DBG - August 10 - Isaiah 48-52

In this chapter God speaks about His relationship with Israel.

vs. 1-8 – God addresses unfaithful Israel, who He is working to bring back to Him.  Note in the first two verses that they claim to be God’s people, but God does not have their heart.  They have hardened their hearts against God.

vs. 9-11 – God’s purpose in bringing Israel back to Him is to bring glory to Himself.  Essentially, this is the purpose for all of His actions.  The reason for saying this is to let Israel think they were being exalted in the way God was treating them.

vs. 12-16 – In the ancient mind, being defeated or subjugated by another nation meant that your personal idols were not as strong as those of your adversaries.  The True God is so great that He even works in the defeat of His people to His glory.

vs. 17-19 – God had shepherded Israel, but they had rebelled against Him.  In vs. 18-19 the blessings they are forfeited by their insolence are shown. 

vs. 20-21 – Here is pictured the intended outcome of the Babylonian Captivity.  Israel should return to the Promised Land with rejoicing and enjoy the blessings of God.  Sadly, they did not do so.  Only a small remnant returned to Jerusalem.

vs. 22 – With these words the fall of Babylon is foreseen which would allow Israel to return.  This is also a universal principle.  There is no peace that does not come from God.

In this chapter we are introduced to the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah.

vs. 1-3 – The Servant of the Lord is introduced.  As this theme develops it will be clear that this is the Messiah.  Here it is highlighted that He has been called from His mother’s womb (see Genesis 3:15).  He was prepared to be used for the perfect time.

vs. 4 – The rejection of Christ by Israel is foreseen.  See John 1:11.

vs. 5-6 – The two-fold mission of the Messiah: to restore Israel and to be a light to the Gentiles.

vs. 7 – Christ is seen as the one rejected by His own that will also be worshipped by the kings of this world. 

vs. 8-13 – The future work of Christ as King, the fulness of His reign in the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 14-26 – Israel complains that they have been forsaken and forgotten by God.  Surely, they felt that way during the Captivity and also in the present Diaspora.  God lovingly responds that is impossible that He should forsake or forget them.  Israel will be restored and exalted.  No power that stands against Israel will be allowed to stand without Divine judgment.

In this chapter we see the deliverance promised through God.

vs. 1-3 – The fallen condition of Israel is revealed to be their own fault through their rebellion and faithlessness.  God had not forsaken them, but they had forsaken Him.  God is always capable of redemption if His people would only repent and seek Him.

vs. 5-9 – The work and character of the Messiah is revealed.  He is seen as humble as a disciple, willingly submitting to vile mistreatment.  He endures this knowing that victory is ahead.  We find in vs. 6 a vivid description of the cruel treatment of Christ as captive before the crucifixion.  Pulling out a man’s beard was a sign of great shame, as seen in II Samuel 10:4 and Nehemiah 13:25.  These indignities Christ bore patiently to redeem us from our sins.

vs. 10-11 – The faithful are promised guidance through the darkness ahead in vs. 10.  The faithless, seen in their self-reliance, have no such comfort.  They are left to trust in their own strength.

In this chapter Israel is called to trust in the Lord through judgment.

vs. 1-2 – Israel is called to go back and see the testimony of their father Abraham.  He was a blessed by God because of His faith.

vs. 3 – The future blessings of the Millennial Kingdom are seen.

vs. 4-6 – Israel is called to consider the truths that God has expressed.  By these will men be judged, seen specifically here at Armageddon.  God offers peace to those who will accept it but will impose His righteous judgment against all who deny it.

vs. 7-8 – Israel is called to endure the ridicule and mockery from the ungodly nations.  They are advised to cling to the eternal truth of God and not the fleeting trinkets of this world.

vs. 9-16 – Israel is called to take courage as they remember past deliverances from God.  Rahab (“pride, insolence”) is a poetic name for Egypt that is also found in Psalm 87:4 and 89:10.  The dragon is a poetic name for Pharaoh that is also found in Ezekiel 29:3.  The Red Sea Crossing is remembered in vs. 10.  The promised victory and deliverance are seen in vs. 11.  With God on their side, they had nothing to fear.

vs. 17-23 – Israel is called to look to God after judgment.  A glorious future is promised when they would no longer fear judgment.  The fullest fulfillment of these promises is the Millennial Kingdom.

In this chapter Israel is called to turn to God to enjoy His blessings.

vs. 1-2 – Israel is called to rejoice because of the future restoration and blessings.  There is not any evidence for a historical fulfillment of vs. 1, and prophetically it does not fit in the Tribulation.  Therefore, this is a promise of the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 3-6 – The great lesson of the chastisement of Israel is that they should truly know the Lord.  This points both to restoration after the Captivity and the future restoration of the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 7-12 – The joys and blessings of the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 13-15 – We return to the theme of the Servant of the Lord from chapters 49-50.  The promises of the Millennial Kingdom are connected to the Servant.  There will be no Kingdom without Christ proclaimed as King by His people.  His appearance is movingly described.  The mighty King is not seen in His strength and beauty, but as the Lamb slain for our sins.  The language of vs. 14 is vivid in saying that He was so abused that He no longer looked human as He hung on the cross.  This sets up Isaiah 53 and the fullest picture of the Suffering Savior that God gave through the prophets.

I find the language of Isaiah 52:13-15 to be especially moving.  Christ is revealed in His victory of Armageddon and the survivors are shocked at what they see.  It is Christ in His glory, yes, but not the glory they expect.  We see the same effect in Revelation 5:5-6 when He is introduced as the Lion of Judah but is revealed as a “lamb as it had been slain”.  Christ does not want us to forget what He did for salvation.  You must learn to see the indescribable beauty of the crucified Christ to find salvation.  So many stumble at this.  They want a Messiah that fits their expectations.  Christ presents Himself as the means of our salvation.  That is not weakness, but the greatest display of power eternity will ever see.

Our hymn today is often titled “The Heavenly Zion” and was written by Charles Wesley.  It draws on themes from Isaiah 51-52 to glorify Christ’s victories.

Arm of the Lord, awake, awake!
Thine own immortal strength put on!
With terror clothed, hell’s kingdom shake,
And cast Thy foes with fury down!

As in the ancient days appear!
The sacred annals speak Thy fame:
Be now omnipotently near,
To endless ages still the same.

Thy arm, Lord, is not shortened now,
It wants not now the power to save;
Still present with Thy people, Thou
Bear’st them through life’s disparted wave.

By death and hell pursued in vain,
To Thee the ransomed seed shall come,
Shouting their heavenly Zion gain,
And pass through death triumphant home.

The pain of life shall there be o’er,
The anguish and distracting care,
There sighing grief shall weep no more,
And sin shall never enter there.

Where pure, essential joy is found,
The Lord’s redeemed their heads shall raise,
With everlasting gladness crowned,
And filled with love, and lost in praise.