Isaiah 56-60
Isaiah • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Chapter 56-60 Review
Chapter 56-60 Review
Chapter 56
Continues the theme of chapter of chapter 55 which was that Gentiles are welcome at the great banquet. Chapter 56 paints a picture of the millennial kingdom. The Lord will reinstitute the Sabbath and all are welcome to come to worship. But there is also a reminder that the prophets were tasked with being watchman and the people and their leaders fell short in their moral obligations
Chapter 57
Two groups of people. Those who enter into peace and the other that runs to their idols. Isaiah refers to these wicked as backsliders. We looked at the term backslider and how it applies to our walk with the Lord. The chapter ends with a message to those who are wicked: There is no peace for the wicked, not even in death.
Chapter 58
Chapter 58 is a critique of religion. It is a call for the people to recognize their sin and rebellion. Some people thought their fasting could protect them. They blame God for not noticing (58:3). And, there is another call to observe the Sabbath (58:13)
Chapter 59
We saw the consequences which follow sin: separation from God. Israel’s sin had separated them from God and to make matters worse, they were running with their feet to commit sin. Just like us - we can willfully commit sin and the consequences are always the same. Others are hurt and our fellowship with God is broken. But God did what no one else could do and provided a redeemer. 59 & 63-64 are two long prayers of repentance
Chapter 60
Chapter 60 portrays Zion (Jerusalem) as the city of Light and any nation that does not serve Zion will perish. The chapter centers on the theme that those who bless Him will be blessed and those who curse Him will be cursed (Gen 12:3, 27:20) Christopher Columbus quoted all of Isaiah 60 in connection with his voyage to the America
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Overview
Continues the theme of chapter of chapter 55 which was that Gentiles are welcome at the great banquet. Chapter 56 paints a picture of the millennial kingdom. The Lord will reinstitute the Sabbath and all are welcome to come to worship. But there is also a reminder that the prophets were tasked with being watchman and the people and their leaders fell short in their moral obligations
Fly Over
Chapters 56-66 show us that the salvation in which He reveals His righteousness, on the one hand, delivers His people from the presence of sin. But on the other hand, His salvation and righteousness result in judgment on everyone who opposed Him. We were redeemed in 53. From 56 awaiting the completion of our salvation
World people, Sabbath people, praying people (56:1-8)
( 56:1-8 ) Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.” 3 Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. 6 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— 7 Even them I will bring 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 shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”
Q: What should people do to prepare for the coming Salvation? 56:1?
Reason
( 56:1 ) Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come
Keep 55:6,7
Incentives to keep seeking the Lord and forsaking evil ( 55:6-7 ) is because the Lord’s salvation is near
Motyer
The call to practice righteousness matches 51:1 where those who model their lives on the Servant (50:10), are described as pursuing righteousness (cf. 51:7), the promise that it will soon come corresponds to 51:5 (cf. 46:13; 51:6, 8)
Not Saying
“Isaiah is not inviting people to seek Salvation by their own works of righteousness but urging (along with the rest of Bible) those who belong to the Lord to devote themselves to the life that reflects what has been revealed to be right” (Motyer)
Q: What specifically are they supposed to do (v2)?
Sabbath
( 56:2 ) Keep the Sabbath
— Before the exile, it was a sin not to keep the Sabbath
— After the people returned from Babylon, Nehemiah reinstituted it (Neh 10:31, 13:15)
— God will reinstitute the Sabbath in the millennium
World-wide
World-wide call. Interesting Isaiah says keep the Sabbath
— Requires the wholesale reorganization of life around the requirements and worship of Israel’s God
When?
— When will all this happen? In the millennial Kingdom ( 11:6; 14:1-3; 19:16; 24:23; 27:2-6; 35:1-10; 42:10-12; 43:5-6; 49:19ff; 56:1-11; 61:1-9 )
Why don’t we keep the Sabbath today?
Jesus
Jesus violated the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28) - no OT law but Jews added restrictions
The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath
— The Sabbath was not to be a burden for man, but the Jews had turned it into a burden
4th Cmd
— Ex 20:8 is the 4th commandment
— The other 9 are permanent and binding ; all moral
— 7 Day Adventist (cult, believe writings of Ellen G White are inspired); also 7 Day Baptists think 4th commandment is still binding
— Some Christian think Sunday is the new Sabbath (puritans thought so)
— God completed and rested on the 7th day; blessed (separated, elevated, exalted) it (Gen 2:1-3)
— He made it holy because a) the whole of creation was finished b) He rested from work, c) blessed it
— No mention in Gen 2 of Sabbath being a day of worship; First time is mentioned is Ex 16 when they are fed manna except Sabbath
— Ex 31:12-17 A sign that points to something else. Moses covenant sign - Rainbow; Abrahamic covenant - circumcision; Mosaic convent sign- Sabbath
— Only a sign, observing it with a duplicitous heart gained nothing (Is 1:13)
— What was the symbol for? Remind men that they had forfeited paradise by sin; every 7 days a reminder that they were living in a fallen world
Changed
When Jesus came everything change
— Didn’t clean out the temple; he abolished it
— Didn’t get rid of the bad priests; he abolished the priesthood
— Didn’t change attitudes about sacrifices, he abolished the sacrificial system
— He abolished the Sabbath; healed a man on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1); struck a blow at the Sabbath
— Jesus would never violate the 10 commandments or Law of God but he violated the Sabbath; Jews tried to kill him
NT
Spiritual salvation reset (Heb 3:7-11) ; not a day of the week
4th commandment is not repeated in the NT, the other 9 are repeated
Mosaic Sabbath was a dim reflection of Salvation rest (Rom 14:5-6) ; part of a passing scheme (Rom 14:2)
— Col 2: 11 we know that circumcision is abolished (Gal 5:2) ; Col 2:16 no one judge you with respect to a Sabbath; a mere shadow
Q: In the past some could not join the Lord. What does he say to them now (vv3-5)?
Excluded
— Foreigners were excluded by the law (Ex 12:45; Deut 23:1,3,7,8)
Eunuchs
— Prevented from going into the temple, participating in religious service, holding public office
— No disability will prevent you from being part of worship
Foreigners
— People who had lived East of the Jordan hated Israel
— Ammon and Moab (Lot’s offspring)
— People who lived there were also excluded
Illegitimate
— Illegitimate children are excluded
— Paul accused of bringing a Gentile (Trophimus) into the temple (Acts 21:28)
— ( 55:3 ) The foreigner will no longer say, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”
— 56a & 66b People from all nations (53:3) are invited to come and join the servants of God’s (66:18) covenant family so that everyone can know their creator and redeemer
— ( 56:5 ) The eunuch will no say, I am cut off!
Q: What must these people do to receive God’s favor (vv5-6)?
( 56:6 ) Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants
Matthew Henry
— It is promised that all who come are welcome to the church
— When Israel comes out of Babylon, let them bring as many of their neighbours along with them as they can persuade
— God will find room enough for them all in his house
Grace Offered
— These outcasts are offered Grace and acceptance by Isaiah upon personal faith in the true God ( 56:1-8 )
Example
— Ruth the Moabitess is an example (Ruth 1:4,16)
Q: What privilege does God promise those outcasts (vv7-8)?
— ( 56:7 ) Bring them into the temple for worship and others (8)
— Even the foreigner will be joyful in my House of prayer
Jesus Quotes
— For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
— Jesus quotes this when He cleans the temple the second time (Matt 21:13)
Nothing prevents Gentiles from ministering to God
— No longer a distinction
— The distinction between circumcision and non-circumcision is taken away
— Priesthood is removed from the tribe of Levi
Sacrifices
( 56:7 ) Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
— Animal sacrifices during the millennial kingdom (Isa 56:7, Ezek 43-46, Zech 14:16)
— They are no longer needed (Heb 10:11-12)
— They don’t take away sin, rather a memorial (Heb 10:3)
— In the kingdom of Messiah, the temple will be the focal point of worship
( 56:8 ) “who gathers the outcasts of Israel…Yes I will gather to him others besides those...”
Jews Abhor
The Jews abhor this sentiment
— Utterly monstrous that Gentiles should be called to the benefit of God intended from them
World people, Sabbath people, praying people > The feasters and the feast: the Failure of Leadership (56:9-12)
( 56:9-12 ) All you beasts of the field, come to devour, 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 slumber. 11 Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory. 12 “Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant.”
Leadership
Isaiah turns from a message of comfort to a message of warning to the people living during his time (one-hundred years before the captivity)
Isaiah critiques Israel’s leaders. He doesn’t attack their policies but their character. Many people hold their nose when they vote for their leaders and say, “I know his character is bad but I support his policies.” Isaiah says that character matters
Q: How are the wicked and bad leaders identified in v9-10?
( 56:9 ) beast of the field
— The sheep of God’s pasture are now to be made the sheep of his slaughter, to fall as victims to his justice, and therefore the beasts of the field and the forest are called to come and devour
— beasts…watchman… shepherds : these titles identify the wicked
Watchman
— Prophets (Watchman) should have warned Israel to repent but they ignored their responsibility
— Prophets, who should have been watchmen and warned Israel to repent, ignored their responsibility ( cf Ezek 3:17)
— Priests also failed to lead Israel in paths of righteousness ( Ezek 34:1-6; Zech 11:15-17 )
Matthew Henry
— They had no sense or knowledge of their business
— They were wretchedly ignorant of their work, and very unfit to teach, being so ill-taught themselves: His watchmen are blind, and therefore utterly unfit to be watchmen
— If the seers see not, who shall see for us? If the light that is in us be darkness, how great is that darkness! Christ describes the Pharisees to be blind leaders of the blind, Mt. 15:14.
— These watchman are blind
( 56:10 ) ignorant, dumb dogs, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber
Matthew Henry
— Why are dogs set to guard the sheep if they cannot bark to waken the shepherd and frighten the wolf?
— Such were these; those that had the charge of souls never reproved men for their faults, nor told them the consequences of their sin, never gave them notice of the judgments of God that would soon come upon them
— They barked at God’s prophets, and bit them too, and worried the sheep, but made no opposition to the wolf or thief
Devour People
— They come to devour
— They intend harm to the people
Q: How are these people described (vv11-12)?
Greedy
( 56:11 ) greedy dogs, never have enough
— They are leaders (shepherds) but instead of looking after the sheep, they look after themselves
— incompetence (10), self-concern (11ab), selfish preoccupation (11c-f)
— complacency about tomorrow
Clouds judgment
Intoxicating drink can cloud judgment, loosen convictions, or pervert the heart
— It does not suit rulers who need clear steady minds and keen judgment
— “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.” ( Prov 31:4-5 )
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Overview
Two groups of people. Those who enter into peace and the other that runs to their idols. Isaiah refers to these wicked as backsliders. We looked at the term backslider and how it applies to our walk with the Lord. The chapter ends with a message to those who are wicked: There is no peace for the wicked, not even in death.
On the Ground
This is a report from the front lines
— Tension between two groups
— The righteous ( 57:1 ) and those who are in cults ( 3-13 ) and forgotten the Lord ( 11 )
— In the previous chapter Isaiah showed us the ignorance of the watchmen; here he shows us the stupidity and senselessness of the people as well
Prepares a Home
One group enters into peace ( 2, 19 )
— The Lord dwells with them ( 15 )
— Promises a home for them ( 14 )
Abandons
The other group abandons the Lord and turns to their idols( 13 )
— They do not know peace ( 20f )
McGee
( 57:1 - 59:21) Describes where the church is today
— We are waiting for the promise of righteousness
— But we are also in the midst of the unrighteous, the wicked
The actual peace of the righteous (57:1-2)
( 57:1-2 ) The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. 2 He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.
Q: What is happening to the righteous people? How do they end up (vv1-2)?
Good men perish
Good men, righteous men perish
— Righteousness delivers from the sting of death, but not from the stroke of it (Henry)
— No public outcry
— No one seems to notice a deliberate taking away to be spared from evil
— ( 57:2 ) They will enter peace
The actual peace of the righteous > The Prostitute’s Family (57:3-13d)
( 57:3-13 ) “But come here, You sons of the sorceress, You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot! 4 Whom do you ridicule? Against whom do you make a wide mouth And stick out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, Offspring of falsehood, 5 Inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, Slaying the children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of the stream Is your portion; They, they, are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering, You have offered a grain offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 7 “On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice. 8 Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity. 9 You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol. 10 You are wearied in the length 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 “And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, That you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me? 12 I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit you. 13 When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.”
Q: How does God describe the wickedness of the people (vv3-4)?
Parentage
( 57:3 ) Sorceress, children of adulterers and harlots
Sorceress and adulterer were figurative of spiritual idolatry
Practice
( 57:4 ) They stick out their tongues
— Ridicule God’s messengers
— You think it is only against the poor prophets whom you trample upon as contemptible men, but really it is against God himself, who sends them, and whose message they deliver. (Henry)
— The careless laugh, scornful sneer, dismissive rejection of the Lord
Q: What had the people been guilty of (vv5-7)?
Religious Abominations
( 57:5 ) Sex under every tree
— God compares idolatry with adultery; just as bad
— Sin is sorcery and adultery, for it is departing from God and dealing with the devil. They were children of disobedience
— Children sacrifices - part of Molech worship
— Fertility cult was a Canaanite cult and associated with the Evergreen Tree
— Could be referring to the abominable idolatries of Ahaz and Manasseh
Contrasts
Two contrasts:
— Cult of Life
— Cult of death
Summarizing total range of hateful affronts against the Lord
Stones
( 57:6 ) Hard to know what the significance of stones are
— Are they smooth stones that look like idols?
( Heleq, “stone”) also means slippery and sounds like (Halaq , “portion”)
— What a perversion to change the great divine provision (halaq) for a stone (heleq)
— Exchange life for a stone
— The Lord is our portion (Ps 16:5)
( 57:6 ) Among the smooth (heleq) stones of the stream Is your portion (halaq) They, they, are your lot!
On a high Mountain
( 57:7 ) The idol worshippers would worship on a high mountain to get their god’s attention.
— Baal was a high mountain
— Idol worshippers “pressured” their gods to do their will
— As Christians we conform to God’s will
Q: How is idolatry like marital infidelity ? How is their sin described in vv7-9?
Blatant
(57:7a) On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice
— Blatant apostasy - a bed on a hilltop! Not ashamed
— Uncovered yourself - committed fornication with idols
( 57:8 ) you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me
— Shared your bed - enlarged it
— Made it available to anyone and everyone
— Women forsaken her husband - now a prostitute in a brothel
( 57:8c ) You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them
— Compromise - concealed the sin behind the door posts so no one could see
— The sin of compromise. Keeping a foot in both camps, preserving a form of commitment but making sure no one knows about it
( 57:8a ) behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance;
The King
( 57:9 ) You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes
An example of this was Ahaz who called on the King of Assyria for help and spared no expense in copying the idols of Assyria (2 Ki 16:7-18)
— Tried to secure military clout of Assyria
Sheol
( 57:9 ) And even descended to Sheol
— Sheol could be a reference to the wicked king Ahaz who practiced necromancy, speaking to the dead (8:19)
— More likely a reference to death
Motyer
In 28:14-15 Isaiah used the Sheol metaphor to expose the politicians who came back waving their piece of paper and crowing about ‘peace in our time’ — they has only signed the national death-warrant! It is the same here
Wearied
(57:10) You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’
— He was wearied but didn’t quit
— They were tired of idol worship
— But rather than turn to God they pressed on!
— They saw their worship of idols as fruitless but they persevere, press on
— Even fools with stop after some time but not these people
— We will follow our own thoughts, you cannot change our mind ( Jer 18:12 )
No fear of God
( 57:11 ) They don’t fear God
— Because God has not judged them (because He has demonstrated mercy)
— They don’t fear Him
— They abuse His forbearance, His patience
Sham Righteousness
Their sham righteousness
— Sarcastic way of saying they have no righteousness
Q: How would trusting in God rather than idols benefit the people (v13)?
( 57:13 ) When judgment comes the folly of trusting in idols will become obvious
— They will be blown away
( 57:13b) But he he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land
— The true worshippers of God will enjoy the blessings of the kingdom
The actual peace of the righteous > The Prostitute’s Family > Healing for the backsliders (57:14-19)
( 57:14-19 ) And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.” 15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has 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, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. 19 “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”
Q: What is God willing to do (vv14-15). What must people do?
Remove stumbling blocks
( 57:14 ) Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people
— Clear the road, make the path straight
Contrite Spirit
— God is always tenderhearted toward repentant sinners and this is heart of Christ as well
— The prophet Isaiah wrote:
— “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.” ( Is 42:3; cf. Matt 12:20 )
— Isaiah said that Christ would be so tender a shepherd that He would not throw away the little flute that did not play the perfect tune; instead he would restore the melody and bring back the song
— He would also clean and trim the wick so that it burns more brightly
— God delights to revive and uplift the heart of the contrite ( Isa 57:15-19 )
( 57:15 ) With him who has a contrite and humble spirit
— God sends true revival, which comes to the humble and contrite (MacArthur)
— Corresponds to the Beatitude ( Matthew 5:3 ) Poor in Spirit
— After all the years of Israel’s backsliding, God’s grace will prevail and spiritual healing and restoration will come
— “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.” ( 43:25 )
Q: What caused God to be angry with His people (vv16-17)? What promises does God give about His anger?
Will not always be angry
( 57:16 ) For I will not contend forever; God will not always be angry
( 57:16b) For the spirit would fail before Me
— for then they would faint away because of me (NIV)
— If God gave His appropriate judgment our vital powers, breadth, strength would collapse
— We would be destroyed
Our Sin caused His anger
( 57:17 ) For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him
— sinful greed is “the iniquity of his wrongful gain” ; unscrupulous pursuit of self-interest produced God’s anger
— Those that did not worship images were yet carried away by this spiritual idolatry: for such is covetousness; it is making money the god, Col. 3:5
— greed is another type idolatry
— No wonder that they were covetous when their watchmen were notoriously so ( 56:11 )
— iniquity = perversions, double over
Lost Fellowship
— I hid and was angry
— We lost fellowship with the Lord because of our sins
— God cannot have fellowship with sin ( Hab 1:13 )
Result
Our sinful pursuit of self-interest resulted in
( 57:17 ) Produced God’s anger; I was angry
( 57:17 ) God’s active opposition; God struck him
( 57:17c) God’s withdrawal; I hid and was angry
Motyer
But none of this effected a change in sinful man who kept on his wilful ways and went on backsliding
Matthew Henry
— He was not sensible of the displeasure of God that he was under. He felt the smart of the rod, but had no regard at all to the hand; the more he was crossed in his worldly pursuits the more eager he was in them
— See the strength of the corruption of men’s hearts, and the sinfulness of sin, which will take its course in despite of God himself and all the flames of his wrath
— See also how insufficient afflictions of themselves are to reform men, unless God’s grace work with them
Backsliding
( 57:17d ) And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart
— OT term and a favorite of Jeremiah (uses it 9 times)
— (Isa 57:17; Jer 3:6,8,11,12, 14:32, 8:5, 31:22, 49:4; Hos 11:7, 14:4)
—”The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.” ( Prov 14:14 )
Who is the backslider ?
— Proverbs 14:14 - clarifies who the backslider is - a fool, the wicked and disobedient
— Isaiah 57:17 he is contrasted with the godly wise
— Prophets uses backslider to refer to apostate unbelievers
— Sinners is only used to describe unbelievers in the NT (Luke 5:32; Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17)
— “While we were yet sinners” (Rom 5:8)
Believer
— Backsliding for a believer is always temporary and always involves God’s chastening which in turn produces repentance (Heb 12:20)
— Paul describes sins of chronic behaviour (1 Cor 5:12)
— adulterers
— effeminate
— homosexuals
— All reflect an unregenerate heart
Q: What happens in v18 - 19?
Motyer
( 57:18 ) “Suddenly all is different; a new edict goes out from the Lord. Not because man has changed (his ways still go on)Not because the Lord has decided to overlook sin (I have seen), but for a reason undeclared, something that is true in the heart of God and true in the nature of God, “smiting’ has turned to ‘healing’. The solution to the human plight springs from the Lord”
The Healing
( 57:18 ) have seen his ways, and will heal him
Restore
— He will also lead, restore comforts
( 57:19 ) “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”
NIV 1978
— creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel
Motyer
“NIV has done a large-scale interpretative works here. A literal translation of the Hebrew is, ‘I will make comfort complete for him and for his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips’ or ‘I will make comfort complete for him, that is, for his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips’. The reference, therefore, is not to the voice of praise but to whatever it is right for ‘mourners’ to say. What Isaiah expresses poetically is the fundamental truth that without repentance there is no entering into the comforts of salvation, and only God can sovereignly create the ability to repent… there is nothing in the whole of salvation that is not God’s sole, creative work, not even the words of sorrow by which the penitent (cf. 1:27) comes home.
Peace
( 57:19 ) Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near
Fruit
— Fruit of the lips
— The writer of Hebrews quotes this
— “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” ( Heb 13:15 )
— God requires praise and thanks instead of animal sacrifices
— Since NT believers are all priests (1 Peter 2:5,9) we have offerings of thanks and praise to God
Peace, Peace
— Peace, Peace - a call to people everywhere, come to the Lord. Receive spiritual healing
The actual peace of the righteous > The Prostitute’s Family > Healing for the backsliders > The impossibility of peace for the wicked (57:20-21)
( 57:20-21 ) 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, “for the wicked.”
Wild Waves
— raging waves of the sea (Jude 1:13)
— Scripture often uses waves as a description of those who do not know God (57:20-21, James 1:6)
Q: But what can the wicked expect (vv20-21)?
No Rest
( 57:20 ) No Rest
No Peace
( 57:21 ) No Peace for the wicked
— If someone says they have found peace part from God, they are lying
— There is no peace apart from God
— No peace in death
Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Overview
Chapter 58 is a critique of religion and hypocrisy. It is a call for the people to recognize their sin and rebellion. Some people thought their fasting could protect them. They blame God for not noticing ( 58:3 ). Another call to observe the Sabbath (58:13)
A Critique of Religion (58:1-14)
( 58:1-14 ) “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. 5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord? 6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. 13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, 14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Religious Formalism (58:1-5) that manifests itself in the wrong use of Fasting
Tell them Plainly
( 58:1 ) Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression
— Don’t hold back; they don’t acknowledge their sins
— Let them know that they are still as bad as ever ( Lev 16:21 )
— Tell them plainly their sin
Pretense
— ( 58:2 ) Their religious motions are just pretense
— Show them their hypocrisy
— Just going through the motions
—It all sounds good! On the surface it seems praiseworthy:
— They seek Me daily; They are constant in their devotions and never miss church
— Delight to know my ways; They like to hear good preaching; as Herod liked to hear John the Baptist; the stony ground that received the word with joy
— As a nation they did righteousness; They pretended to be as such; but many men will go to hell with a good reputation
— They take delight in approaching God; They enjoyed the festivals but not for his sake but for the music, and fellowship
Convincing
( 58:3 ) Actually convincing and calculated
— Designed to make God take notice
— ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’
J. Alec Motyer
The essence of Canaanite religion was to put the gods under pressure to perform their functions (hence, for example what we would call orgiastic rituals designed to stimulate Baal to acts of fertility). This is the spirit which verse 3 reveals. They act as if they were a nation doing right (2c) but the motive is to pressure the Lord into response and then hence dismay (3) that so much afflictive piety has attracted no attention !
True Religion
The essence of [True Religion] is response not doing things to influence the Lord but doing them to obey him
— Not works looking for reward
— But faith acting in obedience
Q: what else do you notice about fasting and how does God response (3-5)?
Exploit
( 58:3 ) In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
— They fasted but did not turn from their sins
— They went to find pleasure whatever was right in their eyes, lawful or unlawful
—Did not release their servants (Lev 25:39-55). Servants were to be released at the year of Jubilee but they didn’t (Jer 24:8-11)
Q: In fact, how did their fast end?
Quarrels
Fights and Quarrels
— ( 58:4 ) Their fasts always ended in fights and quarrels. What irony!
— Since they always ended in fights/quarrels that must be the purpose of a fast
God’s Creation
( 58:5 ) Is it a fast that I have chosen; It has no currency in Heaven
— Not something God has chosen
— Not abolishing Fasting - but the improper use of it
— Fasting is an appendage to prayer (Matt 17:21)
Fasting
Matthew Henry
— A fast is a day to afflict the soul; if it do not express a genuine sorrow for sin, and do not promote a real mortification of sin, it is not a fast
— For the honouring and pleasing of God
— It must be such a performance as he has chosen ( 58:5 )
Q: What kind of fasting does God say in vv6,7 that He sought from the people?
Loose Bonds
( 58:6 ) Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
Undo Burdens
To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens,
Free Oppressed
To let the oppressed go free,
— The NLT translates this as Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
Break the Yoke
And that you break every yoke?
Justice
Justice doesn’t need an adjective (McArthur)
— Justice is what is right
— We are to live justly
— We are to give justice to every man
We are to be marked by love
— You are like God when you love your enemies
— We should do everything we can to remove the difficulties of those around us
— Loose Burdens - remove wrong doings in society
— Undo Burdens - burdens in which people are treated like animals
— Free Oppressed - those broken by life. Instead of bondage, freedom
— Break the Yoke - injustice, inhumanity, inequity ( 6d )
Social Justice
You hear the term “social justice”
— The term “social justice” is a Marxist term
— Deconstruct Society
— Overturn the powers to be
— We the church don’t do revolution or overturn society
— We are not activists, we don’t destroy the culture
— We don’t storm the streets, we don’t do revolution
— We are known as those :
— Who honor the king and all those in authority over us
— who pray for the salvation of our rulers
— who live quiet and peaceable lives
— who love people and minister to people’s needs
Fancy Name
“Social Justice” is a fancy name for disrupting society
— Breaking down its institutions
— You see it in universities - students want to take over the schools
— This is happening in our culture (Q&A with John MacArthur)
Share your Bread
( 58:7 ) Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
— Notice share your bread
— Deny yourself so that someone else can eat
— Don’t eat and give your food to someone hungry
Care for Homeless
We are to care for the homeless
— ( 58:7b) And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out
Clothe Naked
And clothe those with no clothes
— ( 58:7c) When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Bread - share your bread with the hungry. Deny yourself to feed someone else
Care - an immediate responsiveness to need
— A wider, practical observation. Care for your immediate family.
— You can be socially sensitive and domestically shortsighted
— “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. “( Gal 6:10 )
— Clothe - clothe those in need
— Own flesh - don’t deny your own family
— ”But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” ( 1 Tim 5:8 )
Q: According to 8-10, what did the people need to do in order to restore their relationship with God?
( 58:8 ) When you learn to do all the things...Then your light shall break forth like the morning, … And your righteousness shall go before you
— When Israel learned the proper way to fast, she would enjoy the blessings of salvation
Call on the Lord
( 58:9 ) Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer
Cry
( 58:9b ) You shall Cry and He will say, Here I am
Remove the Yoke
( 58:9c ) If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Help the hungry
( 58:10 ) extend your soul to the hungry
— Call - in contrast to verse 3, a time will come when the Lord will be completely responsive (65:24)
— Cry - we may not see Him, but He says Here I am (9:c)
— Take away the Yoke- all the burdens we place on the poor, the servants (oppression - NIV)
— Stop Pointing - any kind of attack against other people — Help the Hungry - everything we do is just vain ceremony if don’t love our neighbor
4 Blessings Promised
Israel will be like a lighthouse to the world
— The Lord will not rest until this happens (62:1)
(8a) 1. Light will break - a new beginning to life
(8b) 2. Healing - personal restoration
(8cd) 3. Security - righteousness as an advance guard and glory as a rear guard (52:2)
(9ab) 4. Blessing - free flowing fellowship with the Lord (9ab)
3 More Blessings
(10)
1. Clear guidance in life
( 58:10 ) your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
— The perplexities of life, when you don’t know which way to turn
— You’ll have divine guidance
( 11a )
2. Supply in time of need
( 58:11 ) And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones
— The thought is not what but where the Lord will give you satisfaction
— Divine supply is not only external but internal
— Strengthening of frame
( 11de )
3. Blessings of fresh resource
( 58:11 ) You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail
— Blessings come from outside, they do not fail and from inside like a spring
( 12 )
4. Blessings of restoration
( 58:12 ) Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; ... Repairer of the Breach
— Final view of the restoration of the millennial Jerusalem
— Nehemiah was just a foretaste (Neh 2:17)
Q: What must the people do to correct their relationship with God according to vv13-14?
Keep the Sabbath
( 58:13 ) If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day
— Honor the Sabbath
— It calls for careful, thoughtful living
— It is not a day for doing as you please because it is My holy day
Matthew Henry
— Nothing must be done that puts contempt upon the sabbath day ( traveling, entertainment, sports)
— We must call it a delight, not a task and a burden; we must delight ourselves in it
— We may not entertain the least thought of wishing the sabbath gone that we may sell corn
Set aside in NT
The Sabbath was set aside in the NT
— ”So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths” ( Col 2:16 )
— Acts 20:17 The church met on the first day of the week, Sunday
— Sabbath was sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 31:16,17; Neh 9:14; Ezek 20:12)
— Rom 14:5 Esteem one day, if you’re not convinced do so, but you’re not required
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Overview
We saw the consequences which follow sin: separation from God. Israel’s sin had separated them from God and to make matters worse, they were running with their feet to commit sin. Just like us - we can willfully commit sin and the consequences are always the same. Others are hurt and our fellowship with God is broken. But God did what no one else could do and provided a redeemer
Sin Exposed
Chapter 58 exposed their rebellion and sin. It showed how they went through the motions of religion (fasting) without any real heart changes. Chapter 59 continues with further charges such as sins of: action, speech, injustice. Their sin has raised a barrier between them and God. 59 & 63-64 are long prayers of repentance
Sin Exposed (59:1-8)
( 59:1-8 ) Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. 4 No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. 6 Their webs will not become garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
Q: Is the Lord able, verse 1?
More than able
( 59:1 ) Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
The Lord’s strength is more than able to bring deliverance to His people
— His ear is attuned to the call of repentance ( 58:9; 65:24 )
— On a personal note which I will share, this is the greatest boyfriend / girlfriend break up verse ever
( 59:1c ) Nor His ear heavy
Matthew Henry
— He was still as ready and willing to help as ever in answer to prayer: His ear is not heavy, that it cannot hear
— More is implied than is expressed; not only his ear is not heavy, but he is quick of hearing
— Even before they call he answers, ch. 65:24
— If your prayers be not answered, and the salvation we wait for be not wrought for us, it is not because God is weary of hearing prayer, but because we are weary of praying, not because his ear is heavy when we speak to him, but because our ears are heavy when he speaks to us
Q: What is the consequence that followed the sin of the people, verse 2?
( 59:2 ) Their inequities have separated them from God
— See what mischief sin does. It hinders God’s mercies from coming down upon us; it is a partition wall that separates between us and God
— Sin hides his face from us
— It hinders our prayers from coming up unto God; it provokes him to hide his face, that he will not hear, as he has said, ch. 1:15. If we regard iniquity in our heart, if we indulge it and allow ourselves in it, God will not hear our prayers, Ps. 66:18. We cannot expect that he should countenance us while we go on to affront him
— Our sin separates us from God (cf. Rom 3:23) but God wants us to have a pure heart ( Matt 5:8, 48 )
— ( 59:2b) So that He will not hear is an absolute statement ruling out the possibility of a hearing until the sin barrier has been removed
Q: What sins did God accuse them of in vv3-4?
( 59:3 ) For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.
Blood
Stained, unfit for God
— Some personal involvement, crime against an individual
Fingers
— Detailed involvement
Lips/tongue
— Every aspect of speech
— Lies - specific falsehood
( 59:4 ) Misuse of the legal system for illegal means
Q: How does God illustrate these evils (5-6)?
( 59:5 ) Viper’s eggs… spiders web
—Sad when people do evil but even sadder when they actually delight in poisoning or ensnaring others with evil like a spider’s web
— What starts bad only gets worse
— Woe to the man that leads another believer into sin - better to have a milestone around your neck (Matt 18:6-7)
( 59:6 ) Spider’s webs are no good as clothing
— In the same way Israel’s evil works will not suffice
— The sinner’s best efforts always leave him or her unsatisfied, unprovided for
Q: How do vv 7-8 describe the depth of the people’s commitment to evil?
The sinner is personally involved
— Hands
— Feet
— Rush
— Swift
And others are hurt
— Violence
— Innocent blood
— Ruin and destruction
Feet
( 59:7 ) Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood;
Thoughts
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
Wasting
Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
Way
( 59:8 ) The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways;
Crooked
They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
Feet
They run because they are eager to do evil. Hands, tongue and now feet
— No part of the body is free from evil
Thoughts
Like premeditated, formulating a plan
— These thoughts are evil and spell trouble for others
Wasting
Ruin (NIV) Wasting and Destruction
— Wrecking havoc
— Leads to the destruction of society
Crooked
They have made a tangled mess of their lives and the responsibility is wholly theirs
Sin Exposed > Sin Confessed (59:9-13)
( 59:9-13 ) Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places. 11 We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And as for our iniquities, we know them: 13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
They / US
Notice the transition from “they & you” (59:1-8) to “us” (59:9ff)
— Accepting God’s pronouncement of our true condition (Cambra)
— Agreeing with God is the first step toward repentance and forgiveness
Q: How do the people describe the consequences of their sins (9-11)?
( 59:9 ) Justice and righteousness is far from us
Young
Judgment (i.e. righteous judgment such as God pronounces) has gone far away (and this state of things continues until the present)
— God has not come in judgment to save His people
— Likewise righteousness (i.e. salvation) will not overtake us (this state of things, as the future shows, continues unchanged)
Matthew Henry
( 9-15 ) The scope of this paragraph is the same with that of the last, to show that sin is the great mischief-maker; as it is that which keeps good things from us, so it is that which brings evil things upon us
Blind/Darkness
( 59:9 ) Look for light but there is only darkness
Hopelessness
( 59:10 ) Grope for the wall like a blind man
— They are dead men in desolate places
Those Yet
Those yet to be saved come to repentance
— Divine enabling ( 57:19a )
— God has brought them to a place to confess:
— darkness ( 9 )
— helplessness ( 10 )
— bitterness ( 11ab )
— hopelessness ( 11cd )
— personal guilt ( 12-13 )
Bitterness
( 59:11ab ) We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves
Hopelessness
( 59:11 ) We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us
Personal Guilt
( 59:12-13 ) For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And as for our iniquities, we know them:
— it is too plain to be denied or concealed
— God is a witness to them
( 59:13 ) In transgressing and lying against the Lord, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
The Courtroom
They testify against us
— No witnesses are summoned
— Your conscience is your witness
— Isaiah uses a court room analogy often in his book. ( 1:2; 3:13, 41:21-29; 43:8-9; 59:9-13 )
The Answer
The answer to the nation’s frustrations
— Their sins remain an obstacle to God’s deliverance
— The hindrance of impure motives remains between God and His people (Matt 12:34; Mark 7:21,22)
Sin Exposed > Sin Confessed > Situation and reaction: divine commitment to salvation and vengeance (59:14-20)
( 59:14-20 ) Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. 15 So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him. 17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay. 19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. 20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord
Q: List four qualities of uprightness that the people have rejected in verse 14?
Justice
( 59:14 ) Justice is turned back,
Righteousness
And righteousness stands afar off;
Truth
For truth is fallen in the street,
Equity
And equity cannot enter.
Justice - They have overthrown all justice among themselves
— They have received a just reward
— No justice from God is forthcoming to render assistance
— Righteousness - public morality has collapsed
Truth - lies in the street, trampled
— No one knows who to trust
Equity - honesty, straight dealings
— Personal integrity is gone
There is evil
— There is an evil at work
— It is a threat to even those who are standing on the sidelines
— “Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.” ( Amos 5:13 )
Anointed
— ( 59:14 ) also starts the first of four (4) “anointed songs” which we will cover later
— ( 59:15 ) Sin / Evil everywhere
— Even the person who tries to escape falls victim to it
Q: What action did the Lord take to deal with our sin problem (vv16-17)?
Saw no intercessor
( 59:15,16 ) The Lord saw… no intercessor
— The Lord saw that there was no one to intercede on His behalf
— The Lord took it upon Himself to change Israel’s condition through the intercession of His suffering Servant (53:12)
Matthew Henry
— Because they have no strength of their own, nor any active men that will set to it in good earnest to redress the grievances either of their iniquities or of their calamities, therefore his own arm shall bring salvation to him, to his people, or to him whom he would raise up to be the deliverer, Christ, the power of God and arm of the Lord, that man of his right hand whom he made strong for himself
— In our redemption by Christ, since we had no righteousness of our own to produce, on which God might proceed in favour to us, he brought in a righteousness by the merit and meditation of his own Son (it is called the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. 3:9)
Q: How does God deal with His enemies (v17-19)?
Arms Himself
( 59:17 ) The Lord arms Himself for the deliverance of His people
— Breastplate of righteousness ( Eph 6:14 )
— Helmet of Salvation ( Eph 6:17 )
— Garments of vengeance - clothing is a metaphor for character, commitment to the task
— ( 59:18-19 ) Everyone will worship the Lord after seeing Him defeat His enemies
— Submission will be the only path
Sin Exposed > Sin Confessed > Situation and reaction: divine commitment to salvation and vengeance > The covenant mediator (59:21)
( 59:21 ) “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”
Q: What does God promise (v21)?
(59:20,21) His redeemer will come
Redeemer
— His new convent is everlasting
— His words are to remain objects of our attention
The Servant Songs
— We’re familiar with the Servant Songs in 40, 49, 50, 53
— J. Alec Motyer also points out four (4) anointed or “Spirit” songs in Isaiah 59, 60, 61 and 63
The First Song
— 59:15-21 The promise of salvation and judgment, culminating in a Spirit-endowed covenant mediator
The 2nd Song
— 61:1-4 An Anointed One comes proclaiming salvation and justice
The 3rd Song
— 61:10-62:7 The work of salvation and judgment
The 4th Song
— 63:1-6 The promise of judgment and salvation, culminating in the end of God’s enemies
Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Overview
Chapter 60 portrays Zion (Jerusalem) as the city of Light and any nation that does not serve Zion will perish. The chapter centers on the theme that those who bless Him will be blessed and those who curse Him will be cursed (Gen 12:3, 27:20). But this is really a continuation of 59:21 which is God’s covenant with his church and the blessings. The long continuance of the church, even unto the utmost ages of time is promised. Christopher Columbus quoted all of Isaiah 60 in connection with his voyage to the America (1492) He quoted it to the King and Queen of Spain. His aim was to bring the resources of countries across the seas to aid in Jerusalem’s restoration. His journey was simply the fulfilment of what Isaiah had prophesied. This is a continuation of the first “anointed” song (59:14-60:22)
The Lord, the light of Zion (60:1-5)
( 60:1-5 ) Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
Light has come!
— When the Jews returned out of captivity they had light and gladness, and joy and honour ( Esther 8:16 )
— When the Redeemer ( The Christ ) comes to Zion He, Himself, will be the light
— Our duty is not only to receive the light but be the light
— Arise, shine
— “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” ( Matt 5:16 )
Q: What glory will come upon Zion (vv1-2)?
Glory
( 60:1,2 ) Glory of the Lord…darkness.. deep darkness..His Glory
— The glory of the Lord has come upon Zion in contrast to the darkness of the world
Matthew Henry
— What a foil there shall be to this light: Darkness shall cover the earth; but, though it be gross darkness, darkness that might be felt, like that of Egypt, that shall overspread the people, yet the church, like Goshen, shall have light at the same time
— When the case of the nations that have not the gospel shall be very melancholy, those dark corners of the earth being full of the habitations of cruelty to poor souls, the state of the church shall be very pleasant
— We are to be light in a dark world ( Matt 5:16; Phil 2:15; Eph 5:14 )
— Paul adds “And Christ will give you light”
Q: Who would be attracted to join the people (3-4)?
Gentiles
( 60:3 ) Gentiles shall come
Salvation during the Millennium
— Some will be saved
— But there will be so many unsaved that they will lead a world-wide rebellion against the Lord (Rev 20:7-10)
( 60:4 ) They come from the remotest parts
— Here is also fulfillment of the universal call issued in 55:1
The Lord, the light of Zion > The new status of the nations, materially and spiritually accepted by the Lord (60:6-7)
( 60:6-7 ) The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. 7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
Joy & Wealth
( 60:5 ) Joy and wealth, the abundance of the sea; the wealth of the Gentiles
— An abundance of material possessions
— The merchants shall write holiness to the Lord upon their merchandise and their hire
— The mighty men of the nations shall employ their might in the service of the church
( 60:6 ) Gold and incense
( 60:6 ) The dromedaries of Midian and Epha
— The young camels (NIV)
— The wealth imported by land-carriage, as well as that by sea, shall be made use of in the service of God and the church
The Lord, the light of Zion > The new status of the nations, materially and spiritually accepted by the Lord > World expectations met in the Lord (60:8-9)
( 60:8-9 ) “Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts? 9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, To the name of the Lord your God, And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has glorified you.
They come
( 60:8 ) fly like a cloud...doves
— They come with the speed of flying clouds and the naturalness of homing pigeons
( 60:9 ) They come to honor His name
— Sea Travel - a worldwide gathering
( 60:9 ) Gold and Silver
Whatever each country produces they consecrate it to the Lord
— They offer all they have as a sacrifice
— From Sheba they bring incense and gold;
— (60:6); from Kedar flocks (60:7);
— Nebaioth brings rams for sacrifices (60:7);
— cypress and pine from Lebanon (60:13)
— You cannot be truly converted without offering Him all your faculties there are spiritual sacrifices which He demands
The Lord, the light of Zion > The new status of the nations, materially and spiritually accepted by the Lord > World expectations met in the Lord > The nations serve Zion (60:10-14)
( 60:10-14 ) “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession. 12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined. 13 “The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious. 14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you, And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Q: How had God treated them and how would He treat them later (10-12)? What would happen as a result? What would happen to the nations that would not participate?
( 60:10 ) “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls,
— The final rebuilding of the walls will be assisted by Gentiles when Christ returns to earth
( 60:12 ) For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you
Wrath
— God’s past dealings with Israel had been largely wrath
— But in the future He will demonstrate mercy
Open Gates
( 60:11 ) Unrestricted access to Jerusalem
— Men will bring the wealth of the Gentiles to Zion
Those who oppose
( 60:12 ) For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined
— Individual nations and the whole world will suffer the same fate
— To enter is to be blessed
— To stand aloof is to perish
— No middle ground
Attitude
It is not your alien status that condemns you but your attitude towards Zion
The Lord, the light of Zion > The new status of the nations, materially and spiritually accepted by the Lord > World expectations met in the Lord > The nations serve Zion > Zion transformed by the Lord (60:15-18b)
( 60:15-18 ) “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many generations. 16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold, Instead of iron I will bring silver, Instead of wood, bronze, And instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness. 18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.
Despised
( 60:15 ) You were hated and forsaken, despised
Exalted
— But I will make you exalted
Gentiles will Provide
( 60:16 ) Gentiles will provide wealth and power to Zion (milk)
— Nations will give you what you need, like a child drinking milk from its mother. But you will ‘drink’ riches from kings. Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, who saves you. You will know that I, the Great God of Jacob, protect you (Easy to Read Version)
Saviour
— The city will recognize the Lord as her Saviour and Redeemer in the millennium
Riches
( 60:17 ) The inferior will be replaced by the superior
— Bronze with God
— Iron with Silver
— Wood with Bronze
— Stones with Iron
Columbus
Maybe this is what Columbus had in mind in terms of Jerusalem’s restoration
— Columbus looked for gold, silver, pearl’s but found very little
— ( 60:18 ) No more violence or destruction
Divine Protection
( 60:18 ) The walls and gates will be called Salvation and praise
— Symbolizes Divine Protection
The Lord, the light of Zion > The new status of the nations, materially and spiritually accepted by the Lord > World expectations met in the Lord > The nations serve Zion (60:10-14) > Zion transformed by the Lord > The Lord, the light of Zion (60:18c -22)
( 60:18-22 ) “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. 20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended. 21 Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified. 22 A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”
Q: What will be the source of light (19-20)?
( 60:19 ) New Jerusalem as described in the NT ( Rev 21:23; 22:5 )
— “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” ( Rev 21:23 )
The Lord as Light
( 60:20 ) the Lord will be your everlasting light,
Matthew Henry
— In heaven there shall be no occasion for sun or moon, for it is the inheritance of the saints in light, such light as will swallow up the light of the sun as easily as the sun does that of a candle
RC Sproul
— The problem with the sun and moon as sources of light is their changeableness. The sun goes down at night, while the moon waxes and wanes. In contrast, the Lord’s presence with His people in the eternal state is unchanging and unending
— no variableness, nor shadow of turning,” James 1:17
Q: What will the people be like (21-22)? What blessings would they receive ?
Righteous
( 60:21 ) Righteous
( 60:21 ) The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified
Young
In the final half of the verse the people are characterized as the shoot of my planting and the work of my hands
— The figure of a plant that God Himself has planted occurs often in Scripture (cf. Ps. 92:14; Matt. 15:13; John 15:1, 2; Isa. 5:1ff.).
— It expresses Zion’s dependence upon God for the origin and sustaining of its spiritual life
— The thought of the Church as God’s workmanship is also found elsewhere (cf. Eph. 2:10; John 15:8)
— These phrases teach the profound and necessary truth that Zion the Church is the creation of God
— It is not a human institution, and inasmuch as it is divine it must carry out its work in obedience to the commands of the One who formed it.
— Lastly, its purpose is that God be glorified
— We may render either for glorifying myself or to be glorified. May we who are the people of Zion in no way hinder this purpose of the Lord!
( 60:22 ) A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.
— They will become a strong power
— Worldwide prominence
Matthew Henry
— The Christian church was a little one, a very small one at first—the number of their names was once but 120; yet it became a thousand
— The stone cut out of the mountain without hands swelled so as to fill the earth
— The grace and peace of the saints were at first like a grain of mustard-seed, but they increase and multiply, and make a little one to become a thousand, the weak to be as David
Anointed
— End of the first anointed song ( 59:14-60:22 )
Additional Resources
J Vernon McGee Isaiah 56:1-57:5: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-561575-756190.html
McGee Isaiah 57:5-58:3: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-575583-756191.html
McGee Isaiah 58:4-59:21: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-5845921-756192.html
McGee Isaiah 60 - 61:2: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-601612-756193.html
McArthur, John, Understanding the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVpTf2HBz1A
Servant Songs: https://davidschrock.com/2017/12/18/singing-the-four-spirit-songs-in-isaiah-56-66/
The Reformation Study Bible; ESV ( 2015 )