INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was used of God to prophesy during the last 40 years of the small Southern Kingdom of Judah’s history. By the time Jeremiah begins his ministry, it had been 100 years since the Assyrians had destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel. As the Assyrian empire weakened through the years, of course, they were overthrown by the Babylonians.

 

Jeremiah’s ministry actually began in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign (627 B.C.) according to (1:2), who ruled for 31 years (II Chron. 34:1). His ministry continued through the reigns of the last four kings of Judah, all of whom, as we saw coming through II Chronicles and II Kings, were wicked (Jehoahaz,

Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah). As Jeremiah notes in 1:3, his ministry concluded with “the carrying away ofJerusalemcaptive,” which was in 586 B.C.

 

Jeremiah is sometimes referred to as “the Weeping Prophet” (see 9:1;13:17;14:17;15:17-18; Lam.

1:2; 2:11, 18). His tears flowed out of his passion for God’s glory (13:15-17), andIsrael’s “backsliding” from her God. “Backsliding” is the key word in the Book (see 2:19; 3:6,8,11-12, 22; 5:6; 8:5; 14:7), for which cause the word “repent” is used 11 times by the prophet. Though repentance was his continual message,Judahnever did. No Old Testament prophet suffered more opposition than did Jeremiah

(2:8, 26; 4:9; 5:31; 6:14; 14:13-16; 18:18; 23:9-40; 26:8-19; 27:9-16; chapters 28-29).

 

It is important to realize that the Book of Jeremiah is not necessarily arranged in chronological order, but by similar subject matter. Remember, the Bible is not laid out according to how American’s think. We think linearly (i.e. in a line). The Bible is an Asian Book. It is presented in a circle. By presenting the truth of Jeremiah by similar subject, it helps us to see more clearly the tragic results of sin.

 

 

 

Perhaps the simplest breakdown of the Book is as follows:

The Fate of Judah (1-33)

The Fate of Jerusalem (34-45)

The Fate of the Gentile Nations (46-52)

 

TODAY’S READING: JEREMIAH 1-4

 

OVERVIEW:

God’s call of Jeremiah (1:1-19); God’s explanation thatIsraelwas an unfaithful spouse (2:1-3:5); God’s explanation that there was still time forIsraelto repent (3:6-4:4); God’s warning of judgment for refusing to repent (4:5-31).

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As mentioned in the “Introduction,” Jeremiah details in verses 2 and 3 of chapter one that the period in which he prophesied was approximately between 627-587 B.C. His ministry spanned fromJudah’s last RIGHTEOUS king (Josiah; 640-609 B.C.) toJudah’s last ACTUAL king (Zedekiah; 597-587 B.C.).

 

Verse 3 lets us know that Jeremiah lived to seeJerusalemdestroyed by the Babylonians, an event he both prophesied and lamented.  God’s call upon Jeremiah as it is revealed in chapter one forever settles the question of when life begins. The Bible is very clear that life begins before our actual birth (Jer. 1:5; Psalm 139:14-15), and continues on after our actual death (Heb.9:27)! God tells Jeremiah that a whole lot had taken place concerning him even before He formed him in his mother’s womb: He “knew” him; He “sanctified” him; and “ordained” him to be “a prophet unto the nations.” The same thing could be said about God’s purposes for your life!

 

Much as in the case of God’s call upon Moses (Ex.3:11), Jeremiah’s initial response was to focus on his own inadequacies and inabilities. God tells Jeremiah, as He did Moses (Ex.3:14), that His call upon his life wasn’t about who Jeremiah was, but who He was! He tells Jeremiah: “I’ll send you; I’ll tell you what to say; when the people don’t like it, I’ll deliver you; I’ll put my words in your mouth, because I have set you over the nations and the kingdoms” (1:7-10).

 

God tells Jeremiah that his actual ministry would be six-fold: 1) “to root out” 2) “to pull down” 3)”to destroy” 4) “to throw down” 5) “to build” 6) “to plant.” Interestingly, two-thirds of Jeremiah’s ministry was intended by God to be negative. Perhaps this is a good time to make sure we understand what a “prophet” was actually being called to do. Basically, we could say that a prophet in the Bible was a man that God raised up to take God’s side against the people who had turned away from him. 

 

Obviously, there were other implications, but that’s it in a nutshell. It is not much different than what God intends for a New Testament preacher. In fact, it is interesting to note that two-thirds of the ministry of a preacher of the Word of God, God intends to be negative! God said through Paul in II Timothy 4:2, that a preacher of the Word must “reprove” (negative), “rebuke” (negative) and “exhort” (positive) “with all longsuffering and doctrine.” No wonder Jeremiah had it so tough in his day, and no wonder those who “preach the Word” have it so tough in our day (Rev. 3:14-22)! InLaodicea, just as in Jeremiah’s day, God’s side isn’t a whole lot like His people’s side! In fact, Jesus said it’s the exact opposite! “Because thou sayest (here’s what we think about ourselves), I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not (here’s what Jesus says is really true of ourselves) that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17).

 

Notice in1:17-19, God didn’t tell Jeremiah that his task would be easy, in fact, He warned that it could be very intimidating (“be not dismayed at their faces” –1:17), and that it would be a constant battle (“they shall fight against thee” –1:19). Amidst the difficulty, however, God commanded Jeremiah to “suck it up” (i.e. “gird up thy loins” –1:17), and promised His abiding presence and power. (“I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee” –1:19). How much difficulty and adversity could you endure in your mission with a promise like that? Check out God’s promise to us in our mission in Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. God ye THEREFORE (And, implied is that He is going to empower us with His power!) … and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”!

 

In chapter 2 and through 3:5, God has some incredibly strong things to say to Jeremiah about His people. He even likens them to an unfaithful, adulterous spouse, in contrast to God’s constant faithfulness and goodness to them. He tells Jeremiah (2:1-3) thatIsraelhad forgotten her devotion to Him in her “youth” (when God had first delivered them out ofEgypt– i.e. her “first love” – Rev. 2:4); that she had become ungrateful (2:4-8); had changed her God (2:9-13); had ignored God’s discipline (2:14-19); had denied any wrongdoing (2:20-28); had mistreated the poor (2:29-37); and had been sleeping around (3:1-5).

 

In spite of her sin, however, God tells Jeremiah that He is merciful, and that He is willing to forgive her if she will simply return to Him, and put away her other lovers (3:6-4:4). What a God!

 

In 4:5-31, God tells Jeremiah that thoughIsraelhas time to repent, He is only providing a window of time to do so. He warns that if they refuse to return to Him, He will send an army to annihilate their nation.

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

3:16– “in those days” (specifically, the Tribulation Period)

3:17– “At that time they shall callJerusalemthe throne of the Lord”

3:18– “in those days” (specifically, the Tribulation Period)

4:9 – “at that day”

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS – Jeremiah2:13(John7:37, 4:1-26).

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 60-66

 

OVERVIEW: The exaltation of Jerusalem in the day of the Lord (60:1-22); the mission of the Messiah in His first coming (61:1-2a) ; the mission of the Messiah in His second coming (61:2b-11); the restoration of Zion (62:1-63:6); the petition of Israel (63:7-64:12); God’s response to Israel’s prayer (65:1-25); the blessing of God in the Millennial Kingdom (66:1-24).

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

All the way through the Book of Isaiah, God has been pointing us through the prophet to that incredible day when the Lord Jesus Christ will establish His rule and reign in His Millennial Kingdom. 

 

Once again, that is the theme and focal point in the chapters in today’s reading (60-66).  When the remnant ofIsraelreturned into their homeland following the Babylonian captivity, the city, with its walls, gates, and temple was in shambles (“laid waste” – 64:10-11).   It was anything but glorious.  But Isaiah looks down through the years to a time when the Lord Jesus Christ has stepped in and changed all of that.  Interestingly, the word “glory,” or one of its forms (glorify, glorified, glorious) is found 23 times in these seven chapters of Isaiah alone.

 

We are presently living in a biblical “nighttime.”  The “night” began in Acts 1:9 when Jesus ascended back to the right hand of His Father, because Jesus had clearly said in John 9:5 – “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  At that point, the “Sun” went down, so to speak, and it became night as far as God is concerned (Rom.13:12; I Thess. 5:5-7; Phil2:15).  We now await the glorious day when the “Sun (Mal. 4:1-2 – note, capital S-U-N, not S-O-N!!!) of righteousness” will “arise” and the light will again shine on this planet and it will be “the DAY of the Lord”!  This is exactly what Isaiah is prophesying in 60:1-2 “Arise, shine; for the LORD is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”  In that day, as Isaiah goes on to explain in verses 3-9, the Gentile nations will be coming in peace to Jerusalem, offering gifts to “the Holy One of Israel,” the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.   At that time, as Isaiah describes in verses 10-22, the walls of the nation will be rebuilt (60:10), and the “gate shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night” (60:11), implying that there will no longer be the threat of an invading nation or nations (also, see 60:18).

 

Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 61 were read by the Lord Jesus Christ in the synagogue inNazareth(Luke4:16-21).  Jesus concluded the reading by saying, “this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears,” letting us know that Isaiah 60:1-2 refers to Him, if there could be any doubt of that in anyone’s mind.  It is quite interesting to note that when Jesus read those verses, He very purposely and calculatedly stopped in the middle of verse 2, before reading “and the day of vengeance of our God.”  We now know that the reason He didn’t read it, was because the fulfillment of the prophecy was dependent upon what the Nation of Israel would do with their opportunity to receive her King.  When Israel refused her final offer of the Kingdom at the stoning of Stephen, God inserted a parenthesis we call the Church Age, and now “the day of vengeance of our God” (i.e. Tribulation/Second Coming) will not kick in until God’s plan for the church has been accomplished.  Because “the day of vengeance of our God” has not yet started, it lets us know that we are still presently living in what God calls “the acceptable year of the Lord”! We must “redeem the time” making sure that we “walk in wisdom toward them that are without” (Col. 4:5).  Notice in Isaiah 61:2, that following the Tribulation and Second Coming (“the day of vengeance”), the Lord will “comfort all that mourn” (Millennium), and will flip-flop Israel’s suffering and affliction into blessing and rejoicing.

 

Though Israel in Isaiah’s day was God’s “forsaken” wife (62:4) and had been left “desolate” because of her whoredoms, when the Lord Jesus Christ establishes His kingdom, Israel will be called “Hephzibah” (“my delight is in her”), and “Beulah” (“married”), as once again, she will be “married” to Jehovah, and He will “delight” in her (Hos. 2:16-17).  (Remember, Israel is the bride of the Father, we (the church) are the bride of Christ.)

 

Chapter 63 pictures Christ as a bloody warrior.  At His first coming, His enemies stained Him with His own blood.  When Isaiah sees Him here at His Second Coming, once again, He will be stained with blood.  This time, however, it is not His own blood, but the blood of His enemies (63:1-4)!  Never lose sight of the fact that He who is (was) the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6) in His first coming, will be a “Man of War” (Ex. 15:3) at His second coming!

 

Chapter 65 records the Lord’s response to the prayer of His remnant, and chapter 66 describes the true worship of the Messiah in His Millennial Kingdom.  As we conclude the Book of Isaiah, what we have called “a microcosm of the Bible,” note that chapter 66 covers the same ground as the Book of Revelation (Tribulation, Second Coming, Millennium, New Heaven and New Earth).

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

60:1 – “the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”

60:2 – “the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” 60:7 – “I will glorify the house of my glory.” 60:13 – “I will make the place of my feet glorious” 60:20 – “the days of thy mourning shall be ended” 61:2 – “the day of vengeance of our God”

63:4 – “the day of vengeance”

63:4 – “the year of my redeemed”

66:15 – “the Lord will come with fire”

66:18 – “I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory”

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the ANOINTED ONE PREACHING GOOD TIDINGS – Isa. 61:1 (Luke4:16-22).

As the CREATOR OF NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH – Isa. 65:17; 66:2 (John 1:1-3; II Pet.3:13; Rev. 21:1).

As the ONE WHOSE GLORY WILL BE WITNESSED BY ALL NATIONS – Isa. 66:18-19 (Rev. 5:12-13).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 53-59

 

OVERVIEW: The humiliation of the Servant (Messiah) (53:1-12); the blessings of the Servant (Messiah) (54:1-55:13); the blessing of God upon the Gentiles (56:1-8); the condemnation of God upon the wicked (56:9-57:21); the restoration of true worship (58:1-14); the transgression of Israel (59:1-8); the confession of Israel (59:9-15a); the Lord’s deliverance of Israel (59:15b-21).

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Isaiah 53 is one of the most incredible chapters in the entire Bible.  It was this very chapter that the Ethiopian eunuch was struggling to understand out on that desert road in Acts 8, when the Lord prompted Philip to ask him if he understood what he was reading.  When he responded, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” (Acts8:31), “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto Him Jesus” (Acts8:35). Philip used this passage to lead this Ethiopian dignitary to Christ, and it is commonly believed that it was through his conversion that the gospel first made its way into the continent ofAfricain the first century.  This is the most comprehensive, and yet concise passage in the entire Bible concerning the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Because of its significance, we will devote most of our attention to this chapter of today’s reading.

 

In verses 1-3, Isaiah prophesies the rejection that our Lord would endure.  John1:11says, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”  By the time the Lord Jesus Christ came to the earth, the Jews were living under the oppression domination ofRome.  The Messiah they were looking for was a political revolutionary who would come in warrior-like fashion to overthrow the Roman government and establish His own Kingdom and empire on the earth – a Kingdom in which the Jews would be preeminent.  They failed to understand that the physical oppression of Rome under Caesar was just a minor illustration of a spiritual oppression they were experiencing because of sin, and the fact that they were being held in the “snare” of this world by the very will of Satan himself (II Tim. 2:26; Eph. 2:2). They failed to realize that in order for their Messiah and King to have citizens in His kingdom, the sin issue that caused spiritual death in them (Gen. 2:17; Rom 5:12) would have to be dealt with, and that they would need to call upon the name of the Lord to be delivered from their sin, and experience a spiritual birth, before even they, the Jews, would qualify for kingdom citizenship.  They failed to realize that their Messiah would take up a cross before He would take up His crown; that there would be humiliation before His exaltation; that there would be suffering before there would be glory. 

 

Isaiah begins in verse one to foreshadow the fact that there would be difficulty for the Jews “believing,” once the “arm of the Lord” (the Lord Jesus Christ) was “revealed” on the earth.  Their difficulty, Isaiah says in verse 2, is how He came into this world.  He came as a humble bush (“tender plant”), not as a stalwart tree.  “Dry ground” is a reference to the barren spiritual condition of the Nation of Israel when their Messiah would be “revealed.”  He came offering life to the parched soil of their lives, but it wasn’t the life they were looking for. He didn’t come on the scene displaying the power and majesty that would attract them to Him (“he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” – 53:2).  Because of it, the Jews “despised and rejected” God’s glorious Servant, and their Messiah.  He who is the King of kings became “a man of sorrows.”  The One to whom belonged all glory, was “acquainted with grief.”  The One who offered life and forgiveness to all who would simply look to Him, had his own people “hide” their “faces from him.”  The One who should have been lauded and honored, was “despised” and “esteemed not.” 

 

Even though He came to bare the “griefs” and the “sorrows” man inflicted upon himself through the choice of sin, it was of no consequence. The Lord Jesus Christ was treated as a common criminal, one worthy of the treatment He received (53:4).

 

Note in verse 5 the price that he paid through His crucifixion: He was “wounded;” “bruised”; “chastised;” “striped” (referring to the stripes upon His back through being scourged with whips).  Notice also in verse 5, the reason for such brutality: It was “for our transgressions.”  It was “for our iniquities.”  It was so we might experience “peace” – “peace” with God, and thus, “peace” with ourselves.  It was so we could be “healed.”  It was because every one of us had “gone astray,” turning from God “to our own way.”  It was the Father providing His only begotten Son to die a substitution death for our sin (“the Lord hast laid on him the iniquity of us all”).  Through the entire ordeal of His unfair trial and merciless crucifixion, never did “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John1:29) ever “open his mouth” (53:7-8). 

 

Isaiah said that when He died, it would be with “the wicked” (i.e. crucified between two thieves), and yet His burial would be connected with “the rich” (i.e.  He “borrowed” the tomb of Joseph of Arimithea, or rich man – Matt. 27:57).

 

And yet, all of this, according to verses 10-12, was purposed and planned by God!  It is the same incomprehensible truth Peter preached about on the Day of Pentecost.  That Christ was “delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts2:23)!

 

You can keep your bearings through today’s reading by following the content of the chapters detailed in today’s overview, but do allow yourself to lose your bearings today in the wonder of our glorious Saviour and His willingness to offer Himself as a sacrifice for us as it is detailed in Isaiah 53. Pray that, like Philip, God will allow you to use this chapter today to “preach Jesus” to some needy soul.

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the ONE WHO WAS REJECTED BY HIS OWN – Isa.  53:3 (John1:11; Luke23:18)

As the ONE WHO REMAINED SILENT THOUGH FALSELY ACCUSED – Isa. 53:7 (Mark15:3-5).

As the ONE WHO WAS BURIED WITH THE RICH – Isa. 53:9 (Matt. 27:57-60).

As the ONE WHO WAS CRUCIFIED WITH SINNERS – Isa. 53:12 (Mark15:27-28).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 46-52

 

OVERVIEW:Israel’s preservation and restoration fromBabylon(46:1-47:15); admonition to the restored nation (48:1-22); the mission of the Servant (Messiah) (49:1-26); the submission of the Servant (Messiah) (50:1-11); the provision by the Servant (Messiah) (51:1-52:12). 

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In yesterday’s reading we saw the Lord’s prophecy through Isaiah to rise up Cyrus, the Persian King, to conquer the Babylonians and set free the captives ofIsrael, enabling them to return to their land.  Do note, however, that Cyrus only prefigures “the Lords’ anointed.” (45:1), the Lord Jesus Christ, who will one day (soon!) establish His Millennial Kingdom and restore Israel to her homeland.  “In that day,” all of the Gentile nations of the world will submit themselves to the rule ofIsrael’s King, and “every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (45:23).

 

In chapters 46 and 47, Isaiah detailsBabylon’s collapse, along with its gods.  God declares thatBabylon’s gods are absolutely powerless to rescueBabylonfrom His impending judgment and destruction.  Just as God raised up Cyrus from the east (46:11) to conquer Israel’s oppressor, the Lord Jesus Christ will also rise from the east as the “SUN of righteousness” to deliver the Nation of Israel on the “day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:1-2)!

 

In chapter 48, like many in “Laodicea” (Rev. 3:14-22), the Lord indicts those who confess His Name and even profess the same in baptism (devotional application), but it can’t be recognized by the life they live (48:1). The chapter goes on to show that because ofIsrael’s stubbornness (“thy neck is an iron sinew” – 48:4a) and obstinacy (“thy brow brass” – 48:4b), the Lord would discipline them by allowing them to be brought into Babylonian captivity.  Even so, He promises to bring them back.  Praise the Lord for His marvelous grace and mercy, because we need it in our stubbornness and obstinacy just as surely as does/didIsrael!

 

As we enter chapter 49, the Lord reveals His Servant (the Messiah), and how He will restoreIsraelboth physically and spiritually in the Promised Land.  Though “Zionsaid, The LORD hast forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me” (49:14) the Lord promises that He will not “forsake” or “forget” them!  Even though they rejected Him (John 1:11), He will still fulfill His purposes and promises to them, ultimately bringing blessing to Israel, along with the Gentile nations of the world, in the Millennium (49:22, 25-26).  Chapter 50 contrasts the disobedience ofIsrael, with the obedience ofIsrael’s Servant (Messiah).

 

In chapters 51 and 52, the Nation of Israel is exhorted to “look” (51:1, 2) through the eyes of the faith into the future to see the LORD, the Comforter of Zion (51:3), as He rescues Israel from the nations, bringing them into their land, and into the blessing of Messiah’s rule in the Millennial Kingdom, when they will no longer be afflicted by the Gentile nations (52:1).  In light of His promise of deliverance,Israelis exhorted to “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places ofJerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemedJerusalem.  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”  (52:9-10).

 

I, personally, can’t wait for the “suffering Servant” (i.e. “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” – 52:14) to “be exalted and extolled, and be very high” (52:13), when “the kings [of the nations] shall shut their mouths at him” (52:15).  And, once again, with the Apostle John we cry out, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20)!

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

46:13 –“I will place salvation inZionforIsraelmy glory.” 51:3 –“the Lord will comfortZion” 51:11 –“the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing untoZion.” 52:6 –“in that day” 52:8 –“when the Lord shall bring again Zion” 52:10 –“The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations” 52:10 –“all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God”

 

 

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE FIRST AND THE LAST – Isa. 48:12 (Rev. 1:11; 2:8;22:13).

 

As THY SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER – Isa. 49:26 (Titus 2:13-14; II Pet. 1:1; I Cor. 6:20; Gal. 4;4-5; I Pet. 1:18-19).

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 40-45

 

OVERVIEW: Judah’s future captivity in Babylon and promise of deliverance (40:1-11); God’s omnipotence (40:12-26); God’s sustaining power (40:27-31); God’s sovereignty in history (41:1-7); God’s protection of Israel (41:8-20); God’s challenge to the idols (41:21-29); the Servant of the LORD (42:1-25); assurance of Israel’s restoration (43:1-44:5); the witness of the restored nation (44:6-23); the fulfillment of restoration (44:24-45:25). 

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In the microcosm of the Bible that we call the Book of Isaiah, having covered the first 39 chapters, representative of the Old Testament, we begin today the section representative of the New Testament.  Interestingly, as we come to chapter 40, Isaiah begins, as does Matthew in the New Testament, with “The voice of him (John the Baptist – Matt. 3:1-3) that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (40:3).  Just as a little sidelight, this is one of my favorite little “ditties” to show Jehovah’s False Witnesses outside the doors of my house (II John 7-10) just before I lovingly tell them they are of an antichrist spirit (II John 7).  Note that when Isaiah makes this prophecy, John the Baptist, he says, will be preparing the way of “Jehovah.”  Every time you see the word “LORD” in our King James Bible written in all capital letters, as in verse 40:3, it is signifying that this is the Hebrew word for “Jehovah.”!  When the prophecy is fulfilled in Matt. 3:1-3, Jehovah is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!!!  The same incredible truth also took place earlier in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 6.  In Isaiah 6:5, Isaiah saw “Jehovah” (the “LORD” of hosts — KJV) in all of His glory.  When the Holy Spirit writes of this (II Pet.1:21) in John 12:37-41, He says that Isaiah was seeing CHRIST’S (!!!) glory and spoke of CHRIST!!! And all of God’s people said, AMEN!!!

 

Hey, this is way too much fun to stop now!  Let me show you a few more little Jehovah’s False Witness “ditties.”  In chapter 42:8, God clearly says that “GLORY” belongs to “JEHOVAH” (‘the LORD” – KJV) ALONE:  “I am the LORD: that is my name (“Jehovah”!): and my glory will I not give to another.”  John1:14says, “And the Word (Christ – John 1:1) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  Very simply, in light of Isaiah 42:8, if Jesus Christ isn’t “Jehovah,” where did He get His glory?  Hopefully, you’re seeing how monumental these verses are!  In John 17:5, as Jesus prayed to “Jehovah,” His Father, He prayed, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Again, in light of Isaiah 42:8, why would Jesus ask for something “Jehovah” doesn’t give? 

 

In chapter 43 and verse 10, God makes reference to His “witnesses.” These are what we like to call the “True Jehovah’s Witnesses”!  And in verse 11, God says very clearly, that there is only one “Jehovah” (“the LORD” – KJV), and “Jehovah” is the ONLY SAVIOUR: “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”  Check out Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our SAVIOUR Jesus Christ.”  Notice that Jesus Christ is referred to as the “SAVIOUR” (Isa. 43:11), and that He is “THE GREAT GOD”!  Not “a” God.  “THE” GOD!!!

 

In chapter 44 and verse 6, it lets us know that “Jehovah” (“the LORD” – KJV) is the ONLY eternal God, and that the attribute of being “the first and the last” is only true of “Jehovah God.”  In light of the clear teaching of this verse, check out Revelation 1:10-11:  “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice (the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ in the context!), as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST” !!!

 

And just one more.  In chapter 44 and verse 24 says that “Jehovah” (“the LORD” – KJV) made “all things” by HIMSELF (“myself”).  In light of that, check out John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16: “ALL THINGS(!!!) were made by him (the “Word,” the Lord Jesus Christ!); and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).  “For by him (the “Son” – Col. 1:13, again, the Lord Jesus Christ!) were ALL THINGS (just as in Isa. 44:24) created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS (there it is again!) were created by him, and for him” (Col. 1:16). How ‘bout them apples for God proving that Jesus Christ, His Son, is “JEHOVAH”!

 

To help you keep the flow going in Isaiah in the chapters of today’s reading, follow the sequence listed in today’s more extensive “OVERVIEW.”

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

40:10 – “the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him.”

42:4 –   “till he have set judgment in the earth”

42:13 – “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man”

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As JEHOVAH in the verses in today’s reading listed above – Isa. 40:3; 42:8; 43:10-11; 44:6; 44:24 As SHEPHERD – Isa. 40:11 (John 10:11) As CREATOR – Isa. 40:28 (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16) As REDEEMER – Isa. 41:14 (Gal. 3:13; I Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9) As HE TO WHOM EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE SWEAR (CONFESS) – Isa. 45:23 (Phil. 2:10).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 32-39

 

OVERVIEW:

Israel’s deliverance through Messiah’s reign; woe against Assyria; destruction of the Gentile nations; blessings in the Millennial Kingdom; the invasion of the Babylonians under Sennacherib; Hezekiah’s consultation with Isaiah; Hezekiah’s dependence and trust in the Lord; Hezekiah’s illness and recovery; Hezekiah’s foolish reception of the Babylonian messengers; Israel’s captivity into Babylon foretold.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we pick up in chapter 32 today, Isaiah points us to that time in the Millennium when, “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.”  This is the same time to which John was referring in the Book of Revelation when he wrote, “[Thou] hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:10); “…But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).  Isaiah said that that time would be when “the spirit [would] be poured upon us from on high.”  It is a prophecy concerning the “last days” which actually kicked in and were partially fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 (see Acts 2:16-17 specifically), but were put on hold after the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7.  They will pick up again during the Tribulation Period after the “parenthesis” of the “Church Age.”  (also see Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25-27; Joel 2:28-32).

 

In chapter 33 we pick up the sixth and final “woe.” This woe is pronounced onAssyria.  Isaiah prophesies that the Assyrians, under Sennacherib would bringJudahinto subjection, forcing them to pay annual tribute (taxes), while demanding their total surrender.  The Lord promises deliverance from the Assyrians, and uses the occasion, as we have consistently seen Him do, to point to the fact that there will come a time (in theMillennialKingdom) when the nations of the world will never be a threat toIsraelagain.  The righteous will then live in peace with their Messiah: “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us” (33:22).

 

In chapters 34 and 35, just as we saw in chapters 24-27, the Lord goes from talking about the judgment of Assyria (chapter 33), to the universal judgment of the Gentile nations which will be fulfilled at Armageddon (Rev.19:11-21).  Notice how God points to the universality of this judgment in 34:1 through the words ”nations,” “people,” “earth,” and “world.”  At the Second Coming of Christ when the Lord Jesus Christ establishes His Millennial reign on the earth, Isaiah points to the physical (35:3-6) and spiritual (35:7-10) changes that will then take place on the earth.  Verse 8 says, “And an highway shall be there.”  You’ve gotta love it, it’s called, “The way of holiness,” and only “the redeemed (those who have been bought by the blood of the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ) shall walk there” (35:9)!

 

Chapter 36, all the way to 38:8 parallels what we saw in II Kings 18:17-20:11.  The highlight for me is when threatened by the Assyrians, King Hezekiah looks to Isaiah, God’s man (37:1-2), and to God Himself for help (37:14-15).  The proud Assyrians warned Hezekiah not to trust the Lord to deliver them, and notice what Hezekiah did with the letter: “And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD” (37:14-15).  How is the Devil seeking to intimidate you today?  Follow Hezekiah’s example!  The New Testament equivalent is Philippians 4:6-7: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Because of Hezekiah’s dependence and trust in the Lord, the Lord promised to protectJerusalemand deliver His believing remnant.  That night the Lord destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, and Sennacherib (the loudmouth, boastful “intimidator”) went back home with his tail between his legs!

 

When Hezekiah got sick (38:1), he prayed that the Lord would spare his life.  The Lord answered his prayer, granting him 15 more years.  When the Babylonians heard that he had recovered from his sickness (39:1), they sent messengers and a present to him.  Hezekiah foolishly received them, and showed them all of the immensity and glory of the treasures in Solomon’sTemple.  As a result, Isaiah prophesied that they would return and carry away all of the treasures they had seen, along with all of God’s people into Babylonian captivity.

 

One thing to note about chapters 38 and 39 in today’s reading:  they actually precede chapters 36 and 37 from a chronological standpoint, but they are placed where they are because they anticipate the Babylonian captivity, which is the subject matter in chapters 40-66.  Also be reminded that chapter 39 ends the section of Isaiah representing the 39 Books of the Old Testament.  

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

34:8 – “the day of the Lord’s vengeance”

34:8 – “the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion” 35:4 – “God will come with vengeance” 35:4 – “God [will come] with a recompense” 37:3 – “a day of trouble” 38:1 – “in those days” (more specifically, Tribulation Period)

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the ONE WHO WIELDS “THE SWORD OF THE LORD” IN JUDGMENT – Isa. 34:6 (Rev. 19:15).

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 26-31

 

OVERVIEW:

Worship in the Millennial Kingdom; praise for the preservation of Israel; woe against the drunkards of Ephraim; woe against Jerusalem; woe against the schemers; woe against those who trust in Egypt; woe against those who trust in Egypt’s military defense.   

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapters 26 and 27 describe the worship that will be taking place in theMillennialKingdom.  Chapter 26 begins with the words, “In that day shall this song be sung in thelandofJudah,” and then it goes on to give us the actual words of the song!  The song is a song of praise to the Lord for His glorious protection.  The godly will enter into the “strong city” ofJerusalem, but the strength of the city is not because of her physical walls, it is the salvation imparted to its occupants by the Lord Himself (26:1-2)!  Because of their trust in the Lord and their meditation on the Lord, the Lord blesses them with perfect peace (26:3).  Don’t miss that verse 3 is a biblical prescription for that kind of peace now, as well as then!

 

The song in chapter 26 continues with praise for the Lord’s judgment against His enemies in verses 5-11.  In verses 12-15, it is praise for God’s permanent victory over His enemies; and verses 16-21 are praise to the Lord for his deliverance from suffering.  Isaiah is describingIsrael’s suffering in the Tribulation, and is giving to them the glorious promise of resurrection (26:19)!

 

The song continues in chapter 27, praising God for the slaying of Leviathan.Israel’s enemies are pictured here by this slithering creature that is described as a serpent and a dragon.  As we discussed in our coverage of Job 41, Leviathan is none other than that seven-headed red dragon (Ps. 74:13-14; Rev. 12:3) that is “that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan” (Rev. 12:9). Israel’s enemies in the Tribulation Period are the nations, but God identifies for us the actual power that is working behind the scenes and through these nations.  It is none other than Satan.  Rev. 13:4 tells us that Satan has wanted to devourIsraelsince the day she was born!  Chapter 27 goes on to praise the Lord for His judgment against the Gentile nations that have afflictedIsrael.  The chapter ends withIsrael“worshipping the Lord in the holy mount atJerusalem” (27:12-13).  It’s exactly what the Father has always longed for His Son to receive.

 

In the remaining chapters in today’s reading (28-31), Isaiah pronounces five of six “woes” upon those who scoff at God’s Word (We will pick up the sixth “woe” in the next day’s reading).  For the most part, God is indictingIsraelandJudahfor trusting in their wealth and the help they could receive from their alliances with foreign nations, rather than trusting Him.

 

The first woe is directed against Ephraim, the large tribe that was representative of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  It anticipates the Assyrian invasion and subsequent fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C., but also looks ahead to the day of the Lord (“in that day” – verse 5) when the remnant of Israel would repent and receive a “crown of glory” and a “diadem of beauty,” the very Lord Jesus Christ when He returns to the earth to establish His Millennial reign.

 

In chapter 29, the second woe is given against “Ariel, the city where David dwelt!” (29:1 – i.e.Jerusalem).  It prophesies the invasion of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, and describes in an historic sense and a prophetic sense, how the nations that hunger and thirst forIsrael’s destruction will be destroyed themselves.

 

The third woe appears in verses 15-24 of chapter 29, and is directed against those who seek to scheme against the Lord, thinking He doesn’t see them.

 

Chapter 30 opens with the fourth woe, directed againstJudahfor their rebellion against the Lord — specifically the rebellion they expressed by trusting inEgyptrather than the Lord Himself.  The chapter continues on to describe how that their alliance withEgyptwould fail, and howJudahwould be chastened of the Lord.  In verse 18, God begins to point, once again, to that time when the chastening would be over, and He would destroy the nations of the world that set themselves againstIsrael, and bring them into the blessings of the Messiah when He rules in His Kingdom.

 

The fifth woe, in chapter 31, continues the condemnation againstJudahfor looking toEgyptfor help militarily against the Assyrians.  The chapter ends with God’s declaration thatAssyriawould ultimately be defeated, not by man, but by Him (!), and that they would be defeated, not by man’s sword, but God’s!  You’re holding that Sword in your hands at this very moment!  Allow it to defeat and destroy all of the worldliness that is afflicting your life today!

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

26:1 –  “in that day”

27:1 –  “in that day”

27:2 –  “in that day”

27:12 –  “in that day”

27:13 –  “in that day”

28:5 –  “in that day”

29:18 –  “in that day”

30:23 –  “it is a day of trouble”

30:25 –  “in that day”

30:25 –  “in the day of the great slaughter”

30:26 –  “in the day”

31:7 –  “in that day”

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the PRECIOUS (CHIEF) CORNER STONE, A SURE FOUNDATION – Isa. 28:16 (Eph.2:20-21; Matt. 1:42; Acts4:10-12; Rom.9:33; I Pet. 2:6-8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 19-25

 

OVERVIEW:

The judgment of Egypt; the judgment of Babylon; the judgment of Edom; the judgment of Arabia; the judgment of Jerusalem; the judgment of Tyre; the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom; the blessings of the Millennial Kingdom.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Isaiah points to the judgment ofEgyptas we come into chapters 19 and 20.  He pictures the “Lord riding upon a swift cloud” coming in judgment intoEgypt(19:1) causing such havoc and upheaval that is sendsEgyptinto a massive civil war (19:2).  Once again, though there was certainly an historic fulfillment of this prophecy in Isaiah’s day, it is also pointing to a different day!  Specifically, “that day”!  What day? The day of the Lord!  The day of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Second Coming.  The Assyrian judgment ofEgyptis simply a prefigure of our Lord’s judgment uponEgyptin the near future!  Isaiah sees a time when thelandofJudahis preeminent in the world (19:17), and both the Egyptians and the Assyrians will be subject toIsrael’s Messiah and worship Him (19:18-23).  During the Millennium, Isaiah sees these three former enemies,Israel,EgyptandAssyrialiving in harmony, blessed of the Lord (19:24-25).

 

In chapter 20, God uses Isaiah to be an object lesson to warn the people ofJudahwho were seeking an alliance withEgyptagainstAssyria.  God tells Isaiah to remove his outer garment and his sandals to picture what would become of the Egyptians and Ethiopians:  they would become humiliated and destitute (“naked” and “barefooted”).  He says that the Assyrians would expose the Egyptians “behinds” (20:4), and becauseJudahhad sought an alliance with them, they too, would be ashamed, and realize that rather than trustEgypt, they should have trusted the Lord!

 

As chapter 21 begins, “the desert of the sea” is a reference to the Babylonian plain by theTigrisandEuphratesRivers.  Babylon is identified in 21:9 as the object of this prophecy, and once again, it becomes obvious that there is both an historic and prophetic fulfillment of God’s prophecy through Isaiah, as the words “Babylon is fallen, is fallen” (21:9) are repeated in Revelation 14:8 and 18:2, to be fulfilled at the time of the Second Coming.  Verse 10 lets us know thatBabylon’s destruction will spell freedom for God’s peopleIsrael, who will have been “threshed” (i.e. beat down, or afflicted).  The remainder of chapter 21 deals with the judgment ofEdom(21:11-12) and the judgment ofArabia(21:13-17).

 

Having prophesied God’s judgment upon the nations surroundingJerusalem, in chapter 22, Isaiah prophesies God’s judgment uponJerusalem.  It is called “the valley of vision” in 22:1 becauseJerusalemwas surrounded by valleys on three sides. From an historic standpoint, this is the judgment found in II Kings 25, as Babylon invaded Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar in 588-586 B.C., but notice the tell-tale signs of a futuristic fulfillment at the Second Coming of Christ in 22:8, 12, 20 and 25 – “in that day”!

 

In chapter 23, God prophesies thatTyre, the commercial trading center of the Mediterranean world would be destroyed because of her pride.  This prophecy was fulfilled in an historical sense by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. when he laid waste the city.

 

Note the word “Behold” in 24:1.  “Behold” always points to a future event.  What Isaiah describes in chapter 24 is the establishment of theMillennialKingdom.  In the first six verses Isaiah describes a universal judgment of the entire earth.  Verse one is tremendously graphic: “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.”  In verses 13-16, Isaiah points to the fact that the godly remnant that survives the Tribulation Period will praise the Lord for His righteous judgments.  The Apostle John sees the same fulfillment in Rev.  7:1-10; 15: 3-4; 16:5, 7; 19:2.  The remainder of the world will be judged in a horrific fashion, as described in 24:17-23.

 

In chapter 25, the millennium is described as a feast, or a banquet at which Gentiles from all over the entire world will bow their knee and worshipIsrael’s king who sits on His throne inJerusalem(“this mountain” – 25:6, 7, 10).

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

           19:16    –  “in that day”

           19:18    –  “in that day”

           19:19    –  “in that day”

           19:21    –  “in that day”

           19:23    –  “in that day”

           19:24    –  “in that day”

            20:6      –  “in that day”

            22:5      –  “it is a day of trouble”

            22:8      –  “in that day”

           22:12    –  “in that day”

           22:20    –  “in that day”

           22:25    –  “in that day”

           23:14    –  “in that day”

            24:21    –  “in that day”

            25:9      –  “in that day”

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In ELIAKIM, MASTER OF HEZEKIAH’S HOUSEHOLD – Isa.22:20-22 (What is said of him is true of Christ Who is the master over the household of faith – Rev. 3:7; Heb. 3:6; Gal.6:10).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 13-18

 

OVERVIEW:

The judgment ofBabylon; the judgment ofAssyria; the judgment ofPhilistia; the judgment ofMoab; the judgment ofDamascus; the judgment ofEthiopia.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into chapter 13 today, we find ourselves in a transition.  Whereas chapters 1-12 dealt with judgments specifically related toJudahandJerusalem, chapters 13-23 broaden the prophecies concerning judgment to include the Gentile nations.

 

BecauseBabylonwas the nation that destroyedJerusalemand took the people ofJudahcaptive in 586 B.C., it is not mere coincidence thatBabylonis at the top of God’s list concerning judging the Gentile the nations.  In 13:1-5, God prophesies concerning those that would wield the judgment, “they come from a far country.”  In an historical sense, it isPersia, which was positioned 350 miles east ofBabylon.  In a prophetic sense, it is referring to heaven itself, and the judgment will be delivered by the Lord Himself “in that day” – “the day of the Lord” (13:6, 9, 13). 

 

Once God has executed His judgment “in that day,” Isaiah says to the nation ofIsraelin 14:3 – “And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.”  Obviously, this is a reference to the peace and restIsraelwill experience in the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I love the way God described what it will be like in His Kingdom in 14:7 – “The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.”  I’m with the Apostle John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”!  (Rev. 22:20)

 

Just as Ezekiel 28:11-17 is referring to the literal King of Tyrus in an historic sense, but is referring to the power that was working through the King of Tyrus as well,Eden’s first “King,” none other than Lucifer himself, Isaiah 14:8-23 does the same basic thing.  It has application to the King of Babylon, but is obviously also referring to the power working behind and through that earthly king, and provides us with vital information concerning Lucifer’s fall.  It may be sound a little “Redneck” to some, but if I had a Bible that didn’t identify “Lucifer” in Isaiah 14:12, I’d get me one that did!  Satan has done a masterful job of writing himself right out of almost every book on church history on the market, and in the past several decades, he’s written himself out of almost every Bible on the market!  Some Bibles refer to him (Lucifer) as the Morning Star in verse 12, and actually have cross references in the margin pointing you to II Peter 1:26, and then to Rev. 22:16 where the “Morning Star” is specifically identified as the very Lord Jesus Christ Himself!!!  I don’t parade myself as knowing Greek or Hebrew or every little nuance concerning the version debate (though we did take a year and half to study this subject in our church on Wednesday nights), what they’ve done with Isaiah 14:12 is spooky enough to me to keep me “toting” (nice southern word) a Bible where I can at least find Satan when I need to!

 

Obviously, in the context, Isaiah 14:27 is talking about what God purposed concerning Babylon and Israel, but it is a “dandy” verse to claim about any and everything God has promised that is in accordance with His purposes for us as New Testament believers: “For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?”

 

In chapters 15 and 16, Isaiah prophesies the destruction of Moab, but again, it has futuristic implications and applications, as 16:5 refers to the time when Moab will seek refuge in Judah (16:3-4), and the rescue will come from the Lord Jesus Christ as He rises to his throne at His Second Coming, “judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.” (Compare Isa. 16:5 with 9:7; 11:4; 28:6; 32:16; 33:5; 42:1, 3, 4; 51:5).

 

Chapters 17 and 18 prophesy both the destruction ofDamascusandEthiopia, and yet is filled with icons pointing to the time of Christ’s Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation Period, and the beginning of His Millennial reign (17:4, 7, 9, 11; 18:4).

 

 

 

   SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

            13:6  –  “the day of the Lord”

            13:9  –  “the day of the Lord”

           13:13–  “in the day”

            14:3  –  “in the day”

            17:4  –  “in that day”

            17:7  –  “at that day”

            17:9  –  “in that day”

           17:11–  “in the day”

            18:4  –  “I will take my rest”

 

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the ONE WHO WILL SIT ON THE THRONE OF DAVID – Isa. 16:5 (Luke1:32-33)

TODAY’S READING: ISAIAH 7-12

 

OVERVIEW:

Isaiah’s message for King Ahaz; Christ’s birth and Kingdom foretold;Assyriato be broken; the promise ofIsrael’s restoration; Christ, the Branch.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The chapters in today’s reading (Isaiah 7-12) have been called “The Book of Immanuel” because of their clear prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Keep in mind as you’re reading that Isaiah prophesied during the time period that fell between II Kings 16-25, during the reigns of King Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.

 

You will recall that the nation ofIsraeldivided after the death of Solomon, the 10 northern tribes being referred to asIsrael, and the two southern tribes being referred to asJudah.  The capital city ofIsraelwasSamaria, and the capital city ofJudahwasJerusalem.  Though Isaiah’s ministry was centered inJerusalem, his messages influenced both the northern and the southern tribes.  As we pick up in chapter 7 today, understand that because ofAssyria’s menacing power, the surrounding nations wanted to form a coalition to stand against her.  King Ahaz ofJudah, however, refused to join the confederacy, soSyriaandIsraelactually joined forces (Isa. 7:1-2) to attackJudahto try to force her to cooperation with them.  II Kings 16:1-9 lets us know that rather than trusting the Lord to help, Ahaz was secretly bargaining with Assyria to protect to him.  While Ahaz was inspecting the safety of the water supply, God sent Isaiah and his son Shearjashub (meaning “the remnant!  shall return”), to give the king a message of confidence and hope.  They tell him not to fear, becauseIsraelandSyriawould be “broken” within 65 years.  In the fulfillment of the prophecy,AssyriadefeatedSyria(Damascus) in 732 B.C., and defeatedIsraelin 721 B.C.

 

In7:10-16, God wanted Ahaz to ask for a sign to confirm the prophecy, but Ahaz piously refused.  The Lord then determined to give a sign to the entire “house of David” (7:13).  The sign was spelled out in7:14– “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  As with so many of the prophecies in the Old Testament, there is a double-fulfillment.  In other words, to affirm and confirm that the prophecy would be fulfilled in the future, God would often allow there to be a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in more of the immediate present.  That seems to be the case in prophecy of Isaiah 7:14.  This is an obvious reference to virgin birth of Jesus Christ, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost in Mary’s womb, Mary having never known a man (Luke 1:31-35).  But the partial fulfillment of the prophecy was a child that was to be born to Isaiah’s wife, as detailed in Isaiah 8:1-8.  Apparently, Isaiah’s first wife, the mother of Shearjashub had died, and Isaiah took a new wife shortly after giving this prophecy, and the virgin he took to wife gave birth to a child by the name of Mahershalalhashbaz (meaning “speed to the spoil, haste to the pray”) within the next year.

 

From chapter 7:17 through 10:34, Isaiah is preaching to apostate Israel, warning the northern kingdom that Assyria would come upon them and completely annihilate them.  It was at this point that Mahershalalhashbaz was born, his very name pointing to the soon destruction ofSamariaandSyria(8:4).

 

In chapter 9:1-7, Isaiah gives a second prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.  (Compare this prophecy with Matt. 4:13-16).  In 9:8-10:34, Isaiah continues to warnIsraelof her impending ruin.  At the same time he warnsAssyrianot to become proud of her victories, because she is simply a tool in the hand of God, and that she would be defeated as well.  Do note thatAssyriais a type of the Antichrist (“The Assyrian”) who will gather the nations of the world together in battle againstIsraelat Armageddon at the end of the Great Tribulation!

 

In chapters 11 and 12, Isaiah prophesies thatIsraelandJudahwill unite in the Kingdom.

 

SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:

           7:18– “in that day”

           7:21– “in that day”

           7:23– “in that day”

            9:7 – “and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it”

            9:1 – “in one day”

            10:3 – “in the day of visitation”

           10:17– “in one day”

           10:20– “in that day”

           10:27– “in that day”

           10:32– “that day”

           11:10– “in that day”

           11:11– “in that day”

           11:16– “in that day”

            12:1 – “in that day”

            12:4 –  “in that day”

 

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the SON WHO IS BORN OF VIRGIN, CALLED IMMANUEL – Isa.7:14(Matt.1:23; Luke 1:26-35).

 

In the CHILD UPON WHOM THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER – Isa. 9:6 (Rev. 11:15).