Category: 以赛亚书

Background

This last chapter of Isaiah ends with reference to new heavens and new earth, as well as reference to a place where worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched. Revelation ends with similar reference to new heavens and new earth (Rev 21:1) and the lake of fire (Rev 20:14-15).

Division

1. v1-4: God is calling for true worshipers

Exposition

• v1: […resting place…] God is searching for a resting place, from the beginning to now. May the church of Jesus Christ, the house of God, be His resting place. Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool, but God desires to rest among His people.
• v1: Stephen quoted verse 1 in Act 7:49-50 to point out their error in limiting God to a temple made with hands.
• v2: [… humble and contrite in spirit..trembles at my world]. These are the qualities of believers desire by God. He is searching humble, not pride people; Contrite, not arrogant; trembles at His word, not casual reader. These people are His resting place.
• v3: [chosen their own ways… their souls delight in their abominations]. When we chose our own ways instead of God’s way, when our souls delights in wicked things instead of the things of God, our outward works are not only have no spiritual worth, they are worthless and event sinful in God’s eyes. We are no different than a murderer if we do these things.
• v4: [..when I called, no one answered] God is calling true worshipers, have you answered Him?
• v5-6: […uproar from the city…noise from the temple]. The fake worshipers, the hypocrites , who defiled the name of the Lord, are like enemies of the Lord. The Lord will discipline them, even in the temple. The hypocrites know how to say spiritual words like “Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy”. But God knows their heart, they will be put to shame.
• v7-10: God will help Jerusalem to deliver a son. Who is this son?
• v8: [… a country born in a day..] in the millennium, when Israel believes in Jesus as the Messiah, the country will be born in a day.
• v13: Who is God speaking to? He is speaking to who tremble at His word (v5).
• v12: […peace to her like a river…]
• v14-16: Lord Jesus will come again with fire and sword, to execute judgement upon all men.
• v21: some gentiles who believes in the Lord will be priests and Levites. All NT believes are priests.
• v22: True worshipers of the Lord will bow down and continue to worship the Lord in the new heavens and new earth. The wicked who didn’t repent and believe in the Lord will be thrown in the lake of fire with worm that never die. Jesus quoted this verse in Mark 9:48, where He was giving a parable about it is better to get into Kingdom of God with one eye, or one hand, than to enter into hell with fire and worms that never die. Peter said the new heaven and new earth is the home of the righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).

Background

The main theme of this chapter is Redeemer’s reason for rejecting the nation; reservation of a remnant; and the revelation of the new heavens and the new earth.

Chapter 65 and 66 is the answer for the prayer in Chapter 64, where Isaiah and the nation Israel were praying fervently to God for His intervention to rescue Israel. God told them it was their sins that prevented their prayers to be answered (v2-7).

In this chapter, God makes it very clear that their sins and unfaithfulness are responsible for His judgment upon them, but that their sins have not frustrated His promises and purposes concerning the coming kingdom.

Division

1. v1: Salvation to the gentiles
2. v2-7: Sins of Israel

Exposition

• v1: God reveals Himself to the gentile. It was God who took the initiative to reveal Himself to each of us. Paul quoted this verse in Rom 10:20 referring to God’s calling to gentiles.
• v2: God stretches out His hands even to the unfaithful Jews. Paul quoted this verse in Rom 10:21, referring to the rebelliousness of His fellow Jews.
• v3-4: Israel broke God’s laws again and again.
• v5: But they still think they are holy then others, the gentiles.
• v6-7: God will surely punish them for their sins
• v8-9: However in His faithfulness, He will reserve a remnant of Israel to be saved. The remnant is compared to the remaining juice found in a cluster of grapes.
• v10: Sharon was the western, fertile territory on the Mediterranean coast, south of Mt. Carmel. Valley of Achor in the south. It was the place where the Achan was stoned to death by the Jews because of his greediness and disobedience to God that cause the lost of the first war with Ai. The valley will be a resting place finally. Together they represented the whole land.
• v11-12: Referring to unbelieving Israelite.
• v13: Comparing the faithful and the unfaithful of Israel.
• v14: When the Lord Jesus returned, some of sing for joy, some will cry in anguish.
• v15: The unfaithful Jews will be put to death, the faithful Jews, referring as God’s servants here will be given another name.
• v17: After the millennium Kingdom, there will be new heavens and new earth.
• v20: In the millennium Kingdom, people will have long life again, like the beginning.
• v25: In the millennium Kingdom, animals will live harmony together.

Background

The main theme is this chapter is God is the Potter, we are the clay. Men are sinners that want to do things our own ways, which cause us to sin and prevent us from receiving the blessing of God. If we yield to God, the Potter will mold us into His image.

Exposition

• v1:A call to God to come down from heavens to make His name know to the enemies (v2) and to help of those who are righteous, who remember God’s ways.
• v2-3: On Jesus second coming, the earth will experience great tribulation. The nations will quake, and mountains will tremble!
• v4: [no ear…no eye]. God’s judgement is unique in world history. Paul adapts words from this verse in 1 Cor 2:9 to speak of direct revelation of God, imparted to His apostles and prophets, pertaining to mysteries hidden from mankind before the birth of the church.
• v5-7: Isaiah put himself among the people who have sinned against God. Men own righteous acts are like disgusting menstrual clothes of women in the eyes of God.
• v8: Men are helpless and destined for destruction if God is just a righteous God. Thank God, He is also a loving Father. We are the works of the hands of the Potter. If we yield to Him, He desires to mold us into the image of Christ.
• v10-11: A prophesy of Jerusalem’s destruction in Babylon time.
• v12: A question to God, which God keep silent? The next two chapter hold the answers to this question.

Background

The first part of this chapter, from v1 to v6 talks about Jesus second coming.

Unlike His first coming, on His second coming, Jesus will execute His role as a righteous Judge. He will punish the wicked who have not repent to receive His salvation. It will be a horrible scene. John saw the same scene in revelation 19:11-12. The imagery is Jesus would step on the grapes on winepress, and the wine will stain His garment. The wine is a symbol of the blood of the wicked. It will be a day of vengeance.

Division

1. v1-6: The day of vengeance
2. v7-10: Proclaim to kindness of the Lord
3. v11-14: Recalled how God rescued them in old days
4. v15-19: Call on God to rule over the enemies and restore His kindess to Israel

Exposition

• v1: Edom is the descendent of Esau, it  The meaning of Esau is red. Bozrah was the capital of Edom, its meaning is “grade gathering”.
• v4: On Jesus first coming, it was called the year of the Lord’s favor (Isaiah 61:2). One Jesus second coming, it is called the day of vengeance (Isaiah 61:2)
• v10: Israel’s rebellion grieved the Holy Spirit. Our rebellion would cause the grieve of Holy Spirit as well (Eph 4:30).
• v11-14: Holy Spirit is mention three times in this chapter (v10,11,14). When Isaiah recount how God led Israel out of Egypt, he said it was the work of the Holy Spirit (v11-12).

Background

The theme of this chapter is Zion will get new names. God is speaking as the first person in this chapter (v6). Zion was an unfaithful wife, forsaken by the Lord, but not divorced (50:1-3). Her trails will all be forgotten when she receives the new name: “Hephzibah”. God calls on watchmen to pray day and night until Jerusalem is established (v6), until her righteousness shines lout like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch (v1).

The names, or description of Zion in this chapter are many:

1. Her righteousness shines out like the dawn (v1)
2. Her salvation like a blazing torch (v1)
3. The nations will see her righteousness (v2)
4. All kings will see her glory (v2)
5. She will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand (v3)
6. She will be a royal diadem in the hand of her God (v3)
7. She will no longer be called deserted, or desolate (v4)
8. She will be called Hephzibah, meaning My delight is in her (v4)
9. She will be called Beulah, meaning married (v4)
10. God will rejoice over her (v5)
11. She will be called the Holy People (v12)
12. She will be called the Redeemed of the Lord (v12)
13. She will be called Sought After (v12)
14. She will be called the City No Longer Deserted (v12)

Exposition

Background

This chapter continue the them from the last chapter. It prophesies the blessing and glory Zion will receive in the millennium kingdom.

Exposition

• v1: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the trinity God is presented in this verse.
• v1: Jesus quoted this in Luke 4:18-19. Jesus just started His ministry in Nazareth, He went into a synagogue on Sabbath day and read this portion of Isaiah. Then He proclaimed “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
• v1: God has prophesies He would put His Spirit on the suffering Servant in Isaiah 42:1. In here, the suffering Servant proclaimed that the Spirit is on Him.
• v2: In Luke 4, Jesus did not finish the whole verse 2. It is because that the day of vengeance will be fulfilled in Jesus second coming, not on His first coming. Sometimes the prophets would see future events and prophesied events happened in different time together. Because even the prophets themselves could not tell how far one apart in time between events.
• v3: The oil of gladness is mention here, and in Psalm 45:7. In ancient Israel, the Jews would pour oil on people in joyful celebrations.
• v6: Ex 19 would be fulfilled in the millennium Kingdom. The Jews will be a nations of priesthood.
• v10: The first person references here is not the Messiah. I was referring to Zion, whom God would cloth with garments of salvation.

Background

Isaiah began his “Book of Consolations” (Ch 40-66) by promising that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed” (40:5). Now he concludes by describing that glory for us.

The theme is about the glory of the nations of Israel during the millennium kingdom. Most commentaries agree that this is a prophesy about Israel the nation, but the church. Israel would know that Jesus Christ is their Savoir (v16).

This is one of the glories chapter in the whole Isaiah.

Division

1. v1-12
2. v13-22

Exposition

Background

Sins are referred 32 times in this chapter. Many words are used to describe sins: iniquities, sins, defiled with blood, lies, wicked things (v3), give birth to evil (v4), eggs of vipers , spider’s web (v5), etc. Idols worship is no longer mentioned in this chapter, but the Jews continued to live a sinful life.

But eventually the Jews confessed their sins (v9-15).

The Redeemer, with His helmet of salvation and His mighty arm will save the Israel. At the same time, His righteous breastplate and His garment of vengeance (v17) to repay wrath to His enemies.

It is interesting to compare v17 and Eph 5. Paul may have use v17 as his reference when writing Ephesian 5

v21 mentioned the Spirit of God is on Israel.

Division

1. v1-8: Isaiah condemns the sins of Israel
2. v9-15: Israel confesses her sins
3. v16-21: The Redeemer’s arm would work salvation for Israel

Exposition

Background

This is the 1st chapter of the last section in Isaiah (ch 58-66).

This section is focused on the glory of God in the future kingdom, and the emphasis is on the work of the Holy Spirit (59:19,21;61:1;63:10-11,14)

The main theme is this chapter is God exposing Israel religious acts. They fasted, they seems to be eager to know God’s ways, seems to seek God, seems to obey God’s commands outwardly, and they are proud of what they were doing (v3).

But God exposed the condition of their heart, God was not impressed with their outward religion practices(v5). Instead, God challenged them to live out the calling of God to them, to loose the chains of injustice (v6), to set the oppressed free, to share their food with the hungry, to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, to cloth the naked (v7), stopped finger pointing and malicious talks (v9).

If they truly live out God’s command, God’s promised great blessings to them. God promised them their light will break forth like the dawn, and their healing will quickly appear, the glory of the God will be their rear guard (v8). God will answer their calls (v9). Their light will rise in the darkness, and their night will become like the noonday(v10). God promised to satisfy their needs in a sun-scorched land, will strengthen their frame, their will be like well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations, their will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets. God promised them they will find joy in God, He will cause them to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of their father Jacob. (v14).

Although Israel has returned back to Babylon, although they do no longer worship idols. But they like an outward focus, self-righteous religious life. What God wants is for His people to truly worship Him from their heart, and live out a life what reveal the glory of God.

Today, many churches focus on the external rituals, many Christians think they are pretty good because they go to church on Sunday. But that is not what God wants. God desires to have a relationship with us, He desires us to worship Him inwardly, and to live out Christ life outwardly.

Exposition

• v1-3: God called Isaiah to tell Judah about their sins and their rebellion. They fasted, they though they did great and have not forsaken the command of God. They even question God, why did not God notice how good they were?
• v4-5: God exposed their spiritual condition. Although they fasted, but their thoughts and actions reveal that their sins. God said this is not the fast He wanted.
• v6-7: God told them the kind of fasting He desires.
• v8-14: God tell them what is actually desires from God, and how the blessing they would receive if they obey God.
• v6-8: True Fasting and the blessing
• v9-12: Help the oppressed and the blessing
• v13-14: Keep the Sabbath and the blessing

Background

This is the last chapter of the second part of ch40-66. The theme here is a contract between the righteous and wicked; comfort for the righteous; condemnation of the wicked.