Week 18: Isaiah 44-66- Isaiah: From Judgment to Messiah

Beginning in chapter 40, the book of Isaiah makes a transition from being primarily about judgement of the Jewish people, the surrounding nations and the entire world. Isaiah instead emphasizes God’s lovingkindness as expressed through the coming Messiah who will bless the Jewish people and through them the entire world.

In chapter 40 Messiah is described as a shepherd to His people and Jesus states that He is the good shepherd (John 10:11). Messiah will be a light to His people and also to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6) and Jesus states that He is the light of the world (John 8:12). We are given an extended description of Messiah as the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 and additional details of His suffering in chapter 50. Jesus alone fulfills all of the details about Messiah that are described throughout Isaiah and the Old Testament.

The primary reason for the punishment and exile of Israel was their worship of other gods. Throughout Isaiah and especially in Chapters 44-46 Yehovah repeatedly asserts that He alone is God.

He states that men may believe in other gods or even believe that mere mortals can be or become gods – think of the Pharaohs and the Caesars) but they are deluded (Isaiah 45:5, 46:9). Yehovah identifies fulfilled prophecy as the evidence of His unique existence and power as He alone knows “the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Remember, when Hezekiah prays for God to deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrians that He states that God’s actions on their behalf will show the world that Yehovah alone is God (Isaiah 37:20).

Isaiah has more references to “the Holy One of Israel” than any other book in the Bible. In John 6:69 Peter states, “We have believed and have come to know that You (Jesus) are the Holy One of God.” Throughout Isaiah the Holy One of Israel is identified as having the same power, authority and character as Yehovah (Isaiah 10:17, 29:19, 30:15). These passages and others support Jesus statement in John 10:30 that “I and the Father are one.” Isaiah 9:6 tells us that the Messiah would be called by the title, “the Eternal Father.” Isaiah 63:16 states, “You, Yehovah, are Our Father, our Redeemer…” We see that Jesus is the redeemer of Israel and the entire world. He is the promised Messiah. He is the suffering servant (Isaiah 53).

Finally, the book of Isaiah begins (Isaiah 1:11-15) and ends (Isaiah 66:3-4) with warnings to the people that their relationship with God is based on heartfelt obedience and reverence and not on external religious practices. The offering sacrifices, fasting, observance of the Holy festivals and even praying must be done from a sincere heart and not only an external behavior.

God is not interested in nor impressed by our practices and ritual when they are done by routine or done in an attempt to manipulate Him.

We look forward to the future redemption of Israel and the reign of Messiah over the entire world from Jerusalem.