Isaiah 55 is the last chapter of this section of Isaiah that has been focused on the servant of the Lord (Isa. 49-55). We’ve seen how, through the sacrifice and exaltation of Jesus, God in Christ has made the way for sinners to be brought under the reign of his grace. Now, having just described […]
Isaiah 53 explained how God would one day redeem his people, establish his throne in Zion, and reign as King over the nations. This plan of salvation would be accomplished through the sacrifice and exaltation of his servant, our substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. What follows now in chapter 54 are three stunning images that […]
In many ways, every thread used in the tapestry of the OT is woven together in Isaiah 53: the promises of Genesis, the redemption of Exodus, the sacrifices of Leviticus, the wanderings of Numbers, the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy, the victories of Joshua, the deliverances of Judges, the dynasties of Samuel and Kings; the […]
All along, Isaiah has told us that the Lord alone will be exalted. And his blessing would come to all nations through the witness of his redeemed people under the saving rule of his Messiah. We’ve heard of the child of Isaiah 9 who would sit on David’s throne forever and establish God’s kingdom of […]
For this Lord’s Day gathering, we spent time lamenting the sudden and tragic death of one of the precious children in our congregation, Orlando Vargas Jr., who died the day before his sixth birthday. We took time to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15) because “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians […]
In chapter 51, God gives a word of comfort to the faithful remnant then and the true Israel today. The servant once more calls his people, his church, to listen. It is the Lord Jesus who is speaking here to sustain the weary (50:4). It is his voice which the righteous obey (50:10). And along […]
Isaiah 49 begins with a portrait of the faithful servant of the Lord who would bring Israel back to God and be a light to the nations. Verses 1-13 describe the redemption that would take place soon (in Israel’s return from exile), eventually (by the work of Christ), and ultimately (in the new creation). But […]
Last week, we began the next section of Isaiah 40-66. In chs. 49-55, the focus is on the servant of the Lord, who would be for Israel and for the world what Israel failed to be. He would be the one chosen by Yahweh to bring faithless Israel back to their God, ending the separation […]
In Isaiah 40-66, we find God’s word of comfort and promises of salvation to his soon-to-be exiled people. After promising to raise up Cyrus of Persia to liberate Israel from Babylonian exile (chs. 40-48), the focus changes in chapters 49-55 to Israel’s greater problem of captivity to sin and their stubborn unbelief (chs. 49-55). The […]
Since Isaiah 40 we’ve been hearing God’s comforting word to his soon-to-be-exiled people. To be sure, he’s had some uncomfortable words for them as well, calling them out for their sin and rebellion and idolatry and hypocrisy. It was for these reasons they would eventually lose their temple, their city, and their land, and go […]
Having just declared that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that the God of Israel is the one true God, Isaiah presses this reality further by describing the fall of Babylon and all of her idols. The Lord shows his people what happens when you trust in idols, when you look […]
We’ve been working through the second half of the book of Isaiah, where we find God’s word of comfort to his people who would one day be exiled in Babylon. In chapter 45 we saw God name Cyrus, King of Persia, as the one who would set them free and even help them rebuild Jerusalem […]
After the promises made in Isaiah 44:1-5, the Lord Yahweh speaks once more to remind Israel of his uniqueness, that he is the one and only God, and to reassure them there is no one else who can be their sure foundation. Rather than be like the nations, who seek deliverance from idols, God’s people […]
The Lord had declared a message of comfort for his faithless servant, Israel: He would end their exile and bring them home. But Israel would need a greater liberation than this. For God’s glory to fill the earth through the genuine worship and faithful witness of his people, they would need not just a fresh […]
It has always been God’s intention to bring his blessing to the world, to fill the earth with his glory, through his people. This was why God chose Israel to be his servant. However, as we saw last week, Israel too failed to do this. But Isaiah aims to remind us of what God intended […]
