Chapter 19 ISAIAH
One critic, when asked why he did not like Shakespeare answered, “it is too full of quotations”!
Isaiah is too full of quotations. It is the most quoted book in the New Testament, Jesus used it regularly, so did Paul, Peter and John. It is the focus of most Christian services at Christmas with its references to “Immanuel”” and “unto us a child is born”, it is the most quoted book at Easter where “He is led like a lamb to the slaughter”. Not many people have never heard a sermon on “In the year king Uzziah died” or “Here am I send me”. But for Isaiah who wrote it, it was a book not to be fully understood. The big debate of Jewish scholars, (then as now) is; “How can messiah be both powerful Judge and suffering servant”. When Philip, caught up with the Ethiopian official in the desert he happened to be reading Isaiah as he travelled in his chariot. The official immediately confronted Philip with the old chestnut of the day. As soon as Philip asked “What are you reading” he answered “Tell me, is he talking about himself or another”? If Messiah is the great ruler who rules with a rod of iron how can he be a suffering servant? He can’t be both, can he? Yes he can but not at the same time.
Have you driven six-mile-Bottom in Norfolk? You will know that from the driver’s view the road looks empty and straight. You will also be warned not to overtake because there are dips in the road that hide long stretches where there are cars you cannot see.
Figure 62: Hidden Dips or Hidden Depths
From the prophet’s view they see the future but not the dips. Several of the books of the bible carry the warning shut up the book until the last days. Why? Because we need to have travelled the road past the dips in order to see the final run.
Isaiah could not see the dips in the road when he prophesied
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because he has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and open the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the time of favour, and the day of vengeance of God;214
The Jews usually understood that God is going to come as King and do all these good things for them but take vengeance on all other nations. Jesus began his ministry by reading this passage, but he stopped half way through the final sentence. “… to proclaim the time of favour”,
Jesus could see the dip in the road between “Jehovah’s favour”, and “the day of vengeance of God”. That dip was to become known as “the time of the gentiles”. It would separate Messiah’s role as servant and his role as King.
Ezekiel saw a straight run when he prophesied about the tree that was stripped bare by the birds and then sprouted again. He could not see the dip in the road between, but it takes time for a tree to sprout again. Daniel saw the rise of four empires in a vision about a statue. The statue conquered the known world. He also saw the temporary disruption as it was damaged by a heavenly skittle ball to the feet. He also saw the repair to that statue at a later time. But he did not see the length of time between the damage and the repair. He did not see the length of the dip in the road between the two events. John was told to shut up the meaning of Revelation until the time of the gentiles was fulfilled. His emphasis was on the final days, and he also missed the dip in between, Without that gap it is a misleading book.
Isaiah emphasises two roles in separate parts of his book. The shape of the book is not very organized. Chapters-one-to-ten are a reproof for Judah and in the particular Jerusalem. Jerusalem had become very materialistic and the class divide had become great. The rich spent their wealth on refinery and Jewellery rather than helping the poor. Isaiah, himself from the richer upper-class background, spoke out against this. Chapters-thirteen-to-twenty-three declare how God will use surrounding nations to punish Israel. But there is a warning the nations also, if those nations overstep God’s mark, then God will punish them harshly. Chapters-twenty-four-to-thirty-four are about the Judgement of Samaria and Judah and chapters-thirty-six-to-thirty-nine is a narrative of King Hezekiah illness and prophesy describing how Assyria will give way to the rise of this little town called Babylon. Part one of the book ends with the prediction that Israel and Judah will be banished from the land but eventually be exiled for a seventy-year dip in the road before a remnant will return.
Several commentators point out that the book of Isaiah is like the Bible in miniature: There are sixty-six books in the Bible thirty-nine chapters in the first part and twenty-seven in the second. Isaiah copies that pattern. Both have a first part about law and judgement and a second part about grace. In the first part of each, the emphasis is on sin and the second it is on salvation, Both have a first section that deals with the nation of Israel and a second opens up grace to the world. The first part of both speak of the ruling authority of God and the second about the open arms of God.
The major turning point is probably the most quoted verses in all history
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: we esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.215
Isaiah the man was born of godly Parents who named him Yesha-Yahu which means “Yahweh is salvation” That is exactly the same as Jesus and Joshua. He was born in a palace, a grandson of King Jehoash of Judah, That made him a cousin to King Uzziah which tells us why the King’s death hit him so hard in chapter-one. He had an amazing encounter with God in temple when he volunteered as a prophet. His privileged background allowed him to move freely in circle of aristocracy and therefore gives a political slant to some of his prophecies. He certainly did not pull his punches when addressing the political leaders though. His wife was also a prophetess, and they had two sons, both with a prophetic meaning to their name. Isaiah died when the King Manasseh ordered a hollow tree with Isaiah inside be sawn into pieces.216 That is who the writer to Hebrews is referring to saying:
Some were stoned, some were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated.217
His call and relationship with God began in the year that King Uzziah died, when he had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple.218 From the time of this vision he called God something no one else had, “The holy one of Israel”. We tend to think the Trinity is a New Testament revelation. This vision made Isaiah aware of the importance of the Trinity. In the Hebrew, “Who can I send and who will go for us” is very much more marked than in our English translation.219 Many preachers of this passage are in breach of the advertising standard legislation when they stop after this verse for an appeal. Terms and conditions apply to this passage. Isaiah was signing up for a lifetime of preaching parables to a nation that would not listen. This is far from the romantic picture painted by some preachers. Isaiah was not the only one to speak and not be heard, Jesus said he spoke in parables so that people might not understand.220 Paul also quotes this verse. Isaiah was a bit more inquisitive and asked for how long this might be, but the only answer he got was, “until the land lies waste”. So what was the motivation that kept him going? Simply the promise “There will be a time when the tree will grow again”.
Isaiah was called to prophesy in turbulent times. Besides the political influence of the small nations encircling Israel which took them away from God, the king of Israel signed a treaty with Syria to help him overthrow the throne of Judah. Most of the prophets and priests of the North, sided with the political vision of an ambitious king and legitimized the scheme by saying it was God’s will. Isaiah alone was told to take his son and go to see the king of Judah who was quaking in his boots at the thought of this alliance. Isaiah took Shear-Jashub which means “a remnant shall return” as a sign that this pact would come to nothing. Babylon, not Syria or even Assyria would capture Judah. They would be exiled for a time but then a remnant shall return. Isaiah’s wife was pregnant again by this time, so Isaiah then went on to the temple with a letter to register him with the priests. Priests did this to make sure the future status of their sons was recorded because priesthood ran in the tribe. The child’s name is Maher-shalal-hash-baz. The letter written in bold letters “Before the child can say, ‘mummy’, Syria will swoop, Israel will be no more and all of their assets will be carried away”.
Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means, “Swift to the booty, speedy to the prey”.
Isaiah has a lot to say about God the first person: He is the only God221; He is the creator222; He is The holy one of Israel223; And he is the Kinsman-Redeemer224. The immediate association with this phrase kinsman-redeemer is from the story of Boaz in the book of Ruth. But it originates in the story of Abraham. Lot fell out with Abraham in a power struggle for land. Lot had made a selfish and short-sighted decision to go toward Sodom where four kings were in constant war for supremacy. When Lot arrived they forgot their differences, banded together and captured Lot and his possessions. Abraham, gathered his household into an army to rescue Lot. Isaiah is saying to his hearers, you are going in the wrong direction, you have the wrong priorities, and they will lead you to your downfall but there is a kinsman-redeemer watching out for you and he will restore you and return you to the land.
Another person appears in the second part of Isaiah. Addressed in the second person, he is called “The servant of God”. The term “Behold my servant”, is a term given others like Uzziah, Hezekiah, Josiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. But this servant is different in four ways. First, he is faultless in character - (or perfect), second, he is a deeply unhappy man—a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Third, He is executed, killed as a criminal although sinless– He is killed for the sins of others but not his own and his grave is with the rich. Fourth, after he is killed he is raised and exalted. Jews, even today, cannot fit the promised Messiah of the first half of the book with the suffering servant in the second half. Isaiah never saw the dips in the road. The first people to make this connection between the king and the servant were those who witnessed the baptism of Jesus. “This is my beloved son”, comes from the King section or part one of Isaiah while “In whom I am well pleased”, is from to the servant section or part two. Post Jesus, Jews would have spotted that, and many did. Peter made the connection in his sermon in acts. Philip made the connection when he met the Ethiopian Eunuch. Paul made connection when he said “Thought it not robbery to be equal but took the form of a servant”.
Isaiah also made the connection of a third person being part of God’s character. Prominent in Isaiah is the Holy Spirit. The phrase “grieving the spirit” comes from here. The understanding that the Spirit anoints the servant for his tests is also emphasized here. “You have rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit” is commonly used in various forms. But probably the favourite phrase is “I will pour out my Spirit upon you and all flesh”.
The Spirit of the Lord will be with him to give him: Understanding, Wisdom, Insight, Power, and Honour. In The Book of the Lord you can search and find where it is written,
“The Lord brought together all of his creatures by the power of his Spirit. Not one is missing.”
Here is my servant! I have made him strong. He is my chosen one; I am pleased with him. I have give