TABLE OF CONTENTS

ISAIAH DEVOTIONAL - PART 1

WHY STUDY AN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET?
ISAIAH 1 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 2 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - SPLENDOR

ISAIAH 3 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - LEADERS

ISAIAH 4 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH 5 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH 6 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - MORE ON HOLINESS

ISAIAH 7 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - THE PRESENCE OF GOD

ISAIAH 8 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

ISAIAH 9 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - JOY AND REJOICING

ISAIAH 10 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH 11 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - SPIRIT OF GOD
ISAIAH - A GOD OF JUSTICE OR A GOD AGAINST INJUSTICE

ISAIAH 12 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - TRUSTING IN GOD
ISAIAH 13 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - THE COMPASSION OF GOD
ISAIAH 14 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH DEVOTIONAL - PART 2

ISAIAH - CREATOR

ISAIAH - CALLING
ISAIAH 15-16 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 17 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH - LISTEN
ISAIAH - BLESSING

ISAIAH 19 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 22 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 26 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 24-27 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH -SALVATION
ISAIAH - RIGHTEOUSNESS
ISAIAH - REDEEMER
ISAIAH 25 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH 26 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH - PEACE
ISAIAH - GLORY
ISAIAH 29 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 30 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH - STRENGTH
ISAIAH 31:1 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 32:1,8 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH - SERVANT
ISAIAH 33 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 34 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH 34:4-8, 16b-19 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH - IDOLS
ISAIAH 35 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH 36 DEVOTIONAL
ISAIAH - WATER
ISAIAH 37:14-17

ISAIAH - LOVE AND DELIGHT

ISAIAH DEVOTIONAL - PART 3

ISAIAH  39 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH  40 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH  40:10 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH  40:28 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH  - I AM

ISAIAH  41 DEVOTIONAL

ISAIAH  - CHOSEN

ISAIAH  42 DEVOTIONAL

Below is a brief overview chart  to help guide you as you read through Isaiah.

ISAIAH - CREATOR

If you were going to the Scriptures to build a Biblical defense for the fact that God was indeed Creator, where would you turn? Certainly anyone who knows their Bible student head straight to the first few chapters of Genesis (Ge 1:1ff). Others would remember parts of many Psalms (Ps 33:6, Ps 33:9, Ps 148:5, et al) which poetically celebrate God as Creator. And, some would go to Colossians and Hebrews and refer to Christ being the present at creation and the sustainer of all things.

But Isaiah? Who would ever think to head to Isaiah? When I got started on this I was a bit overwhelmed. (This will be a bit longer than usual.)

Look at the both the quantity of references (over 35), but possible equally as important the varied way (at least fourteen) in which God is referred to as Creator through synonym and metaphors.

Created – Isa 40:26; 41:20; 42:5; 43:1, 7; 45:8, 12, 18; 54:16; 57:16

Creator – Isa 27:11; 40:28; 43:15

Maker – Isa 17:7; 27:11; 45:9, 11; 51:13; 54: 5

Made the earth- Isa 45:12, 18

Stretched out the heavens – Isa 44:24; 45:12; 51:13

Potter – Isa 29:16; 45:9; 64:8

Laid the foundations – Isa 48:13; 51:13, 16

Formed it – Isa 29:16; 45:18

Spread out the heavens – Isa 48:13

Made it – Isa 22:11

Founded it – Isa 45:18

Fashioned- Isa 45:18

Work of Your hand – Isa 64:8

Set the heavens in place Isa 51:16

Here are some observations.

There are clear statements linking the God of Israel to being the Creator.

“In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.” Isa 17:7

I have previously mused about the special place God has for the city of Jerusalem. Here again we see His claim of being its Creator and here closely tied with His sovereignty.

“…But you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago” Isa 22:11b.

Many who are pots don’t even recognize that there is a Potter. They make outlandish statements about even the existence of God. They determine to be self determined.

“You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"?” Isa 29:16.

No one compares to or equals the Creator. None of the gods or idols created anything. Look to the One who created the stars of the sky or to the “ends of the earth”. One may claim God doesn’t care. How could this person say that in front of the very One who created them?

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing … 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” Isa 40:26,28

This next comment takes some context to fully understand, but God acts in order to show the world He is a provider. I should be praying that God would provide out of His nature of being a Creator.

“…So that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.” Isa 41:20

“…He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:…” Is 42:5.

Isaiah couldn’t wait to describe His God and he went directly to His role as Creator.

“I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.” Isa 43:15.

Having quoted 42:5, He adds “who formed you in the womb” (Isa 44:24).

Isa 45:7-12 is a LONG section on the topic at hand. It is as if God is saying,

“Make no mistake…
I am your Creator!”

Isa 45:7 I form the light; create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

Isa 45:8 “I have created it” (Not quite sure what the “it” is in this passage….hmmmm)

Isa 45:9 This is so obvious. "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'He has no hands'?“

Isa 45:10 This statement is as if we the created ones are saying, “I would have done much better. God didn’t do a very good job when He created _____.”

Isa 45:11 “Do you question Me about My children (Unfortunately, yes, I do. All the time.) “or give Me orders about the work of My hands?” (Oh, my gosh. I have expectations of God all the time.)

Isa 45:12 “It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.”

And in what is one of the most clear statements in all of Scripture regarding His role as Creator (expressed in six ways),

“…He who created the heavens, He is God; He Who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it. He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited "I am the LORD, and there is none else"  Isa 45:18.

There are many other planets that are uninhabited. Earth is special.

If He can put the heavens in place and create the foundations of the earth certainly He can do all else that He declares.

“I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand — I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people'" Isa 51:16

“For your Maker is your husband – the LORD Almighty…” Isa 54:8

Isaiah doesn’t miss some of the irony of having a heavenly Father who is Creator.

“Yet, O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand” Isa 64:8.

This is true even though we are sinful and forget to trust in Him (Isa 54:6, 7). Amen!

ISAIAH CALLING

There is a whole lot of “calling” going on in the book of Isaiah. I don’t mean to be so pedantic about it (or maybe I should say ‘after being so pedantic I want to draw some meaning from what I observe), but there are over 65 uses of “call, calls, called, or calling” in the book.

Several of the uses are merely the naming of something rather insignificant (Isa 19:18; 30:7; 47:1, 5; 58:12). A good many are the use in a strictly human sense (if that is possible in Scripture) (Isa 5:20; 8:2; 8:12; 21:11; 31:4; 32:5; 34:12; 36:13; 41:25; 44:5; 48:2; 58:5,13; 59:4).

There is one famous use of angels calling to one another

‘Holy, Holy, Holy..”, Isa 6:3.

There are quite a few references to naming (entitling) something of more obvious significance

Zion called City of Righteousness, the Faithful city, Isa 1:28, 29

Remnant called holy, Isa 4:3

‘And will call Him Immanuel’, Isa 7:14

And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Isa 9:6

A Highway is called Way of Holiness, Isa 35:8

God is called God of all the earth, Isa 54:5

Jerusalem is called City of the Lord; Isa 60:14

Walls are called salvation; Isa 60:18

Israel is called a Holy people, Redeemed, Sought After, City no Longer Deserted; Isa 62:12

Not to be missed is exhortation for people to call on God in prayer.

Isa 12:4, “In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

Isa 55:6, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

There is also failing to call on God in prayer.

“Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel.” Isa 43:22

God was found faithful even when His people did not call on Him. "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.'” Isa 65:1

And we have God’s wonderful offer to answer prayer. Note the timing of His answer!

“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” Isa 58:9

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Isa 65:24

The largest (and possibly most significant) portion, though, is a use of something being called by God.

Isa 40:3 a voice of One calling: “In the desert prepare the way…”

Isa 40:26 God calls each star by name

Isa 41:2 Calls him in righteousness to His service

Isa 41:4 calling generations from the beginning

Isa 41:9 called you from the farthest corner “you are My servant”

Isa 43:7 everyone who is called by My name

Isa 49:1 Messiah knew he was called

Isa 51:2 called Abraham

Isa 54:6 will call you back

Isa 61:6 priests were called

His greatest act of calling was of His own Son. Isa 42:6-7,

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

So, calling is within the very heart of God. It is in His character and He acts out of it.

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RELATED RESOURCES: Greek Word Studies on...

ISAIAH 15-16

Isaiah 15-16 are a judgment against Moab. It foretells a time when Moab will be ruined, destroyed. (By the way, you won't find Moab on a modern day map anywhere. It used to be just east of the Dead Sea but it was sacked in 701 B.C.)

In the midst of this predicted doom, there is hope!

“In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it – one from the house of David- one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” Isaiah 16:5

Just marvel at the simple statements found in this one verse.

· God is motivated to provide for us out of His love.

· No matter what, God is on the throne.

· His promises never fail.

· A man will sit and judge. Jesus - fully God and fully man.

· God is always faithful to His covenant with Abraham and David.

· In the end all things will be judged and judged fairly.

· God is intent on promoting righteousness (The Amplified Version reads, “…being swift to do righteousness.”

We know that this indeed was a statement about the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus. I don't know that I would have focused much on the fact that He was One who would seek and speed. I get the justice and righteousness, but His role is seeking and speeding.

ISAIAH 17

… declares the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. 8 They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made. 9 In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation. 10 You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress… (Isa 17:6-10a).

men will look, Isa 17:7

men will not look, Isa 17:8

they will no longer regard, Isa 17:8

men have forgotten, Isa 17:10

(men) have not remembered, Isa 17:10

It appears that faithfulness is being measured by the focus of one’s attention. The ONLY worthy of that focus day in and day out is the One who is:

The God of Israel, Isa 17:6

(our) Maker, Isa 17:7

The Holy One of Israel, Isa 17:7

God your Savior, Isa 17:10

The Rock, Isa 17:10

Your fortress, Isa 17:10

What draws your focus on your Lord? What draws your focus away? Do you need a partner to help you keep your focus?

There is no substitute for consistent, regular, direct, one on one exposure to the Word of God. That can come in the form of reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, or hearing….or a combination of all of them over time. I’m not hung up on what a “quiet time” should actually look like. But whatever it looks like for you, is your focus being drawn to God through His Word on a regular basis? All of us will tend to “not look, no longer regard, or not remember” without this discipline.

If it has been a while I encourage you to start again…today.

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ISAIAH - LISTEN

Isaiah 66:2 "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word”. (This should be placed in contrast to those who me are rely being religious and just going through the motions.) “Is 66:4 …so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened . They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." (The cure?) “5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word:…” (In other words, LISTEN!)

Many references equate to “Hey, wake up. Pay attention.” For example:

“Hear, O heavens! Listen , O earth!...” (Is 1:2-note).

See also, Isa 8:9; 10:30; 13:4 (twice); Isa 32:9; 34:1; 42:23; 44:1; 47:8; 49:1; 52:8.

Others references are exhortations to listen to the Word of God! For example,

“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!” (Is 1:10-note).

See also, Is 28:23; 51:4; 55:2 (twice).

Closely related are the references where God wants Israel His people to listen exclusively to Him. Chapter 48 is a classic example where He exhorts them four times: Isa 48:1,

"Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel — but not in truth or righteousness — 2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and rely on the God of Israel — the Lord Almighty is his name: …12 "Listen to me, O Jacob ,Israel, whom I have called:…14 "Come together, all of you, and listen…16 "Come near me and listen to this:…”

Similarly,

"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; ..4 "Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations” (Isa 51:1,4).

It is fascinating that God does not ALWAYS listen to mankind.

“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean” (Isa 1:15,16-note).

Not listening is equated with being stubborn as seen in,

“Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, 12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose" — but they would not listen. 13 So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there — so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured” (Isa 28:11, 12, 13).

See also Isa 30:9; 46:12 “…you stubborn-hearted…”; and Isa 55:12

For me, one of the most endearing references is found in Isa 46:3, 4,

"Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. 4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

And although the following words are characteristics of the Messiah who was to come, they are also the desire of my heart as I become more like my Savior.

“The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. 5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back” (Isa 50:4, 5).

I hope this reflects the beat of your heart, as well!

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RELATED RESOURCES:

ISAIAH 19

In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of Destruction. In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them. The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.” (Is 19:18, 19, 20, 21, 22)

This is an astonishing set of statements. Egypt responding to the Lord Almighty? This is unprecedented.

Egypt in Scripture virtually universally serves as either a very specific example or an almost complete typology of those who are stubborn and will not respond to God. Egypt is almost exclusively used as an example of “an enemy of God”. They are never a friend to Israel. Prophecy is almost completely united in its judgment upon Egypt’s leadership and its people.

So, to see a prophecy that one day Egypt will actually (Is 19:18, 19, 20)…

swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty

It will have a monument to the Lord at its border

It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty

They will cry out to the Lord

Now it isn’t surprising that (Is 19:20) …

He will send them a savior and defender,

and He will rescue them.

So the Lord will make Himself known to the Egyptians…

because that is exactly the kind of God He is.

He will respond to their pleas and heal them.

Yes, that is the very nature of God Himself.

But, again (Is 19:21), it is astonishing that…

They will acknowledge the Lord.

They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings;

they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.

They will turn to the Lord

But, why indeed am I so surprised. I was lost in sin. I was stubborn and wanted my own way. I myself was an enemy of God. I was headed for judgment, left to my own devises. If God changed me why wouldn’t God do this for Egypt?

I believe it is important to see that Isaiah says this will happen to five cities which some believe means that actually a small part of Egypt will respond, as if saying, ‘out of all the cities in Egypt this response will occur from only five cities’.

ISAIAH - BLESSING

The concept of blessing is important to us even if we don’t have a precise definition for it. Blessing is a HUGE theological concept with much of its foundation established in God’s promises to Abraham. Christ poetically describes the disciple as one who is blessed in the beatitudes. Paul says we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. These are BIG concepts.

In the first mention of blessing in the book of Isaiah, we actually have all three forms that show up in the book all in the same verse (blessing, bless, blessed ).

Isa 19:24-25, “In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. 25 The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." It is reassuring to see God continuing to use Israel to be a blessing on the earth (His plan all along).

God has NOT forgotten His Abrahamic covenant which included His promise to bless Israel as well as to make them a blessing to others.

Isa 51:2, “…look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.”

This blessing is God initiated. I’m a bit surprised the number of times in Isaiah, that blessing is somehow tied to the idea of “pouring out”, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the recipients include descendants.

Isa 44:3, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

Other references to the Holy Spirit and pouring out are Isa 32:15,20. And other references to descendants are found in Isa 61:9; 65:23.

God’s blessing is also rooted in His characteristics of compassion and justice (also Isa 56:1; 61:8).

Isa 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

It appears that one of the conditions of being blessed is a willingness to be patient! You may not be like to me, but I don’t often equate blessing and patience. I want it now!

Clearly a large part of being a recipient of blessing (from an Old Testament perspective) comes through obedience.

Isa 56:1-2, “This is what the Lord says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."

God’s blessing isn’t focused on the past but is forward looking. Much of the blessing God will pour out is yet to come.

Isa 65:23, “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.”

The truest things that can be said about blessing in the book of Isaiah is that clearly blessing comes from the Lord Almighty. It is initiated by Him for His purposes.

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ISAIAH 22

“…you saw that the City of David had many breaches in its defenses; you stored up water in the Lower Pool. 10 You counted the buildings in Jerusalem and tore down houses to strengthen the wall. 11 You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.” (Isa 22:9-11)

ISAIAH 24-27

Isaiah 24-27 are four chapters that are sometimes referred to as Isaiah’s Little Apocalypse. They are very similar to the book of The Revelation.

In a recent Reflection I commented, “Sometimes destruction is a righteous act.”

“Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous” (Isa 10:22, 23).

Now in chapter 24 we see more of this in action (or predicted to happen).

“See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; He will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants –“(Is 24:1).

This will be a devastation that appears to be across the whole earth. Some feel it will be primarily in the land of Israel. Evidence pointing to the whole earth includes “its face” in Is 24:1 and “the earth will be completely laid waste” in Is 24:3. Evidence supporting a more localized devastation in Israel includes “everlasting covenant” in Is 24:4, “the city” in Is 24:12, and references to Mt. Zion and Jerusalem in Is 24:23. (In my opinion, the pictures of what will happen to Israel are representative of what will be happening all across the earth.)

Most of us would be quick to ask, “What caused God to get so mad?” “Why is God doing this?” “We (or they) don’t deserve this kind of treatment, do we?”

Well, actually, this destruction is self induced. It is a result of man’s depravity. “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant” (Is 27:5). And in Is 27:6, “Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt…”

The resulting good news found in this chapter is

“…for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.” (Is 24:23)

(See also Psalm 82:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-notes and Rev 21:22-note, Rev 21:23-note, Rev 21:24-note, Rev 21:25-note, Rev 21:26-note, Rev 21:27-note.) (How would you like to attend that elders’ meeting?)

Lesson learned? In the midst of inevitable calamity on this earth, OUR GOD REIGNS!

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RELATED RESOURCES:

All 15 uses of destruction (or related words) in Isaiah - Isa 10:22, 23, 25; 13:6; 14:23; 16:4; 19:18; 22:4; 28:2, 22; 34:5; 47:11; 51:19; 59:7; 60:18

Sing it out to Him...

Our God Reigns - full choir
Our God Reigns - solo by Lenny Smith
Our God Reigns- Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman

Study His Sovereign Rule Over All...

ISAIAH - SALVATION

I, all of a sudden, have gotten a little scared. Probably a good thing. I’m going to try to summarize what Isaiah has to say about salvation. I understand a bit more about the Scripture’s admonition to be careful about being a teacher of God’s Word. It is a high responsibility and a humbling experience, particularly with regard to this subject.

According to Isaiah, God is the One who has to be satisfied regarding our salvation. We are talking about a personal affront, a personal relationship, and (praise God) a personal solution!

Isa 12:1, “In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O Lord. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away and You have comforted me. 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Man has a problem.

Isa 64:5-7, “You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? 6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 7 No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.”

Isa 59:1-3, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.”

Salvation is accomplished by God’s own initiative as He sees the plight of man and his inability to save himself. This includes the discipline of those who deserve His wrath.

Isa 59:16-18, “He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.” (See also Isa 63:5)

Isaiah is abundantly clear when identify God as the sole (soul, too) source of salvation.

Isa 33:22 “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.”

Isa 43:11, 12 “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior I have revealed and saved and proclaimed….”

Isa 45:21 “…Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.” (See also Isa 17:10, 33:2, 5, 6; 38:20; 43:3; 45:15; 60:16)

Even when told how to obtain salvation, Israel still chose to reject God’s offer.

Isa 30:15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

Our part is to turn/fear -

Isa 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”

Isa 46:13 “I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.” Isa 33:2, 5, 6, “O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress…5 The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

There is a certainty to God’s salvation. Isa 51:5, 6b, 8b, “My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm…. 6c But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail….8bBut my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.”

Interestingly, Isaiah actually provides a definition and reveals some of the results of our salvation.

Isa 25:8-9, “…he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

Isaiah uses a great deal of ink regarding Israel’s salvation.

Isa 45:17, “But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.” (See also Isa 49:8; 63:8)

This has always been true in the relationship with the LORD and Israel. Not surprisingly, righteousness and salvation are inextricably joined, as well.

Isa 59:16b-17a, "…so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;…" Isa 61:10, "For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness …" Isa 63:9, “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” (See also Isa 45:8; 46:13; 56:1; 59:17; 62:1; 63:2).

It is God’s intent for Israel to be a light to the nations regarding salvation. Isa 49:6, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

Isa 49:26b, “…Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." (See also Isa 52:10; 62:11.)

One of the common mistakes in reading the Old Testament is assuming that the use of “salvation” is always the same. But Isaiah himself clearly also uses it in the sense of military deliverer or safe refuge: Isa 19:20; 26:1, 35:4; 37:35; 49:25; 60:18.

There are other aspects of salvation within the book of Isaiah. Idols cannot save (Isa 44:17, 20; 45:20; 46:7; 57:13). Human wisdom fails miserably at its attempts to save (Isa 47:13, 14, 15). The messengers of salvation receive a special blessing.

Isa 52:7, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Click Song)

Not surprisingly, righteousness and salvation are inextricably joined, as well.

Isa 59:16-17a, “…so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;…”

Isa 61:10, “For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness …” (See also Isa 45:8; 46:13; 56:1; 59:17; 62:1; 63:2).

And, of course, there are other descriptions of our salvation within the book that don’t use the word itself. The classic passage is found in Is. 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

A final look at our Savior…

“Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save’" (Isa 63:1b).

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Play song Mighty to Save...

ISAIAH - RIGHTEOUSNESS

I’ve chosen to tackle yet another huge subject in Scripture, righteousness. Isaiah also has a great deal to say on the topic. There is no way for me to tackle this subject in totality, but I can begin to grasp what Isaiah says.

God’s basic accusation against Israel (Jerusalem) is that righteousness used to dwell within her, but no longer does (Is 1:21; 5:7). Its absence causes great distress (Is 5:7). Isaiah also recognizes a righteousness of our own that comes to nothing (Is 48:1; 57:12).

But God Himself promises to restore Jerusalem to its former glory.

Isa 1:26, 27, “I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City. Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.”

It is interesting here that God equates, or compares, righteousness to faithfulness.

Righteousness is contrasted with wickedness. And, righteousness is at some level measured by works.

“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.” Isa 3:10, 11

God Himself is righteousness. It is one of His primary characteristics. He “uses it” to show Himself holy.

“But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.” Isa 5:16.

He is known by the remnant to be the righteous One (Is 24:16). In fact, righteousness is found nowhere else.

“They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.'" (Is 45:24).

Righteousness is so equated with God that

“It pleased the Lord for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.” (Isa 42:21).

God lets righteousness be the determiner in His decision making, even down to minor details like the raising up of a foreign king for His purpose (Is 45:13). In that sense, righteousness is God’s measuring stick.

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;…” Isa 28:17.

He gives righteousness to whom He wishes.

Isa 45:25, “But in the Lord all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.” (See also Is 64:6).

The means of giving that righteousness to us is through salvation.

Isa 46:13, “I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.” (See also Isa 51:5; 56:1; 58:8).

Isa 61:3, “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (See also Isa 60:21).

His presence brings with it justice and righteousness.

Isa 33:5, “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.” (See also Isa 32:15,17.)

In another reference to His presence, God promises to strengthen, help, and uphold us. How can He do this? He has a righteous right hand!

Isa 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Justice and righteousness are often found together (Isa 1:21, 27; 5:6; 9:7; 11:4; 16:5; 28:16; 32:1, 16; 33:5; 51:4; 53:11; 56:1; 59:9, 14.)

Not surprisingly, righteousness and salvation are inextricably joined, as well.

Isa 59:16, 17a, “…so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;…”

Isa 61:10, “For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness …” (See also Isa 45:8; 46:13; 56:1; 59:17; 62:1; 63:2).

The Messiah, having been called in righteousness, (Is 42: 6) will be known to rule with righteousness.

“…He will reign on David’s throne, and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever…(Is 9:7).” (See also Isa 11:4, 5; 16:5; 28:16, 17; 53:11.)

Judgments are intended to be a discipline that produces righteousness.

Isa 26:9, 10, “…When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. 10 Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.”

(I’m not sure how to distinguish who learns and who doesn’t from these verses. But, Proverbs certainly has something to say about that subject!)

It appears that God’s expectation for human leadership is one of righteousness and justice.

Isa 32:1, 2, “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. 2 Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.”

The effect of this kind of leadership will be peace, quietness, and confidence.

Isa 32:17, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”

For us, to pursue God is to pursue righteousness.

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut…” (Isa 51:1).

God paves the way for the righteous to receive benefits. They may enter the gates of Zion (Is 26:2), their path is made level (Is 26:7) and smooth (Is 26:7).

I end with three of the great declarations and pleas of the book of Isaiah.

“And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.” Isa 45:21

"You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it.” Isa 45:8

“…But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations." Isa 51:6b, 8b

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ISAIAH - REDEEMER

While studying the subject of salvation in the book of Isaiah it wouldn’t be surprising to also think of the references to Redeemer that is used 13 times in the book and the concept of being redeemed that is also used another dozen times. Surprisingly, though, neither is used very often in close proximity to the uses of salvation that we just studied (with the exceptions being Is 49:26; 60:16).

The title of Redeemer is most often tied too close to other titles for God, the most common being “the Holy One of Israel” (6 times -Isa 41:14, 43:14, 47:4, 48:17, 49:7, 54:5). It is also tied to other names (King-Is 44:6, Lord Almighty [in the NIV equating with LORD of hosts in NAS]- Is 44:6, 47:4, 54:6]; Mighty One of Jacob-Is 49:26, 60:16; Lord; Father-Is 63:16; King-Is 44:6). One could conclude from this that Redeemer is “just” a title – sort of a primer on “Who is God?”. Obviously this implies He completes the act of redeeming, but it does so more through the use of a title than describing the act itself.

Here are a few examples:

Isa 47:4, “Our Redeemer — the Lord Almighty is his name — is the Holy One of Israel.”

Isa 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband — the Lord Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”

Isa 49:26b, “…Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer , the Mighty One of Jacob."

So, what about the uses of “redeemed” in Israel. Who or what is redeemed? It is clear by the uses that God directly redeems His people, Israel. He speaks directly of redeeming Israel or Jacob (Is 43:1; 44:23; 48:20). He speaks of redeeming the city of God, Zion or Jerusalem, referring to His people who reside there as representative of the whole nation (Is 1:27; 52:9). He harkens back to having redeemed Abraham and His descendants (Is 29:22; 63:9) as well as looking forward or promising this redemption to come (Is 1:27; 52:3; 62:12).

And in the most direct language available, God specifically, directly, and personally declares “I have redeemed you” (Is 44:22; 43:1; 48:20).

After all this analysis (as minimal as it may be), it nevertheless is amazing and wonderful to read such personal words from God Almighty to us directly. So much more than an academic pursuit, these words are warm and soothing to our souls.

Isa 43:1, “But now, this is what the Lord says — he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

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All 26 uses of redeem, redemption or Redeemer in Isaiah - Isa 1:27; 29:22; 35:9; 41:14; 43:1, 14; 44:6, 22, 23, 24, 47:4; 48:17, 20; 49:7, 26; 51:10; 52:3, 9; 54:5, 8; 59:20; 60:16; 62:12; 63:4, 63:9, 16.

Kinsman Redeemer (Redemption) - OT/NT

ISAIAH 25

I have two separate thoughts from chapter 25.

First, the subjects of God, worship, and sovereignty -

Isa 25:1a, “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name…”

This is a very simple, yet very biblical definition/description of worship. When we understand the God of the universe is personal, we can’t help but worship Him.

Isa 25:1b, “…for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”

God cannot be accurately accused of any unfaithfulness. Not one time in history has He failed His people…not one time; not me, not you. He has NEVER turned His back on any of us. He is perfect faithfulness.

All He does is marvelous (including the things that don’t appear so to us) and these things are all a part of His sovereign control.

I’m amazed.

Second, the subjects of death and heaven –

Isa 25:8, “…He will swallow up death forever….”

This has its wonderful corollary in 1 Corinthians 15:54, 55, “…Then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

And with no sting, there are no longer any reasons for tears.

Isa 25:8b, “…The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”

This has its corollary in Revelation 21:4 (note),

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

ISAIAH 26

Isaiah 26:12 -The chapter’s key verse also serves as the motivation for the next reflection on “peace”. I’ll reserve comment on the first part of the verse for next time.

Isa 26:12, “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

For now let’s focus on the second part of this verse….”….all that we have accomplished You have done for us.”

Now wait a second. This seems to be saying that all I’ve done…well, I really haven’t done. This says God has done it for me. How can that be? Does this mean I’m just a robot?

Isaiah is, in just a few word, acknowledging the sovereignty of God. Actually, this is a verse I missed previously (didn’t include) when I did my reflection on the sovereignty of God. (It is amazing once you start looking for the subject how it pops up everywhere, even in places you previously looked!)

Isaiah isn’t denying our part. He isn’t circumventing human responsibility. He isn’t promoting fatalism.

Isaiah is acknowledging that in the end, even with all of our attempts to do things on our own, God directs our steps. Proverbs declares this,

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Pr 16:9).

And there of course is the New Testament corollary spoken by Jesus,

“…Apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5.

ISAIAH PEACE

(For some reason, I’m finding it difficult coalescing the passages regarding peace in the book of Isaiah. This will probably be a bit more of a listing of the passages with intervening commentary rather than an executive summary.)

All 13 uses of peace in Isaiah - Isa 9:6; 17:2; 27:5; 32:17, 18; 33:7, 20; 39:8; 45:7; 52:7; 55:12; 57:2; 59:8;

The first place within the book of Isaiah where peace is mentioned turns out to be a GREAT place to start. In fact you could call it the beginning and the end to the subject of peace (and in all the Scriptures).

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” Isa 9:6-7.

Note that peace and a Person are integrally linked. You can’t have the first without the second. End of story.

Isa 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

This is an often quoted verse. If I have a steadfast mind and trust in God I will be kept in perfect peace. Here He doesn’t define perfect peace, but it is probably self-evident…you know it when you see/feel it.

Isa 26:12, “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

In one of the clearest statements in Isaiah, God establishes peace. Peace has no other source. God establishes peace on our behalf.

Isa 32:17, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”

Peace is the result of something else. It is the result of righteousness being expressed. It is here equated/paralleled with quietness and confidence.

Isa 48:17-18, “This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. 18 If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”

Again, peace is the result of obedience and is tied to righteousness. Here it is expressed as flowing. Not quite sure the depth of that illustration.

Isa 48:22, "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked." (See also Isa 57:21.)

This should be self explanatory, self evident. But, the wicked miss this. They pursue ungodly means of securing peace. God clearly declares that peace isn’t available to those who are evil (Isa 59:8).

Isa 52:7, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

In another very familiar verse we see peace being tied to the good news, the gospel, to salvation. Interestingly, again, we see God’s sovereignty, here expressed almost as if it is the content of the good news.

Isa 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

In the middle of a long passage describing the Suffering Servant, we find not only the harsh reality of what He was to go through, but one of the outcomes….peace. “…(T)he punishment that brought us peace….” (That would be a great book title.) The depth of that statement, though, is almost too much to comprehend. It demonstrates the deep love of our Savior for us. He reveals the purposefulness of His suffering. The cross is the greatest demonstration of Romans 8:28, of God working all things together for good for those who love Him.

Isa 54:10, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

The content of God’s covenant with His people is one of peace. (We know from the New Testament writings that this results in both peace-with-God and the peace-of-God.) Here, God is providing surety that this covenant will not be broken, by physical circumstances or otherwise. This is guaranteed by His character, both His unfailing love and His compassion. He has staked his reputation on it.

Isa 55:12, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

I have been surprised to see the number of passages that are so familiar to our ears from Isaiah that speak one way or another of peace (many of which have been put to song).

Isa 57:1-2, “The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. 2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”

If you have ever wondered (and who hasn’t) what life after this life will be like, God declares, for the righteous, we enter peace. Here, not surprisingly, it is equated with rest.

Isa 60:17c, “…I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler.” (See also 66:12.)

Israel is promised a future when peace and righteousness will govern and rule.

ISAIAH 28

Isaiah 28-39 is a rather long section with the setting being the onset of an Assyrian invasion. Isaiah 28-33 specifically deal out six woes upon Judah and Israel. This serves as an interesting challenge for interpretation and application.

Isa 28:5, 6 In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people. He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.”

He HIMSELF is our crown! These passages aren’t guaranteeing us a crown. Our crown will be HIM! Yes, He is beautiful…He will be beautiful. He will be the appropriate reward or recognition for His people. And, yes, He will be enough. I long for that day.

It is hard to tell who will experience the spirit of justice and the strength He will provide. He already is these things and He already provides these things. So, I tend to think that these, too, will be “rewards” for His people who have served Him faithfully. To the one who was in a position to dispense judgment and did it well, he will experience directly from God a spirit of justice within him that goes beyond anything he could have imagined. For those who fought the battle at the gate (and who doesn’t have a sense of this on an almost daily basis), he will be strengthened in his inner man; strength that will replace and go beyond all that was expensed on God’s behalf. In other words, at the end of the ages, we will experience the Lord Almighty. Not riches, not fame, not control, not position. We will have Him. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! (1Co 16:22)

Isa 28:16, “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.”

ISAIAH - GLORY

Some words are very hard to define.  How is the world would one go about defining or describing God’s glory.  Is it the same as His holiness?  Is it an outward thing only?  It would probably take 66 books, written by over 40 different authors, over 1,500 years to start to come close to describing this.  Oh, yeah.  We have such a Book!

Isaiah makes a contribution to this idea with 45 references to glory or glorious.  From them we get a glimpse of God’s glory.

There are certain things God says are, or will, be glorious:

God’s presence is glorious (Isa 3:8)

The Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious (Isa 4:2)

The Root of Jesse’s place of rest will be glorious (Isa 11:10)

His arm of power is glorious (Isa 63:12)

Note that God’s glory is often paired with other characteristics (as if we needed some help defining glory…which we do)

His law is great and glorious (Isa 42:21)

His temple is holy and glorious (Isa 60:7; Isa 64:11)

His throne is lofty, holy and glorious (Isa 63:15)

Glory and splendor seem to be synonymous (Isa 35:2)

There are descriptions of what His glory looks like or what impact it has:

In one of the more graphic depictions of God’s glory we find a cloud of smoke and flaming fire. (Now, where have I heard that before?)

Isa 4:5, “Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy.” 

In Isa 58:8 His glory is said to be our rear guard.

In one of the more familiar passages we find that God’s glory can be found everywhere.  I take it this is also a description that the whole earth can’t contain all of God’s glory.  

Isa 6:3, “And they were calling to one another:  "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

This is one of the places where we see God’s holiness and His glory closely tied.

What should our response be?

He has done glorious things and it is worth shouting and singing about to the nations. 

Isa 12:5-6, “Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.  6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

In at least one place in Isaiah we are told to give God glory.  I’m not sure how human agents can do that other than be a mirror, reflecting His glory back to him.  We certainly can’t generate it or add to His glory. 

Isa 24:15-16, “Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea.  16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing:  "Glory to the Righteous One." 

It is also possible to glory in God (Isa 41:16; Isa 42:8).

His glory is something to be shared with others. Isa 66:19,

“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations — …, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.”

Is glory something God creates?

Isa 43:7  He created us for His glory.  What an amazing thought! 

Isa 43:7, “…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."  (See also Isa 44:13.) 

Not surprisingly, He created Israel to display His glory (Isa 44:23).

The fullness of God’s glory is veiled or hidden and must be revealed. 

Isa 40:5, “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised but God is able to glorify a place, just by His presence or declaration. 

Is. 60:13b, “…to adorn the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet.”

He has been about establishing a glorious name, Isa 63:12. (See also Isa 26:15; Isa 42:12).  Actually, God is quite jealous of His glory (in the purest sense possible). 

Isa 48:11, “For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.  How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.”

God lets some of His glory spill over on us.  I don’t get it.  But I’m glad it is true.

Isa 60:1-2, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”

He, Himself, will be our glorious crown. 

Isa 28:5, “In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.”

I can’t wait to be in His presence and see Him in His glorious fullness.

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ISAIAH 29:13

Isaiah chapter 29 gets a lot of attention in the New Testament. In addition to what we’ll look at below, Is 29:10 is quoted in Romans 11:8-note; Is 29:14 is quoted in 1Cor 1:19; and Is 29:16 is quoted in Romans 9:20-note.

Maybe one of the reasons this chapter gets a lot of attention is these words are directed at Israel…God’s people. It is a harsh rebuke. And, Is 29:13 specifically is one of God’s most direct accusations.

The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isa 29:13).

The worship of God’s people was not heartfelt. Their worship had become fleshly, human -directed. Their response to the God who had chosen them and saved them was to create rules and regulations that made up their worship.

ISAIAH 30:15

Just today I had someone say, “I wish God would tell me what to do.” He has! We just don’t much like His answer. Turns out we aren’t much different than the people of God in days before.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it’” (Is. 30:15).

We are so geared to wanting to earn our salvation and work hard to make circumstances go our way. God’s way of salvation is narrow, and so is His means for sanctification.

Salvation CANNOT be earned. In fact, counting on our own efforts guarantees we get just what we deserve…a life separated from God.

Sanctification CANNOT be earned. In fact, operating that way only gets the fruits of self-effort.

So, back to the drawing board we go. If we would only take God at His Word and operate within His guidelines! I believe it is Tim Keller who says we must preach the gospel to ourselves every day. I agree with him. Not because we aren’t saved or have no assurance of salvation. But, what we tend to do is be accepted by faith and then act as if we have to clean up our act to be accepted by God. NO. Over and over again we must be convinced that our relationship with God is based on His grace and mercy. It takes repentance and rest (Is 30:15).

So, too, is our sanctification. We are to walk by faith (2Co 5:7). We are to obtain the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-note, Gal 5:23-note - not the fruit of self-effort). Grace and mercy (cp 1Ti 1:2, 2Ti 1:2-note, He 4:16-note, 2Jn 1:3) is to continue to mark our lives in relationship with each other. It takes quietness and trust.

But all of us slip, thus the exhortation to stay in the Word, be reminded of things of the Spirit, allow the Spirit to convict us of human effort.

So, let us be reminded: repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. That is REALLY hard to do. I put it in the same category as Hebrews 4:11a-note,

“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest,…”

Make effort to rest. Hmmmmm. I guess that is what it takes: focused energy at realizing we are to rely on the power of the Spirit rather than on our own strength.

ISAIAH - STRENGTH

I find that I have the very same question that the Psalmist asks. From where does my strength come?

God declares that He has strength (tied to wisdom and understanding).

Isa 10:13, “For he says: "By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings.”

It doesn’t take much to look around and see the evidence of God’s strength and great power.

Isa 40:26, “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

God’s followers can have great confidence in declaring that God is our source of strength. (See also Isa 28:6; 45:24; 49:5.) Note how closely strength is tied to salvation (repeated twice in this verse.)

Isa 12:2, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

Interestingly, God Himself declares He is our strength whether we recognize it or not! (Note that salvation surfaces again.) (And in some cases He’ll strengthen some anyway, even if they don’t acknowledge Him. See 45:5!)

Isa 30:15, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

Nevertheless, man tries it on his own. (More on this verse in a subsequent Reflection.)

Isa 31:1, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.”

His followers are chided for not relying on His strength.

Isa 50:2 “When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?”

It is clear there are times when we either don’t sense God’s strength or we are desperate and we cry out for Him to indeed be the very thing He declares to be. (Note that strength is tied to salvation, once again.) (See also Isa 51:9; 52:1.)

Isa 33:2, “O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

We are called to pass along God’s strength to others who are in need.

Isa 35:3, “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

The Messiah will demonstrate God’s strength.

Isa 63:1, “Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." (Play Mighty To Save by Laura Story, Mighty To Save by Hillsong)

God promises His strength to us. (This is possibly my favorite verse in all of Scripture.) (See also Isa 58:11.)

Isa 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

I’ll end with the greatest concentration of references to strength in the book of Isaiah. In it we find God’s character, many promises, our condition, and hope!

Isa 40:28b - 41:1, “…The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and all; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 41:1 "Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength! Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.”

ISAIAH 31:1

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord” (Isaiah 31:1).

This verse is pretty self evident, but let’s be straightforward in order to not miss a thing.

Woe - In other words: “A weighty judgment be upon you”; “how sad that you find yourself in this position”; “watch out!”; possibly even as strong as “a curse be upon you”; we might say today “shame on you”.

Egypt - This apparently was the country of choice when it came to breeding the finest horses for warfare. It represents all the places (any of the places) we turn to for our deliverance from a situation that leaves God out of the picture. This would be similar to James’ recognition that we do the very same thing with regards to wisdom. He says of earthly wisdom,

“Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil” (James 3:15).

Horses/chariots/horsemen - This isn’t an indictment of horses, stagecoaches, and cowboys. These are the human resources we manipulate outside of God’s will for our own purposes. Today, for our country, it could easily be armored tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, or “more troops”. For our company, it might be stock splits, public offerings, savings accounts, manipulated quarterly reports or bailouts. For us as individuals, we might reach for a cure-all medicine, just work harder, positions of control, our influence, or our wealth. These are just some of the things we throw toward fixing a problem outside of total dependence upon God.

Go down, rely, trust, do not look or seek help - Now, here is the heart of the matter. We are going it alone. We are seeking our own way. We work out of our own (limited) strength. We try everything we can think of first. We rely on our own insight. We’ll do anything and everything except what is needful…admitting that we are weak, limited, totally dependent upon someone outside of ourselves.

Holy One of Israel, the Lord Yes, He is the ONLY source of strength that meets our need. He is whom we should turn to first.

If these leaders had known their law and had been seeking to obey God they would have known that the Law warned them against the tendency of the flesh. Deut 17:16, “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, "You are not to go back that way again."

Bob Lepine of FamilyLife says,

“…These men of Judah would have recognized from their own hymnbook that their leaders were involved in folly.”

Ps 33:16, The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

Ps 147:10 “He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.”

What should have been their legacy? Maybe something more like this. “Blessed are you who have known My Law and followed My directions. Blessed are you for NOT seeking to strengthen yourself as the world would do. Blessed are you who seek after Me, who rely on My Spirit, who trust in My Word, who wait for My lovingkindness to provide what you need.

Blessed are you who ask,

Where does my help come from?”

And answers,

ISAIAH 32:1, 8

There are two key verses in this chapter, tied together in an indirect way in that they both relate to leadership.

Isa 32:1, “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.”

When Israel asked for a king during the prophet Samuel’s days, they sort of had it right. They had it wrong in the sense that they wanted a human ruler over them like all the other nations. They looked to the wrong place for a model and they looked for the wrong kind of king. They had it right in that we do indeed need a king. We need One who will reign in righteousness and who will use rulers (human agents) who He has instilled with a proper sense of justice.

This is, of course, in contrast to the disobedient (even apostate) leaders Judah was experiencing.

We need the right kind of king...the King of Kings (Ezek 21:27; Da 7:13, 14). Praise God, we have One!

Isa 32:8, “But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.”

ISAIAH - SERVANT

A study of the use of “servant” in Isaiah is a bit all-over-the-board, but nevertheless insightful and helpful.

We would not be surprised to find servant used in reference to a human agent as opposed to one’s master (Isa 16:14; 21:16; 24:2). In a few references we find servant referring to Isaiah himself (Isa 20:3; 50:10). And indeed other humans also receive this title (Eliakim, Isa 22:20; 36:11; David, Isa 37:35; prophets Isa 44:26; 54:17)

The nation as a whole, representing the people of the nation of Israel, and Jacob are referred to as God’s servants (Isa 41:8; 44:1, 2; 44:21; 45:4; 48:20; 49:3, 5, 6, 7). These often carry a nearby indication that these servants have been chosen. (This is important in a later description that includes you and me!)

Isa 41:8-9, "But you, O Israel, my servant , Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant '; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.”

The Messiah is God’s servant.

Isa 42:1, "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.” Also, Isa 52:13; Isa 53:11

One of the more difficult passages to interpret is Isaiah 49:3-7.

Isa 49:3-7a, “He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." 4 But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God." 5 And now the Lord says — he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength — 6 he says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." 7 This is what the Lord says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers…”

God’s servant is mentioned four time directly and in pronoun form seventeen (17!) times, making this the most concentrated passage of references to a servant in the entire book. We would automatically assume this to be exclusive references to the Messiah except for this servant’s confessing his sense of failure (due to Israel’s lack of proper responses.) It is possible that this is similar to Is 7:14 (young woman having a child as a sign) that has more than one fulfillment. In any case, it is clear that the New Testament writers clearly see the Messianic aspects of these verses

You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will display My splendor…His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself…I am honored in the eyes of the LORD…I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth...

The followers of the LORD are referred to as servants (Isa 42:19; 63:17; 65:8, 9; Isa 65:13, 14, 15; 66:14). And, they, too, are often referred to in these contexts as chosen. (It isn’t difficult to see that New Testament believers have been grafted into Israel (See Romans 9).

And, in one of the action items that comes from this brief study, we see that those chosen servants of God are also by definition witnesses of His.

Isa 43:10-12, "You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed — I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "that I am God.”

ISAIAH 33

Isa 33:2, “O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

This is the plea of every genuine believer:

We know we need God’s grace because we are grossly inadequate in and of ourselves.

We long for Him because all other things we have tried have been found wanting.

We desperately need for Him to be our strength, and we need it every day. (God gave manna enough for each day.)

We desperately need for Him to be our deliverer. (Those times of distress come so very often.)

Isa 33:22, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.”

ISAIAH 34

Isaiah is drawing to a close the section of his book that emphasizes judgment. In chapter 34 he calls the nations together again (Isa 34:1) to declare and to warn (come near, listen, pay attention, hear).

“The Lord is angry with all nations; His wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, He will give them over to slaughter” (Isa 34:2).

Not a message I’d want to hear.

Their slain will be thrown out, Isa 34:3

My sword has drunk its fill, Isa 34:5

In the midst of this description he paints a picture of what is happening in the heavens simultaneously with this judgment.

All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll… (Isa 34:4a).

This sounds curiously similar to a re-creation of this world that is declared to come according to Revelation 21.

Whether this is a description of that day or not, Isaiah is clear in verse 8 regarding the eventuality of God’s judgment and the purpose for this judgment.

For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.  (Isa 34:8)

ISAIAH - IDOLS

Introduction

I believe it is possible that when we (the western church) talk about idols we are too quick to jump to a definition that sounds something like “an idol is anything in your life that takes the place of God” and then we go on to talk about money, position, power, other more obvious addictions, etc.  We rarely take the time to look directly at the Scriptures and declare what it declares, at least as a starting point.

I know that very few of us have a physical object that has been crafted to represent a god that we bow down to and look to for answers in life.  But, this does still exist in our world.  Let’s not overlook that reality and let’s see what Isaiah has to say about it.  (I agree that good interpretation and application will get us back around to realizing that we, too, can be guilty of idolatry without having a physical object created to look like a god.  But that ISN’T what Isaiah is referring to.)

Some Basics

Isaiah clearly is referring to things made by man’s hand.  And, a part of the idolatry (in their heart) is expressed in physical bowing to these man-made objects. 

Isa 2:8, “Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.”   

Men prayed to these objects (45:20). 

Isaiah even details how they were made.  Isa 40:19, “As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.”  (See also 41:7).   Israel’s neighbors had idols.  In fact they excelled Israel’s craftsmanship (Is. 10:10, 11; 19:1).

God is very jealous of that which belongs to Him alone. 

Isa 42:8, "I am the Lord; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

In the midst of this idolatry, the Lord declares that He alone will be worshipped.  There will be a day when these idols which had been made to be worshipped are cast away. (See also 30:22; 31:7)

Isa 2:17-20, “The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,  18 and the idols will totally disappear.  19 Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.  20 In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.”

The heart of the issue for God is one of worship and trust. 

Isa 42:17, “But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame.”

At some points we see God giving man over to his desires.  He actually mocks the idols, calling upon Israel to use them to tell the future and to save them. 

“Go ahead.  Try it.  See if it works” (Is 41:22; 48:14; 57:13).

The Meat of the Matter

The key/primary passage is found in Isaiah 44:13-20

“He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. 14 He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. 15 It is man's fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire." 17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god." 18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. 19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?" 20 He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

In this passage we see that the idols were man-made, usually wooden (and metal, Isa 48:5).  From the materials they fashioned a god and bowed down to it.  They even went so far as to asked it to save them.

The irony of it is all clearly stated. From the very same piece of wood, some is burned for fuel and another piece is worshipped.  Mankind cannot see this irony for their minds are closed.  Their hearts have misled them, even to the point of trying to save themselves. (Ge 8:21 “…even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood….:  Jer 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?”)  God declares that He finds this idolatry is a detestable thing.

He prefaces this passage with a passage regarding the one who crafts the idol…a mere man.

Isa 44:9-13, “All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.  10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?  11 He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy. 12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.  13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses….”

This effort is worthless, just as the physical object is worthless.  Those who would promote idol worship are caught up in their own blindness.  The end (the object) is that it profits nothing.  The one who crafts such an object will come to shame.  They will be humbled.

Isaiah is not blind to the inner workings of the heart, as well.  He recognizes that religious activity or any activity that is man following his own path is the same as idolatry.  

Isa 66:3, “But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations;…”

Responding to God’s Word

It would be relatively easy for most of us to dismiss idol making and bowing to graven images. 

Our response should be two fold.  First, we should react with sadness.  Those who are caught up in the deceitfulness of the heart, the blindness of their eyes, and misunderstanding of their minds desperately need God to invade their lives, radically change their hearts, minds, ears, and understanding.  They need to be rescued, saved.  Our hearts should break with sadness, not react with disdain and contempt for what might appear to us to be barbaric behavior.

Second, we should immediately recognize that we, too, are either in the same condition or have been redeemed from the same condition. Their sin is no greater than our own.  We “have chosen our own way” “delighted in our abominations”, pursued things that are “worthless/profit us nothing”, we too “don’t stop to think”, we “trust” in man-made pursuits. 

Isaiah 34:4-8, 16b-19

Isa 38:4-8, “Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. 7 "'This is the Lord's sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.'" So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.”

I am so grateful that God answers prayer. Every time. And by that, I mean, He takes all my prayers, hears my Savior intercede on my behalf, listens to the Spirit who groans in expressions I wouldn’t understand, and then filters my requests through the grid of His being my loving and sovereign heavenly Father (Matt 7:11). I may not get what I think I want and I may not get it when I want it. But THAT too is an answer. His answer may be yes, it may be no (I have something better for you), it may be wait.

Hezekiah had asked for extra years to live. Wow. That is bold. Was it presumptuous? Was it selfish? (By the way, God knows how to handle those kind of requests, too. He is still bent to want our good and His own glory even when our requests may not have the most pure motives.)

God gave him fifteen more years and also sent a miracle as a physical demonstration of the trustworthiness of His promise. Amazing. Now that doesn’t happen every day.

(I wonder what everyone else in the world thought was happening as the sun (rotation of the earth?) shifted for a few minutes (hours?) (See 2Chr 32:31 for another historical account).

It is not ours to know ahead of time if (when) God chooses to respond miraculously . I’m glad it isn’t automatic. (I’ve been thankful for some unanswered prayers in the past.) I’m glad He cannot be manipulated. My trust is in a loving AND sovereign God who moves as He chooses for my best and for His glory.

Isa 38:16b, “…You restored me to health and let me live. 17 Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. 18 For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. 19 The living, the living — they praise you, as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.”

This is a pretty amazing set of statements. Here is a king who has asked God for a big thing (“heal me and extend my life”), has received the very thing he asks for, and on top of that receives a miracle to confirm God’s answer. His response? Gratefulness and praise.

Hezekiah acknowledges God as the source of his healing.

He acknowledges God was in control of the length of his days.

He actually looks back at his suffering and can now see that it was for his benefit. (Do I thank God for my suffering?)

He notes that it was God’s love that motivated God to keep Hezekiah alive.

He hints that if his sin was to be counted against him, God would have no business answering Hezekiah’s request.

Interestingly, he has great perspective knowing it is his responsibility (and anyone who has breath) to bring praise to God.

He uses his own experience to serve as an exhortation for all the living to give praise to God and to teach their children to do the same.

(Trivia? This is the first of only five times when “fathers” are mentioned in Isaiah.

ISAIAH 35

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.”

I’m intrigued by this little tidbit regarding future events. This may not be actually 4 lanes of pavement, but clearly it is some kind of pathway for multitudes to move physically from one country to another.

Isa 11:16, “There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.”

Isaiah gets pretty specific regarding its destinations.

Isa 19:23, “In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.”

This highway with a godly name isn’t just for anyone.

Isa 35:8, “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

God has an intended purpose for these highways (apparently more than one) in the future.

Isa 49:10b, “He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. 11 I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. 12 See, they will come from afar — some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan."

At one of these references as a very familiar ring to it.

Isa 40:3, “A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

John the Baptist was the preparer and Jesus either was the highway Himself or provided it Himself. This appears to have both a present fulfillment in our salvation (access) as well as a physical manifestation in days to come.

Isaiah 35:10, “….But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

ISAIAH 36

Chapters 36-39 of Isaiah are an interlude in the flow of his prophecies. (The background in the historical books can be found in 2 Kings 18:1-20:21 and 2 Chronicles 29:1-32:33.)

The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, comes to capture Jerusalem with its king, Hezekiah. It looks hopeless for the Israelites. There is no human explanation for any hope of victory.

The Assyrian king decides to send emissaries to mock Hezekiah. They ask some questions which are intended to embarrass him, but wind up being words he will have to eat. Nevertheless, Sennacherib tries to bargain for the nation of Israel to simply bend their knee in submission. He promises great prosperity in return for such submission.

Sennacherib asks,

“On what are you basing this confidence of yours?” (Isa 36:4).

“On whom are you depending?” (Isa 36:5). (The issue of dependence or trust is brought up in Isa 36:4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 15.)

As a part of his strategy, he tries to persuade the Israelite warriors to become weak in the knees. Bob Lepine refers to this as ‘bullhorn diplomacy’ (hoping to cause an internal squabble or revolt).

Isa 36:15, “Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, 'The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'

Finally, the Assyrian king mocks God Himself, daring Him to come to the aid of Israel.

Isa 36:20, “How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"

I have to laugh at his mocking because the answer to this question is, “Very easily!”. All one has to do is read Isa 37:7, 36, 37, 38 to see how God can and does deliver Jerusalem. Yes, I know we have the advantage of Isa 20:20 hindsight, but that is indeed why we have the Scriptures, to give us God’s perspective on His ways, that we might walk in them.

First, this world holds out all kinds of promises to us that if followed will be found in the end to be empty. Second, the enemy mocks us as we turn to the LORD for our deliverance. Third, our flesh has learned bad habits of responding to temptation. So, daily, we too are faced with needing to reaffirm “on what are you basing this confidence of yours?” “On whom are you depending?” Praise God, THERE ARE ANSWERS!

WATER

You may wonder how important “water” could be in the book of Isaiah. You may be thinking “Howard is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.” Well, that may be true for other reasons, but it isn’t because water is unimportant in Isaiah’s depiction of God’s ways.

I live in a desert climate. It is relatively easy for me to understand the importance of water in the Middle East. It isn’t all that difficult for me to see why God would use such a power concept to illustrate truth dear to His heart.

There are certainly plenty of references in Isaiah to specific rivers, rain, and physical water (along with other references to streams, springs, and even snow for a total of over 75 times!).

What is impressive to me is the wide range of illustrations of spiritual truth God uses utilizing water as the subject matter.

Salvation

Isaiah uses water as a metaphor for salvation or for the enjoyment of our salvation. Isa 12:2,

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Peace

Isa 48:18, “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” (See also 42:15; 66:12)

He could have chosen innumerable illustrations/comparisons, but he chose rivers and the sea. Can I identify all of what is important to the heart of God in this comparison? Of course not. The pursuit of the depth of its meaning is a worthy one, though.

Spirit/blessing

Water is equated with the Spirit and with blessing, Isa 44:3,

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

Sovereignty

A wonderful description of God’s sovereignty is found in Isa 50:2,

When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst. (See also Is 3:1; 5:6; 28:2)

God can sovereignly use water as a destructive force (Is 28:17).

One of the most powerful statements about God’s sovereignty is found in Isa 45:7,

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. 8 "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it.

Future Events

There are also a number of references to God providing water as a very physical reminder of His keeping His promises and His blessing upon the nation of Israel in future days. For example, Isa 30:23,

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. 24 The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. 25 In the day of great laughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill.” (also see Is 27:2; 30:25; 33:16; 43:20; 48:21; 49:10, and others)

There is a future time of the LORD’s reign that in part can apparently only best be described in nautical terms. Isa 33:5,6, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure… 20 “Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken. 21 There the Lord will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them. 22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. 23 Your rigging hangs loose: The mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder. 24 No one living in Zion will say, "I am ill"; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.

Cautions

Not all of the references to water are positive. He states clearly it is possible to rely on water rather than on God (Is 22:9,11 ).

Water is also used as a metaphor when it describes some of what we face as ‘the water of affliction’ (Isa 30:20).

Water is not always a symbol of blessing. It can also reflect the difficulties of life. But when Isaiah uses it this way, oh, what a beautiful picture he paints. Here is one of the more familiar passages in Isaiah, one in which we find ourselves clinging to God to be true, Isa 43:1, “But now, this is what the Lord says — he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the river, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…“ (See also Isa 4:6)

In some situations it is difficult to know if a given passage is speaking literally, figuratively, or both. Nevertheless, Isaiah uses water to describe both our condition and His provision. Isa 41:17,

The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18 I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

Our Response?

In a very practical sense we can see direct applications when he states that withholding water from the thirsty is something the fool does (Isa 32:6). Seems to me Jesus had something to say about that in Matthew 25:44 and in Romans 12:20!

What a wonder invitation. Isa 55:1,

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live…

In another familiar passage we learn something about the nature of God’s Word. Isa 55:10,

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isa 58:11, The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 37:14-17

Hezekiah gets a message from the commander of the Assyrian armies who have surrounded Jerusalem. The message is going to contain bad news: surrender or get stomped on. How is Hezekiah going to respond?

Isa 37:14

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: 16 “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.

Would my first response have been to go into God’s presence and pray? Would I have been concerned for how insulted God would have felt over these words? Would I have called upon God to defend Himself by defending me?

Hezekiah knows upon whom He must depend:

Lord Almighty

God of Israel

God (twice)

Lord (four times) … all in four verses.

Hezekiah relies on the position and character of God Almighty:

Enthroned

Over all

Made heaven and earth.

Hezekiah doesn’t hesitate to get right to the point:

Give ear

Hear

Open your eyes

See

Listen.

LOVE and DELIGHT

One would think that God’s love would permeate every book of the Bible. Certainly God’s character doesn’t change, so whenever He speaks or acts it is out of love. So we can indeed see His loving fingerprints on every page of Scripture.

The explicit mentioning of His love is infrequent in Isaiah. But when spoken, oh, so powerful!

God loves His people. They are His delight.

Isa 5:1, 7, “1 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside….7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight….” (See also Is 55:3; 62:4; 65:19)

God is motivated to act out of His love.

Isa 16:5, “In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it — one from the house of David — one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.”

Others can recognize that God sovereignly provides for and protects us, directing our lives, and not holding our sin against us…out of His love.

Isa 38:17, “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”

Obviously He loves and delights in His son.

Isa 42:1a, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight;…”

We are precious in His sight. He honors us. He loves us. He is with us. Wow!!!!

Isa 43:4-5, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;…”

These statements of God’s love for us are overwhelming when placed side by side in clear statements like this.

Isa 54:10, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

Not surprisingly, our redemption flows out of His love and mercy.

Isa 63:8, “He said, "Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me"; and so he became their Savior. 9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”

Isn’t it amazing that in response we can love and delight in Him.