Survey - Isaiah 1 to 39

Paul Bukauskas

Isaiah • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Handout

A Survey

— Not a verse by verse look the book of Isaiah

— A survey is the big picture of the book

— Chapter by chapter vs. verse by verse

What to expect

— A lot of reading and discussion

— But we will not read the entire chapter during our study

Introduction

— Major Prophet: Not because he was more important but because of the length of the book McGee

— Prophets were more than foretellers“Raised up by God in a decadent day when both the Priest and King no longer were worthy channels through which the communications of God might flow”

Lived

— Beginning of the 18th and 17th centuries B.C.

— Lived in Jerusalem

— The son of Amoz ( 1:1 )

Nobility

— Isaiah was probably of some nobility and not some crazy peasant from the countryside — He had access to the inner circles of power

Literary Style

— The highest literary style in the entire bible

— World classic after nearly 3,000 years

— A mixture of Poetry and Prophetic literature

Robinson

George L. Robinson said “For versatility of expression and brilliance of imagery Isaiah had no superior, not even a rival”

Far/Near

— Spoke of events in the far off future but also local near term events.

— They had to speak in this manner in order to qualify for this office according to the Mosaic Law

— God put down the law for King, Priest and Prophet (Deut 18:20-22)

Near

— Judgment of the nations surrounding Israel (1-39)

— Predicted the fall of both Israel and Syria (7:7)

— and that Jerusalem would not fall to the Assyrian army (37:6)

— Both happened in his lifetime

Far

— Predicted events that he did not live to see

— Babylonian Exile ( 39:5-7 )

— Babylon’s fall to Cyrus II ( 44:28, 45:1, 13 )

— Suffering Messiah ( 53 )

Double

— Some prophecies had a double fulfillment

— Restoration of Jerusalem after the Exile was fulfilled (537 to 520 BC) but Isaiah speaks of a new Jerusalem ( 65:17-25 )

— Spoke of the fall of Babylon but we also see a revised Babylon fall in Revelation ( Rev 18 )

Millennial

— The millennial Kingdom 11x (11:6; 14:1-3; 19:16; 24:23; 27:2-6; 35:1-10; 42:10-12; 43:5-6; 49:19ff; 56:1-11; 61:1-9)

— Sometimes speaking to the immediate future

— Sometimes a future time (Millennial)

— Sometimes a prophecy of both near and far

Q: What are some of the other major prophets?

— Lamentations

— Daniel

— Jeremiah

— Ezekiel

Contemporaries

— Contemporaries were

— Amos

— Hosea

— Micah

— All wrote at about the same time

Title

— Isaiah means “The Lord is Salvation”

— He lived during the reign of 5 kings:

— Uzziah

— Jotham

— Ahaz

— Hezekiah

— Manasseh

— For our purposes, we will only look at Ahaz and Hezekiah in depth

— These are the kings that Isaiah speaks to in this book

Died

— According to Christian and Hebrew legend Isaiah was killed by King Manasseh

— We have no extra biblical evidence

— But Hebrews does seem to elude to his death

— He was placed in a tree trunk and sawed to death alive (Heb 11:37)

Audience

— Isaiah wrote to both — the Southern Kingdom (Judah)

— and the Northern Kingdom (Israel)

Time

— Near and Future prophecies

Split

— The book of Isaiah is split the same way the bible is divided

— OT (39) books of judgement

— The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are books of judgment or “the government of God”

— NT (27) books of salvation

— The last 27 chapters of Isaiah

— A Total of 66 chapters

— The first half and second half are very different which has led some critics from Germany ( JC Döderlein and Eichorn ) to put forth the theory that Isiah was written by at least two authors

Themes

“Many regard Isaiah as the theologian of the Old Testament. His description of God and the divine attributes and acts of history, are both profound and beautiful.” ( Dillard and Longman )

— God as the Holy One of Israel

— God as Savior and Redeemer

— The Remnant Theme

— The Servant of the Lord

— The Spirit of the Lord

— God’s Rule Over History

1-12 The First Main Section: Judgment and Hope

Isaiah told Israel’s corrupt leaders that their rebellion against their covenant with God would come at a cost. God was going to use the great empires of Assyria and then Babylon to punish them if they persisted in idolatry and the oppression of the poor. But that message was combined with a message of Hope. Isaiah believed that God would fulfill all of his covenant promises. He had promised a king from the family of David to establish God’s kingdom ( 2 Sam 7 ). He promised that he would lead Israel in obedience to all the laws of of the covenant established at Mt. Sinai ( Ex 19 ). And all of this was so that God’s blessings and salvation would flow out to all the nations as he promised to Abraham ( Gn 12 ). And it was this hope that compelled Isaiah to speak out against the corruption and idolatry of his day.

This is the organization of the first half of the book ( 1-39 ) which is comprised of 3 large sections. It all culminates at the end of chapter 39, the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of the people to Babylon. In the second half of the book Isaiah picks up the message of Hope ( 40-66 ).

Chapter 1-12 is the first main section and focuses on Judgment and Hope for Jerusalem. It begins with a preface (chapter 1-6) which describe Jersualem at the end of his ministry and describes his calling to become a prophet. Despite all of his preaching, his warnings have been ignored and the country is in rebellion against God. Isaiah compares it to a vineyard which yields no fruit. In the rest of the chapter Isaiah accuses the city leaders of covenant rebellion, idolatry and injustice. And God says that He will judge Israel by sending the nations to conquer Israel and purify them with fire. Isaiah says this fire will burn away all that is useless and leave a faithful remnant that will populate a new Jerusalem. And Isaiah says that at this time God’s kingdom will come and all nations will learn directly from God at a time of universal peace. This basic storyline of the old Jerusalem being purified into the new Jerusalem is repeated throughout the book.

Readings

Chapter 1: ( 1:1-6; 10-15; 21-23 )

Chapter 2: ( 2:3-4; 6-8; 18-21 )

Chapter 3: ( 3:4-8 )

Chapter 4: ( 4:2-6 )

Chapter 5: ( 5:1-13; 20-23; 26-29 )

Chapter 6: ( 6:1-5; 8-13 )

Chapter 7: ( 7:1-2; 10-14; 18-20 )

Chapter 8: ( 8:12-15 )

Chapter 9: (9:1-2; 6-7; 10-12 )

Chapter 10: ( 10:5-15; 20-21; 28-32 )

Chapter 11: ( 11:1-10 )

Chapter 12: ( 12:1-6 )

Chapter 1: ( 1:1-6; 10-15; 21-23 )

Isaiah teaches a covenant view of history. Present day Israel and everything is rotten (5-8). We see worthless religious activity (10-15), social collapse (21-23), a sinful nation and an unfaithful people

1:1-6

— Present day Israel and everything is rotten

( 1:2 ) God’s courtroom

— They are laden with sin but they were supposed to be a holy nation ( Ex 19:6 )

— They were supposed to be a unique people; set apart for God ( Dt 4:4-6; 2 Sam 7:23-24 )

( 1:5 ) The whole nation is sick

When you feel lonely and separated from God, remember that God does not abandon you. Our sins cut us off from Him. The only sure cure for this kind of loneliness is to restore a meaningful relationship with God by confessing your sin, obeying His instructions, and communicating regularly with Him (Application bible)

1:10-15

— worthless religious activity

( 1:11 ) God has had enough of burnt offerings; they add nothing

— The purpose of sacrifices is not that God is pleased but that we are trained in godliness

— In reality, all these ceremonies were a corruption of the worship to God

— Hands are full of blood, i.e., you are guilty of murder, oppression

— We must “walk the talk” otherwise these ceremonies are useless

Gifts and sacrifices mean nothing to God when they come from someone with a corrupt heart. God wants us to love him, trust Him, and turn from our sins; after that, He will be pleased with our “sacrifice” of time, money or service (Application bible)

1:21-27

( 1:21-23 ) Social collapse

— Spiritual harlotry, idolatry of God’s people

— Princes are rebellious, speaking of authorities

— They make themselves rich, speaking of bribes

— Silver which becomes dross is worthless

— Another sign of hypocrisy is it looks like wine on the outside but it is not

— God will turn things around ( 1:24-27 )

( 1:24 ) Take vengeance on this enemies

( 1:26-27 ) Not punishment but restoration

Redeemed

— To pay back the ransom

— We are bought back from the slave market of sin ( cf. Eph 1:7 )

— The cost was His own blood

Chapter 2: ( 2:3-4; 6-8; 18-21 )

(2:1 -5:30) is a single prophecy. This chapter starts with the glorious future of Jerusalem. We see an international pilgrimage. People from all the world come to Zion (2:2-4). The book of Micah contains this portion of Isaiah almost word-for-word. We see world-wide wrongs made right and then a contrast with present vs. future (2:5-16) where we see the national decline of Israel

2:3-4

— This is a vision of the time when Christ reigns on His throne from Jerusalem

— The world will enjoy uninterrupted peaceful conditions

— War has ended, world peace, beating their swords into plowshare

— But Warfare will continue characterize human history until the Lord comes to put a final end to it ( 9:6 )

— A glimpse of the glorious future of Jerusalem ( 2:1-5 )

2:6-8

— Zion wants to conform to eastern religions

— The land is full of armaments - horses, chariots

— Jerusalem is inventing new gods - full of idols

2:18-21

— A picture of judgment, the future day of the Lord

— In the day of judgment gold and silver will be useless ( Prov 11:4 )

— Rust will be their witness that they hoarded

— Men will hide in the rocks ( cf. Rev 6:12, 15 ) during the 6th bowel judgment

— A second picture of Jerusalem ( 2:6-4:1 ) their actual wretched condition

People can be unreliable, selfish and shortsighted. Yet we trust our lives and futures more readily to mortal human beings than to the all-knowing God. Beware of people who want you to trust them instead of God. Remember that only God is perfect and truly reliable (Application bible)

Chapter 3: ( 3:4-8 )

Chapter 3 is all about social disruption and despair. Solid political leadership disappears, the society is deeply divided. Upcoming elections are met with disinterest. All of this sets up God’s judgment and we see it unfold

3:4-8

— A Divided society; “Us” against “Them”; Identity politics

( 3:5b ) Child is arrogant (insolent) towards the elder

— Despair about elections

Anyone

— They will take whoever they find

— You have a coat, be our ruler!

— Take the first person that comes along

Despair

— I can’t fix your problems!

— Can’t even accept responsibility

Root Cause

( 3:8 )The root cause is their tongs

— In speaking and acting they are against the Lord

Zion’s Social Condition (Review)

— Disappearance of leadership ( 1-3 )

— Society Divided ( 5 )

— The age gap ( 5 )

— Despair around elections ( 6-7 )

— The root cause ( 8 ) “their tongue”

— The measure of judgement ( 10 )

Chapter 4: ( 4:2-6 )

Chapter 4 could be a continuation of chapter 3. It is short and shows us the consequences of sin. Chapter 3 ends with the threat that the young men will die. Here is the result. Conditions during war. Surplus of women but no husbands

4:2-6

— A third picture of Jerusalem and running to the end of the chapter

— Their purification and blessing

( 4:2 ) Branch of the Lord always refers to “the Messiah”

— A veiled reference to Christ (cf. Isa 11:1 )

— Messiah arising out of the created order

Purification

( 4:4 ) speaking of purification of the church by the spirit

— He burns, purifies our affections

— There is also the allusion to water

— Water and Spirit refer to spiritual renewal, rebirth

— Remember Nicodemus (cf. John 3:4-8 )

Chapter 5: ( 5:1-13; 20-23; 26-29 )

Earlier we saw three pictures of Jerusalem: a glimpse of the glorious future (2:1-5), a snapshot of their actual wretched condition (2:6:-4:1) and then a picture of hope (4:2-6). This section is the grimmest section yet in Isaiah’s introduction. It is a picture of inevitable judgment. This is a huge billboard, divine insight to what is happening to our nation. Biblical history can inform us and tell us our own inevitable future

5:1-13

— A sad song, a personal disaster

— An agrarian society, people made their living off the land

— The individual does everything to cultivate a vineyard - life savings, sweet, toil, human effort

Worthless

— The crop is worthless

— “worthless grapes” (NAS)

— “bad fruit” (NIV)

— Boo-u-sheam (to stink, bad grapes)

— Dug it all around - God separated Israel from the Gentiles ( 5:2 )

— I gave you

— The Best Land, a fruitful hill

— The Best Way to protect your people

— Judged Nations

— Cleared out the land

— judged the surrounding nations

— Laws to Protect

— Gave you laws to protect you

— to isolate you from the Gentiles

— protect you from false religions and idolatry

— There is nothing more that the Lord could do

( 5:5 ) He will burn it down and the Babylonians invaded the nation in 586 BC

Wordplay

(5:7) Isaiah does a play on words

— mishpat …mispach

— tsedeq… saqa

—I looked for justice (mishpat), but behold, oppression (bloodshed) (mispach)

— I looked for righteousness ( tsedeq ), but behold, a cry for help (tsa`aqa )

Peek Ahead

— We will come back to the vineyard in Isa 27

Materialism

( 5:8 ) Houses made larger and larger. Drive up prices, squeeze the poor, inflate prices

— Ruthless greed, avarice, materialism

— Every empty piece of land is occupied - no place where you can be alone

— This was the sin of Judas (corrupted for money), the apostle that betrayed our Lord

Let’s Live it Up! ( 5:12 )

— Samaria (N) and Judah (S) are on the brink because of moral rot

— Instead of turning to God, they party like there is no tomorrow

— They party like it is 1999. The last party of your life

5:20-23

— Moral perversion

(5:20) Everything is backwards, upside down

— Darkness is light

— Light is darkness

— Bitter is sweet, sweet is bitter

— Evil is actually good. Good is evil; they flipped truth on their head

— Fornication is good - restraint is bad

— Homosexuality is good - Male and Female is bad

— Divorce is good - Marriage is bad

Leaders

( 5:23 ) Corrupt leadership

— Mighty men are leaders ( 3:2 )

— Drunken - are unwise

— They could be bought or bribed ( 5:23 )

5:26-29

— God’s outstretched hand is at work

— He will call the Assyrian army to come and punish Israel

— He whistle as though He were swarming bees

The Lord “whistled” and brought other nations against Israel to judge them. He used the Assyrians 722 BC to judge the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Babylonians 586 BC to judge the Southern kingdom of Judah. He then judged Assyria and Babylon even though God was pulling the strings.

Chapter 6: ( 6:1-5; 8-13 )

At the center of this section is Isaiah’s grand vision of God sitting on his throne in the temple and he’s surrounded by these heavenly creatures who are shouting that God is Holy, Holy, Holy. And at that moment Isaiah realizes how corrupt he and his people Israel are and he is certain that he is going to be destroyed by God’s holiness, but he’s not. God’s holiness comes to him in the form of a coal from the alter, but not to destroy but to purify him.

Isaiah is to preach to Israel God’s coming judgment, but because Israel has reached a point of no return his warnings have a paradoxical effect of hardening the people. But Isaiah is to trust God’s plan. Israel is going to be chopped down like a tree and left like a stump in the field, that stump will itself be scorched and burned. But after all that burning God says that this smoldering stump is a holy seed that will survive into the future. It is a small sign of hope but who or what is that Holy Seed? The rest of this section offers an answer.

6:1-5

— Uzziah has died, on the throne for 52 years

— Israel is on a downward trend after Uzzaiah dies

— In the same year a small town along the Tigris rivers is founded which would become Rome

— Rome ascends and Israel descends

— Isaiah saw Adonai (Lord) sitting on the throne, sovereign one, the King

— God is still on the throne

(6:3) Holy, Holy, Holy

— The only attribute of God that is elevated to the third degree

— Your view of God will determine how you think and how you live

— LORD of hosts ( Yahweh spelled as YHWH or Jehovah) short-hand for the name of God

— In Ex 3:15 God says my name is Yahweh and that is to be my memorial name

— summation of his essential nature (cf Isa 26:4 )

( 6:5 ) Woe is me

— In Hebrew literally, “I am falling apart”

Lips

— The Coal from the altar touched his lips

— Repentance is always painful

— God ministers to sinners at the point of our confessed need

6:8-13

God Speaks

— For the first time the Lord speaks in the chapter, ( 6:8 )

— And notice that He used the word “Us” in the verse

( 6:11 ) how long? A week? A month?

— until no one is left to hear

Stump

— Israel will be like a chopped down tree

— All that is left is a stump that will be consumed by fire

— a “holy seed” from which your redeemer will come (but we’re getting ahead of ourselves)

Section 7-12

Isaiah confronts Ahaz, a descendant of David and the King of Jerusalem and he announces his downfall. God says that its the great empire of Assyria who will first chop Israel down and devastate the land but there’s hope. Because of God’s promise to David he’s going to send after this destruction a new king named Emmanuel, which means “God with us” and Emanuel’s kingdom is going to set God’s people free from violent oppressive empires. And Isaiah describes this coming king as a small shoot of new growth that will emerge from the old sump of David’s family. It’s this king that is the Holy Seed from chapter 6, and the king is going to be empowered by God’s spirit to rule over a new Jerusalem and bring justice to the poor and all nations. When will this all happen? When we’ve finished 1-12 we have a pretty good idea of Isaiah’s message of Judgment and Hope

Chapter 7: ( 7:1-2; 10-14; 18-20 )

The Northern Kingdom has joined forces with Syria to fight against the Assyrians. They want Judah, the Southern Kingdom, to join them. They lean on Judah to force a regime change, otherwise they intend to replace Ahaz with the son of the king of the Northern Kingdom ( Israel ). Isaiah speaks to Ahaz and tells him the Northern kingdom will be lost. Syria and the Northern Kingdom are like smoking firebrands (7:4) Ahaz’s job is to stand firm and trust in God. Ahaz responds with a lack of faith but God spares Jerusalem

7:1-4

— Isaiah doesn’t draw attention to the horrifying implication

— one part of the nation has joined forces with a foreign power to destroy the other part of God’s people!

— Ahaz was the 13th king of Judah, the Southern Kingdom — Ahaz was a disaster as a king which is recorded both in Isaiah and elsewhere, idol worship, he sacrificed his own son, he worshipped the stars and planets.

— He robs the treasury, temple of gold, silver and furniture — He was made a vassal king by Assyria

7:10-14

— God was willing to strengthen Ahaz through a sign but Ahaz refused

— Ahaz may have sounded pious, but he was unbelieving

— So the Lord offered a sign, a virgin would be with child; the birth of Messiah foretold

7:18-20

— God will whistle, be active in bringing foreign armies to judge Judah

— A hired razor, speaks of humiliation

— Hired, rented, he is not worried about blunting the razor, he will send them with fury and rage

Chapter 8: ( 8:12-15 )

King Ahaz raises to power. Instead of choosing the Lord, he puts his faith in the Assyrian army. He is relegated to a puppet king. Ahaz brings wickedness to Judah. He introduces idol worship, mediums and sacrificing of children to the pagan god Molac. Isaiah writes on a scroll the name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Speed-the-spoil, hasten the booty) and then names his newborn son the same. Judah is characterized by despair but God promises a future savior

8:12-15

( 8:12) don’t fear the ungodly but fear the the Lord ( 8:13 )

— In the midst of a fearful people who feared Assyria

— Isaiah is not told to be fearless

— but to direct his fear elsewhere

— Fear His holiness, justice

— Have Godly fear

— The Messiah will be a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense to some

— Paul quoted this when speak of Israel rejecting their Messiah ( Ro 9:33 )

— Simeon ( Luke 2:34 ) said that this child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to Rise (cf. Eph 2:6 )

Chapter 9: ( 9:1-2; 6-7; 10-12 )

When the Messiah comes he will bring glory to Naphtali and Zebulan. The promise was that a child would be born and He would be a wonderful counselor, mighty God ( Isa 9:6 ).

9:1-2

— Judah, you are really in gloom, distress

— There is a time when it will end

— Zebulun and Nephtali known as upper and lower Galilee

— God really brought punishment to this area (NE Galilee E of the Jordan river) was the first to suffer the invasion of the Assyrian king

— They were the first to suffer darkness but would be the first to glorified

— Jesus fulfilled this prophecy (cf. Matt 4:12-16 )

9:6-7

— He was given by God; divine

— He was God-with-us ( cf. 7:14 )

— A counselor, He knows what you need before you say it

— He is Mighty God

— He is everlasting and the source of eternal life ( John 3:16 )

— He is came to bring peace; He is the prince of peace

9:10-12

— The Northern Kingdom ( Israel ) and Syria hated each other until they were thrown into each other’s arms to fight Assyria — Israel (Northern Kingdom ) thought they were securing an alley

— Isaiah saw them as being swallowed up

— This phrase “His hand is stretched out still” is used often by Isaiah ( 5:25; 9:12; 17, 21; 10:4; 14:27 )

— It denotes that judgment will continue

Chapter 10: ( 10:5-15; 20-21; 28-32 )

Assyria will be destroyed in judgment by God. The thorny question of how can a morally just and righteous God use a morally bankrupt and wicked nation like Assyria to judge Judah. Can you blame the tool?

10:5-15

— Assyria was the second of 6 great world empires

— Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome

— Some would say that the Antichrist of Revelation 13 is the 7th ruler in succession of these world empires

( 10:5 ) God used Assyria as a His instrument of judgment against the Northern ( Israel ) and Southern kingdom ( Judah )

— Assyria was trying to conquer the world, but they were doing God’s work

— Assyria is morally responsible; God holds them responsible

Horse/Ride

— Only a very bad craftsman would blame the tool

— Isaiah uses the horse / rider analogy (cf. Isa 37:28-2 )

— All the energy and even violence belongs to the horse

— All the direction, wisdom and guidance belongs to the rider ( 10:6 ) People and property are destroyed

— Earlier they were called my people ( 10:2 ); Now, the people of my wrath

(10:7 - 10 ) The king of Assyria rattles off the cities that he has destroyed

— He has no desire to do God’s bidding; He just wants to destroy

— Jerusalem you will fail, I’ve conquered much better idol makers than you

( 10:14 ) The thinks it was by his wisdom that he accomplished all this

— God chose the Assyrians as his tool

— The season for evil men’s destruction is not yet at hand

— But we ought to wait patiently

10:20-21

— Never again a reliance on a foreign power but will trust in the Lord

Remnant

— A small group of people preserved by God

— There will always be a remnant (10:22)

— The remnant will return

— Isaiah called his son Shea-Jashub - “a remnant shall return” ( cf. 7:3 )

10:28-32

— Isaiah visualized the Assyrian army approaching from the North

— The place names grow closer and closer to Jerusalem as his vision progresses

— 15 miles ( 10:28 )

— 6 miles ( 10:29 )

— 5 miles ( 10:30 )

— 1 mile ( 10:32 )

— The Assyrian arm reached the walls of Jerusalem

— But the Lord sent them away in defeat

— Later, Isaiah recorded the literal fulfilment ( 37:34, 36-38 )

Chapter 11: ( 11:1-10 )

The second vision of the Messiah. The first spoke of His birth ( 9:1 ). Now we see His character, the fruit of His life described as the 7 fold spirit of the Lord resting upon Him. He is both the root and the offspring of David. We see the mystery of the OT explained. He will gather his people Jew and Gentile under His banner

11:1-10 — After all of these prophecies of judgment life looked bleak

— Isaiah sees new life in the form of a Rod from the stem of Jesse

— And Branch indicates that He is the Messiah

— Messiah has two titles

— The other is The Lion of Judah which came from Jacob’s blessing of Judah ( Gn 49:8-10 )

— When John sees Christ in heaven he refers to him with both of these titles

— “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David ( Rev 5:5 )

( 11:2 ) Also provides us a glimpse of the Holy Spirit; seven-fold aspect

—The Spirit

— Of the Lord

— Wisdom

— Understanding

— Power

— Knowledge

— Fear

( 11:6-9 ) A picture of the curse removed in the millennial kingdom

( 11:10 ) all Gentiles will seek the Messiah

Chapter 12: ( 12:1-6 )

This short little chapter is a high note. Only 6 verses but speaks of the praise of the remnant towards their God. For those who come to the savior and repent, He bears their sin and God’s anger and gives them Joy. They will be a witness to the world

12:1-6

—“in that day” - the millennial kingdom

— God’s people are worshipping God in the temple

— Their praise - Redeemed hearts

— The curse has been removed

— Eden has been restored

— Today — they are at the wailing wall

(12:5-6 ) Israel will testify to the entire world about His greatness

13-27 - Second Section: Judgment and Hope for the Nation

When we finished 1-12 we had a pretty good idea of Isaiah’s message of Judgment and Hope. But when will all this happen? First we have a large collection of poems that explore God’s Judgment and Hope for the nations. First of all we learn of the fall of Babylon and Israel’s neighbors. Isaiah could see that Assyria would one day be replaced by Babylon. The Babylon kings declared that they were higher than all other gods. So God vows to bring Babylon down and not only Babylon but a total of 11 nations were to be judged for pride, idolatry, injustice and a host of other sins.

Readings

Chapter 13: ( 13:1-2; 5-13; 17-22 )

Chapter 14: ( 14:12-17; 28-32 )

Chapter 15: ( 15:5-7 )

Chapter 16: ( 16:6-7; 10-11; 13-14 )

Chapter 17: ( 17:1-2; 10-11 )

Chapter 18: ( 18:1-2; 7 )

Chapter 19: ( 19:5-10; 18-21 )

Chapter 20: ( 20:1-6 )

Chapter 21: ( 21:9-10; 16-17 )

Chapter 22: ( 22:10-13; 15-24 )

Chapter 23: ( 23:14-16 )

Chapter 13: ( 13:1-2; 5-13; 17-22 )

This chapter starts a long section from 13-27 that covers the judgment of the nations. There are a total of 11 Nations that are judged in this section. The first judgment or burden is against Babylon. At the time of Isaiah’s prophesy Assyria was the great world superpower, not Babylon. Yet, Isaiah provides very specific near and future prophesies about the destruction of Babylon. The burden of Babylon was false religion and idolatry. Presumably all these nations never heard about the coming judgment. Somehow all these nations are connected to Judah.

13:1-2

— Babylon was a minor city in Isaiah’s day

— Babylon became a great city

— Assyria was the great power of Isaiah’s day and Isaiah prophesied that it would become a super-power

— Isaiah also saw that Babylon would conquer Judah and deport them

Near / Far

— This is both a near and a far term prophecy

— Near term: In 300 years Babylon was destroyed by the Assyrians (689 BC) and by the Persians (539 BC)

— Far term: — And a revived Babylon will rise, a religious and economic system that is called Babylon which is ultimately destroyed

— Isaiah has many such examples of near and far term prophecies

Divine Direction

( 13: 2 ) Lift up a banner on the high mountain

— The Lord’s divine direction of history

— Just like earlier (cf. Isa 5:26) when he whistled for the Babylonians to attack Judah, here He has summoned foreign armies to conquer Babylon

Providence

— It is hard to convince men that the providence of God governs the world

13:5-13

— It will be like childbirth, inevitable

— The cosmic upheaval ( 13:10 ) is a future end-times judgment

( 13:12 ) I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir

Slaughter

— There will be such a slaughter that it will be hard to find a man

— A man will be as rare as fine gold

McGee

Christ was mortal and more precious than gold

Medes

13:17-22 — ( 13:17 ) This is the first time that we learn that the Medes will destroy Babylon

— The Medes allied with Persia to conquer Babylon (539 BC)

— Later, they allied with Persia to conquer Babylon (539 BC)

— In chapters 41-47 God will setup a trial and will remind Israel that He raised up the Medes to destroy Babylon so that His people could return to Jerusalem and thus fulfill this prophecy by Isaiah

— Cannot be stopped or bribed with money ( Silver )

— A future Babylon will be utterly destroyed and never inhabited

— After the Babylonian captivity the people will complain that God was inattentive to their suffering and he will remind them of this prophecy (13:17 ) that the Medes would liberate them

Chapter 14: (14:12-17; 28-32 )

We see a future time when people will come to Israel and cling to them. The nations that once ruled over Israel will now be ruled by Israel. This chapter also gave us the judgment of the king, whether this was a vision of Satan’s fall or that of an earthly king is debated. If it is a picture of Satan, it does not fit the context of the judgments of nations: Babylon, Assyria and Philistia

14:12-17

— The literal word is Day Star. Described in Ez 28:11ff

— Jesus saw Lucifer fall

— “And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (cf. Luke 10:18 )

Five “I will”

( 14:13 ) ‘I will ascend into heaven

( 14:13 ) I will exalt my throne above the stars of God

( 14:13 ) I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north

( 14:14 ) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds

( 14:14 ) I will be like the Most High.’

14:28-32

— Ahaz was a wicked king, reigned 16 years

— The people happy that he died and hoped for a good king — We often feel like electing a new president will make things better

Rod Broken

— Assyria was destroyed and that should be cause for rejoicing

—The Northern kingdom might rejoice ( Philistia ) but Isaiah says " not so fast”

— Out of that fallen stick will come a viper

— there will be an enemy far more serious - a poisonous serpent (Edward Young)

Chapter 15: ( 15: 5-7 ) This chapter is the judgment of Moab. Moab was the first son of Lot’s incestuous relationship with this daughters. Ruth and David are descendants. Moab will be fiercely destroyed like a lion attacks its prey

15:5-7

— Even Isaiah was overtaken with emotions to see how sweeping and complete was the destruction of Moab — They carry their treasures

— flee their homes with all their belongings

— no where to put them, except the brook of Willows, the Zared river

Chapter 16: ( 16:6-7 ; 10-11; 13-14 ) Speaks of the destruction of Moab. Moab was the first son of Lot. Like Felix and Festus they were close. But rather than turning to the true God, they worshipped idols. The were prideful and it is because of their pride that the Lord will judge them. The Assyrians destroyed them in 3 years.

16:6-7

— Their pride was legendary

— The prophet did his duty and told them their sin which was pride

— He would have healed them but they would not be healed

—Those will not be counseled cannot be helped

Matthew Henry

“More souls ruined by pride than any other sin”

16:10-11

— There is no joy at the harvest; Normally a happy time

— Bring in the harvest, press the grapes

— The Lord’s deep sorrow

— Isaiah expresses intense emotional pain over the destruction of Moab

16:13-14 — Judgment is swift; Within 3 years this judgment will come

McGee

“God doesn’t use a calendar for the church but he does to punish the wicked”

Chapter 17: ( 17:1-2; 10-11 )

The judgment of both the Northern Kingdom called Ephraim and Damascus, as well as Syria. The judgment is based on Israel’s trust in a foreign power rather than relying on the Lord their rock. Isaiah says like a fierce storm at night there is no trace of it in the morning, so in a similar way the destruction of Syria will occur

17:1-2

— The Northern kingdom sought and alliance with Syria against Assyria

— They placed their strength in something that perishes ( military alliance )

17:6

— What is left is the remnant

— They will be like an emaciated person or the leftovers of the harvest

— just a few olives on a branch too high to reach

17:10-11

— They abandoned the rock of their salvation the Lord ( 17:10 )

( 17:11 )There is a harvest but it is not what they expected

Isaiah teaches a covenant view of history

— Obey and He will set you high above all other nations ( Deut 28:1)

— Disobey and all the curses God describes in Deut 28:15until the end of the chapter

Reap pain

— You will reap incurable pain (NIV)

— Your only harvest will be a load of grief and unrelieved pain (NLT)

— It will lead to ruin, grief and sorrow

Matthew Henry

"Those who are partakers in sin, are justly made partakers in ruin"

Chapter 18: ( 18:1-2; 7 )

The 5th burden or judgment is against a people who are beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. This is a microcosm of the Lord’s plan for the world. He rules all the nations ( 17:12-14 ), and it would be better for the ambassadors of collective security ( 1-2 ) to take a different message to the far parts of the earth: to wait for the Lord ( 3 ), for He is planning His sudden intervention ( 4; cf. 17:13f ). The harvest expected from human plans will come to nothing ( 5-6 ) but a world remnant will gather to the Lord in Zion ( 7 ) (Motyer)

18:1-2

— Says this land is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

— Not sure who this is - but we know who it is not

— Not Egypt because they are judged in ( Chp. 19 )

— Not Great Britain; Not the USA

— Some translations use Cush (NIV, ESV) instead of Ethiopia, literal Hebrew word

— It is unlikely that this is either Egypt or Ethiopia

— But whatever country this is - God has a bone to pick with it

18:7

— In that time a present will be brought to the Lord of hosts From a people tall and smooth of skin,

— They will present to the Lord some sort of present

— It is said that when Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, invaded Judah (605 BC) that the Levitical priests moved the arc to Ethiopia

— Many churches in Ethiopia have murals depicting where the arc of the covenant was in Ethiopia

— It then went to Ethiopia and the city of Aksum in the St Mary of Zion cathedral

— Is this the gift that the people of smooth skin will present to the Lord in that day?

Chapter 19: ( 19:5-10; 18-21 )

Egypt is saved and becomes God’s people. The Lord will use Israel to bring many other nations to Him.

— Egypt is probably the #1 or #2 oldest country in the world

— Israel has a long and special relationship with Egypt

— Abraham took his family to Egypt

— Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt

— Israel was born in and grew up in Egypt ( over 1.7 million ) when Moses led them out

— Israel has always seen Egypt as a refuge

Isaiah’s warning: don’t place your trust in Egypt

— The Lord will judge them as well

19:5-10

— The rivers will turn foul

— They thought that the river would be a defense but it wasn’t

( 19:8 ) — The fishing industry is gone

( 19:9 ) The fine linen industry is gone (what we would call the textile industry)

— Economic collapse follows social collapse

19:18-21

— Egypt will speak the language of Judah

( 19:19 )The altar will be the witness that they belong to Israel

( 19:21 ) And Egypt will know the Lord

When Egypt calls to God for help, He will send a Savior, Jesus Christ, is available to all who call upon Him (Application bible)

Chapter 20: ( 20:1-6 )

Chapter 20 continues the theme of the previous chapter, the folly of trusting Egypt. Isaiah provides an object lesson to demonstrate the shame of trusting in anyone other than the Lord for deliverance

20:1-6 — Ashdod was a one of the five ( 5 ) great cities of Egypt — Tartan is an officer representing Assyria sent by Sargon the king of Assyria — Egypt was captured by the Assyrians

— It so frightened the Egyptians that they turned and ran

— Egypt could not be trusted (cf. 2 Ki 18:21 )

Object Lesson

— Go and remove your clothes

— This is the shame that you will feel if you place your trust in Egypt and Ethiopia rather than the Lord

— He did this for 3 years

Isaiah warned Judah not to ally with Egypt (20:5; 30:1,2 ; 31:1). He knew that trust in any nation or any military might was futile. Judah’s only hope was to trust God. Although we don’t consciously put our hope for deliverance in political alliances in quite the same way, we often put our hope in other places (Application bible).

Chapter 21: ( 21:9-10; 16-17 )

Three more burdens or judgments are recorded in Chapter 21: Babylon, Edom and Arabia. Babylon was covered in chapters 13-14 but here the judgment is very precise although still 200 years in the future. The book of Daniel provided an eye-witness account of Isaiah’s prophecy in fulfillment. Isaiah uses the imagery of a thrashing floor to symbolize his coming judgment - while disturbing it is also reassuring for those who choose to believe and obey

21:9-10

— Babylon is fallen, is fallen!

— Graven images broken - points to a future time, the religious Babylon in Revelation 17

— Good and evil was separated

— The Lord will judge like a threshing floor; gather the wheat and burn the chaff ( Mich 4:12; Matt 3:12 )

16-17 ( 20:16 ) It will be done within a year

( 20:17 ) God of Isreal has spoken it; His word does not come back void ( 55:11 )

Chapter 22: ( 22:10-13; 15-24 )

Isaiah saw the self-sufficient city and the self-sufficient man. The city placed their trust in weapons, defenses and engineering marvels. They should have placed their trust in the Lord. Many others placed their trust in a man, Shebna. He was referred to as a peg. Man hung their hope on him but he failed and was ejected from the palace in disgrace and died in disgrace in a foreign land.

22:10-13

— They counted the houses

— They strengthened and fortified the walls

— Do-it-yourself (DIY) salvation

— You did everything on your own but look to Me

— How foolish to look to walls, weapons and not to God

— Isaiah called for weeping but instead they we were living it up

— Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die

22:15-24

— Shebna was the right hand man of the king, chief of Staff

— He was a comptroller during the reign of Hezekiah but because of his pride he was ejected from the palace

— He had a sepulcher made

— He arranged the construction of a tomb fit for a king

— Shebna was a double dealer, he died in a foreign country just as Isaiah predicted

Eliakim

— Eliakim replaced Shebna and was honest

— When Eliakim opened something, no one could shut it

— He had the power to determine who could or could not enter into the King’s presence

— Jesus applies this to himself as to who would enter His future kingdom ( Rev 3:7 )

Chapter 23: ( 23:14-16 )

The last burden is Tyre, the great Phoenician city known for its formidable navy and ships that could said the open seas. The city was wealthy from trading. The final woe is judgment against Tyre and a warning to its sister city Sidon

23:14-16

— They will go into captivity for 70 years like Judah — They were conquered by the Babylonians

— They were once a prosperous city, now forgotten

24-27 - Third Section: A Tale of Two Cities

For Isaiah judgment is never the final word which brings us to the next section: A tale of two cities. There is the Lofty City which has exalted itself above God and become corrupt and unjust. This is the city where the proud and mighty dwell. This is an archetype of rebellious humanity and is described with the same language that Isaiah used to earlier describe Jerusalem, Assyria and Babylon all put together. This city is destined for destruction and one day will be replace by the New Jerusalem - the strong city where the spiritually humble and poor reside. In this New Jerusalem God personally reigns and there is no more death or suffering. This section shows how Isaiah’s message pointed far beyond his own day, it was a message of hope for all who are waiting for God to bring justice on violent oppressive kingdoms and bring his kingdom of justice and peace and love.

Readings

Chapter 24: ( 24:1-5; 21-23 )

Chapter 25: ( 25:8; 11-12 )

Chapter 26: ( 26:1-10; 17-19 )

Chapter 27: ( 27:1-6 )

Chapter 24: ( 24:1-5; 21-23 )

Beginning in Chapter 24 to 27:13 Isaiah describes the great tribulation. These four chapters are often called “Isaiah’s Apocalypse.” They discuss God’s judgment on the entire world for its sin. Isaiah’s prophecies were first directed to Judah, then to Israel, then to the surrounding nations, and finally the whole world.

24:1-5

— Isaiah shifts from his judgment of the nations to the whole earth

( 24:1 - 27:13 ) These next four chapters describe the events in Revelation 6ff

— Scientist tells us to worry about C02 levels, Global Warming. Isaiah says:

— the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste ( 24:1 )

— God gives no reason and offers no apologies

— The Bible assumes that the world as a whole knows the basic facts about God and His expectations ( Rom 1:20-21 )

( 24:5 ) The reasons for punishment

— They transgressed the law; refused to live by divine revelation

— They violated the statutes; altered the moral code

— They broke the covenant; refused to live in fellowship with God

24:21-23 — The sun/moon respond

— They have light but nothing compared to the Lord

— They will be ashamed

— even nature responds to the king

Chapter 25: ( 25:8; 11-12 )

The vision of the great tribulation continues. We see the many reasons God deserves praise. We also see that He knows our pain and one day will wipe away every tear

25:8

— Death is swallowed up

— Christ wipes away our tears ( Rev 7:17 )

— At the great banquet he wipes away our tears ( Rev 19-22 )

— Another part of this verse is quoted in ( Rev 21:4 ) which describes the glorious scene of God’s presence with His people

25:11-12

— Moab will find strength in himself to swim out

— Swimming is an excellent illustration of go-it-alone policy

— But the Lord doesn’t admire Moab’s cleverness

— The very thing which in human terms would have saved (works, man-centered religion) is the very heart of offence to God

Chapter 26: ( 26:1-10; 17-19 )

The third (3) of four (4) chapter describing God’s victory over all His enemies ( 24:1-27:13 ). This section describes the the song that Jerusalem will sing, a song of Salvation when their enemies are vanquished. The city of God is compared to those who are lofty, they will be made low, the lowly people of God will be exalted. Even when grace is extended to the wicked they will not have it.

26:1-10

— A strong city because the Lord is the author of salvation ( 25:9 )

— He will appoint salvation because He is the author of our salvation and His saving power surrounds the city

( 26:3 ) you will keep us in perfect peace; a peace that the wicked will never know

( 26:4 ) Trust in the Lord, Lit. “Rock of Ages”

— The “lofty city” where the arrogant live

— The poor & humble inhabit the strong city

( 26:9 ) Give the lord the best part of your day; when God punishes, it leads sinners to repentance

— Whether early morning is your best time or late afternoon, give the Lord your best time each day

( 26:10 ) God shows his love, mercy but the wicked turn their backs to it

— Even when God shows himself to the wicked, they recognize God, but He remains

— marginal, incidental, insignificant

26:17-19

— Isaiah introduces a new comparison

— Israel’s tumultuous history is compared to a pregnant women

—Israel has suffered greatly but also tried to free themselves from their afflictions

— All that work and no baby!

— All their effort resulted in ZERO because they didn’t depend on the Lord

( 26:19 ) What is not possible with man is possible with God ( our ineffective human effort )

— God can bring about the salvation that man cannot attain

— Those who placed their trust in Him will live

— Corporate resurrection

— Those who placed their trust in Him will live

— Ezek 37 - dead bones

— Individual resurrection ( Dan 12:2 )

Chapter 27: ( 27:1-6 )

In the millennial kingdom the nation of Israel is restored. We again revisit the vineyard but this time it is a good vineyard and produces good fruit. Israel’s mission of being a light to the world is restored. We know that this has not yet happened.

27:1-6

— The Leviathan is some large sea animal

— It can overwhelm man, but not God

— A sea-going dinosaur

— God is greater than His creation

— The Leviathan can conquer man but he cannot conquer God his creator

The Vineyard

— Unlike the vineyard of (5:1-7) this vineyard bore fruit

— The Lord watered it, watched over it day and night

—He zealously guarded it

— This is a picture of the Millennial

— Israel shall blossom and bud

— The whole world becomes the Lord’s vineyard

— This has always been the Lord’s intention

28-39 - Final Section: The Rise & Fall of Jerusalem

This section returns the focus to the rise and fall of Jerusalem. At first we find a bunch of poems accusing Israel’s leaders of turning to Egypt for military protection against Assyria. He knows this will backfire and says that Israel’s leaders have made a covenant of death. Isaiah says that only trust in their God and repentance can save Israel now. This is illustrated when the Assyrian army surrounds Jerusalem and Hezekiah humbles himself and prays to God who miraculously saves the city. But, Hezekiah’s rise is immediately followed by his fall when a delegation from Babylon arrives and he tries to impress them with a tour of all of the treasures of the palace and temple. He is clearly trying to form another military alliance for protection. Isaiah tells Hezekiah that this “ally” will one day betray him and return as an enemy to conquer Jerusalem. Isaiah’s prediction was right ( 2 Ki 24-25 ) and 200 years later Babylon destroyed the city, carried off the treasures and the people into exile. All of what Isaiah said up to this point proved that Isaiah was a true prophet.

Readings

Chapter 28: ( 28:9-13; 15-18; 20-21; 27-29 )

Chapter 29: ( 29:4-6; 13-15 )

Chapter 30: ( 30:1-3; 27-33 )

Chapter 31: ( 31:1-9 )

Chapter 32: ( 32:16-20 )

Chapter 33: ( 33:1; 4; 7-12 )

Chapter 34: ( 34:1-6 )

Chapter 35: ( 35:1-7 )

Chapter 36: ( 36:1-18 )

Chapter 37: ( 37:1-7; 14-17; 21-23; 36-39 )

Chapter 38: ( 38:1-8 )

Chapter 39: ( 39:1-7 )

Chapter 28: ( 28:9-13; 15-18; 20-21; 27-29 )

In Chapter 28 God declares judgment on the Northern Kingdom ( Ephraim ) and then returns his focus on Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel has fallen to the Assyrians, leaving a lesson for Jerusalem under similar circumstances to learn about foreign alliances.

Isaiah 28 - 33 Isaiah tells of six ‘woes’ that will fall on the people of Israel and Judah (and on their enemy, Assyria) as a punishment for their misdeeds.

The first warning of God’s wrath went to Ephraim (the people of the northern kingdom of Israel) for their debauchery ( 28:1-29 )

28:9-13

( 28:9 ) For precept must be upon precept

— Here the context is so important

— So easy to take this out of context

— I would like to interpret this another way but the context matters

— Isaiah has called out the Kingdom and indicted them as having turned their backs on God

— The leaders were to be humble and devoted to God and an example to the nation

— Instead they stumbled through strong drink; they had turned their back on God in many other areas as well

— The response of the leaders to is to mock Isaiah; do you think that we are children just weaned from our mother’s breasts?

— We know what we’re doing and do not need the wisdom of this prophet

— The drunkard’s sarcastic mocking used baby talk

— Precept upon precept, there a little - monosyllables

Often interpreted as such:

— There is no short-cut to the Christian life

— It is spending time in the bible every day, daily grind, precept upon precept, line upon line

Young

To stress the utter depravity of those to whom he speaks, Isaiah introduces them as mocking him. Far from being a nation devoted to God, Judah was a wicked nation, whose wickedness was even willing to express itself in mockery of the prophet. These words are difficult, but we would paraphrase the thought as follows: “Whom does he think he is teaching; to whom does he think he is explaining God’s revelation? Let him search as widely as he wishes, he will not find any who is in need of such teaching. Is it to those who are weaned from milk and who are old and no longer need their mother’s breasts?” This question would then demand an answer such as, “We know what we are doing, and we do not need wisdom such as this prophet is seeking to give us.”

( 28:11 ) Since Judah would not listen to God’s prophet

— they would listen to a foreign invader who would speak to them in a tongue they would not understand

28:15-18

— Hezekiah made an alliance with the Egyptian Pharaoh Tirhakah against Assyria

— But they would be of no help

— He actually made an agreement with death

— In contrast to the false security in foreigners ( Egyptians ), God’s way is a cornerstone, a sure foundation

— His Word, His promises are sure

— His faithfulness, His covenant with Abraham; a tried stone

28:20-21

— Their plans ( a military alliance with Egypt ) are completely inadequate

— Bed is too short; Blanket is too narrow

Alliance

— The word for “alliance” is translated here as blanket or covering

( 28:21 ) “His strange work” (NIV)

— God has determined something strange

— Judgment of His own people

28:27-29

— Caraway and cummin had to be threshed by hand and with a rod and stick

— A cartwheel or sledge would destroy the crop

— You have to be careful with soft grains

— God will take our individual circumstances into account

— Judgment will be appropriate

Chapter 29: ( 29:4-6; 13-15 )

The second warning of God’s wrath went to Jerusalem (the people of the southern kingdom of Judah) for embracing the outward signs of worship without any real emotion from the heart ( 29:1-14 )

In the third warning about other nations , Isaiah condemned those who “work in darkness” and “try to hide things from the LORD.” (Isaiah 29:15)

29:4-6

( 29:4 ) Reminds us of whisper and mutter ( 8:19 )

— People used spiritualist to communicate with the dead as King Saul did (1 Sam 28:3-20)

— The sin of necromancy, communicating with the dead

— Isaiah describes what will happen to the enemies of Judah

— Their foes will also be made like dust

— It will happen in an instant, suddenly

29:13-15

— They talk a good talk but in their hearts they have no interest in the Lord

— Use all the correct words but no heart reality

— Empty ritualism does not bring you closer to God

— The folly of human wisdom is to try to hide from the Lord

— They think God doesn’t see what they are doing

— like making a secret pack with Egypt to protect them from Assyria

— This is Isaiah’s third warning about other nations (cf 29:15-24 )

— His “marvelous work” ( 29:14) like His strange, awesome, unusual work (28:21)

( 29:16 ) “Surely you have things turned around!”

Deny Uniqueness

—You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay ( NIV )

— How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! ( NLT )

— Do they think that they are equal with God?

Deny Sovereignty

— They deny His sovereignty

— Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? ( NIV )

— Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? ( NLT)

Deny His wisdom

— They deny His wisdom

— He knows nothing (NIV)

— Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid” ( NLT )

Chapter 30: ( 30:1-3; 27-32 )

When Ahaz was the king, the threat was the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim or Israel or Jacob) and their alliance with Syria. Assyria was the Southern Kingdom’s (Judah) protector. By the time of Hezekiah, the Assyrians had dealt with Ephraim( Northern Kingdom, also called Israel ) and Syria, just as Isaiah said it would happen. Now, Assyria is a threat and has turned against Judah . The Southern kingdom (Judah) needs to make plans to protect itself by making an alliance with Egypt.

The fourth “woe” is against God’s “stubborn children” of Judah ( 30:1) for relying on foreign alliances.

Isaiah’s fifth ‘woe’ was against those who relied on Egypt for help ( 30:6-33 )

30:1-3

— The Lord said, don’t go back to Egypt

— They didn’t care in the power of God

— The source of their strength was men

— They openly displayed their unbelief

30:16-17

— You will flee your attackers but they will have faster horses

— You will put your trust in Egyptian horses but they will not save you

— You may out number them 1000:1

— but just 5 of your enemy will strike terror in your hear and make you flee

30:27-33

— The future of Israel is an open question because it faces judgment

— But there is no question what will happen to Assyria

— They are climbing up to Jerusalem, they are actually climbing their own funeral pyre! (30:33)

— Marching to Jerusalem, actually climbing the pyre of wood for their own funeral

— Digging their own grave

— We will actually see this what happened to them when we get to chapter 37:36

— This section abounds with Anthropomorphisms

— The people reacted with Joy when the Assyrians were punished

Chapter 31: ( 31:1-9 )

Just nine verses, but Isaiah repeats that Judah is trusting in the Egyptians and not the Lord for deliverance. Assyria will fall and it will be by God’s hand, not man’s. The sixth and final ‘woe’, Isaiah condemned Assyria –the “destroyer” who plundered God’s people

31:1-9

( 31:2 ) — You think your ambassadors and politicians are wise?

— God is wiser

( 31:3 ) How stupid not to treat Yahweh as is proper and instead trust the Egyptians!

( 31:5 ) The Lord is like a hovering mother bird over her nest willing to do whatever is necessary

( 31:8 ) Assyria will fall but not by man’s hand; it will be a work of God

Chapter 32: ( 32:16-20 )

A vision of the millennial rule of Christ. Both judgment and glory lie ahead and now is the time to choose.

32:16-20

— Justice and Righteousness will cover the whole earth, from wilderness to fruitful field

— The Messiah personally present to ensure peace

— We can’t be complacent

— Both judgement and glory lie ahead

Chapter 33: ( 33:1; 4; 7-12 ) The sixth ( 6th ) and final woe. The generals and the politicians have failed to thwart the Assyrians. They trusted in their own strength. The Assyrians destroy places of beauty but in the end the plunderer is himself plundered.

33:1

—You Assyrians will be plundered

— Hezekiah tried to buy himself out of trouble (2 ki 18:13-18)

— The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, was threatening Judah

— Hezekiah paid him 11 tons of Silver, 1 ton of Gold

— He emptied the temple and stripped the door posts

— Sennacherib turned around and attacked Jerusalem as if nothing had happened

33:4 — The Assyrians will run and leave their plunder

33:7-12

— The “valiant ones”

— Both men of war and diplomats have failed to thwart the Assyrians

— They trusted their own fire-power

— Both hawks and doves are at wits end ( they weep bitterly )

( 33:11 ) You got pregnant, you “conceived” but all you will bring forth ins “chaff, stubble” worthlessness, your achievements are straw

Sin Boomerangs ( 33:11 )

— Your breath, as fire, shall devour you

— Your own breadth ignites the fire

— the sinner both conceives the sin and the immediate cause of their own ruin

Chapter 34: ( 34:1-6 )

The day of Jacob’s trouble which the NT calls Armageddon. The land of Edom represents the nations of the world. Similar passages in Rev 6 and 18 mirror Chapter 34

34:1-6

( 34:2 ) For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations

( 34: 4 ) The whole universe is tainted by man’s sin and human corruption and will be subject to judgment.

— The universe is not eternal. Human sin has infected it with built-in obsolescence

— Its pre-written history has an end — A great earthquake during the tribulation will rearrange the landscape in preparation to the coming of Christ

— The 7th Bowl judgment describes this event ( Rev 16:18 )

— And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll

( 34:5-6 ) A sword comes down from heaven; bathed in blood; a great slaughter

— Since the nations have not repented, they become the sacrifice for their own sins

Chapter 35: ( 35:1-7 )

After a prediction of judgment on the Nations of the world (34) comes a vision of God’s great mercy for His church. Another vision of the coming kingdom. We saw it earlier in Chapter 11. Some of the same imagery, a highway of holiness. But here we see that all illness is eradicated. The world and mankind is transformed.

35:1-7

— Dramatic changes are coming during the Messianic age

— God will change Jersualem

( 35:5-6 )

— Blind will see

— Deaf will hear

— Lame will walk

— Dumb shall speak

— Eyes and Ears

Chapter 36: ( 36:1-18 )

The Assyrian king sends his messenger, the Rabshakeh who attempts to intimidate king Hezekiah. He purposely speaks Hebrew so that those in hearing distance will be afraid. He taunts the king and their faith in God and says your god will not deliver you. Surrender now and it will go well with you.

36:1-18

(36:1 ) Judah is attacked by Assyria

— 46 fortified cities in Judah fell, people were deported ( scattered ); fulfilled prophecy ( 10:5 )

( 36:4 ) The Rabshakeh refers to “the king” of Assyria but rudely omits “king” when referring to Hezekiah

( 36:6 ) Trusting in Egypt is a broken reed

— Egypt is weak and will be no help to you — Trusting Egypt would be making a covenant with death ( 28:15 )

( 36:8 ) The Rabshakeh taunted Judah

— Even if I gave you 2,000 horses you could not defeat us

— So, you may as well just surrender now

( 36:11 ) The people understood Hebrew; those on the wall understood everything

— Politicians make war, but people suffer

( 36:14 ) Hezekiah is powerless to deliver you, he has no authority, no kingly authority

— It was true, they could not be delivered by the hand of Hezekiah unless God helped

— ( 36:16 ) Don’t listen to Hezekiah

— Listen to my king; Submit to him and surrender

Chapter 37: ( 37:1-7; 14-17; 21-23; 36-39 ) The narrative continues… the enemy is still at the gate. But the Lord delivers the people of Judah from the enemy and an Angel of the Lord kills 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. It really is like Midian and the delivery from Egypt as foretold by Isaiah in Isa 10:26. Isaiah again answers the question raised earlier of how God can use an even more wicked people than Judah to punish them. He answers with the horse and rider illustration ( 37:29 )

— At Mount Gilead the army was at first 32,000 but 22,000 returned in fear ( Jud 7:3 )

— Gideon kept 300 men who put their hands to their mouth to drink, everyone else sent home

— They killed 120,000 men but not one Israelite died ( Jud 8:10 )

37:1-7

— Judah is compared to a women about to give birth

— Without strength the women and child will certainly die

( 37:6 ) Isaiah tells Hezekiah to not fear the Assyrians

— This is the same advice he earlier gave Ahaz ( 7:4 )

( 37:7 ) The reason not to fear is because the king is powerless against the king of glory

14-17

— Hezekiah goes to the house of the Lord to plead and pray to God

— He asks God to take notice of the situation with all his facilities, eyes and ears

— It appears then that the king’s first and primary concern was not for the welfare of himself and his country but for the glory of God

Right thing to do

— King Ahaz faced a similar challenge when the Northern Kingdom formed an alliance with Syria and attacked Judah trying to force a regime change

— But Ahaz refused to go to the lord

— “But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” (cf 7:12 )

21-23

— Because he prayed, “God heard it”

— “Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’” (2 ki 19:20)

— God doesn’t immediately destroy Sennacherib, but he promises deliverance

( 37:22 )

— Jerusalem is pictured as a helpless women

J. Alec Motyer

Thus, the way of believing prayer is the truly practical way of dealing with the harsh realities of this world. What neither armaments (36:9) nor diplomacy (30:1-2) nor money (2 Ki 18:13-14 ) could achieve, prayer has done

36-39

— The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 soldiers

— Sennacherib returned home and was assassinated by his sons. Killed in 681 BC

Chapter 38: ( 38:1-8 )

A flashback to before chapter 36-37. Hezekiah is sick and about to die but the Lord intervenes and grants him 15 more years

38:1-8

— He knew he wasn’t going to recover

— This sickness happened around 702 BC which put him in his 40s

— The Lord answered Hezekiah’s prayer not because of his faithfulness - but because of the Lord’s faithfulness

( 38:5 ) The Lord would add 15 more years to his life

( 38:6 ) He would also deliver him from the Assyrians, described in the previous chapters ( 36-37 )

( 38:8 ) He moved the sun back 10 degrees (2 ki 20:8-11)

Chapter 39: ( 39:1-7 )

A continuation of the flashback in Chapter 38. Hezekiah receives a mysterious letter and we see his lapse of faith. We see his blindness to prosperity and how quickly any of us can fall into old habits (cf. 38:15)

39:1-7

— The king receives a visitor, the son of the Babylonian king

— Under the pretense of wishing him well, he came to Hezekiah to form a military alliance against Assyria

( 39:2 ) Hezekiah shows his guest all his treasures

— How easily Hezekiah forgot; he had the opportunity to tell the Babylon how:

— God saved his life! ( 38:4 )

— Promised deliverance from the Assyrians ( 38:6 )

— Instead, he stuck he is chest out;

— took credit for all the treasures of the empire

( 39:6 ) Isaiah tells him that all his treasures will be carried away by this so-called alley turned traitor

— The Babylonians came, destroyed the city, burned the temple, carried away the treasures and the people into captivity ( 200 years later )

Additional Resources:

Isaiah Overview Part Part 1 1-39 https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8

Isaiah Overview Part II 40-66 https://youtu.be/_TzdEPuqgQg

J Vernon McGee Overview: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-intro-745777.html

Introduction to Isaiah, Ralph Wilson: http://www.jesuswalk.com/isaiah/00_intro.htm

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