08 August

Bible In 365 Days         

Isaiah 49-53

Isaiah 49

We now commence the section in which the Prince of Peace is most clearly seen. He is revealed first as sustained through suffering (chapters 49-53), and then as singing in triumph (chapters 54-57).

In this section we hear the call of Jehovah to His own Servant, which may be divided into three parts. First, as to His Servant (Isaiah 49:1-13), the isles and the peoples are commanded to understand that He is called of Jehovah. He is now described as "Israel, in whom I will be glorified," as in contrast to the national Israel, which has so grievously failed. His reply to the call declares how He had labored in vain, and yet His appeal is to Jehovah. This reply is followed by the confirmation of His call in which Jehovah declares that the first purpose of blessing to Jacob was too light a thing for Him, and proceeds to describe the worldwide audience which He will exert.

Then the call is to Zion (Isaiah 49:14-21). Zion complains that she is forgotten of God, and the reply declares God's unfailing love and certain deliverance. Finally, the call is to Jehovah Himself, who announces His determination of blessing.

Isaiah 50

Proceeding, Jehovah challenges the people to prove their assertion that they have been forsaken by producing the writing in which God has divorced His people, and declares to them that the reason of their separation was their sin, but that although Jehovah found no man, He Himself is determined on deliverance.

We now come to the answer of the Servant to the call of Jehovah. This is, first of all, a declaration of consecration to the pathway of suffering (Isaiah 50:4-9). Taught of God, He is prepared to submit Himself to smiting, assured that He will be sustained by Jehovah.

Then commences a description of His ministry of suffering. In this the first thing is the brief word that separates the people. Those who fear the Lord and abide in darkness are bidden to trust. Those that walk in the light of the fire they have kindled are condemned to sorrow.

Isaiah 51

Three messages to the faithful immediately follow. The first is a call to courage (Isaiah 51:1-8), in which they are charged to look back to Abraham, to look on to the nearness of God's activity, to look around and be without fear in the presence of opposition.

The next is a cry of courage (Isaiah 51:9-11), in which they first look up to the arm of the Lord, and then look back and remember how He has delivered, and, finally, look on in the assurance that He will deliver.

The last (Isaiah 51:12-16) is a great message of comfort. First of all, fear is rebuked as due to forgetfulness of Jehovah, and, finally, Jehovah is pledged by His might to succor and establish His people. Three messages to the fitted people as a whole follow. The first (Isaiah 51:17-23) calls on Jerusalem to awake, because the end of her suffering is approaching. A graphic picture of that suffering is given in which she has been bereft of her children and overtaken by desolation and destruction. The hour has come in which the cup of staggering and of fury is taken out of her hand and put into the hand of those who afflict her.

Isaiah 52

The second message (Isaiah 52:1-6) calls on Zion to awake and put on her strength and her beautiful garments, because she is to be cleansed of all internal defilement. Though she had been sold into slavery for naught, her redemption is determined on, and she is to know Jehovah as the name of Him who is able to accomplish His purpose.

The third (Isaiah 52:7-12) describes the return of Jehovah to His people. It is announced by runners and watchmen, and results in an outburst of song. In view of the certainty of this return the prophet calls on the people to cleanse themselves; and finally announces that Jehovah will go before them.

Isaiah 53

We begin our reading here because the last three verses of chapter 52 so evidently belong to chapter 53. In this section the prophet describes the completion and issue of the suffering of the Servant of God. He is first seen as exalted and lifted up, and this exaltation is put into contrast with the day of humiliation (Isaiah 52:13-15).

A description of the pathway of suffering (Isaiah 53:1-9) follows. First, the rejected ministry: the Messenger is despised, and His report is not believed. Second, the vicarious suffering, which men looked on as a visitation of God, whereas it was the mystery in which He bore the sins of the people. Finally, the atoning death, in which the Messenger humbled Himself, and was "cut off out of the land of the living," although He was the sinless One who "had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth."

The description ends with another declaration of His ultimate triumph, which clearly reveals the fact that it is based on the suffering which has been described. The Servant of God is seen passing through pain to prosperity, through travail to triumph, through humbling to exaltation. This whole description is absolutely without fulfilment save in the person of the Son of God, for whom the ultimate triumph has not yet been won.