonian empire, the
pitch and burning sulphur, burning night and day for ever (verses 9-10). faithful saints could gain strength and courage by reminding each other
The wild birds that feast on fallen carcasses will be the only living things of the day when God will come to right the wrongs and resurrect His
left after God has applied His standard to Edom (verse 11). Hyenas and people (verses 3-4). Then all physical problems will be cured once and for
jackals will move into the deserted cities of Edom (verses 12-15). This must all (verses 5-6). This is why the healing ministry of Jesus in the gospels is
happen because the LORD has spoken and His Spirit will do it (verse 16). so very important. Jesus is doing more than simply dealing with the
The animals and Zion have a future on the earth, but the wicked have no immediate physical needs around Him in Israel of 33AD. He is
place in Christ’s coming kingdom. demonstrating who He is. He is showing the world that He is the
Your God will come (35:1-10) Righteous King, the Holy One of Israel, the God of Vengeance who will do
everything that the prophets said about Him – see Matthew 11:1-6.
So, Isaiah’s prophesies come to a climax and conclusion. For more than 25
chapters Isaiah has looked at the nations, Israel and Judah, always declaring The jackals may have moved into the cities of Edom (34:13), but the
the LORD’s condemnation of human pride or human glory. Christ, the Holy wilderness places where they used to live will become fertile, water-side
One of Israel, is the only safe refuge; the only resting place; the only One landscapes (35:7).
worth having an alliance with; the only Saviour who can provide a truly The resurrected Church will be able to move about in complete safety in
secure future; the only One strong enough to conquer all the enemies. that renewed earth. The Highway of Holiness will enable anyone to travel up
Christ the LORD is not just for Israel and Judah, but for the whole world. to Zion without any fear of lions or wicked fools. Yes, from all over the world
His judgments fall on all the nations so that they too will know that there the redeemed will flood into the city of God, whose builder and maker is
is no possible hope other than in Christ alone. He is the only One who God Himself, with singing – “everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness
can survive the judgment of the Living God. Only those who have found and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
refuge in Jesus; only those He has rescued will enter Zion (see Psalm 87).
48 It is vital that we never focus on the few who trust in Christ but always on Jesus Christ Himself. We
Before we see how Christ delivers on His promises, Isaiah continues with need someone who can not only sort out the mess of our own individual lives but also renew the
whole creation, bring fertility to the whole earth and change the very nature of reality! There is only
his vision of the new creation future. The glory of Christ the LORD would One who can do all this and we must always keep Him at the very centre of all our Bible study,
be shown in His suffering and death (as we will see in Isaiah’s detailed thought and day-to-day life.

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 Study 5 Bible Questions Study 5 Further Questions
1. Should Christians have anything to do with “moral campaigns” in
Isaiah 33:1-17
society or politics? Is there any value in making non-Christian
1. Verses 1, 3-4. With the Assyrian armies banging on the gates of the people behave better or making their activities illegal? Does this
city and hard times ahead, Isaiah looks beyond the current troubles bring people nearer to Jesus or drive them further away?
to the final destiny of all oppressors and wicked people. Why is it so
2. In Isaiah 28:26 we learn that farmers learn their farming methods
important to always keep that final day of justice in mind?
from the LORD God. What does this mean? If Christ is the Logos
2. Verse 2. In the hardest times, the “time of distress” how can we find who upholds the whole creation, then is all true logic and
the strength to face each day? knowledge from Him?
3. Verse 5. It is all too easy to keep our eyes fixed on the troubles all
around us – like Peter who focussed on the waves in Matthew
14:30. What is the remedy for this? Study 5 Daily Readings
4. Verse 6. Looking up to the King in Zion above, we are also aware of Day 1 Isaiah 28:1-29
the foundation beneath our feet and the rich store of resources to
Day 2 Isaiah 29:1-24
get us through the time of distress. How do we unlock this rich
store? Day 3 Isaiah 30:1-33
5. Verses 7-9. Isaiah describes the land of Judah and the city of Day 4 Isaiah 31:1-32:20
Jerusalem in the coming time of distress. List the different aspects Day 5 Isaiah 33:1-24
that strike so deep. Imagine facing these troubles in our own cities Day 6 Isaiah 34:1-17
or nation. Day 7 Isaiah 35:1-10
6. Verses 10-12. How does the LORD exalt Himself in these verses?
Is this good news or bad news, in the light of verses 7-9?
The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
7. Verses 13-15. Think back to the words in Isaiah 29:13 with their of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
superficial understanding and empty devotion. Describe the that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
contrast with 33:13-14. Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
8. Verses 15-17. Verse 17 holds up to our view the King who we saw think through the key issues each week.
in verse 5. In Him there is such a glorious hope and a safe home.
Consider what makes Him such a secure hope, worthy of all our
trust, in the light of verses 15-16.

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 Study 6 The Glory of the Angel of the LORD:
Isaiah 36:1-41:29

KEY TRUTH
Christ defeated all the enemies of the Church on His own,
while His people were sleeping.

1. I will defend this city: 3. I myself will help you:

36:1-37:38 40:1-41:29

2. Robbed of the rest of

my years: 38:1-39:8

All the way through the book of Isaiah, the prophet has told us that in the
day of judgment there is only Person who can survive; only One who can
handle and overcome the day of justice. Over the next few chapters
Isaiah will prove that as He shows us Christ the LORD going out to face
the overwhelming, apparently unstoppable power of Assyria, He does it
all alone, with no help from anyone else.
When all hope is gone, then there is Christ alone in all His glory.

1. I will defend this city – 36:1-37:38

Isaiah doesn’t give us the background to the Assyrian invasion that we
find in 2 Kings 18, when Hezekiah tried to cut a deal with Sennacherib
(2 Kings 18:13-16). Instead Isaiah begins the story from the point when
the field commander issues an ultimatum to Jerusalem, deliberately
speaking in the Hebrew language so that all the ordinary people would
know what was said (Isaiah 36:11-12).

The Assyrian judgment arrives (36:1-22)

The moment of decision had arrived. For years Isaiah had been warning
that the LORD was going to use the Assyrian war machine to humble
Judah and Jerusalem, and now that moment had arrived. The Assyrian
Pride army had already captured the fortified cities of Judah, so many of the

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earlier prophecies of the Assyrian devastation will have already happened “Politicians make wars but people suffer them” (Motyer, 278).
throughout Judah.49 Now, the people were crammed into Jerusalem as The commander goes over the heads of the officials and addresses the
the last place to hide. Hezekiah and Sennacherib would not meet directly people directly, telling them not to trust in the LORD.
together, so their senior assistants met together to discuss terms and the
In verses 13-15 he puts the matter very directly. Hezekiah has clearly
location was interesting (36:2). It was the same place that Isaiah had met
with Ahaz in 7:3 (cf 22:9-11) when confronting him about his confidence been listening to Isaiah and has told the people that they must trust in
in human resources. The Rabshakeh50 wants to meet at that place to show Christ the LORD in the face of the Assyrian invasion. The field
that these preparations are of no concern to him – just as the LORD had commander refers to his own king as “the great king” but Hezekiah is not
warned through Isaiah. even referred to as a king. “Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in
the LORD…” Instead, verses 16-17, they should put their trust in the king
The field commander’s speech is very clever and spoken in the hearing of
of Assyria who will make peace with them and allow them to spend some
all the common people so that they would be unnerved by it. It has four
time on their land before they would be deported (verse 17).51
key themes:
In verses 18-20 the field commander puts the matter most sharply.
1. They cannot depend on Egypt (verses 4-7).
The world is full of nations with their different gods and religions. Each of
2. They cannot depend on the LORD (verse 7) because His places of these nations and cities called out to their gods when the Assyrian army
worship have been removed. arrived, but none of these gods ever managed to stop the Assyrians from
3. Even if the Assyrians gave them horses they didn’t have the conquest. Surely they could see that they were no different to all the
manpower to use them (verse 8-9) and Egypt wouldn’t deliver other nations! Surely they could see that the LORD was no more real or
resources anyway. powerful than any of these other gods?52
4. The LORD had personally authorised the destruction of Judah and This speech of the field commander sounds as fresh and challenging
Jerusalem (verse 10).
today as it did more than 2,500 years ago. The post-modern assumptions
What is so striking about this speech is that points 1, 3 and 4 are essentially of today are implicit in his speech: there is no ultimate reality other than
the sort of thing that Isaiah himself has been preaching. Only in regards to the truth created by human power. It is as if he had said “when real
the worship of the LORD in Jerusalem had he completely missed the point, physical power in the form of military might turns up then all the
although from his pagan background a reduction in places of worship ‘religious’ powers disappear into the fantasy world of fairies, myths and
would always be bad for a god. It may well have been that the Rabshakeh dreams.”
had heard reports of Isaiah’s speech of 10:5-6 so uses it as his closing
“Nothing can be more absurd in itself, nor a greater affront to the
argument. Eliakim, Shebna and Joah all realise the power of the speech and
true and living God, than to compare him with the gods of the
want to switch the conversation to Aramaic but in brutal terms the field
heathen; as if he could do no more for the protection of his
commander further unnerves anyone listening (verse 12).
worshippers than they can for the protection of theirs, and as if
49 “By the time he besieged Lachish, Sennacherib had disposed of the Tyrian and Philistine rebels and had the God of Israel could as easily be mastered as the gods of
defeated Egypt’s army at Eltekeh (in Philistia, north of Lachish) on its one and only attempt to redeem
its promises to the Palestinian states. Hezekiah was isolated and, politically speaking, it is no wonder
that Sennacherib pocketed the Judahite tribute while at the same time determining to leave no rebels 51 Notice how his words seem to echo what the LORD said back in 27:5.
behind when he returned home.” (Motyer, 277) 52 Back in 10:8-11 Isaiah prophesied that the Assyrian king would take this view of his conquests. He
50 The title means something like “chief cupbearer”, indicating that he was a personal assistant to would boast how he was able to get rid of the idols of the nations and would do the same to
Sennacherib Jerusalem.

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 Hamath and Arphad, whereas they are vanity and a lie. They are LORD as the One who is “enthroned between the cherubim” and also
nothing; he is the great I AM: they are the creatures of men’s over all the kingdoms of the earth; the One who made the entire heavens
fancy and the works of men’s hands; he is the Creator of all and the earth. In the highest heaven the Father sits on His majestic
things.” (Matthew Henry). throne surrounded by hundreds of millions of incredible angelic creatures
(see Daniel 7:9-10 or Revelation 4:6-8, especially Revelation 5:11-14).53
Isaiah’s prophecy of deliverance (37:1-13) In other words, Hezekiah is acknowledging at the beginning of his prayer
Hezekiah cannot bear to hear Christ spoken about in this way and not that his heavenly Father, seated in heaven, who made everything, rules
only tears his clothes but goes straight to the temple (verse 1) and sent over all the nations and if He sends His Divine Angel, Christ the LORD,
his officials, wearing sackcloth, to Isaiah and reported it all to him then anything is possible.
(verses 2-4). Finally, Hezekiah and his officials really do trust in Christ In verses 18-20 Hezekiah pleads the glory of Christ. Of course the
alone. The words of the field commander have the opposite effect! Assyrian kings could defeat all the gods made by human hands, but what
“It speaks volumes for the reality of Hezekiah’s sense of sin that would the watching world think when he is defeated by the One,
he bases no appeal on his own needs but only on the possibility True, Living God who made us?
that the Lord will stand by his own honour. In his prayer the king
The LORD’s reply to Assyria (37:21-35)
makes no reference to himself but recognises that the needs of
the Lord’s people are always a valid ground of appeal to the Lord” Hezekiah gets a very prompt reply from the LORD, through Isaiah.
(Motyer, 279). First a word against Sennacherib: a young woman would be very
Isaiah doesn’t need to pray because he is sure that the LORD will do what vulnerable in military conquest, but Jerusalem is like a young woman
He has already promised (verses 5-7), and furthermore because the mocking and laughing at Sennacherib (verse 22). When the king of the
Assyrians blasphemed against Christ Sennacherib would end up leaving Assyrians blasphemed the LORD he wrote his own doom: when he
and dying in his own country. challenged the glory of Christ his destruction was certain. His arrogant
claims are ridiculous (verses 24-25).54 All that was happening had been
However, before this is fulfilled Sennacherib sends another message, in
planned and predicted long before it happened – the earlier chapters of
the form of a letter, re-emphasising what his field commander had said
Isaiah eloquently prove this. Yes, Assyria’s conquest of Judah was planned
– verses 8-13. In this letter a deeper challenge is given to Hezekiah:
and prophesied (verses 26-27), but also the coming humiliation of Assyria
“do not let the god you depend on deceive you…” (verse 10). It is almost
(verses 28-29).
as if it is the devil himself who tempts Hezekiah: has God really said this?
Sennacherib, like his father, the devil, thinks nothing of directly Second, a word for Hezekiah: though the Assyrian army had devastated
challenging the very words and promises of the Glorious God who made the countryside, within three years it would be fully recovered.
all things. He again tries to place the Living God on the level of the pitiful
53 On the earth this was represented in the tabernacle by the ark of the covenant within the Most Holy
‘gods’ of the nations. Place, behind the curtain. The ark of the covenant had two cherubim, one at either end, between which
the Angel of the LORD would sit. Note that the Angel of the LORD would represent the Father on earth,
Hezekiah’s prayer (37:14-20) sitting on the throne within the Most Holy Place. The role of the Son as the Great High Priest and the
Lamb of God was, of course, represented by the Aaronic priests and the animal sacrifices in the
The fact that Hezekiah spreads the letter before the LORD at the temple tabernacle. On earth the Son represents the Father and the Levitical priests/animals represent the Son.
shows that he has thrown himself entirely on Christ the LORD, looking 54 No matter how many people walk through the Nile it will never be dry and nobody can go
only to Him for answers (verse 14). His prayer begins by addressing the mountaineering in a chariot!

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Though many had been killed in the invasion, yet there would be enough 2. Robbed of the rest of my years – 38:1-39:8
survivors to rebuild (verse 31-32). The Assyrian army would soon be sent If we are going to understand the closing years of Hezekiah’s life we must
on its way (verse 33). remember Isaiah 57:1-2. “The righteous perish, and no-one takes it to
In many ways Isaiah 37:35 is a critical verse in the book. Isaiah’s heart; the devout are taken away, and no-one understands that the
prophecies have claimed that the LORD is able to defend His people and righteous are taken away to be spared evil. Those who walk uprightly
that the best, military alliance is with Christ Himself, but now is the time enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.” The big question to
to prove it. ask as we study Isaiah chapters 38 and 39 is this: would it have been
The LORD now states that He will personally defend the city and save it. better for Hezekiah and for Judah if Hezekiah had died 15 years earlier?
He will do this because of the gospel promises that He made to David Yes, that’s a hard question to ask, but what does Isaiah want to tell us
long ago (see 2 Samuel 7). here?
Right when Hezekiah is at the best time of his life, when he is trusting
The Angel of the LORD (37:36-38) Christ more faithfully then ever before, when Christ has won this amazing
Surely this is one of the most thrilling parts of the whole Bible! Here is battle in defence of Jerusalem, when the nation is enjoying a time of
the day of judgment brought forward into the middle of history, a day optimistic rebuilding, that is moment when Hezekiah is struck down with
when the Church is vindicated against all her enemies. Christ, the Angel a fatal illness. Isaiah brings him a word from the LORD: “get ready to die”.
of the LORD, went out and personally defeated the entire Assyrian “Neither men’s greatness nor their goodness will exempt them
army:185,000 soldiers were killed.55 The Church went to sleep the night from the arrests of sickness and death.” (Matthew Henry).
before trusting in Christ, but surrounded by a vast and powerful army
who were blaspheming the Name of Christ. When they woke up the next We must all be ready to die because it could come at any time.
morning, with no contribution or effort from themselves at all, “Our being ready for death will make it come never the sooner,
everything had been done for them. Christ had accomplished His work of but much the easier: and those that are fit to die are most fit to
salvation while they were sleeping! live.” (Matthew Henry).
The night is far spent and the morning is at hand for us too and soon we Hezekiah turns to prayer with tears and the LORD has mercy on him,
will also gaze out at the complete victory of Christ as we enter into the sending Isaiah back with a promise of 15 years more life, connecting this
blessing of the land He has promised to give us. promise to His promise of defending the city against the Assyrians (verse
As prophesied, the Assyrian army and Sennacherib had to withdraw and 6). In 2 Kings 20:8-11 we learn that Hezekiah wanted a special sign of this
though Sennacherib trusted in his own god, Nisrok, yet it was not able to extraordinary promise, so asked for the incredible miracle of the shadow
protect him from even his own sons (verse 38) and he was killed by the on the stairway going back ten steps. It is an astounding miracle, in
sword just as the LORD had planned (37:7). astronomical terms apparently much more difficult that the healing of
Hezekiah, and yet the LORD is gracious to do it.56 The same LORD who
defeats the Assyrians may also heal all troubles and also give us signs of
55 It has been suggested that “the Angel of the LORD” here is simply a phrase meaning “an agent from the
LORD” and probably referred to a plague that struck the Assyrian army. Not only does this miss the 56 What exactly did the LORD God do? Did He adjust the rotation of the entire earth to accomplish this
meaning of the Angel of the LORD in the rest of the Scriptures, but it misses the vital personal so that all shadows across the whole world were also set back this distance? Or, which seems more
connection between Christ and His people. Christ Himself comes to save His people and bring judgment likely, did He work a local miracle in that place to change the way the light and shadows worked in
on His enemies, just as He did at the cross and just as He will do when He returns in glory. Hezekiah’s room?

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His care for us. Even if He does not take away all our physical troubles, Babylon heard that Hezekiah had recovered from his illness, he sent gifts
still He will always give us signs of His care for us – “though I walk and envoys to Jerusalem.57 Without consulting the LORD through Isaiah,
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because You Hezekiah showed everything in the whole kingdom of Judah to the
are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Babylonian ambassadors. Presumably out of pride he wanted them to
Hezekiah records this experience in his journal (verses 9-20). He is full of marvel at all the wonderful things he possessed, yet the Babylonians did
thanksgiving and he reflects on the way he was thinking during his crisis. not forget this visit and just over 100 years later the Babylonians
He had felt that it was unfair for him to die so young (verse 10) and he returned to capture Judah and Jerusalem.58 In doing this Hezekiah was
felt that he could still so much (verse 11), yet his body was just like a tent storing up trouble for later generations (verses 5-7), though he didn’t
that is easily pulled down and his life like a thread in a loom that is easily seem to care about this (verse 8).
broken. There is no permanence to our life in this world, in this age. This is the tragedy of Hezekiah. At the siege of Jerusalem his trust in
From the moment we are born we must be ready to die and if we have Christ the LORD is so strong, yet in those final 15 years he seems to undo
not prepared for that we will not be able to cope with it when the time so much of the good that he had done. Again, we need to ask, would it
arrives. Even as in his suffering he still looked to the LORD, asking for His have been better for Hezekiah to have been spared the troubles of his
help (verses 13-14). It is glorious how often the LORD draws especially extra years?
close to His people when they are suffering and in their final illness. 3. I myself will help you – 40:1-41:29
After he was healed Hezekiah pledges to live always with a new humility. Hezekiah was worried only about peace and security in his own lifetime,
He could see how this good had come from the suffering (verses 15-17). but Christ has a much bigger vision of comfort for all His people in every
The LORD had not only restored him physically but also spiritually (17b). age (40:1). Jerusalem had been through hard times and Christ had saved
To have our sins forgiven is the greatest comfort of all in life or death. her, but He would always have comfort for His people. He commands
We must all die sooner or later and if our sins our not forgiven then death that this comfort be spoken tenderly to His people.
will swallow us up and never let us go. Without Christ we go do to the pit How? If the judgment of the Living God would destroy all people, even
(verse 18), into Sheol with no possibility of ever praising or trusting the the remaining tenth (6:13), then what comfort could there be?
LORD God ever again. It is given to us once to die and then the judgment The answer is given right away (40:2) and it is the glorious answer that
(Hebrews 9:27). Jesus promised us that when we trust Him then we will will be spelled out over the remaining chapters of Isaiah. The sin of the
never really die; that even though we physically die, yet death will not Church has been paid for: there is no guilt against her and no punishment
touch us! to suffer.
John 8:51 – “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will How can this be? Christ Himself will do this. He is the Servant who will
never see death.” suffer the punishment instead of His people. He will take their sins upon
However, though Hezekiah was full of thanksgiving, he did not always Himself.
walk humbly before the LORD. Isaiah gets our attention fixed on the coming of the Messiah with this
“Thanksgiving is good, but thanks-living is better.”
57 It seems very likely that the real interest of the Babylonians was how Judah had managed to inflict
(Matthew Henry). such a massive defeat on the great Assyrian army.
Babylon was the up and coming rival to Assyria and when the king of 58 The first siege and fall of Jerusalem by the Babylonians was in 597BC, then again in 587BC.

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famous prophecy of John the Baptist (40:3-4). When Christ is born, when the Suffering Servant and the One who holds the heavens and the earth
Immanuel is born of the virgin (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 11:1-2), a wilderness together; both the One who carries the lambs and the One to whom the
prophet will prepare the way for Him. nations of the world are as nothing (verse 17). He alone can fathom the
We have heard so much about the glory of the LORD throughout the Spirit of God and advise the Most High with knowledge and
book so far. The glory of humanity is not allowed to stand against the understanding (verse 14). The One Living God needs no other gods for
glory of Jesus, yet what exactly is this glory of the LORD Jesus Christ? permission or insight. The Father, Son and Spirit are all sufficient.
Glory is the revelation or manifestation of who somebody really is. Who or what is even comparable to this Majestic Living God: Father, Son
Their glory is the shining out of who they are. For us sinful humans all our and Holy Spirit?
glory can only ever be a revelation of our pride, our greed, our idolatry. The nations trust in their idols, their man-made gods and mythological
Yet, Immanuel would come and show His glory to “all people” (verse 5). beings (40:19-20), but the Living God cannot be compared to such
How would He do this? That is our urgent question. Isaiah will show us things. He sits enthroned in the highest heavens, far above the ‘powers’
that the true and ultimate revelation of the glory of the LORD will come of this passing age. He can overcome any of the great empires as if they
when He dies as the sacrifice for His people. The apostle John takes up were nothing, merely by blowing on them (40:21-24). The stars in the
Isaiah’s “glory of the Cross” in his own biography of Jesus. The night before heavens may be worshipped by the pagans (verse 26), but they were all
He was crucified Jesus prayed “Father the hour has come. Glorify you Son, made and named by the Holy One of Israel, Christ the LORD.
that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1-5). The Church may sometimes feel as if the LORD has forgotten them, that
In these chapters Isaiah is going to show us human mortality and He doesn’t see what has happened to them (verse 27), but Christ is the
weakness, but also the self-sacrificial grace and kindness of Christ the Everlasting God who never gets distracted or tired. His plans may not be
LORD in all that He does for His Church, right up to the creation of a new clear to us but that is simply because His understanding is too deep for
heavens and earth. us to grasp (verse 28).
So, the voice is told to declare that although all human life passes away The end of the chapter is one of the glorious promises of the whole Bible.
like weeds, yet the Word of God, Christ and His Truth, are the solid Rock Whether we are in hard times or not, whether we are refugees going into
that is the eternal foundation for His people (verses 6-8). Notice that exile or we are in relative comfort, we do not trust in our own strength
although the Spirit or Breath of the LORD is the one who gives life to all or resources.
(Psalm 104:30), yet He is also the one who takes it from us (verse 7).59
We always wait on the LORD and then He will give us His own strength.
Yes, the gospel preachers coming to Zion must announce Immanuel with We might think that we are young enough to trust to our own strength
a shout – “Here is your God. He is coming with all His power and or we might fear that we are too old or weary to go on, yet as we hope
authority” (verses 9-10). Immanuel comes as the Good Shepherd who in Christ He will renew our strength.
personally loves and cares for His sheep (40:11).
Notice in verse 31 how it moves to ever more slow and steady ways of
This tender Shepherd is at the same time the One through whom all travelling, from soaring with the eagles to running without weariness and
things were made. Christ is such a glorious and mysterious Person: both finally walking without fainting. The key is endurance: slow and steady
and consistent living day by day. It is not what we do in the times of great
59 “The Spirit (the breath of the LORD) who is ‘the LORD, and giver of life’ (Ps. 104:30) is also the Lord, and
giver of death. There is a factor of divine judgment at work in the world, a visitation of death, for breath excitement, but what we do in the constant pattern of daily labour that
is ‘spirit’”. (Motyer, 301) really counts.

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Who controls world history? – 41:1-29 There are three examples of this: hostile enemies (41:11-13; personal
Turning from comfort for the Church, the LORD now issues a challenge weakness (41:14-16); and difficult circumstances (41:17-20).
to the nations of the world: “Who controls world history? Who can Notice the constant reassurance through the chapter: “Do not fear”.
determine or predict world history?” – see verses 1-4 and verses 21-29. The events of history and our own lives can easily make us afraid yet
The islands are challenged to renew their strength from their own Christ constantly tells us not to be afraid: He is with us and will never let
resources (as opposed to what the LORD does for His people in 40:31). us go. He has a glorious future for us when all the enemies are gone, when
our weakness will be replaced with joy, when the whole world will be free
In 41:2-3 the LORD describes a leader of an empire coming from the east,
of all suffering.
a man who conquers all kinds of nations as he goes. At this stage Isaiah
does not reveal who the LORD is speaking about, though in 44:28 and The enemies of the Church are nothing (verses 11 and 12) and have no
45:1 he is explicitly named as Cyrus, the future leader of the Persian future. In the end they will disappear. Though we may feel as weak and
empire more than 100 years later. The LORD is the first and the last, the helpless as a worm, yet in the end we will judge the world as we glory in
One who created all things and the One who brings everything to the the Holy One of Israel (verses 14-16). Now we face physical suffering, but
destiny He planned from the start (verse 4). soon we will enjoy a new creation where everything is as it should be
(verses 17-20).
The nations of the world are lost and fearful as they consider the events
of history so they turn to their home-made idols to comfort them That is the future as predicted and promised by the Holy One of Israel,
(41:5-7). This may take form of actual pagan idols or more commonly the the true King over all (verse 21). So, the challenge to the nations and their
money and possessions we have accumulated (see Ephesians 5:5). gods/idols is this: what can they make of history? Can they set out the
future like this?60 Can they explain the past properly (verse 23)? Can they
The Church can face history with calm and stability as she trusts in her make sense of what has already happened?
LORD and Saviour. The chosen people of the Living God, trusting in Christ
Even if they can’t do that, then perhaps they can do something, some act
just as Abraham did (verse 8), do not need to fear (verse 10).
in history that “we will be dismayed and filled with fear” (verse 23).
Note how the Church can even be called “my servant” and “chosen” However, anyone who trusts in a god or idol who cannot do anything is as
though they are the key titles to introduce Christ Himself in 42:1-2. useless as such gods (verse 24). The nations have no-one to explain history
Throughout the Bible there is such a close relationship between Christ (verse 28) and are dragged into the evil behaviour of these useless gods.
and His Church: He shares His righteousness and holiness, His wisdom
“The idolator is involved in fraudulent religion, the trouble it
and power, His Spirit and His life. We will see in the coming chapters of
brings and the personal iniquity of false worship” (Motyer, 318).
Isaiah how he will use the title ‘my servant’ to refer to both Christ in some
passages and the Church in other passages. It is a brilliant move whereby Revelation 5 picks this theme up when no-one can unlock the meaning
the sinful blindness of the Church is joined to the perfect righteousness of history other than Christ, the Lamb who was slain. Only Jesus, through
of Christ, so that when we read that He has carried our sins and His death and resurrection, is able to explain the meaning of history.
sicknesses we have already seen that happening as we have been bound
60 One of truly quaint surprises that one comes across in the study of Isaiah is the number of modern
together with Him under the titles of Servant. commentaries that assert that a different later ‘Isaiah’ must have written the prophecies dealing with
Babylon or the Persian empire because they are so accurate! The great claim of Isaiah is that the LORD
The Holy One of Israel is with them by His Spirit to strengthen them and predicts history but the idols cannot, but if these words were written by a much later ‘prophet’ who is
uphold them through all of history. writing ‘prophecies’ after the facts, then he is not only a liar but a fool!

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Once again the challenge is focussed on the coming figure from the Study 6 Bible Questions
north (verse 25).61 The proof of God is His ability to tell the future and
bring salvation.62 Religion and philosophy is just so much opinion and Isaiah 40:1-14
speculation, but the Living God through Christ tells us what the future 1. Verse 1-2. Isaiah 39:5-7 announces that though the Assyrian armies
holds, acts for us in the present and makes sense of the past. have retreated, the Babylonian armies will come to take the people
away to exile. How can Isaiah 40:1 follow on from that? What
possible comfort could there be in the light of that terrible
prophecy?
2. Verse 3. Though the people might be in exile, though they might
feel they are in the wilderness or the desert, yet how does this new
prophecy give deep comfort and hope? (See Mark 1:1-3).
3. Verse 4. Why do valleys need to be raised up and mountains made
low? What is this image telling us about the coming of God?
4. Verse 5. Think about the situation of Isaiah and the ancient Church,
surrounded by hostile nations and all kinds of mere ‘religion’.
How does this verse deal with that?
5. Verses 6-7. This might sound like an unpromising message to
announce to the world, but why is this such an important truth for
us all to take to heart? What does this tell us about human glory?
6. Verse 8. Is there any hope for mortal human beings? Compare the
hope of this verse to the end of verse 5, and consider who the Word
of God is.
7. Verse 9. It is almost as if the prophecy of the coming LORD God has
already happened and it is time to preach His arrival. Why would
Isaiah do this? Wasn’t Christ the LORD still hundreds of years into
the future?
8. Verse 10. What does this Sovereign LORD bring with Him?
(Consider also verses 12-14) Why is this important?
9. Verse 11. How does Christ the LORD use all that power and ability?
61 The Hebrew for “calls on my name” may equally well be understood as “proclaims my name” through
his actions in history.
62 The apostle Peter puts the matter as bluntly as this: “Through Jesus you believe in God” (1 Peter 1:21).
Luke begins his gospel by stating that he is going to present the life of Jesus as the fulfilment of the
prophecies so that his readers may “know the certainty” of Jesus. We know that Jesus is true because
He is and did all that was prophesied about Him. He brought salvation, which only the Living God
can do.

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 Study 6 Further Questions Study 7 The Glory of the Servant: Isaiah 42:1-48:22
1. The different nations of the world have all kinds of gods or
philosophies (whether atheistic or not), in the way that the Assyrian KEY TRUTH
field commander said, yet in the end is it nothing but military and Jesus Christ is the Spirit-filled Servant of the LORD
economic power that shape history? What is the best answer in our
day for that line of thought? In that day it was the historical
presence of Christ, the Angel of the LORD, that answered the 1. Here is My Servant: 3. Cyrus and the fall of
Assyrian field commander, so do we too always need to make our 42:1-44:5 Babylon: 44:24-48:22
stand on the historical reality of Jesus Christ rather than abstract
and philosophical ideas?
2. Apart from me there is
2. How do we both celebrate life as the wonderful, gracious gift of the
no god: 44:6-23
Living God yet also always be ready to die? The fear of death grips
people more strongly than ever and the obsession with health and
long life is a central concern in the culture. How do we get the right “The Prophet appears to break off abruptly to speak of Christ, but
balance so that we are calm and even happy to go to wait with we ought to remember what we mentioned formerly in
Jesus when He calls us? expounding another passage, (Isaiah 7:14,) that the prophets,
when they promise anything hard to be believed, want to
immediately afterwards mention Christ; for in Him are ratified all
Study 6 Daily Readings the promises which would otherwise have been doubtful and
uncertain. “In Christ,” says Paul, “is Yea and Amen.” (2 Corinthians
Day 1 Isaiah 36:1-22
1:20.) For what relationship can we have with God, unless the
Day 2 Isaiah 37:1-20 Mediator come between us? We undoubtedly are too far
Day 3 Isaiah 37:21-38 alienated from His majesty, and therefore could not be partakers
Day 4 Isaiah 38:1-22 either of salvation or of any other blessing, but through the
Day 5 Isaiah 39:1-8 kindness of Christ.” (John Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah)
Day 6 Isaiah 40:1-31 1. Here is My Servant – 42:1-44:5
Day 7 Isaiah 41:1-29 Jacob’s King had issued a challenge to all the nations back in 41:21 and
now we are urged to consider this Divine King (42:1). God the Father, the
One who initiated the creation of all things through Christ (see
Revelation 4:11) points our attention to His Beloved Son, His Chosen
Servant in whom He delights.63
63 Bernard Duhm wrote a commentary on Isaiah in 1892 suggesting that this passage along with three
others (49:1-6; 50:4-9 & 52:13-53:12) were distinct “Servant Songs” that were originally quite separate
from where they are now found. “Unfortunately Duhm’s separation of these four passages from their
context has exponentially increased the difficulty of interpreting them. His suggestion has led to a dead
end and must be buried…” (Goldingay, 238).

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Throughout the book of Isaiah we have learned so much about Christ. To precious to Jesus as He grew up because as He read this prophecy it must
pick just a few examples, we saw the wonderful prophecies of His birth have almost felt like He was back in heaven with His Father speaking
in chapters 7-9 and then we saw how He would judge and renew the directly to Him. The Father tells Him that He has been called in
whole world in the power of the Spirit in chapter 11. We saw how righteousness (verse 6): that His position as Messiah and King and Priest
everyone would fall under the judgment of God, but the Holy One of is as it should be. The Father will hold His hand, guiding Him and
Israel could provide a refuge for His people even through the final protecting Him in all He does. Through the Bible (Genesis 6:18; 9:9; 15:8;
judgment. Chapter 32 showed us this Righteous King who would open 17:2-21; Exodus 2:24 etc) we have heard of the covenant that was given
the blind eyes and unstop the deaf ears. We were told in chapter 35 that to the Church, whether from the time of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses or
He was going to come to heal all His people and draw them to Zion in David. In those examples they are invited to be part of the covenant, but
that new creation. Then at the end of chapter 37 we saw Him arrive on here Christ is Himself the covenant.
the scene to defend Jerusalem and judge His enemies right on the stage Christ is the Mediator between God and humanity, between heaven and
of history before the watching world. earth.65
The Father takes such pride in His glorious Son. In the biographies of Jesus Yet, Christ is the covenant not only for the ancient people of Israel but
there are three occasions when the Father publicly declares His delight in also for the whole world, a light for the Gentile nations, opening blind
His Spirit-filled Son: at His baptism (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 1:22); eyes and setting us free from our dark dungeons of sin and alienation
at His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35); and when He from God. This is the prophecy that Simeon remembered in Luke 2:32.
rode on a donkey to Jerusalem (John 12:28).
Isaiah 42:8 is so important. The LORD God will not yield His glory to
The Messiah who was so clearly described in Isaiah 11:1-5 is described in another and yet He is happy to share His glory with His Son. The Father,
the same terms here, as the Spirit-filled servant who brings justice to the Son and Spirit are together the one LORD God (see Deuteronomy 6:4).
nations.64 We have seen the ability of Christ, the Angel or Servant of the The LORD had challenged the nations with their gods to declare
LORD, to bring destruction when He comes in judgment (37:36-37), but something new, but can they announce anything so wonderful as this
we see here the qualities He would display when He was born of the glorious prophecy of Christ? (Verse 9)
virgin, coming as the lowly, humble Servant. He would not make a big
noise about Himself, as Matthew points out when reminding us of this In the light of this presentation of Christ the whole world is called to
prophecy in Matthew 12:18. He is slow to anger and abounding in worship and praise (verses 10-13), including Kedar, the firstborn of
compassion so that He will help those who are broken or bruised, ready Ishmael (verse 11) and from Sela of the Moabites (see Isaiah 16:1). Christ
to give up (verse 3). is ready for action (verse 13) and declares that He has been waiting so
long to begin His work. He will turn the world upside down and lead the
From verse 5 we listen in as the Father speaks to the Son, sending Him as spiritually blind from all over the world in ways that they never dreamed
His Servant to do His will. These words of Scripture must have been so
65 “It may be objected, “Why is Christ appointed to a covenant which was ratified long before? For, more
64 One of the curious features of some modern studies of Isaiah is the fashion for following the Ethiopian than two thousand years before, God had adopted Abraham, and thus the origin of the distinction was
eunuch in Acts 8:34, and wondering who the Servant might be that Isaiah is talking about! As the long previous to the coming of Christ.” I reply, the covenant which was made with Abraham and his
eunuch was studying Isaiah 53 he wondered if it was speaking of Isaiah himself or someone else, so posterity had its foundation in Christ; for the words of the covenant are these, “In thy seed shall all
Philip took the time to exegete Isaiah, showing that the prophecies were describing Jesus. It is incredible nations be blessed.” (Genesis 22:18.) And the covenant was ratified in no other manner than in the seed
how many apparently serious commentaries seem puzzled as to who Isaiah is speaking about. Perhaps of Abraham, that is, in Christ, by whose coming, though it had been previously made, it was confirmed
Philip should have written a commentary of his own! and actually sanctioned.” (Calvin on Isaiah 42:6)

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of, making the darkness into light and the rough places smooth (verses Reminding them of their deliverance in the Exodus, He says that all the
14-16). Yet, for those who reject the glory of Jesus and stay with their nations of the world including Egypt and Cush (verses 3-4) are not worth
pitiful idols there is nothing but shame (verse 17). anything to Him compared to His Church.67 From every point on the
compass He will gather the Church to Himself, from every nation (verses
The blind and deaf servant (42:18-25) 5-7). The gods of the nations are unable to produce anything like Christ
Christ, the Servant of the LORD, is so glorious in every way and yet He the LORD! (Verses 8-13). Those pagan gods and idols cannot bring
shares His name and His life with the blind and deaf that He comes to salvation. Though there may be demons and devils who masquerade as
save. Yes, His people are also called to be the servants of the LORD, even ‘gods’ yet in the true sense of the Creator and Saviour (verse 10) “before
though they are so blind and deaf, so hard-hearted and sinful. Christ is me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”
happy to share the name of “servant” with His people – even as in Isaiah
The true test of deity is revelation and salvation. Philosophers and religious
8:18 He was happy to call them His own family. Of course, Isaiah is
thinkers may talk about their gods in highly abstract terms, yet how can
preparing us for chapter 53 when we are told how Christ takes on all the
we know if any of them really exist? A philosopher, from any religion, may
sin of His people and bears our punishment.
speak of an “Ultimate Being” yet which, if any, of these beings really have
In verses 21-25 we learn how the LORD pours out His anger on His blind, any being at all? The Living God lays down the challenge here: have they
deaf and stubborn people – “He poured out on them His burning anger”. produced a revelation of history before it happens and have they been
It was not enough and still they were not healed. able to save their people from sin and death?
Christ the Redeemer (43:1-44:5) So, if the test of deity is the ability to predict the future, what evidence
But, the Servant will not abandon the servant: the divine Servant will not does the LORD offer? Isaiah looks ahead beyond the threat of the
abandon the sinful servant Israel that He shares His name and life with. Assyrian empire to a hundred years in the future when the Babylonians
would conquer Israel and Judah (verses 13-15). Just as He gave them an
Throughout the book we have seen how He is the only one who can
exodus from Egypt, so He will make an exodus from Babylon too (verses
stand before the angry judgment of the Living God. He alone is the Holy
16-17). Yet, they do not need to constantly look back to what happened
One of Israel.66 All of Israel may find shelter in that one Holy One in the
at the time of Moses, because He is doing glorious things in Christ for
presence of God. Having laid out the condemnation against us in 42:18-
them now (verses 18-21).
29 He now tells us not to fear because He has redeemed us. Thinking
back to the judgment of the world by the flood or passing through the Yet, His people have not earned this love and redemption. They have
waters of death, “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” given Him nothing but sin and rebellion. They have not even brought the
In the same way, when we face that consuming fire that surrounds the sacrifices of the Law as they should (verses 22-24). So, how or why has
Living God, that would surely consume the whole creation, “when you He saved them?
walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and
ablaze.” Just as Christ stood in the burning bush when He commissioned remembers your sins no more” (verse 25).
Moses (Exodus 3:1-6), so He stands in the fire to give us safe passage.
Why? How can He do this? (Verse 3) – “I am the LORD your God, the 67 “The Lord takes such care of all believers (1 Peter 5:7) that he values them more highly than the whole
Holy One of Israel, your Saviour”. world. Although, therefore, we are of no value, yet let us rejoice in this, that the Lord sets so high a
value upon us, and prefers us to the whole world, rescues us from dangers, and thus preserves us in the
66 Notice how often Christ is referred to as the “Holy One” in this chapter. midst of death.” (Calvin)

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Right from the time of Adam there has always been sin (43:26-28). Even the makes a god and asks it to save him. Nobody is thinking clearly about
leaders sent to help were sinful and rebellious. Yet, the LORD still calls Jacob what they are doing (verses 18-20).
His servant (44:1). Even in all our sin, in all our mess, He still tells us not to Yet, this comes so close to our own hearts. How many of us believe that
be afraid. Not only will He bring refreshment to His people, but, having our lives would be good if only we had a dream house in the country or
forgiven their sin, He will pour out His Spirit on them (44:3) and they will a new car or a more entertainment or just more money? When we feel
rejoice in the fact that they know that they belong to the LORD (44:5). low do we also turn to “retail therapy” to make us feel better? The
“Hitherto the Prophet has spoken metaphorically, but now expresses his alcohol we brew; the merchandise we make with human hands; the
meaning plainly without any figure of speech… It means that out of all clothes we buy; the “lifestyle” we envy: all of this is the worship of human
nations the Lord will gather his people, and will bring into his Church skill. In all these ways we are asking mere creatures to save us, to do the
those who were formerly strangers, and will raise up and enlarge his work of God the Rock. When we look to the creatures rather than the
Church, which formerly appeared to be reduced to nothing; for all shall Creator, to passing things rather than Christ Himself, then we are
flock to her from every quarter, and shall wish to be enrolled in the claiming that there is another god alongside the LORD Almighty, that
number of believers, as it is also said, “Behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia; there is something worthy of our worship or trust other than the Holy
that man was born there.” (Psalm 87:4.)” (Calvin). One of Israel.
2. Apart from me there is no god – 44:6-23 Yet, Christ still calls to His Church (verses 21-23). He has taken away our
The challenge to the pagan gods and the religions of the world becomes sins so that we never need to be afraid. It is in salvation, in the Cross, that
ever more intense and focussed. Christ stands in the centre of world He displays His glory at maximum strength – “the LORD has redeemed
history, having personally defeated the Assyrian army as He personally Jacob, He displays His glory in Israel” (verse 23b). Yes, this great salvation
led His people out of Egypt long ago. He is looking forward to His birth, would also include His care for them in face of the Assyrians in the short
life, death, resurrection, ascension and final triumphant glory: He is the term and the Babylonians in the longer term, but beyond all that, the
first and the last, the true King above all kings, the Redeemer. He has heavens and the earth must sing for joy that our sins have been taken
grown weary of all the man-made religions and idols and philosophies: away and we can return to the LORD Himself. It is wonderful that He
“apart from me there is no God… No, there is no other Rock…” (see 1 gives us so many blessings in this life and in the new creation to come,
Corinthians 10:4). but all of them fade away compared to the fact that He gives us Himself
and calls us to come to Him.
Verses 9-20 is one of the great classic pieces in the whole of world
literature. Isaiah examines the whole industry of idol worship, from the “…that work which he had aroused all to admire is the
skilled workers who make the objects of worship, right through to the fools redemption of the Church, and declares that the glory of God
who worship them. Whereas the Living God made humanity in His own shall shine forth in it illustriously. Besides, it is proper to
image, after the likeness of Christ, yet the idol makers shape their gods in remember what I formerly remarked, that here not only does he
their own image (verse 13). The glory of humanity is that we are made in celebrate the return of the people to their native country, but the
the image of God, yet these idols are, at best, lifeless copies of copies! end is also included; for they would be “redeemed” from the
There is genuine humour in this devastating critique: the blacksmith’s captivity in Babylon on this condition, that God should at length
mighty arm makes his god, but he gets too tired to carry on; the collect under one head a Church taken out of the whole world”
carpenter lights a fire, bakes some bread and then out of the remainder (Calvin).

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3. Cyrus and the fall of Babylon – 44:24-48:22 Furthermore, Cyrus would be a kind of downpayment or guarantee of the
birth of Immanuel Himself. The great promise, from the beginning of the
Cyrus, the LORD’s appointed man (44:24-45:25) Bible, is always about Christ Himself. Yet, in the hard times of the coming
Now the Redeemer LORD does more than simply issue a challenge to the years when exile to Babylon happens and when the waiting seems long
gods, idols and philosophies. Having created everything He can do with they would see that the prophecy concerning Cyrus came true and
it just what He wants and He deliberately messes up the predictions of therefore they would be even more sure of waiting for Christ Himself.
false prophets68 and “overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into For this reason in 45:1 the LORD even refers to Cyrus as “His messiah” –
nonsense” (44:25). Whenever we trust to our own wisdom or intelligence showing that the coming of Cyrus was to be understood as a sample of
we provoke the anger of the Living God. In fact our heavenly Father takes the coming of the True Messiah when He would be born of the virgin.70
pleasure in hiding the truth from those who think themselves to be clever
So, Cyrus would subdue nations and turn the world upside down. He would
as Jesus said in Matthew 11:25-27.
gain all kinds of treasures, so that Cyrus himself might come to know the
“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have LORD (verses 1-3).71 Yet, this blessing of Cyrus is for the sake of the Church
hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them (verse 4). The LORD is interested in His Church around the whole world
to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All (verse 6) gathering people from all nations in to know Him, that He is the
things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows LORD and that all the religions, gods and idols of the world are empty.
the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except
BUT, the real objection here might be: why does the LORD use a pagan
the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
king in this way? How can He make use of Gentile people for the sake of
The astrologers and wise men of Assyria and Babylon may think they His Church? What have all these pagan and idolatrous nations got to do
know the future, but the LORD gives a very specific prophecy here, not with the Church of the Living God?
only stating that even after the exile Jerusalem will be rebuilt and This is the same objection that people would later raise against the
furthermore a leader named Cyrus would make this happen. It is an Gentiles joining the Church in the book of Acts. When Paul answers this
incredible and wonderful prophecy.69 Given that Christ has made the in Romans 9 he quotes from this very chapter of Isaiah.72 All things are in
accuracy of prophecy the basis of His authenticity over against all other the LORD’s hands, even the coming wars and conquests: He is sovereign
‘gods’ and ‘idols’ then a prophecy of this level of detail and accuracy is
clearly important. 70 “It might be thought strange that he calls Cyrus his Anointed; for this is the designation which was
given to the kings of Israel and Judah, because they represented the person of Christ, who alone, strictly
68 It may be that Isaiah is looking forward to the time when the Church would be in exile in Babylon and speaking, is “the Lord’s Anointed”… In the person of David a kingdom had been set up, which professed to
would need confidence when surrounded by the very sophisticated wise men of that ancient empire. be an image and figure of Christ; and hence also the prophets in many passages call him “David,” and “the
“The Prophet expressly added this, because Babylon surpassed other nations not only in the force of Son of David.” (Ezekiel 37:24, 25.) … Thus God deigns to call him his “Anointed,” not by a perpetual title,
arms, and in troops and resources, but likewise in some remarkable sagacity, by which she appeared to but because he discharged for a time the office of Redeemer; for he both avenged the Church of God and
penetrate even to heaven. What injury could befall those who foresaw at a distance future events, and
delivered it from its enemies. This office belongs peculiarly to Christ; and this ordinary appellation of kings
could easily, as was commonly supposed, ward off imminent dangers? The astrologers, who were
ought to be limited to this circumstance, that he restored the people of God to the enjoyment of liberty.
celebrated among them, foretold all events…” (Calvin). In the book of Daniel the Babylonian astrologers
This should lead us to observe how highly God values the salvation of the Church, because, for the sake of
were considered so wise and yet the LORD God will make them look foolish.
this single benefit, Cyrus, a heathen man, is called “the Messiah,” (Calvin, Commentary)
69 “Such a detailed prediction has, of course, excited adverse comment and is taken to be a ground for
71 Though in verse 4 and 5 we see that Cyrus would be a pagan who does not acknowledge the LORD.
insisting that these prophecies must be dated after Cyrus began his victorious rise. But first, if the fact
of predictive prophecy is accepted, we are not in a position to set limits on its exercise… We may say 72 In Romans 9 Paul is answering those who are concerned about God’s promises to Israel so Paul explains
that we do not believe it, but we are not at liberty to deny what it affirms.” (Motyer, 355). Note that in that not all genetically Jewish people are part of the Church/Israel – whereas Gentile people who trust
1 Kings 13:2 we have another example of a prophecy giving the name of a future leader. in Christ do in fact become members of Israel. The Potter can do just what He wants with His clay!

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over the light and the darkness, prosperity and disaster (verse 7). Over all The gods of Babylon (46:1-13)
creation the LORD is ruler (verse 8). If He chooses to use or even save The great empire at the border in Isaiah’s day was Assyria, but one day it
Gentile people then He has a perfect right to do so. He can do whatever would be the rising power of Babylon (and in fact Babylon was a force to
He wishes to do with anything or anybody He chooses. We are mere clay be reckoned with even in the earlier days). Furthermore, Babylon would
in His hands (verses 9-10) so how can we question what He is doing with invade and defeat both Israel and then Judah, taking the top people into
us? If He wishes to make use of Cyrus, then how dare any of us question exile. Having spoken of Cyrus who would set them free from that
Him? (Verses 10-11). Having made all humanity, and the whole expanse captivity, Isaiah focusses on the Babylonian gods, especially Bel and Nebo
of heaven, why should He not raise up Cyrus or in fact bring people from (46:1). They might claim to be powerful and wise, but their images are
Egypt and Cush into the family of Zion? (Verses 13-14). carried around by animals and when Cyrus defeats Babylon they will be
Verse 15 “could have been spoken by the new converts, amazed unable to prevent these statues being taken as plunder (verse 2).
at the revelation of a God who had never previously attracted By contrast the LORD God doesn’t need to be carried by anybody. In fact,
their attention. Alternatively, it could be a comment from Israel He is the one who carries His own people (verses 3-4). How can Christ the
in the light of events: how concealed indeed are the purposes of LORD be compared to man-made idols who cannot save? (Verses 5-7).
God when the enforced submission of Israel to the Gentile Cyrus We must always remember, just as they needed to in their day, all that
is but a passing veil over the ultimate truth of Gentile submission Christ has actually done in the concrete world of history. Remember how
to Israel! Who but the Lord could bring the Gentiles to Israel by He announced His actions first before actually doing them so that He
appearing to do the reverse?” (Motyer, 364). could prove His reality: prophecy and then fulfilment (verses 8-13). In
The makers and worshippers of idols will be put to shame, but all who Isaiah’s day, more than 100 years before it happened, the LORD clearly
seek for the LORD will find Him (verses 16-21). Refusing to be questioned predicts the coming of Cyrus, who would defeat Babylon and set the
by anyone, refusing to be limited to the people of Israel and Judah alone, Church free from captivity, allowing them to go back to rebuild Jerusalem.
the LORD declares “turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth;
The fall of Babylon – (47:1-15)
for I am God, and there is no other” (verse 22).
Babylon may not believe these prophecies, but Babylon, like a young
In fact, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess (verse 23) – queen who has been kept in a cloistered environment, would be taken
that Jesus Christ is LORD (when Paul quotes this in Philippians 2:10-11). into captivity in shame and forced to work hard grinding flour (verses 1-
All the children of Israel, from whatever nation or background, who make 3). Yes, the Holy One of Israel may have allowed Babylon to chastise His
their boast in Christ and will find salvation in Christ (verse 25).73 people (verses 5-6), but only for a short time because Babylon would
become very arrogant with her brief taste of power (verses 7-10). In fact,
73 “…the remnant of adoption were always the true and lawful Israel; and although they were few in
number, yet they were the first-born in the Church. Besides, all those among the Gentiles who had been she would see herself as the queen of heaven (verse 7), actually speaking
ingrafted into that body began also, as we have formerly seen, to be accounted children of Abraham. of herself as if she were the LORD God – “I am and there is none besides
One shall say, I belong to Jacob; another shall subscribe with his band, I am a descendant of Israel.”
(Isaiah 44 5.) And on this ground we are now reckoned the genuine Israel of God, though we are not the
me” (verses 8 and 10). Babylon would believe that her magicians and
descendants of Israel. The Prophet therefore added this, both that the Jews might not think that the occult power is enough to evade all disasters, hide her sins from the
Lord’s covenant had failed, and that they might not boast of their birth and despise the Gentiles. All are LORD and terrorise the world (verses 11-15). The stargazers who make
the seed of Israel. He extends this seed farther, that they may not suppose that it ought to be limited
to the family of Abraham; for the Lord gathers his people without distinction from among Jews and their monthly predictions cannot save Babylon because the fire will burn
Gentiles, and here he speaks universally of the whole human race.” (Calvin). them up (verse 14).

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Israel and Babylon – (48:1-22) perhaps the greatest Trinitarian verse in the whole Bible. Christ declares
If Babylon is more than simply that one historical empire, but also that the Sovereign LORD has sent Him, filled with His Spirit. Not only are
represents the whole world in its rebellion against the Living God, then all three members of the Trinity acting together as One God in this verse,
Isaiah’s prophecy has power for every generation all over the world. but each of them are clearly and simply fulfilling their distinctive role
within the Trinity. All the actions of the Living God are from the Father,
In whatever way the LORD uses us, we can never allow our pride to
through the Son and in the power of the Spirit.74
challenge the glory of Christ and if we look for security anywhere else
than in Him, we are doomed to destruction. The Bible ends with Sent from the Father and empowered by the Spirit, Christ is the
Revelation chapters 17-19 declaring to us that Babylon must fall, all over Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, ready to teach and guide His people
the world, once and for all. We cannot afford to be part of it when its fall (verse 17). If they had listened to Him then they would have known great
does come. We dare not depend on our gods and idols. We must peace and the Church would have grown far bigger (verses 18-19).
acknowledge the reality of Christ the LORD alone or else we will be If they are faithful to Him then they must repent and turn away from
destroyed with Babylon. their stubborn ways (48:4) and never become part of Babylon (verse 20).
That is the theme of Isaiah 48. When it was time to leave Egypt in the Exodus, the people had to eat
The people of Israel and Judah may be called by the LORD’s name and unleavened bread to show that they were ready to leave quickly (Exodus
they may claim to be citizens of the heavenly city (verses 1-2) and they 12:39). So now they had to be ready to leave Babylon, never looking back
may even claim to trust in Christ, but they are stubborn and stiff-necked like Lot’s wife, because the LORD will give them an Exodus experience
(verse 4). The LORD had to predict His actions first before they happened when He brings them back from exile (verses 20-21).
so that when it all happened just as described it would be very clear that The wicked, the world of Babylon, will never know the peace that the
none of the idols had done this nor had any human skill or wisdom Church knows in Christ (verse 22).
(verses 3-6). The LORD’s prediction of Cyrus was not known before: it is a
new prophecy and has never been known before (verses 6-8). It is vital
that the sinful people acknowledge this so that the lesson might be
learned. The LORD will wait, holding back His wrath, so that enough time
could elapse between His prophecy and its fulfilment (verses 9-11).
In fact the LORD waited for around 150 years between giving these
detailed prophecies and Cyrus’ defeat of Babylon in 539BC.
Christ pleads with His people that they would acknowledge all He has
said and done (verses 12-15). He created both the heavens and the earth,
standing both at the beginning of history and its end. It might sound
unbelievable to the Church of Isaiah’s day but not only will Babylon rise
to power and take Israel captive, but Babylon will in turn be defeated by
the man named Cyrus who the LORD has appointed for the mission.
How can Christ guarantee this? By what authority can He make such 74 For some unknown reason some Bible translations take the end of verse 16 out of quotation marks as if
claims about history? How can He bring this about? Isaiah 48:16 is Isaiah himself suddenly interjects with a statement about himself!

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 Study 7 Bible Questions Study 7 Further Questions
1. Notice the character of Jesus in Isaiah 42:2-3. One of the big
Isaiah 46:1-13
debates in Church history concerned whether we need to make
1. Verses 1-2. If Bel and Nebo were ancient Babylonian gods it seems people feel the guilt and seriousness of their sin, through our
strange that their worshippers had to carry them (their statues) preaching of the Law, before we later preach the comfort of the
about on ox drawn carts. Why does Isaiah make such a point about gospel. Does life already bruise us and snuff us out so that we need
these gods being a burden for weary people? comfort and support from Christ? Or does Christ first bruise us and
2. What are the man-made gods in your experience that also require snuff us out before He later comforts us?
so much support and maintenance? Meditate on entertainment 2. If Isaiah were writing his critique of idolatry today would he direct
systems that need upgrades and have to be carted away to the tip it against the Hindu temple, the sports stadia, the mosque, the
when they fail or our cars which break down or our houses that expensive Church building or the shopping centres? Is the modern
need huge amounts of money and effort to support. Are there other atheist an idolater? If we worship an abstract concept of god that
things that capture our worship or promise us contentment or is not like Jesus, created with our own traditions or philosophies,
fulfilment, things that cost us so much? could we call this idolatry?
3. Verses 3-4. List the contrasts between the pagan and man-made
gods on the one hand and the LORD God on the other. Notice how
Isaiah emphasises how the LORD carries His people. Study 7 Daily Readings
4. Verse 5-7. What are the main faults with the man-made idols and Day 1 Isaiah 42:1-25
the false gods?
Day 2 Isaiah 43:1-28
5. Verses 8-9. What does the Living God want His people to
Day 3 Isaiah 44:1-28
remember?
Day 4 Isaiah 45:1-25
6. Verses 10-11. What is the main proof that the LORD God provides
Day 5 Isaiah 46:1-13
that He is the only One who can be trusted?
Day 6 Isaiah 47:1-15
7. Verses 12-13. What is the central promise of the Living God? If we
are “far from righteousness” then what is His remedy? Day 7 Isaiah 48:1-22
8. Think about conversations we may have had about “the existence
of God”. Have they been like these words from Isaiah? What should The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
we have done? Did we ever speak about Jesus? Is it possible to of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
speak about the existence of God without talking about Jesus? that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
think through the key issues each week.

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 Study 8 The Glory of the Cross: Isaiah 49:1-53:12

KEY TRUTH
Jesus bears the responsibility for all that we have done wrong
and is punished at the Cross instead of us.

1. A light for the Gentiles: 3. The Cup of His wrath:

49:1-26 51:17-53:12

2. Look to the Rock:

50:1-51:16

1. A light for the Gentiles – 49:1-26

We need a big enough canvas if we are going to see the death of the
Divine Servant properly. The death of Jesus Christ the LORD, prophesied
from the beginning of the world, determines the destiny of the whole
world in every continent in every age. Yes, Jesus of Nazareth died in a
corner of the Roman empire, embroiled in the religion and politics of first
century Palestine. Yet, to view His death only in this way is to miss the
real facts, the global and cosmic nature of His death. The death of Christ
the LORD has relevance not only to all the nations of the world but also
to the entire heavens and the earth.
In these chapters Christ is set before our eyes in such bright and vivid
terms.
“After having treated of the future deliverance of the people, he
comes down to Christ, under whose guidance the people were
brought out of Babylon, as they had formerly been brought out
of Egypt. The former prophecy must have been confirmed by this
doctrine; because they would scarcely have hoped that the Lord
would deliver them, if they had not placed Christ before their
eyes, by whom alone desponding souls can be comforted and
Swept away strengthened” (Calvin, commenting on Isaiah 49:1).

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Christ was spoken of before His human birth, as we saw in chapters 7-9 Yes, that sounds wonderful and glorious, but isn’t it too good to be true?
and “from the womb He has remembered” His name. The Church suffers so many persecutions. We are rejected and hated; we
“The great author and publisher of the redemption produces His suffer the same illnesses and afflictions as everyone else. Surely the LORD
authority from heaven for the work He had undertaken. God had has forgotten us (verse 14). But, even though a mother may in extreme
appointed Him and set Him apart for it: ‘The Lord has called me circumstances forget her own baby, yet the LORD God could never forget
from the womb to this office and made mention of my name, His Church (verse 15). He has engraved the Church onto the palms of His
nominated me to be the Saviour.’ By an angel He called him hands (verse 16).
Jesus—a Saviour, who should save his people from their sins, “Behold is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we
Matt. i. 21. Nay, from the womb of the divine counsels, before all have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be
worlds, He was called to this service” (Matthew Henry). astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the
heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His
Christ, as the very Word of God, has that sword coming from His mouth
hands. “I have graven thee.”It does not say, “Thy name.” The name
(verse 2) as John describes in Revelation 19:15 (see also Hebrews 4:12).
is there, but that is not all: “I have graven thee.” See the fulness
He is the arrow that will accomplish all that the Father requires, His
of this! I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy
faithful Servant. Jesus does everything that the Father does (John 5:19)
circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy
and the Father does all His work through Christ. Yet, His work has met
wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all
with constant opposition and His own people have consistently failed to
that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there. Wilt thou
trust Him and have sinned so badly against Him.
ever say again that thy God hath forsaken thee when He has
John 1:10-11 summarises the Bible’s whole story of Christ’s graven thee upon His own palms?” (Spurgeon’s devotional on
discouragements in His work – “He was in the world, and though the Isaiah 49:16).75
world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. He came
Though Israel was sent into exile and must have felt as if there was no
to His own people, but His own people did not receive Him.”
future for her, yet not only was she going to be restored, but looking
Yet, Christ always entrusts Himself to His Father’s will (49:4b). The Father further ahead she would expand far beyond anything she could imagine.
has sent Him to bring Jacob/Israel to Himself – to redeem the Church Prophesying the time when Israel would go out to the whole world,
(verse 5). Christ has great honour from the Father so the Father tells Him bursting out of the small boundaries of that little land (verse 19), the
that it is too small a mission to bring only the people of Israel to Him. LORD promises a day when she would be amazed at all her children –
The Father will also make Christ a light to all the nations of the world “where have they come from?” (verse 21).
(49:6) – “that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”.
The answer is that the Sovereign LORD Himself has gathered them,
Yes, Christ may be despised and rejected by His own people, so the
bringing them in from every nation (verse 22). Rulers from nations all
Gentile kings and rulers all over the world will acknowledge Him and
over the world will bow down to join the Church as they hope in Christ
worship Him as the Chosen One of God (verse 7).
(verses 22-23). Those that persecute the Church will be persecuted by
Christ is Himself the covenant for the people (verse 8), guiding, Christ Himself – verse 25 (see also 2 Thesssalonians 1:6).
protecting and caring for the Church from all over the world (verses 8-
75 We might also say that given the manner of His death, by crucifixion, His palms have been so
11). The whole universe, the heavens and the earth, rejoices in this global completely committed to us. The nail prints, the wounds that He still retains as marks of His glory, are
redemption because this was the very purpose of creation. the most powerful statement of His love for us.

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The global mission of Christ reaches its climax in verse 26 – “then the Servant (verse 10). We must not despair in our sin, but continue to trust
whole human race will know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour, your our Saviour. The Servant can save us.
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Look to the Rock – (51:1-16)
2. Look to the Rock – 50:1-51:16 We must trust Christ to save us, just as Abraham did long ago. We need
The obedient Servant (50:1-11) to go back to learn from Abraham, the father of the faith; the rock from
which all his children have been quarried. A child of Abraham is not
Israel realised that her sin was great and feared that the situation had defined by genealogy or genetics, but by trusting in Christ the LORD. That
gone too far, that the marriage was over – that the bill of divorce had is what Jesus Himself said in John 8 and the apostle Paul spells it out in
been issued (verse 1). Yes, her sins had broken the relationship, but it was Romans 9. Christ the LORD can certainly restore Zion, but she must trust
broken on her side not His (verse 2). Why did Israel give up on Him so Him. He can restore the world back to the garden of the LORD (verse 3),
easily? Why assume that He could not save or heal? (Verse 2). bringing joy and gladness to His people.
“In creation is demonstrated, in particular, his power to effect He will do this not just for His ancient people who face exile in Babylon,
dramatic changes: the sea dries; rivers become desert; the sky but for all the nations of the world (verses 4-5). Think of the whole
goes from light to darkness. Can such a God not equally universe, the heavens and the earth. They seem so big and permanent,
transform the fortunes of His people He dried up the Red Sea yet they will wear out in the end. However, the salvation that Christ will
(Exodus 14; he turned the Nile to blood and its fish stank (Exodus achieve lasts forever, on a scale beyond even the whole universe as we
7:17-18); he visited Egypt with palpable darkness (Exodus 10:21) know it (verse 6). When the wicked attack the followers of Christ, they
but gave his people light (Exodus 10:23)” (Motyer, 398). simply need to remember this big perspective (verses 7-8). The wicked
So, from verse 4-11 Christ the Divine Servant speaks about how He is have no future at all, other than the grave, whereas the LORD’s salvation
able to save His people from their sins. His Father has sent Him to speak opens up an everlasting future with Him.
His word. He speaks nothing of His own but only what the Father tells In this chapter Christ has the title of “The Arm of the LORD” (see verses
Him to say (John 8:28 and John 12:49 – “For I did not speak of my own 5 and 9).76 Just as He destroyed Egypt (Rahab – see Isaiah 30:7) and took
accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and His people through the Red Sea to the Promised Land (verses 9-10), so
how to say it.”). Unlike Israel, Christ is always obedient to His Father He will restore Israel again (verse 11). First, He will bring them back from
(50:5). In verse 6 we have a prophecy of how He would be treated just the exile of Babylon, but ultimately He will bring about this complete
before His crucifixion (see Matthew 26:67; 27:26-31). Yet, even though renewal of the whole creation so that death and sorrow will be gone
Christ would receive such cruel abuse in obedience to His Father, yet He forever, “will flee away” (verse 11).
trusts in His Father to vindicate Him in the end (verses 7-8). No one has
anything to accuse Him of (50:8-9), so only false accusations were How can the Church ever fear mere human beings when the Living God,
offered when they did kill Him (see Matthew 26:59-60). who made all things, is with her? (Verses 12-13). Whatever she is going

The key application is in verses 10-11. If we are in darkness, if our sins 76 “1). It was the LORD himself who went out to Egypt to save his people (Ex. 3:1-8); he did so by his
have overwhelmed us, what are we going to do? We could try to make outstretched arm (Deut 4:34 etc). 2). Isaiah personified the Lord’s Arm (51:9) and foresaw the Lord
exposing his Arm in the work of salvation (52:10). 3) Consequently in 53:1 the ‘Arm’ is the LORD
our own torches and save ourselves (verse 11), but then we will die in himself come to save, revealed in the following verses as a true Man among men… and we know that
torment. So, instead, we must fear the LORD and obey the word of His this Arm of the LORD is Jesus” (Motyer).

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through right now, whether imprisonment or hunger, He will soon put with that (verse 11). She will keep herself pure from such uncleanness so
everything right. If He was able to set the heavens in place and found the that when it is time to leave she will leave with dignity in the glorious
earth, then He can certainly come to the aid of His people (verses 14-16). presence of the God of Israel (verses 11-12). In 2 Corinthians 6:17 the
apostle Paul reminds us of this prophecy, when he teaches us not to join
3. The Cup of His wrath – 51:17-53:12 up with unbelievers. We are still the Church in exile awaiting our return
The cup of His wrath – (51:17-23) to Zion, so we too need to remain pure and faithful to Christ the LORD.

So, though Israel may feel that she has suffered the wrath of the LORD The suffering and glory of Christ – (52:13-53:12)
God, draining the cup of His wrath to the bottom (5:17-20), yet that cup This next prophecy of Isaiah is perhaps the most famous because it so
of wrath will be taken from her (verse 22). The wrath of God will fall on accurately and powerfully describes the sufferings of the LORD Jesus
the enemies of the Church rather than the Church herself (verse 23). Christ on the Cross. Perhaps only Psalm 22 can equal this prophecy of the
Furthermore, Christ Himself will drink that cup for the Church – as we will Cross. Whenever Isaiah assures the Church of the salvation that Christ will
see from the end of chapter 52 and into 53. The wicked must bear the work for her, he always then goes on to describe more about Christ the
wrath of God for themselves, but Christ will bear it on behalf of the Servant of the LORD and His work.
Church, so that her sins may be forgiven and her problems healed. So, having lost all the outward signs of the gospel in captive exile in
The feet of gospel preachers – (52:1-12) Babylon, what did the ancient Church need to think about? What should
fill their hearts and minds? We too, as we wait in exile here, how can we
Isaiah could see hard times ahead for the Church ending with a terrible know for sure that our day of restoration and redemption will come?
conquest by the Babylonians and exile. Yet, when they were in exile in
Babylon they needed to keep a firm trust in the Promised Christ and “See, my Servant…”, says God the Father. Look to Christ and we will have
remain full of joy and strength (52:1). Though a captive (verse 2), all the joy, confidence and strength that we need. Christ will always act
Jerusalem needed to trust her future to Christ. wisely, even when He is under the most terrible pressure and persecution
(52:13). The strange paradox is that “He will be raised and lifted up”: both
Just as she was enslaved for no payment, so He will set her free for no mean that He will be glorified but also that He will be crucified.
payment (verse 3). He saved her from both Egypt through Moses and
Assyria under Hezekiah, and now He would save her from the Jesus Himself quotes from Isaiah 52:13 just before John quotes 53:1 to
Babylonians who blaspheme His name (verses 4-5). explain the reaction of people to Him. John 12:32-33 – “‘I, when I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to
It is wonderful to hear the gospel (the good news) when we are feeling
show the kind of death He was going to die” (see also John 3:14; 8:28).
so low, to hear that our God reigns (verse 7). He imagines watchmen who
catch sight of the exiles returning accompanied by the LORD and all the As Jesus said, even when He is lifted up and so disfigured by His suffering
celebrations this will produce (verses 8-9). The nations of the world will and abuse that the crowds are appalled at Him, it is at that very time that
once again be drawn to Christ through His saving action in plain historical He will draw all people to Himself – “he will sprinkle many nations.”
view (verse 10). Even the ignorant Gentiles will see and understand in the light of the
Cross (52:15).
So, if the Church will not always be in exile in Babylon, that must effect
how they deal with Babylon in the here and now. As pagan Babylon Yet, not everyone will respond to the Suffering Servant, Crucified Christ.
blasphemes the LORD, yet the Church in exile will have nothing to do That is precisely the point that John makes when reminding us of this

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prophecy from Isaiah. There was nothing about Jesus in terms of outward Although some people get very confused about why Jesus had to die,
appearance that would make people love Him so those who judge by the Isaiah explains it so well. He is the spotless sacrificial lamb but we are the
flesh would have no interest in Him (53:1-2). sinful, rebellious sheep. We are all like wandering sheep going our own
John 12:37-41 – “Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous way (53:6), so the LORD actually puts the blame for all our iniquity onto
signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him. This Jesus.77 He bears the responsibility for all that we have done wrong and
was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has is punished at the Cross instead of us.
believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been As we have seen over and over again through the Book of Isaiah, the
revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, because, as judgment of the Living God will fall on the earth and nobody can survive
Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened that day of punishment, cleansing and renewal. When He comes to get
their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor rid of all the wickedness, injustice and uncleanness in the world, there is
understand with their hearts, nor turn — and I would heal them.” no place for any of us sinful people. Isaiah has described in plain terms
Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him.” how the LORD will break, crush, burn, consume, destroy and forget the
wicked on His day of vengeance – (consider Isaiah 1:28 and 31; 2:8-11,
It seems incredible that as the LORD of Glory, the First and the Last, who
19-21; 3:8-9; 5:14-15, 20-25; 6:11-13; 9:18-20; 10:1-4; 24:1-5, 17-23;
defeated 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night, He should be “a Man of
26:14, 21; 30:27-28, 33; 34:1-10; 37:36; 44:10-11; 47:14-15; 49:26; 63:1-
suffering and familiar with pain” (53:3). Yet, how wonderful it is that in
6; 65:11-12; 66:4, 15-16, 24). The rest of the prophets and Moses say the
our own deep pain and suffering we know that the King of Kings, the
same thing. Sin cuts us off from the LORD God, from His life and peace
Ruler of the universe has been there before us. He is a High Priest who
and safety (see Isaiah 59:2).
fully sympathises with us.
The Servant of the LORD is the Holy One of Israel, the only One who has
What a terrible indictment of the human race that when the LORD of
nothing to fear from the day of judgment. Yet, He allowed Himself to be
Glory was among us “He was despised and we held Him in low esteem”
led like a lamb to sacrifice (53:7) so that He could take our place under
(53:3). Is not this the very worst crime we have ever committed? We
that judgment of the Living God. He allowed Himself to be cut off from
know how to feel outrage about crimes against humanity but what do we
the living (the punishment for sin that was described at the very
care about crimes against deity?
beginning in Genesis 2:17). He was cut off so that we never need to be
He went through this in order to save us. Even while we turned against (53:8). Though He had never done anything wrong, yet He was given to
Him – and this is what all sin really is – He was suffering and dying in death and buried like a criminal with the wicked and rich (53:9).78
order that we do not need to (53:4).
Could this all have been some terrible mistake, some dreadful tragedy?
As Charles Wesley so brilliantly expressed it – “O Jesus my hope, for me No, it was actually the LORD’s will to do this. All through the book of Isaiah
offered up, Who with clamour pursued Thee to Calvary’s top, The blood Christ has promised that He would be able to save His people from the
Thou hast shed, for me let it plead, And declare Thou hast died in Thy day of judgment and this is the only way that it could be done. The LORD
murderer’s stead.” Himself makes Jesus an “offering for sin” (53:10). Here Isaiah speaks of
At the Cross the crowds assumed that Jesus was being punished for His the guilt offering of Leviticus 5:14-19. It covers offences against both the
own sins (53:4), yet He was actually being punished for our sins! 77 “The substitutionary imagery of verse 6c is drawn straight from Leviticus 16” (Motyer, 429).
The Lamb was being sacrificed in our place, just as the sacrificial lambs 78 Jesus was of course buried in a rich man’s grave as we read in Matthew 27:57-61. However, notice how
had been sacrificed for so many centuries. the wicked and the rich are considered to be the same thing.

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LORD and other human beings, whether there was any intention or not Again we might want to consider a better translation of 53:12 – “I will
– “If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s apportion to Him the many and the strong He will apportion as spoil.”
commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and held The ‘many’ who have receievd His righteousness will be given to Him as
responsible” (Leviticus 5:17). All the Gentile nations that would be drawn His own. He has bought His Church with His own life and now we belong
to Christ by His death knew nothing of His laws or character, yet they too to Him, assigned to Him by God the Father by the solemn eternal
are guilty of sin. Christ’s death covers their sin. In addition the guilt covenant. In the same way, by His victory Jesus has taken possession of
offering of Leviticus 5 must also be accompanied by a restitution, more the whole world and He now can do with the strong as He wishes. All the
than making up for what has been lost through the sin. This is why the resources and kingdoms of the world belong to Him.
righteousness of Christ is so strongly emphasised by Isaiah. His death not
Having completed this incredible work of redemption through His death
only takes away the sin but His perfect life that is such a delight to His
Father (42:1) perfects the true and perfect atonement for our sin. and resurrection, Jesus was received into the Highest Heaven as the
rightful ruler over the whole universe (53:12). Having been counted as a
Yet, His death is not the end of Him because He will be brought back to sinner and having paid for sin, now He lives to make intercession for
life and see the fruit of His work (53:11). Verse 11 speaks of the knowledge sinners (see Hebrews 7:25).
of Christ the LORD: He knows all about the needs of the situation and how
they are to be answered.79 Perhaps the best way to translate the verse is
something like, “by His knowledge that Righteous One, my Servant, will
provide righteousness for many.” Christ the LORD knows what is needed
and He is Himself appointed as ‘the Servant’ to answer those needs.
He is personally Righteous and therefore is not only faultless in all He does
but also is a totally acceptable sacrificial lamb, without spot or blemish.
He is the Righteous One but He so identifies Himself with the ‘many’ that
they receive His righteousness and He takes on their sinfulness.
Isaiah 53:11 is one of the fullest statements of atonement
theology ever penned. (i) The Servant knows the needs to be met
and what must be done. (ii) As ‘that righteous one, my servant’ he
is both fully acceptable to the God our sins have offended and
has been appointed by him to his task. (iii) As righteous, he is free
from every contagion of our sin. (iv) He identified himself
personally with our sin and need. (v) The emphatic pronoun ‘he’
underlines his personal commitment to this role. (vi) He
accomplishes the task fully. Negatively, in the bearing of iniquity;
positively, in the provision of righteousness. (Motyer, 442)
79 It is possible to take ‘the knowledge of Him’ as meaning ‘knowledge about Him’ or ‘knowing Him’ so
that the focus is on the way that sinners come to know Him and therefore receive His righteousness.
However, it may be better to leave the focus on Christ Himself rather than on the fact that we come to
know Him.

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 Study 8 Bible Questions Study 8 Further Questions
1. One idea is that the death of Jesus was ‘for sin’ or ‘because of sin’
Isaiah 51:9-16
in the sense that He was killed by sinful people because they were
1. Verse 9a. This is the first of three calls to “Awake! Awake!”: the first sinners. He was the victim of their sin, and the LORD God was
is to “the Arm of the LORD”; the second is to Jerusalem and the showing us how to forgive when we are victims of sin. There is an
third is to Zion. What is the difference between these three subjects element of truth in this: yes, because we are sinners, we killed Jesus
that are told to “Awake!”? Who is the “Arm of the LORD”? and yes, He was showing us how to behave when evil is done to us
2. Verses 9-10. The whole section is addressed to “the Arm of the (1 Peter 2:20-25, referring to Isaiah 53:9). However, what would
LORD”, so what did He do in “generations of old”? What incident Isaiah say is the deep purpose behind the death of Jesus?
from “days gone by” is being remembered here? Who is Rahab? (See 2. Why does the Living God punish sin? Is it to balance His cosmic
Isaiah 30:7). books of justice, making sure that good and evil are properly
3. Verse 11. It is as if the people of Judah are already in exile even balanced out in the end? Why can’t the LORD God come to terms
though the Babylonian exile was still decades into the future. What with evil and simply ‘live with it’ or ‘tolerate it’? Why is He so
is the deeper ‘exile’ that Isaiah is speaking of here? What is the final passionately concerned to not only drive evil out of His good
hope that he is holding up for the Church in every age? creation but also to see to it that evil gets paid back? Why can’t evil
4. Verse 12-13a. Why is it so important to spend time every day simply ‘get away with it’?
thinking about “Our Father in heaven”? Why did Jesus, the Arm of
the LORD, have to keep that in mind as He faced His great work on
earth? Study 8 Daily Readings
5. Verse 13. When we are surrounded by all the empires, tyrannies and Day 1 Isaiah 49:1-7
ideologies of this passing age, how can we be free from fear or Day 2 Isaiah 49:8-26
“constant terror”?
Day 3 Isaiah 50:1-11
6. Verse 14. We can easily fall into the view that the sufferings and Day 4 Isaiah 51:1-16
troubles of this mortal life as the end of the story, as if they had the
Day 5 Isaiah 51:17-23
final word. What is the Biblical remedy for this? Why did this
comfort have special power for the Arm of the LORD in His great Day 6 Isaiah 52:1-12
work? Day 7 Isaiah 52:13-53:12
7. Verse 15. Why is it so important to know that the LORD God has
power over the sea?
8. Verse 16. The final words are specially spoken to the Arm of the
LORD by His Father in heaven, but they also include Zion, the
Church of the Living God – “You are my people”. What is the great
comfort of this verse?

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 Study 9 The Glory of the Gospel: Isaiah 54:1-59:21

KEY TRUTH
We need only turn away from our sin and turn to Christ and
He will have mercy and freely pardon.

1. Come, all you who are 3. I live with those who are
thirsty: 54:1-56:8 lowly in spirit:
57:14-59:21

2. The blind watchmen:

56:9-57:13

1. Come, all you who are thirsty – 54:1-56:8

Marriage restoration (54:1-17)

In Isaiah 50 Israel’s sins had threatened a divorce in the marriage
covenant between Christ and the Church, but now the marriage is
restored and reaffirmed.
“The barren woman sings, not because she has ceased to be
barren but because the Lord has acted in his Servant with the
effect that his ‘seed’ (53:11) become her children/sons. The
picture of Sarah, the barren woman who was to bear the miracle
child and become the mother of a family more numerous than
the stars, provides the background (Genesis 11:30; 16:1; Isaiah
51:2)” (Motyer, 445).
The global expansion of Israel after the death and resurrection of Jesus is
clearly in view here (verses 2-3). The times of rebellion and punishment
will be forgotten (verse 4) as the Divine Husband, the Holy One of Israel,
the Redeemer and God of all the earth, brings her honour. The deserted
wife is restored to the family home, full of joy (verse 6). Yes, her sin and
The brave new world adultery had caused a separation (verse 7), but with compassion and

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everlasting kindness, He took His anger on Himself. If a husband takes Spurgeon brilliantly preached this prophecy of Isaiah:
back a wife who has deeply and repetitively betrayed him, then her “I will just preach this salvation, for this is the wine and milk
shame falls onto him: people will think he is stupid to bother with her. which is proclaimed without money and without price. Beloved,
Nevertheless, the Divine Husband takes this shame as He welcomes back all this is to be gained by faith in Christ—whosoever believeth in
His wife. him who died upon the tree, and groaned away his life for us—
Just as in the days of Noah when He promised never again to flood the shall never come into condemnation: he is passed from death
earth, so He promises never to pour out His anger on His Church ever unto life, and the love of God abideth in him. And now, having
again (verses 9-10). Through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, the thus exhibited the article, my next business is to bring the bidders
crucifixion of Christ, His anger has been taken into His own life, borne up to the auction box and sell it. My difficulty is to bring you
upon His own shoulders. down to my price, as old Rowland said. He was preaching in a fair,
and he heard a man selling his goods. “Ah!” said he, “as for those
His unfailing love is stronger than the foundations of the earth (verse 10).
people over there, their difficulty is to bring people up to their
Zion may have been shamed and destroyed, but He will build the City of price; whereas, my difficulty is to bring you down to my price.”
God using the very best resources (verses 11-12). We see that completed Now, here is a gospel fully preached, without money and without
and the glorious City of God descending out of heaven to earth on the price. Here comes some one up to the sacred desk, transformed
day of new creation, when Christ returns in glory, in Revelation 21:9-27. for the moment into an auction box, and he cries, “I want to buy.”
The LORD Himself will teach Zion’s children (54:13 – see 1 John 2:20 What will you give for it? He holds out his hands, and he has such
and 27; John 6:45; Jeremiah 31:31-34). The LORD who rules over all a handful; he has to lift up his very lap with more, for he can
things, including the blacksmith and the destroyer, will make sure that hardly hold all his good works… “I am very attentive to my
no weapon will kill the Church and no accusation will remain prayers I go to Church almost as soon as the doors are open…
unanswered (54:14-17). The LORD will make sure the Church is safe and and I attend the prayer-meetings and beside that, I pay
vindicated. everybody twenty shillings in the pound. I had rather pay twenty-
one shillings than nineteen. I would not like to hurt anybody. I do
Come, all you who are thirsty (55:1-13)
not tread upon a worm if I can help it, I am always liberal, and
So, if the Church is bound to Christ with an everlasting covenant of love, assist the poor when I can”… I will send you away; there is no
the whole world may come to find refreshment in Zion. Of course this salvation for you, for it is “without money and without price;” and
great feast will be held for all the righteous from every nation in that new as long as you bring these fine good works of yours you cannot
creation future (Revelation 19:6-9), but even now as we come to Christ have it… Our hope must be built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood
we find in Him the Bread and Water of Life. and righteousness, and when we have built a foundation with that,
John 6:35 – “Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me we may have as many good works as we like—the more the better.
will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” But for a foundation, good works are fickle and feeble things, and
(See also John 4:10-14). In Christ we freely receive all that we need. Our he that useth them will see his house totter to the ground.”
souls are satisfied in Him. The promises of Christ given to David are an everlasting covenant
(verse 3). Christ is not just for some, but for all (verse 5) and people from
all over the world will come running to buy from Christ.

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Now He is available. Now Christ is on offer (verse 6). If we seek Him now rest: it is about ceasing from our labours (Hebrews 4:10). We keep the
we will certainly find Him, because He has solemnly made that promise Sabbath when we turn away from our sin and trust entirely in Christ the
to us (Matthew 7:7). LORD.
Is He hard to find? Is it really possible to buy the Bread and Water and So, what about those that the Law excludes from the presence of the
Wine and Milk of eternal life from Christ for free? Yes, 55:7, we need only LORD: the eunuchs and the Gentiles?
turn away from our sin and turn to Christ and He will have mercy and Neither the Gentiles nor the eunuchs must think themselves excluded
freely pardon. (56:3). The eunuchs who keep the LORD’s Sabbath and hold fast to His
This doesn’t make sense to us. We are so used to mere religion and self- gospel covenant, will be welcome within His temple, with a better
improvement. Our hearts are used to hiding in the darkness, hiding away heritage than any number of children (56:4-5). The Gentiles who are
from the Living God. We find it hard to understand this free love and bound to Christ and eager to serve Him will be brought onto the LORD’s
grace of the LORD God. Yes, His thoughts are as high above us as the holy mountain and welcome to offer sacrifices in the temple.
heavens are above the earth (55:9). Even our best thoughts about God The LORD’s temple is a house of prayer for all nations.
are lost in impersonal, philosophical abstractions, whereas the Father, Son
and Spirit cannot be contained by our little ways of thinking. This is such a shocking prophecy. The purpose of the Law about eunuchs
and Gentiles had been misunderstood and applied in a legalistic way,
His word goes out of His mouth to produce a fruitful harvest (55:10-11). becoming a barrier blocking such people from coming into the temple
So what does His word promise for us? That we will go out with great joy and coming to Christ the LORD. The Sovereign LORD gathers the exiles
and peace, and that the whole creation will burst into song with us as the of Israel not only from Israel and Judah but also from all the other nations
thorns that have cursed the earth since Genesis 3:17-19 are gone forever! too (56:8).
It sounds too marvellous to be true and yet His word always
accomplishes what He wills. When Jesus came to the temple in Matthew 21:12-17 He quoted this very
Scripture. They had developed money changing practices to exclude not
Eunuchs and Foreigners – (56:1-8) just Gentile people but even Gentile money from within the temple! So, He
So, if the Church is open for business, ready to receive people from all immediately invited the physically disabled people, who would normally be
over the world to buy the free refreshment of Christ, who is invited? banned from the temple, right into the temple where He healed them.
Surely the pagans and those excluded by the Law are not invited to Notice that He did not heal them first and then allow them in, but invited
Christ’s resurrection feast? them into His temple even while they were still physically broken.
The chapter begins by reminding all those thirsty people who have come 2. The blind watchmen – 56:9-57:13
and called on the LORD (55:1 and 6) how to live as the Church of God. Israel’s leaders are supposed to be on the lookout, watching carefully over
If the resurrection future, the home of righteousness, is going to be
the sheep, the flock of God’s Church. They should be protecting the flock
revealed so soon, then we are to live out that righteousness here and now
from the false teachers, the pagan infiltration and the compromised
(56:1). The issue of the Sabbath is chosen as the key example of this.
lifestyles. They should be given loving and firm pastoral care so that the
Isaiah has already warned about keeping Sabbath in a merely religious LORD’s people, will be properly discipled. If the Gentiles are coming in
way (1:13), but here he is thinking of Sabbath as the glorious from all over the world, these leaders need to be fully alert and ready to
presentation of the free forgiveness that is in Christ. Sabbath is about serve them.

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Yet, they are actually blind and ignorant (56:10). All the wild beasts, the religions were full of sinful pleasures and self indulgence. We can well
lions and wolves and dogs feel free to wander into the sheepfold because imagine that such pagan activities were the height of fashion and all the
the shepherds won’t do anything to stop them (verse 9). The shepherds “best” people indulged. What harm could it do to have one of the latest
are pleasing themselves, seeking their own pleasure while getting drunk designs of pagan symbols behind your door (verse 8)?
(verses 11-12). While they committed sexual sins, the LORD knew they were forsaking
These selfish leaders assume that the future is smooth and full of Him and committing adultery against Him (57:8). Verse 9 is misleading
pleasure (56:12). Yet, living a long life full of pleasure may not be the best in the NIV translation. This verse literally says “you went to the king”
life to have. It is better to die early if it will spare us from falling into sin (Hebrew melek, not the pagan god Molech). The pact with death here is
(57:1). We are challenged to consider how the LORD allows the righteous the same thing that Isaiah mentioned in 28:14-15 when they went down
to die for their own good. This is not the sort of thing we often think to Egypt to make a political alliance.81
about, yet it helps us to understand the way that the LORD deals with Out of fear (57:11) they went about with great energy to make these
His people. political alliances (57:10), but the real problem is that they did not fear
“God gathers them, and places them in safety from being Christ the LORD (end of verse 11). The idols of money, pleasure, sex and
distressed by prevailing afflictions. The general meaning is, that political alliances would not save them when the time arrives, but
wicked men grievously deceive themselves by supposing that whoever takes refuge in Christ will have a resurrection future in the new
there is no greater happiness than to have life continued to a creation and a home in the City of God (verse 13).
great age, and by thus pluming themselves on their superiority to
the servants of God, who die early. Being attached to the world, 3. I live with those who are lowly in spirit – 57:14-59:21
they likewise harden themselves by this pretence, that… while I live with the lowly – (57:14-21)
others die, they continue to be safe and sound” (Calvin).80
The LORD’s people may have sinned against Him and they carry on
Instead of pretending that their long life and pleasure is a sign of God’s sinning against Him (see verse 17), yet the High and Exalted One will
favour, the arrogant and mocking sinners need to carefully consider their actually live with those who are sorry for their sin and have a humble
lives (verses 3-5). They were brought up in unfaithful families (verse 3) spirit (verse 15). It is one of the greatest promises in the whole Bible.
and they have carried on with the same behaviour, mocking and sneering The Living God is high and exalted, always beyond the limited and clumsy
at the righteous (verse 4). They even commit immorality in pagan ideas of merely human thinking and life, so glorious that to even see Him
activities and sacrifice their children by throwing them into the ravines is to die. Even the highest heaven is too small and limited for the Trinity
(verse 5). Perhaps the children were interfering in their pursuit of pleasure to dwell, yet anyone who calls out to Christ in humility and repentance
or their plans for their lives so they chose to get rid of them. The pagan will know the indwelling Trinity!
80 Calvin goes on to say, “In our own times a remarkable instance of this was given in the death of Luther,
who was snatched from the world a short time before that terrible calamity befell Germany, which he
had foretold many years before, when he exclaimed loudly against that contempt of the Gospel, and 81 “The background to this reference is chapters 7 and 28-35, the periods of the disastrous flirtings with
that wickedness and licentiousness which everywhere prevailed. Frequently had he entreated the Lord Assyria and Egypt respectively. In 28:14-15 Isaiah used the Sheol metaphor to expose the politicians
to call him out of this life before he beheld that dreadful punishment, the anticipation of which filled who came back waving their piece of paper and crowing about ‘peace in our time’ – they had only
him with trembling and horror. And he obtained it from the Lord. Soon after his death, lo, a sudden and signed the national death warrant! It is the same here. This is not an attempt to enrol the assistance of
unforeseen war sprang up, by which Germany was terribly afflicted, when nothing was farther from her supernatural powers but a straight reminder that when the people of God seek strength and security in
thoughts than the dread of such a calamity.” and through the world all they achieve is death” (Motyer, 474).

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Our Father in heaven sees our sin, feels His anger against our sin and The kind of fast that the LORD requires finds its centre not in the
hides His face from us, yet because of Christ’s death His anger can be lack of food but in the plenty of righteousness (verses 6-7).
turned away and He will turn towards us in love and peace. He will come The lack of food is supposed to remind us and spur us on to live like
near to us not to destroy and punish but to heal and restore (verses 16- Christ: setting people free from injustice; breaking the chains that enslave
18). Those that are mourning – as opposed to the foolish, mocking ‘fun’ people; overthrowing oppression.82 If we are not eating food on our fast
of 56:12 – will find that the LORD creates praise on their lips (verse 19a). then it is a good opportunity to give our food (or the money we have
The wicked may get caught up in giddy celebrations right now (56:9-12;
saved) to those who are hungry and needy (verse 7). When this kind of
57:3-10), but they are lost in the restless chaos of the sea. The wicked will
fasting happens then the glory of Christ will shine on us and our true
never find that Sabbath rest (cf 48:22; 56:1-8) that the eunuchs and
healing will quickly begin (verse 8). If we are lowly and contrite in this
Gentiles find when they come to Christ.
way, then the LORD in His high and holy place (57:15) will hear and come
True Fasting – (58:1-14) to dwell with us (verse 9), giving us the help that we need.
Isaiah has challenged the people to come back to the LORD God with The true sign of repentance is when we stop doing our sin and start doing
sincerity and brokenness. The contrite and lowly will be the dwelling what is right; when we have really turned away from the old life and put
place of the Majestic God! So, it seems that there had been perhaps times on Christ (verses 9-10). The “pointing finger and the malicious talk” is
of national fasting and days when the people were encouraged to come always the first place to look. It is so natural to us to accuse others and
near to God. Yet Isaiah could see that many if not most of the people speak badly of each other. When the repentance has reached that place
were only doing this on the surface but in their hearts they were still far then we know that it is for real.
from the LORD God (Isaiah 29:13).
Then refreshment in the desert and restoration of Zion can begin (verses
Isaiah unmasks the true nature of their fasting, declaring the persistent
11-12). Returning to the Sabbath theme from chapter 56, Isaiah explains
sin and rebellion that lurks behind the masks (verse 1). On the surface all
how the Sabbath is about more than refraining from normal work.
looked very encouraging with an apparent eagerness to do what is right
(verse 2), but the attitude is all wrong (verse 3). The people feel that their Sabbath is when we find rest from our sin; rest from our own way and our
fasting should have ‘earned’ a response from the LORD, as if they now own selfish desires; rest from speaking wrong or foolish words (58:13-14).
deserved a mighty miracle of blessing (verse 3). When we delight in finding rest in the LORD, honouring Him with the
day, then we will know His joy and blessing.
This attitude is all too common when Christians fast in every age.
The sinful feeling quickly enters in that we are doing God a favour by No-one is righteous (59:1-21)
fasting – whereas the real purpose of fasting is to change our own hearts, Yes, the LORD can save us even when we feel that it is too late or we are
to teach us that more than any food we need Christ, the Word of God.
too bad (59:1), but we must recognise how serious our sins really are
Isaiah was not looking at the missed meals but at the sinful behaviour that (59:2). The things we have done wrong and all that we have failed to do
was still going on even with grumbling, empty stomachs (verses 3-5). How right cuts us off from the Holy and Majestic Living God. Sin is everything
can their voice be heard in heaven when they keep on with the greed and that He hates and He cannot even look at us in our sin (verse 2).
strife yet outwardly bow their heads, putting on sackcloth and pretending to 82 There are so many ways that Christians can get involved in this locally, nationally and internationally.
be lowly? However, perhaps it is always best to start with our own life and local setting. Am I oppressing people in
my own life, through my employment practices or the way I treat others? Then, what is going on in my
If that is what they think of as a ‘fast’ then it is no wonder that the LORD local village or town? How is my local Church involved, for good or ill? Who is enslaved, by drugs, alcohol,
is not interested. debt, prostitution, illness, depression etc? Do people think first of our local Church when they need help?

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Sin clings to us, covering us with its pollution (59:3) and we cannot wash God, revolt, oppression and lies are the many and terrible fruits of our
it off ourselves. condition (verse 13). That is why our lives and communities are the way
Sin ruins us so that nobody really cares about the kind of justice that the they are: justice, goodness and truth are absent from our social life
LORD desires. Instead our words become empty and we actually produce together (verse 14). In fact those who really do try to do what is right are
even more evil (verse 4). We are like snakes laying eggs filled with persecuted (verse 15).
poisonous snakes or like spiders trying to make clothes of righteousness So, as the LORD looks not just at His own people but at the whole world
out of mere cobwebs. Our actions leave a poisonous legacy and our good He concludes that nobody is righteous, nobody is good. Nobody can save
deeds are so useless that they can never cover us up (verses 5-6). In fact humanity… unless the LORD does it for Himself (verses 16-21). Christ the
our actions are evil and we love violence. We might pretend to hate LORD is the only righteous person; the Holy One of Israel. He alone can
violence, but look at our entertainment – the games we play and the put on righteousness and with great determination (verse 17), achieve
films we watch. Listen to the violence in our words. salvation for His people. He will sort out the world, judging the wicked
Far from running away from sin, we actually run towards it. Yes, our hearts and gathering together all those who fear Him from all over the world
are filled with sinful desires and we are attracted to it, even if it means (verses 18-20). He will come to Zion and save the people of Israel too
innocent people get hurt (verse 7).83 Verse 8 reminds us that the wicked who repent of their sins (verse 20).
can never know peace and their lives will always be mixed up and Once again the Father speaks to Him (verse 21). The Father tells Christ
complicated. The apostle Paul quotes these verses in Romans 3:15-17 that His Spirit will be on Him and His words will always be in His mouth
when he wants to show that we are all sinful and condemned. so that He will be able to gather His family together forever and ever –
As long as we walk along that path we will never know that peace and verse 21.
joy that comes when the High and Exalted LORD God dwells with us. We
will grope around in darkness, not knowing what to do with our lives or
where to go (verses 9-10). We may moan a lot (verse 11), but we cannot
find real justice or rescue if we will not come to the Righteous Redeemer.
Notice how Isaiah began speaking to other people (verses 1-8), but now
he includes himself (verses 9-15).
We need to face up to our situation as it really is with no more pretence
(verses 12-15). Our sins, offences and iniquities are all heaped up and
always with us (verse 12).84 Rebellion and treachery, turning our backs on

83 This can happen in all kinds of ways. Whenever we look at porn we oppress the people who get so
damaged by a cruel and exploitative industry. Who produces our food and clothing? Are they paid
properly for their work? Yes, it is better for people to have some work rather than none, but will we
really pay more and own less so that others can live?
84 Three different words for our evil are used. Our offences are the ways in which we rebel or object to the
ways of the LORD. Sins are the specific times we break His law or go against Him. “The interior word
iniquities is used of the deviant state of the heart” (Motyer, 487).

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 Study 9 Bible Questions Study 9 Further Questions
1. Thinking of Isaiah 57:1-2, what are the differences between the way
Isaiah 57:11-21
Christians grieve and non-Christians grieve? How do we show this
1. Verse 11. What were the fears and worries that occupied the hearts in our local Church life?
and minds of the ancient Church in Isaiah’s day? What are the fears
2. If Isaiah 56 challenged the ancient Church to include foreigners and
and worries that have the same effect on the Church today?
eunuchs, then who are the people that we need to be challenged
2. Verse 11b. Why do we find it so hard to walk by faith and not by about? Who are the people that are missing from our local Church
sight? If we do not see or hear the LORD God almost all the time, fellowship? If we look at the population profile of our local area, are
why do we so quickly stop trusting Him? there any obvious groups that are not represented? How would a
3. Verse 12. Why does the LORD point at “your righteousness and Muslim feel if she wanted to visit one of our meetings? What about
your works”? people who are not very good at reading? Do we have people with
4. Verse 13. Compare the refuge offered by the idols with the refuge criminal records or people from ‘difficult areas of town’? Are there
offered by the LORD Jesus Christ. as many men as women, young as old? Would a gay couple feel
welcomed if they wanted to find out about Jesus? Is the Church
5. Verse 14. Why does the LORD command this obstacle-free road to
leadership all of the same economic and social profile, and does this
be built?
represent both the Church family and the local area?
6. Verse 15. How can the Living God live both in the highest heaven
and also in the lowliest heart? What does this tell us about the
nature and glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Study 9 Daily Readings
7. Verse 16-18. What do we learn here about the anger of the Living
Day 1 Isaiah 54:1-17
God? How does His anger compare to human anger?
Day 2 Isaiah 55:1-13
8. Verses 19-21. In Jeremiah 6:14 the false prophets preach “peace,
peace” when there is no peace. How does their false message Day 3 Isaiah 56:1-8
compare to the preaching of the LORD Himself? Is it fair to say that Day 4 Isaiah 56:9-57:13
the message of “peace, peace” must be preached to the Lord’s Day 5 Isaiah 57:14-21
people rather than to the wicked? Day 6 Isaiah 58:1-14
9. One of the great challenges that many are facing today is how to Day 7 Isaiah 59:1-21
live in loving friendship with people who either ignore, reject or
misunderstand the Way of Jesus. Many of our friends, families and
neighbours follow belief systems that are committed to other gods The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
or philosophies, and have a very different view of Jesus. What would of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
Isaiah have thought of the idea that as long as people are sincere or that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
open to love in whatever beliefs they have the LORD God might Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we
just welcome them into the new creation anyway? think through the key issues each week.

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 Study 10 The Glory of the New Creation: Isaiah 60:1-66:24

KEY TRUTH
Christ the LORD is returning to renew the heavens and the
earth as the everlasting home of righteousness

1. Arise, shine, for your light 3. I will create new heavens

has come: 60:1-62:12 and a new earth:
65:1-66:24

2. Oh that You would come

down: 63:1-64:12

1. Arise, shine, for your light has come – 60:1-62:12

The Glory of Christ in Zion – (60:1-22)

The Redeemer comes to Zion – and when Jesus comes to His people it is
the dawn of a new day. Arise, wake up, be resurrected, because the glory
of Jesus is shining on you!
In chapter 59 we saw how the thick darkness of sin is lying over the
whole world: no-one is righteous and our sins mount up, ruining our lives
and destroying society. Yet, Christ the LORD rises like the sun and the
darkness is driven away (60:1-2). All the different nations of the world will
come to the light of Christ: His glory attracts the whole world (verse 3).
From all the Gentiles nations Zion’s children come (verse 4). The glory
and treasures of all the nations will come into Zion (see Revelation
21:22-27). The Church’s great joy will come from seeing the glory of Jesus
expand out across the whole world as more and more people join His
kingdom (verse 5).
Notice who will be part of the global Church: Midianites and Egyptians
(verse 6), but also the descendants of Ishamel will be Christians too
The United Nations of Christ (followers of Christ, whether looking forward to Him in the Old Testament

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or looking back to Him in the New Testament). The sons of Ishmael will the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of His vengeance (verse 2) –
be welcome to make offerings at the temple (verse 7). Even the islands His favour is so much more than His vengeance.
and places as far away as Spain (Tarshish) will all come to honour Christ, “In his reading, the Lord Jesus stopped at the words the Lord’s
the Holy One of Israel (verses 8-9). favour (2a) and did not proceed to the day of vengeance. Thus he
The gates of Zion will be open and maintained by Gentile people from all expressed his own understanding of his mission at that point, not
over the world (verses 10-11). So much of this is picked up in Revelation to condemn but to save the world (John 3:17). He was also
21 in the final description of the City of God. aware, however, of a coming day when he would execute the
Any people or nations who will not serve the Church and honour Christ judgment committed to him (John 5:22-29)” (Motyer, 500).
will perish (verse 12). There is no future for those who will not humbly Jesus tells us that there is a longer time “a year” of the LORD’s favour but
call on His name. there will finally be that day of vengeance.
Zion will be known as Christ’s city and the best of the earth will adorn Perhaps we are used to thinking fearfully or nervously about that day of
her (60:13-17). This vision of the new creation and the City of God carries vengeance, but in this last section of Isaiah it is clearly a day of great joy
us higher and higher into wonder, love and praise. Christ will renew the and victory for the Church. Zion has been persecuted for so long,
world so comprehensively that there will be no more violence or suffering the schemes and abuse of the wicked. We have even grown
destruction (verse 18), so the city will not need military walls. Instead her weary of the sin in our own lives. We long for that day when everything
walls will simply be salvation and praise (verse 18b). will finally be put right and the whole creation will be set in everlasting
If we remember that the Light began to shine before any created light order as the home of righteousness.
sources (Genesis 1:3) then we realise that the sun and moon are only In one sense we may have grown so used to thinking of that final day
weak creatures giving us a mere idea of that true uncreated Light of
from the perspective of the wicked that we have forgotten how to view
Christ. In that glorious resurrection future He will once again shine across
it from the perspective of the righteous.
the whole creation, filling everything with His light and life, driving out all
sorrow, death and pain. Then it will be the opposite of chapter 59 because Isaiah tells us that the day of vengeance will be the day when those who
everyone will be righteous, yes, every single one (60:21). This means that mourn are finally comforted (2a). There will be no more death then and
there will never again be even the slightest danger of curses and exile we will meet up with all the saints of every age in the presence of Jesus.
driving us out of the land (verse 21). Even the very least of the righteous Instead of the ashes of grief on our heads will be a crown of beauty and
will have the blessings of Abraham (verse 22). oil of joy. We may well feel despair right now in our exile and sorrow, but
then we will be clothed with nothing but joy (verse 3). We will be like
The Spirit-Filled Preacher – (61:1-11) mighty oaks, solid and splendid, all to the praise of Christ.
In Luke’s biography of Jesus, chapter 4 verse 18-19, Jesus specifically
All the ruins of this old world will be rebuilt and restored. All the nations
states that Isaiah 61:1-2 was spoken about Him, and as soon as we read
of the world will come together to look after the heritage of Zion (verses
Isaiah’s prophecy it is obvious that Isaiah was intending to point his
4-6). Everlasting joy and a rich inheritance will replace the shame and
original audience to the ministry of Jesus Christ. By definition Christ is
disgrace we knew in this passing age (verse 7).
always full of the Spirit, but the Spirit empowers Him for His mission of
preaching good news to the poor, binding the broken-hearted, Why? Because the day of vengeance will be when the LORD gets
announcing freedom for captives and prisoners. Notice that He preaches His way, making the world into the place that He always planned for it.

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It was always going to be the family home of righteousness, the home of 2. Oh that You would come down – 63:1-64:12
the Divine Bridegroom and His Bride forever and ever. He will fill the
world with justice and drive out all the hated wrongdoing (verse 8). The Day of Vengeance (63:1-6)
His everlasting marriage covenant will be established (verses 8-11), and Yet, the preparation for the new creation as the home of righteousness
clothed in righteous robes the Bridegroom and Bride, the Great High has to be the day of vengeance and judgment. The world cannot be that
Priest of all creation and His Beloved, will fulfil the destiny of the whole place of righteousness, joy and peace until it has been cleansed from all
creation. the wickedness and evil. There can be no place for even the slightest trace
of evil if the marriage home is to be safe forever and ever.
The Bridegroom and His Bride (62:1-12)
So, Christ will first come, filled with the furious and holy anger of the
That vision of the marriage of Christ and the Church is the driving force Living God on that day of vengeance. Isaiah sees Christ coming from the
behind the renewal of the heavens and the earth. Christ’s day of land of Edom in robes splattered with blood. This time it is Edom that
resurrection and judgment is all for the sake of Zion, for His Bride. He is represents the wicked of the world, just as it was Moab in chapter 25.
determined to make her righteousness shine out like the dawn (verse 1). Christ is gloriously robed for His wedding day, but first He must prepare
He wants the Church to be the centre of wonder and attention as her the family home. Christ is righteous in His judgment (verse 1) and the
own reflected glory is displayed (verse 2). She will seem so different than greatness of His strength means that nothing will stop Him bringing this
she was in this old age that she will have a new name given to her by salvation to His world. Nobody helps Him (verse 3) as He destroys the
Christ, a new name that reflects her true nature. The Church is nothing wicked from all over the world. He does this work alone in His anger.
less than Christ’s crown and sceptre (verse 3).
Notice again in verse 4 how the day of vengeance is the time for Him to
Her new name reflects the fact that she was once called Deserted and redeem. The day of God’s wrath is the great and glorious day when
Desolate, but then will be known as Hephzibah living in Beulah – Christ goodness, truth, justice and joy are given free reign forever and ever: the
delights in being married to her! Yes, Christ will be just as excited about day when greed, lies, selfishness and sin are judged and destroyed forever
His marriage as a young man on his wedding day. The Living God will and ever.
rejoice over His Church (verse 5). On that day the nations will be forced to drink that cup of God’s wrath
We are now called to constantly pray, constantly call on the LORD to (51:17-23), yet they cannot survive such a drink and their blood will be
make this happen. Jesus Himself told us to daily pray that His Kingdom poured on the ground (verse 6).
would come (62:6-7). As Isaiah’s declarations of the glory of the new creation get ever brighter,
The LORD has promised this future and we can keep on reminding Him so his clarity about the day of vengeance gets ever sharper.
of His promise, day and night (verses 8-9). These promises of blessing
take us right back to the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-14, with the The Shepherd of the Flock – (63:7-19)
opposite of the curses. With that stark vision of Christ on the day of vengeance so vividly before
us, Isaiah now tells us of the great kindness and compassion of the Father
The whole earth must be made ready for this future (verses 10-12).
(63:7).85
To the ends of the earth all people are summoned to see Christ the LORD
coming with His reward to Zion, His Bride. The whole world will seek after
Zion when they hear of this (verse 12b). 85 See verse 16 when this LORD is specifically addressed as the Father.

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He wanted to save His children and make them true to Him (verse 8), so The other ‘gods’ are all talk and myth. These ‘gods’ might sound
He sent the Divine Angel, Christ (verse 9) together with His Holy Spirit to impressive on paper or in philosophy, but where are they in history? What
save them. The whole Trinity is involved in this work of salvation for the have any of them actually done that we can see in the concrete real
Church – Father, Son and Spirit. Isaiah reviews how this happened during world? (Verse 4). The LORD God really does act for those who wait for
the Exodus when the Angel of the LORD, who commissioned Moses at Him (verse 5).
the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-6), came to rescue His people. He Yet if we don’t wait on the LORD and instead we are lost in our sin,
redeemed them out of Egypt, carrying them through the desert (see provoking His anger, then what will happen? Even our very best and most
Judges 2:1). The Holy Spirit was with them and they actually rebelled righteous acts are nothing but used menstrual cloths or like shrivelled up
against Him with constant grumbling and unbelief (verse 10). leaves (verse 6). Our sins have hidden the LORD’s face from us and our
Yet, says Isaiah, His people are turning to Him again. They want the sins leave us wasting and withering away (verses 6-7).
Father to send again the Angel of the LORD, the Good Shepherd of the Yet, the Father made us and we are the work of His hands. In our sin we
Flock and they want Him to pour out His Spirit upon them (verse 11). sometimes think we can make or heal or improve or restore ourselves,
Just as the Spirit and Christ were with them in the Exodus, so that could but in truth we are simply clay in the Father’s hands (verse 8). Our only
happen again (verse 13-14). Verse 15 is the heart of the prayer: hope is that the anger of God is turned away from us and that our sins
appealing to the nature and the character of our heavenly Father. Verse would be forgotten (verse 9). Instead of hiding His face from us, we need
16 sounds strange but “the sense of the verse is that where even the Him to actually look upon us (verse 9).
greatest and most honoured members of the family can offer no help,
Isaiah reminds the Father of the terrible state of Jerusalem and the
the Fatherhood of the Lord and his Redeemer-kinship is still available
temple (verses 11-12). Surely He would not forget His people in exile and
and avails” (Motyer, 516).
would restore them for His own sake.
Our only hope is that the Father will send His Spirit to change our hearts
(verse 17). We know that we cannot change ourselves. 3. I will create new heavens and a new earth – 65:1-66:24
Isaiah imagines how the Church will pray when in exile in Babylon – All day long… (65:1-16)
verses 18-19. Jerusalem has been desecrated by her enemies, but for the
The glorious good news is that the LORD God does not wait for people
sake of those ancient promises the LORD should restore His people.
to find Him or call on Him. He reveals Himself to those who do not ask
Oh that you would come down! (64:1-12) or seek (65:1). Back in chapter 6 it was Isaiah who called out “here I am”
in response to the LORD’s call, but here it is the LORD Himself crying
There is nothing that we can do to redeem or restore. Political alliances
out “here I am!” even when sinful humanity is not calling for Him at all
are of no use and human religion is powerless. Oh that the Living God
(verse 1b).
would come down and show His glory and power here! Oh that He
would come for His day of vengeance and redemption! (Verse 1) Given that nobody in the world is righteous and nobody could survive His
day of judgment, the LORD God spends all day stretching out His hands
When Christ comes in all His uncreated glory, then His enemies will know
and calling to people who are stubborn and do all they can to provoke Him.
Him and the nations will quake (verse 2). Again, remembering the Exodus
when the LORD came down to Sinai and made the mountains tremble, This is such a remarkable part of the Bible, where the patient
it would be marvellous for the LORD to act in that way again (verse 3). commitment of the LORD to winning us sinners is made so very clear.

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He lists all the ways people provoke Him, doing the very things that most middle of our years (verse 20). This verse “does not imply that death will
anger and offend Him: still be present (contradicting 25:7-8) but rather affirms that over the
Pagan worship – verse 3 whole of life, as we should now say from infancy to old age, the power of
death will be destroyed” (Motyer, 530).
Worship of the dead – verse 4
Eating the very foods that the Law described as unclean – verse 4 Deuteronomy 28 warned that the curses of sin will mean that the LORD’s
people will build houses and others will live in them and others will eat
YET, pretending to be so religious – verse 5. the crops they have worked to grow. So, by contrast, in our resurrection
According to the Law, according to what is written, the LORD should future we will have houses and vineyards that belong to us, that we will
destroy them for these sins, paying them back in full – verses 6-7. However, be able to enjoy for ourselves (verse 21-23). All the curses of sin will be
that is not how the LORD will treat His people. He will restore those who gone forever. The LORD will be so near and so attentive to His pure and
trust Him and bring them to their land, the mountains of the LORD (verses righteous people that He will respond before they have finished asking
8-10). But, those who insist on carrying on with their pagan religion (verse (verse 24).
11) will be judged and destroyed (verse 12). Even when the LORD came
Once again we are reminded how this redemption is not just for human
looking for them and calling for Him, still they would not listen.
beings, but for the whole creation including the animals (65:25).
So, there will be a clear contrast between those who respond to His
calling and those who carry on with their sinful rebellion – verses 13-14. The LORD is coming (66:1-24)
The LORD’s people will eat, drink, rejoice and sing; whereas those that Isaiah has given us such a clear and glorious vision of reality. The whole
still will not listen to Him will go hungry and thirsty; they will face shame world is filled with the glory of Christ – the Divine King; the Holy One of
and anguish – verses 13-14. It is death for the wicked, but life and Israel; the Bridegroom; the Angel of the LORD. He is high above all the
blessing in the land for His people. nations of the world and nothing in all creation can compare to Him, and
yet He would be born of a virgin woman becoming a lowly human being.
New heavens and the new earth (65:17-25) Filled with the Spirit Christ would preach His good news and live the life
In fact, the past troubles will be so completely forgotten (verse 16) that none of us could ever live. He would be rejected and killed by us, yet
because the entire cosmos is going to be re-ordered and redeemed. even this was the will of the Father so that Jesus would die as a sacrificial
The heavens and the earth will be so thoroughly filled with Christ’s glory lamb with all our sins laid upon Him. Yet, even when the LORD suffered
and joy that they will be a new creation! (65:17). His own furious wrath against sin on our behalf, He was resurrected and
ascended to the highest heaven to intercede for His people. Though the
This old passing order will be forgotten with all its sin, shame and pain. Church lives in exile in Babylon – whether literally in the city of Babylon
Rather, our hearts and minds will be completely filled with that new as the later readers of Isaiah were, or symbolically as the Church in every
creation. Zion, the City of God – the heavenly Jerusalem – will be all that age has been – we are sustained by the glorious hope that is set before
it was supposed to be: a place of delight and joy so wonderful that even us. A day of vengeance and resurrection is coming, the wedding day of
Christ Himself will rejoice over it. All sorrow and weeping will be gone Christ and the Church. On that day He will first judge the world, pouring
forever (65:19). out His divine wrath on all the wicked to take them away for ever.
Death will be gone. Never again will children die in infancy and we will Yet, this judgment is done to prepare the heavens and the earth to be
never again have to deal with the pain and bitterness of dying in the redeemed and reordered as the everlasting home of righteousness.

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In this final chapter all of these themes are gathered together. The LORD is coming. To the Church that thought makes our hearts
The people of Isaiah’s day needed to know that the temple that was in rejoice, but His enemies must face His fury (verses 14-15).
Jerusalem was not the most important thing. It would be destroyed when The LORD is coming with fire to purge the world. He comes with His
they were taken into exile and would be finished once for all after Christ furious anger and with flames of fire to destroy all the wicked with their
had completed His work. So, the LORD declares that if heaven is His pagan worship and disregard for the Law of the LORD – verses 15-17.
throne and earth is His footstool what kind of temple could any of us Yet, Christ’s glory must first be displayed to all the nations (verses 18-21).
possibly build for Him? (Verse 1). People of every nation and language (verse 18) will see His glory – from
Rather, He will dwell with anyone who is contrite and broken (57:15). as far away as Tarshish in Spain or Libya in North Africa or Greece or even
That is the key to true worship. Merely slaughtering bulls and lambs was more distant islands like Great Britain or Australia or Indonesia or Japan
actually sinful and offensive when it was offered as an alternative to that (verse 19). Verse 20 states quite plainly that the Church will find brothers
true worship of the heart.Those that do not listen or respond to the LORD in all the nations of the world, just as Psalm 87 said. Yes, those Gentiles
will face a future with the very things they most dread (verses 3-4). will be so completely joined to Israel/the Church that they could even
Verses 5-6 show that within Israel (considered as those who were simply serve as Aaronic or Levitical priests at the temple.
part of that ancient earthly nation) there was a very deep division The new heavens and the new earth are our true home: a home that will
between those who genuinely trembled at the Word of God and those last forever and ever (verse 22). This old form of the universe is decaying
who mocked at such things. The mockers hated those people who loved and wearing out, but that resurrection age will never wear out.
the LORD and would say “you are always going on about the glory of All humanity will be part of that new creation, yet those who refused and
Christ! The only thing that seems to make you joyful is the LORD’s glory. rebelled will have no future there at all. Whereas the righteous have
Let’s see this glory so that you can finally have your strange joy!” – verse immortal bodies, the bodies of the wicked having been destroyed by the
5. The LORD promises that even though those people are perhaps LORD with His furious anger will simply be piled up and left to be eaten
genetically children of Abraham, yet there is nothing for them but death by the worms: worms who will never be satisfied. However arrogant the
and destruction (verse 6). wicked might be in this passing age, when Christ comes they will have no
The LORD God describes Zion as producing many children – an idea that honour at all. In fact, all that will be left of them will be “loathsome to all
He has set before us many times throughout the book. She will give birth mankind” (66:24).
to all her children with no labour pains. In fact she will give birth in a In the end, when all has been put right, the vain glory and shame of evil
moment, a whole nation in a day – verses 7-13.86 and darkness will finally be thrown away into the rubbish tip of the outer
darkness forever and ever. Yet, the glory of the LORD Jesus Christ will
86 “…this was a figure of the setting up of the Christian Church in the world, and the replenishing of that finally be unrivalled, filling the whole creation. Christ and His Bride will
family with children which was to be named from Jesus Christ. When the Spirit was poured out, and the
gospel went forth from Zion, multitudes were converted in a little time and with little pains compared with
enjoy that new creation forever and ever, revelling in that eternal life of
the vast product. The apostles, even before they travailed, brought forth, and the children born to Christ were God free from the dangers of sin and evil once and for all.
so numerous, and so suddenly and easily produced, that they were rather like the dew from the morning’s
womb than like the son from the mother’s womb, Ps. cx. 3. The success of the gospel was astonishing; that
light, like the morning, strangely diffused itself till it took hold even of the ends of the earth. Cities and
nations were born at once to Christ. The same day that the Spirit was poured out there were 3000 souls
added to the Church. And, when this glorious work was once begun, it was carried on wonderfully, beyond
what could be imagined, so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Matthew Henry).

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 Study 10 Bible Questions Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Isaiah 62:1-63:6 Glory, glory, hallelujah!
1. Verse 1. This is one of the most emotionally intense parts of the His truth is marching on.
whole Bible as we see the LORD God as the loving husband of His 8. Verses 4-6. What is the great motivation of Christ the LORD in His
new bride (62:4-5) but also as He comes in saving judgment against lonely work?
the world (63:1-6). So, what is the great passion that motivates the
great redemption plans of the Living God?
2. Verses 2-3. With all the kings of the earth looking to the Great King, Study 10 Further Questions
where does His Church, fit in this picture? 1. Why does Isaiah end his book with such a grim scene? What is the
3. Verses 4-5. Verse 2 mentioned a new name and now we learn what effect of this on his readers?
it is: Hephzibah (my delight is in her); and the name of the land is 2. Isaiah 66:3 is used by certain kinds of vegetarians to say that killing
Beulah (married). Thinking about the beginning and end of the Bible, an animal is equivalent to murder. Is this the point that Isaiah is
how do these verses take us to the very heart of the meaning of the making?
universe itself?
3. What will the economic system of the new creation be like, given
4. Verses 6-7. How do these verses connect to the Lord’s Prayer – Isaiah 65:21-23? Will everything simply be shared together? If the
“may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as in skills and talents we have right now are brought to their perfection
heaven”? and maturity in that resurrection future, then will some people
5. Verses 8-9. Looking ahead to that time when the City of God is work as artists, scientists, musicians, engineers, cooks, authors,
established in the new creation, compare these verses with the athletes, film-makers and administrators? Will all of us be self-
description of the resurrection future in 65:21-22. sufficient with our own farms, or will food production also be
6. Verses 10-12. Why would a message about “the Daughter of Zion” according to ability and desire?
be proclaimed to the ends of the earth?
7. Verses 1-3. Throughout the book of Isaiah we have often seen how
the Holy One of Israel is all alone in His righteousness and
opposition to evil, but here that fact strikes home with a vivid
intensity. Why has the reality of the winepress of God’s wrath been
seen as such good news by millions of people down through
history?
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are
stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

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 Study 10 Daily Readings
Day 1 Isaiah 60:1-22
Day 2 Isaiah 61:1-11
Day 3 Isaiah 62:1-12
Day 4 Isaiah 63:1-19
Day 5 Isaiah 64:1-12
Day 6 Isaiah 65:1-25
Day 7 Isaiah 66:1-24

The daily Bible readings are an opportunity to not only read through all
of the material in the book under study, but also to read parts of the Bible
that relate to the themes and issues that we have been considering.
Wetry to make sure that we receive light from the whole Bible as we Suggested Answers
think through the key issues each week.
to the Bible Study
Questions

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 Study 1 Bible Answers even now. If we have this hope in us now then we purify ourselves right
now from such evil (see 2 Peter 3:11 and 1 John 3:3). People should be
Isaiah 2:1-22 able to see a preview of the society of the new creation whenever they
1. Verse 2. Isaiah looks into the future, beyond the Jerusalem of his come to Church.
day, at the new creation and the Mountain of the LORD (see 4. Verses 6-8. The contrast with the state of Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day
Hebrews 12:22). Given the judgment on Jerusalem described in is strong. List all the ways that the ancient Church had turned away
chapter 1, what was the purpose of this prophecy of ‘the last days’? from that new creation hope that Christ would bring.
The great 19th century preacher C. H. Spurgeon said that for every look Forsaken the fellowship of the saints (“abandoned your people”);
at self we need to take five looks at the LORD Jesus Christ. When we are Fallen into pagan superstitions;
confronted with our sinfulness or the corruption of the “city of man” then Followed “fortune telling” practices, whether palm reading,
we need to fix our hearts and minds on the purity, holiness, beauty and horoscopes or whatever ways the Philistines followed;
glory of Christ’s “city of God” that is in the highest heavens; the city that
Fellowshipped with pagan people, clasping hands as if there was
will come down from heaven to the earth on that final day – see
nothing to divide us;87
Revelation 21:1-2. It is vital to see how everything will end up in “the last
days” so that we see everything around us right now with the proper Stored up treasure on earth, “no end to their treasures”;
perspective. Trusted in their own strength or power for security, “no end to their
2. Verses 2b-3. Think about the fears of the people of Jerusalem, in chariots”;
terms of the armies and empires threatening them. How does the Worshipping the things they have made, looking to mere physical
LORD’s view of the world differ from theirs? How do these words creations to give them the peace and fulfilment that only the LORD
still speak to us today? Jesus can give.
It is so easy to see only danger and darkness where the LORD sees 5. Verse 9-12. It is as if Isaiah prays that the LORD will set everything
opportunities and need. The great problem that Isaiah was confronting right in verse 9. What is the final answer to this prayer?
was the way the people were full of fear about the surrounding nations, Over and over again throughout the book of Isaiah we are confronted with
unable to trust the LORD about the future and therefore unable to witness the sheer scale and depth of the sin, selfishness and shame of the human
to these nations about the true Rock of safety and security. Instead of condition. Each time we are also shown how all this has to be thrown
seeing the nations as threats, the LORD shows them how the Church away on that final day of judgment. There can be absolutely no future for
would cover all the nations. People from even the most pagan nations will such worthless things. We dare not cling onto these things for a moment
be setting their hearts and minds on that glorious City of God. longer and we need to clearly see that they will drag us down to Hell.
The Gentiles were not to be feared but won, grafted onto the vine of Israel. “The LORD Almighty has a day in store” is the great truth that we will face
3. Verse 4-5. Is this vision of a war-free world simply about our new time after time in Isaiah. The problems of the world will all be resolved on
creation future? What does it mean to live now with that hope in that final day, even though we may taste something of that while we wait.
front of us? How does verse 5 relate to this? 87 It is important to note the difference between, on the one hand, loving and serving the people around
We can easily see how Christ the LORD will come to get rid of all violence us who are not yet Christians and on the other hand giving the impression that we share the same
beliefs or that our beliefs do not make any difference. Jesus Himself shared table fellowship with the
and division when He comes to judge the world. In that new creation most notorious sinners (including people like you and me), but He also shone His light in the darkness,
world there can be no more war. However, these words are to shape us calling on these beloved people to turn away from unbelief and follow Him

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6. Verses 13-18. How do all these images help us to understand what Study 2 Bible Answers
will happen on the Day of the LORD?
In all these images we see the things that are tall and strong brought Isaiah 11:1-11
down low. Isaiah gets into the hearts and minds of his audience looking 1. Verse 1. What is the meaning of the reference to Jesse? (see 1
at all the things that seem to make a statement about what is strong and Samuel 16:1). Why is it important to know that a shoot is coming
enduring; what represents power and stability: strong cedars and oaks; from the stump of Jesse? (see 2 Samuel 7:12-13)
towering mountains; lofty towers; fortified walls; tall ships. All these The promise of the Messiah-King was made in such a strong way to
things will be brought down low and shaken. Everything that can be David: after David had died he would have a descendant who would
shaken will be shaken down on that day the LORD Almighty has in store establish God’s kingdom forever and ever. At his best David gave the
(Hebrews 12:27). ancient Church a glimpse of what it would be like when Jesus was born
7. Verses 19-21. When the skies are filled with the glory of Christ the among them. It might have looked as if the whole of Israel and Judah
LORD, the arrogant world will try to flee underground. How does were going to be wiped out, but from the stump of Jesse there would be
Isaiah show the revolution of that day? One, the Holy One of Israel, who would maintain His people.
In the previous verses we were shown all the things that stand tall, but 2. Verse 2. What does the word ‘Messiah’ (Hebrew) or ‘Christ’ (Greek)
now we are burrowing under the ground in caves. Now we are shown the actually mean? Why is that relevant to the prophecy of verse 2?
bats and rats in the potholes of the ground as people try to go down as ‘Messiah’ or ‘Christ’ simply means ‘the one anointed with oil’ or when
low as possible to escape from the dread and splendid majesty of the speaking of Jesus Himself ‘The One anointed with the Spirit’. The old
LORD. When He arrives all that seemed so tall and strong is shown up priests, kings and prophets all had to be anointed with oil when they
and rather than trying to stand tall, arrogant humanity will throw away began their work to show that they needed the Holy Spirit to do all their
the things they thought would protect them and cower away in the dark work. To speak of this holistic and comprehensive work of the Spirit in the
depths. Son of David was a very powerful way of holding up the Divine Messiah
8. Verse 22. This summary verse gives us one of the deep truths of the before the eyes of the ancient Church.
whole Bible. How do we feel this challenge in our own lives today? 3. We sometimes say that everything that God does is “from the
Father, through the Son and in the power of the Spirit”. How does
this help us to appreciate verse 2?
Throughout Isaiah we see several examples of the Messiah sent from the
LORD in the power of the Spirit. In one sense we could say that it is the
LORD sent from the LORD with the LORD, but it is usually more helpful
to identify whether we are speaking of Christ, His Father or the Spirit.
Notice how everything that Christ does and all His most basic qualities
are filled with the Spirit. Even His “fear of the LORD” – the way that He
relates to His Father – is Spirit-filled. It is glorious to see how the One
Living God is so tightly bound together, all wrapped up in the fellowship
of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This One God can only be thought of
when we think of all Three together.

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4. Verse 3-4a. What is wrong with judging by what we see or hear? 7. Verse 9. What is the fundamental explanation for the radically new
How do His judgments for the poor and needy show this? biological order of the world?
Our judgments are all too often very superficial, only based on how The real change in the world goes deeper than biology or physics. These
things appear to us. Stories about criminal investigations that cut material ‘laws’ are only ever superficial expressions of much deeper
through appearances to get to the truth are ever popular because we realities: the relationship of the Living God to His creation. When the
realise how surface judgments are rarely adequate. The poor and the whole creation is properly united to the Living God and the knowledge of
needy are used to ‘justice’ only going for those with power and privilege, Him fills all things, then this new order of the heavens and earth will
but the LORD Jesus Christ will not be swayed by the status or wealth of follow on.
anybody no matter how much (or how little) they have. 8. Verses 10-11. What is the centre-piece and climax of the new
5. Verse 4b. Why is important to know that Christ the LORD will creation? What is the goal of Christ’s redemption?
ultimately strike the earth in judgment even though He first comes Just as the creation of Genesis 1 came to its climax and goal with the
as the Suffering Servant? creation of humanity, so the new creation finds its centre in the Church
The reason we can always turn the other cheek and “for your sake face of the Living God. All the nations of the world are drawn back together
death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered” around the LORD Jesus Christ. He personally stands as the rallying point
(Romans 8:36; Psalm 44:22) is because we know that there will be a Day for the people from all the pagan nations around Israel.
of Justice when everything will be put right. We do not need to take
vengeance on anybody because we know that it is the job of the LORD
God alone to do that most difficult job. Jesus first offers grace and
forgiveness for everybody, even for those who have done the worst of all
crimes, but if they will not allow Him to face the judgment for them then
there will be a day when they must face that vengeance alone.
6. Verses 6-8. For the animals to behave like this there would need to
be far more than a superficial change to the world. Why does Isaiah
pick these combinations of animals? How does this holistic vision
of the animal world remind us of Eden at the beginning?
These combinations of animals seem the most impossible of all! We all
react to these ideas: predators becoming vegetarians; lions grazing
like cattle! He might also have spoken of sharks snacking on seaweed!
These images were no less shocking to the people of his day than the
modern world. The point is that the new world order is so much more
than “re-arranging the furniture”. A whole new order of ecology and
physics, a fundamentally new order of existence itself, is held up before
us. Genesis 1:29-31 seems to suggest that the original plan was for all the
animals to be vegetarian.

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 Study 3 Bible Answers 4. Verse 7-8. What is the purpose behind this cutting down of human
pride? Who is our Maker and who is ‘the Holy One of Israel’? Is the
Isaiah 17:1-14 fundamental character of an idol that it is “the work of (our)
hands”?
1. Verses 1-3. Damascus was the capital of the kingdom of Aram, yet
the LORD announced a judgment of destruction against it such The LORD, throughout the book of Isaiah, brings this kind of judgment on
that flocks of sheep will be free to graze right where the mighty city the different nations so that they will abandon their own vain glory and
once stood. Why did the Arameans (and us still today) need to flee to the eternal glory of Christ the LORD. God the Father is our Maker
know that no matter how impressive our cities might be, they have and Jesus Christ is the Holy One of Israel, as Peter reminded the crowd in
no future? Acts 3:14. Idols may change from one culture to the next, but in one
We are surrounded with buildings, culture and life that seems to be here sense they are always the same: the work of our hands. Whether it is an
forever. We tend to see the cities, empires and even the people who are ancient statue of Baal or an entertainment system in the corner of our
so powerful today as if they were always going to be just as they are right room, if we expect mere human creations to give us peace or fulfilment
now. Yet, how many of the great cities of the ancient world have left even we are worshipping an idol.
ruins for us to see? Are any of the mighty empires of Isaiah’s day still 5. Verse 9. Imagine the city or town where we live being deserted and
around? The constant need is for us to set our hearts and minds on that overgrown with weeds. How does this change our perspective on
unseen world of Jesus Christ, the coming world of the future because the life or ‘glory’ of that town or city?
everything we can see will pass away. We can so easily be caught up into the values and ‘treasures’ of this
2. Verse 4. Why does Isaiah make us think of Jacob as a large man who passing “City of Man”. If we lose sight of Christ then we might fear what
has wasted away with age and illness? others think of us and chase after things that we cannot hold onto.
The constant theme of the chapter is the fleeting nature of human glory 6. Verses 10-11. The apostle Paul reminds us that the Rock of Israel
and strength. What today seems so strong will fade away and disappear was Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 10:4). What happened when
before long. Only the Living God lasts forever. So, we might imagine a big those ancient people forgot Him?
man, full of life and filling his mouth with good things, but how quickly When they were no longer building on the eternal Rock of Christ the
he can become a shadow of himself through age or illness. That small old LORD then they had no future. Yes, they could make plans and act as if
man was once a force to be reckoned with. If we forget this we will be they had a future, but in truth it was all in vain. The day of disease and
deceived ny passing human glory. death came to them, as to all flesh, and they had no substance. When we
3. Verses 5-6. Another image shows us the corn field and the olive forget Christ the Rock then we too will be forgotten.
orchard after the harvest has finished. What is the power of this 7. Verses 12-13. How does Isaiah present the rising arrogance and
image? Is there any hope at all? pride of the nations? What is the response of the Rock to this raging
sea?
A field of corn ready for harvest seems so full of vitality and life, yet that
same field the day after the harvest seems so lifeless and feeble. The few The pride of the nations is like a raging sea whose waves rise up and
remaining stalks only highlight how empty it is. The few remaining olives threaten to sweep everything away. Human pride makes us think of
on the bare branches only remind us that everyhing is gone. Today human ourselves as far more powerful and longer lasting than we really are.
glory seems so impressive but tomorrow it is all gone. Just as the LORD God was able to make the Red Sea retreat before Him,

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so all the rage of the nations disappears as soon as He rebukes them. See Study 4 Bible Answers
Psalm 2 for more of this.
8. Verse 14. Sudden disaster can take any or all of us away. What is Isaiah 26:1-13
Isaiah’s message as we face such an uncertain future? 1. Verse 1. In chapter 24 Isaiah confronted us with the destruction of
There is a Rock even in the worst storm of life. In chapter 40 of Isaiah we the whole earth under the LORD’s judgment. Even the powers in
are bluntly told that all flesh is grass: here today and gone tomorrow. the heavens will be judged (24:21). The cities of this age will all
Yet, the Word of God endures forever and if we trust Him then He shares crumble away (25:2). However, what enduring hope does the
that eternal life with us. Yes, we are pilgrims here and (as Hezekiah Church have in every age?
discovers in chapter 38) we may die when we least expect it, but Christ There is a city with foundations whose Builder and Maker is God –
will never forsake us and He will bring us to Himself and on into His Hebrews 11:10. Abraham himself had his heart and mind fixed on that
everlasting new creation future. City of God in the highest heavens, so we too need to always remember
our home in Zion. Yes, we look forward to that final day when the City of
God will come down to the earth, but even now that “strong city” is our
true home in the heavens.
2. Verse 2. What is the entry requirement to enter into this strong and
eternal city of God?
There is no way of getting into that Heavenly Jerusalem through human
religion or personal ‘righteousness’ or self-improvement. Only those that
“keep faith” may enter; those that trust the LORD Jesus Christ.
3. Verse 3. How can we have peace even when everything in our lives
seems to be falling apart?
These people faced war and exile in their own lives. It is quite possible
that they would lose their homes; their freedom; even their lives. Yet, like
Daniel, Esther and Ezekiel, even in a distant pagan nation, with their
names stripped from them and all the supports to their faith torn down,
yet the LORD would still be with them giving them His own peace, a
peace beyond understanding that the world cannot give. It is incredible
how He draws especially near to us when we are broken-hearted, when
it seems that peace is furthest from us.
4. Verse 4. How does Isaiah encourage us to trust in Christ the eternal
Rock?
If everything in life seems to be falling apart and if chaos and death seem
to be overwhelming us, then we need to know that Christ is the Eternal
Rock. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. That was

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as true for Isaiah’s day as it is for us. He is always the Eternal Rock: we their right and learn nothing from that either. Instead of seeing the zeal
can build upon Him and never be destroyed by even the worst storms of of the LORD for His people (and therefore run to join these people), they
life. He will never leave us nor forsake us. go blindly on until they fall into the fire of destruction. The heart and eyes
5. Verses 5-6. What is the alternative to trusting Him? What is the of the righteous are on the Living God, but the hearts and eyes of the
outcome of that? wicked do not notice what is really going on.
If we do not trust Christ the LORD then we always end up trusting 8. Verse 12. How are we to think of the fruit we produce in life?
ourselves, whether trusting in our own abilities or the traditions, religion Everything that we do that has any value at all in our lives, even the
or philosophy that we think can save us. Instead of humbly trusting the desire to do what is good, is all from the work of the Father, Son and Holy
LORD Himself, we lift ourselves up before Him. Not only will this attract Spirit – see Philippians 2:13.
His own judgment of us, but arrogant people tend to be brought down to 9. Verse 13. How are we to cope with the forces and empires that try
earth by the people around them. to control us? What can we do if even the government opposes us?
6. Verses 7-8. We might worry that the road ahead of us is completely How can we support our brothers and sisters who are in constant
broken and full of holes, but how can we walk on a level and danger from oppressive regimes?
smooth road through life? What must capture our hearts even Many Christians live under regimes that not only do not acknowledge the
when fears and pain surround us? LORD Jesus Christ but actually try to oppose Him and oppress His people.
This again all comes down to trusting the LORD Jesus Christ, the Upright The Bible constantly teaches us that we must not fear them because we
One. Jesus said “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry are so filled with a proper love and fear for the Living God. Consider the
about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1:15-21 who feared the LORD rather than
We can only do this if we really do trust our heavenly Father to guide our Pharaoh. We must always be faithful to our true LORD no matter what
steps through life. Yet, we must also take responsibility by making His these little ‘lords’ tell us to do. It is vital that we support the Christian
Name and renown “the desire of our hearts”. If our hearts are filled with family around the world through prayer and by writing letters both to
love for comfort, treasure, ease and relationships then we will wander off them and to the regimes that persecute them.
the smooth path that He sets for us.
7. Verses 9-11. Describe the difference between the righteous and the
wicked. Can we say they have different hearts and different eyes?
The righteous have fixed their hearts and minds on the Living God. He is
their first thought in the morning and their meditation throughout the
night. The righteous regard the majesty of the LORD, seeing all the things
that He does and keeping the fear of Him always fresh in their hearts.
However, the wicked are filled with their own worries throughout the
night and think of themselves in the morning. The wicked do not learn
the lessons that the LORD is trying to teach them. When sufferings under
God’s judgment come, they learn nothing from them. Even when the
blessings and favour of the LORD are on the wicked, they assume it is just

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 Study 5 Bible Answers powerful enemy. If we are driven by our fear of other people or our fear
of death, then we will never be able to act wisely or keep a peaceful
Isaiah 33:1-17 heart. The rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge is unlocked
1. Verses 1, 3-4. With the Assyrian armies banging on the gates of the when we fear the LORD more than anything else. If we fear Him we have
city and hard times ahead, Isaiah looks beyond the current troubles nothing else to fear: then we can think clearly and act with justice,
to the final destiny of all oppressors and wicked people. Why is it so integrity and love, keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Him.
important to always keep that final day of justice in mind? 5. Verses 7-9. Isaiah describes the land of Judah and the city of
This whole study makes us look at the unseen reality of Christ that lasts Jerusalem in the coming time of distress. List the different aspects
forever rather than the very visible troubles, fears and temptations that that strike so deep. Imagine facing these troubles in our own cities
surround us. The Bible speaks so much about the way everything will be or nation.
on the final Day of Justice so that we can keep that true prespective in The bravest men, who are the hope of any nation in a time of war, are
the constant confusion of life in this passing age. wandering around crying in the streets. The ambassadors who were sent
2. Verse 2. In the hardest times, the “time of distress” how can we find to negotiate a peace treaty are weeping bitterly in their failure.
the strength to face each day? The people are all gone: run away, exiled and killed. The streets are all
empty and nobody dares to move freely about. The normal business
The way we begin each day is essential. All our sinful desires and selfish
agreeements that make civilisation possible are broken. There is no
thoughts will flood into our minds and control our day unless we begin
respect for authority. Even the land itself seems to waste away. With no
the day with Christ Jesus Himself as the love of our hearts. Whether we
one to work the land it quickly returns to wilderness. If we have
initially feel much affection or not, we take control of our hearts and set
experienced any serious civil disorder, we can see how accurate and
Christ before us as the One we long for; our Strength and our salvation in
frightening this description is.
time of distress.
6. Verses 10-12. How does the LORD exalt Himself in these verses? Is
3. Verse 5. It is all too easy to keep our eyes fixed on the troubles all
this good news or bad news, in the light of verses 7-9?
around us – like Peter who focussed on the waves in Matthew
14:30. What is the remedy for this? This is bad news for sin, wickedness and selfishness: they have no future
Jesus taught us to begin all our prayers with “Our Father in heaven…”. and their own actions contribute to their own destruction. Yet, the
The throneroom of heaven, the heavenly Zion, must always hold our wonderful good news is that history is not a meaningless chaos of good
vision: the Father with Jesus at His right hand. As soon as we allow our and evil endlessly fighting it out. No! The LORD God will arise and put
attention and worries to feed on the time of distress that we are facing, everything right, exalting Himself when He gets rid of all the corrupting
then we will sink. rubbish of this dark age.
4. Verse 6. Looking up to the King in Zion above, we are also aware of 7. Verses 13-15. Think back to the words in Isaiah 29:13 with their
the foundation beneath our feet and the rich store of resources to superficial understanding and empty devotion. Describe the
get us through the time of distress. How do we unlock this rich contrast with 33:13-14.
store? When the sinners and godless are confronted by the concrete power and
The fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. In the time of distress – actions of the Living God, then all the illusions are dispelled. In our
whether in our nations or in the troubles of our own life – fear is the great comfortable sin we imagine that everything is well, that we need not be

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afraid of God, that He has only love and indulgence for us. When we see Study 6 Bible Answers
that the Living God is a consuming fire and that even the best of us can
never dwell with His everlasting fire, then a true fear of the LORD may Isaiah 40:1-14
begin. 1. Verse 1-2. Isaiah 39:5-7 announces that though the Assyrian armies
8. Verses 15-17. Verse 17 holds up to our view the King who we saw have retreated, the Babylonian armies will come to take the people
in verse 5. In Him there is such a glorious hope and a safe home. away to exile. How can Isaiah 40:1 follow on from that?
Consider what makes Him such a secure hope, worthy of all our What possible comfort could there be in the light of that terrible
trust, in the light of verses 15-16. prophecy?
In stark contrast to all of us sinful humans, Christ the King is beautiful in We do not live forever in this passing age of mortal life. Whether sooner
His righteousness and always speaks what is right. He can never be or later we must find a comfort that goes beyond our flesh, a comfort
corrupted with the treasures of this passing age and will never be that has everlasting foundations. Whether through Babylonian armies or
involved in our sinful schemes. He cannot even think about evil in any mortal illness (like Hezekiah), we are flesh that soon withers and dies. The
way. Therefore, He alone can ascend the hill of the LORD and dwell safely great comfort that gives us true peace and joy in every circumstance is
in the innermost presence of the Most High. The heighest heights that our sins are paid for; that the LORD has forgiven us; that He is
welcome Him! Yet, the promise of verse 17 is that if we trust in Him and gracious towards us. If we know that He loves us and has a place for us
follow Him, then He will keep us with Him and bring us to Himself. in His resurrection future, then we have real comfort for every trouble.
2. Verse 3. Though the people might be in exile, though they might
feel they are in the wilderness or the desert, yet how does this new
prophecy give deep comfort and hope? (see Mark 1:1-3).
Right where they were, right where we are, the LORD God comes. Even in
the desert exile, the LORD God comes to us bringing us back from exile.
While we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). The road that
we prepare is to welcome Him. We want to remove all obstacles from His
way when He comes to us. Anything that would hinder His presence or
welcome with us must be taken away.
3. Verse 4. Why do valleys need to be raised up and mountains made
low? What is this image telling us about the coming of God?
Think of the song that Mary sings while pregnant with Jesus in Luke
1:46-55. She knows that the LORD Jesus Christ within her is coming to
bring down the arrogant rulers and lift up the humble; to take from the
rich and give to the poor. Think of the words preached by Jesus in Luke
6:20-26. The Church family of Jesus is the place where we share all we
have with each other. Think of how the apostolic Church lived this out
in Acts 2:44-47.

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4. Verse 5. Think about the situation of Isaiah and the ancient Church, Yes, it would be hundreds of years before John the Baptist came as the
surrounded by hostile nations and all kinds of mere ‘religion’. actual voice preaching the preparation for the work of Christ the LORD,
How does this verse deal with that? but they did not need to wait that long to trust Him and love Him and
The world can seem intimidating at times, yet the Way of Jesus leads us worship Him! Christ was already with them, in His pre-incarnate form, as
out into that world to take His Life and Truth to everyone. Jesus is for the He showed so clearly when He defeated the Assyrian army as the Angel
whole world and He comes to set people free whatever their nation or of the LORD.
language or religion. Instead of seeing the world as threatening the 8. Verse 10. What does this Sovereign LORD bring with Him?
Church, we need to see it the other way around and realise that the (Consider also verses 12-14) Why is this important?
Church is invading the world with the glory of Jesus. Even when we are He is the “Sovereign” LORD: He is the one who rules over the world.
captured and imprisoned or even killed, the glory of Jesus is able to shine When Isaiah preached that the best foreign policy is “trust in the LORD”,
through even in those darkest of places. it was proved to be true when the Angel of this Sovereign LORD defeated
5. Verses 6-7. This might sound like an unpromising message to the Assyrians. The Arm of the LORD rules on His behalf (consider also
announce to the world, but why is this such an important truth for Isaiah 51:9; 53:1 and John 12:38). A man’s arm is where his strength and
us all to take to heart? What does this tell us about human glory? ability is found: a man with weapons is an “armed” man. The rewards and
All the way through the book of Isaiah we are shown the vain, empty spoils of His victory are already with Him. It is as if He has already won
‘glory’ of humanity and the eternal glory of the LORD Jesus Christ. as soon as He arrives, because His power and ability are so great.
Think of the many ways the LORD, through Isaiah, has shown us the 9. Verse 11. How does Christ the LORD use all that power and ability?
passing, fleeting ‘glory’ of the nations of the world. Here He cuts right to Power is so often abused that we tend to think of it as inevitably to do
the basic issue: we are all like grass that lasts such a short time and all with tyranny. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” is
our glory is at best like a flower that has a short time to bloom before the common quotation. Yet the almighty Arm of the LORD with a hand
it fades away. Notice that it is the breath of the LORD that brings death that measures the whole universe (verse 12), comes as the Good
to us all. Shepherd who uses all that mighty power to gently care for His flock,
6. Verse 8. Is there any hope for mortal human beings? Compare the carrying us in His arms. “O what a mystery meekness and majesty,
hope of this verse to the end of verse 5, and consider who the Word Bow down and worship for this is your God. This is your God!”
of God is. (Graham Kendrick, 1986, Thankyou Music)
We were created to have the life of the Eternal Son flowing through us.
Cut off from Him we have no life or substance, withering away almost as
soon as we appear. Yet, that Eternal Word of God still stands for ever and
wonderfully still invites us to return to Him and find in Him that eternal
life that He made us for.
7. Verse 9. It is almost as if the prophecy of the coming LORD God has
already happened and it is time to preach His arrival. Why would
Isaiah do this? Wasn’t Christ the LORD still hundreds of years into
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 Study 7 Bible Answers whether they are aware of it or not. In verse 4 when He says “I am He”,
He is recalling His Name in Exodus 3:14. He is the same: He is and was
Isaiah 46:1-13 and will be; the source of all life and existence. The Living God needs no
1. Verses 1-2. If Bel and Nebo were ancient Babylonian gods it seems support from us and instead gives us our life and breath. Those pagan
strange that their worshippers had to carry them (their statues) ‘gods’ need to be carried everywhere and require offerings and support
about on ox drawn carts. Why does Isaiah make such a point about from their followers.
these gods being a burden for weary people? 4. Verse 5-7. What are the main faults with the man-made idols and
The Living God does not need any of us to carry Him in any way! In pagan the false gods?
and agnostic philosophies the world is always bigger and older than their The man-made idols are supposed to be earthly ‘models’ of heavenly
gods or systems, therefore they end up having to work for these gods and beings, but the Living God cannot be compared to anything in the whole
systems. Any system in which you have to carry around these gods in creation. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have a life that is eternally and
wagons is shouting out that these gods can do nothing for us. The LORD infinitely beyond everything in the heavens and the earth. The pagan
God knows that we do not even have the strength to save ourselves let gods require idols or statues that are made from created materials.
alone save these demanding gods. They can’t do anything or go anywhere: they have to be carried around
2. What are the man-made gods in your experience that also require on human shoulders: once the statue is put in place it cannot even move!
so much support and maintenance? Meditate on entertainment The gods and idols have nothing to ever say. If they are real and living
systems that need upgrades and have to be carted away to the tip then why don’t they push these statues aside and actually appear and act
when they fail or our cars which break down or our houses that in real history the way that the LORD Jesus Christ has done? The key
need huge amounts of money and effort to support. Are there other problem is listed at the end of verse 7: these gods and idols cannot save;
things that capture our worship or promise us contentment or they cannot take away our sin and they cannot give us immortal,
fulfilment, things that cost us so much? resurrection life. They have no life of their own, so they certainly can’t
We all know that at the end of our lives we will never wish that we had give any to us!
spent more time watching TV or playing games or shopping for ‘stuff’ or 5. Verses 8-9. What does the Living God want His people to
more time decorating our houses. When we die we will take none of remember?
these things with us. All these things promise to make us happier, to
When we are unsure of the Father, Son and Spirit today or we are getting
make us more fulfilled to take away our stress, but in reality they always
carried away by our own sins and desires, we need to remember the
add to our stress and place demands upon us. If we had nothing but our
living, speaking, active reality of this Living God. Remember the specific
food, drink and basic clothing, would we not see the simplicity of life so
real historical actions that He has done in the past. Isaiah may well have
much more clearly and follow the the LORD Jesus Christ with true
been thinking about the real actions and words that the Angel of the
dependence?
LORD accomplished in the Exodus when He took His people to meet the
3. Verses 3-4. List the contrasts between the pagan and man-made Unseen LORD at Mount Sinai. We can also remember the words He has
gods on the one hand and the LORD God on the other. Notice how spoken through the prophets or the actions of the Angel of the LORD
Isaiah emphasises how the LORD carries His people. here in Isaiah chapter 37. Most of all we can read the four eyewitness
The LORD God has upheld His people since they were conceived, through accounts of what He did when He was born of the Virgin and lived among
their childhood and on into old age. He sustains them all the time, us, speaking and acting in normal human history.

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6. Verses 10-11. What is the main proof that the LORD God provides Study 8 Bible Answers
that He is the only One who can be trusted?
The LORD’s ability to describe and control history is the great proof of Isaiah 51:9-16
His reliabilty and reality in the book of Isaiah. Not only does He explain 1. Verse 9a. This is the first of three calls to “Awake! Awake!”: the first
the past and the present but He also predicts the future in great detail, is to “the Arm of the LORD”; the second is to Jerusalem (51:17) and
including the coming of the Babylonian and then the Persian empires. the third is to Zion (52:1). What is the difference between these
He very specifically describes Cyrus, by name, even though he would not three subjects that are told to “Awake!”? Who is the “Arm of the
arrive for many decades beyond Isaiah. Of course, the greatest example LORD”?
of this is the way that He constantly and in detail describes the birth, life, The Arm of the LORD is the LORD Jesus Christ. If we think of the Living
death, resurrection, ascension and second coming of the LORD Jesus God in terms of a human body then we can see how the Spirit is called
Christ Himself. the Breath of God, but we also see how God the Son is called the Arm of
7. Verses 12-13. What is the central promise of the Living God? If we the LORD, because He is the One who accomplishes the will of His
are “far from righteousness” then what is His remedy? Father. Everything that the One God does is from the Father, through the
The LORD God brings His own righteousness to us. We have no Son, in the power of the Spirit. So, first, the Arm of the LORD is given a
righteousness of our own and we certainly can’t acheive any because mission from God the Father filled with words of reassurance and
every day we fall into sin and fall short of the glory of the Living God. Yet, wisdom. We can only imagine how precious this Scripture would have
in coming to us and becoming one of us He brings His own righteousness been to the LORD Jesus as He grew up as a human boy: it must have
and lives it out in human life, making it available to us through His death almost felt as if He were back in the glory of heaven listening to His
and resurrection. Salvation is His work alone, and all He asks of us is that Father instructing Him. The second Awake (51:17) is to the earthly city of
we receive His saving righteousness with loving trust. Jerusalem that has been afflicted with so much sin and punishment,
8. Think about conversations we may have had about “the existence reassuring her that the LORD will take the cup of wrath from her. The
of God”. Have they been like these words from Isaiah? What should third Awake (52:1) is to the heavenly Jerusalem, Zion herself, speaking of
we have done? Did we ever speak about Jesus? Is it possible to the purity and safety and salvation that belong to her.
speak about the existence of God without talking about Jesus? 2. Verses 9-10. The whole section is addressed to “the Arm of the
LORD”, so what did He do in “generations of old”? What incident
from “days gone by” is being remembered here? Who is Rahab?
(See Isaiah 30:7).
Rahab is another name for Egypt, so the LORD is reminding them of the
time when He rescued them from Egypt in the Exodus. He made a dry
road through the Red Sea, showing His awesome power over the sea.
3. Verse 11. It is as if the people of Judah are already in exile even
though the Babylonian exile was still decades into the future.
What is the deeper ‘exile’ that Isaiah is speaking of here? What is
the final hope that he is holding up for the Church in every age?

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In the deepest sense the whole human race (even the entire creation final word. What is the Biblical remedy for this? Why did this
itself) has been in exile since Genesis chapter 3 when Adam and Evil comfort have special power for the Arm of the LORD in His great
joined the devil in beginning the creation’s sinful rebellion. Right from work?
that original sin the world has been in exile from the Living God, driven If we look at life and death from the perspective of our mortal flesh then
out of His presence. Alienated from the life of God the little life we have we see only darkness and despair when the evil powers of this age
slips away from us until we decay away into death and dust, but even triumph, especially if we are their victims. What hope can there be for
more seriously this corruption of death rots away in our hearts and minds justice or for the future of God’s family if evil seems to triumph? We need
long before it takes our bodies. Nevertheless, this exile ends in the LORD to always remind ourselves of that final Great Day of Resurrection. Jesus
Jesus Christ: we will return into Zion, the City of God, and one day all had to keep His eyes fixed on the joy set before Him in order to endure
sorrow and sighing will flee away as the earth is filled with the knowledge the shame of the Cross and death. He had to constantly trust His Father
of the LORD God Almighty. to vindicate Him in His resurrection and the new creation of all things.
4. Verse 12-13a. Why is it so important to spend time every day 7. Verse 15. Why is it so important to know that the LORD God has
thinking about “Our Father in heaven”? Why did Jesus, the Arm of power over the sea?
the LORD, have to keep that in mind as He faced His great work on
The sea is the constant symbol of chaos and rebellion throughout the
earth?
Bible. We see this in verses 9-10 as the LORD declares His victory over
God the Creator, the Heavenly Father, is still on the throne of all creation, Egypt at the Red Sea. We need to know that when the ocean of chaos
even though the world may have fallen into exile. We pray that His will seems to overwhelm us that even that is under the control of the
be done “on earth” just as it is done “in heaven”. When we are surrounded Heavenly Father on the throne of heaven.
by the rebellion of sinful humanity, in all its many forms but especially in
the form of tyranny and persecution, we need to always remember our 8. Verse 16. The final words are specially spoken to the Arm of the
Heavenly Father who stretched out all the millions of galaxies and LORD by His Father in heaven, but they also include Zion, the
established the incredible wonder of life on earth. What are any mortal Church of the Living God – “You are my people”. What is the great
human beings, no matter how oppressive or arrogant, compared to Him? comfort of this verse?

5. Verse 13. When we are surrounded by all the empires, tyrannies and The Creator who made the heavens and the earth has planned the future
ideologies of this passing age, how can we be free from fear or of the Church before everything else. Before the foundation of the
“constant terror”? universe He elected the Church in His Eternal Son Jesus Christ.
The stability of the heavens and the earth is a testament to the stability
The only way to be free of fear is to fear the LORD God Himself. When
of His promise to Zion, His Church: “You are my people”. This great
the fear of the LORD grips our hearts and minds, then it is peace and love
purpose of all things for the Church is what drove God the Son to be born
that flood our hearts rather than “constant terror”. So many of us live in
as One of us, to live our life and die our death. He has done everything
constant terror of disease or trouble, yet the LORD Jesus Christ Himself
so that the Church will be His Bride forever and ever. This promise has
told us never to worry, but to trust our Father in heaven who cares for us.
Until we can genuinely let go of all our fears and trust Him to care for us, deeper foundations than the universe itself.
we can never escape our fears.
6. Verse 14. We can easily fall into the view that the sufferings and
troubles of this mortal life as the end of the story, as if they had the

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 Study 9 Bible Answers 3. Verse 12. Why does the LORD point at “your righteousness and
your works”?
Isaiah 57:11-21 The danger is that instead of taking refuge in Him so that we can taste
1. Verse 11. What were the fears and worries that occupied the hearts and see His goodness we take refuge in whatever righteousness or works
and minds of the ancient Church in Isaiah’s day? What are the fears we feel are of value. This may range from religious zeal or family heritage,
and worries that have the same effect on the Church today? common decency to self-improvement discipline; yet, none of these
Judah and Jerusalem were completely paralysed by their fear of the things will benefit us in the presence of the Living God. All these things
invading armies of Assyria and then Babylon. Clearly the people couldn’t are worthless if we are going to genuinely share His eternal life.
stop imagining the terrible suffering if soldiers came to brutally kill them, 4. Verse 13. Compare the refuge offered by the idols with the refuge
or abuse them, taking their homes, children and possessions. It is a very offered by the LORD Jesus Christ?
powerful fear and it would be hard to see beyond this fear. Today many Those idols who need to be carried around, who cannot move or speak,
people are gripped by their fear of health problems, financial disaster, or those gods who never actually appear in human history, cannot even
family tragedy or even the fear of losing their capactities as they grow survive a strong wind. The idols might be set up but a good gust of wind
older. Again, all these are real and powerful fears, so we need to follow will blow them over! If we tried to take refuge behind them we might be
the Way of the LORD Jesus Christ with all our heart to escape such fears. crushed as they toppled over! By contrast the Eternal and Majestic God
2. Verse 11b. Why do we find it so hard to walk by faith and not by offers Himself as a true refuge for His people and whoever finds a never
sight? If we do not see or hear the LORD God almost all the time, failing refuge in Him will not only inherit the earth itself but also the
why do we so quickly stop trusting Him? highest heaven with the mountain of God Himself, the City of Zion.
Consider Psalm 2:12 and Psapm 5:11-12 on the theme of taking refuge
The very heart and centre of sin is doubt. Adam and Eve fell into sin
in Christ the LORD.
because they would not trust the LORD in the original Garden. We might
imagine that if only we had a particular experience or sight or sound then 5. Verse 14. Why does the LORD command this obstacle-free road to
we would be free from doubt forever, but that is never the case. We will be built?
always begin to doubt whatever we saw or heard unless we This again emphasises the way that the Living God comes to serve His
fundamentally trust the LORD Jesus Christ. As the Creator and Sustainer people, making life easier for them taking burdens off them. The idols and
of all things, He is Himself the basic guarantee of the reality and gods and the religious systems add burdens, rules and obstacles, but the
truthfulness of experience itself! He even tells us to taste and see that real and Living God is concerned only to remove the obstacles and clear
the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8), but unless we ask and seek with genuine the road.
trust we will never really taste and we will never truly see. If the scientist 6. Verse 15. How can the Living God live both in the highest heaven
refuses to trust her observations or the reality of the world around her and also in the lowliest heart? What does this tell us about the
then she can never make any progress. The first step of knowledge must nature and glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
always be that basic step of trust as we are genuinely open to reality. The First, Jesus on earth told us to daily think of “our Father in heaven” and
corruption of sin in our hearts and minds always turns us in on ourselves He also promised that God the Holy Spirit would come and dwell with
in a selfish and narrow prison that is always looking for signs. Please take us. When we have a deep and rich understanding of the Trinity we can see
time to read Matthew 12:38-45. how the One Living God has within Himself not only that high

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transcendence of the Father and the mediation of the Son but also the Isaiah has shown us very clearly and profoundly that the LORD God
indwelling and immanence of the Holy Spirit. doesn’t simply want people to live in some kind of ‘eternal paradise’.
Second, this Living God shows His greatest glory not by standing far off The whole point of everything He has done from creation and on into
in His own self-absorbed majesty, but by His self-sacrificial redemption that new creation future, at the cost of His own suffering and blood on
of all those who love and trust Him. Nothing thrills us so much as the the Cross, is so that He can be personally married to His Church in the
way He takes “no hopers” like us and gives us the hope of sharing His own deepest bonds of love. The Living God wants us: our hearts and minds
eternal life as His own family! given with free hearts that love Him and trust Him now and forever.
The point of salvation is to set us free from all the religion, systems,
7. Verse 16-18. What do we learn here about the anger of the Living
blindness and idolatry that grips us in our sinful mess. If people will not
God? How does His anger compare to human anger?
ask or seek or knock; if they will not trust Him but stay in their own
The anger of the Living God is always under His control. Yes, it is real and “righteousness and works” (57:12) then there will be no atonement for
powerful so that we dare not dismiss it as mere metaphor, but it does not them. Why does the LORD God constantly and so passionately plead
control Him as the passions of the ancient Greek and Roman gods with His Church and the whole world to come to Him in repentance and
controlled them. Even when He feels rage at the selfish evil that we do, faith if it was not absolutely essential that we really do that? Why would
He does not lash out or lose His temper. His gospel purposes and love He have gone to the extremities of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 if there was any
always have the final word over the life of His Church. other way?
8. Verses 19-21. In Jeremiah 6:14 the false prophets preach “peace,
peace” when there is no peace. How does their false message
compare to the preaching of the LORD Himself? Is it fair to say that
the message of “peace, peace” must be preached to the Lord’s
people rather than to the wicked?
The LORD preaches “peace, peace” to His people, to the Church that finds
her refuge in Him. To the Church, who may so often feel that everything
around her and within is far from peaceful, He lovingly, constantly,
profoundly preaches eternal peace to her, a peace beyond understanding
that the world can never give. Yet, He will never give this peace and rest
to the wicked. They have no future at all with Him. The false prophets
insist on preaching this “peace, peace” to the wicked!
9. One of the great challenges that many are facing today is how to
live in loving friendship with people who either ignore, reject or
misunderstand the Way of Jesus. Many of our friends, families and
neighbours follow belief systems that are committed to other gods
or philosophies, and have a very different view of Jesus. What would
Isaiah have thought of the idea that as long as people are sincere or
open to love in whatever beliefs they have the LORD God might
just welcome them into the new creation anyway?

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 Study 10 Bible Answers 4. Verses 6-7. How do these verses connect to the Lord’s Prayer –
“may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as in
Isaiah 62:1-63:6 heaven”?
1. Verse 1. This is one of the most emotionally intense parts of the The LORD is telling His people to constantly pray for this great
whole Bible as we see the LORD God as the loving husband of His conclusion to history. We should be just as eager as He is to strain
new bride (62:4-5) but also as He comes in saving judgment against towards that final day of Justice, that divine wedding day when
the world (63:1-6). So, what is the great passion that motivates the everything will be put right. Even now we do all we can to make the
great redemption plans of the Living God? kingdom of God a reality while we wait for that day: “give yourselves no
Everything is for the sake of Zion, the Church, His great family and Body rest and give Him no rest”!
(Ephesians 1:22-23). The reason for the whole creation was that the glory 5. Verses 8-9. Looking ahead to that time when the City of God is
of Christ might be shared and expressed through His Church for endless established in the new creation, compare these verses with the
ages. Until His righteousness shines through her “like the dawn” He will description of the resurrection future in 65:21-22.
keep working and speaking. It is important to see how tangible and real the new creation hope is in
2. Verses 2-3. With all the kings of the earth looking to the Great King, the Bible. In popular culture and philosophical abstractions, the only hope
where does His Church, fit in this picture? is some ‘ghostly’ existence in ‘heaven’ or some vague hope of ‘something
better than we can imagine’. However, the Bible shows us the real hope
The nations are drawn to the LORD by looking to the shining
that we can genuinely hold onto: this world will be utterly renewed and
righteousness of the Church. Jesus Himself said “let your light shine
all the very good things that the LORD God created will be enjoyed as
before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in
they were always supposed to be.
heaven” (Matthew 5:16). It is as if the LORD reigns through the royal
diadem or crown that is the Church. It is beyond our imagination to grasp 6. Verses 10-12. Why would a message about “the Daughter of Zion”
how the Eternal and Infinite God is determined to share His life with His be proclaimed to the ends of the earth?
people for all eternity, literally exercising His reign through us. All through Isaiah we have seen how the mission of the Church is to bring
3. Verses 4-5. Verse 2 mentioned a new name and now we learn what in and spread out among all the nations of the world. In verse 10 the road
it is: Hephzibah (my delight is in her); and the name of the land is is prepared for all the LORD’s people, but a banner is raised up to
Beulah (married). Thinking about the beginning and end of the Bible, summon all the nations to join in with His people on this highway to
how do these verses take us to the very heart of the meaning of the Zion. The LORD God is coming with this glorious future already
universe itself? accomplished: this is not a new creation that we have to acheive with our
When Paul comments on Genesis 2:24 in Ephesians 5:22-32 he reminds own feeble efforts – and this is for the whole world. His Holy People are
us that the original creation of Adam and Eve always had in view that Redeemed people, saved out of all the nations of the world. Zion is
bigger picture of Christ and His Church. The goal of the whole creation is “Sought After”, “No Longer Deserted” because the international crowds
for the Church to be married to the LORD God Himself. Jesus Himself fill her streets.
tells us that the whole creation is heading to a wedding celebration – 7. Verses 1-3. Throughout the book of Isaiah we have often seen how
Matthew 25:1-13 and in Revelation 19:7-10 and Revelation 21:1-5 we the Holy One of Israel is all alone in His righteousness and
see that happening. opposition to evil, but here that fact strikes home with a vivid

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 intensity. Why has the reality of the winepress of God’s wrath been Appendix 1
seen as such good news by millions of people down through
history? List of Isaiah references found in the New Testament
We yearn for that wonderful new creation future, but for that to happen
the world needs to be judged and cleaned out. All through this passing Isaiah Reference New Testament Location
age the oppressors and tyrants have crushed their victims under their 1:9 Romans 9:29
feet; the empires have killed and plundered as they will; the rich have
6:9 Matthew 13:14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:39;
lived at the expense of the poor. The LORD God must first set all these
Acts 28:25
things right and force the wicked to face up to what they have done. Part
of giving His oppressed people rest is showing them that He cared for 7:14 Matthew 1:23
them even when they were suffering. The victims of the world long for 8:12 1 Peter 3:14
justice, a justice that is rarely even glimpsed in this dark age. Yet, on that 8:14 Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8
day, real, balanced justice will be done and the great Divine hero will 8:17-18 Hebrews 2:13
stand up for goodness and truth once and for all.
9:1 Matthew 4:15
8. Verses 4-6. What is the great motivation of Christ the LORD in His
lonely work? 9:6 Matthew 1:23
10:22 Romans 9:27
For the joy of the new creation, for His great love for His bride, Christ will
judge the world and put everything right, no matter how messy or 11:5 Ephesians 6:14
difficult that work will be. He knows that we can never do that work for 11:10 Romans 15:12
Him: we are too involved and infected by the darkness and sin of this old 22:13 1 Corinthians 15:32
world. Vengeance and anger are always mixed up with selfishness and sin
22:22 Revelation 3:7
in our own hearts and minds, so Christ the LORD must do this work
alone, sustained by His own righteous anger against all that is wrong. 25:8 1 Corinthians 15:54
That cup of wrath that He personally drank for the whole world, will now 27:9 Romans 11:26
be forced on those who refused to shelter in Him. Praise God that Jesus 28:11 1 Corinthians 14:21
does this work alone and praise God that He does it out of love for His 28:16 Romans 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6
Church.
29:10 Romans 11:8
29:13 Matthew 15:7; Mark 7:6
29:14 1 Corinthians 1:19
29:16 Romans 9:19-21
40:3 Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2; Luke 3:4; John 1:23
40:6 1 Peter 1:25
40:13 Romans 11:34

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Isaiah Reference New Testament Location Appendix 2
42:1 Matthew 12:18
42:4 Romans 15:12 Israel and Judah at the time of Isaiah
42:6 Luke 2:32
Assyrian
45:23 Romans 14:11 Sidon Empire
Damascus
Tyre
49:6 Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47
49:8 2 Corinthians 6:2 Aram
52:5 Romans 2:24
52:7 Romans 10:15
52:11 2 Corinthians 6:17 Israel

52:15 Romans 15:21

Samaria
53:1 John 12:38; Romans 10:16
Ammon
53:4 Matthew 8:17
53:7 Acts 8:32
Rabbath-Ammon
53:9 1 Peter 2:22
Ashdod Jerusalem
53:12 Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37
Ashkelon Dibon
54:1 Galatians 4:27
Judah
54:13 John 6:45
Philistia Moab
55:3 Acts 13:34
56:7 Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46
59:7-8 Romans 3:15-17 Arabia

59:17 Ephesians 6:14-17

59:20 Romans 11:26 Edom

61:1 Luke 4:17

64:4 1 Corinthians 2:9
65:1-2 Romans 10:20-21
66:1 Acts 7:48
66:24 Mark 9:48

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