Book of Isaiah and God’s Salvation

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted His people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has demonstrated His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God. Isaiah 52:7-10 (NLT)

The book of Isaiah has been called an Old Testament masterpiece of prophetic literature. In fact, the New Testament quotes the book of Isaiah more than 400 times, more than all other prophets combined. No other book can match Isaiah’s rich voluntary and use of imagery. In some respects, the book of Isaiah is the theological textbook of the Old Testament that stresses complete faith and trust in an all Holy God (see Isaiah 11:1-5; Isaiah 48:12; Isaiah 63:15-17). Within these pages, we see the full dimension of God (God the Father, God the Son – Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit) and His salvation.

The prophet Isaiah is considered a giant in Jewish history and one of Israel’s greatest prophets. However, he spent his days in the hallway of power as an advisor to kings of Judah (Israel’s southern kingdom) and helped shape the course of his nation. Yet during his lifetime, Isaiah saw people using their power to hurt the poor, oppressed, and widows (Isaiah 1:23). Men went around drunk while women only cared about their clothes while ignoring the needs of others. The people only gave lip service to God with a good outward appearance of religion. There was no shortage of prayers, religious celebrations, and offerings during Isaiah’s times but the people did not have a heart of true obedience for God and His ways. Although the prophet Isaiah moved in royal circles, he warned the people to turn to God and away from sin.

As to the authorship of the book of Isaiah, the traditional view states that the prophet Isaiah wrote this entire Old Testament book bearing his name. However, many critics today argue that the book of Isaiah with its sixty-six chapters is really two books (Isaiah chapters 1 through 39 and Isaiah chapters 40 through 66), usually called “First” and “Second” Isaiah. Further study of the book by some biblical scholars finds three books within Isaiah, chapters 1 through 39, chapters 40 through 55, and chapters 56 through 66. Yet, no ancient manuscript or version gives any indication that the book of Isaiah existed in two or more parts. In the Jewish listing of canonical books, Isaiah has always counted as one book. The New Testament writers clearly regarded the book of Isaiah as one book (see Matthew 3:3; Matthew 12:17-18; Luke 3:4; John 12:38–41; Acts 8:28–34; Romans 10:16, 20.) Therefore, the book of Isaiah needs to be studied as a single work, in spite of the countless ways in which the book may be analyzed.

Within the pages of this grand masterpiece, the prophet Isaiah gives us a picture of the Lord God high and lifted upon His throne surrounded by heavenly beings all declaring God’s holiness (Isaiah 6:1-13; see also Revelation 4:1-9). God gave the prophet Isaiah this vision of His heavenly court (see also Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Psalm 82:1; Psalm 89:5-7). As a true prophet of God, Isaiah was made privy to God’s heavenly court, as were the prophets Micaiah (1 Kings 22:19-20) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23:18, 22; see also Amos 3:7). Isaiah’s vision contained a revelation of the All Holy One with infinite and supreme holiness seated on the throne “high and lifted up,” clad in a robe whose hem filled the Temple (see also Leviticus 11:44). Angels called seraphim serve to guard the throne, worship Israel’s Great King, and minister to Isaiah’s sinful need (Isaiah 6:5, 7; see also Revelation 4:6-9). In the midst of God’s holiness, the prophet Isaiah realized he was a sinner living in the midst of sinners (Isaiah 6:5-6), in need of mercy because his eyes “seen the Great King, the Lord of Hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah’s vision declared both God’s freedom to make Himself known and the forgiveness of sin for His people. More than anything, Isaiah’s vision declared that God’s glory and sovereignty fills the whole earth (Isaiah 6:3; Isaiah 40:15-24; see also Numbers 14:21-22; Psalm 72:18-19; Ezekiel 1:28). Then, God touched Isaiah’s mouth and commissioned him as a prophet of God (Isaiah 6:7; see also Jeremiah 1:9).

Before the prophet Isaiah saw the true and living God, the prophet declared to the people (Judah and Israel) their rebellious sins against God (Isaiah 1:1-16) and the promises of God’s redemption (recovery, healing, and blessings) for those who would repent and turn to God (Yahweh). The prophet reminded the people that God did not like the people’s pride, idolatry, and heartless devotion to Him (Isaiah 2:6-10). God would condemn anyone that exploited others (Isaiah 5:8-10); had repeated drunkenness (Isaiah 5:11-12); pride and self-importance (Isaiah 5:18-19); immoral standards (Isaiah 5:20); arrogance (Isaiah 5:21); and distortion of justice and brides (Isaiah 5:22-24). Isaiah reminded the people that God demanded justice, righteousness, and mercy towards others and not bloodshed, hatred and selfishness (Isaiah 5:7). God wanted the people to bear good fruit and to be a light of goodness to the nations (see also Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 7:20). Like today, Israel and Judah had become unfaithful to God and that unfaithfulness was specified as social abuse of others, exploitation of the powerless, and violence against one’s neighbors (Isaiah 1:21-26). God wanted the people to enjoy life, but not sin (see 1 Timothy 6:17).The prophet Isaiah called the people to turn from their lives of sin and warned them of God's judgment and punishment if they failed to do so.

Geographically, Isaiah 1 through 39 centers in Judah and especially in Jerusalem, its capital. In these chapters we see the westward marches of the Assyrian army first under Tiglath-pilser III and then the ravaging of Judah by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. The prophet Isaiah used these foreign invasions to teach basic principles about God’s ways. First, the prophet noted that God’s land was full of crimes of all sorts:  rebellion, heartless religious ceremonies, outright idolatry, flagrant injustice of others, selfish reliance, arrogance, and drunkenness. God would allow foreign invasions into the land to judge His people and their leaders’ wickedness. Second, the prophet Isaiah set up a contrast between two kings who faced the foreign threats, King Ahaz and King Hezekiah. King Ahaz wavered between God’s command to “stand firm in faith” with God (Isaiah 7:9) and his trust in self and other alliances. King Hezekiah, however, did not waver in his approach to foreign threat. Instead, King Hezekiah pleaded with the Lord God, “Save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are the Lord” (Isaiah 37:20). In turn, Hezekiah hears the Lord’s promise:  “For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servants David” (Isaiah 37:35). These two events of Ahaz and Hezekiah from the book of Isaiah teach the importance of wholeheartedly trusting God and obeying God’s Word in all circumstances. 

Also, Isaiah chapters 1 through 39 address God’s complete sovereignty of the nations. The Lord God used the foreign aggressors – first Assyria and then Babylonia to purify His people of their wickedness. But God’s divine hand set limits on the foreign aggressors. Through the prophet Isaiah, God wanted the people to know that He was the true Ruler of all nations. God will judge all nations for their pride, evil worship, and inhumane treatment of people. Moreover, God wanted to assure His people that they must trust and be wholeheartedly faithful to Him and not self and foreign alliances. The prophet Isaiah looked into the future and saw that God was universally in control of all nations (see Isaiah chapters 24-27; 34-35). Sometimes, Isaiah chapters 1 through 39 are called Isaiah’s Apocalypse.

The book of Isaiah is filled with patterns of praise and prayer to celebrate central role of wholehearted faith and trust in God (see Isaiah 26:3; see also Isaiah 5:1-7; Isaiah 37:16-20). Prayer and praise become the central emphasis in the book of Isaiah because prayer and praise demonstrate what God wanted from His people in anticipation of God’s sure victory.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the Eternal Rock. He humbles the proud and brings down the arrogant city. He brings it down to the dust. The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot, and the needy walk all over it. But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

Isaiah 26:3-7 (NLT)

When we turn to Isaiah 40, the prophet informed the reader that God’s judgment for sin has taken placed on Israel and Judah. Isaiah 40 through 55 announces the end of God’s punishment for sin (Isaiah 40:1-2) and God’s restoration and blessings to His covenant people (Isaiah 40:6-8; Isaiah 44:22-23; Isaiah 55:10-11). God’s restoration would be like a new exodus out of Egyptian bondage (Isaiah 43:2, 16-19; Isaiah 52-10-12) as God redeemed and saved them (Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 49:8). This restoration and blessing reveals God’s gracious forgiveness of sins that comes with genuinely returning, repenting, and being renewed in God (Isaiah 43:25). God had sent Israel and Judah away from the Promised Land due to their continual sin, unfaithfulness to God, and disobedience. The prophet Isaiah predicted God raise up a new leader, Cyrus of the Persian Empire, to bring about the punishment of Judah and Israel’s foreign enemies (Isaiah 44:28). God would return His people from foreign exile into the Promised Land to begin restoration and the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28-45:7).

God:  “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for My own sake and will never think of them again.”  Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

Many of the people feared God’s continuing judgment for their sins. However, the prophet Isaiah reminded the people that God was ready to do a new thing in transforming their life and destiny (see Isaiah 40:21-31; Isaiah 42:5-9; Isaiah 44:24-28). Israel and Judah’s suffering were not due to God’s neglect, as some had complained, but to God’s divine activity to stop the people’s rebellion, unfaithfulness, idolatry, pride, and disobedience (see Isaiah 44:9-20; Isaiah 45:20; Isaiah 46:1-7). Yet, God through the prophet Isaiah called the people, whose sin had forced a painful but temporary punishment, to a new union marked by God’s everlasting love and compassion with Israel’s new salvation to be found in a Sovereign-Savior (Isaiah 54:4-8; see also Luke 4:8). 

The next section of the book of Isaiah is Isaiah chapters 56-66. In these last chapters, the reader is introduced to God’s glorious light and presence (Isaiah 60) and restoration (Isaiah 61). Also, the prophet Isaiah reminded the people that God continued to demand righteousness, justices, mercy, and obedience along with honoring God’s Sabbath day (Isaiah 56:1-2; Isaiah 58:13-14). God wanted the people to care for the needs of the oppressed and the poor (Isaiah 58:6-12) while stopping all greed and dishonesty in the law courts (Isaiah 59:1-8). Finally, God demanded all profane acts of worship to be eliminated (Isaiah 65:1-7). The prophet Isaiah reminded the people again that God wanted holiness (see also Isaiah chapters 1 through 39).

The book of Isaiah stresses the holiness of God. “The Holy One of Israel,” is referred to twenty-five times in the book. “Holy” means to be “separate, set apart.” During the Mosaic period, the word holy intended a moral or ethical connotation. At Mount Sinai, God said to Moses: “You [Israel] shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). God wanted His people to constitute the Lord’s kingdom (the people who acknowledged Him as their King), and like priests, were to be wholly consecrated (holy) to His service (see also Isaiah 61:6; 1 Peter 2:5). This relationship required fidelity to God and obedience to His moral code as specified in the covenant (God’s Word). Israel’s holiness, then, implied being separated to God in belief and action. The prophet Isaiah stressed to the people the moral or behavioral nature of holiness more than its ritual significance.

During Israel’s wilderness years, holiness was bound up with the ritual and sacrificial system. Such elaborate details of the sacrificial system were designed to impress upon the Israelites that disobedience to the Law alienated them from God, and required atonement or reconciliation. But these religious sacrificial rituals had become an empty form.  The term “unclean” came to be used with references to ceremonial or ritual uncleanness than to immoral behavior or disobedience to God’s Law. Isaiah sought to reestablish the relationship between worship and obedience. So, God sent the prophet Isaiah to instruct the people to return to God and listen to His Word (Isaiah 6:9; see also Isaiah 1:2-6, 10-17). Without obedience to God the elements of worship were meaningless (Isaiah 1:11-15; see also Amos 5:21-24). What God wanted from the people were moral or proper behavior (Isaiah 1:16). The people had lost their moral qualities – justice and righteousness (Isaiah 1:21) – consistent with its relationship with a Holy God. The moral character and behavior of the worshipper were more important than the number of their religious activities (Isaiah 1:11-15; Isaiah 66:3; see also Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8).

These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against Me. . . .  What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship Me, who asked you to parade through My courts with all your ceremony?  Stop bringing Me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts Me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to Me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of My sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey Me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!” See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers. Once like pure silver, you have become like worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine. Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.”  Isaiah 1:1-2, 11-24 (NLT)

Isaiah’s name means “God saves” (similarly as Joshua and Elisha) which may partly explain why Isaiah has such great interest in salvation. God is the only true Savior (Isaiah 43:3, 11). As the only true and living God, God is full of continual compassion, mercy, and faithfulness (see Exodus 34:6-7; Nehemiah 9:17; Lamentations 3:22-23; John 4:2). These qualities of God never changes and stays the same generation after generation (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). Idols and other gods are unable to save (Isaiah 46:7); so are sorcerers and astrologers (Isaiah 47:13). In Isaiah chapters 40 – 55, righteousness is connected with salvation. In Isaiah chapters 56 – 66, salvation calls for a response of doing justice and righteousness (Isaiah 56:1). Salvation is wrought with reward, redemption, deliverance, and victory (Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 62:11).  The prophet Isaiah also stresses that God as Redeemer as seen in Isaiah chapters 40 – 55. As Redeemer, God will make His people victorious and joyous (Isaiah 41:14-16). Yahweh is the only true and living God and His glory fills the whole earth (Isaiah 6:3). Therefore, any other gods are nothing (Isaiah 2:8, 18, 20): “They were no gods, but the work of human hands – wood and stone” (Isaiah 37:19). Yahweh is the only protector and sustainer of His people and controller of all nations (Isaiah 40:11, 13-17).  

The book of Isaiah has more to say about the Holy Spirit than any other Old Testament writer (see e.g., Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 32:15-16; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 63:10).  Obviously, the book of Isaiah contains nothing like the fullness of the New Testament doctrine of the Spirit. Nonetheless, the book of Isaiah represents a marked advance in the revelation concerning the Spirit over what had been given previously.

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-5 (NKJV)

The most significant figure in the book of Isaiah is the “Servant of God.” The prophet Isaiah predicted the coming of Messiah, our Immanuel (see Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Isaiah 11:1–10; Isaiah 42:1–9; Isaiah 49:1–9; Isaiah 50:4–11; Isaiah 52:13–53:12). A King descended from David (the Messiah) will reign in righteousness (Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 32:1). All nations will go to the holy mountain of Jerusalem, the “City of the Lord” (Isaiah 60:14) as He would be a Light to the entire world (Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 42:6; see also Luke 2:31-32). God’s Kingdom on earth, with the earth’s Righteous Ruler and His righteous subjects is the goal toward which the book of Isaiah steadily moves. The restored earth (a new creation: Isaiah 65-66) and the restored people will then be conformed to God. All will result in the praise and glory of the Holy One of Israel for what He has accomplished.

Many biblical scholars assigned Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-9; and Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as the “Servant Songs.” This Servant will perfectly serve God, having “borne our infirmities and carried our disease” (Isaiah 53:4). He is the One who made Himself an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10) and made many to be declared righteous (Isaiah 53:11). It is through the suffering of this Servant that salvation in its fullest sense will be achieved to deliver humankind from the prison of sin (Isaiah 52:13-53-12). This Servant described by Isaiah is the true Israel, who fulfilled to the upmost the will of God and the purposes which God had in mind when He chose Israel. Even more, He is the obedient Servant of God and was obedient unto God to the point of death (see also Philippians 2:7-8). Amazingly, the prophet Isaiah foretold of God's redemption, salvation, and holiness through the Servant – Jesus Christ. Like Israel, we too have sinned repeatedly, in thought, word, and deed. We need a Savior to save us from our sins and make us holy like God (Isaiah 63:16; see also 1 John 3:3). As we repent of our sins and turn to God found in the Suffering Servant (Jesus), we are made holy, righteous, and children of God (see also 1 John 3:1-10).  

The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God. And we really are His children. . . . Christ is pure, and all who have this hope in Christ keep themselves pure like Christ. The person who sins breaks God’s law. Yes, sin is living against God’s law. You know that Christ came to take away sins and that there is no sin in Christ. So anyone who lives in Christ does not go on sinning. Anyone who goes on sinning has never really understood Christ and has never known Him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you the wrong way. Christ is all that is right. So to be like Christ a person must do what is right. The devil has been sinning since the beginning, so anyone who continues to sin belongs to the devil. The Son of God came for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s work. Those who are God’s children do not continue sinning, because the new life from God remains in them. They are not able to go on sinning, because they have become children of God. So we can see who God’s children are and who the devil’s children are: Those who do not do what is right are not God’s children, and those who do not love their brothers and sisters are not God’s children.

1 John 3:1, 3-10 (NCV)

References

King James Version Study Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988.

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

New Student Bible. New York: Zondervan, 1992.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. New York: Zondervan, 2008.

LaSor, Hubbard, and Bush. Old Testament Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996.