Week 26, June 22–28: Isaiah 46–48; Psalms 82–83
- Sun Jun 22 Isa. 46–48 Ps. 82
- Mon Jun 23 Isa. 49–51 Ps. 83
- Tue Jun 24 Isa. 52–54
- Wed Jun 25 Isa. 55–57
- Thu Jun 26 Isa. 58–60
- Fri Jun 27 Isa. 61–63
- Sat Jun 28 Isa. 64–66
Last week we mentioned the “good news” language in Isaiah, looking at the way this prophetic book serves as an important foundation to the gospel message of the NT. Another example is in Isaiah 52:7, which is quoted in Rom. 10:15. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news [the one who evangelizes, or proclaims the gospel], who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘your God reigns.’” The prophet is extoling the one who will come proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom, the gospel of God’s peace and his goodness.
This praise of the one who would come proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom sets the stage for perhaps the most familiar passage in all of Isaiah, the Suffering Servant song of Isaiah 52:13–53:12. We’ve read of the Lord’s Servant earlier in Isaiah, but this passage gives us the OT’s most detailed look ahead to the atoning, redeeming, saving work of Jesus—the gospel in Isaiah.
Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
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.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 52:13–53:12)
The last chapters of Isaiah bring the book to a conclusion with a mixture of themes and tones that can feel a bit disruptive. On the one hand, the end of Isaiah draws together some of the dark and ominous threads of Isaiah’s prophetic rebuke. God’s people, he says, “have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.” So God’s judgement will come upon them. “I also will choose harsh treatment for them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isa. 66:3–4) The Lord has turned his judgement on his own people, because they have turned from him.
On the other hand though, the thread of hope in a future of God’s mercy and grace is also interwoven with the thread of sin and judgement. The Lord calls the people to “rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her.” (Isa. 66:10) The day is coming when God’s people will repent and return to him with humility and a spirit of contrition (see Isa. 66:2), and they will be restored. Of Jerusalem, God says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream.” He offers these comforting words: “You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isa. 66:12, 14)
The message of the prophets is a message of judgement in the present and in the near future, coupled with a message of eventual repentance and restoration. Again, this anticipates the good news that was coming in Christ. There would be a new covenant, something that was still in the future from Isaiah’s perspective, but has now come in Jesus.