This week comprises
8 days of devotion to the end of the year as we finish the study of the Book
of Isaiah in the Old Testament.
In spite of their wanton idol worship, the last section still ends with a call to repentance and is now followed by a tremendous message of hope in 57:14-21:
(1) Since the message of hope begins with “it will be said”, it does echo the same call in 40:3-4. Who should be the ones to prepare the way now?
(2) Since God is such a holy God, who then can dwell with Him and why? (v. 15)
(3) Since the people have been bent on sinning in spite of God’s judgment (v. 17), why would God still choose to restore them? (v. 16)
(4) How will they be healed? (vv. 18-19)
(5) How will you describe such a Holy and Lofty God?
(6) What will ultimately happen should they still choose to keep their willful way? (vv. 20-21)
58:1-12—True Fasting—The call to repentance continues with pointing out their phony piety (similar to chapter 1) with emphasis on their fasting:
(7) 58:1—The command to shout:
What does the command to “shout it aloud, do not hold back” signify?
(8) 58:2-5 —Serious fasting:
a. If you were only a casual visitor of these people, what would you have observed from the outside? What kind of a report might you bring back to your congregation? (vv. 2-3)
b. How seriously did they fast? (v. 5)
c. What were they doing while they fasted? (v. 3b-v. 4)
d. What then was their purpose for fasting?
(9) 58:6-7; 9b-10a—True fasting
a. What is “the kind of fasting” the Lord chooses?
b. What will you call such deeds demanded by the Lord?
c. Why then does the Lord call it “fasting”?
(10) 58:8-9a; 10b-12—The promise of “light” is repeated as a reward for their deeds of social justice and caring for the needy:
a. What is the purpose of “light” and why is it being emphasized as a reward of “true fasting”?
b. What will accompany the breaking forth of their light? (vv. 8-9a)
c. What will accompany the rising of their light in darkness? (vv. 10b-12)
d. Will you call the result a reward? Why or why not?
(11) 58:13-14—True piety: Obviously social justice and caring for the needy is only an expression of one’s true relationship with God.
a. What should their attitude towards their holy day, Sabbath, be?
b. How should they express it?
c. What promise does the Lord make to them?
d. How important is it to Israel (then and now)?
(12) If they heed all of the above admonitions, do they still need to fast? Why or why not?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
One would assume that injustice and violence belong only to pagan societies, but not in a supposedly theocratic nation under God. As a result, such sins among God’s people are especially heinous:
59:1-8—The Sins of Injustice and Violence
(1) In the days of judgment (in the hands of the nations), why should they not blame God, but themselves (vv. 1-2)?
(2) What kinds of sin are being highlighted in vv. 3, 6b and 7?
(3) What does the reference to hands, fingers, lips, tongue and feet attempt to show?
(4) How did they pervert justice according to v. 4?
(5) Three imageries are used in vv. 4-5 to point out both the severity and consequence of their sin: conception, hatching eggs and spinning web.
a. How does conception speak to their inner condition?
b. How does the hatching of viper’s eggs speak to the detriment of their sin?
c. How does the spinning of a spider’s web speak to their futility to hide their sin?
(6) What is the consequence they have brought upon themselves and on others? (v. 8)
59:9-15—A Communal Confession
(7) Why does the prophet include himself in this section (see end of v. 8)?
(8) Indeed, the sin of the people affects the entire community; no one is immune to the horrible consequences of the sin around them. What is the imagery employed by the prophet to describe their condition? (vv. 9-10)
(9) What sins does the prophet confess on behalf of the people (vv. 13-15)?
a. What is the core of all these problems? (v. 13)
b. Why would the prophet, all of a sudden, include himself into this confession?
59:16-20—Helping Those Who Cannot Help Themselves
(10) The Lord was appalled that no one had intervened (v. 16):
a. Could there be anyone mighty enough to deliver Israel from the enemies?
b. Could there be anyone righteous enough to save Israel from their sin?
c. What does the Lord expect someone to do, even though he may not be able to save or deliver Israel?
(11) What kind of imagery is used of God as He prepares to save His people? (vv. 17-18)
a. Why does He have to do it Himself?
b. What insight can you gain with the knowledge that the armor in Ephesus 6:11-17 which we are urged to put on is God’s?
(12) What will the Lord achieve by His own arm? (vv. 19-20)
59:21—A New Covenant
(13) With this forth-coming salvation, the Lord now makes a covenant with them:
a. With whom is this covenant made? (v. 20)?
b. How different is this covenant from the old? (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26-27)
c. Is this covenant confined “to those in Jacob who repent of their sin”? (Eph. 2:12-13)
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The glorious restoration of Zion under this New Covenant is further elaborated in this chapter:
(1) Darkness turns into light—60:1-3
a. What is the extent of the darkness described here?
b. What will happen so that Zion can arise and shine?
c. Who is that light? (Jn. 1:1-9; Isa. 9:2)
(2) Glorious return of sons and daughters—60:4-9
a. Their restored wealth is symbolized by camels (the prized possession of the time) from Midian, Ephah (names of descendants of Ishmael) and Sheba (Arab’s Yemen) bearing gold and incense (not unlike the “three” kings of Matt. 2), animals from Kedar and Nebaioth (north of Syria and east to Arab’s Petra respectively) and silver and gold from Tarshish (fleets from Spain). What are these ultimately for? (vv. 6, 7 and 9)
b. How is the joy depicted? (v. 5)
(3) The joining of the nations—60:10-14
a. Consult Revelation 21:24-27: How does it help your understanding of this passage (i.e. 60:10-12)?
b. As Young puts it:
“The prophecy is not speaking of the literal rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, but of the building up of God’s kingdom through the inclusion of Gentiles therein… [and thus] Such worship and adoration is not directed to Zion herself but to the Lord who reigns in her midst” (Young, vol. 3, 450, 452).
How does this statement help your understanding of vv. 13-14?
(4) Spiritual Restoration—60:15-22: While a “material restoration” has been portrayed, ultimately it is a “spiritual restoration” and this is made plain in this segment.
a. In describing the reversal of their fortune — the replacing of the good with the better, being nurtured rather than hated, what does the concluding statement of making “peace your governor and well-being your ruler” mean (v. 17)?
b. What does calling their “walls Salvation” and their “gates Praise” mean?
c. How do the passages in Revelation 21:22-23 and 22:5 add to the understanding of 60:19-20?
d. When will all this happen? (v. 22)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
The glorious restoration of Zion is now followed by the proclamation by the one who will bring about this blessing — the Messiah in chapter 61:
61:1-3—The Proclamation by the Messiah/Savior
(1) How is the world under sin depicted by this passage? (Try to highlight all the words used to describe the plight of a world in sin.)
(2) How is it being reverted or changed by the Messiah? (See Lk. 4:16-21 for its fulfillment in Jesus Christ — note that Luke probably records only an excerpt of what was read by Jesus according to the Greek OT, the Septuagint.)
(3) How has this prophecy been fulfilled in you?
61:4-9—The Reversal of Zion’s Fortune—Here, Isaiah implies the future complete destruction of Zion:
(4) How long will Zion remain ruined? (v. 4)
(5) Apart from repeating the theme of foreigners serving them (of chapter 60), there is a spiritual restoration mentioned in v. 6: What is it? (See Exod. 19:6)
(6) How is their shame and disgrace removed and what will be their inheritance? (Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 1:4)
(7) What is the basis of such a reversal of fortune? (vv. 8-9)
61:10-11—The Joy of Salvation—On behalf of all the redeemed, Isaiah bursts into a song of praise:
(8) See if you can personalize this praise and paraphrase it into your own words?
Chapter 62—A Guarantee of Renewal
62:1-5—A New Name
(9) How does 62:1 sound to you?
(10) A new name is being promised: What is it? (v. 4)
(11) How precious is it? (v. 5)
(12) What other new names are added at the end of this message? (v. 12)
62:6-9—Guarantee of Restoration
(13) What does the symbol of the watchman portray? (vv. 6-7)
(14) How does the Lord guarantee His blessings? (v. 8)
(15) How does this guarantee represent a reversal of their plight? (see in particular their past plight under the judges in Jdg. 6:2-6)
62:10-12—Preparing the Way for the Lord
(16) The call in 57:14 is being repeated, but this call for preparing the way has a similar theme with 40:9. What is it?
(17) What should these new names mean to Zion?
(18) What do they mean to you?
(19) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
63:1-6—The Day of Vengeance—the consummation of the redemption of God’s people is preceded by the judgment of the nations as symbolized by Edom, perhaps for not helping Israel in their times of need; instead they bought them as slaves (Amos 1:6):
(1) What are the two questions being asked? (vv. 1-2)
(2) Read Revelation 19:11-16 to see the New Testament’s answer to the questions.
(3) What does Edom (and its city Bozrah) represent? (See Rev. 19:19)
(4) What has the achievement of salvation to do with God’s wrath? (v. 5) Is He not the God of mercy and compassion?
63:7-15—Past Compassion of the Lord—In recounting God’s past deliverance of Israel:
(5) Why did the Lord choose to become their Savior? (v. 8)
(6) How did God feel about their distress and in what manner did He choose to save them? (v. 9)
(7) How did Israel return His favor? (v. 10)
(8) Now as God turned and became their enemy, Israel recounted God’s favor and might:
a. List the things they recounted in particular. (vv. 11-14)
b. What was God’s purpose in guiding them? (v. 14)
c. Why are all these framed as questions? (v. 15)
63:16-19—Intercession by Isaiah—Isaiah uses the following to plead for his people:
(9) How does he contrast the Lord with Abraham and Israel (i.e. Jacob) and why? (v. 16)
(10) On what basis does he ask the Lord to return? (v. 17)
(11) Does he not believe in the prophecies of deliverance which he has been proclaiming? Why then does he have to plead for God’s deliverance? (v. 18)
(12) The alternate rendering of v. 19 is preferred by Keil and Delitzsch: “We are like those you have never ruled, like those never called”. What in essence is the basis of Isaiah’s final plea?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Isaiah continues with his passionate intercession for Zion:
64:1-4—Asking God to Come Down Again
(1) What does Isaiah expect to happen when God comes down from heaven? (vv. 1-2)
(2) On what does he base his expectation? (vv. 3-4; see Exod. 19:18)
64:5-7—We Have Sinned
(3) Though he urges God to come down again as in the past, what reality does he recognize? (v. 5)
(4) As he confesses their uncleanness (like lepers) and their unrighteousness (like filthy rags), how does he describe their spiritual apathy and its consequence? (vv. 6-7)
64:8-12—Passionate Plea—In spite of the hopeless situation caused by their continued sin, on what bases does Isaiah still appeal to God for action?
(5) What do vv. 8-9 emphasize?
(6) What do vv. 10-11 emphasize?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The prophet passionately intercedes on behalf of his people in the last two chapters, and it is inconceivable that the Lord would not answer the prayer of His servant; and so He does in this chapter:
65:1-7—The Problem Lies not with God, but with the People:
(1) What, in essence, is God’s answer to the prophet in v. 1?
a. Is He an absentee God?
b. Has He ever left them? What does “all day long” signify? (v. 2)
(2) The kinds of sin the people have “continually” done to provoke God (vv. 2-5):
a. Walking in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations: What does it mean? (v. 2)
b. Offering sacrifices in gardens, burning incense, sitting among graves and keeping secret vigil: What kind of a picture is it? (vv. 3-4)
c. Eating flesh of pigs: Why would they do this? (v. 4; see Lev. 11:7-8)
d. Asking God to keep away from them: Why would they say, “I am too sacred for you”? (v. 5)
e. How does the Lord feel? (v. 5)
65:6-12—In Spite of Punishment, a Remnant is Promised
(3) How will God repay them? (vv. 6-7)
(4) However, what will God do to those who seek Him still? (vv. 8-10 — see Note below)
(5) What will happen to those who forsake the Lord and why? (vv. 11-12)
a. Which two deities are specially mentioned?
b. How does their worship speak to the mindset of the people who have chosen to forsake the Lord?
65:13-16—The Choice is Theirs—Like “blessings and curses” (Deut. 27:9ff), the Lord lays bare the choices and their consequences before them:
(6) What is the message behind the use of “my servants” versus “you”?
(7) Which picture is of “you”?
a. Hungry, thirsty, in shame, anguish of heart, brokenness of spirit, namely, left behind to be cursed, and ultimately death (temporal and eternal) or...
b. Will eat and drink (and be satisfied), rejoice and sing from the heart, given a new name (in Christ), and be a blessing to others (in the name of the God of Truth which, in the original Hebrew reads “the God of Amen”) and past troubles (and sins) are forgotten and hidden (from God’s eyes)
65:17-25—A New Creation—The New Heavens and a New Earth
(8) A New Creation: 65:17-19
It is worth-noting that the word “bara”— create — is the same word used in Genesis 1:1:
a. Read Revelations 21:1-4 to aid your understanding of this “new creation”.
b. In introducing this “new creation”, what are the words (and meanings) being repeated (and therefore emphasized) in vv. 17-19?
(9) Life instead of death—65:20
a. Can you imagine a world without the mourning of death whether for infants, for the young or for the old?
(10) Living in perfect peace—65:21-23
a. Can you imagine a world without war, injustice and crime?
(11) Prayer will be answered—65:24
a. How does the Lord answer Isaiah’s intercession with this verse?
b. What kind of picture is being depicted here?
(12) A world of perfect harmony—65:25
a. What is the key to such a world of perfect harmony?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
For those who repent and seek God in their sufferings, they will be called by God, “my servants” (v. 9) and a life of peace and rest is promised using Sharon and the Valley of Achor as symbols. Sharon “is the plain of rich pasture-land which stretches along the coast of the Mediterranean from Yafo to the neighborhood of Carmel...'Akhor' is a valley which became renowned through the stoning of Achan in a range of hills running through the plain of Jericho (Jos. 7:24ff)” (K&D, 617).
As we come to the final chapter of the Book of Isaiah, you will find that the message of comfort that begins in chapter 40 is being emphasized, especially in vv. 10-14. However this concluding oracle also serves as a final warning to both the rebellious people of Israel and the world.
66:1-2—God’s Resting Place
(1) Can one really build a house for God as His resting place? Why not?
(2) Where will God “look” for rest then? Why? (v. 2)
(3) What then is God’s ultimate desire in this world He has created?
66:3-4—No Rest is Found in His Chosen People
(4) Oxen and lambs etc. are meant for the offering of sacrifice to the Lord in their worship: While they might offer the “right” sacrifices, what’s wrong with their attitude? (see God’s own comment at the end of v. 3)
(5) What has made their sins even more abominable? (v. 4)
(6) What will the consequence of their abominations be?
66:5-9—Hope for the Remnant
(7) Who are those who tremble at God’s words? (vv. 2, 5)?
(8) How will they be treated by their brothers? (v. 5)
(9) While those who oppose God will be punished, the remnant (who has gone through sufferings) will be saved:
a. What imagery is used for their salvation in vv. 7-9?
b. What important messages are being conveyed with the imagery of this “sudden birth”?
c. Why does the prophet have to say, “Who has heard such a thing?” (v. 8)
66:10-14—Comfort, Comfort Jerusalem
(10) What imagery is used to depict the comfort being given to Jerusalem? How fitting is it, given the fact that it is to be given after their time of sufferings?
(11) Peace and glory (or "wealth", NIV) too will be the marks of Jerusalem (v. 12):
a. What are peace and glory likened to?
b. Is it your personal experience? Why or why not?
(12) The message of joy and gladness is likened to “bones (Hebrew) shall flourish like new grass” (v. 14): What is depicted by this imagery?
66:15-18a—Punishment of the Wicked
(13) What will God’s enemy face at the restoration of His people? (vv. 15-16)
(14) Are God’s enemies confined to the nations? (vv. 17-18a)
66:18b-24—Salvation for All Mankind
(15) The deliverance of the “survivors” of Jerusalem is not just for their own sake: What then is their mission? (vv. 18b-19) (Note: the various names of the places invite many speculations by commentators; but it is safe to understand them as extending from the extreme west [Spain, perhaps] to the south [Egypt], to the north and to the east of Israel.)
(16) How will the Gentiles around the world reciprocate as they hear the message and see the glory of God? (vv. 20-21 — note in particular the inclusion of Gentiles as priests and Levites)
(17) Within the New Heavens and the New Earth:
a. Who will bow down and worship God?
b. Will it only be for a season?
c. What will happen to those who do not believe in and worship the Lord?
(18) At the end of this long book of
prophecies, why not pause and consider the following?
a. Jot down three main messages that are important to you.
b. Reflect on why are they important to you.
c. How may you apply them to your life?