Isaiah was a man of vision and
who certainly spoke boldly to his own time, but as a prophet he spoke of the
future as well; hence he is the prophet for all times. He not only was a
prophet, but he also married a prophetess (Isaiah
8:3, 18)
“The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw”
- Isaiah 1:1
Isaiah was the prophet of the
southern kingdom of Judah. He lied at the tome the Northern kingdom of Israel
was destroyed by Assyria. Isaiah was the one whose voice saved the kingdom of
Judah during these trying hours. He told the judgement that must fall on Judah
because she would not fulfil her mission in the world. But through the whole
book we find the ultimate triumph of God’s plan through his appointed servant,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who would bring in final victory through suffering and
death (Isaiah 53)
The divisions of Isaiah are an
interesting coincidence. Isaiah is a miniature Bible in structure.
·
This book has 66 chapters, just as Bible has 66
books.
·
There are 2 great divisions, just as there are
in the Bible, with 39 chapters in
the first (like Old Testament) and 27 chapters
in the second (like New Testament)
·
The Old Testament opens with God’s case against
humans because of their sin. Isaiah opens the same way (Isaiah 1:18).
·
The first section closes with the prophecy of
the coming King of Righteousness and the redemption of Israel (Isaiah 34-35), just as the prophets
close the Old Testament with the prediction of His coming Kingdom
·
The second part of Isaiah (Isaiah 40) opens with the “voice
of him that crieth in the wilderness” (Isaiah
40:3), and is concerned with the person and work of Jesus Christ. New
Testament opens in exact accord with this. John the Baptist, the forerunner of
Jesus, is announced as “the vice of one
crying in the wilderness” (John 1:6,
23).
·
The book of Isaiah ends with the vision of new
heavens and a new earth in which righteousness perfectly dwells (Isaiah 62:1-2; 5:17; 66:22). The New
Testament closes with this same view in Revelation
21.
Isaiah chapter 53 is a
wonderful one to store in your memory. Each verse is of golden truth. This is
the chapter that picture Christ, our suffering redeemer. When I was a child, my
father made me to study this chapter by-heart which I still remember. It is
good to by-heart this chapter and make your children also study because you
will always remember the sufferings of Christ which been fore told in the Old
Testament, that proves Christ is our Lord.
The life of Jesus Christ is
portrayed in Isaiah:
·
Birth – Isaiah 7:14; 9:6.
·
Family – Isaiah 11:1
·
Anointing – Isaiah 11:2
·
Character – Isaiah 11:3,4
·
Simplicity of life – Isaiah 7:15
·
Gentleness – Isaiah 42:1-4
·
Death – Isaiah 53
·
Resurrection – Isaiah 25:8
·
Glorious reign – Isaiah 11:3-16; 32.
As you begin the study of the
book of Isaiah, may God anoint you with his Spirit to get the bread which is
needed for you this hour so that you can go ahead in your studies in a deeper
faith in God.
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