DBG - July 31 - Isaiah 5-8

In this chapter we have the sins of the children of Israel are exposed.

vs. 1-7 – An allegory is used to convict Judah of their sin.  Isaiah tells of a man who had a vineyard and did everything possible to have a good harvest, but it only produced worthless, wild grapes.  The owner pictures God, the vineyard His blessings, and the wild grapes the unfaithful people.  Because the vineyard did not produce the expected harvest, the owner tears it down and leaves it desolate.  This pictures the coming judgment against the children of Israel.

vs. 8-23 – The sins of the people are denounced in a series of six “woes”.  The first (vs. 5-7) is against the greedy people who were accumulating all the land and not leaving enough for others to make a living.  God curses the harvest of these land barons, saying that ten acres would produce only a bath (about 6 gallons) of wine and a homer of seed (50 dry gallons) would bring a harvest of only an ephah (5 dry gallons).  The second (vs. 8-17) is against the reveler who seek only to fulfil their fleshly appetites.  The third (vs. 18-19) is against the unbelievers who mock God.  The fourth (vs. 20) is against those that pervert and corrupt morality and righteousness.  The fifth (vs. 21) is against the proud fools who trust in their own wisdom.  The sixth (vs. 22-23) is against those who pervert justice for worldly gain. 

vs. 24-30 – God’s judgment is described that is coming for the children of Israel . The fury of the invading Assyrians is foreseen.

In this chapter Isaiah sees the Lord in His glory and is given a commission.

vs. 1-4 – This vision is connected to the death of Uzziah in 759 B.C.  Uzziah had attempted to enter the Holy Place and was stricken with leprosy (II Chronicles 26:16-21).  The mighty king could not force entrance into the presence of God, but God would invite the prophet to have a glimpse of His majesty.  The setting is the heavenly throne room, also seen in Revelation 4 and 5.  The seraphim are the four beasts in that later book.  The shekinah glory fills the space.

vs. 5-10 – Isaiah’s reaction to seeing the glory of holiness of God is to declare his own sinfulness and unworthiness.  God responds to his declaration by sanctifying him through sacrifice, which the only means of atoning for man’s sins.  God asks for a volunteer for a great task, and Isaiah immediately responds.  He is commissioned to declare the coming judgment to the children of Israel but told that they would not repent.  Their sins could only be purged through judgment. 

vs. 11-13 – The scope of the judgment is described.  The destruction of Judah and Israel will be complete, but not thorough.  God would preserve a remnant of believers through this.  It would not be the end of the Jews.

In this chapter one of the greatest prophecies is given as hope under threat of invasion.

vs. 1-2 – We read of this invasion in II Kings 15:37, 16:5-6; II Chronicles 28:5-8.  A coalition of the armies of Syria under Rezin and Israel under Pekah attacked Judah in 740 B.C.  Ahaz of Judah was a very wicked king who did not trust in the Lord for deliverance.

vs. 3-9 – God commands Isaiah to bring his son Shearjashub (“a remnant shall return”) and speak to Ahaz.  The site where they would meet is near the Gihon Spring, just outside the eastern defense walls a little south of the Temple.  Ahaz would likely be examining his defenses in anticipation of an attack or siege.  Isaiah reveals their intentions to take the city and place their own puppet king on the throne.  God will not allow this to happen.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel would fall and within 65 years the land would be settled by a different nation (forerunners of the Samaritans).  This speaks of the resettlement and not the fall of Israel, which would occur in 721 B.C., roughly 19 years from this time.

vs. 10-16 – Ahaz was not a believer and would not ask for a sign of confirmation of Isaiah’s prophecy.  God provided one anyway in one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament.  The grand prophecy of 7:14 is twofold.  Most famously, it speaks of Christ as being born of a virgin and Matthew 1:23 makes this connection.  As eternally important as that prophecy is, I do not think it is the primary application of it for Ahaz.  My opinion is that this provides a timeline for the deliverance of Judah from the invasion of Israel and Syria.  It would be at least nine months for a virgin to marry and have a son.  I think this points to the time for the deliverance of Jerusalem from the invaders.  The child eating butter and honey shows they are able to eat normally, so there is no lengthy siege.  The enemy kings would be vanquished in a few years; about the time a child is able to discern right and wrong.  Many prophecies have two fulfillments like this.  The promise of the Messiah’s arrive over 700 years later would do little to assuage the fears of Ahaz.

vs. 17-25 – The coming day of judgment against the kingdoms of the Jews is seen.  The Promised Land would be caught between the warring empires of Egypt and Assyria.  The land would be desolate.  A person would have a cow and two sheep and be amply provided for with no one to trade any excess to.  The vineyard would be desolate.  There would be no plow and the hard work of planting a crop would be rewarded with livestock eating it up.

In this chapter the coming judgment against Israel, Syria, and Judah is seen.

vs. 1-4 – Isaiah uses an object lesson to prophecy of the coming deliverance of Judah.  He records the name Mahershalalhashbaz (“swift for spoil, hasty for prey”) among witnesses.  His wife then conceives and has a son, which they name Mahershalalhashbaz.  The meaning is that before the child could speak Assyria would attack and spoil both Damascus (Syria) and Samaria (Northern Kingdom of Israel).  This was fulfilled in II Kings 15 30 and 16:7-9

vs. 5-8 – “This people” appears to refer to the Kingdom of Judah.  They “refused” the waters of Shiloah, which is the same as Siloam in Jerusalem in the Gospels.   In this they did not trust in God’s provision.  They “rejoiced” in the kings of Syria and Israel.  This seems strange as these were enemies, but I think this refers to celebrating downfall that was prophesied earlier in the chapter.  They thought they had been delivered by trusting in Assyria, but Assyria would come in like a flood and almost drown them.

vs. 9-10 – These verses are a taunt against Assyria.  Try as they may, they would not defeat Judah.

vs. 11-18 – The people of Judah did not trust in God but sought aid against Assyria through foreign alliances.  Isaiah stood as a warning that they should turn to the Lord.  If they did not, it would be their undoing. 

vs. 19-22 – These words are spoken to those who would endure the coming judgment against Judah.  They would do so after being warned of what was to come.  When they finally begin to realize their error, it will be too late.

One of the hallmarks of Isaiah are the many prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.  It is impossible to go through the Christmas season without appealing to the prophecies of His birth, such as 7:14 and 9:6.  There are so many powerful references to Christ the Messiah that some have called Isaiah “the fifth gospel”.  Even though so much of the book is devoted to prophesies of the coming judgment, there is so much light provided to give hope.  Even in the darkest of valleys, Christ is always our hope.

We finally have an excuse to use a Christmas song because we read the prophecy of the birth of Christ in 7:14.  I decided to go with what I consider one of the best of these, but to make it more interesting I have chosen the original versions. “Hark, How All The Welkin Rings” is the original text written by Charles Wesley and published with these words in 1738.  George Whitefield famously altered the opening words as “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” in 1753.  Various other changes have been made over the years, such as adding a refrain in 1782.  It remains one of the most doctrinal of songs we sing at Christmas.

Hark, how all the welkin rings,
"Glory to the King of kings;
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
universal nature say,
"Christ the Lord is born today!"

Christ, by highest Heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord:
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a Virgin's womb!

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see,
hail the incarnate Deity!
pleased as man with men to appear,
Jesus, our Emmanuel here!

Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace,
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die;
born to raise the sons of earth;
born to give them second birth.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
fix in us thy humble home;
rise, the woman's conquering Seed,
bruise in us the serpent's head.

Now display thy saving power,
ruined nature now restore;
now in mystic union join
thine to ours, and ours to thine.

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp thy image in its place.
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.

Let us thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the life, the inner man:
O, to all thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.