Isaiah 46-50

Paul Bukauskas

Isaiah • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Chapter 46 - 50 Review

Chapter 46

Babylon was in imminent danger and under full scale evacuation. The people are hurrying to evacuate and evacuate their idol gods as well. The Lord is inflexible in His determination what to do ( 10-11 ) and is equally inflexible in His commitment to His people ( 3-4 ). The theme of the chapter is the “Burden Bearing God”

Chapter 47

This chapter turns to the judgment of Babylon. Isaiah has already spoken of Babylon’s judgment in 13, 14, 21 and now 47. We had a suggestion of it in the last chapter (46) when the city was being evacuated and they were loading their idols onto carts. This chapter also deals with a topic still very much resurgent again today, astrology, sorceries, mysticism and the like. People today are confused. Babylon means confusion

Chapter 48

By the end of the trail ( 41-47 ) we ind find that Israel is still as rebellious and hard hearted as their ancestors. The captives of Babylon have been liberated and sent home. They should be coming home rejoicing, but they are still wicked and without peace ( 22 ) They haven’t learned anything . So, God disqualifies them as His servant but He is still on a mission to bless the nations of the world. So, God says he is going to do “A New Thing” to solve this problem.

Chapter 49

Isreal has failed to be God’s servant and now we see a new Servant who will fulfill God’s mission. Chapter 49 introduces the second of 4 Servant Songs. The first seven verses are a discourse of the Lord, almost as if we are at His feet listening to Him describe Himself. We also learn that Israel is not forsaken and then reminded of Israel’s amnesia

Chapter 50

In this chapter it opens will an illustration of divorce. And it proves us with the reason why Israel had to suffer - because of their disobedience. This chapter also introduces us to the 3rd Servant Song ( 50:4-7 ). It provides another picture of the suffering Servant. It also provides insight into what J. Vernon McGee called, “The Greatest Sin Committed by Christians Today.” The chapter ends with a call to the unconverted to believe

Chapter 46

Overview

Babylon was in imminent danger and under full scale evacuation. The people are hurrying to evacuate and evacuate their idol gods as well. The Lord is inflexible in His determination what to do (10-11) and is equally inflexible in His commitment to His people (3-4). The theme of the chapter is the “Burden Bearing God”

Theme

The Burden bearing God is the theme of this chapter

— As the story develops, Babylon is now in imminent danger

— Babylon is in full scale evacuation and people are hurrying to evacuate their gods as well

— The earlier murmuring and complaining ( 45:9-14 ) of Israel has now become rebellion ( 46:8 )

— The people are stubborn

— But as inflexible as the Lord is in his determination what to do ( 46:10-11 )

— He is equally inflexible in His commitment to His people ( 3-4 )

This chapter is laid out in five (5) sections:

— The burdening gods ( 1-2 )

— The burden bearing God ( 3-4 )

— idol gods - burdens without saving power ( 5-7 )

— The creating God ( 8-11 )

— The Saving God ( 12-13 )

The Burdening gods (46:1-2)

( 46:1-2 ) Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity.

Q: Who is Bel and Nebo described in 46:1?

— Names of these gods incorporated into the names of their Kings:

Bel

— Babylonian god. Another spelling of Baal

— Belshazzar: the last king of Babylon

Nebo

Nebo is Baal’s son

— Originally, thought this was “Nobu” the famous sushi restaurant in Malibu

— god of writing and wisdom

— Nebo was Nebuchadnezzar

Q: What is happening to them in 46:1?

Transported

( 46:1 ) Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast.

Evacuation

The idols are being evacuated from Babylon

— They themselves are a burden to the beasts - they are the burdening gods

— Nebo (Nabu) was number two in the Babylonian hierarchy of deities

— A general term for idols is from the root “to fashion” but the homonym denotes “pain” and “suffering” and thus the prophet’s implication (through subtle wordplay) is that these images are the very cause of the Babylonians travails (Shalom M. Paul)

— Homonyms are words with the same pronunciation but different meanings: pen, book, mail/male; made/maid; ate/eight; sell/cell; pair/pear; plain/plane; right/write

Q: What does v2 say about them ?

( 46:2 ) They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity

Goldengay

“Here is a moment of crisis in Babylon’s life when it needs a deity that can stop it from collapsing, but instead of its gods carrying and protecting their people, the people are having to carry and protect their gods”

“What use is a god you have to carry, instead of a god carrying you?”

“The sad reality of these idol-gods is that when you cry out to the in a crisis like the one coming to Babylon, you get no answer”

The Burdening gods > The Burden Bearing God (46:3-4)

( 46:3-4 ) “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: 4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Q: Rather than being carried by others like an idol, what has God done for Israel, and what does He promise to do (vv3-4)?

Upheld them at birth

( 46:3 ) Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb

— When we were yet unborn God carried us in the womb ( Jer 1:5; Ps 22:11; 58:4; Job 3:11; 31:15; Isa 49:1 )

— When we were born, helpless as children, God carried us

Carried us in His arms

God carried us in His arms

— He carried His people as upon Eagle’s wings

— ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” ( Ex 19:4 )

Moses

— Moses had no patience with the children of Israel and certainly didn’t want to carry them

— “ Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers?” ( Numbers 11:12 )

He carries us!

God carries us! As opposed to the heathen gods, who cannot save their own worshipers (v 2)

— He carries our sorrows

— Our sin and grief

— Cast your cares on Him ( Ps 55:22 )

— He is our refuge, our rock that we cling to

— He carries us from the womb until we are old

In our old age

( 46:4 ) Even to your old age, ...even to gray hairs I will carry you!

Health Fails

In our old age God will still carry us when we are sick and of little use to God, He will not cast us off - He will carry us

Strength fails

When our strength fails, He will lift us up with His strong arm and carry us

— He carried us when we were children, He will carry us when we are old

The Burdening gods > The Burden Bearing God > Burdens without saving Power (46:5-7)

( 46:5-7 ) “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. 7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble.

Unfit for comparison

The human origin and complete and utter impotence of idols renders them unfit for comparison with the the God of Israel (40:18-20)

Idols

Sadly, the people of God distrusted and doubted the power and put Him level with idols, and even placed idols above Him

Man-made burdens

— ( 46:6 ) One man provides the materials and another man shapes the idol

— It can be said that an idol has two (2) fathers:

— The man who supplies the gold / silver

— and the workman who gives it shape

( 46:6a ) They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship

Adore

They even adore, worship

— This heightens the description of their madness

— There might be room for repentance, but these people are intent on turning their backs on the TRUE God

They carry it

( 46:7 ) They carry it, they cry out, but it cannot answer

The Burdening gods > The Burden Bearing God > Burdens without saving Power > The Creating God (46:8-11)

( 46:8-11 ) “Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Q: What does God call on the people to do to remind them that He is God (vv8-9) What are some of the former things?

( 46:8 ) Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors

Remember

Exercise your mind, not your emotions

Man up!

— Act like a man, man up!

— The Jews will be delivered by Cyrus but not the way they imagined

Delivered

— It will not be freedom and national sovereignty they will return home but still be under the thumb of a foreign power

— Only 50,000 returned

— The rest stayed in Babylon

— The Jews were looking for national independence (45:8ff) which will come in the future

— Even though they did not understand what He is doing with Cyrus, they know Him

Have trust

— They know He carries them

— Even when circumstances are hard, trust and have faith

Former Things

( 46:9 ) Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me

— God has provided numerous proofs

— He has shown His nature, greatness and not just for a few days or years but at all times

Sovereign

( 46:10 ) One of the majestic attributes of God is His absolute sovereignty

— He ordains and brings to pass all things that happen

— God again claims that He is sovereign over world events - our history, past, present and future

— His plan cannot be altered

— His actions are not a whim, but of His pleasurable will

— cf. Gen 50:20; 1 Chron 29:11-12; 2 Chron 20:6; Job 23:13;Prov 16:(, 19:21; Ps 115:3; Ps 135:6; Dan 4:34-35; Epah 1:11

Q: What does He specifically predict in v 11?

Cyrus will come

( 46:11 ) Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country

— He will be raised up in the East (41:2)

— He will come down from the North (41:25)

Bird of Prey

— A ruthless conqueror

— The worse fears will be realized

— They will return to Jerusalem but without freedom, without sovereignty

Call to Faith

Isaiah calls his hearers to a realistic faith

— A faith that looks facts in the face and still trusts

Abraham

— Abraham demonstrated this type of faith ( Rom 4:19-20 )

Romans 4:19–20 NKJV

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

( 46:11b ) Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it

— Pointing to the Lord as Potter of History

Application

Today we have fear of global pandemics

— God is not just looking at these problems

— God is not just allowing these things to happen

— But God is in the trouble

( 46:10-11 ) My purpose will be established.. I have planned it

— He will lift up His banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth ( 5:26 )

— The Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of …Egypt, the bee that is in … Assyria ( 7:18 )

— Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand ( 14:24 )

Answer: Everything! God is speaking about everything ( Amos 3:6 )

— “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?” ( Amos 3:6 )

Divest

— Some people want to divest God of the terrible things that happen in the world (famine, wars, earth quakes, COVID-19)

Prophets

— In the past, God used Prophets to announce what He would do (Amos 3:7)

— He announced to Isiah that he would bring judgement on the nations:

— Babylon ( 13:1-14:23 )

— Damascus ( 17:1-3 )

— Edom ( 21:11,12 )

— Egypt ( 19 )

— Moab ( 15,16 )

— Philistia ( 14:29-32 )

—Tyre ( 23 )

— When Judgment came, God took full responsibility for it

Today

— God doesn’t speak through His prophets today

— “Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!” ( 45:15 )

— We are left wondering what God’s purpose is in all this like Job who never knew God’s intention

— But we know God is Sovereign (46:10) and His Counsel shall stand!

— Trouble will test the strength of our Faith like it did with Hezekiah (2 Chron 32:31)

— Not for His information

— For our information

— Trouble will work out for the good for those who are His (Rom 8:28)

— It all happens according to His will (Eph 1:11)

— And all for His glory

The Burdening gods > The Burden Bearing God > Burdens without saving Power > The Creating God > The Saving God (46:12-13)

( 46:12-13 ) “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.

Q: How does God describe the people (v12) What should they learn from His evidences (v13)?

Stubborn

( 46:12 ) Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness

— Stubborn, rigid in mind, firm in their resolve, unbending, dug in, can’t argue or reason with them

— Far from righteous - not right with God

Righteousness

( 46:13 ) Righteousness… salvation

— At God appointed time, the Salvation of Israel will become a reality

— It will become the Messiah’s righteous kingdom ( 61:3, 62:11; Joel 3:17; Zech 12:10-31; Rom 11:25-27 )

Chapter 47

Overview

Divine vengeance applied (47:1-4)

( 47:1-4 ) “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.

Q: Babylon’s judgment is described in vv1-5. What would happen to her?

( 47:1 ) Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne

Humbled

— Sit in the dust represents humility

Without a Throne

— Without…throne - stripped of former glory

Virgin

— Babylon had never been conquered before

Millstone

( 47:2 ) Take the millstones and grind meal

— A slave

— Babylon has gone from ruling the world, sitting on a throne to manual labor, hard labor as a slave

Nakedness

Nakedness, shame

Vengeance

( 47:3c ) I will take vengeance

— It would be one thing to have vengeance from a man - but God says - I will not meet you as a man

— A man might show compassion (cf. Hos 5:14 )

— But the writer of Hebrews warns “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” ( Heb 10:31 )

( 47:4 ) As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel

— Now Babylon finds out who they are up against and why

Redeemer

— The Lords right to act as Israel’s redeemer, next-of-kin

— The fall of Babylon is for the sake of Israel ( 14:1-2 )

— Babylon must perish so the Lord may exalt His people

His Authority

— His authority to take vengeance rests in His character - He is Holy

Tremble

— The Babylonians have reason to tremble

— He is the Lord of Hosts - He has all the power of heaven and earth at His command

— All creatures and all of nature

— Words of comfort for Israel

— Words of fear for Babylon

Divine vengeance applied > Divine vengeance explained (47:5-7)

( 47:5-7 ) “Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms. 6 I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, And given them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily. 7 And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever,’ So that you did not take these things to heart, Nor remember the latter end of them.

Babylon’s disgrace

( 47:5c ) For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms

— Once exalted, now brought low in humility

( 47:7 ) Once a Queen, now a slave women

— Once a mistress of the world; now a slave women

— Disgraced by pride and false security (8 )

Q: What reason does God give why He would bring these judgments against Babylon (vv6 - 7)

You showed no Mercy

( 47:6 ) God was angry with Israel and He was punishing Israel by allowing them to go into captivity

Cruel

( 47:6e ) On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily

— They were indiscriminate on their punishment

— Even the aged were not spared

— But Babylon was cruel and showed no mercy (cf. Jer 50:17, 18; 51:33-40; Zech 1:15)

Arrogant

( 47:7 ) And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever

— They were arrogant

— Isaiah mocks their confidence

— God regards such confidence with abhorrence

— “Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.” ( Ps 52:7 )

Q: But isn’t everything fair play in Love & War?

J. Alec Motyer

“The Old Testament makes no room for the common assumption that in time of war ‘ordinary’ moral considerations can be put in cold storage for the duration, or that national advantage justifies what would be reprehensible or criminal if done by a private individual”

Divine vengeance applied > Divine vengeance explained > Superior to all (47:8-9)

( 47:8-9 ) “Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’; 9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments

Q: What other clues do we get about why Babylon was punished (vv8-9)?

Given to pleasures

( 47:8 ) Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures

— Excess, no normal consequences to life

Great Arrogance

( 47:8c ) Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me;

— Arrogance, presumption of deity

( 47:8d ) To live as a widow was to live without provision, protection

— Babylon says that will never happen to me

God strikes her pride

( 47:9 ) The two things that Babylon took pride in:

— She would neither be a “widow”; a boast (cf. Mystery Babylon makes the same boast Rev 18:7)

— nor “childless”; is it possible that Mystery Babylon is a post-rapture brag (Missler)

— God punishes both

Cyrus

— Many were killed and taken captive under Cyrus the Persian

— This prophecy was fulfilled again when Babylon revolted under Darius and the city was laid siege

— To hold out, each man choose one women in the family and strangled the rest of the family in order to save food

— Darius impaled 3,000 of the revolters

Magic

( 47:9 ) Magic, sorceries, enchantments

— God punished Babylon on account of their dependence on magic

— They were notorious for their magical and astrological arts & sciences

Magi

— A priestly group of people who rose to great political power during the Babylonian and Medo Persian empire

—They were known for their occultic powers of divination, astrological, astronomical knowledge

— Rose to power, advisors to the King

— Jer 39:3 names a man by the name of Nergal-sharezer as the chief Magi and he is an advisor to the King

— In Daniel 2:20 no one can interpret the King’s dream. Later Daniel is made chief of all the Magi

— https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/2182/who-were-the-wise-men

Divine vengeance applied > Divine vengeance explained > Superior to all > Answerable to No one (47:10-11)

( 47:10-11 ) “For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’ 11 Therefore evil shall come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; You will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, Which you shall not know.

Q: What other reasons are given for the punishment of Babylon 10-11?

No one sees me

( 47:10 ) You trusted in your wickedness

— Thought no one would see you when you sin

— Sinners foolishly think that they are safe, that no one sees the sins done in secret (cf Ps 10;100, 94:7)

Disaster

( 47:11 ) Disaster is the result

— You thought you were answerable to no one?

— You are answerable to God

— You might be able to put it off, pay a ransom price, be bought off

Divine vengeance applied > Divine vengeance explained > Superior to all > Answerable to No one > The Religion that Failed (47:12-15)

( 47:12-15 ) “Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries, In which you have labored from your youth— Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail. 13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before! 15 Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth; They shall wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.

Q: Whom should the people call upon to save them (vv12-13) What is the point?

Sarcastically

( 47:12 ) Go back to your sorceries, enchantments, astrologers

— Profit - succeed, maybe your incarnations will actually succeed

( 47:13 ) They looked to the stars

— Horoscopes and astrology are still popular today

Q: What does God say will happen to those to whom they trusted (the astrologers, etc.) What is the consequence to the people (vv14-15)?

Helpless

( 47:14 ) The astrologers were helpless to save themselves, let along the Babylonians

Fire

( 47:14 ) The fire shall burn them… It shall not be a coal to be warmed by

— This stubble will burn fiercely; not something to warm themselves but to flee

They will Run

( 47:15 ) You spent your money on astrologers, but they will run to their homes when judgment comes

— They will not be able to save you

— Babylon means confusion

Chapter 48

Overview

Major Section

— This brings a major section of the book to a close. Babylon has fallen, the captives of Babylon must be liberated and sent home

— One problem solved, another problem raised

— We learn the true diagnosis of Israel:

— stubborn ( 4a )

— un-submissive ( 4b )

— intractable ( 4c )

— deaf to the Word of the Lord and

— preferring false gods ( 5-7 )

— treacherous and rebellious ( 8 )

— disobedient ( 18 )

— no one can really truthfully claim allegiance to the Lord

— They are coming home rejoicing, but they are still wicked and without peace ( 22 )

— Haven’t they learned anything

Past perseverance (48:1-11)

( 48:1-11 ) “Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; 2 For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is His name: 3 “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’ 6 “You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. 7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.’ 8 Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. 9 “For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another

Q: What profession did Israel make about God and their relationship to Him (vv1-2)?

Hear

( 48:1 ) Hear this, O house of Jacob

— Hear - An obedient nation hears. Disobedient nations do not hear

Jacob

— The address is made to the Israelites, descended from Jacob

( 48:1 ) Their conduct makes them Jacob (disobedient)

— Although the people were called Israel, their conduct had removed them from being an Israel so that they were in fact only Jacob

Called by His name

( 48:1 ) Who are called by the name of Israel

( 48:2 ) For they call themselves after the holy city

— They say that they are citizens of Jerusalem, children of God - but in reality they are strangers to Him

— They have actually forfeited the right to claim a unique relation to Him of a covenant people

— They cannot in truth call themselves Israel

The Lord Predicted

( 48:3 ) I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass

The Lord, not idols

( 48:5 ) The Lord gets all the credit for predicting, not idols

— All the past miracles such as crossing the Red Sea, and the Jordan River

— Also the general past like the raising up of Cyrus ( 41:2 ), the repulsion of the Assyrians from the city walls ( 36-37 ), the healing of Hezekiah ( 38 ), and that Cyrus would let the captives go and rebuild the city ( 45:13 )

Q: How does he describe Israel (v4)?

Obstinate

( 48:4a ) Obstinate ( stubborn )

— ( 48:4b ) Neck was iron (un-submissive)

— ( 48:4c ) Brow bronze (intractable)

— God did not choose Israel because they were superior. He choose US because he saw our great need

Q: So what was God doing now and why was He doing it (vv6-8)?

New Truth

( 48:6b ) I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them

— God will reveal new information

( 48:7 ) They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them

— “They are created now, and not of old: and before the day, when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say: Behold I knew them.” (Douay-Rheims)

—"This isn’t a variation on the same old thing. This is brand-new, something you’d never guess or dream up When you hear this your won’t be able to say, ‘I knew that all along.’” (The Message)

— “Only now am I making them happen nothing like this took place in the past. If it had, you would claim that you knew all about it.” (GNT)

MacArthur

— From this point forward Isaiah’s prophecies have a new distinctiveness

— The Lord will tell us of new things not revealed before:

— the First and Second coming of Christ

— The Suffering Servant

— The future Babylon, Babylon of the revelation

— God has never before communicated this truth ( 48:7 )

True Nature

( 48:8 ) Did not hear.. did not know..would deal treacherously

— The reason why Israel had not heard these things before was that God knew their true wicked nature;

— He knew they would pervert the truth and ascribe the fulfillment of the predictions to idols and not to God Himself (Young)

— Hebrew idiom the verb to call is used to indicate the true nature or character of a person

Q: What will God do for his People (vv 9-11)?

My Names’ sake

( 48:9 ) God will defer His anger for His name’s sake

— And for My praise

— They deserve to perish a thousand times

Refined them

( 48:10 ) He refined them but (the result is ) not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction

— Unlike silver, their purging is not complete and they are not refined

— Their judgment is not for destruction but transformation; for His name’s sake

For My own sake

( 48:11 ) For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another

— This people were called by His name

— If they were cut-off, the enemies would blaspheme His name

Past perseverance > Future perseverance (48:12-22)

( 48:12-22 ) “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. 13 Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. 14 “All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper. 16 “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me.” 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.” 20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it to the end of the earth; Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!” 21 And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out. 22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

My Called

( 48:12 ) Here Israel is called My Called

— God is the first and the last

— The trinitarian baptism formula of Matt 28:19

( 48:13 ) God again, is the creator of the universe

Q: What further proof does God offer and to whom does this refer (vv14-15)?

Babylon / Christ

( 48:14d ) He shall do His pleasure on Babylon

— The “him” here is debatable Love is too strong a word to apply to a pagan king but not to Jesus Christ

— Babylon is either the current Babylon or the Babylon of Revelation

Prosper

( 48:15 ) Cyrus was a great conqueror, not because of his own might and wisdom

— Other commentators like Edward Young think 48:14-15 refers to Cyrus

— He was an instrument in the hands of Israel’s God (Young)

The Lord Speaks

( 48:16 ) Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning

— Here the Lord Himself, the Messiah speaks

— Jesus said the same thing of Himself (John 18:20)

— The Trinity

— The Lord God, the Spirit, and Me

— The Lord Himself is speaking, heed His words

( 48:16d ) And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me

— The NT is in the OT concealed

— The OT is in the NT revealed

Q: What would have happened if the people had heeded the Lord’s commands (vv17-19)?

Teach

( 48:17 ) I teach you, show you the way to go

— What is the best for you, your profit

( 48:18 ) Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!

— If you had heeded, you would have had peace like a river

— Sorrowful, pleading, all of this could have been avoided

( 48:19 ) Because of Israel’s disobedience, the promise of Abraham has not been fulfilled (Gen 15:5, 22:17)

Q: Though God would punish the people (in Babylon) what would happen to them? To what past event does God compare this (20-22)?

Declaration

( 48:20 ) Go forth from Babylon!..The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!

— A Declaration of Salvation

— Only 40,000 returned to the land

—This is looking forward to the final redemption of the nation (Zech 12:10-13:1, Rom 11:1-2, 25-27)

— John repeats the command in Rev 18:4

( 48:21 ) Israel will escape the final world system ( 20 ) and in the same way that God provided for them in the desert, He will again provide for them

No Peace for the Wicked

( 48:22 ) There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked

— There has been no moral reform or even a recognition of the need for it

— Wicked, those Israelites who live without the law (Titus 1:15,16)

— Consequently they have no peace

— In the midst of the declaration of salvation we are reminded that not all will be saved

— To come home to Canaan is not to come back to God

Chapter 49

Overview

Chapter 49 introduces the second of 4 Servant Songs. The first seven verses are a discourse of the Lord, almost as if we are at His feet listening to Him describe Himself. We also learn that Israel is not forsaken and then reminded of Israel’s amnesia

Another Division

We’re in the 2nd Division of the book of Isaiah

— ( 1-37 ) The Government of God

— ( 36-39 ) A historical Interlude (Sennacherib attacks; Hezekiah's sickness and recovery; the Babylonian emissaries)

— ( 38-55 ) The Book of the Servant

— ( 49-57 ) We will see the Salvation of God through the Suffering Servant

— ( 58-66 ) The Glory of God in the Anointed Conqueror

Suffering Servant

— But here we have another look at the Suffering Servant

— Stating to climb the high ground starting to build like a symphony

— 42 gives us a glimpse

— Another glimpse in 49, 50 and 52

— The crescendo is chapter 53, not the conquering King but the suffering servant

— 53 has been called the holy of holies in the OT

— ”The NT is concealed in the OT, The OT is revealed in the NT”

— As we march toward 53, we are marching to the Cross of Christ

Servant

— The Servant is sometimes called Israel

— Sometimes it’s a person, sometimes a nation, so it has a double-meaning

— A near and far

Second Servant Song

— Chapter 49 introduces the second of 4 Servant Songs. (cf. 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-7; 52:13-53:12 )

— The first seven verses are a discourse of the Lord, almost as if we are at His feet listening to Him describe Himself.

The first testimony (49:1-3)

( 49:1-3 ) “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” 3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’

Q: How does the Lord’s Servant describe Himself (vv1-3)?

Coastlands

( 49:1 ) Coastlands, islands, refer to far off places, beyond Israel

Born

( 49:1c ) The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name

Matrix

— Bowels, the body

(2) Significant points

1) The Messiah / Servant will be human

— Born of a women

— yet a virgin ( 7:14 )

2) He will be an individual but distinct from Israel (also called a servant)

— ( 41:8,9; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1, 2, 21, 26; 45:5; 48;20; 50:10 )

Mother

— Often a particular reference to the mother when talking about Messiah

— Never the father ( 7:14; Gn 3:15; Ps 22:9ff; Mi 5:2,3; Luke 1:30-33)

Sword

( 49:2 ) And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword

— He has the power to speak effectively and conquer His enemies, judge

— ( 11:4; Ps 2:9; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16, 2:12, 16; 19:15)

Discerning

— The Word is discerning

— “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” ( Heb 4:12 )

Effective

— And His Word is always effective (55:11; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12)

— “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” ( 55:11 )

Hidden / Protected

( 49:2b ) In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me

— Similar to John 10:28, No one will snatch us out of His hand; No one is able to snatch us out of the Father’s hand (John 10:29)

At the right time

— Hidden, protected by God

— “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” ( Gal 4:4 )

— Christ appeared hidden but came forth at the right time

Q: What one word might sum up verse 3?

Glorified

( 49:3 ) And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified

Israel

— Calls Him Israel but refers to the Messiah

Jacob

— Before Israel was a nation, it was the name of a man

— Jacob was renamed Israel (Gen 35:10)

Full-circle

— Isaiah comes full circle and now bestows the name Israel on the Messiah

— Israel has a role to fill but failed

— Now Messiah will be Israel

The first testimony > The second testimony (49:4-6)

( 49:4-6 ) Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ” 5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Q: What did the Servant think about His labor v4?

Labored in vain

( 49:4 ) Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain

— I have laboured, spent my strength

— Nothing has been achieved… to no purpose

— In vain, for nothing

— Almost despondency, the last two songs emphasize His suffering ( 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12 )

— Shows the real humanity of Christ

Not the last word

( 49:4c ) Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord

— It is for the Lord - not me

— What is due to me and for Him to apportion the reward for my labor

Q: What was the Servants purpose (vv5-6)?

Bring Israel Back

( 49:5 ) His mission will include bringing Israel back to the Lord (Matt 10:5,6, 15:24; Rom 1:16, 11:25-27)

— He will complete this at His second coming (Zech 12:10-13:1)

Light to the World

( 49:6 ) He will provide salvation to the Gentiles as well, light to the whole world

— Quoted in Luke 2:32

— Simeon : “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles”

— Paul quotes this in Acts 13:46-47 to justify his missionary trip to the Gentiles

Acts 13:46–47 NKJV

46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Missler

Verses 1 and 6 were very pivotal to the parents of a young boy

— They saw a vision and from 49:1 and 49:6 because he was called from the womb

— the parents knew that their son had a destiny and they called their son Christ Bearer

— He was attempting to get funding for a project but was put off by his sponsors; if we can conquer our enemies by a certain date you will get what you need

— By a strange circumstances by that every date they did conquers their enemies the Moors; and Christopher Columbus got his funding

— He quoted all of chapter 60 as his justification to go to the New World; “The light and The Glory” (David Manuel)

The first testimony > The second testimony > Divine confirmation: the Servant’s success (49:7-13)

( 49:7-13 ) Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.

Q: How was the Servant viewed (v7)?

Despised

( 49:7 ) Man despises … the nation abhors

—Humility treatment at His first coming ( 50:6-9; 52:14,15; 53:3 )

— We will see this as we move further along

— Many people today still despise Him

— Despised: treated like a worm, lowest, contemptible condition imaginable

Theology

— And He has chosen You; A lot of theology in this verse

Isreal is not forsaken (8-21)

Q: What will the Lord do for His Servant? What will the Servant do for others (v8)?

Heard you

( 49:8 ) In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You

— The Servant prays and the Father heard Him

— Messiah is asking that the Grace of God is given to sinners

In the day of Grace

God will give his favorable answer in the time of grace ( 61:1 )

— Paul quotes this to the Corinthians

— And says we are living in that time now

— “For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” ( 2 Cor 6:2 )

Jesus starts

— Jesus starts His ministry by quoting this verse (Luke 4:18-19)

— He quotes 49:8 and 61:1,2 but not the part about coming as Judge

Covenant

( 49:8d ) As a covenant to the people

— He is the mediator of a better covenant than Moses

— New covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:6,10-12; Isa 42:6)

— He is the Lord’s covenant and He exalts Himself above the prophet

— It is through His work that the covenant blessings become available

— It is only in Him, in the union of personal relationship that the blessings can be enjoyed

Q: Why don’t the Jews see Isaiah and see the suffering servant?

— They attribute the Servant to Israel as a nation

— Israel is often attributed to as the servant in the book

— They were expecting the conquering King not the suffering servant

Q: What blessings will people receive through Him (vv9-13)?

Contentment /prosperity

( 49:9,10 ) prisoners…darkness… feed.. pastures

— Almost identical to Rev 7:16-17

— At His second coming Israel’s condition will change from oppression to contentment

— Compares it to a well feed and watered flock

— There will be both provision (9cd) and protection (10ab)

— Protected from inner hunger/thirst

— Protected from outer heat/sun

Mountains

( 49:11 ) Mountains are not an obstacle

— They are a barrier

— They are my mountains and they do His bidding and sub-serve his will

— One day every valley will be exalted and every mountain made low ( 40:4 )

Distance

( 49:12 ) Distance is not a problem

— Nothing will prevent the regathering of Israel

Rejoice

( 49:13 ) They will rejoice (Ps 96:11; Rom 8:19,21)

— God’s purpose centers on Israel

— When that is resolved all the World will rejoice

The first testimony > The second testimony > Divine confirmation: the Servant’s success > The un-forgetting Lord (49:14-21)

( 49:14-21 ) But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.’ 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?’ ”

Q: Let’s look at Israel’s amnesia. What complaint do the people raise (v14)?

Forsaken

( 49:14 ) Zion thinks she has been forsaken

— Zion would have better employed in exercising her own memory than accusing the Lord of losing His!

Q: How does God respond (vv15-17)?

Nursing Mother

( 49:15 ) Can a woman forget her nursing child

— cherishes in her bosom, nourishes

— A women has sleepless nights worrying about their children, strong affection, continued anxiety

— A mother could never forget

Hands

( 49:16 ) written on His hands

— engraved as on a rock or precious stone; self-inflicted wounds of Zion’s name

— When we look at the suffering Servant ( 50:6, 53:4ff ) His hands are not mentioned (cf. Jn 20:19-20)

— The disciples recognized Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:23-35) by his hands and feet

Tradition

According to Jewish tradition there is a story in which Israel represents God’s daughter who asks him to stamp a seal of her on his heart and arm (Song 8: 6)

— God replies that a seal on the heart cannot be seen

— Instead he inscribed her on his palms

Your sons

( 49:17 ) The residents of Jerusalem will return just as those who destroyed the city are leaving

( 49:18 ) The return of the people from Babylon

— They return in 539 BC

— It should have been a great number, but only 40,000 returned

— The majority settled for the comforts of Babylon

— The mother of sons becomes the bride

Too Small

( 49:19 ) The original Hebrew is broken

— Isaiah is excited, he is all caught up

— After the faithful remnant is regathered and the Gentiles come to faith in the kingdom through Jewish witnessing, millennial Jerusalem will not be large enough to hold everyone

Q: Describe what God says about their children (vv20-23). How could this be fulfilled?

Too Small

( 49:20 ) They will say that Jerusalem is too small

( 49:21 ) We will be astonished to see how the Lord has multiplied His church

— Our family will be expanded

— Probably see some people we didn’t expect

The first testimony > The second testimony > Divine confirmation: the Servant’s success > The un-forgetting Lord > The conquering Lord (49:22-26)

( 49:22-26 ) Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Gentile Help

( 49:22 ) The Gentile nations will help bring back Israel to the Lord

— Today the Gentiles are enemies of the Lord

Q: How will God treat those who oppress Him (v24-26)?

( 49:24 ) Zion expressing despondency, sadness about being in captivity

( 49:25,26 ) Her enemies will be destroyed

— The destruction of Israel’s enemies in the tribulation also fulfills this prophecy (Rev 12:15,16)

Chapter 50

Overview

In this chapter it opens will an illustration of divorce. And it proves us with the reason why Israel had to suffer - because of their disobedience. This chapter also introduces us to the 3rd Servant Song (50:4-7). It provides another picture of the suffering Servant. It also provides insight into what J. Vernon McGee called, “The Greatest Sin Committed by Christians Today.” The chapter ends with a call to the unconverted to believe

The redeeming Lord (50:1-3)

( 50:1-3 ) Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away. 2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.”

Q: What does God ask Judah to offer that he had done (50:1)?

( 50:1 ) Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away?

Certificate

A certificate of divorce

— The Southern kingdom did suffer, but God did not put them away

— He did not divorce them or sell them to a creditor

— The Lord challenges them to provide evidence that he had divorced them

Q: What reason does He give why they had suffered (v1)?

Their Sin

( 50:1de ) For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away

— Their sin was the reason they suffered

— God had not put them away, although the OT allowed a man to give the women a certificate of divorce (Dt 24:1; Matt 19:7)

Separated

It was true that they were now separated

— No temple

— No sacrifices

But whose fault was that? Theirs!

Q: Why had God failed not to redeem them (vs) What was not the reason ?

( 50:2 ) Why, when I came, was there no man?

No one to answer

Why when I came was there no one to answer?

No one believed

After everything you saw, no one answered, no one believed

No one obeyed

After everything I did, no one obeyed

Unable

Am I unable to redeem? Hand too short?

— He dried up the Red Sea (Ex 14:21)

— Dried up the Jordan River (Josh 4:23)

— Killed the fish in Egypt - 1st plague (Ex 7:18-21)

He is able

He is able to redeem His power is indisputable ( Numbers 11:23; 59:1 ) [A verse that haunts me still: I’ll tell you in class]

— ”Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. “ ( 59:1 )

— He proved it when He delivered Israel out of Egypt ( 43:16,17; 44:27; 46:9; 48:3,2 )

— These are former things that He asked Israel to consider

God’s Power

God has the power to deliver His people again

— He did it when He miraculously delivered them from Egypt and sustained them in the desert for 40 years

— But His power over creation demonstrates He can do whatever He promises

( 50:3 ) I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering

The redeeming Lord > The Servant’s Song (50:4-7)

( 50:4-7 ) “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away. 6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. 7 “For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Q: What do we learn about the Lord from the first half of verse 4?

tongue…learned

( 50:4 ) The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak

— The Lord was learned

— He was a student of the Word

— He never studied in rabbinical schools (John 7:15) but He knew the Word

J. Vernon McGee

J. Vernon McGee says this is the greatest Sin among Christians today

— There are sins of commission and omission. Christians today don’t know the Word

Missler

When Philip meet the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-39) treasurer; had visited Jerusalem traveled with an entourage

— He had some scrolls of the OT

— Philip shows him the Messiah about of Isaiah 53

Q: Could you have done that?

We say that you have to be open to it

— But Philip had done his homework

— Don’t dismiss the fact that he was prepared

— Luck is when opportunity meets preparation

Weary

( 50:4d ) A word in season to him who is weary (cf. Is 40:29, Matt 11:28)

— “He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.” ( 40:29 )

— ”Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ( Mt 11:28 )

Every Day in the Morning

— morning by morning - He had a daily appointment with God

Q: What does it say about the Messiah’s obedience (v5)?

MacArthur

The Lord was perfected through obedience and suffering (vv4,5)

Obedient

( 50:5 ) And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away

— The Lord was obedient to the Father’s will

John’s Gospel

The apostle John, who wrote the gospel to prove Jesus was God, had a lot to say about Jesus’ obedience to the Father

— ( John 5:19, 36; 6:38, 7:16,29, 12:49,50)

— (cf. Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8, 10:7)

— “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” ( Jn 6:38 )

— “ For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” ( Jn 12:49-50 )

Christ Learned Obedience

— Christ learned obedience through what He suffered (Heb 5:7-9)

— means moving from untested obedience to tried proven obedience

— He was without sin (2 Cor 5:21)

— Christ didn’t know the suffering, obedience of suffering until He tasted it

— Perfect through suffering (Heb 2:10)

— Perfect = complete

— In a sense, He was unfit in that He wasn’t tested fully through suffering

— Through suffering He was made perfectly fit, complete

Q: How was Messiah treated (v6) ?

Treated Cruelly

( 50:6 ) My back…my cheeks… my face

— He was struck

— He was plucked

— He was spit on

— He didn’t suffer because of wrong doing but because of obedience to God

— It was a costly obedience, a suffering not merited, but accepted: gratuitous torture, personal humiliation

Q: Where does the Messiah look for help?

The Lord

( 50:7 ) For the Lord God will help Me

— The Lord would provide Him help, strength

— Flint - He remained unswayed, resolute, for whatever torture, hardship might await Him

— His face was like flint

— “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk 9:51 )

The redeeming Lord > The Servant’s Song > The Courtroom (50:8-9)

( 50:8-9 ) He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. 9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.

The Adversary Welcomed

( 50:8 ) Who will contend with Me?

— He challenges his opposers

Let’s face each other

— Let us stand together

— Let us face off as plaintiff and defendant

— Who is My adversary?

— Who will pretend to lay a cause against me

— Who will enter an action against me?

— Let him come near me

Let him appear

— Let him appear

— I’m not in hiding

Who condemns?

( 50:9 ) Who is he who will condemn Me?

— Who will condemn Him, or for those for whom he is an advocate?

— Paul applies it in Romans 8:33 to believers

— ” Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” ( Ro 8:33 )

— There is no condemnation for those God justifies

( 50:9 ) they will all grow old like a garment;

— They will become like a moth eaten garment

— This is what happened to those that did condemn Him

The redeeming Lord > The Servant’s Song > The Courtroom > A call to the unconverted to believe (50:10-11)

( 50:10-11 ) “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God. 11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled— This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.

Q: What does He call the people to do (v10)?

Fear the Lord

( 50:10 ) Have reverence for God, now put it into action

Obey

( 50:10 ) Who obeys the voice of His servant?

— Reverence + obedience

Darkness

Walking by faith, not by sight

— We walk but we can’t always see clearly

J. Alec Motyer

“To walk in darkness and have no light is part of the description of the one how fears and hears”

Trust / rely

( 50:10e ) We are to trust and rely on the Lord

Q: What did some people do (v11)?

Mad-made religion

( 50:11 ) Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks:

— They didn’t want to be in the dark spiritually

— Don’t want to walk by faith, rather walk by sight

— so they create their own light - man-made religion, superstitions, astrology, man-made fireworks

— Do it yourself remedy - equip themselves with earthly resources and with earthly darkness

— There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is the way of death (Prov 14:12)

The Consequence

( 50:11 ) You shall lie down in torment

— This is the consequence, this is what that brings and it comes from the Lord’s hand

Additional Resources

J Vernon McGee Isaiah 47: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-47-48-756178.html

McGee Isaiah 49:1-50:4: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-491504-756179.html

Chuck Missler Isaiah 46-49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGKyBcns2uk&t=14s

John MacArthur (The Magi): https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/2182/who-were-the-wise-men

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