THE PROPHETS OF GOD

THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY

A. The Term 'Prophesy"

1. Foretell

2. Forthtell

B. Other Titles Applied to the Prophets

1. "Man of God" -- an intimate spiritual relationship

2. "Seer" -- true perception and insight into God's will

3. "Servant" of Jehovah

C. Qualifications

1. A sovereign call -- Isa. 6; Jer. 1

2. A special ability -- given by God, enabling a man to perceive the truth

and communicate it to the people

3. Spiritual qualities:

a. Unselfishness

b. Obedience

C) Love

d. Faith

e. Courage

f. Long-suffering

D. Message

1. Instruction of the great truths about God and Man

2. Warning and appeal to those living in sin

 3. Comfort and exhortation to those trusting and obeying God

4. Prediction of events to come

a. National and international events

b. The comings of Jesus the Messiah

H. UNDERSTANDING THE PROPHETIC BOOKS

A. History

1. Overall setting

a. History of Israel

b. Foreign nations

2. Immediate setting

a. Political

b. Religious

3. Philosophy of history: human history is in God's hands

a. Permissive

b. Directive

4. The chosen people

B. Prophecy

1. The prophets’ two-fold mission:

a. The immediate present (their time)

b. The future

2. The four prophetic points

a. Prophet's own time

 b. Captivity and restoration

c. Christ

d. Millennium, New Heavens, and New Earth

3. The two Messianic themes

a. First coming (suffering Messiah Isa. 53)

b. Second coming (reigning Messiah: Isa.

11) Prophets were not aware of time gaps

A. His Native Area

Probably Jerusalem

B. His Call

1. Date: (6:1 "Year King Uzziah died") -- about 740 B.C.

Not sure of his age; probably a young man

2. Detail: Isaiah 6
V. 9ff-- terrible circumstances of the times, message not popular
fruitfulness for God '+ not equated with outward success.

3. Duration: (1:1) of his ministry - about 50 years

a) His Death: (cf. ISBE article Vol 3pg. 1496)

Ascension of Isaiah - apocryphal book
Tradition

1. His message causes Manasseh to martyr him (cf. Heb

11:37) Isaiah sawed asunder inside a hollow tree.

2. Isaiah wrote biography of Hezekiah

C. His Social Status
High up in social status

1. Close intimacy with priest (8:2)

2. Cousin of Uzziah (tradition)

 3. Hezekiah sent a deputation to Isaiah (IL Kings 19:2) -- highest
officers and elders of priests

4. Familiar interviews with kings (ch. 7, 37)

5. Book bears stamp of a well-educated man

D. His Dress (20:2)

Course linen or hairy overcoat--dark color as mourners wear

E. His Character
Courage, purity of
life (ch. 6)
Sympathy for poor
Hatred of sham and
pretense Faith in God's
unfailing power

ID. THE BOOK ITSELF

A. Authorship -- problem

1. Conservative -- Unger, Young, Archer: single authorship

2. Liberal -- Pfeiffer -- liberal

B. Theme

1. Isaiah attempts to turn kingdom from idolatry and moral

collapse back to God (ch. 1-35)

2. Coming captivity as judgment for sin (ch. 36-39)

3. Forecast redemption and restoration for downtrodden Jesus

after exile (ch. 40-66)

1. Judgment for Sin - God's of judgment of sin

2. Future of Final Deliverance -- God of love and comfort

- 4. Great chapters on kingdom hope:

ch. 11,35,42,60-66

C. Importance of the Canon

1. J. Sidlow Baxter -- Explore the Book

 Vol. 3 -- Isaiah most important and most valuable as
leader of the prophets; King-prince of prophets; the
St. Paul of the Old Testament

1. Quoted in New Testament by name 21 times, more

than all of the writing prophets combined

a. Many more times referred to but not named

a. (cf. A. 12:38-40; Acts 8)

D. Historical Situation ISBE Vol. 3 (1496, 97)1

1. Uzziah --Azariah 792-739 B.C.

2. Jotham 750-731 B.C.

3. Ahaz 735-715 B.C.

1. Hezekiah 715-686 B.C.

1. (Jeremiah approximately 100 years later)

2. (Ezekiel approximately 100+ years later)

a) Prosperity under Uzziah and Jotham

(1) II Chron. 26-32

a. ch. 26-27 Uzziah

b. Uzziah's success
Great victory, prosperity (vs. 6,
7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15)

a. Uzziah's sin and

punishment (26:16-21)
(cf. Num. 18:1-7)
() Incense on altar for priests
only

ii. Defied the priest of God

ii. God judged (v. 19, 21) with

 leprosy

(2) Jotham (ch. 27)

P
r
o
s
p
e
r
i
t
y

b) Retrogression -- Reign of Ahaz (ch. 28)

(1) Images of Baal

(2) Burned his children in fire ovens

(3) God judged Ahaz (v.5) --Many defeats

a. v. 6 -- bloody battle

a. v8

(4) Turns to Assyria (v16) in panic for help

a. Assyrian King didn't really directly

help (V. 21)

a. Assyria conquered Israel

c) Hezekiah -- good king

(1) Institutes sweeping reforms (v. 2)

a. Cleansed temple

a. Led nation in observance of

 Passover

(2) Revival goes on

(3) Sennacherib invades Judah (ch. 32)

a. 32:8 -- at the wrong time, however

a. cf. Isa. 37:36

(4) Wealth of Hezekiah, prosperity (32:27-30)

(5) Embassy from Babylon (32:31) (cf. Isa. 39)

Hezekiah falls for line of Babylon. Shows them

everything. Isa. 31 -- God doesn't like the tour
through his treasuries--pride
Isa. 39 (586 B.C.) spoken of

Isa. 1-5 -- in the time of Uzziah

Skin-deep religion (740 B.C.)
740 B.C. -- Isa. 6 -- Commission
Isa. 7-8 --Ahaz faces Assyria and Israel who are against him
Isa. 37-39 -- Assyrian invasion (in which God answers Hezekiah's prayer) and visit of
Babylon
Isa. 44-45 -- Cyrus of Persia (God's instrument)
EXPOSITION OF ISAIAH

I. PROPHECIES OF PUNISHMENT AND BLESSING (1: 1--35: 10)

A. Prophecies Regarding Jerusalem and Judah (1:1-31)The

indictment or accusation (1:1-9)

a) Case against Judah (v.1-4)

b) Disease of sin (v.5-6)

1. Sinfulness of Judah (v.5)

 2. Spiritual hospital needed (v.6)
Physical disease used to depict sin

c) Destruction of the land (v.7-9)

cf. Lev. 26

1. Desolation, cities burned

2. Lev. 26 -- God warned of disobedience

3. Deut. 28, 29 -- God warned of disobedience

4. The Assyrian invasion of 701 B.C. by Sennacherib

a. Only Jerusalem spared (ch. 36, 37)

b. Assyrians conquered all Israel

c. Depopulated the land and left only a

remnant

2. The threat (v.10-15)

a. Worship is carried out in picture

b. v.10 -- compare Sodom to Jerusalem

c. v.11 -- sacrifices -- no reality

d. v.13 -- God will refuse to hear their prayers

e. v.14-15 -- all their religious ceremonies are

empty, meaningless

f. Application

1. Church membership, offerings, talk, yet

live as a hypocrite all week

2. Preach sin, love, forgiveness

3. The exhortation or entreaty (v.16-20)

a) Repent and be blessed (v.16-19)

 (1) Repent is a change of direction

a. From evil to right

b. From dirty to clean

(2) Reason: an invitation (v. 18)

a. Is God willing to show mercy?

a. Denotes a reciprocal action

(3) Though your sins be as scarlet

a. Flames of sin

a. A stair

a. Blood of violence

(4) They shall be white as snow

As new-fallen snow

Though they be red like crimson they

(5)
shall be as wool

Even though Israel's sins are the reddest

(6)
scarlet they may
become the whitest white; the direct
opposite.
All this is possible if they repent!

b)

Orperish(v.20)

1. Viewed as rebellion

2. They will perish

4 The promise of purification and blessing (v.21-31)

 a) Purification (v.21-25)

1. Compare early faithfulness to present faithlessness (v.21)

2. Present state (v.22-23)

3. The purification (v.24-25)

b) Blessing (v.26-31)

1. Restoration of the previous order

2. Transgressions destroyed

B. God's Purpose of Punishment and Blessing (2:1--6:13)

1. The coming of the Messianic Kingdom (2:1-5)

a. The glory before the grief (isa. 52-53)

b. Compare Micah 4

c. v.2 -- "In the last days"

(1) All of Messianic time from the first advent to the 2nd
advent

a. First--immediate day (i.e. Babylonian captivity)

b. Second--ultimate day; worse than first

(i) Tribulation period

ii. Messianic kingdom

ii. New heavens and new earth

We are in "the last days," but not in "the day of
the Lord" (Joel 3;Zeph. 1,3)

(c) Compare "last days" (v.2) and 'Day of

the Lord'(v.12)
 The Coming Messianic Kingdom -- When?
Views:
I. The Jewish remnant that returned from Babylon. (Time of Ezra and Nehemiah)
It The flourishing Roman Empire (Pax Romana)
ITT. The Roman view -- fulfilled in the Roman Catholic Church after Constantine in
313 AD
IV. Amillienial view -- a mystical oneness and peace of all believers in the church
(Alexander, Young, Barnes)
V. Two divisions:
A. True church on earth
B. True church in heaven
VT. Premillenial view -- Revelation 20 -- This is the millennial kingdom beyond the
church age.(Ironside, Vine)
A. Military weapons (v.4)
B. All nations (v.2)
C. Fits Zechariah 14

d) v.2 -- "mountain"
1. Moriah, Zion -- Solomon's temple stood there, future temple will
stand there. Site of the center of the government in the future
Millennial Kingdom

2. Symbolizes Kingdom

a. Daniel 2:35

b. Jeremiah 51:25

c. Figure of speech

e) Content of v.1-5 descriptive of the future Millennial Kingdom when

all of God's promises to Israel will be fulfilled

2. The punishment of Judah (2:6-5:20

a) Judah's present corruption (2:6-9)

1. Forsaking God for other nations

2. Note the occurrence of "their land"

b) The Day of the Lord (2:10-22)

Devastation of the Day of the Lord written with immediate
fulfillment in mind.

1. v 13 -- trees famous for beauty (cf. 10:33-34), symbols forthe proud

 leaders of Israel

2. v.14 -- mountains and hills -- God as judge is Sovereign.(Amos 9:3

-- fortress and castles)

3. High tower, fenced wall -- man's attempt to save himself

1. Pleasant pictures (v. 16)

SEKYYOEH -- hard to translate

a. Beautiful picture

b. Statues
c. Ships of gayness

d. Watch towers

e. Pleasure ships (NASV, Living B., Ber Ver) from Egyptian

SKYT

(5) v.19 -- They shall go into holes

a. ef. Rev. 6:15-16; 9:6

There are many caves in the hills of Judah (Dead Sea area)

a. cf. Haggai 2:6-7, 21 -- shaking of the earth

(6) v.20 -- They will finally abandon their idols and

acknowledge that God alone in God

(7) v.22 -- This verse is not to be applied to Christ as some

Jews do

(a) Command is to stop placing confidence in man

b. Whose breath is in his nostrils Man's life is

transitory

c. For wherein is he accounted -- the answer is -- He amounts to

nothing

d. An accurate description of fallen man

C) The plundering of Jerusalem (3:1--4.- 1)

(1) The siege (3:1-11)

 v.1 --famine
v.2-3 -- shortage of leaders and craftsmen. 597 B.C.
man leaders carried away by Nebuchadnezzar (II Kings 24)
v.4 -- rule of children (not necessary literal)
--implies inferior rank
--held in contempt
--Manasseh only 12 at his elevation to the throne
v.5 -- anarchy -- collapse of society, children insolentto their elders

v.6-7 -- men will actually have to be forced to rule--

they will refuse to be leaders
v.8-11 -- God's plea

a. The reason for conditions (v.8-9)

b. The result of action (v.10-il)

(2) Sins of specific groups (3:12-16)

v.12 -- "children are their oppressors" -- the rulers act
as if they were children
-- "women rule over them" -- weak effeminate rulers, controlled by
their mistresses (3:17) -- "leaders cause thee to go astray" -- those
who should be leading men to follow God are leading men away
from God.
-- The Lord will judge
v.16 -- The women "daughters of Zion" are vain, self-centered, the cancer
of moral decay is eating out the nation's heart (haughty)

a. Proper adornment and true beauty should be a reflection of the

Glory of God

b. That ordinary women should be vain an seek beauty for themselves is

to be expected, but not of the daughters of Zion

c. "outstretched neck" -- refers to a special short, mincing step

women must take because of ornamental chains which bind their
legs

d. Isaiah is not condemning beauty and ornament -- He is condemning the

inner pride of the heart which manifests itself in such an outward show

e. "wanton eyes" -- flirt, in a desire to attract

f. The idea was to draw attention to their appearance

g. Calvin -- "Whenever dress and splendor are carried to excess, there is

 evidence of ambition, and many vices are usually connected with it;
from whence comes luxury in men and women but from pride?"
Calvin -- 'Pirst then, he justly declares pride to be the source
of the evil, -- I Peter 3:3, 4
Different climates and different cultures produce different kinds of
dress. What is regarded as immodest in one place may not be so
regarded elsewhere. The problem is not basically one of dress; it is
one of heart. What thunders forth from the mouth of the prophet is
the devastating accusation, "They have become haughty."

(3) The sentence against specific groups (3:17--4: 1)

a. The proud and haughty will have their day -- but the One in
whose hands their destiny lies will have His Day

b. "and the Lord" -- the covenant God -- God will reward their
desires

c. v. 18-24 -- description of all they will lose

d. v.25-26 -- great catastrophic war (Lam. 2:21) -- the city

destroyed, population decimated

e. 4:1 -- the conclusion of the matter.

Women will seek men
NOTE! -- the Jewish background
Women were entitled to support but they are now willing to
give up this right.
They feel the great reproach of childlessness and are thus willing
to reverse God's order

d) The hope of a cleansed Jerusalem (4:2-6)

After judgment
v.2 -- "In that day" -- seventh time since 3:1
-- "the branch of the Lord" -- the Messiah (cf. Scofield's note p.716 "Old
Scofield; Isa. 11:1;Jer.23:5;33:15;Zech. 3:8; 6:12)
-- "the front of the earth" -- His humanity
a. Note parallelism between branch and fruit
b. cf. 28:5 -- Christ as a person (II Sam 1:19)
C) cf. 28:4, 5 -- this type of language is used to speak of
people
v.4 -- A cleansing work by God -- remove the filth of daughterof Zion
V.5 -- The return of the Glory of the Lord. (cf. Zech, 2)
v.6 -- A place of refuge. (Zech. 14:17-- millennium
conditions)

e) The parable of the vineyard (5:1-7)

May have been given at a great feast day. The people fail to suspect that they are
judging themselves.
v.1 -- "I will sing indeed" -- emphatic intention to present hisposition
-- "sing" -- as a folk song
-- "my well beloved" -- the Lord
-- "my well beloved hath a vineyard" -- with this Isaiah
plunges into the parable -- "a fruitful will" -- Ps. 80:5; Ez. 15
-- literally "son of oil or fatness" -- a select site
v.2 -- "are of the husbandman" -- to produce fruit-- "till the soil" --
involves great care, loving tender care -- "gathered the stones" -- The
Arabs have a proverb: When God created the world, an angel flew
over the earth carrying a bag of stones in each arm. As he flew over
Palestine one bag broke, so half of all the stones in the world are in
Palestine.
-- "planted with choice vines" -- (cf. Jer. 2:21) the best
quality -- Israelis noted for its fine grapes
-- "built a tower" -- to watch and protect
-- "made a winepress" -- prepared to use the grapes, stresses the
activity of the owner
-- he waited, expecting
-- "it brought forth wild grapes" -- literally rotten grapes, worthless,
stinking -- a picture of Israel
v.3 -- note: change in person from 3rd "he" to first "me"
--II Sam. 2:1-7; Matt. 21:33-41
-- the inhabitants of Jerusalem are judged
-- "and now"
-- 'judge I pray" -- a command
v.4 -- perhaps a pause to allow the people to think---- What more
could I have done?
-- Conclusion -- It brought forth wild grapes
v.5 -- Judgment -- the tone changes -- He himself declares
judgment. The vineyard must be destroyed.
-- the people have apparently stood silent -- now Isaiah will tell
them
-- the hedge taken away -- the cattle of the field will trample it
-- the wall broken down -- it will lie open, unprotected
v.6 -- thorns and thistles it shall bring forth (cf. Gen. 3:18)
10
-- through neglect it will become a
total ruin -- no rain -- it must be
God to prevent rain
v.7 -- the time of song and poetry is past -- the
vineyard isIsrael
-- a cry of distress (Ex. 3:9)

f) The analysis of Judah's sins (5:8-23)

 1. v.8-10 -- a covetous people (oppressors of the
people

2. v.11-17 -- a debauching people (pleasure seekers)

3. v.18-19 -- an unbelieving people

4. v.20 -- a truth-preventing people

5. v.21 -- a people wise in its own eyes

6. v.22-23 -- a justice-preventing people

Note each section begins with a
Produces three (3) therefores (v.13, 14, 24)

g) The judgment of Judah's sins (5:24-30)

v.24 -- Therefore Israel has abandoned the Lord --
the Lord
will abandon her to more severe judgments
-- They have rejected the Lord of Hosts; Assyria
will come against Judah and after them Babylon
will come.

3. Isaiah's vision of God (6:1-

13) Note: Why is his call and commission

here?
1. Explanation: Why God must judge: God is Holy
1. Illustration: the attitude the nation should have: v.9-13 -- they will not
1. Invitation: God will
forgive sin Note: When was
Isaiah called?
1. This is Isaiah's original call. Ch. 1-5 are placed first because the
theme not the chronology dictates the order
2. This vision is necessary to strengthen Isaiah in order to confirm and to
strengthen him
in the discharge of his office. Compare the call of Isaiah to that of the apostles, who
after their original call received further inauguration. (Jn. 20:21, 22;
Acts 2:3) J. Calvin
favor first view
If the sixth chapter is the original call why is it found here and not at the
beginning of the prophecy?

A. The order is not due to haphazardness or carelessness but there is a very definite
reason for its position.
B. Isaiah's purpose is first to present the heart of his message
1. Chapter 1 -- general introduction, Sets forth the germ of all he is to
later introduce
2. His message begins with a note of hope (2:2-4) and concludes with
the same (4:2-6)
3. Chapter 5 -- reinforces the loving care God has given Israel and shows
the justice of God.
C. Only after this does Isaiah reinforce his proclamation with an account of his
call.The general character of chapters 2 - 5 makes it clear that they belong to
the early part of Isaiah's ministry. They were written down before the threat of
Assyria reached its height.

a) The vision of a Holy God (6:1-4)

(1) The black setting (v.1 a)

"In the year that king Uzziah died"

a. Uzziah had brought many benefits to Judah,

prosperity, peace. Now Judah was without a
king

b. It was a very critical time -- 3 years before this

Jeroboam II of Israel had died, and now
Menahem was ruler

c. Under Jeroboam and Uzziah the boundaries of

the land had been extended to their ancient
limits: commerce and agriculture flourished: the
two nations were at peace.

d. Now all this was falling apart

e. It is interesting to not that the year of Uzziah's

death (740-39 B.C.) is the traditional date for the
founding of Rome. From now on Judah declined
and Rome rose.

(2) v. lb-4 --The vision of God

(a) "I saw the Lord" -- Scripture says no man can see
God at any time (Jn. 1:18; I Tim. 6:16)

(i) This is not seeing God with the bodily eye

for this is impossible -- God is invisible

ii. But the Bible also says "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
 God" (Matt. 5: 8)

iii. Isaiah saw the Lord but in a vision. It was a divinely imposed vision--it
was not a product of Isaiah's mind.

ii. We cannot be sure where he was when this took place. It is not fair to
say, as some do, that this vision must have taken place in the temple

ii. Isaiah did not see God because he was more spiritually attuned to God
than others, he saw God because God revealed Himself to him.

ii. Isaiah saw the Lord ADHONAI, the God who is able to carry on His
purposes -- He sees God as sovereign.

ii. John 12:41 -- tells us that this was the preincarnate Christ.

(b) Seated upon a throne --

i. God is both King and judge -- He is ready to exercise His right to judge

ii. "high and lifted up" -- to show honor, glorious majesty

iii. His robes or skirts fill the temple -- there is no room for anyone else to
stand.

iv. Note the silence of Isaiah -- Isaiah is beholding the sovereign glory of
God: for he is called to a ministry that will show the sovereignty of
God.

(c) Verse 2

ii. This is the only Old Testament passage in which they are mentioned.
They are personal, spiritual beings, for they have faces, feet and hands--
they employ human speech and understand moral concepts. They have 6
wings.

iii. They are not cherubim for their functions are different The cherubim are
over the mercy seat and they have 4 wings.

ii. The seraphim are there to serve God

ii. Six wings-

2 to cover his face -- reference to Glory of God too great to behold
2 to cover his feet humility and unworthiness does not imply
sinfulness 2 to fly -- to carry out God's will. (Also, with God's train
 filling the temple, there is no place that they could stand)

(d) v3 -- The continuous occupation of the seraphim is

the work of praising God

(i) We are not told how many there are.

(ii) Holy, Holy, Holy

a. This signifies the entirety of divine perfection, which separates

God from His creation. This is the
distinguishing characteristic of God -and it is the core of Isaiah's
theology

a. Why is the word used three times? The answer here is probably in
reference to the trinity

(iii) The whole earth is full of His glory

(a) The earth is the place where His

Glory is shown

(b) What is God's glory? It is the

revelation of His attributes. The revelation of God
in the created universe is sufficient to convince
men of God's holiness, righteousness and justice
as well as His almighty power -- Man is without
excuse.

(e) Verse 4

i. The very foundation shook at the crying. Also, the

house itself filled with smoke.

ii. Smoke represents the presence of God. Isaiah is in

the very presence of God.

b) The response of an unholy man (6:5-13)

1. Conviction (v.5)
"Woe" -- implies judgment is about to fall
"I am undone" -- I have been made to cease, I am cut off, doomed to
die
Why does Isaiah so speak? Because he is a man -- a sinful man cannot
praise God and in His presence he must praise God. His nature must be
cleansed so his lips can praise God. "in the midst of a people" -- his
 nation is in a condition even worse than he is
"I have seen the King" -- the Lord of Hosts, God is the covenant
God, the King of the theocracy. Not only has Isaiah seen God but
also he has seen the infinite distance between God and sinful man.

1. Cleansing (v.6-7)
v.6 -- At the bidding of God one of the seraphim gives
Isaiah an assurance that his sins are forgiven
a. a live coal -- literally a hot stone ritzpah, a stone on the altar
of incense
b. purity of the lips on the altar of incense -- the fire is
merely symbolic of cleansing
v.7 -- The holding of the coal to Isaiah's lips symbolizesthe fact that
the necessary sacrifice had been made and his sins were forgiven.
Note -- the seraphim explains the symbolism! a) a verbal
explanation is necessary to guard against false
interpretation
15
b) it is essential that the truth be known and understood

(3) Commission (v.8-13)

v.8 For the first time the Lord speaks.
(i) Whom shall I send and who will go for us?
a. Using a rhetorical question to elicit a response from
Isaiah
b. Go for us -- a prefigure of the Trinity
(ii) Isaiah's response: Here am I, send me.
a. It is immediate
b. Only moments before he was afraid for his sin--now he is
ready to serve
V.9 from the expression of his willingness, the commandimmediately follows
a. Go and tell
b. To my people
c. Hear ye indeed. . . see. . . but perceive not. For all of Isaiah's
preaching the people will only grow colder, blinder, and deafer to
God
v.10 Isaiah is told that his preaching will work in such a manner as to bring about a
hardening of heart and sensibility upon the part of the nation, so that there
will be no possibility of it being saved. The blindness of the nation is to be
ascribed to its own depravity.
v.11 How long?
(i) A question raised out of love and concernfor his people. Will
God always chide? Will God forever be angry? Isaiah cannot
defend his people. God's judgment is true. Thus his is placed in
a two-fold position
a. He must proclaim the message of God, which is the
judgment of God.
 b. On the other hand he must manifest anxiety and love
toward those to whom he preaches.
(ii) And He said -- until the following conditionsare fulfilled. (cf. Jn.
12:39, 40 for a deeper fulfillment)
v.12 Men will be brought into exile.
-- the deportation of Israel (606, 597, and 586 AD) -- the process of
purification
v.13 There will be a remnant. One tenth (1/10) will return; yet even though
they return, they shall be
16
consumed, witness the distress of the
remnant through the inter-testamental
period. But there shall be a remnant!

C. God's Method of Judging and Blessing Israel (7:1--12:6)

Assyria is to judge and Messiah is to bless.
Note that the thought of the Assyrian invasions, though referred to in chapters 1
- 6 (cf 5:26-30) is not developed. Assyria is not mentioned by name until 7:17.
Then in this section of Isaiah's unraveling the theme the prophet specifically
mentions the king of Assyria eight times (7:17, 18, 20; 8:4,7; 10:12; 11:11, 16).
The emphasis in this section is heavily upon the Lord's use of Assyria as His
instrument to punish His sinning people.

The promise of His presence (7:1-25)

a) The great confederation against Judah (7:1-2)

1. Syria under Rezin and Israel under Pekah are united

againstJudah. They are actually going to war against the
southern kingdom. According to II Kings 16 and II
Chronicles 28 they actually succeed for a period.

2. Therefore Ahaz feared for his life and he sought to make an

alliance with Assyria under Tiglath-Pileser.

b) The good counsel to Judah's king (7:3-25)

Isaiah and his son are sent to Ahaz to assure the king that God
will protect Judah (ef II Chron. 28:5)

1. v.3 -- Isaiah is told to take his son Shear-jashub, whose

name means "a remnant will return." This reminds us of
the promise of 6:13--the promise that as great as the
judgment shall be a remnant will remain. The emphasis
is on the remnant.

2. v.4 -- Take heed and be quiet -- a command. Ahaz is

apparently shaking in fear.
 Fear not -- God is in charge.
Neither be faint hearted
for the two tails -- they are not even firebrands but only
tails
-- no fire, just smoke -- they are burned out!
The son of David need not fear any son of Remaliah.

1. v.5 -- Syria is the instigator

(4) v.6 -- Their evil counsel is to take Jerusalem. The son of

Tabeal is apparently the man in Jerusalem whom they intend to place on the
throne.

(5) v.7 -- We have heard the counsel of Syria, now hear the
counsel of God. The plan of Syria will not work. It will fail - - This is not an
opinion, it is fact.

(6) Verse 8

a. The head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin --

and as long as Syria stands so shall it be -- there will be no expansion.

b. As for Ephraim, within 65 years she will cease from being a people.
From 735 B.C. to 670 B.C. is 65 years. This time includes every
stroke that fell before Israel was broken.

i. Invasion by Tiglath-Pileser (727 B.C.) -- II Kings 15:29; 16:9

ii. Invasion by Shalmaneser and deportation (722 B.C.) -- 11

Kings 17:6

iii. Esarhaddon's repopulation of Samaria during the reign of

Manesseh (670 B.C.) -- II Kings 17:24; II Chron. 33:11; Ezra 4:2

(7) v.9 -- same structure as v.8 for Israel.

If ye will not believe -- God demands but one thing: belief
Ahaz must let God hold him up; use God as a prop.

(8) v.10-li -- Ahaz challenged to ask a sign. Here once again

we see a. tender, merciful god approaching a. rebellious sinner.

a. Note This is a command; he must ask a sign for God has spoken, but
the sign is to be one of his choice. Ahaz may ask anything he
wishes, even a great miracle.

b. Isaiah the prophet, commanded Ahaz the king -What right did he have
 to do this? Prophets stood
boldly before kings, yet they knelt
humbly before God.

(c) The very asking of this sign would show the

faith of
Ahaz, that Jehovah could perform the sign.

(9) v.12 -- Ahaz refused to obey.

a. Ahaz is at least very direct -- he is also

very stubborn. "I will not ask." This
shows a complete lack of trust in God.

b. He dismisses obedience to God as

"tempting God," a hypocritical, pious
excuse. He cites Deut. 6:16 -he refuses to
put God to the test -- because if he did and
God came through he would have no
choice but to believe and obey.

c. He was relying on Assyria not on

God, II Kings 16:7-9 tells us.
A hypocritical man vs. the sovereign God.
But there is no impasse -- refusal to ask a
sign does not mean Ahaz would not
receive a sign.

a. A sign is given to aid faith -- to a true

believer a sign would be an aid to faith.

(10) v.13 -- Isaiah now turns to the third person

to write objectively.

(a) He speaks to all of Israel -- the king is their

representative -- the House of David.

(b) Is the wearying of men not enough for you,

will you
weary God also? They have reftised to
listen to the prophet now they refuse
God Himself
Special Section: Isaiah 7:14
The hypocritical king rejected the opportunity to ask a sign so God will give one.
A. A sign of God's choosing
1. The birth of a wondrous child as a sign of deliverance
 2. The making of the infancy of Christ, the measure of time
Judah is yet to suffer affliction.
B. The Lord Adorn -- the Lord God Almighty will give.
1. No longer a choice for Ahaz

2. The sign is not for Ahaz, but for the entire nation.
3. There is not a choice, the Lord Himself will give.
C. A sign -- a miracle wrought in attestation of a divine promise. The
context demands an unusual event.
D. A virgin -- rt -- ha 'almah
1. Views
a. Refers only to a child of Isaiah's day. (Hezekiah or another.)
b. Refers to an ideal birth, not a real one.
c. Refers to one born in Isaiah's day and beyond to the Messiah.
d. Refers to only the Messiah.
2. Arguments, evidences.
a. Almah
a. The word has the article "the" therefore a definite woman is
in view.
b. The word almah is used in the Old Testament seven times. In
none of these places is it clearly used of a woman that is not a
virgin -always unmarried.
1. Isa. 7:14
2. Gen. 24:43; Ex. 2:8 -- unmarried women
3. Ps. 68:25; Song of Solomon 1:3 -- most probably
unmarried
4. Song of Solomon 6:8; Prov. 30:19 -- probably unmarried
3. The word -- - ha Bethulah is said to be a specific Hebrew
word for virgin and it is not used.
a. However this word is used in Joel 1:8 of a married woman.
b. Also Deut. 22:18, 19 is questionable.
4. Almah always refers to an unmarried woman -- Gen. 24:16, 43 proves
itcan mean virgin. Rebekah is designated almah; she is also called
bethulah, and it is said of her, "a man had not known her."
5. Extra-biblical
a. glint is never used of a married woman and it is used in the
exact formula of Isa. 7:14
b. In the light of these considerations it seems that Isaiah's choice of
the word almah was deliberate. It seems that it is the only word
in the Hebrew language that unequivocally signifies an
unmarried woman. No other Hebrew word clearly indicates the
one whom it designates as unmarried.
6. We choose view 4 as correct.
a. Almah has the definite article, therefore a definite person is in
view.
 b. Context of chapter 7 better suits a miraculous sign.
c. This sign would have meaning to Ahaz in assuring the
continuance of the Davidic dynasty; the preservation of Judah.
20
of the promised one the land will lose both kings (Syria,
Israel) in a similar time period.
a.
a. Israel and Syria both fell shortly thereafter.

12. v.17 --God will use Assyria to judge Judah.

13. v.18 -- Egypt will also be used against Israel. Ahaz has
sought aid from both.

2. The picture of the invasion (8:1-4)

a. v.1 -- post a public sign: it is to say "belonging to Maker--shalalhash-

baz"

b. v.2 -- two fellow citizens witness his work -- to uphold his honor:
Uriah, Zechariah

c. v.3 -- the birth of    son

d. v.4 -- prophecy of invasion -- by the time the child could say Mama and
Dadda these two prophecies would be accomplished.

3. Confidence in God: the prophecy of the invasion (8:5-22)

a. v.6 -- refuse the waters of peace. How can they rejoice in the fall of
these two? Why are they happy over their defeat?

b. v.7 -- They are allied with Assyria. God will bring Assyria upon
Judah.

c. v.9 -- The Assyrian army likened to a great bird. "Immanuel"

indicates the close association with God.

d. v.9-10 -- the association of nations is contrary to Gen. 11 and

God's scattering at Babel.

e. v.11 -- The Lord's concern for Israel (cf Eph. 4)

f. v.12-13 -- "you shall not call treason the same as the other people
regard treason." Many regard Isaiah as treasonous but Isaiah is not to
fear the charges.
 g. v.14 -- Your position in relationship to Christ (cf. I Pet. 2:7)
determines the type of stone Christ is to you.
gin -- bird trap

g. v.15-- the way ofAhaz

h. v.16 -- law and testimony. (Isa. 8:1-15) Bind up -- literal or

figurative. The Word of God is for the faithful.

i. v.18 -- Isaiah -- primary reference -- 2nd Christ: Isa. 53:10 and His
seed. Heb. 2:13 applies this to Christ.

j. v.19-20 -- Seek counsel of familiar spirits seek counsel -- good, but

wrong source, The nation should seek God; seeking should be done in
the law of God.
Isa. 9:1 Another translation
"There shall be no gloom to her in anguish." (cf. Heb. 8:23)
"For to the land to which there is now distress there will not always be darkness (cf.
Matt 4 -- Christ's life)

4. Deliverance by the Messiah (9:2-7)

Four blessings

a) v.2 -- the people that walked in darkness have seen a great eight.
(cf. Matt. 4:12-17)

b) v.3 -- the nation multiplied

1. during captivity

2. after return to the land

3. increase in the true Israel, not by adding to the church

4. Messianic kingdom

c) Increase ofjoy

1. joy as at the time of harvest

2. joy as at the time of planting

d) Freedom from oppression

Suggestions
1. deliverance from Babylon

2. destruction of the Assyrian army

3. Titus (AD 70)

4. Spiritual peace today

5. Tribulation and second advent.

a. context -- Syrian yoke. Isa. 11:11-16 shows Assyrian power in the

future Day of the Lord

b. v.6, 7 -- carry from the first to the second advent

c. v.5 -- Deliverance is actually through the Son

d. The phrases used here are used elsewhere in discussion of the

Tribulation.
Joel 3:9-14; Zech. 14:13 garments rolled in blood. Isa. 63:3; Rev.
14:20 burning of fuels and fire. Isa. 66:15-16; Joel 2:30

a. v.6 -- The modern Jewish Talmud tries to apply this passage to Hezekiah.
Ancient Jewish writers in the Targums refer this passage only to the
Messiah.

i. The reason of the joy.

A Son -- these are the first words in Hebrew. A Son: literally "a
male child, a son, is born." Why repetition of "son"? Surely a
male child is a son, the emphasis the Son of David, the promised
one, (cf. Isa. 22:22)

i. Isaiah speaks of the future birth in the peffect tense as if it is

already accomplished.

ii. He is born for us -- for Israel this is Immanuel

iii. The government shall be upon His shoulder. The kingdom of

David (cf. v.4 -- the burden lifted)

(1) His names

(i) Wonderful Counsellor (both nouns)

The Messiah is not wonderful -- He is a wonder
Counsellor -- to sit on the throne of David requires more wisdom than
 any man possesses. For this reason the Counsellor must be a wonder.
Micah 4:9 uses counsellor and king as synonyms. (Isa. 28:29)

(ii) The mighty God -- El Gibbon, the Deity of

the God-Man

(iii) The Everlasting Father Father of Eternity)

a. He is head of all (Isa. 57:15)

b. The Messiah ministers like a father (Ps. 103:13; Isa. 63:16)

(iv) The Prince of Peace

War and oppression were the factors, which brought on this discussion,
how climatic and emphatic is this name.

a. This one is a prince

b. He establishes His Kingdom by peace not war

c. He is the one who will establish eternal peace True

peace will only come because a child is born.

(g) v.7 -- being established on the double foundation of

justice and righteousness, the Messiah's reign will be perpetual and progressive.
Speaking of the Millennial Kingdom and on out into eternity.

(i) Note -- Christ sits on the throne of David in

fulfillment of all the prophecies. This cannot be
spiritualized away. It is a historical reality.

(ii) Isaiah places himself at the beginning of the

Kingdom and he notes.

a. It will be established on judgment and

justice.

b. Men will willing and gladly be a part of it.

(iii) It will last forever.

(iv) The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it.

This prophecy is as sure as is God. Jesus
said, I believe it, and it is so.

5. The threat of Assyria (9:8--10:34)

a) The coming judgment (9:8-9:17)
Note! The phrase, repeated four times, "For all this his anger is not
turned away" (9:12, 17, 21 and 10:4). God is describing in vivid
language what has aroused Him to anger against Israel.
There has been a promise of blessing, but now he is speaking of a
judgment first to come to Israel (North) -- 722 B.C. -- at the hands of
Assyria.

1. v. 10-11 -- Syria attacked, then withdrew and Samaria rebuilt.

Then in 727 B.C. Assyria conquered Syria and both combined
to smash Israel in 722 B.C.

2. v. 14-15 -- v.15 explains v.14 -- branch and reed are

Israelites in general the whole land will be judged.

b) The punishment (9:18--10:4)

1. v.18 -- briers and thorns -- wicked people (cf. 10:17, 19; Ez.
2:6)

2. v.20 -- reduced to starvation, to such a plight (ef. Jer. 17:9)

C) The boasting of Assyria (10:5-19)

25

(1) v.11 -- Jerusalem will be judged

(2) v.6 -- I will send Assyria

v.7 -- Assyria doesn't realize he is being

(3)
sent by God

v.13-14 -- Assyria glories and takes

(4)
credit for this victory

v.12 -- After God is finished with

(5)
Assyria they will be
judged

v.15 -- Analogy of the ax and its user.

(6)
Ax, saw, rod, staff--
Assyria is a tool in God's hand.
 1. v.20-21 -- Israel will no longer trust
Assyria but the Lord. Note: "in that
day" = the day of the Lord. This is
to be a result; the great tribulation.

2. v.22-23 -- remnant will return;

"consumption" = reckoning, exact
number

3. v.26-27 -- Assyrian power will be

judged by God (cf. Nahum 1) 612
B.C. -- Babylon takes Nineveh (also
cf Isa 9:4)

4. v.28-32 -- let the enemy come, God is

ready

5. v.33 -- the bigger they are the harder

they fall.

6. The Hope of the Messiah (11: 1--12:6)

(Picture of the Messianic blessing)

a) The shoot out of Jesse (11:1-5)

(1) v.1 --rod out of Jesse, out of the stem

rod or shoot -- the Kingdom of David
had been reduced to a mere stump,
now from those roots comes forth a
shoot -new life.

a Branch shall grow -- netzer -- the

Branch that grows will bear fruit (cf.
Isa. 4:2)
26
fulfilled in Christ -- emphasizes the humanity of the Messiah;
agrees with 7:14; 9:6

(2) v.2 -- The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on Him

After WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam men always believed that
lasting peace" was near, but that end has never been attained -- for the
Bible says "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the
Lord." Just and lasting peace will only be a product of the Spirit in the
Kingdom of God.
 3 pairs of qualities.

a. Wisdom and understanding (perception)

Wisdom: ability to give right decision perception: true
insight into human heart

a. Counsel and might -- now practical counsel (isa. 9:5)

Having the right means. He makes the right decisions and has
the strength to carry them out.

a. Knowledge and fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7)

(3) v.3 -- Christ will judge and govern as a result of his

attributes -- not by sight and sound as a mere man would

(4) v.4 -- with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
The anti-Christ, the first beast of Rev. 13; II Thess. 2:8 also refers to
wicked people as a unit

b) The coming peace (11:6-10)

The Millennial Kingdom

(1) v.6 -- The wolf...

a. Calvin, amil. -- symbolizes men at peace

b. E. J. Young, amil. -- sees this as literal, real animals with instincts

removed, however he places this in the ultimate eternal state

c. Premil. -- literal fulfillment in the earth in the mil. kingdom.

i. Note v.9 on earth (Isa. 65; Zech 14; Hosea 2)

ii. Actual nations referred to.

iii. If Isaiah is speaking only of people why mix up people

and animals. (v.6)

iv. v.4 -- smite the earth, fits tribulation, then kingdom.

v. "that day" -- (v.10) from Isaiah on over 100 times means

"day of the Lord" (Zech. 14)

vi. v.8 -- are children to be in heaven? (anti-Young)

A general removal of the curse in the Millennial Kingdom
 2. v.9 -- the whole earth is included in the Millennial Kingdom

3. v.10 -- "in that day" -- all people will seek Christ. The Gentiles are
included (cf. Isa, 42:1, 6; 49:6, 22; 60: 61, 63; Jer. 3:17; Amos 9:12;
Micah 7:16, 17; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 14:16-19; Mt. 25:31ff.
Seek -- appeal for favor (Job 5:8); come for guidance, pay respect (Isa.
55:6)

c) The future of Israel (11:11-16) regathering for Kingdom blessing

1. v.11 -- the second time refers to first re-gathering from Egypt (v.16)

2. v.13 -- coming together of the Northern and Southern kingdoms

3. v.15-16 -- two great areas of ancient problems will be removed.

a. Tongue of Egyptian Sea, portion of the Red Sea

b. River Euphrates (Assyria)

The key is security for Israel -- is there a possible connection
between this passage and Rev. 16 or Zech. 10:11?
d) The song of praise (12:1-6)

1. v.2 -- is similar (cf. Ex. 15:2) -- Israel now relying on

God; great progress has been made

2. v.4 -- His name is exalted -- only believers are present as

the Millennial Kingdom begins.

D. Prophecies of Judgment (13:1--23:18)

Isaiah is forecasting doom for 10 nations whose history inter-links with Israel.
Compare Jer. 46-51; Ezek. 25-32; Amos 1-2 which also pronounce judgment
on nations. (see general ---- notes for fulfillment of each prophecy)
Key problems to be discussed.
1. Will Babylon be rebuilt? (ch. 13, 14)
2. Is Satan spoken of in ch. 14?
3. Isaiah's symbolic act, ch. 20
29

FULFILLMENT OF JUDGMENTS IN ISAIAH 13-23

NATIONSJUDGED YEAR CONQUEROR

REFERENCE
Isa. 13:17-22;
Babylon 539 B.C. Media-Persia
21:2
 Jer. 50-51
Dan. 5:30-31

2 Kings 18:13--
Assyria 701 B.C. Angel of the Lord
19:37
2Chron.32
Isa. 36-37

Philistia 712-711 B.C. Assyria Isa. 20:1

(cf. J. A. pp. 142-143)
Thompson, The
Bible and
Archeology,

Moab 701 B.C. Assyria

Damascus 734--732 B.C. Assyria Isa. 7

Ethiopia 701 B.C. Assyria

667 B.C. Assyria

Civil War in
Egypt 700 B.C. if Isa. 19:2
Egypt
671 B.C. Assyria Isa. 19:4
(Esarhaddon)

Edom Possibly 126 B.C. John Hyrcanus I Mace. 5:3

(Josephus, XIII, 9, 1)
Antiquities.

Arabia ? Assyria Isa. 21:13-17

Babylon

Fall of Jerusalem 536 B.C. Babylon

Tyre 664 B.C. Assyria

585-573 B.C. Babylon
(Nebuchadnezzar
332 B.C. Ezek 26:1-11
)
 Greece
(Alexander the
Ezek. 26:12
Great)

WILL BABYLON BE REBUILT?

The basic question is: Have the Old Testament prophecies concerning Babylon's
destruction been flulfilled?
A. Basic Passages
1. Old Testament: Isa. 13, 14; Jer. 50, 51; Zech. 5
2. New Testament: Rev. 17, 18: I Pet. 5:13
B. View #1 -- the prophecies regarding Babylon have been fulfilled, Ironside,
Scofield, Alexander, Barnes, Keil, Delitzsch, Young, and many others
hold to this view.
1. The prophecies concerning Babylon were literally fulfilled --
historically Babylon is captured by the Medes (13:17-22); this
event occurred in 539 B.C.
2. The complete ruin of Babylon testifies to the fulfillment of
this prophecy. (Jer. 51:26 -- "desolate forever")
3. Some exponents of this view see a gradual fulfillment of this
prophecy, not a sudden fulfillment.
C. View #2 -- the prophecies concerning Babylon have never been completely
fulfilledand therefore Babylon must be rebuilt. W.E. Vine, F.C. Jennings,
J.V. McGee, B.W. Newton, G.H. Pember, W. Newell, J-- 5--, N. Smith
hold to this view.
1. The prophecies have not been entirely fulfilled because the
setting is the Day of the Lord. (Isa. 13:6)
2. The prophecy that Babylon would never be inhabited again has
never been fulfilled. (I Pet. 5:13)
3. Babylon was not destroyed suddenly. (Isa. 13:19)
4. Babylon was and is not the desolation as pictured by the
prophets. (Isa. 13:20-2)
5. The stones of the destroyed city are still being used as
building blocks for other structures. (Jer. 51:26)
6. The city is still a tourist center in contradiction to the prophecy
that no one would pass by.

CHAPTER 14
PROBLEM: IS SATAN REFERRED TO IN CHAPTER 14?

Introduction:
v.12 -- Hebrew Helel -- son of dawn
Lucifer from Latin Vulgate, may mean morning star; brightest star.
Rosseup -- Babylon here but there is an ultimate reference to the power behind
Babylon.
 A. Whole Biblical doctrine of Satan suggests Satan is behind such
kingdoms. Revelation 13 -- two beasts
B. Language of the cry is ultimately fitting for Satan. Such titanic pride.
C. Satan's sin was pride (I Tim. 3)
A. Even epic poetry of Ugarit, after refers to mountain of the
north (v.13) as the abode of the gods -- those above mortals.
The downfall of Babylon's leader reflects his leader Satan.
II. Verse 13
A. I will ascend into heaven (Dan. 4:20-21) Tree representing Babylon
reached to heaven.
B. I will exalt my throne -- hyperbole

CHAPTER 20
ISAIAH'S SYMBOLIC ACT (ISA. 20:24)
DID ISAIAH WALK NAKED FOR THREE YEARS?

v.2 -- sackcloth is worn as a sign of mourning -- Isaiah is wearing it as a sign of

mourning for Israel. This sackcloth was usually worn over a tunic.
Take off his shoes.
Thus he walked naked and barefoot.

Isaiah did not go about completely naked, for if so there would be no need for the
additional description of barefoot.
E. God's Sovereignty Manifested in Salvation and Judgment (24:1--27:13)
Isaiah's apocalypse: Summary of universal judgment and the messianic
kingdom (ch. 24-27)
In this section, Isaiah develops the theme of judgment upon the world. He
begins the account with a picture of desolation entering Palestine, (24:5-12,
23) then shows that the judgment extends out to embrace the whole earth
(24:4, 16). There is also a glorious picture of Messianic blessing when the
Lord reigns in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem (24:23) over the regathered
Israel (27:12).
Ch. 24 -27 are related to Ch. 13-23 which speak ofjudgment upon
individual nations. They form a sequel and carry the judgments of ch. 13-
23 on to the final consummation of the ages.

Chapter 24:1-13: a Picture of Punishment

a. v.1-12 -- The Lord desolates Palestine so thoroughly that

every strata of society is touched without discrimination.
(v.2)

b. v. 14-23 -- Jehovah's overthrow and reign.

(1) v.19-20 -- During this desolation, the whole earth is

 affected
by catastrophes, upheavals and violent
convulsions. The reference is to the time context of
the tribulation period.

(2) v.13-15 -- A saved remnant glorifies God during that

time.
Yet, as Isaiah is transported to that day, he realizes that it
is
basically a time of WOE. (v.16)

(3) v.21 -- God will punish the host of high ones on high.

a. Problem: angels or men? (26:5) MEN

b. Could be heaven (on high refers to heaven,

Job 16:19; Ps. 68:18; Isa. 57:15). Seems to be
the sense here.

c. Could be men who are lifted up with pride

(26:5). If v.21 refers also to Satan, beast and
false prophet (ef. Rev. 19), then v.22 means
these will be imprisoned too.

(4) v.22 -- Those who die during the divine punishments of

the
Tribulation period will be captives in hell awaiting
their final judgment. They will be like "the spirits in
prison" (I Pet. 3:19) who are being reserved for
judgment.

(5) v.23 -- cf. Matt. 24:29 for same thing. At the end of the
Tribulation period, just before Christ returns to reign, the
sun, moon, and stars will be darkened.

2. Triumphs of the Kingdom (25:1--26:21)

a) The testimony of Jehovah (ch. 25)

Chapter 25 -- a picturesque description of many specific blessings
which Messiah brings. The chapter begins with the words of praise and
adoration toward God, which shall be upon the lips of believers in that
future day. Then the believer enumerates particular blessings, which
elicited the words of praise.

(1) v.2-3 -- The Lord's devastation of strong cities has caused

the humbled people of the world to fear and glorify Him.
 (2) v.4 -- At the same time, the Lord's work has been an aid to
many in need.

(3) v.6 -- In Mount Zion, The Lord provides a banquet for the
enjoyment of those who are in the kingdom. The marriage
supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9).

a. "All people" includes both Jew and Gentiles, since

many prophecies clearly indicate that both will
participate in Millennial Kingdom blessings.

b. feast of "fat things" -- choice dishes of the most

delightful kind.

c. "wines on the lees" -- wines that have been kept on lees

(dregs) so that they have the best strength, color, and
flavor.

(4) v.8 -- "He will swallow up death in victory" -- the

widespread blanket of death and carnage during the terrible
Tribulation period will be ended, and in its place God will
establish victory.
The time in which there were tears provoked by pain, death, and
other fears is ended. In the place of tears, God gives safety,
happiness, and peace.
Comment: This does not mean that in the Millennial Kingdom
there will never be death or tears. There will be.
35
But these will evidently be the unusual. man will still have the sin
nature and can die.

a. Death -- Isa. 65:20

b. Animal death -- Ezek. 40-46

In the New Jerusalem of Rev. 21:9--22:5 eternal conditions are
operative. There will be no death or tears there in the absolute sense.

b) The testimony of Israel

Chapter 26 -- confidence in adequate resources

1. v.1 -- Jerusalem becomes a strong city. No longer is itpregnable as in

the days when powerful armies assaulted it, but now it is defended by
the Lord, who is a wail of protection (cf. Zech. 2).

2. v.3-4 -- The people of Israel are no trusting the Lord,depending upon

Him who is the Rock of Ages, and there is peace in His glorious
adequacy.
 "Peace is that calm which springs from confidence in adequate
resources."

1. v.15 -- God has "increased the nation." (27:6) "Israel shall'blossom and
bud and fill the earth with fruit." In contrast to the nations which God
has demolished (v.13-14), Israel is increased and is prospering. Israelis
now on top.

2. v. 16 -- Through the centuries since 586 B.C., Israel hasbeen on the

bottom, suffering "trouble" and "chastening."

3. v.17-18 -- The period of "the times of the Gentiles"(Lk.21:24) has been a

period of pain for Israel. She has had pangs like a woman suffering labor
pains. Yet tragically, Israel has not brought forth that which she longed
for but only wind. There has been no deliverance to regain the place at
the top, and the nations oppressing her have not fallen from their
position of lordship (cf. v.13).

4. v.19 -- Judah speaks to the Lord. "Thy dead shall live; mydead bodies
arise. Awake and rejoice, ye dwellers in dust

a. The reference is to the resurrection of

Israel's true believers after the 2nd Advent
of Christ. All those in the "faith line"
through the centuries will rise from the
dead to participate in the Millennial
Kingdom (cf Dan. 12:1-3)

b. Just like all resurrected saints, they will

possess glorified bodies and will
therefore inhabit "the city, the New
Jerusalem" of Rev. 21. They will
participate in the Millennial Kingdom on
earth, but will do so in glorified bodies.

c. "Abraham looked. . ." (Heb. 11:10, 16)

(7) v.20-21 -- The Israelite remnant, after centuries of

waiting
for the kingdom, is told it must wait a short
while longer before the blessing can come. God
must first punish the peoples of the earth for sin,
for this has provoked His indignation.

The judgment of the oppressor (27:1-13)

 a) Jehovah will destroy the oppressors (27:1-6)
Chapter 27 -- Fruitfulness of a regathered people.
This chapter likens Israel to a vine filling the earth with
fruit (esp. v.2, 6). It closes with God's promise that He
will regather Israel so that she will be in the promised
land to bear this fruit during the Millennial Kingdom
(v.12)

Leviathan

Views:
1. Archer, in Wycliffe: Leviathan is a symbolic creature (reflected in the dragon
myths of Pagan Semites), representing the arrogant, turbulent world in revolt
against God. More paicularly, it stands for the successive world empires of Egypt,
Assyra ... and Babylon.
2. Keil & Delitzsch, I, 453 if. -- "no doubt the three animals are emblems of three
imperial powers . ." They say that the "piercing serpent" is the Tigris River (hence
its kingdom, Assyria) which was swift in current; and that the "crooked serpent's
the Euphrates (hence its kingdom, Babylon) which was a very twisting, curving,
serpentine river. The windings are especially labyrinthine near Babylon itself.
3. Unger's Dictionary (p.6l) -- Leviathan here seems to symbolize the triumphant
Judgment Day when God will triumph over the threatening evil of this world
system.
4. Jennings -- Job 41 describes a leviathan a creature generally recognized as a
crocodile. Job 41:15-17 says that this creature has scales, which are shut up
together and closely sealed.
37

They are air-tight. These scales are his pride. Because of this pride the Leviathan
is called "a king over all the children of pride" (41:34).
5. He says that ultimately this creature in Isa. 27:1 is Satan, the one who inspires
earthly empires like Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt.
6. "It is he too who is behind the world-empires that have oppressed Israel, and it is he
who shall at the last unify all the discordant characters of evil into one spirit of
hostility to all that is of God on the earth. He, the devil, is leviathan, the dragon or
serpent of the joined scales." (p. 320)

1. v.2 -- Israel will be God's vineyard, and will be

fruitful in contrast to the failure as a vineyard in
Isa. 5:1-7. Why?

2. v.3 -- God will tend it (Israel), water it and

guard it continually.
There will be rebellion in the Millennial
Kingdom (Isa. 65:20; Zech. 14:18-19; Rev.
 20:7-10; etc.), thus the need for a divine watch
to protect His vineyard.

1. v.4 -- "There is no wrath with Me" -- against Israel

for failure to produce fruit (cf. Isa. 5:7; Lk. 13).
"Should find thorn-bushes and briers (in it), I
would fight them (i.e. rebels) and burn them
altogether." Messiah will deal directly with a rod
of iron against rebels during the Millennial
Kingdom (Ps. 2;Zech. 14:18-19).

1. v.5 -- A rebel can, however, make peace with

Messiah. Even a rebel may repent and receive
mercy and forgiveness, as during the Church Age.

b) Jacob will be purified through chastisement (27:7-11)

1. v.7 -- The idea: Has God smitten him (Israel) as He

has smitten (divine action) Israel's smiter (The on
who has done something to harm the vineyard?)
The answer is no! Messiah will not smite His
vineyard in wrath, though He is faithful to smite
the one who smites or seeks to harm Israel.

2. v.8 -- In the day of the Babylonian Captivity (586

B.C.), God entered into contention with Israel
and judged her. He removed her with His fierce
blast as the hot east wind strikes from the oven-
like Syrian desert.
Idea: In the same measure as He once judged
Israel, now He will bless her.
3. v.9 -- Jacob's sin (up to 586 B.C.) was purged through
long, bitter centuries of judgment. god used this long,
bitter experience in a purgative manner for Israel -- a
refining period. Israel learned to abandon its idolatrous
system.
But even though Israel was learning,

3. v.10 -- The judgment still involved desolation. That was

one of the hard facts Israel had to accept.
Some interpret v.1011 as referring to Israel's
conquerors. (cf. Archer, p. 628)
Better to relate this to Israel. In its period of desolation,
the God who is punishing Israel can show her no favor.

c) Jehovah will regather the exiles (27:12-13)

 1. v.12 -- But now a brilliant flash of hope.
In that future day, the Lord shall winnow His corn from
the flood of the river (Euphrates) to the torrent of Egypt
(the Nile). Ruth 2:17; Jdg. 6:11. The 2 rivers are simply
boundaries. God works between these to thresh His
people. Israel will be gathered one by one.

1. v.13 -- The trumpet is blown to summon Israel back to

the land. This is the trumpet of Matt. 24:31, and not the
trumpet of    Thess. 4:16 and I Cor. 15:52. Nor is it any
trumpet of the Book of Rev. (ch. 11, etc.).

F. True Deliverance is not found in Egypt but in the Lord (ch. 28-35)
Prophecies of imminent judgment and ultimate blessing.
In this section Isaiah presents warnings of judgment upon Judah and the
utter futility of depending upon Egypt. He also gives further
announcements of punishment on Judah's enemies and speaks of great
ultimate blessing for Judah. A series of six woes are delivered in ch. 28-
33, so that this section has been called the book of woes.

cf. ISBE, ifi, 1500 for fine synthesis of these woes.

1. woe to drunken, scoffing politicians (ch. 28)
2. woe to formalists in religion (29:1-14)
3. woe to those who hide their plans from God (29:15-24)
4. woe to the pro-Egyptian party (ch. 30)
5. woe to those who trust in horses and chariots (ch. 31)
6. woe to Assyria (ch. 33)

The Lord's purpose (ch. 28-29)

a) Samaria ripe for judgment (ch. 28)

(1) The woe against Israel (28:1-13)

Leaders of Samaria (Northern Kingdom) are characterized as
"drunkards" (v.1). This includes priests and prophets (v.7). They are
puffed up in their glory now, like a flower on a high place overlooking a
luscious valley (v.1). But as they continue to guzzle their vine, their
glory is a fading one (v.4). The Lord will send judgment which will
destroy them just as a fierce onslaught of hail from the sky beats a
flower to a pulp--or just as lashing sheets of rain during a storm
overwhelm (v.2).

a. v.4 -- The glory of these drunkards is compared to the early fig

of Palestine, which ripens in June and is quickly picked and
eaten as a rarity. (regular fig season comes later--Aug. or Nov.).
The meaning is that the Assyrian enemy will be just as avid and
 quick to destroy Samaria. Assyria will pick the Northern
Kingdom off like ripe figs

a. v.5 -- After Samaria's destruction, the godly remnant will look

upon the Lord, delighting in His presence as their sweetest
privilege and finest honor.

a. v.7-8 -- Picture of the revolting debauchery of intoxicated

religious leaders who have lost the power of discernment.

b. v. 9-11 -- Interpretations:

i. Erdman (69): The religious leaders"insolently mock the

prophet as one who is fitted only to teach babes. His
tiresome
repetitions of warnings and rebukes are like
lessons to infants.
Archer (628): The pro-Assyrian party sneered and
scoffed at Isaiah's warnings as "Sunday School
moralizings" fitting only for infants and just "kid stuff' to
grown men who are trained in the fine art of practical
policies.

i. W.E. Vine, Isaiah, p. 72-73:

The questions asked in verse 9 are a remonstrance against the
self-satisfied, self-righteous, ungodly people of Judah and
especially their priests and prophets. Instead of being superior in
knowledge and attainment, as they imagined they were, they were
in reality like tiny children who must be taught the very elements
of knowledge. Just as with children, precept must be upon
precept, line upon line, etc.
God has such a hard time getting through to these leaders that it
is like trying to teach children. They can take in so little!

e. v.11 -- Since Samaria's people had spurned God's message through Isaiah,
a man of their own tongue, God would judge them by sending in the
Assyrians. These invaders, who spoke in a tongue which the Israelites
considered barbaric and stammering, would be hard to follow as they
spoke. But Israel would understand the point -- JUDGMENT!

f. v.12 -- God offered them rest, but they refused to listen.

(2) The warning to Judah (28:14-29)

(a) v.14 -- Jerusalem should learn from what happens to

Samaria. yet Jerusalem's leaders made alliance with Egypt (death) and
Assyria (hell) and kidded themselves along in a false security. They
 imagined their city would be safe when the foreign army passed through
(v. 15). Their reffige was in lies, their hiding place falsehood, or
diplomatic intrigues (v.1 Sb). True believers were to rely for deliverance
on the Lord and His sure foundation, Christ (v.16), in contrast to the
foundation which would be swept away (v.17). Those trusting in the
"covenant with death" (agreement with Egypt and Assyria which would
lead to death) would be trampled down (v.18). Isaiah pleads with the
people to cease from scoffing at God's warning lest the judgment be
more severe (v.22).

(b) v.23-28 -- Isaiah's point in this parable is that if

Judah will quit scoffing (v.22), Jehovah's judgment will be less
severe. He will not go on judging forever, but only for a time as it
is necessary.

i. v.24, 28 -- Isaiah is the Lord's farm land and threshing

floor. His chastisements and punishments are the harrow
and the plowshare. But He will not keep on using these
indefinitely, any more than a farmer will continue
plowing indefinitely. The farmer must finish plowing so
that he can sow his grain (v.24).

ii. v.25 -- "fitches" means "nutmeg flowers"

"cunimin" -- a seed which is crushed and used in
meat pots.

i. v.28 -- "Is bread corn crushed?" Oh no, he does not go on

threshing it forever, and drive the wheel of his cart and
the hooves of his horses over it. He does not crush it
(Delitzsch, Isa. II, p. 15)
Most commentaries are vague on this verse.

b) The sin of Jerusalem and the reason for her judgment (29:1-24)

(1) The war against Jerusalem (29:1-12)

a. v.1-4 -- Jerusalem is addressed under the mystical title of"Ariel,"

and the Lord pronounces the coming siege and humbling of the
city into the very dust (v.1-4). 6--- The destruction will occur
suddenly (v.5), with features including thunder, an earthquake,
great noise, devouring fire, etc. (v.6)

b. v.9-12 -- Judicial blindness is to come upon Jerusalem's

inhabitants, so that prophetic vision will be like a sealed book
which they cannot open or a book they cannot read. The reason
for the blindness is traced to the people themselves.
 (2) The why of judgment (29:13-24)

(a) v.13-14 -- their hypocritical insincerity or sham

b. v.15-16 -- their indifference to truth -- reversal of knowledge, or "turning

truth upside down"
For example: they carried on intrigues with allies such as Egypt and Assyria
against God's will and flippantly shrugged Him off as though, He had not seen
them do it (v.15). And they were like a vessel of clay which would say in
disrespect for its maker, "He hath no understanding." (v. 16b)

b. Interlude on grace (29:17-24) -- The Lord gives a promise of fixture mercy and
blessing in the land.

(i) v.17 -- Where the scourge of judgment had

desolated the land, there would be fruitfulness.

(ii) The deaf shall hear and the blind shall see.
Interpretations:

a. Refers to Gentiles who were in heathen darkness outside the

privileges of Israel but would see and hear the revelation which
was inaccessible before (Alexander, I, 468)

b. Refers to Israel when brought to repentance at 2nd Advent (Vine,

7677; Kelly, 241). But it can include Gentiles also, for they will
share in the Millennial Kingdom.

c. Why not see a fulfillment in the 1st Advent?

Because in v.20, "the terrible one" (violent one) is at an end.
There are many violent in Israel in the time of Christ and the
apostles, and today. The violent have not been brought to an end.
"The scoffer ceaseth" has not been fulfilled yet either.

(iii) v.23 -- Link with Zech. 14, where, in the

Millennial Kingdom, Israel will sanctify the name of the Lord.

2. The Judean Alliance with Egypt (30:1--31: 9)

a) To trust in Egypt is to be deceived (30:1-33)

(1) Involvement with Egypt (30:1-14)

Israel, rather than seeking counsel from the Lord, sought to
bolster its defenses by a protective alliance with Egypt. But
Egypt would turn out to be of no profit (v.5).
 a. v.1 -- KJV "cover with a covering" mat be
translated, "that weave an alliance." (Vine, 77;
Delitzsch, II, 26).

b. v.4 -- Isaiah pictures Israel's princes (diplomats)

arriving in Zoan and Hanes, two chief cities of Egypt.

c. v.6 -- Their asses and camels are laden with

treasures to buy the aid of the pharaoh.

d. v.7 -- Yet, after all these diplomatic attempts by Israel,

Egypt will prove to be of no help. For this reason, God
calls Egypt "Rahab that sitteth still." The idea could be
that Egypt is a Rahab, for Rahab had helped Israel in
Josh. 2. Yet Egypt as a Rahab will sit still and do nothing
to really help Israel.
The name "Rahab" here means "insolent arrogance" or
"boasting." It is used to denote Egypt in other passages
also (Isa. 51:9; Ps. 87:4; 89:11) and appears also in Job
26:12 with the sense of a sea monster. Egypt is an
arrogant, boastful people, yet a people that sit still and do
nothing when Israel need help.
a. v.8-14 -- Isaiah is told to write in a book, for the record,
that Israel had depended upon Egypt (v.8). It would be a
witness or reminder of the fact that Israel would not hear
God's counsel (v.9). The people asked the prophets to
speak things they liked to hear, rather than a word of truth
from God which would convict and burn (v.10). Since
Israel chose to trust in perverseness, the enemy within
would finally destroy the nation (v.12-14). Israel would
collapse like a high wall which bulges out from within and
then suddenly crashes.

(2) Interlude on grace (30:15-26)

This promise of future restoration and blessing looks to the Millennial
Kingdom following the 2nd advent. How does it show this?

a. v.26 -- Light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and there will be
a sevenfold light of the sun.

b. v.22 -- Throwing idols away, as in Zech. 13:lff.

c. v.28 -- The nations are involved in God's judgment.

Assyria a problem (v.31). In light of the time-setting of the prophecy,
which is related to the tribulation and Millennial Kingdom, the name here:
 i. Could be a historical device to depict a future enemy of Israel
which will be smitten by the Lord.

ii. or it could mean that Assyria will actually reemerge as a national

power, as in Isa. 11.

(3) Indignation against Assyria and Egypt (30:27-33)

a. This section depicts God's hot blast of indignation upon nations (v.28).

b. v.33 -- "Tophet" -- Historically, Tophet was a place in the Valley of

Hinnom just outside the SW corner of Jerusalem. Here, infant children
were burned in sacrifice to Moloch, with special furnaces used (2 Kings
23:10). Later, the site was used for the deposit of the refuse filth of
Jerusalem. Perpetual fires were maintained to burn the garbage. The
Jews came to call the place of future torment by the name of this awful
place, Tophet.
Here Isaiah uses the site of Tophet as a vivid illustration of a place
divinely prepared for a king's judgment. Tophet could have been used as a
poetical description of the temporal death of Assyria's king, or in this
context reaching on to the future, it may signify the place of eternal
torment.
"king" of v.33 is a reference to the Assyrian leader of v.31

b) The Lord will protect Jerusalem (31:1-9)

1. v.1 -- a further woe is announced against those who trust in an

alliance with Egypt but do not seek the Lord.

2. v.2-3 -- God will consume both Egypt and Israel. He will

defend Jerusalem like a lion (v.4) and like birds hovering
(v.5).

3. v.6 -- Invitation is given to Israel to turn back to the Lord.

4. v.8 -- Amazing prophecy of Assyrian's fall, not by the sword of

man. It refers to the sudden, direct stroke of God against
Sennacherib's hosts during a single night in 701 B.C. (Isa. 7).
The army camped outside Jerusalem was whittled down by
185,000 soldiers and the surviving troops took this as a bad
omen and retreated all the way back to Nineveh.

5. v.8b. -- "young men shall be discomfited. "(KJV)

a. Could mean they became tributary to a superior, a

Hebrew word means here.
 b. Some say the word MAM is derived from MAHMAN,
"to melt." Soldiers melted with fear.

3. The sureness of coming salvation (32:1 -- 33:24)

Ch. 32, 35 -- picture of the Millennial Kingdom blessing. Why?
1. Isaiah often does this -- speaks of future glorious kingdom
blessing in the ultimate day.
2. Other Old Testament passages predict such a blessed kingdom in the
future, when Israel will be regathered and will be in the land under
Messiah's reign of righteousness and peace (Jer. 23; 32:40; Ezek. 34,
36, 37, 39, 43; Amos 9; Micah 4-5; Zeph. 3; Joel 3; Zech. 14).
3. Gospel passages look forward to Messiah's kingdom (Lk.
19:12; 21:31)
4. Acts 1:5-7, 3:19-21 and 15:13-18 look forward to the future
kingdom.
5. Romans 11 foresees a future in which Israel in contrast to
Gentiles shall be saved.
6. Rev. 20 speaks of a thousand year period.

Some say 35:1-2 speak of man's state of regeneracy -- his

fruitfulness, glory, and peace in a spiritual sense. Archer,
Wycliffe, 633:
"The blossoming of desert vegetation symbolizes the inward change that
takes place in the redeemed soul. Instead of and fruitlessness and
spiritual death comes the fair bloom of newly blossoming faith and
the more matured grandeur of the cedars of Lebanon..
Best to take this as literal: Sharon actually will blossom in this way (Isa.
65:10). Sharon was the coastal plain between Joppa and Mt. Carmel.
In ancient times it was famous for its fertility, lush pasture land and
beauty (I Chr. 27:29; Song of Solomon 2:1)
v.5-6 -- Matt. 11:5 shows that Christ, as the King, gave a foretaste of
this in His 1st Advent. He displayed the power of His kingdom to an
extent. But this will be true on a greater plane in the future kingdom.
v.8 -- highway of holiness -- link with 11:16

a. True blessedness will come (ch. 32)

b. God's kingdom will be established (ch. 33)

4. God's sovereignty shown in salvation and judgment (ch. 34-5)

a) Judgment on the nations (ch. 34)

1. Against the nations as a whole (v. 1-4)

2. Against land of Edom (v.5-17)

 3. Are animals really animals, or are they people? Best to say
animals in v,6-7:

a. Animals are presented all the way through the

chapter inverses like 11, 13, 14, 15. It is most
consistent with the context to interpret them as
literal animals in v.6-7.

a. There are unmistakable references to people in the same

context -- that is, a contrast between people and animals.
Isa. seems to be speaking about

i. People (v.1, 5)

ii. Nations (v.2)

(iii) Nobles and princes (v.12)

b) The final Messianic blessing (ch. 35)

II. HISTORICAL CONNECTING LINK (CR. 36--39)

A. Invasion of Judah by Assyria (ch. 36--37)

Coming of Assyrians -- cf. 2 Kings 18: 13--19:37. The same

text, line for line.
Sennacherib in 701 B.C. took the fenced cities of Judah--pierced
their defenses as though they were cardboard (v.13). Hezekiah, in
panic, sent messengers to Sennacherib to tell him Judah was in the
dust before him and would pay whatever he named to put off his
attack. Hezekiah gave him all the silver and gold in the Temple
(v.15-16). But Sennacherib broke his agreement after receiving
the treasures in Lachish and sent his army on to threaten
Jerusalem (v.17). Then Rab-shakeh, commander of the troops,
bellows Out his challenge to the Jews on the wall and the chiefs
of state who came out to talk with him (v.18-37). The chiefs
reported to Hezekiah and, in deep desperation, he sent to Isaiah
for counsel. Isaiah assured the king that the Assyrian troops would
withdraw. They did withdraw but later returned and Rab-shakeh
sent messengers to bellow forth his defiant challenge against
Hezekiah and his God. (2 Kings 19:9-13).

2. Dependence of Hezekiah on the Lord (36:21--37:20).

Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord in the temple and
prayed (v.1419). Then Israel sent word to Hezekiah that God
heard his prayer.
 2. Defense of Judah by the Lord (37:21-38)
Angel of the Lord shaved off 185,000 soldiers in one night
(v.35). After this, Sennacherib pulled out (v.36). He did not
invade Judah again. In 681 B.C., his two sons murdered him in
the house of his god (v.37).

B. Increase in Hezekiah' s life (38:1-22)

Scene opens with Hezekiah suffering from sickness and Isaiah telling
him to prepare for death. He prays for extension of life and God gives
15 years (0) plus protection against Assyria (v.6). The sign that God
will do this is turning back the shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz.

C. Imprudence of Hezekiah (39)

His rashness (v. 1-2)

2. God's rebuke (v.3-8)

I. HISTORICAL CONNECTING LINK (CH. 36--39)

A. Invasion of Judah by Assyria (ch. 36--37)

Coming of Assyrians -- cf. 2 Kings 18:13--19:37. The same

text, line for line.
Sennacherib in 701 B.C. took the fenced Cities of Judah--pierced
their defenses as though they were Cardboard (v.13). Hezekiah, in
panic, sent messengers to Sennacherib to tell him Judah was in the
dust before him and would pay whatever he named to put off his
attack. Hezekiah gave him all the silver and gold in the Temple
(v.15-16). But Sennacherib broke his agreement after receiving
the treasures in Lachish and sent his army on to threaten
Jerusalem (v.17). Then Rab-shakeh, commander of the troops,
bellows out his challenge to the Jews on the wall and the chiefs of
state who came out to talk with him (v.18-37). The chiefs reported
to Hezekiah and, in deep desperation, he sent to Isaiah for
counsel. Isaiah assured the king that the Assyrian troops would
withdraw. They did withdraw but later returned and Rab-shakeh
sent messengers to bellow forth his defiant challenge against
Hezekiah and his God. (2 Kings 19:9-13).

2. Dependence of Hezekiah on the Lord (36:21--3 7:20).

Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord in the temple and
prayed (v.1419). Then Israel sent word to Hezekiah that God
heard his prayer.

3, Defense of Judah by the Lord (37:21-38)

 Angel of the Lord shaved off 185,000 soldiers in one night
(v.35). After this, Sennacherib pulled out (v.36). He did not
invade Judah again. In 681 B.C., his two sons murdered him in
the house of his god (v.37).

A. Increase in Hezekiah' s life (38:1-22)

Scene opens with Hezekiah suffering from sickness and Isaiah telling
him to prepare for death. He prays for extension of life and God gives
15 years (v.5) plus protection against Assyria (v.6). The sign that God
will do this is turning back the shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz,

A. Imprudence of

Hezekiah

B. (39) His rashness (v

1-2)

C. God's rebuke (v.3-

8)

II. MESSAGES OF COMFORT TO ISRAEL (40:1--66:24)

A. Comfort in the Promise of Restoration (40:1--48-22)

2

The theme (40:1-2)

a. v.1 -- Comfort my people -- It is the prophet's task to comfort. Mx

people -- Israel. God may chasten but He has not abandoned Israel. My
God -- the God of Israel.

b. Verse 2

1. Warfare on Jerusalem -- a result of sin -- God's warning

fulfilled.

2. The debt is paid -- looking forward to Calvary.

3. She has received double.. . a full measure of punishment has

been received.

2. The power of Jehovah, the Deliverer (40:3-31)

Trustful waiting upon God should be the attitude of Israel. (cf. v.26b, 27, 31)
 v.3 -- John the Baptist
Like the courier who runs before a king to prepare a way
for him: a highway or path for the king.

2. The promise of Jehovah (41:1--48:22)

The Lord Himself is Israel's pledge, in contrast to idols which cannot
deliver.

a) Jehovah will raise Cyrus as His tool (41:1-9)

1. The Lord is sovereign over nations (41:1-4)

2. The Lord is superior to idols as an object of confidence

(41-.5-29)

(a) The Lord has chosen Israel and He will help her
(41:5-20)

i. v.10 -- Israel's primary interest. Principle

applies today.

ii. v.11-12 -- Those nations opposing Israel will

fall.

(a) Assyria (612 B.C.)

b. Babylon (539 b.c)

c. Persia (331 B.C.)

(iii) v.15-16 -- Mountains and hills = proud

nations and kingdoms

(b) The Lord can predict future events (41:21-29)

Jehovah will send His servant (42:1-9)

Jehovah is mighty against His enemies (42:10-13) Jehovah will shame those

who trust in idols (42:14-25) Jehovah's deliverance through Cyrus (43:1--

45:25)

1. The Lord will restore Israel (43:1-7)

2. The Lord alone is God (43:8-13) (note: v.10, 11)

3. The Lord will defeat Babylon the oppressor of Israel (43:14-21)

4. The Lord will blot out Israel's sin (43:22-28) (v.25)

5. The Lord will bestow Messianic blessings (44:1-8)

6. The Lord pictures the futility of idolatry (44:9-20)

7. The Lord claims ownership of Israel (44:21-22)

8. The Lord shows that all nature should praise Him for His redemption of
Israel (44:23)

9. The Lord has made all things (44:24-28)

1. The Lord has chosen Cyrus as His instrument to help Israel (45:1-7)

(a) Cyrus is anointed to deliver Israel from Babylon.

b. The Lord is anointed to deliver Israel from her sin. Notice: 45:7

"In what sense does the Lord create evil?"

Heb. "rah" (Ps. 23:4 -- evil) Calamity, distress,
desolation.
* opposite of peace
Isa. 13-23 speaks ofjudgment (Jer. 29:11)
The Hebrew word can mean moral evil; must
tell from context.

11. The Lord will finally restore heaven and earth to

harmony with His righteousness (45:8)

12. The Lord is a potter with a right to do as he wishes with

His vessels (45:9-13)

13. The Lord will be recognized by the nations as the only

God (45-14)

14. The Lord will keep Israel from shame and confusion
forever (45:15-17)

15. The Lord will bring down every knee to Himself (45:18-
25)

f) The weakness of Babylon's gods and the fall of Babylon (46:1--

47:15)
 1. The Lord shows that Babylonian idols cannot bear
Israel's burdens but He can (46:1-7)

2. The Lord will fiulfihl all His purposes toward Israel (46:8-
13)

3. The Lord will punish Babylon (47:1-15)

S) Jehovah's prediction of Israel's deliverance (48:1-22)

1. The Lord, and not idols, commanded Israel's

chastisement (48:1-11)

2. The Lord loves Israel and will continue to leader (48:12-

19) (v. 16, 17: trinity)

3. The Lord has proven His faithfulness to Israel in the

past (48:20-22)

B. Comfort in the Promise of the Messiah (49--59)

1. The Messiah's commission and work (49:1-26)

a) His call and universal work (49:1-6)

These verses refer to Christ, a deliverer infinitely greater than
Cyrus.

b) The exaltation of Israel over Kings (49:7)

c) The establishment of Israel (49:8-13)

1. Thus said the Lord

2. in an acceptable time

3. in a day of salvation

4. fulfill in Millennial Kingdom

d) The complaint of Israel (49:14)

e) The counsel of the Lord (49:15-26)

1. His relationship with Israel (49:15-18) He

will not forsake or forget

(2) His restoration of Israel (49:19-26)

 v.22 -- a place for the Gentiles.
Note: "thus saith the Lord" (49:7, 8, 22, 25; 50:1) and the phrase
"but Zion said" (49:14). Isaiah is contrasting the gracious
compassion of the Lord with the gloomy complaint of the
presently forsaken Israel, as though to certify and assure future
faithfulness.
Captive Israel is oppressed with the conclusion that the Lord
has forsaken and forgotten her. In response, the Lord seeks to
encourage the down-trodden exiles with counsel about His
relationship with them, His restoration of them, His reason for
the present punishment and the response He expects from them
in light of the counsel.

2. The Messiah's humiliation and steadfastness (50:1-11)

a) His reason for Israel's punishment (50:1-3)

God has not forgotten Israel at all. On the contrary, He remembers her,
but he has sold her into captivity because of her sin. Since
Israelis not there because of God's slackness but because of her
sin, she should stop blaming God for her predicament (50:2).

b) The response He expects in light of the counsel (50:4-11)

Isaiah's own response of committal to the Lord illustrates the response he
expects from the entire nation: faith despite seeming forsakeness. (note v.6)

The Messiah's challenge to Israel (51:1--59)

The Lord continues His counsel but now He changes His approach. Now He
challenges Israel to ACTION in view of the great Messianic blessings He will bring.
Note: the exhortations (51:1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 17,21;52:1, 11, 13;54:1,4; 55:1, 6; 56:1)
He challenges Israel to:

a) Trust in the power of the Lord (51:1-23)

1. As shown by His past call (51:1-2)

2. As shown by His prospective comfort (51:3-11)

3. As shown by His powerful creation (51:12-16)

4. As shown by His pledged care (51:17-23)

b) To purify Jerusalem (52:1-12)

The Kingdom Age Jerusalem
Isaiah now prophetically portrays the remnant of Israel from an idealistic
future standpoint as they reflect back on the work of the Messiah.
Just as Israel's righteous ones must pass through sufferings to glory in the
kingdom, the Messiah Himself must endure suffering before He picks up His
 scepter. His cross must precede the crown. Golgotha must come before glory.
His route to exaltation is the path of humiliation.

C) Isaiah 53 -- gives meaning to the New Testament

It explains Psalm 52 and the Messianic hope of Israel.

1. God created Adam and he fell.

2. A child was born and Cain killed Abel.

3. Noah the preacher of righteousness became drunk.

4. The Gentile world proved itself a failure at Babel.

5. Abraham obtained a seed in unbelief.

6. Isaac lied as his father and failed.

7. Jacob lead a life of deceit and failed God.

8. Samson the last judge was a failure.

9. Zedekiah the last king of Judah.

But at last Isa. 7:14 -- Behold a virgin shall conceive--the Last Adam was no failure. It
is finished.
The Passion and Preeminence of Messiah (52:13-53:12)
(The speakers are those of the redeemed Jewish remnant beholding the One whom they pierced then
He returns in glory at the 2nd. Adv. to institute the Messianic kingdom which Israel rejected at the 1st
Adv.)
a. The unprecedented altitude of Messiah (52:13-15) (L

At the very commencement and then at the consummation of this remarkable prophecy,
Isaiah pictures Messiah the Servant atop the mountain peak of exaltation and glory. We see His
altitude. But in between these mountain summits of glorious splendor as an exalted One, lies
the Grand Canyon of shame and suffering.

(1) The reason for His exaltation (52:13a)

Behold' This snaps the reader to attention like the sharp bark of a commanding officer
or the bold, black banner streaming across the front page of the Los Angeles Times. It is
God's bugle blast calling Israel to sit up and take notice. It is a signal for them to become
'tall ears" to hear and "all eyes" to see.
Notice:
Behold my Servant (here and Zech. 3:8)
Behold the Man (Zech. 6:12)
 Behold thy King cometh (Zech. 9:9)
Behold your God (Isa. 40:9)
This introduces us to 2 reasons for His exaltation:

a. His calling - My Servant.

b. His credentials - dealt wisely.
From root shagal: "to act circumspectly or wisely, to prosper,
to have success." (BDB, 968). Primarily it means to deal
wisely,but secondarily it means to be successful.

Both ideas are involved, here.

Objection: Messiah did not actually have success in His 1st Adv., for He was
despised, disregarded, and disbelieved (53:1-3).
Answer: In the div. viewpoint Messiah dealt wisely. Despite the fact that He
suffered at the hands of rejecting men, His work resulted in the highest success possible in
the universe. The final part of this verse (52:13) tells of His exaltation which crowned a life
of sufferings and a death of the most horrible woe. In 53:10-11, there is success in that the
Father makes unqualified acceptation of His work. In 53:12, we read of the unparalleled
award of Messiah.

Thus He has dealt wisely with the consequences that He has success.
(2) The range of His exaltation

(52:13b) Three verbs

describe it. (a) He has

risen.-

b. He Yias been lifted up - form can be qal imperfect or niphal perfect.

It is better to take it as niphal, thus it would signify either a reflexive or a passive idea.
The passive is intended here, "He has been lifted up" rather than He lifted Himself."
(The Father lifts Him up)
b. He Is exalted -- used of one who is the recipient of dignity and honor (Job
36:7). Meod (adj.) added: "exalted very high.
c.
Thus the range of His exaltation. An unprecedented altitude. Stier (cf. Delitzsch, II,) is not
wrong in recalling to mind the three principal steps of the exaltation of Christ in the historical
fulfillment--namely, the resurrection, the ascension and the sitting dawn at the right hand of
God.
(3) The route of His exaltation (52:14)
Amazing change here. After presenting in vivid brush strokes the exaltation of Messiah
to a place very high, the writer suddenly stoops down to picture the lowest, deepest
degradation. Our eyes, as they behold the spectacle, now fall from the lofty mountain top of
glory to the very lowest crevice of gore. We are transplanted in a flash frcn splendor to
suffering, from wonder to woe.
J. Young explains:
"M we look upon these sufferings, we might easily forget, since they are so severe,
 that they are not to destroy the Servant. We might easily think that He would be
overcome by them, and so forget that ultimately He would triumph and be exalted on
high. Hence, we need verse thirteen and its comforting message of the ultimate glory of
the Servant so that when, through the words of the prophet, we consider the woes that
came upon the Servant, we do not forget that death could not hold Him." (Isa. Fifty-
Three, P. 13)

It is as though Isaiah is saying: "The picture which I must give you of Messiah's suffering
is so horrifying that you will not be able to stand its staggering impact. So, before the part
that will make your heart ache, I will speak of the part that will make it sing."
Nov, what is the route of His exaltation? ()

He fed an emotional reaction (14a)

Isaiah employs a sicut (just as) which matches with sic (so) of llft and 15a. Meaning:
Isaiah has just described Messiah's unprecedented altitude. Now, he emphasizes that 'just
ass' this exaltation was the highest exaltation possible, "so" (in direct contrast) the
degradation (thru which He had to go) was the deepest degradation possible. Or vice
versa.
This degradation that was so low Included two things: an emotional. reaction He had
to face, and a physical ruination He had to undergo.

The emotional reaction.The route which led to Messiah's exaltation

was one along which He met mentho had adverse emotional
reactions in
looking at Him. (on the cross).
The verb shamaam means "to be desolated, to be emptied (as
a city
s emptied of inhabitants In war time), or to be emptied of
emotion
David Baron (The Servant of
Jeh. 60) suggests that it means
"petrified
by paralyzing astonishment." Perhaps we could
express it by our Eng.
"n
on
-p
lu
se
d.
"idea, Men were non-plused when they
saw Christ on the
cross. They were not attracted, but were repelled.
has
the idea that they were so repulsed by His horrible appearance as He
suffered that they could not fathom how He could claim to be
Messiah.
H v (b) He faced physical ruination (14b-c)

iN "So his facial appearance was distorted more than man

and Is
bodily form from the sons of man (Adamites)."
) t
As to his facial appearance:
Messiah's
facial appearance as He suffered has the root meaning, "to be
married,
spoiled, ruined," Delitzsch believes that the meaning h
j distortion--a distortion that destroys all likeness to a man (p. 301).

A distinction is made in the verse between His facial ruination and

- the ruination of His form.

(4) The results of His exaltation (52-15)

2 results: He could sprinkle nations and silence kings.

(a) He sprinkled many nations (15a)

The word has been interpreted in 3 ways.

4. -- "scatter" a metaphor to compare nations to
spurting drops ofwater. He defeats them. (Skinner, Isaiah, 135)
--"to spring up crstartlet' - thus designates individuals spring or
leaping up bee. of strong emotion. (Delitzsch)
--"to sprinkle" -- best view (Baron)
1. Outside of Isa. 52, Isa. uses the word only in 63:3, and there it
definitely means "sprinkle."
2. The word is used to describe the priests sprinkling blood
with the finger before the vail, or on the side of the altar, or
on the mercy seat, on the occasion of the sin offering (Lev.
4:6, 17; 5:9;
16:14,15,19).
Idea: Messiah's work in humiliation and degradation enabled Him to
sprinkle many nations with the cleansing blood of His cross as Col. 1:20
clearly states.
(b) He silenced kings (15b)
Text actually reads: "At Him kings have shut their

mouths!" "Sot" emphasizes a tremendous contrast: to

 14a.
"Just as many were non-plused at Him during His degradation, so (in the
same unprecedented measure by contrast) kings shut their mouths at Him in
His exaltations They are spellbound by His greatness. He becomes the center
of attraction.

Out of all classes of people on earth who could be used as an illustration,

kings are chosen. This is the most potent illustration. If kings will be silenced by
Him, so will all others of less authority.

In that great day when Messiah is recognized as the exalted One,

when He picks up His k1gdom sceptre to rule over all the earth, the
mightiest monarchs among men will experience lock-jaw!

What they see and hear concerning this One will completely silence any
claim they themselves might make to the thrones of earth. Seized by awe, they
will acknowledge Him as "king of kings and lord of lords" (cf. Rev. 19:16).
They will render to Him the dominion which is unquestionably His by right.
The causal clauses in 15b introduce two reasons or causes for the
silencing of kings. First, they are silenced 'because that which has not been
related to them (pual perf. from saphar) they have now seen. Second, that
which they have not heard (qal perf. fr. shamah) they have now understood.
While these kings, and also all those below them in the scale of power did not
grasp the significance of Messiah's work while He was in humiliation, they get
the point after His exaltatiaa. While this may be true to some extent even
during the present Church Age, it will be particularly and ultimately true in its
fullest sense only in the future second advent time.
b. The unthinking attitude toward Messiah (53:1-

3). (1) His message was disbelieved (v. 1)

The tenses of the two verbs in 53:1 are perfects, the future
being regarded prophetically as already past.

Two questions are asked to accentuate the unbelief of Israel.

"report" can be translated "news." (I Sam. 2:2; 4:19; Prov. 15:30;

25:25; Isa. 37:7; Jer. 51:46; Ezek. 7:26).
the days when the Messiah cce unto His own there were no Associated
Press, United Press, or World News Service. There was no Huntley and Brinkley
program, no Lowell Thomas. But there were news headlines which would have been
splashed across the front pages of the Jerusalem Morning News had there been one.
The news about Messiah was banner headline news worth bold, black type. But had
there existed a newspaper to chronicle the daily events of the Mediterranean world of
the first century, the blazing, tumultuous pageant of Rome's mighty lesions and
paganism's dissolute rites would have stolen top priority. The odyssey of a curious
Galilean who claimed to be Messiah to the Jews would probably have been shoved
Into a back-page corner as a"filler." Even then, most Jews who spotted the brief article
would have sneered as theylead the fantastic assertions. He would have been even
more so the song of the drunkards as they revelled in fiendish glee in tavern darkness
(Ps. 69:12).
5
The news of Messiah didn't gain many believers. The emphasis of the
Interrogative pronoun "whop is upon the stark reality of unbelief.

The summary: The future Jewish remnant can only marvel as it looks beck upon the
unbelief in Messiah at His first advent. They had missed His message bee. of their
defective ideas. They had expected a Sovereign on a throne but never a Saviour on a tree.
They had anticipated a King in the dazzle of glory but never a Kinsman in the darkness of
Golgotha. They had pictured One of majesty and splendor but never One of misery and
shame. Let their Messiah mount a crest of glory but never a Calvary of griefs Their hope
was placed in a monarch, not a martyr. They waited to acclaim one who would be mighty
and lofty, not one who was meek and lowly.
(2) The Messiah was disregarded (v. 2)

Ise. now compares Messiah's slow, silent, obscure growth to two other growths. Messiah grew
up as a tender twig before the Father and as a root out of an and land.

Contrast the "tender plant" or "tender twig" here with the "shoot" of Ise. 11:1. Here, the Heb.
word (yonaak) means a tender twig upon a tree
1 or trunk. In Ise. 11, ho-tere refers to a strong, vigorous shoot springing out of the root of the decayed
house of David. The difference seems to be:

Ise. 11 -- the scene is of Messiah in His kingly aspect, AS a Sovereign on His way to the throne; in
Ise. 53, the scene Is of Messiah in His kingsnian aspect as the Sufferer on His way to the tree. The Ise. 11
word stresses His regal work, the Ise. 53 word His redemptive work. Even Isaiah speaks of the crown
and the cross.

Messiah is disregarded by me (2b) ( 7'

(3) Messiah was despised (v. 3)

Twice the verse states that He was despised.

"Hid" -" the words are better rendered,, and he was despised as one from
whom we hid our faces so that we did not value Him. (The
inseparable pre-position introduces the comparison, He was despised as . .

The root idea of"hid" is "to hide) to covers" The picture may be that of a leper whose
appearance Is sickening and repulsive. Men who happen upon him recoil with borrow and throw
up their hands to cover their eyes from the awful sight. Those who looked at Messiah suffered the
same reaction.

Not a dear lamb but a despicable leper, He looked not as though His habitation was the
loftiest heaven but the lowliest gutter. This Is a picture of His disfigurement after suffering the pre-
cross agonies of the Roman torture chambers. This is an enlargement of 5214 which emphasized
his facial and bodily appearance as distorted more than any man. The scene is after the severe
beating and lashing when the merciless soldiers made of Rim a human punching bag and
whipping target.
No wonder F. B. Meyer could write, with vocabulary so inadequate:

"0 King of suffering and sorrow, Monarch of the marred facet none
has ever approached thee in the extremity of thy grief; we bow the knee and
bid thee 'All hail.' We are conquered by thy tears and woes; our hearts are
 enthralled; our souls inspired; our lives surrendered to thy disposal for the
execution of purposes which cost thee so dear." (Christ in Isaiah, Expositions
of Isa. XL--LV, p. 162)
c. The unutterable agony of Messiah (53:4-6)
(1) He was carrying the sorrows of men (53:4)

a. Hisselflessidentification (Li-a)
Identification is emphasized by the Hebrew meaning: our very
own griefs." It was our sorrows that He was carrying. He identified
Himself with us

"He" is emphatic too. Even though the 3rd person singular is in the
verb (borne), and is unnecessary, the pronoun 'he is also added. Thus a
strong einp. upon"He". (He and nobody else).
a. Theirsnobbishsupposition (Li-b)

The Jews had the effrontery to suppose that He was suffering so

severely as a divine chastisement for His own outrageous sins. They
thought He was paying for His sin, getting His just desserts.

The word yet (waw) is adversative, showing strong contrast. It should

be translated 'but." The contrast is: Messiah was carrying their sorrows,
but they supposed He was being punished for His sin.

(2) He was crucified for the sins of men (53:5..6)

ft t
While the second line of verse L. gives the Israelites' supposition at
Messiah's 1stAdv., vv. 5-8 give the Jewish remnant's realization at
Messiah's 2nd adv. (It is true this time). In that future day, the
remnant looks back in retrospection and sees the whole picture as it
was.
v. 5 -- 2 wds. for sin: rebellion against a superior and rookedness, distortion,
perversion."
-
the    punishment that evantuated in peace to us was upon
-
/
Problem: Pentecostals say that 53:4 is the physical aspect of the atonement and 53:5
is the spiritual aspect.
1. They use Matt. 8:17 -- Context shows Christ healed the sick in a physical
sense. Then it says that these were healed"that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken through Isa. ... Himself took our infirmities and bore our
diseases."
Pentecostals ignore the Matt. 8 context and say that this
was fulfilled in Christ's suffering on the cross, because in His
will and foreknowledge He had already paid the debt." (D.
Danerf1eld, Homely Talks on Divine Healing, p. 29).

But the verse means that Isa 53:4.a was physically

fulfilled in Matt. 8 (before the cross).
2. I Pet. 2:24 -- by whose stripes ye were healed." (quote of Isa. 53:5).
This verse refers to healing of the soul. It Is spiritual rather than
physical. The 'thealed," by its Greek tense, looks to a past
completed action, not to a present continuation of healing miracles.
Thus, 53:4.a refers toc! healing (as Matt. 8:17 clarifies specifically), and
53:5 carries the thought on to a greater healing, spiritual healing (as I
Pet. 224 clarifies). Therefore the passages do not support

Actually, Isa. 53:4.a refers to the ministry of Christ in taking to

Himself the sorrows and pains of men when He healed those who
came to Him for physical relief or remedy. Matt. 8:17 interprets it as
referring to His pre-cross ministry.
Isa. 53:4b represents a movement fOrward In the sweep of thought.
Though Christ had healed physically (borne griefs and sorrows),
when He later came to His cross to be smitten, the Jewish people
officially turned upon Him and forgot His past deeds, thus evaluating
His suffering as a divine punishment for His sin! Then, verse 5 shows
the truth about His death, the realization of Israelites at the 2nd Adv.
that the 1st Adv. Israelite idea was wrong.

Is There Healing in the atonement?

See Robert L. Saucy, The King's Business, Sept., 1963, pp. 25-27.
"Is it God's purpose to provide healing for our bodies today even
as He provides forgiveness of sins? If so, the writers of the epistles,
who are our chief source for the explanation of the gospel, are strongly
silent. Never is healing made a part of the gospel, are strongly silent.
Never is healing made a part of the gospel (cf. I Cor. 15:3-4), nor do
any of the epistles ever make reference to the healing ministry of
Christ. Their message is a salvation fran the guilt and penalty of sin and
a power to overcome the present indwelling sin until the time when the
believer Is absolutely conformed to Christ at His coming (I John 3:2).
Salvation is complete and sure for the total man, body and spirit but is
not yet fully realized. ...The plan is not for healing, but a resurrection
body. The body is presently in a state of death because of sin (Rom.
8:10). While our 'inward man, (the spiritual nature) is renewed day by
day the 'outward man' (the physical nature) is perishing (2 Cor. 4.:16)
The body is not yet redeemed, leaving the believer in a state of
groaning with the rest of the creation (Horn. 8:23). That the apostle
Paul knew nothing of a present healing in the atonement Is clearly seen
in his actions. Trophimus he left sick at Mi.letuin (2 Tim. 4:20), while
to Timothy he recommended the use of wine for his stomach Infirmity
(I Tim. 5;23). The apostle even describes an affliction
NO
of his own as ' a thorn in the flesh I and an 'infirmity' (it should be
noted that the word for infirmity used in the cases of Timothy an
Paul is the same as that translated infirmities in Matthew 8:17). In
none of these instances connected with the actions of the apostle is
there any indication of a lack of faith to account for a failure of
miraculous healing.
 "Unless the Lord returns during the life of the believer, death,
which Is the ultimate of physical infirmity, will be the portion of each.
Thus while it is true that bodily health is in the atonement, it is never
promised for this life but is to be received through the resurrection for the
life of eternity in the presence of God (Rev. 21:4)."

v. 6 -- Emphasizes both the (1) universality and the (2) individuality of

manes sinfulness. It also shows the cooperation of the Godhead (Father
and son here) (3) Thirdly, it stresses the doctrine of substitutionary
atonement for sin.

-frDr Ironside said he preached 60 years and couldn't exhaust this verse
"To me verse six is the most wonderful text in the Bible. I have
been trying to preach for sixty years and that is the first text I ever
preached on. I was just a boy fourteen years old, and out on the street
in Los Angeles with the Salvation Army, I started speaking on that
verse, meaning to take five minutes, but a half-hour later the
L captain leaned over and said, Boy, we should have been in the hall
twenty minutes ago. You'll have to tell us the rest some other time.'
\I have been trying to tell the rest all through the years since, but Is
a text I never get beyond." (The Prophet Isaiah, p. 301).
. 7 -- The silence of Messiah. Yet there were 7 famous sayings from the
L cross as He hung there. How reconcile these thoughts? He also
spoke to the high priestand to Pilate
Answer: The reference, undoubtedly, is not to silence in the sense of
- not saying anything. instead, He was silent in the sense that He didn't openHis
mouth to defend Himself in hope of escaping the suffering.

Fact that a male sheep is depicted as going to the slaughter but a ewe
to the shearers may possibly be explained in light of Palestinian custom.
Male sheep were slaughtered but ewes were kept and sheared and used to build up the flock.
d. The Unique Appointment of Messiah (53:9)
"AM His crave was appointed with the wicked but the
rich men in His death."
9
Messiah was allotted, a grave with the wicked. (the criminals). Jewish rulers would have
given Messiah the same 1nominous burial as the two thieves. Instead, however, God so moved
that the body was turned over to Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57), who laid it in the tomb in his
own garden. Thus the Father's beloved. Son received the unique appointment of a special
sepulchre.

e. The unqualified acceptation of Messiahs work (53:10-11)

The seed." seen by the Father could well be the spiritual progeny which the Messiah had
begotten with the travail of His soul.

The prolongation of days is possible by resurrection. God did not suffer him to see
corruption. Ps. 16:10.
 The pleasure of Jehovah which prospers in Messiahs hand looks at the success of His mission
in its fullest scope: Messiah shall yet fulfill all the divine purposes with regard to the Davidic
kingdom and its glories.

e. The unparalleled award of Messiah (53:12)

The Father Himself ("I") allotted. Messiah a portion among the many (this includes both
His own nation and many other nations, 52:15).

He divides spoil with the strong. Baron suggests that the strong may be those whom
John envisions as the "armies of heaven in Rev. 19:14. They follow in the train of Christ
as He rides forth in glorious splendor to conquer (Baron, 137).

Men receive great awards for famous achievements. This, however, is the greatest awards

Summary of Isa. 52:13--53:12:

Messiah was to be both a Kinsman suffering on a tree and a King sovereign on a throne. The
way to His exaltation brought Him down to degradation. He must redeem before He can reign. He
must have saved ones before He has subjects. Thus we have a portrait of the Suffering Servant: His
altitude'man's attitude, His agony, His appointment, the Fathers acceptation, and His award. We can
only cry with Rev. 111,
"Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honor and power!"
4. Trust in the pledge of the Lord (54:1-17)
Summary: God will take Israel to wife and her future will be glorious.

a) A wife in three stages

1. A wife, but barren--led to Babylonian captivity

2. A wife, barren and without a husband--The Lord was

severed relations with Israel.

3. Future Israel--wife of Jehovah, more (?) than the past.

Spoken in light of prophecy.

b) v. 1 -- Israel, barren--no longer as servant, but as wife.

(1) The one now desolate will ultimately have more children
than Israel as a married wife.

C) v. 2 -- Enlarging to make room for growth; v. 3 -- Glorious

enlarged future.

d. vv. 5-7 -- Israel forsaken for a time. Desolate period.

e. vv. 7-8 -- Taken back (cf. Isa. 62:4-6; Hosea 2:19-20) as a wife
again.
 Galatians 4:27 -- Paul quotes Isa. 54:1 to illustrate truth--those who
respond to God in (?) are children of Abraham and thus they participate
in blessings of the New Covenant--ultimate realization of Abrahamic
Covenant.
God pledged Himself to realize Israel's condition
Children of promise--by faith (Gal. 4)--contrast Sarah and Israel,
both barren.

d. v. 10 -- Literal time when mountains will remove--cf. Zech. 14--at the

end of the Millennium there will be a renovation: New Heaven and
New Earth (Matt. 24:3 5)

e. vv. 11-13 -- Beauty of Israel's future. Other promises (Haggai 2:69; Isa.
60--6 1; smaller Matt. 2 gifts brought, ultimate still future)

f. v. 14 -- Kingdom of peace

d. v. 15 -- Can be rebellion, but God not responsible--He will defeat all

rebels and protect Israel

j) v. 17 -- Zech. 3:12 -- True salvation by faith, only saved Israel will

stand.

5. The Pardon of the Lord--the offer of free salvation (Chapter 55)

a) A figurative Language (v. 1)

1. Literal -- wine, etc. (Joel 2:19-24)

2. Metaphorical -- Scriptural language to picture spiritual

blessing (Eph. 5:18)

b) Waters = refer on to Holy Spirit (Isa. 44:3; John 7.38) Could refer
to Word of God (Ps. 1)

c) vv, 10-11 -- Heaven-Earth compare: "so shall my word be" like rain
from Heaven

d) Millennium nourishing aspect (I Pet. 2:2-3) of God's word. (I Cor.

3:2-3; Heb. 5:11-14; cf. 60:16--riches of Gentiles providing for
Israel)

e) vv. 2-3 -- Attitude of receptivity to receive blessing. (cf Acts 13:34

quoted 55:3--Christ fulfills sure mercy. Also Jeremiah 31:31-34;
Heb. 8:5-13) New Covenant!
 f) v. 5 -- Gentiles blessed from Israel (Zech. 8:20-23)

g) v. 6 -- Heaven and Earth comparison--to show how God will

prosper Israel in the future.

h) v.13 -- Actual reference to end of curse in Genesis. Two-pronged

reference: Spiritual and Physical!

6. To include Gentile in their blessing (56,1-8)

Chapter 56: Promise to particular groups

a) Issues a challenge to obey God--salvation is very near.

(1) Obey--the coming of their salvation is near.

(a) v. 7 -- burnt offering

v. 8 -- reference to Israelites living on earth at the time
of the regathering--thus burnt offering.
10

Language here does not require resurrected saints to take

part in offering.

(2) v.1 -- Historical context -- live righteous life now--basis of

future promise.

b) Meaning of passage:

1. General--announcement of blessing (vv. 1-2)

2. Specific--application (vv. 3-8)

(a) Anxiety of 2 groups (v. 3) May fear missed blessing)

i. Strangers and eunuchs (Deut. 14:1; 23:1)

ii. Both groups are assured they can qualify--faith.

(b) Assurance of 2 groups (vv. 4-8)

i. vv. 4-5 -- eunuchs

ii. vv. 6-8 -- foreigners

7. To the believer there will be peace for the righteous (56:9--57:21)

 There is a shift from blessing to judgment
Beasts literal:
59:9-13 -- failure of Israel's leaders
56:9 -- beasts = nations
Israelites are called dogs
v. 10 -- Israel's leaders indicted as dogs and false shepherds.
Fail as watchdogs, not warning nation
vv. 11-12 -- fill their own stomachs; shepherds who fail to understand.
v. 12 --example of false security.

a. Chapter 57 -- v.1 -- no sensitivity to righteousness and the

consequence of evil. When good men die, they are removed from
judgment to fall on nation. Israel's leaders are ignoring God's word.

b. v. 2 -- Righteous man will have peace (Ps. 37:37)

Contrast wicked (no peace) with righteous (peace)
Righteous

ii) Rev. 20-21 gives sequence:

a. 20:1-6 -- Millennium (Isa. 66:23-24)
b. 20:7-9 -- Satan's rebellion after millennium
c. 20:10 -- Satan cast into lake of fire
d. 20:11-15 -- Great white throne.
5. II Pet. 3:10 -- Content shows Peter had in mind something which would occur
at the 2ndcoming and not at some remotely future time.
a. Day of the Lord -- Long time; Tribulation--Millennium-- New
Heavens and New Earth (Rev. 20:10; 21:1; 11 Pet. 3:10)
b. Relevance to Peter's readers--reference to ultimate does not
preclude any intervening events.
6. Since the Messianic Kingdom is to be eternal a destruction of the heaven and
earth woulddisrupt the continuity of it. (Dan. 2:44; 7:18)
a. Answer: Such a destruction would not destroy the eternal aspect of the
Millennial Kingdom. Necessary work of God would not really interfere
with eternal aspect of kingdom.
b. It will be necessary for God to effect some changes to prepare man
and his abode for the transition for the millennium to the eternal state.
c. Old Testament prophecies show clear distinction between millennium
and eternal state.
Millennium

Eternal State
there is a sea (Zech. 14:8; Ez. 47-48; Isa. 11:9- 11) sin is still present
(Isa. 65:20; Zech. 14:17-19; Ez. 45:20) death (Isa. 65:20; Rev, 20:8-
10) sorrow (Zech. 14; Rev. 20:9) temple (Isa. 56:7; Ez. 40-46)
sacrifices (Isa. 56:7; Ez. 44-45) city of 47 sq. mi. (Ez. 40-48) night
and morning (Ez. 40-48) partial removal of the curse (Isa. 65:20)
there is no sea (Rev. 21:1) there is no sin (Rev. 21:27)

no death (Rev. 21:3-4)

no sorrow (Rev. 21:4)
no temple (Rev. 21:22)
no sacrifices (no death)
city of 1,342 sq. mi. (Rev. 21:15-17)
no night (Rev. 21:25; 22:4)
complete removal of the curse (Rev. 22:3)

Illustration: Dallas library--pass books from Old Library to New.

8. The Lord will defeat Babylon the oppressor of Israel (43:14-21)

9. The Lord blots out Israel's sins (43:22-28)

8. The Lord will bestow Messianic blessings (44:1-8)

9. The Lord pictures the futility of idolatry (44:9-20)

10. The Lord claims ownership of Israel (44:21-22)

11. The Lord shows that all nature should praise Him for His redemption of
Israel (44:23)

12. The Lord has made all things (44:24-28)

13. The Lord has chosen Cyrus as His instrument to help Israel (45:1-7)

14. The Lord will finally restore heaven and earth to harmony with His
righteousness (45:8)

15. The Lord is as a potter with the right to do as He wills with His vessels (45:9-
13)

16. The Lord will be recognized by the nations as the only God (45:14)

17. The Lord will keep Israel from shame and confusion forever (45:15-17)

18. The Lord will bring down every knee to Himself (45:18-25)

19. The Lord shows that Babylonian idols cannot bear Israel's burdens, but that
He can (46:1-7)

20. The Lord will fulfill all of His purposes toward Israel (46:813)
21. The Lord will punish Babylon (47:1-15)

22. The Lord, and not idols, commanded Israel's chastisement (48:1-11)

25. The Lord loves Israel and will continue to lead

her (48:1219)

26. The Lord has proven His faithfulness to

Israel in the past (48:20-22)

II. COMFORT IN THE PROPHECY OF MESSIAH (49:1--59:21)

A. His Call and Universal Work (49:1-6)

B. His Certification of Afflicted Israel (49:7--50: 11)

Note the recurring phrase "Thus saith the Lord" (49:7, 8, 22; 50:1) and
the "But Zion said" (49:14). Isaiah seems to be contrasting the
gracious compassion of the Lord with the gloomy complaint of
presently forsaken Israel, as though to certify and assure of future
faithfulness.

The exaltation of Israel over kings (49:7)

2. The establishment of Israel (49:8-13)

3. The encouragement of Israel (49:14--50: 11)

Captive Israelis oppressed with the conclusion that the Lord
has forsaken and forgotten her. In response, the Lord seeks to
encourage the downtrodden exiles with counsel about His
relationship with them, His restoration of them, His reason for
the present punishment and the response He expects from them
in light of the counsel.

a. The complaint of Israel (49:14)

b. The counsel of the Lord (49:15--50: 11)

1. His relationship with them (49:15-18)

2. His restoration of them (49:19-26)

3. His reason for the punishment (50:1-3)

God has not forgotten Israel at all (49:14). To the
contrary, He remembers her, but He has sold her
into captivity because of her sin. Since Israel is
not there because of His slackness but because of
 her sin, she should stop blaming God for the
predicament or implying that He is too weak to
save her from her troubles (50:2).

1. The response He expects in light of the counsel

(50:4-11)
N.

Isaiah's own response of committal to the Lord illustrates

the response He expects from the entire nation: faith
despite seeming forsakeness, committal despite calamity,
The Lord will vindicate His own (v.8). The enemies, who
now hold the upper hand, will wear out like a garment
(v.9)!

C. His Challenge to Afflicted Israel (51:1--59:21)

The Lord continues His counsel but the new division is justified at this point
because there is a change in approach. Now the Lord challenges Israel to
action in view of the great Messianic blessings He will bring. Note the many
sharp exhortations (51:1,2,4,6,7,9, 17, 21; 52:1, 11, 13; 54:1,4; 55:1,6; 56:1
etc.). He challenges Israel to confidence in view of

The power of the Lord (51:1-23)

a. As shown by His past call (51:1-2)

b. As shown by His prospective comfort (512:3-11)

c. As shown by His powerful creation and claim (51:12-16)

d. As shown by His pledged care (51:17-23)

2. The purification of Jerusalem (52:1-12)

3. The passion and preeminence of Messiah (52:13-53:12)

Isaiah prophetically portrays the remnant of Israel from an idealistic
future standpoint as they reflect back upon the work of Messiah. Just as
Israel's righteous ones must pass through sufferings to glory in the
kingdom, the Messiah Himself must endure suffering before He picks up
His scepter. His cross must precede His crown. Golgotha must come
before glory. His route to exaltation is the path of humiliation.

a) The unprecedented altitude of Messiah (52:13-15)

1. The reason for His exaltation (52:13a)

 2. The range of His exaltation (52-.13b)

3. The route of His exaltation (52:14)

4. The results of His exaltation (52:15)

b) The unthinking attitude toward Messiah (53:1-3)

c. The unutterable agony of Messiah (53:4-8)

d. The unique appointment of Messiah (53:9)

e. The unqualified acceptance of Messiah's work (53:10-11)

f. The unparalleled award of Messiah (53:12)

g. The pledge of the Lord (54:1-17)

h. The pardon of the Lord (55:1-13)

i. The promise to particular groups (56:1-8)

j. The peace for the righteous (56:9--57:21)

The contrast in this section is between the unrighteous whose
idols will not deliver them (57:13) and the righteous whose God
will give them the land (v.13) and peace (vJ9).

c. The penetration of sin into national life (58:1--59:21)

The section closes with a picture of the Lord's coming in
vengeance to execute requital on the unrighteous and
redemption for those who turn to Him.

COMFORT IN THE PICTURE OF MESSIANIC GLORY (60:1--66:24)

A. The Restoration of Israel (60:1-22)

1. The preeminence of Israel among the nations (60:1-18)

2. The presence of God as Israel's Light (60:19-22)

B. The Reassurance to Israel (61:1--62:12)

L The purpose of the Lord inHis comings (61:1-11)

a. His first coming--to herald good tidings (61:1-2a)

b. His second coming--to honor Israel (61:2b- 11)

 2. The pledge of the Lord (62:1-12)

C. The Review of Wrath (63:1-6)

10

From an idealistic standpoint, the prophet looks back upon the wrath as though
it had already come.

D. The Recounting of the Lord's Love (63:7-14)

E. The Request for Mercy (63:15--64:12)

1. The consternation of Israel (63:15-19)

2. The concern for the Lord's glory (64:1-3)

3. The confession of Israel's guilt (64:4-7)

4. The cry for the Lord's mercy (64:8-12)

F. The Response for the Lord (65:1--66:24)

The remainder of the book is a closing response of the Lord to Israel's request
for mercy.

1. The case against Israel (65:1-7)

2. The contrast in destinies--righteous and unrighteous (65:8-16)

3. The creation of new heavens and earth (65:17-25)

a. The creation itself (65:17)

b. The conditions in Jerusalem (65:18-25)

1. Rejoicing (65:18-19)

2. Longer life (65:20)

3. Building and planting (65:21-22a)

4. Security against calamity (65:22b-23)

5. Answers to prayer (65:24)

6. Removal of animal ferocities (65:25)

 4. The conclusion

a) The condition for blessing (66:1-2)

b. The condemnation of the unrighteous (66:3-6)

c. The consolation of the righteous (66:7-24)