Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will not come into you. 2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose yourself from the bands of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3 For this is what the LORD says, You have sold yourselves for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money.
- They turned from the living and true God to idols.
- The idols are nothing.
- 1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
- Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.
4 For this is what the Lord God says, My people went down before into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them endlessly. 5 Now therefore, what do I have here, asks the LORD, that my people are taken away for nothing? Those that rule over them make them howl, says the LORD; and my name is blasphemed continually every day. 6 Therefore my people will know my name/person: they will know in that day that I am he that speaks: behold, it is I.
- Today the same thing happens.
- It is far worse than taking God’s name in vain.
- He made us in His image and we live like animals.
- Instead of honor and dignity we have clergy molesting children.
- Everyplace we turn we see horrible things that man is doing.
- This is blasphemy against the Holy One who made us in His image.
- John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
The Lord is coming to earth to rule rightly forever
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says to Zion, Your God reigns! 8 Your watchmen will lift up the voice; with the voice they will sing together: they will see eye to eye, when the LORD brings back Zion.
- Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken: 30 And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven: and all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lord goes before us and is our rear guard
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The LORD has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart, depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out of the midst of her; be clean, you that bear the vessels of the LORD. 12 For you will not go out with haste or go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will gather you up/be your rear guard. 13 Behold, my servant will deal prudently, he will be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
- Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or forsake you: do not fear or be dismayed.
He was beaten beyond recognition for us
14 As many as were astonished at you; his features were marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So will he sprinkle many nations; the kings will shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them they will see; and that which they had not heard they will consider.
- For us, He was beaten almost beyond human recognition.
- In ancient times the priests sprinkled the blood of the animal sacrifices on the altar to cover sin.
- John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
- Matthew 26:68 Saying, Prophesy to us, you Christ, Who is he that struck you?
- Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do you will, O God. …10 By which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified. 17 And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he will grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form or majesty; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we would desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid our faces from him; he was despised, and we did not value him. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs/sickness, and carried our sorrows/afflictions/pains: yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
- The root out of dry ground…there was no moisture in this life or earth to provide for His soul, nothing sustaining in earth’s relationships.
- He was in constant contact with His heavenly Father until our sins were placed on Him.
- When the Son of God came to earth to die for the sins of mankind, He, the most beautiful, became like the least beautiful.
- He fully identified Himself with the least of mankind.
- Psalm 45:2 You are more beautiful than the children of men.
- Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
He was wounded for our transgressions
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his bruise we are healed.
- Man’s deepest need is love.
- God’s greatest gift is love.
- When we see the greatness of our God and the depth of His love for each of us personally, all other hurts of this life fade to nothing and our hearts are healed.
- He made our peace with our Holy God by His death.
- He healed us by His stripes-wounds, lashes of the whip.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he did not open his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who will declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
- What happened to Jesus was the most unfair thing that has ever occurred.
- This was the Son of God—pure, perfect, and holy.
- More precious than the most innocent babe.
- For us. the infinitely innocent One took on Himself the death of the lowest felon.
- He bore it quietly.
- And far worse, He took all the guilt, shame, and wrath of the Holy Father against every wrong and sin.
- John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his deaths; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief: when you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 He will see of the travail of his soul, and will be satisfied: by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many; for he will bear their iniquities. 12 Because of this I will divide to him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul to death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
- This passage was written BC 700.
- It explains Christ’s work on the cross in detail.
- The word death is plural because of both physical death and spiritual death—separation from God.
- God’s pleasure explodes throughout history with each victory over evil by Jesus in us.
- John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him not perish, but have everlasting life.
Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break out into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations: do not spare, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; 3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your seed will inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not; for you will not be ashamed: neither be confounded; you will not be put to shame: you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
Our Maker is our husband, the Lord of hosts
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth he will be called. 6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God. 7 For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies I will gather you.
- The word ‘Maker’ in Hebrew is plural.
He bought us at the highest price ever paid for anything
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the LORD your Redeemer. 9 For this is as the waters of Noah to me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no more go over the earth; so I have sworn that I would not be wroth with you or rebuke you.
- 1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
His kindness will not depart—ever
10 For the mountains will depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness will not depart from you, neither will the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that has mercy on you. 11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
- Revelation 21:18 And the building of its wall was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
The Lord will be the teacher of all earth’s children
13 All of your children will be taught by the LORD; and great will be the peace of your children. 14 In righteousness you will be established: you will be far from oppression; for you will not fear: and from terror; for it will not come near you. 15 Behold, they will surely gather together, but not by me: whoever will gather together against you will fall for your sake. 16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings out an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from me, says the LORD.
- He gives us His own righteousness as ours.
- The promises in God’s word are for God’s people to claim as their own.
- Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
- Jeremiah 23:6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely: and this is his name by which he will be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Isaiah 55
The LORD invites all and satisfies completely forever
1 Is anyone thirsty? Come to the waters, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for that which is not food: and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me: hear, and your soul will live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
- David was God’s chosen ruler who obeyed God and walked by faith.
- God promised David that the promised Messiah and eternal ruler would come through him.
- Mankind desperately needs rescuing from evil, trouble, sorrow, pain, and death.
- John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.
- John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5 Behold, you will call a nation that you do not know, and nations that you did not know will run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.
- Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
- Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be upon his shoulder: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
He will have mercy and abundantly pardon
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and food to the eater: 11 So will my word be that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper in the thing that I sent it to do.
- Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is alive and powerful…
He leads us with joy, peace, and abundance of prosperities
12 For you will go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills will break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn will come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier will come up the myrtle tree: and it will be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.
- Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Isaiah 56
The LORD’s salvation is near; He blesses those who hear and do what He says
1 This is what the LORD says, Guard equity, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that does this, and the son of man that lays hold on it; that keeps the Sabbath from polluting it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
- Righteousness means to be right.
- God’s law shows us that we are sinners unable to be righteous without God’s help.
- Since Christ’s death on the cross all are under grace.
- That does not mean that we can do anything we like and get away with it.
- We are God’s children through faith in Christ and He will discipline His own.
- The way to be saved has always been through faith.
- Galatians 3:24 the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
3 Neither let the son of the foreigner that has joined himself to the LORD speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For this is what the Lord says to the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 To them I will give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that will not be cut off.6 Also the sons of the foreigner, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant; 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all people.
- He includes all who will come to Him.
- Ephesians2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works so no man can boast.
He gathers the outcasts; He brings to His holy mountain and makes joyful
8 The Lord GOD that gathers the outcasts of Israel says, I will gather others to him, beside those that are gathered to him. 9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour, yes, all you beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to sleep. 11 Yes, they are dogs of strong appetite, never satisfied, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come, they say, I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, and much more abundant.
- The watchmen were Israel’s prophets.
- They had no thought for God, only for themselves.
- In Luke 12 Jesus told the parable of the rich man who lived the same way.
- Luke 12:20 But God said to him, You fool, this night your soul will be required of you: then whose will those things be, that you have provided? 21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Isaiah 57
The LORD calls the evil ones back to Himself
1 The righteous perish, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come. 2 He will enter into peace: they will rest in their beds, each one walking before him uprightly. 3 But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you make a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, 5 enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, killing the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; those, those are your lot: those to whom you have poured a drink offering, you have offered a food offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
- The Lord takes the righteous away from the judgment against evil that is to come.
- He brings the righteous and merciful into rest.
- Idolatry is compared to an unfaithful wife.
- God asked them if He should take comfort in their worship false gods?
- God is our heavenly Father.
- He is a Father who yearns for His children who are seeking things that won’t satisfy them, things that lead to their destruction.
- How could God take comfort in that?
- Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
7 You have set you bed on a lofty and high mountain: you went up there to offer sacrifice. 8 You have you set up your remembrance behind the doors and the posts: for you have uncovered yourself to one besides me, and have gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made a covenant with them; you loved their bed where you saw it.
- For us, this means the things we pour our thoughts, time, and lives into, while neglecting God.
9 And you went to the king with ointment, and increased your perfumes, and sent your messengers far off, and debase yourself even unto hell. 10 You are wearied in the greatness of your way; yet you did not say, There is no hope: you have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved. 11 Why were you more afraid of them than of me? How is it that you don’t even remember me or think about me? Is it because I have not corrected you that you have no fear of me? 12 I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they will not profit you. 13 When you cry, let your hordes of idols deliver you; but the wind will carry them all away; vanity will take them: but he that puts his trust in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain; 14 And will say, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
- God uncovers evil and does not allow it to profit. He gives those who trust in Him to possess the land and inherit His holy mountain
The High and lofty One dwells in eternity with those of a contrite and humble spirit
15 For this is what says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity says, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry: for the spirit would fail before me, and the souls that I have made. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was furious, and struck him: I hid myself, and was filled with wrath, and he went on turning away in the way of his heart.
- The Lord will not always struggle with us and be angry.
- Colossians 3:5 So put to death your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
- Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
He sees our ways and will heal us; He will lead us and restore comforts
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners. 19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, says the LORD; and I will heal him. 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.
- Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
- John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid.
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SUMMARY: Isaiah 52-57
- The Lord is coming to earth to rule rightly forever
- The Lord goes before us and is our rear guard
- He was beaten beyond recognition for us
- He was wounded for our transgressions
- Our Maker is our husband, the Lord of hosts
- He bought us at the highest price ever paid for anything
- His kindness will not depart--ever
- The Lord will be the teacher of all earth’s children
- The LORD invites all and satisfies completely forever
- He will have mercy and abundantly pardon
- He leads us with joy, peace, and abundance of prosperities
- He gathers the outcasts; He brings to His holy mountain and makes joyful
- The LORD calls the evil ones back to Himself
- The High and lofty One dwells in eternity with those of a contrite and humble spirit
- He sees our ways and will heal us; He will lead us and restore comforts