DBG - August 12 - Isaiah 58-52

In this chapter the sins of Israel are exposed, and the blessings of obedience are promised.

vs. 1 – Isaiah is commissioned to preach against the sins of the people.  We need more preaching like this today.  This section is both practical to Isaiah’s time and prophetic to the calls for Israel to repent in conjunction with the First and Second Advents of Christ.  There is likely a connection between Isaiah raising his voice “like a trumpet [shofar]” and the Feast of Trumpets.  The reason I point this out is that the Feast of Trumpets was not only the beginning of the Jewish New Year but also a call to prepare for the Day of Atonement ten days later. 

vs. 2-5 – The people are shocked that they are being preached at.  Were they not keeping the Law?  Were they not offering sacrifices and keeping fasts?  They were doing these, yes, but not from the heart.  With the right hand they worshipped God while the left hand they sinned.  This is trusting in self-righteousness and not worshipping God in humility. 

vs. 6-7 – It is not that God is expecting these acts of charity instead of keeping the fasts.  That is not the teaching here.  He is saying that their fasts are worthless if they are doing evil.  We see the sins of the nation in the opposite of what God says He wants.  Therefore, the sins would be wickedly putting people in bonds, placing heavy burdens (through judicial judgments), oppressing their brethren, enslaving their brethren, taking food from the hungry, not caring for the poor, not aiding the needy, and not supporting their neighbors and brethren.

vs. 8-14 – God promises blessings to Israel if they would only serve Him in righteousness and humility.  I see a parallel here to the promise of II Chronicles 7:14. 

In this chapter Israel confesses her sins and finds salvation.

vs. 1-8 – The indictment of Israel’s sins continues.  They are revealed more clearly here than in the previous chapter.  The multitude of sins caused the Holy God to not hear their half-hearted cries for deliverance.  You cannot expect God to take hold of your outstretched hand while you are holding on to the world with the other. 

vs. 9-15 – The spiritual state of unrepentant Israel is shown.  They have no discernment in their lives.  They cry for aid, but God provides none.  Finally, there is a confession of their sins and its effects.  This corresponds prophetically with the final hours of the Tribulation as Israel turns to Christ.

vs. 16-19 – God responds to the confession of Israel.  The Messiah is revealed as their Savior in mighty power.  He comes as a conquering King ready for battle.  His victory brings deliverance to Israel.  This corresponds to Christ’s victory at Armageddon and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom.  I want to make a couple of further notes on this passage.  First, compare vs. 17 to Ephesians 6:14-17 to see some surprising parallels.  Second, the end of vs. 19 fascinates me though it is a very difficult passage to translate and interpret.  It so vividly pictures the victory of Christ at the close of the Tribulation as the armies of the world threaten Israel “like a flood”.  What does God do?  He raises a standard, which is Christ the Messiah, against them.  Raising a standard/banner/ensign is a common phrase in Isaiah, as in Isaiah 5:26, 11:10-12, 13:2, 18:3, 49:22, and 62:19.

vs. 20-21 – The restoration of Israel as Christ returns to deliver them at the close of the Tribulation.

In this chapter is the song of victory for the Messiah’s deliverance of Israel.  Careful study of this chapter will show that many of the problems discussed in Chapters 58-29 are here reversed into blessings.

vs. 1-4 – The Messiah that arrived in the close of the previous chapter transforms the disposition of Israel.  They are no longer in darkness, but now in the light.  The Lord had refused to hear their cries but now is quick to respond.  The Gentiles that have abused them now come to them in humility.  The Jews that had been dispersed in judgment return home.

vs. 5-9 – Israel goes from being the target of the Gentile’s nation derision and anger to their envy.  Deeper than this change of attitude is the spiritual transformation of the Gentiles in embracing Christ as they Jews had done as the Millennial Kingdom dawns.

vs. 10-16 – Jerusalem, destroyed by the Gentiles in the Tribulation, is now restored by them.  Israel is glorified by the nations who once sought to destroy her. 

vs. 17-22 – The glories for Israel in the Millennial Kingdom are displayed.

In this chapter we see the Messiah and His people in the Kingdom.

vs. 1-5 – The Servant of the Lord from Isaiah 49 speaks again.  Christ Himself used the opening verses of this chapter in Luke 4:16-21 to announce His ministry at Nazareth.  He stops midway through vs. 2, which is where the split between the First and Second Advent occurs.  In the First Advent He came to offer mercy and forgiveness.  In the Second, He will come to execute judgment.  After the judgment comes the comfort.  Israel is then beautified and exalted.

vs. 6-9 – In the Millennial Kingdom, Israel fully embraces their role of being a nation of priests as God had intended back in Exodus 19:6.  Their role has a parallel to the Tribe of Levi’s in their own nation. 

vs. 10-11 – These verses are the response of Israel to their Messiah and the greatness of His Kingdom.

In this chapter the future glory of Israel is revealed.

vs. 1 – The Servant of the Lord responds to the praise of Israel that closed the previous chapter.  He exults of His great love for His people and the glory that awaits them in the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 2-5 – God is glorified through the exaltation of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom.  We must remind ourselves that the goal here is not to glorify Israel, but through her that God be glorified (Isaiah 48:11).  The nation of Israel will have a new name according to vs. 2, which will not be revealed until this day comes.  This is much like the changing of Abram to Abraham or Jacob to Israel as marking a new standing with God.  They will no longer be called Forsaken (of God) but will be called Hephzibah (“my delight is in her”), to reflect this change.  Also, the Promised Land will no longer be called Desolate (empty of people, devastated) but will be called Beulah (“married”).  This later change is further described in vs. 5 as meaning the land will be full of joy and children.

vs. 6-9 – The watchmen of vs. 6 are variously interpreted as either prophets or angels (see Daniel 4:13, etc.).  Regardless of their identity, their role is to keep Jerusalem ever in God’s attention until the fulfillment of these promises be made.  God makes a binding oath that when the day of Jerusalem’s exaltation comes that it would be eternally blessed.

vs. 10-12 – The fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel is seen as ever imminent, that is, that they could come to fruition at any time.  Therefore, Israel was to be ready to receive their Messiah.  In vs. 12 are further name changes reflecting the new status of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom.  Israel will be called “the Holy People” and “the Redeemed of the Lord”.  Jerusalem is called “Sought Out” and “a City not Forsaken”.

We must note the classic pattern that we saw in today’s reading.  We being with man’s sin, followed by God’s chastisement and conviction.  Man then confesses their sins and repents, upon which God forgives them and restores His blessing.  Note that the sin does not break their relationship with God to the point that they are cast away in judgment.  Indeed, it only strains the relationship, but once sin is confessed the relationship is restored.  This is I John 1:9 in action and is a recognizable pattern throughout the Bible.  Once we are children of God through Christ’s salvation, we must guard our relationship with Him.  Sin is a barrier to the holiness of God.  Be quick to confess and repent so you may enjoy the sweetness of His fellowship.

There is great mystery behind the origins of today’s hymn.  “Is Not This the Land of Beulah?” first appeared in a hymnal in 1881 with no author’s name attached.  Over the years it has been ascribed to William C. Hunter and Harriet Warner Re Qua, but there is not much certainty in either attribution.  The tune is typically credited to William Bradbury but sometimes to John W. Dadmun. Regardless of all this uncertainty regarding who wrote it, what we do know is that this beautiful text takes up the theme of Beulah from Isaiah 62:4.  It does not treat the subject prophetically but instead takes the themes of that passage and applies them to the sweetness of our relationship with Christ.

1 I am dwelling on the mountain,
Where the golden sunlight gleams
O’er a land whose wondrous beauty
Far exceeds my fondest dreams;
Where the air is pure, ethereal,
Laden with the breath of flow’rs,
They are blooming by the fountain,
’Neath the amaranthine bow’rs.

Refrain:
Is not this the land of Beulah?
Blessed, blessed land of light,
Where the flowers bloom forever,
And the sun is always bright!

2 I can see far down the mountain,
Where I wandered weary years,
Often hindered in my journey
By the ghosts of doubts and fears;
Broken vows and disappointments
Thickly sprinkled all the way,
But the Spirit led, unerring,
To the land I hold today. [Refrain]

3 I am drinking at the fountain,
Where I ever would abide;
For I’ve tasted life’s pure river,
And my soul is satisfied;
There’s no thirsting for life’s pleasures,
Nor adorning, rich and gay,
For I’ve found a richer treasure,
One that fadeth not away. [Refrain]

4 Tell me not of heavy crosses,
Nor of burdens hard to bear,
For I’ve found this great salvation
Makes each burden light appear;
And I love to follow Jesus,
Gladly counting all but dross,
Worldly honors all forsaking
For the glory of the cross. [Refrain]

5 Oh, the cross has wondrous glory!
Oft I’ve proved this to be true;
When I’m in the way so narrow,
I can see a pathway through;
And how sweetly Jesus whispers:
“Take the cross, thou need’st not fear,
For I’ve tried the way before thee,”
And the glory lingers near. [Refrain]