Cominus :: Cominus Papers :: Book Of Isaiah By Chapter 2003

Book Of Isaiah By Chapter 2003

Category: Bible Studies

The original outline study (1998-1999) is available at this link. This document is the outlined, footnoted version of Isaiah by Chapter(1999). To view the expanded, narrative version (2008) click here

The Book of Isaiah is divided into five sections:

1) First Section: Chapters 1-12 / The Ultimate Rule of Christ

a) Summary of the first section of the Book of Isaiah

2) Second Section: Chapters 13-26 / The Destruction of the Nations

3) Third Section: Chapters 27-35 / Preparation for Christ's Rule and Comparison to the World's System

4) Fourth Section: Chapters 36-39 / Interlude: The Faith and Fall of King Hezekiah

5) Fifth Section: Chapters 40 - 66 / God's Chosen People, the Tension Between God's Plan and Mans' Fall and God's Ultimate Dominion

Theme of the Book:

God owns the nations and they will be judged for their rebellion (beginning with His own people). Christ will rule in righteousness and justice.[1]

First Section: Chapters 1-12 - The Ultimate Rule of Christ

Theme of first section: The rebellion and destruction of His chosen people; the remnant, the destruction of man's pride and the ultimate rule of Christ, culminating in a song of praise to God. (Essentially, the first twelve chapters are the nut of the Book; the following chapters expand on the theme).

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Chapter 1:

The vision (singular) Isaiah saw during the reigns (plural) of four kings.

The heavens and the earth are called to witness, the children (Israel) chosen by God, raised by Him, have rebelled against Him.

Rebellion carries consequences (desolation, cities burned, assets stripped). "Why should you be beaten anymore?" If God had not left a remnant, Israel would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah (gone).
The motions of religion are meaningless and tiresome to God. He desires obedience, justice, end of oppression and defending the weak. "Come now, let us reason together." Willing and obedient --> eat the fruit of the land. Resist and rebel --> devoured by sword.

The once faithful city has become a whore. Murderers dwell where the righteous once dwelt. Their produce (commerce) has become worthless (perverted), leaders are rebels looking for bribes, justice is trampled.

But God will get relief from His foes. He will purge Israel's dross and remove impurities. Zion will be redeemed with justice, the repentant with righteousness but those who forsake the Lord will perish. Evildoers will be ashamed; they and their evil deeds will burn together.[2]

Chapter 2:

This is what Isaiah saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem...

In the last days Christ will rule from Jerusalem. The nations will stream to His temple to learn His ways. He will settle disputes among nations and tools of production will replace tools of war. "Come, O house of Jacob, Let us walk in the light of the Lord."
God has [Isaiah's present tense] abandoned His people, the house of Jacob: they have become like the pagan nations around them; they have accumulated wealth; and they bow down to the works of their hands. On the day of the Lord, the pride of man will be brought low and "the Lord alone will be exalted in that day."
God has a day in store: all the proud and exalted among man and things will be brought low and humbled. "The Lord alone will be exalted in that day." The idols will disappear. Men will flee to caves and throw their idols of silver and gold, which they made to worship, to the rats. They will flee "from dread of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. . . stop trusting in man. . . of what account is he?"[3]

Chapter 3 & 4:

[Because Israel, or Jerusalem and Judah, have refused to return to the Lord; because "your guides lead you astray" (v12)] God is about to remove supply and support. All supplies of food and water and all the men of valor, those who rendered counsel, those of leadership and skilled in their trades will be removed.

Boys will be their officials, children [immature] will govern them. [See v 12: "Youths oppress My people, women rule over them."] The culture of death will prevail, people will thrive on oppression: youth against the old, the pervert against what is honorable.
There will be such a lack of leadership and wisdom and poverty so prevalent that a man will be called to lead merely for having a heavy coat.
Jerusalem and Judah stagger and fall because they speak against God and refuse to obey Him. They defy His glorious presence, or remove all evidence of His law and His provision from public debate [prayer in school, creation, Ten Commandments]. They parade their sin and don't hide it [out of the closet]. "Woe to them! They have brought this disaster upon themselves."
Nonetheless, it will be well with the righteous, they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.

The Lord will judge the people and He takes His place in court.

He judges the elders and leaders [religious and secular rulers] for ruining the Lord's vineyard by plundering the poor and oppressing [taxes and regulations] His people.
Even the women have become deceived by the nation's sin and have become haughty, confident in their beauty and adornment. they flirt in their dress, the walk and their look. In that day (the day of captivity and judgment), God will remove their finery. Stench will replace perfume, baldness for hair, sackcloth for clothes, branding for beauty. The men will fall by the sword and they will look for a man to take away their disgrace.
In that day, it will be glorious for the remnant that trusted in the Lord. He will wash away their filth. He will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and fire. Over Mount Zion and those who gather there, He will create a shelter and shade from the heat of day and a refuge from storm and rain.[4]

Chapter 5:

Interlude: The Song of the Vineyard

The song explains how God placed His vineyard (Israel v7) on a good land; He cultivated and gave them the best opportunity to produce good fruit; and He secured them but they yielded only bad fruit.
He asks Jerusalem and Judah to judge between Him and the vineyard.
He will take away their protection and make Israel a wasteland because He looked for justice but found bloodshed; He looked for righteousness but heard cries of distress.

Seven Woes:

Woe to those who monopolize real estate "till no space is left." Their land will produce little.
Woe to those who spend their time in party and drink. They have no regard for the Lord and what He has done (creation, provision and history). Therefore, a) They will go into exile; b) The grave enlarges its appetite. Man will be brought low and God will be exalted.
Woe to those "who draw sin along with cords of deceit." They argue that God would complete His work if He cared or if He existed.
Woe to those "who call evil good and good evil."
Woe to those "who are wise in their own eyes."
Woe to those "who are champions at drinking wine." These are the leaders who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deny justice to the innocent (or, KJV: "take away the righteousness of the righteous"). "Their roots will decay" (they have no foundation). "They have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel."
Number seven will come later.***

Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away. Therefore, God will send distant lands to destroy the nation.

Isaiah will continue this thought in chapter nine, verse eight (9:8). There will be four (4) more "Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away" one more "woe" against Israel (the seventh woe) and a "woe" against Assyria, the rod of the Lord's anger. Right now, he's taking an intermission to reveal the vision where he received his commission, his conversation with King Ahaz, prophecy of Assyrian conquest against Israel and prophecy of the Christ child, second coming and millennial reign. Even though he changes the subject here, if you will, the basic theme of Israel and Judah's rejection of God, His judgment and His grace to the remnant still continues.

Chapter 6:

Another vision:

In the year King Uzziah died (a Godly king). Might have been mentioned here because Isaiah was mourning the loss and might have been at a point where he wondered how the nation could go on when such a Godly ruler was departed. Uzziah had rebuilt the defenses of Judah and was a Godly example at a time when Israel was morally and militarily going to the dogs. Who would lead the people in the ways of the Lord now? The vision would answer that God is more than sufficient to fill any gap a man may leave behind.
"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.'"
Then Isaiah realized he was ruined for he was a mere man with unclean lips standing before God. With the figure of a live coal, God atoned for Isaiah's sin. Then God called out looking for one to bring His message to the nation. Isaiah offers himself, "Here am I. Send me!"

Isaiah's commission:

Though God will make the hearts of the people calloused, their ears dull and their eyes closed. Yet Isaiah is commissioned to preach God's warnings until the nation is destroyed.
But God is gracious and promises to leave a remnant.[5]

Chapter 7:

The sign of the birth of Christ: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son." The sign is given to Ahaz (King of Judah) when he refused to ask God for a sign, though prompted by God to do so.

The context in which the sign was given was God's response to the news that Israel had allied itself with Aram (Syria) against Judah. Though shaken by the news of such impossible odds, God reminds the nation of Judah that these enemies are nothing in His sight and the plot to ruin Judah will not take place. Thus, He prompts Ahaz to ask for a sign.
Although God spares the people this disaster of the moment, He promises the curse of the Assyrian will come. Judah will be conquered and humiliated.
God is gracious: He promises though the people exiled and the land deserted and overcome by thorns and briers, yet a remnant will remain and will prosper under God's care. Probably as a sign of this promise, when God instructed Isaiah to meet with Ahaz and give him God's message of deliverance, he was told to take with him his son, Shear-Jashub. Shear?Jashub means "a remnant will return."[6]

Chapter 8:

Isaiah is to have another son and he writes the name of his son on a scroll. God tells Isaiah to have Urriah the priest and Zechariah (not the same as the prophet) witness the document. The name of the son will be Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, which means "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil," the promise of destruction. Before the boy is able to say, "my father" or "my mother," Assyria will plunder the wealth of Israel and Aram (remember the alliance in chapter seven).

God speaks again: Israel rejected the rest and provision given by God ("the gently flowing waters of Shiloah") and subscribed to the pomp and grandeur of the two kings (probably the promise of wealth without work, the reason for war against Judah). Because they rejected the "the gently flowing waters," God will send against them "the mighty floodwaters," the king of Assyria. They planned to plunder but will be plundered and the brilliant strategy of the two kings will be thwarted. No plan will stand against God.

A word about conspiracies: God warned Isaiah against following the way of the people and viewing everything as a conspiracy.[7]

Don't call everything a conspiracy. Don't fear and don't dread what man sets out to do. Don't trust in man, trust in God; He is our fear and our dread. Isaiah explains later it is abhorrent to consult mediums instead of God. "Should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on the behalf of the living?" Check the Law and the Scriptures: if they do not speak according to the Word of God, they have no light of dawn (truth, promise of hope).
The Lord Almighty is the only One to fear and the only One to dread. He will be a "stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall" to those who trust in man. Instead of dread, "bind up the testimony and seal up the law." Wait for the Lord and trust in Him.
Those who trust in man and see only conspiracies have no light. Everything they look at is only "distress and darkness and fearful gloom and they will be thrust into outer darkness."

Isaiah affirms that he and his sons are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty.[8]

Chapter 9:

Nevertheless, Christ will come (as He did) and remove the gloom. He will bring light to the distressed (Israel) and hope to the Gentiles. Isaiah sings a song of hope:

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." This was fulfilled with Christ (Mat 4:15).
"You have enlarged the nation." Through Christ, God reveals Himself to all men.
"You have shattered the yoke that burdens them." We are now free in Christ Who provides salvation for all men.
"Every warrior's boot. . . will be destined for burning." Tyranny will end.
"For unto us a child is born." Christ will (has) come.
"The government will be on His shoulders. . . of the increase of His government there will be no end." He will rule in peace and power, forever.
"The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Amen.

***Now, Isaiah continues the conversation he left off at the end of chapter five (5):

God's anger is not subsided. Although He has brought destruction and distress upon the nation, the people have not returned to Him, the rulers lead the people astray and they arrogantly believe they will restore their nation to something greater than it was before. ("The bricks have fallen down but we will rebuild with dressed stone.")

Wickedness burns like a fire but God's wrath will scorch the land. As pressure heats up "no one will spare his brother." Regulation will increase (affirmed also in 10:1); people will oppress each other.

Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away. Three times in this chapter:

v 12: God strengthens Israel's enemies against her.
v 17: God shows no pity on His people.
v 21: Regulation and oppression increase and the people feed off each other yet remain hungry.[9]
We will look at these three a little closer in chapter ten where God issues this "yet" statement one more time.

Chapter 10:

The seventh woe (continued from chapter five) and the fourth "Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away." Which is a summary of the previous three.

Woe to those who make unjust laws . . . issue oppressive decrees.

They deprive the poor of their rights: isn't it amazing that those who champion the cause of the poor with state programs always do so by impoverishing the taxpayer and creating a greater dependency, or slavery, of those they claim to help. One of our most elemental rights is our right to depend upon God, live in obedience to Him and live productive lives. The overweening state robs man of this basic right of self-government.
They withhold justice from the week, failing to defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away: "What will you do on the day of reckoning?"

"When disaster comes from afar." This is a manifest of the first "yet" (9:8-12) where the Israel is determined to rebuild to even greater glory after God tried to get their attention. So He promised to increase their enemies' strength and ambition. 1) Ignoring God in the midst of catastrophe.
"To whom will you run for help?" This is a manifest of the second "yet" (9:13-17) where the rulers mislead the people (toward state power and away from God) and God promised to have no pity when destruction comes. 2) Solving crisis by managing peoples' lives through regulation, which always leads away from God.
"Where will you leave your riches?" This is a manifest of the third "yet" (9:18-21) where they devoured each other for wealth and power. 3) Living life as if personal comfort is the object of existence.
"Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain." Even the wealthy and powerful will find they have nothing to hide behind. When God's judgment comes, empty shells will not protect them. Wickedness burns like a fire but the wrath of God scorches (v 18).

Woe: this time directed to Israel's enemy, Assyria. At that time they were considered the destroyer of nations. God calls them "the rod of My anger," demonstrating that He alone is above all kings and nations and that He directs the hearts of the kings.

He sent Assyria to loot and plunder and trample the people in the mud as discipline against those who had rejected God. But Assyria chose to destroy and put an end to many nations and they treated with contempt the God of Israel as equal to the gods of idols. They arrogantly assumed their power to conquer came from their own strength and wisdom.
God promised to destroy Assyria after he finishes His punishment of Israel and Judah. Once again, He reminds them that they are a tool of God Almighty and the axe does not make plans against the one who swings it. Isaiah predicts that God will send a wasting disease against their soldiers and this prediction came true when Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem. He arrogantly defied the God of Jerusalem and God killed one hundred eighty-five thousand soldiers in their sleep (37:36). As a sidenote, although Assyria destroyed the nation of Israel and most of Judah, God destroyed them before they completed the work and God used Babylon to rend the final destruction of Jerusalem.

After all this promise of destruction, God once again reminds the nation of His promise of a remnant. They will not look to the nations but rely solely upon the Lord.

Only a remnant will return. The people of Israel may be like the sand on the sea shore but only a remnant will return.
Nonetheless, do not fear the Assyrian. God's anger against Israel will end and His wrath will be directed to the destruction of Assyria.
God will destroy the arrogance of man. All the mighty nations will fall.[10]

Chapter 11:

The Christ will come, almost unnoticed and certainly without pomp and ceremony. He is represented as a shoot - a new beginning - from the stump of Jesse (the remnant of a nation that was dispersed throughout the earth and returned, though never to regain true sovereignty - yet).

At His first coming: "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him . . . and He will delight in the fear of the Lord."
At His second coming: He will judge with righteousness and strike the earth with the rod of His mouth. "Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist." Man and animal will live in peace. "They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
In that day (the millennial reign): Christ will reclaim His remnant a second time. The exiles of Israel will return from the four quarters of the earth. Israel and Judah will no longer be jealous of each other but will plunder their enemies. The Lord will dry up the gulf of Egypt and make a highway for His people.

Chapter 12:

A song of praise:

In that day the remnant will praise the Lord because He has turned from His anger and comforted the remnant.
God is my salvation. The Lord is my strength.
Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His name among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for He has done glorious things.
Shout aloud for joy for great is the holy One of Israel among you (present with the nation at the millennial reign).

Summary of the first section of the Book of Isaiah:

The first twelve chapters review the rebellion of the nation of Israel. Because of their rebellion, God promises destruction, yet, He continually promises a remnant. To this point, the Book of Isaiah has been a dissertation on God's coming judgment against Israel and Judah because of their rejection of Him and His law. The pride of the nations has infected His chosen nation but God will cast down all men.

Seven ways that individuals and leaders exhibit their pride and rebellion (seven woes):

Monopolizing real estate (through regulation and confiscation, this is not a condemnation of investments);
Party and drink;
Living in sin as if God will not see nor judge;
Promoting evil as good, and casting disdain upon good;
Declaring their foolishness as wisdom;
Allowing relationships (drinking buddies) to distort justice;
Making unjust laws and issuing oppressive decrees.

Three ways a nation exhibits pride and rebellion (the fourth "yet" which summarizes the first three "yets"):

Ignoring God in the midst of (or when He sends) catastrophe;
Resolving crises with regulations. Managing people's lives (rule upon rule later in the Book) always leads away from God.
Living life as if personal comfort is the object of existence.

Ultimate pride: Taking credit for the strength and wisdom God gives you (eighth woe). Assyria was created to be the rod of the Lord's anger. Yet they believed their power was a result of their own strength and wisdom and they used their power to totally destroy rather than discipline and punish.

Here is the pivotal point of the Book of Isaiah: Assyria is a type of the arrogance of man, the epitome of humanism, the Tower of Babel. A short history of the terror and conquest by Assyria is given and how they will stop when they get to Jerusalem and "shake their fist at the mount of the Daughter of Zion." (And, indeed God stopped the Assyrian at Jerusalem as a sign that He will absolutely destroy the arrogance of man. Nonetheless, because He was not finished with His discipline of Judah, Babylon would later finish the job and take Jerusalem into exile). Mans' pride and kingdoms are represented at the end of the tenth chapter as great trees which God will top and fall. The description of trees is used to represent mans' arrogance because man exalts his own majesty, he displays his power and wealth with pomp and ceremony and he falsely believes, individually and corporately (nationally) that his wealth (and power) will preserve him. Thus ends the tenth chapter with the promise that God will topple mans' pride. Then begins the eleventh chapter (don't miss this point), from what is left of His chosen nation of Judah ("the stump of Jesse"), almost unnoticed and definitely understated, "a shoot will come up." What is this shoot, this new beginning? It is Jesus Christ and the eleventh chapter renders a brief description of what He will do at His first appearance (when He is born a man and walks on the earth) and what He will do when He returns to reign in righteousness and power and restore the nation of His chosen people. This whole theme builds to a crescendos of praise: God's plan is so wonderful and full of awe. "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid . . . make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted." Amen! Amen! Amen!

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Second Section: Chapters 13-26 - The Destruction of the Nations (or, The Second Chapter of Psalms Revisited)

Theme of second section: Prophecies and judgments upon the nations and the proud rulers, especially the enemies of Israel. God will destroy the kingdoms of man and the pride of man will be trampled. Like the first section, this section concludes with a song of praise to God.

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Chapter 13 & 14:

A prophetic vision Isaiah saw: God summons the agents of war.

"Wail, for the day of the Lord is near . . . The day of the Lord is coming . . . to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it." The Lord will punish the world for its wickedness and put an end to the haughty and proud.
The destruction of Babylon by the Medes is a sign and type for the Day of the Lord. The Babylonian Empire was the first of the world kingdoms of man. The barbaric became wealthy, sophisticated and haughty but God summoned the Medes to destroy them (and, once again the barbaric became wealthy, sophisticated and haughty . . . then the third world nations took over the world through the UN and, once again the barbaric became wealthy, sophisticated and haughty).[11]
"Babylon will be overthrown by God. (I will stir up against them the Medes)." As Daniel declares, God alone "changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them." God is in control of all the events of man.[12]

Once again, God will choose Israel. He will have compassion on them and restore them to their land.[13]

Nations will usher them into their land and aliens will join them.
Israel will possess the nations.
"They will makes captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors."

On the day of relief, Israel will deride the king of Babylon with verse:[14]

They rejoice that he has come to his end and his fury is over. "The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression."
The people break into song and even creation rejoices (the trees are glad they are no longer stripped for battlements. See also Romans 8:19-21: The creation groans in expectation of the revealing and restoration of God's chosen).
The grave is astir to meet him and all the kings of the earth (who are there) will be confounded that he is as weak as they are. "You also have become weak, as we are . . . your pomp has been brought down to the grave . . . maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn. [KJV: "Lucifer, son of the morning] You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!"[15]
Man's pride is inherited from Satan's. The first sin was Lucifer's pride and claim to dominion. He was cast down to earth and has passed this sin to man. In fact, his motive is to use man to accomplish his plan to overthrow the Creator of all things. Therefore, the list of Satan's pride and the pride of man is identical:
1. I will ascend to heaven;
2. I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
3. I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly;
4. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
5. I will make myself like the Most High;
But God will cast Satan down "to the depths of the pit," that is, lower than low. People will marvel that this is the one who held so much power; the one who shook the earth, who made the world a desert and destroyed the cities and held firm grasp of his captives. Lucifer will have no tomb but will be covered with the dead bodies of those he slew.
When Satan is destroyed, "the offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again." All his descendants will be slain, never to rise again to cover the earth with their cities.[16]
God will rise up against Babylon. Here Babylon is a type of the kingdom of man and what has happened to her is typical and prophetic of God's plan for mans' pride: her name and survivors will be cut off; her land become a haunt for animals, that is, forgotten by man. "I will sweep her with the broom of destruction."

Prophecy against Assyria (Israel's enemy): Here, God makes clear that He has planned and purposed all things. His purpose vs. mans' arrogance. That tyranny will be crushed is God's ultimate plan for the whole world - and nobody can thwart His plan.[17]

Prophecy against the Philistines (Israel's nemesis): The Philistine will be totally destroyed with no survivors because they gloated over Israel's disasters. Israel, on the other hand, though beset with disaster will have a remnant and the afflicted will have a refuge in Zion (Christ's reign in Jerusalem) because God has established Zion (man cannot shake it).

Chapter 15 & 16:

Prophecy against Moab:[18]

The border towns, their defenses, are ruined. The armed men are weak and hearts are faint.
The fugitives weep and wail as they make their escape but a lion preys upon the fugitives and those remaining in the land.
Israel must harbor the fugitives and give them shelter because the oppressor will come to an end when Christ rules in Zion
We have heard of Moab's pride but no one rejoices in her streets anymore, no one rejoices over the harvest anymore for God has put an end to her shouting and now we take up laments.
This is the Lord's word concerning Moab, within three years her splendor and her people will be trampled and her survivors will be few and feeble.

Chapter 17:

Prophecy against Damascus:

The land of the Arameans (Syrians). Damascus was the city of the king, prosperous and powerful but it will be a heap of ruins. Their strongholds in Moab and Israel will be no more.
1. In that day (1): Damascus' remnant will prosper when Israel is taken captive from her land.
2. In that day (2): Men will turn their eyes to God. "They will not look to their altars, the work of their hands." Why is this verse here? After the king of Assyria defeated Damascus, King Ahaz of Judah presented tribute to him. During his visit, he was impressed by the altar there. He sent drawings to Uriah the priest who constructed the altar. When Ahaz returned, he sacrificed offerings to God on the replica of the pagan altar.
3. In that day (3): The cities overthrown by Israel will remain desolate and abandoned.
"You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress."[19]
1. Therefore, even if you set out the finest plants and imported products, even if you could make them grow and flourish in a single day, yet they will produce nothing (or be worthless) in the day of disease and incurable pain.[20]
2. "Oh the raging of many nations. . ." [see Psalms 2] Even when all the people roar together against the Lord and the sound exceed the noise of surging waters, when rebuked by God, they will flee, "driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale."
3. Terror will befall all those who plunder and loot the nation, or people, of Israel.

Chapter 18:

A prophecy against Cush (Ethiopia): woe to the land of whirring wings.

Ethiopia is identified as the land of locusts. The implication is that they were not that way before God's judgment because they are described as tall and smooth-skinned (healthy and strong), a land that was full of rivers (implicit prosperity), they sent out envoys across the waters and they were a nation feared "far and wide."
The locusts are described as "swift messengers." God uses the natural realm to proclaim His supernatural power - it is a message to us. The messengers carried God's judgment of desolation on the land that largely continues to this day.
Cush's desolation will be as a banner of victory raised on the mountains. The nations will see what God has done in Ethiopia. It is a warning because God will allow the nations to go on living as normal right up to the harvest. That is, the nations will be building wealth up to the point where they believe they can finally reap, or think they have attained. But they will be cut off at that moment and the desolation of Cush is the typology of God's plan for man's wealth.[21]
At that time (millennial reign), the people who are tall and smooth-skinned, the people who were formerly feared far and wide, who were aggressive, will bring their gifts to Lord Almighty Who will reign in Zion.

Chapter 19:

A prophecy against Egypt:

"See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud." Destruction comes swiftly; the idols tremble before the Lord and the hearts of the people melt within them.[22]
Egypt will be torn by civil strife: brother against brother; neighbor against neighbor; city against city; kingdom against kingdom. The people will lose heart and their plans will come to nothing - they will lose their dreams of prosperity and greatness and resort to mediums and astrology for counsel.
Egypt will be handed over to a cruel task master (Assyria).
The waters will dry up, the sown fields along the Nile will be parched, the fishermen will groan and the weavers will despair. Prosperity will come to an end when God dries up the source of their wealth.
Their officials will become fools, they will be deceived and lead their people astray. God has poured out a spirit of dizziness upon them and the nation staggers as a drunkard, dancing in their own vomit.

In that day (the millennial reign), Egypt will be respectful of Judah. The name of Judah will bring terror because the Lord will use His people to discipline Egypt.

In that day (the millennial reign), the five cities (the major cities / the land of Egypt) will speak the language of Israel and swear allegiance to the Lord, including the City of Destruction (City of the Sun / On) [the temple to the sun god, Ra was there].

In that day (the millennial reign), there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt and a monument at its border [this is the land that is full of temples and shrines for false and evil gods, huge and small]. When the Egyptians cry out to God because of their oppressors, He will rescue them and make Himself known to them and they will be healed of their plagues.

In that day (the millennial reign), there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria [most likely pass through Israel - which God placed at the crossroads of the Middle East] and they will worship God together. The Lord will bless them:

Egypt - My people;
Assyria - My handiwork;
Israel - My inheritance.

Chapter 20:

Egypt and Cush, the world's defender against the destruction of the Assyrian, will be carried away in chains. Those who trusted in Egypt and Cush will be in fear put to shame. They cannot escape destruction when the ones they relied on are led away, stripped and barefoot with buttocks bared.

As a sign this will happen, Isaiah is commanded to remove his sackcloth and walk around stripped and barefoot for three years (the sackcloth is a sign of repentant humility; he was in mourning because of the overwhelming prophecies the Lord had given him. It is likely he wore a loincloth in his naked state).[23]

Chapter 21:

A prophecy against Babylon, the Desert by the Sea:[24]

Babylon will be overthrown by the Medes and Persians (Media and Elam). Isaiah is disturbed because of the ruin that will happen. The Babylonians, though besieged, will not be ready. They will be eating and drinking as if there is no threat. In Daniel chapter five is the account of the surprise defeat of the Babylonians. "That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom..." (Dan 5:30).
Isaiah is instructed to post a lookout to receive the word that Babylon is fallen and the answer is not only that Babylon has fallen but that "all the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground." Isaiah passes the news, as instruction, to his people who are oppressed (and have rejected the Lord) that this is the hand of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.

A prophecy against Edom:[25]

The watchman is asked, "What is left of the night?"
He responds, "The morning comes, but also the night."
He adds, "If you need to know, you can check back again." Another translation of the phrase may be, "Consider the day (night) again and again, or often."
The descendants of Esau will be few or none, we won't be hearing from them. They inquired of the Lord but refused to repent.[26]

A prophecy against Arabia (the merchants of Edom):[27]

Within one year of this prophecy, all the pomp and wealth of the merchants of Edom (Arabia) will come to an end. Survivors will be few. "The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken."

Chapter 22:

A prophecy against Jerusalem (a warning to bureaucrats):[28]

The expression, "gone up on the roofs" can imply distress or partying. In this passage it is probably referring to both. As a play on words, the inference is persistent partying will eventually become, or lead to, their distress.
Everyone looks for escape in this town of noise, confusion and partying. So many have died as a consequence of their wild living and there were none so valiant to defend the city. In fact, when trouble came the leaders snuck away, only to be captured without a fight.
Isaiah wants to be left alone to weep bitterly for his people.

The Lord Almighty has a day of judgment for the Valley of Vision. The walls will be battered down.[29] Persia and Moab are set against the city in battle and Judah's defenses are stripped away.

The people of Jerusalem looked to their own weapons, equipment and supply for support in the battle but "did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago."[30]

When the end was finally apparent, the leaders and the people did not repent and humbly cry out to God. Instead, they partied even more because "tomorrow we could die!" It is the responsibility of leaders to remind the people of their responsibilities toward God but most spend their political capital on accumulating power and wealth for themselves. Shebna, the steward of Hezekiah is one such example. In this passage, he is rebuked and it is prophesied that Eliakim, who has a heart for the Lord and compassion for the people, will take his place.

In that day (the millennial reign), the old order of bureaucrats will removed. Thus, the comparison of Shebna and Eliakim is a typology of the difference between worldly bureaucrats and leaders and the bureaucrats that will reign with Christ during the millennial reign.[31]

Chapter 23:

A prophecy against Tyre (a wealthy merchant city in Phoenicia (Lebanon), northwest of the Sea of Galilee):

Tyre is a typology of the proud of the earth. Once considered indestructible, it was reduced to rubble, twice. She would be destroyed and forgotten for seventy years. Then she would be raised up and destroyed again.
The city that was exalted, that exalted itself, whose merchants were princes, who gleaned from the fat of the world's labor, never in labor, never in struggle, who celebrated with constant partying.
Wail merchants of the world (Tarshish), you no longer have a center to trade your goods. Be warned merchant cities (Sidon), your end will be the same.[32]
This is a warning to all the proud, all who exalt themselves on the earth will be brought low. "The LORD Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth. The LORD has stretched out His hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble." [Isaiah 23:9, 11]

Isaiah has just iterated a series of prophecies against Israel's neighbors, her enemies and culminating against the proud of the earth. The next three chapters will logically follow with God's destruction of the whole kingdom of man and the resulting praise and glory to the Lord, which is His due.

Chapter 24:

Destruction of the world, the kingdom of man:

The earth is going to be totally destroyed, its face ruined, the inhabitants scattered. Everything will be plundered and nobody will be exempt.
The proud of the earth, the exalted and the rulers will be discouraged and lose hope.[33]

Why? Because man has defiled the earth!

How has man defiled the earth? By disobeying God's laws, violating His statutes and breaking His covenants (refusing to live under His promises).[34]

The people will bear their guilt. Most will be burned up and few will be left. The wine will dry up and the people won't party anymore. They long for a drink to forget. The city of man is desolate, the houses boarded up. Joy turns to gloom, cheer is banished. Just as in harvest, there will be little of anything left to glean.

But God will be praised and from the ends of the earth, "from the west they acclaim the Lord's majesty, therefore in the east give glory to the Lord." We will hear voices raised in praise to God and they will be singing, "Glory to the Righteous One."[35]

Nonetheless, Isaiah became ill and filled with despair because he saw how the evil [rulers] will betray and he sees a future of terror and how the people will be caught in the trap and even if they flee, they will be caught. Those who escape one trap, will be caught in the next.

The earth is broken and shaken, it sways and reels because the guilt of the rebellion is heavy upon it and it has fallen, never to rise again.[36]

In that day (the millennial reign), the Lord will punish the principalities of the air and their henchmen, the kings of the earth. "They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon." Great and glorious will be the reign of the Lord. The moon will be humiliated and the sun ashamed, compared to the greatness of the glory of the Lord.

Chapter 25 & 26:

Glory and praise to the Lord God Almighty:

"O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." [Isaiah 25:1] The Lord Almighty alone is worthy to be called God. And He has planned all things, the destruction of the rebellious, the rise and fall of nations. Mans' latest technologies and greatest defenses are no match for God. Therefore, even the ruthless will give praise to Him. He has been a refuge for the poor and needy and He silences the oppression of the conqueror.

When the failings and evil of this age are over, The Lord is going to prepare a feast for all people on Mount Zion. From this mountain [His place of rule], He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all people - the curse of sin, decay that leads to death. All the people will praise Him for His salvation.[37]

Christ will rule from Mount Zion and all the surrounding nations that have tried to circumvent His rule and Israel's glory will be trampled "as straw is trampled down in the manure." Despite their clever manipulations [UN resolutions and alliances], Christ will bring them down and lay them low.

In that day (judgment), a song will be sung in the land of Judah:

Our city is strong because God makes His salvation its walls and ramparts.
Open the gates so the faithful may enter.
You will keep in perfect peace, him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever, He is the Rock eternal.
He humbles the great rulers of the world and levels the proud city and allows the oppressed to trample upon it.
He levels the path of the righteous and makes the way smooth.
Your name and renown is our heart's desire, so we wait for You, walking in the way of Your laws.
"When Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness."
Even when You show grace the evil of the world never learn righteousness. They never recognize Your majesty even living among a nation that honors You. The wicked never recognize Your imminent judgment. But let them see Your zeal for Your people. Put the wicked to shame and consume them in Your fire.[38]
"Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished, You have done for us."[39]
We have taken other gods and allowed them to rule over us but You, alone, we do honor. For you have destroyed all gods and removed all memory of them. You have enlarged our borders and gained glory for Yourself.
When your people came to You in distress, they barely had strength to whisper a prayer because Your discipline was heavy. Just as a woman cries out in pain in her childbirth, so to were your people. So great was the pain but they gave birth to nothing. "We have not brought salvation to the earth; we have not given birth to the people of the world."[40]
God will redeem the righteous and they will live again after His wrath has poured out upon the people of the world. He will punish the people of the earth and the earth will no longer hide those who were slain [for their opposition to the world's system and their love for Christ] but their blood will be revealed.

Third Section: Chapters 27-35 - Preparation for Christ's Rule and Comparison to the World's System

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Chapter 27:

God will deliver His people. Israel will be gathered from the nations for Christs rule.

The purpose of the nation of Israel and God makes it clear that He is not through with the nation of Israel but that they will return in power at the millennial reign.

In that day (millennial reign), God will destroy the power of Satan (Leviathan) and his hold on the people of the world.[41]
In that day, Christ will tend His "fruitful vine" (the nation of Israel). He will guard it and her enemies will be as thorns and briers. Let her enemies come and make peace with Christ.
In those days, Israel (Jacob) will take root and prosper and fill the world with prosperity.
Do you think the nation of Israel is no more? Do you believe the Lord has totally abandoned her and is through with her? "Has He struck her as He struck down those who struck her?" NO! God has used warfare and exile to contend with her rebellion, to refine her people. This is how God has chosen to atone the guilt of the nation. He will judge their gods and no altars or monuments will be left standing. The city of the rebellious will be laid waste. For they were a people without understanding, so the One who created them had no compassion and showed them no favor. But in that day, the Lord will gather the nation from exile and the chosen people, who had lost all hope, will come and worship the Lord at the holy mountain in Jerusalem (Mount Zion, where Christ will reign).

Chapter 28:

Why God had to discipline Ephraim (Israel) and the bureaucrats that led her astray.

Woe to the wreath, the land of drunkards whose glorious beauty is become a fading flower. The Lord will use a nation that is powerful and strong, whose force is like a hailstorm, a tornado, a hurricane and a monsoon. Ephraim, the wreath will be trampled underfoot and his beauty will be swallowed up by his enemy like a ripe fig ready for harvest.[42]

In that day (millennial reign), instead of a transitory crown of pride, the Lord will be the crown of Israel, a beautiful wreath. He will promote justice among the rulers and be strength to those who turn back evil at the gate [which is the designed role for rulers and bureaucrats].

Not so now, for the leaders of this age "stagger from wine and reel from beer." Even the spiritual leaders are intoxicated by the world; they have no vision and are double?minded when rendering decisions. "All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth." In other words, there is no justice and righteousness.

Who does man make all these laws for? Are the people incapable of understanding so that we strip them of all self-governing? For everything thing they do is regulated and micromanaged; the bureaucrats stack rule upon rule upon rule. It may not be all at once; just a little here and there until the laws become burdensome. If this is how you wish to be ruled, then you will be ruled by foreigners with foreign laws.

Hear God speak: He reminded the people that He provided a resting place and they were invited to rest but they would not listen. So, to them, His law will not be rest but it will be legalism, or a list of rules and they will stumble on His word and fall backward. They will be snared by sin and captured by the enemy.[43]

Attention bureaucrats and rulers: You pride yourselves that you know the system and have cut deals with all the players ("covenant with death") and you think that you will be immune when disaster strikes and that your enemy will live by your agreements; but you have trusted a lie and the people that depend upon you have put their trust in falsehood. But God has set a Stone in Zion,[44] One who is tested and has true worth, or is true. Anyone who trusts in Him will not be disappointed. He will reign in truth and righteousness.[45] He has cut no deals with the world system, the refuge of the bureaucrats, powerbrokers and rulers, and He will sweep that system away because it is a lie. Your deals with the world system ("covenant with death") will be annulled and when disaster strikes, you will be beaten down with it. "As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through. The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror." [v 19] The arrogant will become the most downcast and the system they trusted will be swept away. Every thing that was trusted for security will prove to be too short and too narrow, you will be left exposed, without protection, without refuge.

The Lord will rise up against the mockers as He did at Perazim[46] and Gibeon[47] [He will have overwhelming victory against insurmountable odds]. He will perform His work and accomplish His task, which are unfamiliar to the world. So end your mocking or the punishment will become greater. This land will be destroyed for their mocking.[48]

God has brought us a lesson from the farmer to teach us He does not discipline forever. Just as the farmer does not plow forever but eventually plants seed and just as the farmer does not thresh fine seed with sledges and cartwheels, so God will not obliterate His people. Pay attention to the farmer, for God has instructed him in his ways as an object for us to understand how He disciplines to produce a beautiful crop from His people.[49]

Chapter 29:

The discipline of the Lord's City; for giving only lip-service to His authority.[50]

Woe to you Ariel,[51] the City of David.You add holiday to holiday and increase your celebrations as if you could expand your calendar. But you will be besieged, you will mourn and lament. When your enemies come against you, it is I, and I will encircle against you military armament until you cannot resist. But even when I crush you, you will speak from the ground. The nations will know, you are still there.[52]

As for your enemies, they will be dust blown in the wind. Though ruthless and invincible now, they will be blown away to nothing. Because, I will come to rule and it will be quick and mighty. Then all the attacks against My people will seem like a dream, like it never happened.

Be drunk from this, not from wine: be stunned and amazed at what I have done. For I have hidden My plan from you and kept vision from your leaders. I made My plan as nothing but words in a book and if you asked anyone to read it, they would say, "I would but I could never understand it," or another would say, "I would be glad to read it, but I'm not a good reader." You see, My people claim to follow Me but they always have excuses. They honor Me with words but they really don't want to make the effort to get close to Me. So they are comfortable with a religion of rules - rules made by men. [It makes them think they are following God.]

If you don't want wisdom, if you don't want to read My word and follow Me, I will stun you in this: wisdom and knowledge will vanish. Woe to those who make plans in secret and think I cannot see. "You turn things upside down." You try to bring Me to your level as if the potter were like the clay. Can the pot say to the potter, "You know nothing?" Yet you believe you can change the facts by denying that I created you.

Soon (millennial reign) Christ will bring prosperity to desolation. The deaf will hear, the blind will see. "The humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." Those who regulate, who oppress and who deny God's authority, will be gone and those who enjoy evil will be struck down. They are the ones who would write laws to make the innocent to be guilty, who trap the innocent with words and who make false testimony to deprive the innocent of justice.

Here is another message to Israel from the Lord who redeemed Abraham: In contrast to the evil that dominates your culture, Jacob will no longer be shamed, or continue in their sin, when they see My work among their children. There is a generation that will keep My name holy; they will stand in awe of their God. The wayward will understand and the complainer will accept instruction; that is, man will accept God on His terms.

Chapter 30:

There will be a day of repentance among God's people.

Woe to the obstinate children. Even among God's chosen nation, the heart of man tends to be rebellious and stubborn. How are they rebellious and stubborn?

They carry out plans opposite of God's.[53]
They form alliances without God's consent and with nations and people who are in rebellion to God.

Israel was in alliance with Egypt, a corrupt and pagan nation.[54] But Egypt will be put to shame and will be exposed for the fools they really are (past, present tense). All the envoys, ambassadors and fancy embassies mean nothing. You will be shamed for putting your trust in them - for preferring corrupt alliances as better than dependence upon a Holy God.

Witness number one: Even your beasts of burden will be a witness to this because they carry your commerce to a nation that will not profit (or is unprofitable) - because they are worthless. I call them the lazy harlot, or "Rahab the do-nothing."[55]
Witness number two: Write a record of the rebellion of Israel [God's chosen nation] in a book for it will be an everlasting witness. They won't listen to the prophets and they demand their teachers to tell them of pleasant things and to stop confronting them with a Holy God.

So this is God's response: Because you have 1) rejected My message, 2) taken power through oppressing your brothers, and 3) depended upon deceit (corrupt alliances),[56] this sin will become like a mighty defense that suddenly collapses and when it shatters there won't even be enough left to make you a tool.

Here is the message you rejected: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength."[57] You thought that you could save yourself from your enemies by your powerful horses. Flee, you want; flee, you will. In fact, you will lose heart so that at the threat of one, a thousand will flee - at the threat of five, everyone will flee. You will appear like an abandoned banner.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you." He is a God of justice and blessed are all who wait for Him. He will show compassion when you cry for help.[58] He will answer as soon as He hears your voice. For now, the Lord has given you "the bread of adversity and the water of affliction." In the future, your eyes and ears will be opened and you will know the way you are to go. Then you will defile your idols and throw them away like a menstrual cloth. I will send rain for your sees and your harvest will be rich and plentiful. Your cattle will have plenty of range to graze and your beasts of burden will eat well, too. I will slaughter your enemies and throw down their towers (millennial reign) and you will be refreshed with streams of water. The moon will shine like the sun and the sun will be seven times brighter "when the Lord binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted (future heaven and earth).

The Lord comes from afar with great wrath. "He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction." He leads them where He wants them and you will rejoice when you see, or understand, this. The Lord's voice will be heard and His mighty arm will be seen. With His voice, He will shatter Assyria (Israel's enemies). Every stroke of His punishment will be to the music of tambourines and harps as He fights them in battle. Topheth is prepared and made ready for the king, there is plenty of wood and the breath of the Lord will set it ablaze.[59]

Chapter 31:

Israel was wrong to trust in man; they will reject their idols and return to the Lord and their enemies will be utterly defeated.

Woe to those [anyone or nation] who looks to alliances for strength [Egypt in this case with Israel], who trust in their equipment and weapons and the strength and skill of their soldiers but do not look to the God of Israel for their strength or seek help from Him. You can make your plans but God is wiser and in control and "He does not take back His words." He will rise up against the wicked and against those who promote evil [- that is a promise]. Even the great nations [Egypt, in this case] are mere men and not God. Their weapons are physical, not spiritual [that is, they are limited in power]. When the Lord raises His hand, the nations will fall; both the benefactor and the aided will stumble and fall - they will perish together despite their great plans and combined strength.

This is what the Lord says: As a lion is not frightened by the shouts and noise of many men, so the Lord is not deterred by man but He will come down to do battle on Mount Zion, He will shield Jerusalem, He will "pass over" it and rescue it. So - return to the Lord, you chosen Israelites who have rebelled because in that day (millennial reign) you will reject the idols you have made with your sinful hands.

Assyria[60] will "fall by a sword that is not of man[61]. . . They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor." Despite their fortifications, they will fall to sheer terror. Even the commanders will panic when they see Christ's banner. This is declared by the Lord, "whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem."[62]

Chapter 32:

Bureaucracy in Christ's reign; a warning of coming discipline and promise of future rest:

[Continuing from the last verse in the last chapter, which describes Christ's righteousness as a fire]. Take a look: Christ will rule in righteousness and all the rulers, princes and stewards (bureaucrats) under Him will rule with justice. These lower rulers will be like a "shelter from the wind . . . a shelter from the storm . . . streams of water in the desert . . . the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land."[63]

Bureaucrats and people alike will no longer be hardened because their eyes will no longer be closed to what they see and with their ears, they will listen. The impulsive will know and understand and the stutterer will speak clearly. No longer will the fool be praised and there will be no regard for the evildoers.

The fool speaks nonsense and his plans are bent on evil.
He lives immorally and spreads doubt about God's commands.
He has no consideration for the hungry or the thirsty but uses them for his own gain.
The evil man has the same evil schemes as the fool and he uses the poor and needy for political gain while destroying them with lies.[64]
"But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands."[65]

The women, who are complacent and feel secure,[66] need to listen to what the Lord has to say. In a little more than a year, the grape harvest is going to fail. Shudder and tremble, strip your fancy clothes and become humble (put on sackcloth) because it is a warning that the nation will fall and the prosperous fields will become overgrown with thorns and briers [when you are taken into captivity]. Sure, you have plenty of houses of merriment and the city is full of parties [and hard to imagine as it may seem], they will be deserted. The fortress and watchtower will be abandoned and the only party left will be for the wild donkeys to pasture here.

That's the way it will be until the Lord brings you back.[67] When He brings you back by His Spirit, the desert will bloom again and the field will be thick, like a forest. Justice will prevail and your greatest prosperity will be righteousness and the fruit of righteousness will be peace; you will live in quietness and confidence - forever. You will be secure in your homes and your towns and when punishment is dealt to the cities around you, you will be blessed with prosperous fields and large herds. [Your labor will be prosperous and peaceful.]

Chapter 33:

Woe to Satan and grace for the faithful:

Woe to the destroyer and traitor, a typology of Satan. When your time of destruction and treachery are over, you will be destroyed; you will be betrayed.

"O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for You. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress."[68]

The mere thunder of God's voice causes people to flee and when He rises the kingdom of man is dispersed. Man makes his greatness by plundering and the greed of man plunders like a swarm of locusts but the Lord doesn't have to make a name for Himself. He is exalted because He dwells on high and He rules with righteousness and justice.
He will be a sure foundation - the source of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.[69] If you want this treasure, you must have the fear of the Lord.

Look at the kingdom of man: The warrior and the politician are weeping, no one dares to travel because the treaty[70] is broken.[71] So the nations mourn and waste away [because they put their hope in Satan's promise that they could be as God.[72] But the kingdom of man will come to an end] and the Lord will be exalted. "Now I will arise," says the Lord, "now I will be exalted."[73] Satan conceived chaff and gave birth to straw and in his greed he consumed himself and destroyed the people he despised.

When Christ comes to reign, the millennial reign, nations far away will hear of His deeds and nations nearby will acknowledge His power. The sinners and the godless will be terrified and tremble. It will be like living with a consuming fire, a continual burning [and the evil will be out of power]. Power and authority will be given to those who walk and speak righteously, who reject dishonest gain and will not accept a bribe, who plots no evil or murder. He will have plenty of provision and he will see the King in His glory and view a prosperous land.

What about the old bureaucrats? You will wonder what ever happened to them, the ones who worked oppression and confiscated the fruit of your hands. Their conversation never made sense, they would just talk you in circles to justify their evil practices. But the arrogant will no longer rule.

You will look upon Jerusalem, it will be at peace, no longer torn up and moved about by others. The Lord will be its mighty protector, it will prosper without military protection. For Christ alone will be Lawgiver, Judge and King.[74] The city will be at peace and there will be so much spoils to divide that even the lame will carry off plunder. Nobody will be ill in Zion and Christ will forgive all the sins of those who dwell there.

Chapter 34 & 35:

The Destruction of Mans' Kingdoms and the Prosperity of Christs' Kingdom (millennial reign):

Draw near all nations and listen (take warning). "The Lord is angry with all nations . . . He will totally destroy them." Blood will flow. "The sword of the Lord is bathed in blood."

The Lord has won the victory in the battle of the principalities and powers of the air. Now His judgment descends upon Edom,[75] "the people I have totally destroyed." The slaughter will be great, "for the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in Edom." The Lord will work His vengeance and "uphold Zion's cause."

The devastation of Edom:

The sword of the Lord will be bathed in blood; man and animal will perish and the land will be soaked in blood.
The streams will be turned to pitch;
Dust turned to burning sulfur and the land to blazing pitch.
The fire will never be quenched and the smoke will rise night and day.
It will lie desolate for generations; no one will even walk through it. It will be a home to wild animals. There will be no lack of wild animals there.
God will stretch out "the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of destruction. Her nobles will have nothing there to be called a kingdom."

Abundant joy when Christ reigns:

The desert [the land surrounding destroyed Edom] will be glad and burst into bloom. The land around Israel will see the glory of the Lord and God's splendor.

Give encouragement to those who are weak and fearful. Tell his people, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you [Israel]."

The eyes of the blind will be opened.
The ears of the deaf unstopped.
The lame will leap like a deer.
The mute tongue will shout for joy.
Water will burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
Land that was only good for wild animals will have abundant produce.
"A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness." There will be no evil there and no danger on that road. Only the Lord's people will travel upon it, and it will bring the ransomed back to their land in Israel. They will enter Zion with singing. "Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

Fourth Section: Chapters 36 to 39 – Interlude: The Faith and Fall of King Hezekiah

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Chapter 36:

The king of Assyria conquers Judah and attacks Jerusalem:[76]

"In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. Then the king of Assyria sent . . . a large army . . . to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem." Through his field commander, he sent a message along this line: I am a great king, the king of Assyria. What are you basing your confidence upon? You say you have strategy and military strength but I have just wiped out all your fortified cities, so those are empty words. If your confidence is in Egypt, their glory is gone and you might find yourself stabbed in the back. If your confidence is in God, isn’t He the one whose altars and high places Hezekiah removed, saying you must worship only in Jerusalem?[77] Let’s make a bargain, if you have enough men willing to battle, I will give you two thousand horses. All your men put together can’t stand up to my lowliest officer in the smallest regiment, even if Egypt lends you chariots and riders. Furthermore, the Lord Himself told me to attack and destroy you.

Then Hezekiah’s officials, Shebna, Eliakim[78] and Joah, asked the field commander to speak in Aramaic so that his words would not disturb the men listening from the wall. But the commander replied the message was sent to all, who, like the officials, "will have to eat their own filth and drink their own urine."[79] Then the commander called to all the men on the wall, declaring the greatness of his king and claiming that Hezekiah was deceitful in persuading the people to put their hope in the Lord. He then promised them prosperity if they would surrender and reminded them that no other god has delivered their nation from the Assyrians and it would be impossible for their God to do so.

The men on the wall remained silent and did not respond, in obedience to the king and the three officials tore their clothes and reported all that was said to King Hezekiah.

Chapter 37:

God’s miraculous defeat of Assyria:

King Hezekiah’s immediate response was to humble himself before the Lord. He sent Shebna and the priests, dressed in sackcloth,[80] to Isaiah with a message. The message was along these lines: This is a day of great distress and rebuke but it may be that the field commander’s words will b e more offensive to God and that he will see our repentance. Maybe God will punish the Assyrians for ridiculing Him. So will you "pray for the remnant that still survives"?

But Isaiah already knew before they arrived and he had a message ready from God. The message was along these lines: "Do not be afraid of what you have heard." Those words were used to blaspheme Me. I am going to move him out of here and cut him down."

Then the field commander received a report to move out to help his king at another battle. The king heard that help for Jerusalem was coming from Egypt so he sent a message to Hezekiah. He told him not to trust in God, for He deceives you into believing He will deliver you from my hand. Surely you have heard what we have done to other nations. Has there ever been a god strong enough to defeat me?

Hezekiah took this letter before the Lord. He acknowledged the Lord as king over all nations and creator of all things. He asked God to see all the words Sennacherib had used to insult the living God. Even thought it is true, he had defeated so many nations and their gods, but their gods were only wood and stone. "Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand so that all kingdoms on earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God."

Isaiah met up with Hezekiah and presented a song from the Lord. In that song was a taunt against Assyria, a reminder that God ordains all things and is in complete control and a promise that the zeal of the Lord will produce a remnant and therefore He will deliver the city.

Then the angel of the Lord went out and killed one hundred eighty-five thousand (185,000) Assyrian soldiers in their sleep. If this wasn’t enough to bring down the Assyrian Empire, when Sennacherib went home and was worshipping his god, his sons cut him down in the temple.

Chapter 38 & 39:

Hezekiah’s pride: setup for the final downfall of Judah:

Just after God’s miraculous rescue of Jerusalem, Hezekiah became ill to the point of death. Isaiah told him to put his affairs in order because he was going to die. Hezekiah humbled himself and prayed to the Lord, "Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in Your eyes." He wept bitterly.

Then God instructed Isaiah to tell Hezekiah his prayer was heard and He saw his weeping and that God would add fifteen years to his life – and that he and the city would live in peace because God would defend the city. God gave him a sign by moving the sun back "ten steps . . . on the stairway of Ahaz."[81]

After Hezekiah’s illness and recovery, he wrote a song of praise to God. He thanked him for not striking him down in the prime of life, for allowing him to see the hand of the Lord in the land of the living and to look upon mankind once again. The Lord allowed him to suffer trials and he was crushed, but now "I will walk humbly all my years. . . Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish." He thanked God for forgiving his sins and he will praise the Lord all his life.

It was not long afterward that envoys came from Babylon with a gift from the king acknowledging his miraculous recovery. Hezekiah received them gladly and proudly showed them all the wealth of his kingdom. "There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them." Then Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for his arrogance and told him that God has doomed his people to captivity by the Babylonians. "The time will come when everything in your palace . . . will be carried off to Babylon . . . your own flesh and blood . . . will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Hezekiah accepted the rebuke superficially; he said that he had been well reproved but in his thoughts he knew it would not affect him because God had promised peace in his lifetime. [This set the stage for the final downfall of Judah.[82]]

Section Five: Chapters 40-66 – God’s Chosen People, the Tension Between God’s Plan and Mans’ Fall and God’s Ultimate Dominion

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Chapter 40:

A song of comfort and promise for God’s people:

Comfort My people:

They have suffered for their rebellion.
A prophecy of John the Baptist heralding in the Christ.
A reminder that all men are like grass and they fade like the flower of the field but the Word of God stands forever. Don’t be afraid to declare the dominion of God for He comes with power and strength and rewards those who are with Him. He leads His people as a compassionate shepherd.
Who can even imagine the vastness of creation, let alone measure it or hold it. No one can understand the mind of the Lord. No one can instruct Him and He consults no body.
The nations are a drop in the bucket; they are nothing. God considers them to be worthless. You cannot compare God to anything. The idols are made by man and are made from wood and stone. Don’t you understand God "sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy. He brings the rulers of the world to nothing; no sooner do they rise to power, "He blows on them and they wither." There is nothing to compare God to, His power is so vast. He brings out the stars of the universe and calls each one by name.
How can Israel say God has ignored us, our cause has escaped His attention? Don’t you know? The Lord is everlasting, He is the Creator of everything. He does not get tired or weary and it is impossible to understand His ways.
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak . . . those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."

Chapter 41:

Bring your evidence against the Lord to court and be silenced:

Listen in silence, you islands. Let all nations band together and put forth their best arguments. Let us review our case in the court.

EAST: Who has raised up One from the east and called Him to serve in righteousness? God has given Christ (God incarnate) dominion over the nations and authority over kings.[83] No one can stand before Him, they are all as dust and chaff. He is not disoriented or confused; He makes no mistakes. He directs the affairs of the generations of man from the beginning of time.

Men see this and are fearful. Yet, rather than submit, they try to defeat God through positive mental attitudes and images. They encourage each other in their idolatry and they work to establish their substitute gods.[84]

But I [God] have set aside Israel as My servant. Jacob was the chosen son and Israel the descendants of Abraham, My friend.[85] "I took you from the ends of the earth." I chose you; I have not rejected you. You should not fear or be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you. All who revile you will be ashamed and those who attack you will perish. You will search for your enemies but you will not find them for they will all be destroyed. "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

God will make Israel into a threshing sledge, "new and sharp, with many teeth." Israel will crush the powerful nations and reduce the kingdoms to chaff and will "rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel."

God will answer the poor and needy, who are in search for water in a parched land (Israel). He will bring a river and turn the deserts into pools of water and plant trees in the wasteland, "so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."[86]

So – present your case, file your briefs and bring your best arguments. Why don’t you bring your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Maybe they could explain the former things in such a way that would reveal the final outcome. Or, maybe they could just tell us what is going to happen so that we would know they are gods. Come on, your gods could do something, whether good or bad so that we could be troubled and filled with fear. –Your gods are worthless, they can do nothing and whoever chooses any of these do?nothing gods is repugnant.

NORTH: God has raised up One from the north who calls on His name [Christ, in the second coming to trample the nations]. He will trample the nations. Who else told of this, who else even has an idea of the future? I, God, am the first to tell of the future of Zion and bring the good news. All other counsel is false. "Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion."

Chapter 42:

The mission of Christ’s incarnation [continuation of God’s presentation of evidence that He alone is God and that He alone is in control of the history and future of man]:

[This One raised up] is My servant. I support Him. I chose Him and take great joy in what He does. My Spirit is upon Him and He will bring justice to the nations. He does not bring attention to Himself, nor is He hostile or aggressive. He is faithful to bring forth justice and [though rejected by men] He will not be moved to change His mind or be discouraged until His justice prevails upon the earth and the distant lands put their confidence in His law.[87]

This is what the Lord says [speaking to Christ but in the ears of all people], the One who has authority to say so because He spread out the universe, created the earth and gave breath to its people: I "called You in righteousness." You will fulfill the covenant for Israel and be "a light to the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

My name is the Lord [God speaking]. "I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols." Take a look, the former events happened as I have said they would, the future will happen as I declare. Before anything comes to pass, I have declared it to you [no one else can do this!].

"Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth." Those who travel the sea, who live on islands, in deserts and towns, upon plains and mountains, let everyone shout and declare the glory and praise of the Lord. The Lord will march, He "will stir up his zeal . . . and will triumph over His enemies."

For a long time I [God] have appeared to be silent, but like a woman in childbirth, the time will come and I will cry out. "I will lay waste the mountains . . . dry up their vegetation . . . turn rivers into islands . . . dry up their pools . . . will lead the blind [Israel] by ways they have not known . . . will turn darkness into light before them . . . I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols . . . will be turned back in utter shame."

God is calling to the blind and deaf. Who is more blind than My servant, Israel and deaf is My messenger among nations. You have seen innumerable miracles of protection and provision but have paid no attention. My voice has spoken but you hear nothing. So, "It pleased the LORD for the sake of His righteousness to make His law great and glorious." But My people are plundered and looted, trapped in pits and hidden away in prison and there is no one to rescue them or demand their release. So pay attention: "Who handed Jacob over to become loot and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord against whom we have sinned?" They would not follow His ways or obey His law, so He poured upon them His anger, "the violence of war." They were scorched and consumed but they still did not understand or take it to heart.[88]

Chapter 43 through 45:

God is faithful, He alone is God [continuation of God’s presentation of evidence that He alone is God and that He alone is in control of the history and future of man]:

This is what the Lord says, the One who created and formed you, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."[89] I will give your enemies for a ransom and they will pay the price instead because I love you and I will give the world in exchange for you. I will gather your children who are dispersed around the world. I will tell the nations to let them go and bring them back from the ends of the earth; "everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made."

Assemble all the nations, "those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf."[90] Which of them could predict the things I foretold and brought to pass. "Let them bring their witnesses to prove they were right." [But they have none]. But Israel is My witness, My servant whom I have chosen, so that all nations may know and believe Me and understand that I am the only God. "Before Me no god was formed, nor will their be one after Me." I alone am the Lord – without Me, the world has no savior.[91] I have revealed all this, I have saved mankind and I have declared it to be; it is I and not some foreign [false] god. Israel is my witness that I am God! No one can take you out of My hand. "When I act, who can reverse it?"

I am your redeemer and this is what I am going to do: For your sake I will send for the Babylonians and bring them all down as captives in very ships they were so proud of.[92] "I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King." I say this as the One who brought you out of captivity before, destroying all your enemies [the armies of Egypt] in the sea. They are destroyed, never to rise again. But forget the former things [Israel’s rejection, fall, oppression and captivity]. I am doing something new! Don’t you see, I am making a way in the desert. The wild animals honor me because I bring water to the desert, to nourish My people, "that they may proclaim My praise." Yet, My people still do not call upon Me, nor do they go out of their way for Me to bring Me sacrifice or honor. I have not wearied you with demands, yet you bring Me nothing and have wearied Me with your sins. Yet I blot out your sins for My own sake.

So lets review the past, let us argue this matter and present our evidence. Declare your innocence but you have no evidence because your first father sinned, your leaders have rebelled against Me. So it is only right that you have been disgraced and that Israel and Judah have be subject to destruction and contempt.

But listen to this, My chosen nation, I made you and formed you, I will help you. Do not be afraid of the evil you must suffer because I will bring water to the desert. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants and they will prosper and flourish. They will be proud of their heritage and people will join them so they too can be called by the name Israel.

"This is what the Lord says,[93] [the God of Israel] . . . I am the first and the last; apart from Me there is no God." If there is any god like Me let him proclaim it here and now. Have him tell Me what has happened from the time I set apart a chosen people and what is to come.[94] Do not be afraid, My people and do not tremble for the things that are to come. I explained these things to you before, [your captivity and future hope]. You are My witnesses to the world [in prosperity and captivity]. "Is there any God besides Me?" I don’t know of any [and I know all things], there is no other Rock.

The fallacy of idolatry:[95] "All who make idols are nothing and the things they treasure are worthless [period]. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame."[96] Why would anyone make an make a god or an idol which can do him no good? Anyone who does this will be put to shame. Even though all the craftsmen and artist come together as one, they will be brought down in terror and disgrace. Figure it out: the blacksmith forges a god out the fire with his own strength and his tools; the carpenter cuts down trees and designs his gods with his own ingenuity. These men do not stop and think that the rest of the wood was used to heat their homes and make their bread. They call on this block of wood to save them but the gods are nothing, they understand nothing and can do nothing. Will you bow down to a block of wood [or molded stone]? Don’t you understand this thing is a lie?

Return to Me, I have made you, I have chosen you as My servant and I have redeemed you. This is a wonderful thing the Lord has done [though you ignore it]. The heavens sing for joy over what the Lord has done in choosing a fallen people and taking them for His own. The earth shouts it praise and the mountains burst into song along with the trees of the forest. Look and understand, O Jacob.

Hear what the Lord says, your Redeemer who formed you in the womb. I am the Lord:

who made all things;
who stretched out the heavens by Myself;
who spread out the earth by Myself;
who foils words of false prophets and reveals their foolishness;
who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge to foolishness;
who fulfills the words and prophecies of My servants;
who declares that Jerusalem will be inhabited and the towns of Judah rebuilt;
who will dry up the seas and the streams;
who will raise up Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

This is what the Lord says about Cyrus [210 years before he appeared on the scene], the one I have anointed to conquer nations and strip kings of their power. I will open doors before him; I will go before him and level the mountains, destroying all opposition to him and he will plunder the nations "so that you will know that I am the Lord." I have called him by name – though he does not acknowledge Me – for the benefit of My people, Israel. "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God." I will give Cyrus strength and power – though he does not acknowledge Me – so that all over the world men may know there is no other god but Me.

"I am the Lord and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster. . . You heavens above, rain down righteousness . . . Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it." Cursed is the one who quarrels with his Maker. You are nothing but broken pottery on the ground. Can the clay ask the potter what he is doing? Or can the pot being made say the potter has no hands? Woe to the one who curses their father and mother for bringing them to birth.[97]

Hear what the Lord says, the Holy God of Israel and its Maker: Do you question Me about My plans for Israel, or can you tell Me what to do with My creation? I made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens and all the starry hosts. I will raise up Cyrus – though he is pagan – and I maintain My righteousness. I will prosper his way and he will rebuild My city and set My people free; and it will not be for money or power. I tell you, the merchandise of Egypt and Cush will belong to Israel. They will follow you as captive, they will give you honor and beg for mercy, saying, "Surely God is with you and there is no other; there is no other god."

O God, we cannot see you, the Savior of Israel. The makers of idols will be shamed but "Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation." You will never be put to shame, forever!

Hear what the Lord says, the One who created the heavens – He is God. He made the earth and established it. "He did not create it to be empty but formed it to be inhabited[98] – He says: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other.’ " I have not spoken in secret, I have not hidden in darkness, I have not chosen a people for them to seek Me in vain. I speak the truth and declare what is right. Come to a great assembly all you fugitives of the nations, let us compare. Those who carry around idols of wood are ignorant because their gods cannot save. Let them tell you what is to be. As for these things that are happening to you, didn’t I foretell them long ago? There is no god apart from Me – there is no Savior but Me. "Turn to Me and be saved all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other." I have sworn by Myself and My word will never be revoked, every knee will bow before Me and every tongue will swear that I am God.[99] They will acknowledge that in Me alone are righteousness and strength. All who have raged against Me[100] will come to Me and be put to shame. But all the descendants of Israel will exult in Me and be found righteous.

Chapter 46:

A great nation cannot make its gods great and the power of government cannot save man:

The gods of Babylon bow down [to the true God]. Their idols are dependant upon mans’ transportation to move around – and people weary themselves packing them around. When the nation goes into captivity, their gods will be captive also. But listen to Me, all who remain of Israel and Jacob, I have carried you [you have not carried Me] from the beginning and even when you are old, I will sustain you. Who is My equal?[101] Men pour out gold and hire a craftsman to mold the image of an idol. Then they bow to it, they carry it and find a place to set it. There it cannot move and though they cry out, it cannot answer, it cannot save man from his troubles. So remember this, you rebellious people, remember what I have brought you through: "I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is no one like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come." Everything I have planned will be accomplished just the way I have said it would.[102] So listen to Me, rebellious people. My righteousness is coming and My salvation will not be delayed. I will save Zion and bring My glory to Israel [My chosen].

Repent and be humbled, "sit on the ground without a throne." No more will be the choice of nations, daughter of Babylon. You will work as a slave and have nothing to cover your nakedness because I [God] will take vengeance and no on will be spared. I am the Redeemer of Israel and mighty is My name. You will no longer be called the queen of the nations because I was angry with My people and gave them over to you for discipline but you showed them no mercy. Even the aged, you worked to the bone and you thought in your heart that you would continue forever – that nothing would avenge you. But you did not consider who brought you to power and why I gave you control over the nations – and what might happen when you abused your power.

Listen, self-indulgent nation, obsessed with your money and power. You think you can never be overthrown but you will be defeated in an hour and even your sorceries cannot save you from widowhood and child loss. Disaster will come upon you and you can conjure no remedy, nor will any ransom pay for your safety. You will not even notice when destruction comes upon you. So keep up with your crafts, perhaps you will succeed; maybe even create terror. But all the counsel you have received will only wear you out. Your astrologers and prophets will be fuel for the fire and all your groupies continue in their error – there is no one to save you.

Chapter 48:

Listen to this, you who call yourself Israel; who identify with your heritage and invoke the name of God; you who claim citizenship, rely upon God’s protection but do not live in truth or righteousness.[103] I revealed all these things long ago and everything seemed to go on as before, until suddenly I brought it to pass. I told you before it happened so that you could not say your idols brought it to pass. It is clear and obvious. Won’t you admit that it is true?

Now I am going to reveal a new thing to you. It has been hidden and you have not heard it before, so you cannot say, "I knew it already." You do not hear or understand and I know how treacherous you are, that you have been a rebel from birth. It was for My own name’s sake that I did not bring My wrath earlier. It was for the sake of My praise that you have not been destroyed. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. I did this for My sake. I will not let Myself be defamed and I will not yield My glory to another.

Listen to Me, My chosen people. "I am the first and the last." I laid the foundation of the earth and spread out the heavens with My own hand. They stand at My call. So listen, which of the idols has foretold the things I tell you. Even now, as the world marvels at Babylon, I alone have raised an ally who will defeat them and free My people. I have spoken, I have called him. He will succeed in his mission and I will be there when it happens – I have not spoken in secret. I am the Lord your God; I teach you what is best for you; I direct you in the way you should go. "If only you had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river," your righteousness would have risen for all to see. Your children would have been without number and you would never have been destroyed. But now, announce with joy that you will leave Babylon; you will flee with shouts of joy. I will redeem you from tyranny just as I led your through the desert and satisfied every thirst. I made water flow from the rock [and if you follow Me, your peace is like a river] but there is no peace for those who rebel against Me.

Chapter 49:

Israel restored in Christ’s reign:

Listen, far and wide, all people: Before the prophet Isaiah [typology of Christ] was born,[104] God chose him. God made him for a purpose and made his mouth to pierce like a sword. He has given him protection because he belongs to the Lord. He said to Israel [typology of Christ], "You are My servant through whom I will display My splendor [you will be a light to the nations]." But the prophet [Isaiah] said, "What is the use, the message is not getting through to them and I have spent my labor in vain [wasted my time]. Yet, I will trust the Lord to render my pay and reward me for my labor." Then the Lord asked me if it was a small thing to be His servant to restore Israel and that now I would be a light to the Gentiles[105] [typology of Christ and speaking of Christ]. Through the word given by God, Isaiah was respected by kings and princes [all of whom will bow down to the Christ].

This is what the LORD says: "In the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;[106] I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’" I will provide for them and they will be prosperous. I will make a highway through the mountain and many will come from afar; "some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan."[107] The heavens shout for joy, the earth rejoices and the mountains burst into song. For the Lord comforts His people and has compassion on His afflicted. All creation eagerly anticipates the revelation of the Lord’s salvation.[108]

But Zion has assumed amidst her affliction that the Lord has forgotten her. But just as a mother cannot forget the baby at her breast, I cannot forget My chosen. And even if she could forget, I cannot forget you. You are engraved on the palms of My hands. Your sons will hurry home and those who destroyed you will flee. Look around at your prosperity; you will wear your sons like ornaments. You will put them on like a bride. In fact, this land will be too small to hold your posterity. You will wonder where all the sons and daughters came from; you will remember you were barren and captive and you will be filled with wonder over the extent of your descendants. I will raise the banner and the Gentiles will carry your children to this land. Kings and queens will nurture you and will be your servants – then you will know that I am the Lord. It is said that you cannot take plunder from warriors or rescue captives from the fierce, but with you it will be so because I will contend for you. Those who oppress you will eat their own flesh and drink their own blood – then the whole world "will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

Chapter 50:

Isaiah’s obedience – a typology of Christ:

God asks the question [after iterating His plan for Israel to be restored], "Did I divorce your mother or sell you to pay an obligation I owed?" No: It was because of your sin that you were sold and your mother was sent away. There was no one to answer when I called. Do I lack the strength to rescue you? Or do you think I lack the power to protect you? Don’t you see, My power is limitless? I can take what is prosperous and make it nothing.

The Lord "has given me and instructed tongue" to give encouragement to the weary. He awakens me every morning to listen as His student. He has opened my ears and I have not been rebellious. I have not recoiled from persecution but have "offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard." I did not hide my face from those who would mock and spit at me. "Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint and I know I will not be put to shame." The One who vindicates is near, so which of you [rebellious] will bring a charge against me? Who will condemn me when it is the Lord who helps Me? The rebellious will all wear out like a garment and their work will be eaten by moths.

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys His word? When the way looks dark, trust in the Lord and rely upon God. But woe to you who create your own light – go ahead, walk in the light of your own wisdom – you will lie down in torment![109]

Chapter 51 to 53:

A call to the believers to stand and a call to Israel to return to God:

All you who seek the Lord and pursue righteousness, listen to me and "look to the rock from which you were cut." Remember Abraham, the father of the nation, and Sarah, from whom you were born. When I called him, he was only one man but I blessed him and made him many. See, the Lord will again restore Israel and make her prosper and she will be filled with rejoicing.

Listen My chosen people, My chosen nation: "The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness and salvation as coming soon and I will bring justice to the whole world. Far and wide, this is the hope of man. Look at the heavens, they will vanish. Look at the earth, it will wear out and all that rely upon it will die. "But My righteousness will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail."

If you have My law in your hearts and you know what is right – do not be afraid to stand for the truth. For the rebellious will be destroyed as a moth eats a garment but My righteousness will never be destroyed and My salvation will endure to the end.

Rise, and awake! God will stir again as He did in days of old. Didn’t He destroy the prostitute and tormentors, didn’t He dry up the sea that the redeemed might cross over? "The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing." Joy will overtake them and sadness will flee. I am the One who comforts you – why do you still fear mortal man and forget the Lord your Maker? I stretched out the heavens and formed the resources of the earth – why do you live in constant terror because of the oppressor? What is this terror? The prisoner will be soon set free and they will lack nothing for I am the Lord your God. I have put My words in your mouth [Isaiah here is a typology of the believer and Israel] and protected you with My hand. I, the One who created the heavens and the earth and claim Israel as My people.

Rise, and awake! O Jerusalem. You have drunk from the cup of the Lord’s wrath, in fact, you have drained it to the dregs. You have had many sons but none to guide you and of those you instructed, none could lead you.[110] No one can comfort you from these double calamities. Your sons have fainted, caught in sin as an antelope is caught in a net. But hear this, the Sovereign Lord defends His people. I will take this cup out of your hand and place it with your tormentors, the ones who walked over your backs.

Rise, and awake! O Zion. "Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor."[111] O Jerusalem, the sinners and pagans will not enter you again. So reign unashamed, free yourself from the chains of captivity. For the Lord says, "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed." For the Lord says, you have a history of captivity, first Egypt, now Assyria [and more throughout time], always taken for nothing and mocked by those who rule over you. My name is constantly blasphemed but My people will know My name and in the day of your Glory, you will know that I have foretold it. "Yes, it is I."

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace,[112] who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’"

The watchmen[113] will shout for joy when they see the return of the Lord to Zion. The city will burst into song, for the Lord brings comfort – He has redeemed Jerusalem. He showed His strength in the sight of all nations and all the ends of the earth will see His salvation. Depart from captivity. Keep your hands from evil. Come out from the world and live pure. But do not rush or panic, follow the Lord, He will lead you and He will guard you from the rear.

Christ will come. He will prosper the Kingdom and be exalted. But many will be appalled because He will suffer, he will be disfigured and marred beyond human likeness [and many will refuse to acknowledge He is God]. But when He returns, He will stop the mouths of kings, for they will see His glory and understand He is God.

Israel has not believed the message though the power and glory of the Lord has been revealed to them.[114] Christ grew up among them[115] like a tender shoot[116] and like a root out of dry ground.[117] There was nothing special in His charisma or His looks that attracted people to Him. In fact, He was despised and rejected. He was a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering. We did not acknowledge Him as God. We figured the frailties, sorrow and scorn He carried were of His own doing, or were a punishment from God. But it was for our sins and our evil that He was pierced and afflicted. The punishment upon Him brought us peace with God.[118] The Lord placed upon Him our iniquity because we had strayed from righteousness, like sheep stray from the flock; each one of us had turned to his own way [made ourselves the determiner of good and evil].[119] He didn’t say a word when He was tortured and beaten. As a lamb led to its slaughter or a sheep to its shearers, He issued no protest when led to His death. He was arrested, judged and executed and no one among them, or that generation, stopped to consider that He died for their sins. He was condemned like a criminal and placed in a rich man’s tomb, though He had done nothing worthy of death.

But it was God’s will that He should suffer and die and even though His life was the payment for our guilt, He will live again. He will rejoice with those reborn as His children through faith in Him and He will establish God’s kingdom. When He sees the fruit of His sacrifice, He will be satisfied. He will make this known and justify many before God for He atoned for their sins. Therefore, God has made Him to be the greatest of all and He will divide the spoils[120] with those who have placed their faith in Him. Because He did not value His life but was willing to die prematurely and die as if a sinner. Through this He bore mans’ sin and made intercession for those who could not commend themselves to God.

Chapter 54 to 57:

There will be a future kingdom of peace:

Sing out, Zion! You were as a barren woman who bore no children, yet you have born more children than one who has a husband. Enlarge your territory, don’t hold back, claim more land. For you will spread out and your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their cities. No longer will you be shamed or disgraced. So do not be afraid and do not remember your humiliation of the past. For you do have a husband, your Creator, "the Lord Almighty is His name." He is the Holy One who has redeemed Israel. He is the God of all the earth!

The Lord will call you back, just like the wife who married young only to be rejected. "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back." I turned from you because of My anger, but with My unfailing kindness, I will restore the nation of Israel. As in the days of Noah, I promised never to cover the earth with water again. Now, I will promise never to be angry, never to rebuke you again. Though the earth be uprooted, My love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant be removed.

O Jerusalem, afflicted without comfort, I will rebuild you with beautiful stones. Your sons will be taught by the Lord. Your children will live in peace. You will be established in righteousness and tyranny will not be found in you. You will have nothing to fear and terror will be removed. If anyone were to attack you, they will surrender to you.

See, I have created all knowledge. I created the makers of weapons. I created the nations of destruction. But I control them and no weapon intended for your destruction will harm you and you will refute all who accuse you. This is the heritage of all the servants of the Lord. I will vindicate them, declares the Lord.

So, come to the waters, all who are thirsty. And if you have no money, come, buy and eat – buy milk and honey without money or cost of any kind. Why would you spend money on anything that does not nourish your or give satisfaction. So, too, feed your soul on what is good; enjoy the best of the best. Take notice and follow Me that you may live and I will make an everlasting promise with you; to complete My covenant with David.

You [Israel] are a witness to the nations, a leader of all peoples. Though you have no familiarity with them that you could persuade them, yet they will be eager to follow you because the Lord your God has exalted your status.

Therefore, seek the Lord, don’t wait for Me to revoke the promise; call to Me while I am near. Have all the wicked people forsake their ways and their evil thoughts. Turn to the Lord for He will have mercy and will freely pardon. Don’t think that I am like you, I do not scheme like you and I do not walk in compromised ways.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

If you obey Me, you will live in joy and I will lead you in peace. "The mountains and hills will burst into song before you and the trees of the field will clap their hands."[121] Trees and shrubs will grow where weeds and thorns once prevailed.[122] The Lord’s fame will be great and this will be an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.

"This is what the LORD says: ‘Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is close at hand and My righteousness will soon be revealed.’" You will prosper if you 1): follow this rule; 2): honor the Sabbath;[123] and 3): stay far away from evil.

God will not reject any who come to Him. Don’t let any foreigner who lives for the Lord think that the Lord will exclude him from among God’s people. Don’t let the eunuch complain he is only a dry tree. For the eunuch who keeps My way and holds fast to Me will have a memorial better than sons and daughters. "I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off." And the foreigners who keep My way, "I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their offerings and sacrifices will be accepted. "For My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." Furthermore, just as I promise to gather the exiles of Israel, I will also gather others [Gentiles] to them in addition to those already gathered.[124]

Right now, we have a problem and I will send the beasts of the field to devour and purge the land. Because the politicians, bureaucrats and even the ministers have been deluded with a false knowledge. They are lazy but they have mighty appetites, if they do anything it is for personal gain.[125] They lack understanding and they think everything is going to go on as it has before and that their attitude can make it even better.

No one ponders why the righteous perish and the devout follower is taken away. No one understands "the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they rest as they lie in death.[126]

The rest of you, come and listen. You are children of sorceresses, adulterers and prostitutes. Is it a small thing to mock God, to sneer and stick out your tongue?[127] You are the children of rebels, the offspring of liars: you burn with lust; you sacrifice your children and you worship idols. In light of this, should I relent in My discipline? No. You have forsaken Me and have consecrated your life to sexual indulgences. You decorate with pagan symbols, you have uncovered your bed and make promises to all who join with you as you look on their nakedness. You make sacrifices to the god of self and lust (Molech) and you inspire and instruct those near and far to join in your revelry. Even when you wore yourselves out, you would not admit your life was meaningless. You encouraged each other on and found strength.

Who has made you so afraid that you have been false to Me and have not remembered Me and have not considered all this and tried to understand it? Is it because I appear to be silent that you do not fear Me? But I will have My day and I will expose your self-made righteousness and your works and you will find nothing to save you. "When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you!" But they will not be available because they will be carried away by the wind. "But the man who makes Me his refuge will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain."

The day will come when the road will be prepared and the obstacles pulled out of the way for God’s people [Israel]. For this is what God says, the One who lives forever and has a holy name: "I live in a high and holy place, but also [within] him who is contrite and lowly in spirit." I will revive the heart of those who are humble before Me. I will not be angry and accuse my people forever, otherwise mans’ spirit would grow faint and his breath would cease. I was enraged by his sinful greed and though I punished him and hid My face from him, he continued in his rebellion. But I know him and will heal him, I will restore him and this will bring praise to the lips of the mourners in Israel. They will proclaim peace and I will heal them. But the wicked are like the sea which cannot rest from its tossing. There will never be peace for the wicked.

Chapter 58 to 59:

What God expects: honest repentance.

Make your voice loud and remind the people of their rebellion. They are quick to identify with Me, they ask Me for wisdom and invoke My name. However:

They fast but question Me because they don’t seem to get results.[128] But when they fast they take advantage of their employees, they quarrel and fight. You cannot fast like this and expect Me to listen. Besides, do you think the fasting I am looking for is just for a day to be spent in humility? The fasting that honors Me is a life of humility; to rescue your brother from injustice and the yoke of tyranny, to set the oppressed free, to share your food with the hungry, to give shelter to the indigent and clothing to the poor – to consider your neighbor as your own flesh and blood. Do this and your works will shine like the light of the dawn, you will be healed, the Lord will go before you and

Cominus.com :: Cominus Papers :: Book Of Isaiah By Chapter 2003

Book Of Isaiah By Chapter 2003

The Book of Isaiah is divided into five sections:

Theme of the Book:

First Section: Chapters 1-12 - The Ultimate Rule of Christ

Chapter 1:

Chapter 2:

Chapter 3 & 4:

Chapter 5:

Chapter 6:

Chapter 7:

Chapter 8:

Chapter 9:

Chapter 10:

Chapter 11:

Chapter 12:

Summary of the first section of the Book of Isaiah:

Second Section: Chapters 13-26 - The Destruction of the Nations (or, The Second Chapter of Psalms Revisited)

Chapter 13 & 14:

Chapter 15 & 16:

Chapter 17:

Chapter 18:

Chapter 19:

Chapter 20:

Chapter 21:

Chapter 22:

Chapter 23:

Chapter 24:

Chapter 25 & 26:

Third Section: Chapters 27-35 - Preparation for Christ's Rule and Comparison to the World's System

Chapter 27:

Chapter 28:

Chapter 29:

Chapter 30:

Chapter 31:

Chapter 32:

Chapter 33:

Chapter 34 & 35:

Fourth Section: Chapters 36 to 39 – Interlude: The Faith and Fall of King Hezekiah

Chapter 36:

Chapter 37:

Chapter 38 & 39:

Section Five: Chapters 40-66 – God’s Chosen People, the Tension Between God’s Plan and Mans’ Fall and God’s Ultimate Dominion

Chapter 40:

Chapter 41:

Chapter 42:

Chapter 43 through 45:

Chapter 46:

Chapter 48:

Chapter 49:

Chapter 50:

Chapter 51 to 53:

Chapter 54 to 57:

Chapter 58 to 59: