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Does Zechariah 5:9 show angels could be female?

While angels generally appear as men in Scripture, Zechariah 5:9 may suggest this is not always the case. The two women mentioned in this passage are not specifically called angels, but they are clearly agents of God or, as some believe, forces of Satan, like angels, good or evil. The fate of the woman (wickedness) is portrayed: She is to be removed from the land. Although some regard the two women as agents of evil (partly because the stork is an unclean bird, Lev 11:19), it seems preferable to regard them as divinely chosen agents. They, along with the wind (also an instrument of God, Ps 104:3-4), would thus demonstrate that the removal was the work of God alone. The simile “wings like those of a stork” is evidently intended to show that the winged women—carried along by the wind—were capable of supporting the woman (wickedness) in the basket over a great distance.

The main point is that Scripture does not identify them as angels and we would be hard pressed to prove that angels sometimes appear as women from this passage.

Also, while the popular series, “Touched by an Angel” may be entertaining for some and may even have a positive moral note, it is loaded with false ideas about God, man, salvation, and angels. It has helped fuel the misconceptions that are in keeping with the angel mania of our day.

If you will check out the theology section on our web site, you will find two studies on angels. One is a short study in view of the popular ideas about angels as displayed in the TV show, “Touched by an Angel.” The other a study of this doctrine.

Related Topics: Angelology

26. The Ten Virgins: What It Means to Be Ready (Matthew 25:1-13)

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April 10, 2005 265

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra266 olive oil with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed a long time,267 they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied. ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut. 11 Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ 12 But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:1-13). 268

Introduction

How many of you have ever run out of gas? In most audiences, this would be nearly everyone. I cannot verify these statistics, so I caution you that they may be flawed. It would appear that every year at least a half million people call for help because they have run out of gas. Besides flat tires, dead batteries, and misplaced keys, running out of gas ranks right up there in the reasons why people call for roadside service. One might understand this happening a generation ago, when gas gauges were not entirely accurate, and when all the warning lights of our day were non-existent. But now we have warning messages that our fuel is running low (giving us perhaps an hour more of driving), and then additional progressively urgent warnings indicating just how many estimated miles of driving we have left. One must say that most people who run out of fuel are “without excuse.”

Why, then, do we do it, seemingly as often today as people did years ago, when all of the advantages of technology were not available? We’ll come back to this question at the end of our message. In our text, it is not gasoline that is lacking, but olive oil “ the fuel burned in the lamps of Jesus’ day. And, I believe we will discover that the five foolish virgins did not really “run out” of oil; they never had it.

The Context

Before we get to the parable, we would do well to remind ourselves of the context. In response to the disciples’ request to know what sign would signal our Lord’s coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), Jesus spoke to them about the last days. He made it clear that the end would not come immediately, but only after considerable time and troubles (Matthew 24:4-31). Our Lord issued various warnings (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11, 23-28), because during these troubled times there would be many interlopers, who would seek to turn men’s attention and affections away from Jesus, the true Messiah.

In verses 32-51 of chapter 24, Jesus speaks of what His disciples can and cannot know, and on the basis of both, He gives some specific words of instruction regarding the last times.

32 “Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it”not even the angels in heaven”except the Father alone. 37 For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 51 and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 24:32-51).

The parable of the fig tree is employed to teach us that there are certain signs which indicate the “season” of His return. When the fig tree begins to sprout new leaves, we can be assured that summer is near. So, too, when we see “all these things” “ that is, the things Jesus has just described, including the abomination of desolation “ then we can be assured that the season of our Lord’s return is at hand. Just how broad is this time frame, this season? One generation in length (Matthew 24:34).

Although we are meant to recognize the “season” of our Lord’s return, we are not meant to know the exact time “ not the day nor the hour. This is consistent with God’s dealings with this world in the past. Specifically, we can see this in relation to the flood. No one “ not even Noah “ knew the exact day or hour that the flood would come. I believe we can safely say that at least Noah knew the season. We can see this when we read in Genesis 7:

13 On that very day Noah entered the ark, accompanied by his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, along with his wife and his sons’ three wives. 14 They entered, along with every living creature after its kind, every animal after its kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life came into the ark to Noah. 16 Those that entered were male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood engulfed the earth for forty days. As the waters increased, they lifted the ark and raised it above the earth (Genesis 7:12-17).

Noah had spent many years building the ark. He knew that the season for divine judgment was near, but he did not know the exact day. Then one day God gave orders to board the ark. It was God who closed the door, and then He sent the flood. The people of Noah’s day had no “early warning” that the flood was coming. When judgment came, it came quickly, and without warning; there was no opportunity for those under judgment to change their minds and to board the ark.

The same will be true in last days (Matthew 24:39). There will be no dramatic indications that “the day” or “the hour” (of judgment) has come. Two men will be in the field, going about their normal daily routine; one will be taken, the other will be left. Two women will be grinding grain, just as they normally would; one will be taken, the other will be left (Matthew 24:40-41).

The application is now spelled out in verses 42-44. Since no one can know the day or the hour that the Lord will come, we must be constantly in a state of alertness, ready at any moment. Jesus illustrates His point with the example of a burglary. If the owner of the home had known the hour when the burglary would occur, he would have made sure to prevent it. But, in fact, he did not know the hour. One might even conjecture that he was not even aware that a burglary would take place. Thus, it caught him off guard, to his loss.

We might illustrate the need for readiness in a different way. Firemen are trained and equipped to fight fires. They know there will be fires, but they don’t know when. And so they are in a constant state of readiness, even when they sleep. Their clothing is all laid out so they can quickly dress and get to the fire. Sometimes I see the fire truck outside the grocery store where I shop. The firemen are in the store, buying food. But they also have their portable radios in hand, ready to rush out if word of a fire is received.

We, too, must be ready, Jesus tells us. We do not know the hour of His return, and more than this, the coming of the Son of Man will be at a time that we don’t expect. From the context of chapter 24, I am tempted to think that while His return will be preceded by very difficult days, the actual day of His return will appear to be trouble-free, much like the day Noah and his family entered the ark. (I’ll bet the sky was blue and clear all day long.) When Jesus returns, people will be going about their normal routines because there will be no sign of imminent danger. We therefore must be ready at all times.

Just what does being alert look like? In Matthew 24:45-51, Jesus describes how He desires to find His disciples when He does return “ going about the tasks He has assigned them. The “faithful and wise slave” knows that his master may not return for some time, but he also knows that he has been instructed to feed and care for his fellow slaves (Matthew 24:45). And so he uses the time of his master’s absence to fulfill his mission. And because this is his normal routine, his master will find him at his appointed work when he returns, even though the hour of his return is unknown (Matthew 24:46-47). The evil slave interprets his master’s prolonged delay very differently. He concludes that his master’s return is yet in the distant future. He may also assume that he will be given some forewarning, so that he will have time to “clean up his act” in time to look good for his master. And so he misappropriates his master’s resources and ignores his master’s instructions. Instead of caring for his fellow slaves by feeding them, he feeds himself and his cronies, indulging himself and others in that which should be given to his fellow slaves. This man will be cut in two and assigned to hell with his fellow hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 24:48-51).

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

There are several things we need to consider before we attempt to interpret this parable. First, we need to recognize that this is a selective account. There are many details omitted. From where is the groom coming? Where are the virgins waiting? What will happen there? What role do the lamps play in this ceremony and celebration? And, perhaps most notable, where is the bride? She is never mentioned. It is obviously the groom who is central to this story (after all, it is about the coming of the Messiah at the end of the age).

Second, we may not be looking at a typical wedding. I doubt that in most wedding celebrations the groom would exclude bridesmaids for forgetting to bring oil for their lamps. I doubt that arriving late, as five of the virgins did, would keep them from gaining entrance to the celebration. This seems to be a rather exceptional situation, and not a typical event. Thus, knowledge of how wedding ceremonies were conducted in those days (largely gained from sources outside the Bible) will not prove that helpful. This extra-biblical information is not the key to understanding our text.

Third, we need to set aside our 20th century assumptions about weddings, bridesmaids and lamps. Specifically, we must not think of these lamps in terms that are familiar to us. The word which is used for “lamp” here (lampas) is not the normal term for “lamp” in Matthew, or in the New Testament. It is used five times in this parable of the virgins in Matthew 25, once in John 18:3, once in Acts 20:8, and twice in Revelation (4:5; 8:10). The lampas is more of a torch, a larger, brighter “lamp” than that which is normally used inside a house. In John 18:3, the lampas was the torch held by those who came in the night to arrest Jesus near the Garden of Gethsemane. There were many of these larger lamps in the room where Paul was teaching in Acts 20:8 (thus the extra warmth which must have contributed to the young man’s sleepiness and fatal fall).

From what I have learned, this lampas was not like any of the oil lamps my wife has collected. There was no glass chimney, no neat wick or adjusting device, and no attached tank in which oil would be stored. It was more like a large, flat, bowl, with a rag or rope-like “wick.” Apparently this kind of lamp could be attached to a pole, and used as an outdoor torch to illuminate one’s steps in the darkness. The word “trim,” employed by almost every translation, is a word which is found ten times in the King James Version, but only once (here in Matthew 25:7) is it rendered “trim.” This gives us a modern-day mental image of a bridesmaid (virgin) adjusting the wick upward in her glass-topped lamp, lighting it with a match. I think she was preparing the lamp by fixing it to a pole and then lighting the rag or primitive wick.

Fourth, we need to rid ourselves of the false conception that the five foolish virgins ran out of oil. The text is clear on this point; the five foolish virgins never brought any oil with them. A footnote in the NET Bible indicates that the word “extra” is not found in the Greek text, but has been supplied because the context implies it. I don’t think so at all. Surely the author is able to clearly supply this detail, so crucial to the interpretation of this parable. But he did not. Why do we wish to think they brought any oil with them? Perhaps it is because we read that the virgins claimed that their lamps were “going out” in verse 8. Would they all have been burning their torches for lighting the inside of the house where they all waited and slept? Would there not be the normal lighting in that place? Why would all five run out at the same time, just when they were preparing their lamps?

I would understand that the lamps were transported without oil in them. If they traveled in the daylight, these lamps would not have been needed on their journey to the wedding place. The reason the wise virgins brought oil was because the oil was carried in flasks and added to the lamps at the time of need. There must have been some residue of oil on the rag or wick of the five empty lamps, which quickly burned out, only moments after being lit. This would explain why all five torches went out at the same time. Perhaps, too, these foolish virgins minimized their foolishness by describing their plight as “running out” so as to look less foolish.

Not only is the text clear about the foolish virgins bringing no oil with them, it is difficult to interpret the parable if, indeed, they did run out of oil. The difference between the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins is salvation. These five foolish virgins were not once saved, but then “ran out” of salvation. They were lost, and never had it. They never had oil. They were just empty lamps. They looked useful, they seemed to give promise of light, but they never produced it. Let us not seek to supply what the author has purposefully omitted (any oil) in a way that makes us feel better about the story. We are not supposed to feel good about these five foolish, oil-less virgins.

With these things in mind, let us seek to paraphrase the story. There was a wedding, to which ten young virgins were invited as participants. It would seem that in some way they were instructed to bring lamps, so that at the right time they could form or lead some kind of torchlight procession. All ten virgins brought their lamps, but only five brought the necessary oil as well. They all waited for the groom to arrive. Time passed and darkness set in. The groom tarried longer than expected and so all ten bridesmaids (virgins) slept until he arrived. Suddenly, at midnight someone cried out that the groom was approaching. All ten virgins are awakened by this cry, and they begin to prepare their lamps for ceremonial service. The need for these lamps is now particularly obvious (it is midnight, pitch dark). The five foolish virgins ask the five wise virgins to share their oil, but their request is denied. It wasn’t that the five wise virgins didn’t care; it was because there would not be enough oil for all ten lamps. Better to have a torchlight parade with five working lamps than with ten non-functioning, lightless, lamps. The foolish virgins were told to go purchase their own oil, which they did. But during their absence the torchlight parade took place, and the groom, accompanied by the five wise virgins entered the celebration hall. The doors were then closed. Later, the five foolish virgins arrived, with oil, but it was too late. That part of the festivities had already been completed. There was no need for the services of these five virgins, and they were not allowed to enter and join in the wedding celebration. Even though the five virgins pled, “Lord, Lord … ,” they were sent away with the words, “I do not know you!” Our Lord then concludes this parable by applying it to His disciples (and thus the church). He urges His disciples to stay alert, because they, too, do not know the day or the hour of His return.

As we consider the interpretation and application of this parable, we should begin by observing that it is but one of several parables in this discourse. All of the parables have to do with what we do and do not know about the coming of Christ at the end of the age. Jesus assures us that we should be able to discern the season (the general time-frame) of His return (Matthew 24:32-34). One particularly significant indicator of the season is the abomination of desolation and Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31). But while we may know the season (within the span of a generation), we cannot and will not know the day nor the hour of His return. Because we do not know precisely when He will return, we must be constantly in a state of alertness. We must be ready. This parable is about being ready. It highlights one aspect of what it means to be ready.

All of the parables in this discourse have to do with being ready for His return, but we are seeking to discern the unique message of this parable. What is it that this parable teaches or underscores that we don’t find in the other parables in this passage? In a moment I will make some observations which should help us identify the unique message of this parable. But first, let’s consider what this parable shares in common with the other parables in this section.

This parable, like all the others in this section, Jesus tells to His disciples privately (see Matthew 24:3). So far as I can tell, neither the crowds nor the Jewish religious leadership are present. This is private instruction, for those who are followers Jesus, or who think they are. We should keep in mind that Judas was among the twelve who heard this parable, and he was not a true believer (John 6:64, 70-71; 13:2, 10-11, 18-20).

This parable, like the others in this section, instructs us to be ready, when Jesus returns to this earth (compare Matthew 24:42, 44, 50; 25:13).

This parable is consistent with the rest of this discourse in that it indicates that the Lord’s return will not be nearly as soon as the disciples suppose.

While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11).

“When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (Matthew 25:5; compare 24:6, 48).

This parable, like the others, portrays the return of Christ as sudden and unexpected (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 43, 50; 25:5-6). In part, it is unexpected because so much time has passed.

This parable, like the others, is based upon the premise that we do not know the day nor the hour of our Lord’s return:

“Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13; compare 24:26, 42-44, 50).

This parable, like the others, indicates that the Lord’s coming will distinguish one group of people from another (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 45-51; 25:1-12, 31-46). The one group enters in with our Lord, to enjoy fellowship with Him. The other group is kept out, and assigned to eternal torment.

This parable, like others in this section, indicates that this distinction between believers and unbelievers, between those who will enter the kingdom of heaven and those who will be confined in hell, may not be apparent until the coming of Christ. It is at the second coming, when men stand before our Lord, that their true spiritual status (and thus their destiny) is known. Several times in the Gospels, Jesus makes it clear that there will be some surprises (regarding who is in the kingdom and who is not) when He returns.

The Unique Contribution of the Parable of the Ten Virgins

What, then, is the unique contribution of the parable of the ten virgins? Several clues to the unique message of this parable should be noted. First, we see that this parable describes what the “kingdom of heaven” will be like at the time of the second coming. Some would say (and I would agree) that this parable describes the condition of the church at the second coming. Jesus is speaking here (as in this entire discourse) to His disciples; He is not speaking to His adversaries, the Jewish religious leaders, nor to the crowds. Thus, this parable, like the others in this section, should serve as a warning to the church.

Second, we should observe that for some period of time the five foolish virgins were almost indistinguishable from the five wise virgins. The five foolish virgins addressed the groom as “Lord” twice (Matthew 25:11). The five foolish virgins looked just like the five wise virgins. They all were invited to the wedding celebration, and they all came, expecting to participate in the wedding. The five virgins were not different from the five wise virgins, except for one thing “ the foolish virgins brought their lamps but no oil.

Third, none of the ten virgins knew when the groom would arrive, and all ten slept when he took longer than expected to arrive. We do not find the five foolish virgins asleep, while the five wise virgins are busily at work. All slept, and all were awakened by the news of the groom’s approach. The emphasis here is not really on working, as it is in the earlier and later parables. This is because our salvation is not the result of our works, but of His work on Calvary (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Fourth, we are initially surprised (and even disappointed) that the five wise virgins will not share their oil with the foolish virgins. This is not because the five wise virgins were selfish. In the context of the story, sharing their oil may have meant that all ten would run short of oil. But when we come to the interpretation of this parable, we can see that the saved cannot share what they have in Christ with the lost. The lost will not enter heaven based on the salvation others have received. Each person is accountable for his own choices (see Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:20; Jeremiah 31:29-30).

Fifth, we find it emphasized here that once our Lord returns, there is neither the time nor the opportunity for the five foolish virgins to change their course of unbelief. There is a “point of no return,” after which one’s rejection of Christ cannot be reversed. For some, this “point of no return” is death:

27 And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, 28 so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28, emphasis mine).

For others (for those who are alive), the second coming of Christ will be the point of no return. We see this in 2 Thessalonians 2:

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival. 9 The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, 10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved. 11 Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. 12 And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).

In our text, the five foolish virgins are not given the time to reverse their folly, once the groom has come. They had their opportunity, and they lost it. Now it is too late.

Sixth, the outcome is either heaven or hell, and thus the key element is salvation. The wording of the five foolish virgins in our text is all too familiar to the reader of Matthew’s Gospel:

11 “Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ 12 But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’” (Matthew 25:11-12, emphasis mine)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven”only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23, emphasis mine)

Taking Matthew’s words literally (and not supplying words for him), I read that the difference between the foolish virgins and the wise virgins was one thing: the wise virgins had oil for their lamps, while the foolish virgins did not. The wise virgins had the opportunity to obtain oil, and did so. The foolish virgins had plenty of opportunity to procure oil, but did not.

It is possible to be in close contact with Christ, and with Christians, and yet not be saved. I am reminded of a similar passage in the Gospel of Luke:

23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” So he said to them, 24 “Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, let us in!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will reply, ‘I don’t know where you come from! Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves thrown out. 29 Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God. 30 But indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:23-27, emphasis mine).

Jesus is warning us in this parable that there will be a number of people who look like Christians, who associate with Christians, and who even think they are Christians, who will be shocked to learn that they are not saved at the return of our Lord. What a sobering thought. This text is not seeking to create uncertainty and doubt in the heart of the Christian. It is not seeking to rob the Christian of his assurance. But it is seeking to warn those who have a false assurance, but not salvation. In the last days, just as in Jesus’ time and today, there will be those who appear to be Christians, but are not:

“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

60 Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?” 61 When Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining about this, he said to them, “Does this cause you to be offended? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending where he was before? 63 The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had already known from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 So Jesus added, “Because of this I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has allowed him to come.” 66 After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer (John 6:60-66).

1 But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. 5 They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these (2 Timothy 3:1-5, emphasis mine).

Jesus wants us to be careful about assuming we are saved, if indeed we are not. It is for this reason that the apostles challenge us to examine ourselves, to be sure we are in the faith:

5 Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you”unless, indeed, you fail the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

1 So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, 3 if you have experienced the Lord’s kindness (1 Peter 2:1-3).

We dare not assume that every one who claims to trust in Jesus is genuinely saved:

15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

28 Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears (Acts 20:28-31).

12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

We should remember that when Jesus spoke these words of warning in the parable of the ten virgins, Judas was among the disciples, and Judas was not a believer. Surely his true spiritual condition came as a great shock to the eleven.

I believe that the five foolish virgins had no oil for the very same reasons people continue to run out of gas, even when the flashing message on their instrument panel tells them they are. First, men don’t believe the warning signs. They don’t think things are as bad as they are reported to be. “I must have more gas than that!” Or, “I’ve gotten this same message before, and I’ve always been able to get to the gas station before running out.”

The Bible says that we are all sinners, under divine condemnation, condemned to hell:

9 What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, 10 just as it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one,

11 there is no one who understands,

there is no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away, together they have become worthless;

there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”

13 “Their throats are open graves,

they deceive with their tongues,

the poison of asps is under their lips.”

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,

16 ruin and misery are in their paths,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:9-18).

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The Bible says that we are dead in our sins, and thus unable to save ourselves:

1 And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest … (Ephesians 2:1-3).

The Bible says that we cannot be saved by doing good works, but only through the work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20).

5 He saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7).

The only way of salvation is for men to acknowledge their sin and to trust in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary:

But to all who have received him”those who believe in his name”he has given the right to become God’s children (John 1:12).

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed” 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness (Romans 3:21-26).

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ”by grace you are saved!” 6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:4-9).

Those who run out of gas (or refuse to buy oil) are the people who refuse to heed the warnings of God’s Word and the invitation of salvation through faith in Jesus. Those who don’t purchase fuel are those who don’t think they need it, at least at the moment.

Second, those who run out of gas are lulled into a false confidence by the fact that everything appears to be fine at the moment. The engine is running smoothly; there are no preliminary chugs or sputtering of the engine. And so we feel confident in our choice not to purchase fuel. Jesus told us that He would come at a time when we did not expect Him (Matthew 24:44). Apparently our Lord’s coming will be at a rather peaceful time, when there are no indications of trouble ahead. This is the way it was in the days of Noah. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. He will come at a time when it seems we are doing just fine.

Third, those who run out of fuel are those who wrongly suppose that they still have plenty of time to get it later. We know when our gas gauge is low. Good grief, we can see the flashing lights on the dash. But we lull ourselves into thinking that there is still plenty of time to deal with the problem. There will surely be another gas station ahead, and not too far. This false confidence has gotten many people into trouble. Those who think they will have other chances to come to faith in Jesus are making a very dangerous assumption. The coming of our Lord will be sudden and unexpected, and when He comes, all chances of changing our course have been forfeited. The coming of our Lord ends our opportunity to turn to Him in faith, and it seals our doom.

The coming of our Lord was not to be immediate, as the disciples supposed, but at a much more distant time. But when He does come, it will be without warning, and at a time we don’t expect Him. When He comes, our fate is sealed, and there will be no opportunity to change our minds then. We must therefore be prepared now (and from now on) by acknowledging our sins, our helplessness, our need for salvation, and by trusting in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in our place. Being ready means, among other things (and especially in this parable), trusting in Jesus, and having our sins forgiven.

Must we wait until the coming of our Lord to learn, much to our dismay, that we were not really saved? God wants us to know for certain that we are saved. He wants us to be fully assured that our sins are forgiven and that we have a salvation that is certain. He wants us to be confident, because we are saved and we know it:

27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one” (John 10:27-30).

13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)”when you believed in Christ”you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day (2 Timothy 1:12).

13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him (1 John 5:13-15).

At the second coming, we may be surprised that some whom we thought to be saved were not, but there is no need for us to be surprised. God has given us His Word, and on the basis of His Word, we find that there are certain confirmations and “vital signs” that assure us of our salvation in Christ.

First, there is the promise of His Word that all who believe in Jesus Christ as God’s provision for our sins will be saved:

Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away (John 6:37).

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:8-13).

9 If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning his Son. 10 (The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.) 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life (1 John 5:9-12).

What I want you to see is that salvation is the work of God. He accomplished it through the death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. He made it known through His Word. He calls upon us to believe in Jesus, assuring us that if we place our trust in Him, we are saved forever. We are sealed by His Spirit, and we are kept for the final day, just as our salvation is kept for us. It is not any work of ours that saves us, but Jesus, in whom we must place our trust.

There are a number of manifestations of our new life in Christ “ vital signs, if you would “ that reassure us that we are His children, who have been plucked from the path to eternal destruction (hell) and have been placed on the path to heaven.

Those who have come to a saving faith have entered into a radically new and different way of life. Their actual conversion may not have been as dramatic as that of the Apostle Paul (see Acts 9:1-22), but they have come from death to life, and from the pursuit of sin to the pursuit of God. Those who have experienced salvation now enter into the process of sanctification, whereby the old man (the old “me”) is put to death, and the new man (the new “me” in Christ) continues to be conformed to the image of Christ:

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, 10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away”look, what is new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

17 So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn about Christ like this, 21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image”in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (Ephesians 4:17-24).

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them, 8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:7-8).

Those who are Christians no longer fear death, as they once did as unbelievers:

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: 23 I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far (Philippians 1:21-23).

Those who are Christians have a hunger for God’s Word:

1 So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, 3 if you have experienced the Lord’s kindness (1 Peter 2:1-3).

Those who are Christians now see spiritual truths, to which they were blind as unbelievers:

14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14-16).

14 But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:14-18).

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Those who are Christians have the internal witness of the Spirit:

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)”if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:14-17).

Those who are Christians desire to know Christ more intimately:

8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things”indeed, I regard them as dung!”that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness”a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. 10 My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death (Philippians 3:8-10).

Those who are Christians are happy to leave this life behind, and yearn for the day when Christ returns:

13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16).

20 But our citizenship is in heaven”and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

My friend, do these things which characterize Christians characterize you? Do you have these “vital signs” of spiritual life? If not, then confess your sin and trust in what Jesus did for you on the cross of Calvary. He bore your punishment, and He offers you His righteousness and eternal life. Don’t wait until it is too late to acknowledge that you have no oil (are not saved). Trust Him now.

1 Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. 5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. 9 For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11).


265 Copyright © 2005 by Community Bible Chapel, 418 E. Main Street, Richardson, TX 75081. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 77 in the Studies in the Gospel of Matthew series prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on April 10, 2005.

266 The word “extra” is not in the original text, and in my opinion it should not be supplied here. More on this later.

267 I’m not sure I like the rendering “was delayed.” This could be read in such a way as to see our Lord’s delay as being imposed on Him by His circumstances. If this delay is the will of the Father, it makes more sense. It is interesting to note that the only other time this term is used in Matthew is in 24:48, where the evil slave says to himself, “My master is staying away a long time.” I’m inclined to see the same nuance in chapter 25. The Lord tarries longer than expected; He is not delayed.

268 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org.

Related Topics: Eschatology (Things to Come)

1. The Origins of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-25)

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Introduction1

We are all familiar with these wonderful words from the pen of the Apostle Paul:

16 Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).2

It is when we come to texts like Matthew 1:1-17 that our belief in Paul’s words are put to the test. How many of us really find the genealogies of the Bible “useful” or “profitable”? I’ll be honest with you; when I come to a genealogy, I am tempted to pass over it. And even when I do read them (when I am reading through the Bible) I find my mind wanders, and I really don’t get much out of it.

In the light of my bias that genealogies are “boring” and “less profitable” than other Scriptures, I find Matthew’s introduction simply amazing. Think of it: The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, and his genealogy of Jesus Christ is found at the very beginning of this gospel. This means that we have a genealogy here which serves as the introduction to the Book of Matthew, and which also serves as the introduction to the entire New Testament.

I have agonized over the introduction of nearly every one of my sermons. I try to tell a story that somehow captures the interest of the audience and prompts them to pay attention to the Scripture text and sermon that will follow. In all of my years of preaching, it has never once occurred to me to use a genealogy as the introduction to one of my messages.

Since Matthew and I see things differently, it is surely safe to assume that it is I who have failed here, and not the inspired writer of this magnificent gospel. I must therefore give some careful thought as to why Matthew believes a genealogy makes a good introduction, while I have thought otherwise. In this lesson, I will seek to show why Matthew began his gospel with the genealogy of our Lord. I will also attempt to demonstrate the “usefulness” of this genealogy, not only for the first readers of this gospel, but also for us.

Reading the “Sermon on the Mount” or one of Matthew’s parables certainly appears to be more interesting than reading this genealogy in Matthew 1:1-17, but is it possible that what may not seem to be interesting actually proves to be profitable? In real life, most of us do believe that genealogies are profitable. When I decide that I want to pay a good price to purchase a full-blooded dog, I automatically become interested in the animal’s pedigree (or genealogy). I want to know what champions are in this dog’s bloodlines. If I were to read in the newspaper that a wealthy man named Deffinbaugh had died, and that no heirs had been found, I could get very interested in genealogies. A number of people have gone to considerable effort to trace their own genealogy because they want to know who their ancestors were. There are many reasons for people to be interested in genealogies.

Genealogies were especially important to the Jewish people. Israel’s king had to be a Jew, and not a foreigner (Deuteronomy 17:15). Later on it was revealed that he must be a descendant of David (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16). When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, it was important for these returned exiles to show that their roots were Jewish and could be traced through the genealogies. No one could serve as priest whose name could not be found in the genealogical records (Ezra 2:62). Bruner writes that the famous rabbi Hillel was proud that he could trace his genealogy all the way back to King David. He further indicates that Josephus began his autobiography with his own pedigree. Then there was Herod the Great, who was half-Jew and half-Edomite. Obviously his name was not in the official genealogies, and thus he ordered that the records be destroyed. If he couldn’t be found there, he did not want to be upstaged by anyone else.3

Dealing With Differences in the Genealogies of Christ

We know that there are two genealogies of our Lord in the Gospels. The first we immediately encounter in Matthew 1; the second is found later on in Luke 3:23-38. Matthew’s genealogy has three divisions. It begins with Abraham and goes forward, ending with the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke’s genealogy begins with Jesus, and then going backward takes us to Adam, the “son of God.”

The differences so far are merely matters of style. But these two Gospel genealogies also differ over some of those who are named in the genealogy:

The difficulty comes in Luke’s first section, in which the names are different from those found in Matthew. This would be all right if we were dealing with the ancestries of two entirely different people, but these are both genealogies of Jesus. What is more, while both books trace Jesus’ line through his adopted father Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom our Lord was born, Matthew says that Joseph was the son of Jacob who descended from David through David’s son and successor King Solomon (Matt. 1:16), and Luke states that Joseph was the son of Heli who had descended from David through Nathan, who was also David’s son but Solomon’s brother (Luke 3:23).4

While some have concluded that there is no solution to this problem, many have thought otherwise. James Montgomery Boice outlines the two most likely solutions. The first is that which was posed years ago by J. Gresham Machen:

Reconciliation might conceivably be effected in a number of different ways. But on the whole we are inclined to think that the true key to a solution to the problem … is to be found in the fact that Matthew, in an intentionally incomplete way, gives a list of incumbents (actual or potential) of the kingly David throne, whereas Luke traces the descent of Joseph back through Nathan to David. Thus the genealogies cannot properly be used to exhibit contradiction between the Matthean and the Lukan accounts of the birth and infancy of our Lord.5

I am inclined to follow Boice, who opts for a second solution, namely that Matthew’s genealogy is of Joseph’s family lineage, while Luke’s genealogy provides us with Mary’s ancestry.

In my judgment, a better solution involves viewing the two lines as the lines of Joseph and Mary respectively, each thereby identified as a descendant of King David… . According to this view, the distinction between the two lines of descent is not between the ‘legal’ line and the ‘paternal’ line, as Machen suggests, but between the ‘royal’ line of those who actually sat on the throne and the ‘legal’ line of descent from the one oldest son to the next, even though these did not actually rule as kings.6

It is not my intention to offer a dogmatic solution to this problem, but only to point out that there is a discrepancy in the two genealogies, and that sound, evangelical scholars have posed some reasonable solutions. My purpose is to show that Matthew’s genealogy is very carefully crafted to teach us some very important truths, truths which are foundational to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and thus to our lives.

Lessons to be Learned From Matthew’s Genealogy
Matthew 1:1-17

The format for this portion of the lesson will be in the form of observations and conclusions. I will begin by making an observation from the genealogy in verses 1-17, and then I will attempt to draw some conclusions from this observation.

Observation one: Matthew begins, “This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The expression, “the record of the genealogy” in the Greek text reads, somewhat literally, “the book of the genesis of Jesus Christ.” It is nearly identical with the Greek translations of Genesis 2:4 and 5:1:7

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord God made the earth and heavens (Genesis 2:4).

(More literally from the Greek: “This is the book of the genesis of the heavens and the earth … .”)

This is the record of the family line of Adam. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God (Genesis 5:1).

(More literally from the Greek: “This is the book of the genesis/generations of mankind/Adam … .”)

Conclusion: I find these similarities just a little too “coincidental.” This seems very similar to John’s introduction to his Gospel in the first verse of chapter 1: “In the beginning was the Word… .” Surely John is linking the beginning of his Gospel (and, more importantly, our Lord) with Genesis 1 and the creation. Here in our text, Matthew’s words appear to point us to the first genealogy in the Bible which is recorded in Genesis 5. In Genesis 5, Adam has just sinned. God warned Adam that if he (they) ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he (they) would die (Genesis 2:17). One purpose of the first genealogy, then, is to dramatically underscore the truthfulness of God’s Word. Everyone in Adam’s genealogy died, just as God said. Now, in almost identical words, Matthew introduces his Gospel with the first genealogy of the New Testament. Not only are we reminded that all in this genealogy died; Matthew’s words seem to hint that in Jesus there begins a whole new race of people who will never die. Genealogies almost always contain the record of those who have died. Our Lord’s genealogy is that, but it begins a new line, the line of all who are “in Christ” by faith, who thereby possess the gift of eternal life. Here is an exciting genealogy indeed! Who would not want to be included in our Lord’s lineage?

Observation two: Many of the names in this genealogy are names that we recognize. These are the names of real people, people who lived many years ago, but real people nevertheless.

Conclusion: Jesus was a human being (as well as divine), a real person, born of a line of real people. The fact of our Lord’s humanity is essential. It separates those who hold to the truth from those who are heretics:

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God (1 John 4:1-2, emphasis mine).

Observation three: All those listed in Matthew’s Gospel were sinners, and some were just plain skunks! Here is one of the problems with genealogies – they inform us that some of our forefathers were not such fine people. You and I may find some skeletons in our genealogical closets. Even the best of those listed in this genealogy were far from perfect. We only need to remind ourselves of the lives of these folks. David and Solomon were great men, but they also failed miserably. Wittingly or not, some of these people actually worked to oppose God’s promises and purposes. Abraham first sought to convince God that the son of one of his servants must be his heir (Genesis 15:1-3). He and Sarah then sought to produce an heir through Hagar, the Egyptian slave (Genesis 16). Even after God told Abraham (technically Abram at this point in time) that the promised seed would be the offspring of both he and Sarai/Sarah (Genesis 17:19), Abraham passed off his wife as his sister, making her available for marriage. He did this not only with Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-20), but also with Abimelech (Genesis 20). And when Abimelech rebuked Abraham for his actions, he told Abimelech that he and Sarah did this wherever they went (Genesis 20:13). Isaac, Abraham’s son, did the same thing with his wife, Rebekah (Genesis 26:7). There are many skeletons in this genealogical closet!

Conclusion: The blessings of God on His people had nothing to do with the good works of men, but can only be explained in terms of the mercy and grace of God. God’s blessings would be poured out on sinful men, in spite of their deeds, based upon the grace of God in Jesus Christ. The genealogy of our Lord underscores the doctrine of the depravity of man. I like the way Frederick Bruner summarizes this:

One gets the impression that Matthew pored over his Old Testament records until he could find the most questionable ancestors of Jesus available in order, in turn, to insert them into his record and so, it seems, to preach the gospel – the gospel, that is, that God can overcome and forgive sin, and can use soiled but repentant persons for his great purposes in history (for Judah’s repentance, cf. Gen 38:26; for David’s, 2 Sam 12:13 and traditionally, Ps 51).8

Observation four: Matthew includes four women in his genealogy. This is indeed a rare thing, especially for a Jewish genealogy. One would be more likely to expect women to be included in Luke’s genealogy, knowing that Luke is much more likely to put a woman in the spotlight. But it is in Matthew’s much more Jewish Gospel that we find these four women. These women would not generally be regarded as the most noble women of the Old Testament. Three of them were Gentiles by birth, and the fourth – Bathsheba – was a virtual Gentile by her marriage to Uriah the Hittite (Matthew 1:6; 2 Samuel 11:3). All of these women might not have been considered “pure as the driven snow” by some self-righteous Jews.9

Conclusion: God’s promise of salvation through the Messiah was for unworthy sinners, including Gentiles.

The four model matriarchs of Jewish history were Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, the wives, respectively, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These four women are conspicuous by their absence here. Their husbands are all here, and so there was opportunity for Matthew to include the good wives. But Matthew gives the church four new matriarchs, and all of them preach the gospel of the deep and wide mercy of God.

These four scandals in their way preach the gospel of divine mercy, which is Matthew’s whole mission to proclaim. Matthew will later teach us that Jesus came ‘not for the righteous, but for sinners’ (Matt 9:13); but already in his genealogy Matthew is teaching us that Jesus came not only for, but through, sinners. God did not begin to stoop into our sordid human story at Christmas only; he was stooping all the way through the Old Testament. The mercy of God is the deepest fact Matthew finds in his Hebrew Scriptures and in Jesus (cf. 9:13; 12:7), and so through the four women he highlights this mercy in the first line of his genealogy.

But this first genealogy in the New Testament has the surprising office of teaching us that the line that led from Abraham to Jesus, the Son of David, was intersected again and again by gentile blood. King David himself had a Canaanite great-great-great-grandmother, a Jerichoite great-great-grandmother, a Moabite great-grandmother, and a Hittite ‘wife.’ Matthew wants the church to know that from the start, and not just from the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), God’s work has been interracial, and that God is no narrow nationalist or racist.10

Observation five: Matthew is careful to show that our Lord’s lineage makes Him both a “son of David,” and a “son of Abraham”:

This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1, emphasis mine).

Abraham and David are the two Old Testament men with whom God made the most important covenants of all time, so far as the coming Messiah was concerned.

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you. 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, in order that you might be a prime example of divine blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name” (Genesis 12:1-3).

The Lord declares to you that he himself will build a house for you. 12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He [Solomon] will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you (2 Samuel 7:11b-15).

In the first of these covenants, the Abrahamic Covenant, God promises the then childless Abram a son. Through the seed of Abraham, God promised to make a great nation. And through this “seed” God covenants not only to bless Abraham, but also the nations. This promised “seed,” the source of all blessings, is ultimately our Lord Jesus Christ:

15 Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, “and to the descendants,” referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” referring to one, who is Christ (Galatians 3:15-16).

In the second covenant, the Davidic Covenant, God promises David that his dynasty will be eternal. It is through David’s “seed” that Messiah’s reign will be forever. And so it is that our Lord is referred to as the “son of David” (Matthew 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9, 15; see also 22:42-46).

Conclusions: (1) Jesus is both the “son of Abraham” and the “son of David.” Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Abrahamic (see Galatians 3:15-16) and the Davidic (see Matthew 22:42-46) covenants. Jesus is the legitimate heir to the throne of David; He is the king of Israel.11 (2) When we see that the covenant promises to Abraham and David were fully and finally fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, we are once again assured by God’s Word that God always keeps His promises. What He says, He will do. On the cross of Calvary our Lord cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). God always finishes what He starts (Philippians 1:6).

Observation six:12

1. Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, ends with a prophecy which looks ahead to the coming of Jesus Christ and His forerunner, John the Baptist:

5 Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6 He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment” (Malachi 4:5-6).

2. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, begins by looking back to the Old Testament by means of a genealogy.

3. Matthew’s genealogy begins with Abraham and ends with Jesus Christ.

4. Matthew’s genealogy covers the entire history of Israel, from Abraham to Christ.

5. Matthew’s Gospel, more than any other, emphasizes the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies:

Matthew contains at least forty formal quotations from the Old Testament, and the formal introductory formula ‘all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying…’ occurs no less than sixteen times.13

Conclusion: Matthew’s genealogy goes beyond the author’s claims elsewhere in this Gospel that Jesus’ incarnation and ministry fulfills individual Old Testament prophecies and even the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. This genealogy informs us that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament. No matter where we turn in the Old Testament, Christ is there.

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4, emphasis mine).

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days 17 that are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

What an amazing way to start a Gospel – with a great long list of names! But for the Jew that was not surprising at all, as we shall see. It sets Jesus of Nazareth in the context of what God had been doing for his people from the earliest days. It ushers in the theme of fulfilment which is so prominent in this Gospel. The climax of God’s work for mankind throughout the centuries is – Jesus.14

… All such critical considerations apart, however, is it not clear as noonday that Matthew properly leads our four Gospels? As none of the others, he links the New with the Old, showing our Lord’s fulfilling of the Hebrew Scriptures. He has more Old Testament quotations and allusions than Mark and Luke together. Moreover, since Matthew (and only he) writes primarily for the Jews, is he not the true leader-in of the New, as well as the obvious link-back with the Old? – for even the New is ‘to the Jew first.’ Forgive us, therefore, if we keep Matthew first and stay out of fashion!15

It is well known that Matthew loves to show how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament; Matthew often writes: ‘this happened so that what the Lord said through the prophet might be fulfilled’ (see especially chapters 1 and 2 of the Gospel). In his genealogy, however, Matthew shows fulfillment not only of particular passages in the Old Testament but of the Old Testament as a whole. Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament story and of all its events taken together in their totality.16

Observation seven: Matthew’s genealogy has been carefully crafted, with a very precise order and arrangement:

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations (Matthew 1:17).

Matthew’s genealogy is divided into three sections, each consisting of 14 names.17 In order for Matthew to achieve this order, he had to omit some of the names. This poses no problem because the Greek term (rendered “the son of”) refers to one’s descendants, who might therefore be sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, etc. The point I wish to make here is that Matthew wanted us to view his genealogy as very neat and orderly.

I find Bruner’s comments on the structure and organization of this genealogy very insightful:

We will understand this three-times-fourteen formation best if we picture a kind of leaning capital N, an N in which the first fourteen generations head upward from Father Abraham to King David like this (/), the second fourteen generations plummet downward from King Solomon to the Babylonian Exile (), and then finally the last fourteen generations move upward again from exile to the Christ (/).18

Bruner suggests that the first section, from Abraham to David, is an upwardly ascending order. Things just seem to get better and better. David, followed by his son Solomon, are as good as it gets in this genealogical sequence. And thus Bruner (p. 5) believes that this section portrays the grace and mercy of God. We see this, for example, in the inclusion of the Gentile women in the genealogy.

The second section plummets from the kingdom at its best (under David and Solomon) to the very depths – Israel’s Babylonian captivity. After Solomon the United Kingdom is divided. The northern kings are consistently evil, and the kings of Judah are a mixture of good and bad. The Babylonian captivity is the consequence of Judah’s persistent rebellion. From a human point of view it looks as if Israel’s hopes for the fulfillment of God’s Old Testament covenants have been dashed on the rocks of reality.

The third section is once again ascending. God delivers His people from Babylon and brings a remnant back to the land of Israel. There are dangers and disappointments, but Israel has good cause for hope.

Conclusions: The Sovereign God is in complete control of history, assuring that His purposes and promises will be fulfilled. When I read through the Old Testament, I find myself in awe that as messed up as men are God’s promises are always kept. Even the best of the bunch are miserable sinners, who fall far short of God’s standards. David and Solomon were great kings, but their lives were a mess. Their sins caused much trouble for Israel. If the fulfillment of God’s purposes and promises depended upon their faithfulness, we of all men would be most miserable.

When I read through the Bible, I remember those passages which remind us that the angels are watching what is going on (1 Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:10-12). The angels must have been breathless as they watched Abraham pass off his wife as his sister, and then give her to Pharaoh for a wife (Genesis 12:10-20), and then do the same thing with Abimelech later on, just after God had told Abraham that the promised child would be his child through Sarah (Genesis 17:15-21; 20:1-18). Judah was the one through whom the Messiah would come (Genesis 49:8-12), and yet Judah nearly had no heir, due to his own sin (Genesis 38). Over and over again the angels must have been breathless, wondering if God’s covenant promises would ever be fulfilled. From a human point of view, it was pure chaos.

By the way Matthew structures this genealogy, everything appears to be neat and tidy, precise and orderly. There are three sections, each with 14 generations. Does this not convey to the reader a picture of a calm, precise, and orderly administration? Things may have looked chaotic when viewed from a human perspective, but the outcome was certain. God is in complete control. His purposes and promises are always fulfilled.

For Matthew this three times fourteen said order, harmony, and meaning. When Matthew looks back over the history of the old people of God and sees fourteen generations between key periods in the people’s history – between Abraham, David, Exile, and the Christ – he is impressed, in a word, with the sovereignty of God. Behind, under, above, and through all the chaos, sin, and rebellion of Israel’s up-and-down history, God was working his purpose out as year succeeds to year. To the human participants in this history, things didn’t look too orderly. But when one looks back on Old Testament history through the lens that the history of Jesus Christ offers, one sees that God’s hand was steady and sure, … Three times fourteen means the sovereignty of God.19

Observation eight: Matthew’s genealogy does not always follow the normal pattern one might expect. For example, the genealogical line flows from Isaac to Jacob, and then to Judah (Matthew 1:2). Normally, the genealogical line would pass on to the next generation through the oldest son. We know that Esau was the first-born son of Isaac, and not Jacob. Nevertheless, the genealogical line was carried on through Jacob. The way that this happened is not a pretty story, but it fulfills the promise of God:

21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 But the children struggled inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” So she asked the Lord 23 and the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:21-23).

Conclusion: Matthew’s genealogy testifies to the doctrine of divine election. Even though Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob (and he gave him the double portion of the first-born through adopting his two sons – Genesis 48), it was Judah through whom the messianic line would pass. Judah was not the first-born; Reuben was, followed by Simeon. Reuben lost his place when he sought to possess the concubine of his father (Genesis 29:3-4). Simeon and Levi violently killed the people of Shechem (Genesis 34), and thus the line would not pass through Simeon (Genesis 49:5-7). As Paul points out in Romans 9, the genealogical line of promise is evidence of divine election:

6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be traced.” 8 This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise declared: “About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.” 10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac— 11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)— 12 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” 13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:6-13, emphasis mine).

Although Jacob was always striving, both with God and with men (see Genesis 32:28), he finally came to see that it was God who elevated men and put one above another. He indicates this in his dying days:

12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 Joseph positioned them; he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. 14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked— the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day— 16 the Angel who has protected me from all harm— bless these boys. May my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth.” 17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you will Israel bless, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh (Genesis 48:12-20).

Joseph was perturbed that his father was seemingly confused about which of his sons was the oldest, and thus the one to be given preeminence. He tried to place his father’s hands in such a way as to give the greater blessing to the oldest, but Jacob would have none of it. He knew exactly what he was doing, and in reversing his hands he was, I believe, giving testimony to the fact that God sovereignly chooses (elects) one above another. It is His doing, because He is a sovereign God. The genealogy of Matthew testifies to divine election.

The Divine Origin of Messiah
Matthew 1:18-25

The genealogy of verses 1-17 demonstrates the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew shows that our Lord is the descendant of Abraham and of David, and thus the fulfillment of the covenants God made with each. Having proved the humanity of Jesus (and the right human pedigree), he must now disclose the divine origin of the Messiah. The Messiah was not only human; He must also be divine – God with us. Verses 18-25 describe the process by which Mary became pregnant, not by Joseph, but by the Holy Spirit:

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. 20 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, 25 but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus (emphasis mine).

Time does not allow for a full exposition of these marvelously rich verses, but I do want to make a few observations.

First, notice how Matthew focuses the reader’s attention on Joseph, while Luke places the spotlight on Mary. The end result is a very balanced account of our Lord’s conception and birth. But why would Matthew feel it necessary to draw our attention to Joseph? For one thing, it is through Joseph that the legal line passes from David to Jesus. While Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, he was the legal father, and thus Jesus was the “Son of David” through him.

Matthew makes a point of emphasizing the fact that Joseph was a “righteous” man (1:19). He was indeed. I fear that we may fail to grasp the important role that Joseph played in the early life of our Lord. While we cannot be dogmatic about this, it seems to be generally accepted that Mary was quite young when she had Jesus – probably a teenager. It is usually thought that Joseph was somewhat older (it seems that he must have died before Jesus began His public ministry). I believe that Joseph was righteous when he purposed to divorce Mary privately, rather than to seek the full penalty of the law. Last month Governor George Ryan of Illinois pardoned four men on death row, and he commuted the death sentence of many others to a life sentence. He did this because a careful investigation had proven the innocence of some, and called into question the guilty verdict pronounced upon others. Ryan noted that while some called it “the courageous thing to do,” it was simply “the right thing to do.”

Joseph must have known Mary well; he knew her character, her purity, and her honesty. She had to have told Joseph that she was not guilty of sexual immorality, and no doubt she reported the words of the angel, and the response of Elizabeth. Mary’s story was incredible, and yet somehow Joseph could not help but wonder… . In his righteousness, he chose not to seek the death penalty of the law. Putting Mary away privately allowed for time to pass, so that perhaps the truth of her testimony could be confirmed. Is this speculative? Yes it is, but I would remind you that Matthew has been careful to inform us that Joseph was a righteous man. Because of this, I am of the opinion that Joseph’s actions in response to Mary’s pregnancy are those prompted by righteousness.

It took a righteous man, a man of faith, to believe the angel’s words to Joseph in his dream, informing him that Mary had become pregnant through the Holy Spirit. It would take a righteous man to marry this young woman even though she was already pregnant, knowing that everyone would wrongly conclude that he was the father. He knew that people would conclude that he and Mary had sinned. It took a calm and stable man to deal with the traumatic circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus (having to travel to Bethlehem, having no place to stay). Joseph was able and willing to pull up stakes, leave Israel, and take his family to safety in Egypt. He acted with wisdom, and he obeyed the guidance God gave him through a sequence of several dreams. What a gracious provision of God Joseph was to Mary, to assure and comfort her, to share her secret, and to protect her and her baby!

Second, notice how careful Matthew is to clearly declare the virginal conception of our Lord. In verses 1-17, Matthew demonstrated the human origins of our Lord, as well as His genealogical relationship to Abraham and David. Now, Matthew makes it clear that Jesus is not only human, He is also divine. The deity of our Lord is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 7:14, cited in Matthew 1:23). The deity of our Lord is also declared by the angel. Mary became pregnant, the angel insisted, not by any human agency, but by the Holy Spirit (verses 20-21). We are clearly but delicately informed that there was no way that Joseph could have been the father of Jesus.

Third, in these verses, Matthew describes the person and work of our Lord by the two names He is given in this passage. In the genealogy of verses 1-17, Matthew links Jesus with two major Old Testament personalities: Abraham and David. Jesus is shown to be “the son of David” and the “son of Abraham,” and thus the fulfillment of both the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. Now, in verses 18-25, Matthew describes the person and work of our Lord by means of two of the names He was given: (1) Jesus (Joshua = Yahweh saves); and, (2) Emmanuel (“God with us”).

What’s in a name? Plenty! One’s name was much more significant for a Jew than it is for us. “Abram” meant “exalted father,” while “Abraham” meant “father of a multitude.” Jesus renamed Simon “Peter,” or “Petros,” the rock. The names of our Lord depict His character and His work. Jesus comes from the Hebrew word Joshua, which means “Jehovah is salvation.” As the angel informed Joseph, the child that would be born to Mary would be named “Jesus,” “because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is God’s salvation, the One by whom God would accomplish salvation for lost sinners. He alone was qualified to accomplish salvation because He was both God and man. He was without sin, and thus the perfect “Lamb of God,” without blemish. His death on the cross of Calvary was not for His sins, but for ours. Every time we celebrate communion, we worship Jesus as our Savior, as the One who saved us from our sins.

Jesus was also to be called “Emmanuel,” based in part on the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. Time does not permit us to consider this prophecy in detail. It is likely that Isaiah did not understand his words here to refer to the Messiah who was to come in the future (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). As with other Old Testament texts that Matthew cites, there is a veiled, future reference to the work of the Messiah, which goes beyond the immediate, literal, meaning of the text. This veiled meaning was not usually made known until after its fulfillment in Christ, and that by the Holy Spirit. “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” In the incarnation, God came to earth in human flesh, to dwell among men. John says this beautifully:

14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 15 John testified about him and cried out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” 16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in the presence of the Father, has made God known (John 1:14-18).

God’s presence with us was not just for the few years that our Lord walked on this earth. The very last words of Matthew’s Gospel assure the reader that He will be present with us until the end:

18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, emphasis mine).

The reason that our Lord is still “with us” is that He has sent His Spirit, to dwell among us and in us:

16 “Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

How easy it is for us to lose sight of the significance of “Emmanuel!” In the past couple of weeks, I have been reading through the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. I was struck with how different it is for the New Testament saint, who can experience the joy and comfort of “God with us” in a way that no Old Testament saint could ever do. Consider how different it was for the Old Testament saint. For example, notice the “distance” those who lived in Old Testament times had to keep:

20 And the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. 22 And let the priests also, who draw near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break through against them.” 23 And Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us, ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.’” 24 And the Lord said to him, “Go, get down. And you will come up, and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people force their way through to come up to the Lord, lest he break through against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them (Exodus 19:20-25).

In Exodus 32, the Israelites sinned greatly in Moses’ absence. They convinced Aaron to make a golden calf, and then they began to worship it. God threatened to wipe out the Israelites and to start a whole new nation through Moses. When Moses interceded for the people, God consented to send an angel to lead the Israelites into the land, but indicated that He would not go along with them. Notice the reason:

2 And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way” (Exodus 33:2-3).

God did consent to go with His people. God would dwell in the midst of His people in the holiest place in the tabernacle. Nevertheless there were always barriers between men and God, from the veil of the tabernacle to the priests who separated the Israelite community from God’s presence:

52 “And the Israelites will camp according to their divisions, each man in his camp, and each man by his standard. 53 But the Levites must camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that divine anger will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the testimony” (Numbers 1:52-53).

Men could not approach God without a sacrifice, and then with very clear boundaries. How different it was after the incarnation of our Lord:

1 This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life— 2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us) (1 John 1:1-2).

We come to church, assured that He is present with us. We do not have to offer animal sacrifices. We do not have to keep our distance. And while God is with us when we meet as a church, He is always dwelling within us by His Spirit. He is with us always, even to the end of this age. The One who saved us is the One who abides with us. He promised that He will never forsake us:

5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6, emphasis mine)

We do not have to fear coming too close to our Lord, as the Old Testament saints did, and rightly so. In Christ, we have access to God, whom we may approach boldly:

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

Think of it. He who came to save men from their sins promises to dwell with us and in us. How does this happen? How can one experience God’s salvation and God’s presence? Only in Christ. We must confess our sins and trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. We must trust in Him as our righteousness. It is then that He will save us and dwell with us and in us. Is He your Savior? Does He dwell with you and in you? That is what He came to do. I pray that you will come to know Him as your Savior and constant companion.


1 Copyright 2003 by Community Bible Chapel, 418 E. Main Street, Richardson, TX 75081. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the Studies in the Gospel of Matthew series prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on February 16, 2003. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. The Chapel believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Community Bible Chapel.

2 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org.

3 Michael Green, Matthew For Today: Expository Study of Matthew (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1989), p. 37.

4 James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2001), vol. 1, p. 16.

5 Boice, p. 16, citing J. Gresham Machen, The Virgin Birth of Christ (1930; reprint, London: James Clarke, 1958), p. 209.

6 Boice, p. 17.

7 My friend, Tom Wright, pointed this observation out to me after I had preached this lesson.

8 Fredrick Dale Bruner, The Christbook: A Historical/Theological Commentary (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), vol. 1, p. 6.

9 Let us not forget, however, that Judah confessed Tamar was “more righteous than he” (Genesis 38:26), Bathsheba seems to be much more the victim than the seductress (2 Samuel 12:1-4), and Rahab is included in the “hall of faith” (Hebrews 11:31).

10 Bruner, p. 6.

11 As Nathanael further notes (and as Matthew is soon to point out), Jesus is also the “son of God,” and thus the “King of Israel” (John 1:49).

12 It will be obvious to the reader that I am “clustering” this group of observations, which together lead to my sixth conclusion.

13 James Montgomery Boice, vol. 1, p. 15.

14 Michael Green, p. 37.

15 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960), Six volumes in one, vol. 5, p. 148.

16 Bruner, p. 13.

17 I am grateful for Bruner’s observations on this point. He also points out that in the third section there appear to be only 13 names, not 14. I would have to part ways with Bruner when he seeks to convince us that Matthew, after all, is only human, and thus he could make mistakes like the rest of us. My view of inspiration and inerrancy doesn’t leave room for his conclusion. John Maurer, a good friend, aptly commented: “Good grief! Matthew was a tax collector. Does anyone really think he couldn’t count?” I believe there are solutions to this matter which don’t include Matthew being mistaken.

18 Bruner, p. 4.

19 Bruner, p. 13.

Related Topics: Incarnation

10. The Vision Of The Glory Of God

Article contributed by www.walvoord.com

The final three chapters of the book of Daniel record an extensive revelation of the prophetic future which is without parallel anywhere else in Scripture, As Leupold has expressed it, “There is hardly anything in the Bible that is just like these chapters, especially like chapter 11. The word, the vision, and minute prediction are combined in a manner that is found nowhere else in the Scriptures.”542 The entire content of chapter 10, for instance, is introductory, indicating the extensive character of the prophecy to follow. The introduction actually extends through the first verse of chapter 11. The next section, 11:2-12:4, is divided into two major divisions. The first, 11:2-35, deals with the immediate future, from Darius to Antiochus; and the second, 11:36-12:4, with the far future, the end times just before the second advent of Christ. A final message and revelation is given to Daniel in 12:5-13. The last three chapters constitute the fourth vision of Daniel which gathers together the significant threads of prophecy, especially as they relate to the Holy Land and to the people of Israel.

The Setting of Daniel’s Fourth Vision

10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

Almost every detail of the first verse of this chapter has been subject to debate in commentaries. The date of the vision, “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (536 B.C.), has been attacked as a discrepancy as compared with Daniel 1:21 where Daniel is said to have “continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.” As was noted in the exposition of chapter 1, Daniel 1:21 does not say that Daniel died or terminated his career in the first year of king Cyrus but that he continued until this important event which introduced the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. Although the Septuagint changes tne statement in Daniel 10:1 to “the first year,” this is a needless harmonization.543

Critical objection has also been leveled at the expression Cyrus king of Persia. Montgomery, with many liberal critics, holds, “The designation of Cyrus as ‘king of Persia’ was not contemporary usage; the Pers. king was entitled ‘the king,’ ‘the great king,’ ‘king of kings,’ or after his conquest of the Babylonian empire ‘king of Babel,’ ‘king of the lands’; Dr. [Driver], Int., 345 f. Cyrus was ‘the Persian king’ only later ace. to Hellenistic use.”544 Although scholars agree that Cyrus was not normally called by the simple designation “king of Persia” under ordinary circumstances until later, at least one contemporary usage of the term has been found.545 And, after all, why should not Cyrus be called “king of Persia” even if it was not the ordinary way of referring to him? Young states flatly, “This designation of Cyrus was contemporary usage (despite M [Montgomery] ).”546 After all, why should the scriptural designation have to conform precisely to ancient usage? The statement is quite clear and pinpoints the time of the vision.

It was in this third year of Cyrus king of Persia, late in Daniel’s career, about seventy-two years after he had been carried away as a youth to Babylon, that “a thing,” better translated, “a word,” that is, a revelation, was revealed to Daniel. By way of identification, his Babylonian name Belteshazzar, is given, to make clear that he is the same Daniel who was so named by Nebuchadnezzar seventy years before.

The general nature of the revelation is described in the verses which follow. Daniel first affirms that the “thing” or word was true, as might be expected of a revelation from God. The second fact concerning the prophecy as translated in the King James Version is that “the time appointed was long.” This exceedingly difficult expression has called for considerable comment. The Hebrew here, sa„ba„ ga„do‚, has been variously translated “great warfare”547 or “a great task”548 or, more freely, “involved great suffering.”549 The implication is that the period in view is a long and strenuous one involving great conflict and trouble for the people of God.

In contrast to the previous visions, Daniel states that “he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.” The previous visions had left questions in Daniel’s mind which were not fully resolved, although he had faithfully recorded what he had seen and heard. It is doubtful whether Daniel completely understood all the vision which followed, but at least he comprehended its general characteristics and was not left in a state of perplexity, for instance, as indicated in Daniel 8:27 where he was physically sick as a result of the extensive vision given to him. The introductory statement is sufficient, however, to alert the reader that a tremendous revelation is about to be presented.

Daniel’s Preparation for the Vision 10:2-3

In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

In preparation for the great revelation to follow, Daniel spent three weeks in mourning during which he did not eat the dainties of the king’s table, abstained from flesh and wine, and also did not anoint himself at all. Pleasant bread is literally, “bread of pleasures, of desires,” in contrast to bread of affliction (Deu 16:3), that is, the unleavened bread which was eaten during the Passover. During this period, Daniel apparently partook of basic nourishment and water but followed a meager diet. What was the occasion of this experience of self-inflicted fasting?

The duration of the period is obviously three weeks composed of days in contrast to the seventy “weeks” of Daniel 9:24-27. Although Leupold resists the idea that the Hebrew expression here, literally, “three weeks of days,” is used in contrast to Daniel 9, that may be precisely the point; that is, Daniel wants to make clear that normal days are in view in this prophecy. Practically everyone agrees that twenty-one days is the resulting sense.550 In any case, the three weeks included the normal week for the Passover season, as can be learned by comparison with Daniel 10:4: Passover occurred in the first month, the fourteenth day, and was followed by seven days in which unleavened bread was eaten.

The occasion for Daniel’s fasting probably was his concern for the pilgrims who had returned to Jerusalem two years before, anticipated in his prayer in Daniel 9. As the book of Ezra makes plain, the children of Israel had encountered great difficulty in getting settled in the land. Although the altar had been set up and the foundation of the temple laid (Ezra 3), the work had been suspended because of opposition by the people of the land (Ezra 4:1-5, 24). All of this was a great concern to Daniel, for his primary purpose in encouraging the expedition had been the restoration of the temple as well as the city of Jerusalem.

Humanly speaking, there was ground for anxiety. But Daniel did not understand that the seventy years of the captivity which expired with the return of the exiles in Ezra 1 did not fulfill the seventy years of the desolation of Jerusalem and the temple. This required an additional twenty years (the difference between 605 B.C., the first deportation of the Jews, and 586 B.C., the date of the destruction of Jerusalem). From God’s point of view, things were moving exactly on schedule. In a sense, the vision which followed was a reply to Daniel’s questions concerning God’s purposes for the future of Israel in relation to the Gentiles. These purposes involved a far more extensive program than that fulfilled in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah. While the saints of God may justly be concerned over what seems to be a defeat of God’s purpose, the suffering saint should never forget the majesty of the sovereignty of God which ultimately proves “that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Ro 8:28). From the divine viewpoint, while we should pray, we should be delivered from anxiety—as Paul stated many years later (Phil 4:6-7). The period of fasting, however, constituted a divine preparation for the revelation. No doubt, abstinence from all but absolutely necessary food and drink, and the omission of anointing oil—indicative of his grief for the affliction of Israel (Amos 6:6; 2 Sa 14:2)—helped to ready Daniel for his great experience.

Daniel’s Glorious Vision of God

10:4-6 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning; and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

According to verse 4, the time of the vision was the twenty-fourth day of the first month, that is, April or the month Abib (Ex 23:15), known later in the Old Testament as Nisan (Neh 2:1). Scripture does not reveal when the twenty-one days of mourning began, but it seems clear that they had concluded by the twenty-fourth day of the month. The new year was normally begun with a festival of two days celebrating the advent of the new moon (1 Sa 20:18-19, 34),551 and it was of course unsuitable for him to fast while that joyous festival continued. Daniel probably had observed the Passover on the fourteenth day and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which followed from the fifteenth day to the twenty-first. If the vision came to Daniel immediately after his twenty-one days of mourning, his fast must have begun immediately after the new moon celebration, concluding just before the vision was given to him.

The place of the vision is declared to be “by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel.” Here we learn for the first time that Daniel did not accompany the pilgrims who returned to Jerusalem, although this is implied in the earlier verses of chapter 10. Liberal scholars attempt to turn this into an argument against the historicity of Daniel, assuming that he would automatically return to his native land as soon as permitted. As Young points out, however, if Daniel was merely a fictitious character, an ideal created by a writer in the Maccabean period, it would have been far more natural to have pictured him returning triumphantly to his native land. Young concludes, “The fact that Dan. does not return to Palestine is a strong argument against the view that the book is a product of the Maccabean age.”552 The obvious explanation of Daniel’s failure to return is that he was quite old, probably eighty-five years of age, and, according to chapter 6, had been given a prominent place in the government and was not free to leave as were the others. Probably he could do Israel more good by remaining at his post than by accompanying them in the limitations of his age to Palestine.

The statement that the vision occurred by Hiddekel, or the river Tigris, has also been subject to criticism on two counts. First, the question has been raised whether this should be considered a literal and geographic statement or part of the vision. In Daniel 8, Daniel’s vision “was by the river of Ulai,” but the context makes plain that he is only there in vision not in reality. In chapter 10, however, the context and narrative makes plain that he is actually by the Tigris River, as the following verses relate how the men who were with him but did not see the vision fled. Liberal scholars like Montgomery, however, consider the reference to “the great river” a contradiction with the specification “Hiddekel” or the Tigris River, as the Euphrates River is normally called “the great river.” Montgomery, accordingly, regards this “as an early gloss” in the text, with the only alternative that “otherwise we must attribute a solecism or gross error to the writer.”553 The Syriac version substitutes “Euphrates,” for “Hiddekel.” All of this, however, is quite arbitrary as there is no reason why the Tigris should not also be called a great river; and if that expression uniformly referred to the Euphrates, it would be all the more strange for a copyist to insert, “Hiddekel.” Conservative scholars generally agree that the river is the Tigris.554 The probability is that Daniel had come to this geographic area in connection with his duties as a chief administrator of the government. No great amount of travel need be assumed here because just above Babylon the Euphrates and Tigris are only about thirty-five miles apart.

In this situation, Daniel records that he had a vision of a glorious man. Daniel describes the man as clothed in linen, his loins girded with fine gold, his body having an appearance of beryl, or chrysolite. His face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes as flaming torches, his arms and feet like polished brass, and his voice sounded like the words of a multitude. All commentators agree that the personage was not a man, but either a glorious angel or a theophany, that is, an appearance of God Himself.

Leupold, after considerable discussion, concludes that the personage is a mighty angel on the fact that he requires the help of Michael, mentioned in verse 13, which would not be true of deity. If an angel, it may have been Gabriel, who appeared to Daniel in chapter 8. However, Leupold prefers to identify him with an unknown angel of equal stature with Michael.555 Young notes that Hengstenberg identified him as Michael and that the Jews considered the figure an angel.556

Although there is room for debate even among conservative scholars, the evidence seems more in favor of considering this a theophany. In this case, the man of 10:5-6 is to be distinguished from the angel of 10:10-14 as well as Michael mentioned in 10:13. Although mighty angels are frequently difficult to distinguish from God Himself, as in other visions such as those in Ezekiel and Revelation, the similarity between the man described in 10:5-6 and the glorified Christ in Revelation 1:13-15 has led conservative expositors such as Young and Keil to consider the man a genuine theophany or an appearance of Christ as the Angel of Jehovah.557

The description of Daniel attributes to the man in the vision a glorious appearance. The linen was probably the fine white linen which characterized garments of the priests (cf. Ex 28:39-43). In other instances, linen forms the clothing of heavenly visitors (cf. Eze 9:2-3, 11; 10:2, 6-7). The angels at the tomb of Christ are described as having long white garments of brilliant character without specifying that they are linen (Mk 16:5; Lk 24:4; Jn 20:12; cf. Ac 1:10). The girdle was probably also linen embroidered with fine gold. The reference to the “fine gold of Uphaz,” has only one other similar reference in the Bible (Jer 10:9), and it is not clear whether Uphaz is geographic or poetic. No clear identification has ever been made, although some have equated Uphaz with Ophir (Is 13:12) on the basis that this word is substituted for Uphaz in a Syriac version of Jeremiah 10:9.558 It is sufficient to consider the girdle as being embroidered with fine gold of unusual quality.

The appearance of the body as a jewel called “beryl” from the Hebrew tarshish is translated “chrysolite” in the Septuagint and is considered by Driver as a topaz. He states, “the topaz of the moderns—a flashing stone, described by Pliny as ‘a transparent stone with a refulgence like that of gold.’”559 The same stone seems to be mentioned in Exodus 28:20 and Ezekiel 1:16; 10:9. It is called tarshi‚sh as if originating in Spain.560 Porteous identifies it as the yellow jasper.561 The impression given to Daniel was that the entire body of the man in the vision was like a gigantic transparent jewel reflecting the glory of the rest of the vision.

The description of the face illumined as it were by lightning, with eyes as flaming torches, is quite similar to the reference to Christ in Revelation 1:14-16. The polished brass of the arms and feet is similar to the “feet like unto fine brass” of Christ (Rev 1:15). And the lightning compares to the countenance of Christ likened to the sun in brilliance in Revelation 1:16, also to similar references in Ezekiel 1:13-14. Accompanying the visual image of glory was the mighty sound of the voice of a multitude, apparently not words which could be understood, but giving the impression of great power (cf. Rev 1:15). As Driver expresses it, “An impressive, but inarticulate, sound seems to be what the comparison is intended to suggest.”562 The total impression upon Daniel, described in the verses which follow, must have been tremendous and similar to that of John the apostle when he saw the glorified Christ (Rev 1:17).

Effect of the Vision on Daniel

10:7-9 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

The vision which Daniel saw was apparent only to him and not to the men who accompanied him. The situation was somewhat similar to that of the men who accompanied Paul on the road to Damascus (Ac 9:7; 22:9), except that here the men saw and heard nothing but apparently sensed something which gave them great fear. When those who accompanied Daniel fled to hide themselves, Daniel was left alone as he states in verse 8. The failure of the men to see the vision, however, can hardly be attributed simply to their lack of spiritual perception as Leupold suggests.563 Undoubtedly, Daniel alone of the group was spiritually qualified to receive a vision, but the choice of the recipient of the vision was made by divine will and those who accompanied Daniel were not allowed to see the vision which was intended for Daniel only.

The fact that the men did not see the vision and fled makes clear that this is an actual event which occurred near the Tigris River and that Daniel is not there merely in vision. Those who accompanied Daniel were not part of the vision itself, and their departure opened the way for Daniel’s further experience alone.

The sight of the vision affected Daniel physically, robbing him of normal physical strength; and his normal appearance of health, described as “my comeliness,” was affected in a way similar to the appearance of Christ in Isaiah 52:14, the Hebrew of corruption (Dan 10:8) and marred (Is 52:14) coming from the same root.

Although apparently rendered immobile by his lack of strength, Daniel was still able to hear “the voice of his words”; but this only increased his incapacity, and he fell in a swoon with his face toward the ground (cf. Ex 19:16-22). Daniel’s experience illustrates the difficulty of mortal, sinful man, even a prophet like Daniel, of encountering the glory of God, in relation to which the holiest of men come short (Ro 3:23). It was in this posture of weakness and semiconsciousness that Daniel was to be strengthened to receive additional revelation.

Daniel’s Strength Restored by an Angel

10:10-11 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

In verse 10, Daniel records that in his extremity a hand touched him, raising him sufficiently so that now he was resting on his hands and knees. If the original vision was a theophany or an appearance of God, it is evident that this is another personage, probably an angel. It is said that the angel “set me upon my knees,” literally translated, “shook me up upon my knees.” The action was much like arousing one from sleep.

The angel addresses Daniel and gives him the title, “a man greatly beloved.” Although God loves the entire world so much that He provided His Son as its Savior, certain individuals, because of their special relationship to God, are the objects of unusual divine love. David, in spite of his sins, was sought of the Lord as “a man after his own heart” (1 Sa 13:14; Ac 13:22); and John the apostle was “one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (Jn 13:23). As a parent loves all of his children but may love one or more in a special way, so the heart of God responds to those who love Him most.

The angel then exhorts Daniel to understand his message and to stand upright to receive it, for this was the purpose of the angel’s coming to Daniel. Upon this exhortation, Daniel is able to stand upright although trembling. The message of the angel naturally tended to reassure Daniel that God’s purpose in giving him the vision was gracious and loving, and Daniel had nothing to fear.

The Purpose of the Angel’s Visit

10:12-14 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

Daniel is further encouraged by the exhortation, “Fear not, Daniel.” To allay the fears of Daniel still further, the angel informs him that from the very beginning of his intercession, three weeks before, God had undertaken to answer his prayers and send the angelic messenger to him. What a reassurance it is that when one comes to God as Daniel did, setting his heart to understand and chastening himself before God, one may expect Daniel’s experience of the response of God that his words were heard and the messenger dispatched. The delay is explained in verse 13 as being occasioned by the opposition of “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” who “withstood me one and twenty days.” This “prince” is not the king of the kingdom of Persia but rather the angelic leader of Persia, a fallen angel under the direction of Satan, in contrast to the angelic prince Michael who leads and protects Israel. That the angel described as “the prince” of Persia is a wicked angel is clear from the fact that his opposition to the angelic messenger to Daniel is given as the reason for the delay of twenty-one days.

All during the period of Daniel’s fasting and prayer, a spiritual conflict was underway. This was resolved by the coming of Michael described as “one of the chief princes” (cf. Dan 10:21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12:7). Michael seems to be the most powerful of the holy angels, and with his assistance the messenger to Daniel is released to fulfill his mission. The statement / remained there with the kings of Persia may be translated, “I was left there with the kings of Persia,” meaning, that having been delivered from the prince of Persia, the angelic messenger was permitted to go on his way. unattended.

Driver suggests that the phrase and I remained there actually means “I was superfluous there,” inasmuch as Michael, who was more powerful, had relieved him. The Hebrew word translated “I remained” (ndtarti, from yatar) does not properly signify “to remain behind” but “to remain over, to be superfluous.” Driver says of Daniel 10:13, “I was left over there beside the kings (i.e., I had nothing more to do).”564

Zockler refutes Calvin and others who understand the conflict of the angel as being with an earthly king rather than an angelic being. Calvin says, “If we weigh these words too judiciously, we shall readily conclude, that the angel fought rather against the king of the Persians than for him.”565 Zöckler supports the idea that this is angelic warfare on the basis of the following considerations:

(1) in chap, xi.5, where [sar] is unquestionably employed in the latter sense, the connection is entirely different from the character of the present passage, where the [ hassa„ri‚m] which immediately follows obviously denotes angelic princes; (2) the Persian kings, on the other hand, are termed [ malke‚ pa„ra„s] at the end of the verse; (3) the idea of an angel’s conflict with a human king seems very inappropriate; (4) the angel Michael was Israel’s ‘prince,’ i.e., guardian angel, according to 5:21; chap, 12:l; and corresponding to this, the prince of Persia who is here noticed, and the prince of Graecia mentioned in 5:20, were, without doubt, the angels of Persia and Javan respectively; (5) the idea of guardian angels over entire realms, whether friendly or hostile in their disposition toward the theocracy, is attested by various Old-Test, parallels, particularly by Isa. 24:21…; Isa. 46:2; Jer. 46:25; 49:3 (where the gods of the heathen nations take the place of the guardian angels); Deut. 32:8; and Psa. 96:4, 70; also Bar. 4:7 and Ecclus. 17:17…—to say nothing of New-Test, passages, such as 1 Cor. 8:5; 10:20 et seq.566

Although the entire subject of the unseen struggle between the holy angels and the fallen angels is not clearly revealed in the Scriptures, from the rare glimpses which are afforded, as in this instance, it is plain that behind the political and social conditions of the world there is angelic influence—good on the part of the holy angels, evil on the part of the angels under satanic control. This is the struggle to which Paul referred in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Keil interprets the expression, “I remained there with the kings of Persia,” as meaning that a victory of major character was won against the demonic forces which had previously controlled the kingdom of Persia, and the subsequent result was that the kingdom of Persia now would become the object of divine direction through angelic ministry. He understands the plural of “kings of Persia” to indicate all the kings of Persia which followed. Keil states, “The plural denotes, that by the subjugation of the demon of the Persian kingdom, his influence not merely over Cyrus, but over all the following kings of Persia, was brought to an end, so that the whole of the Persian kings became accessible to the influence of the spirit proceeding from God and in advancing the welfare of Israel.”567

Leupold summarizes the correct interpretation in these words,

Bad angels, called demons in the New Testament, are, without a doubt, referred to here. In the course of time, these demonic powers gained a very strong influence over certain nations and the government of these nations. They became the controlling power. They used whatever resources they could muster to hamper God’s work and to thwart His purposes… We get a rare glimpse behind the scene of world history. There are spiritual forces at work that are far in excess of what men who disregard revelation would suppose. They struggle behind the struggles that are written on the pages of history.568

The fact that the angelic messenger needed the help of Michael, however, refutes Young’s interpretation that the speaker is the Angel of Jehovah or the Lord Himself.569 While even an important angel might need the help of Michael, it is hardly acceptable that Christ in the Old Testament, prior to the incarnation, would need angelic help to gain a victory over a fallen angel. The circumstances seem to indicate that this must be an angel, not a theophany, and, therefore, be distinguished from the theophany of 10:5-6.

The angelic messenger now explains to Daniel that his purpose in coming is to make Daniel understand what would befall “thy people,” that is, Israel, “in the latter days.” The angel explains that much time is involved in the vision.

The expression in the latter days is an important chronological term related to the prophetic program which is unfolded in the book of Daniel. As previously considered in the exposition of Daniel 2:28, this phrase is seen to refer to the entire history of Israel beginning as early as the predictions of Jacob who declared to his sons “that which shall befall you in the last days” (Gen 49:1) and extending and climaxing in the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. The latter days view the entire history of Israel as culminating in the climax of the second advent and the establishment of the earthly kingdom.

Daniel’s concern for his people, which probably occasioned his three weeks’ fast and prayer, is now to be somewhat relieved by a specific revelation in addition to that already given in Daniel 9:24-27. The particulars of the vision include the experiences of Israel in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and culminate in the great tribulation just before the second advent. Although Daniel probably did not understand the details, he could be reassured that God had a plan which ended in the ultimate victory of divine power. Although the prophecies made clear that there were powerful forces at work against Israel, which would inflict upon them much suffering and loss, in the end the power of God would triumph and Israel would be exalted as a nation.

Daniel Again Strengthened by the Angel

10:15-17 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Daniel’s weakness once again overwhelms him. Speechless, he turns his face to the ground. Calvin, refuting the notion that Daniel here is repenting his prophetic office, states, “By becoming prostrate on the ground, he manifested his reverence, and by becoming dumb, displayed his astonishment.”570 Whether or not Daniel actually fell to the ground is not clearly stated in verse 15, but the effect may well be what Calvin intimates.

Once again Daniel experiences strengthening from God. Whether or not the personage described as “one like the similitude of the sons of men” is a theophany, that is, Christ as the Angel of Jehovah, or is another angel is not clear. Probably it is another angelic messenger. Upon being strengthened and having his ability to speak restored, Daniel again confesses his weakness and lack of strength. His sorrows, or pains, as well as his weakness had returned with the additional vision. Daniel goes on to explain that he has difficulty in talking because he lacks both strength and breath. Montgomery suggests that breath should be “spirit.”571 But Daniel’s problem was physical rather than lack of spirit. All of this made it difficult for Daniel as expressed in his statement, “How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord?” As Charles interprets it, “The sense then is how can so mean a servant of my lord talk with so great a one as my lord?’”572 Daniel was in great difficulty in carrying on normal conversation with the angelic messenger.

Daniel Strengthened for the Third Time

10:18-19 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

For the third time in this chapter, Daniel is strengthened supernaturally by one who comes and touches him. Leupold believes that the same angel mentioned in verse 10 and following is the one who strengthens Daniel in each instance.573 However, in view of the plurality of angelic ministry, there is no special reason why Daniel should not have the ministry of more than one angel. The description of verse 16, as well as the description of verse 18, would be unnecessary if only one angel was involved. The context of verses 18 and 19, however, seems to link this angel as the one who addressed Daniel in verses 11-12.

The angel again exhorts Daniel with the reassuring salutation, “O man greatly beloved,” to not be afraid, to receive peace from God, and to be strong. Daniel was then strengthened and was able to say, “Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.”

The detail given to this experience of Daniel leaves the impression that the revelation to follow must be of tremendous character, as indeed it is. The triple strengthening of Daniel in this agonizing experience has sometimes been compared to that of the Lord’s temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:39-44; Mk 14:35-41; Lk 22:39-44).574 In both cases, an angel is the source of strength (Lk 22:43). This is the last time in this vision where Daniel requires additional strength to be administered by the angel.

The Angelic Revelation Introduced

10:20-21 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

The stage now having been set for the great revelation to follow, the angel poses the question once again, “Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee?” Critics have found fault with these concluding verses of chapter 10 as needlessly repetitious and confusing.575 Montgomery is sure that the text here is faulty. Such criticism, however, does not take into consideration Daniel’s weak and confused state. It would be quite natural after Daniel’s experience of swooning and being unable to speak, now to consider the purpose of the angelic message. The angel reveals that he is obligated to return to “fight with the prince of Persia” and by implication, later with “the prince of Grecia.” This also has been assailed as unnecessary, due to the previous victory; but the implication is that there is constant warfare in spiritual victory, and this would require the further attention of the angel. The mention of both Persia and Greece also directs our attention to the second and third major empires which are involved in the prophecies of Daniel 11:1-35. From this we can learn that, behind the many details of prophecy relating to the history of this period, there is the unseen struggle between angelic forces that the will of God may be accomplished.

An unusual phrase is found in verse 21, the scripture of truth. This term is literally “the writing of truth” ( keta„b áe†met), a reference to God’s record of truth in general, of which the Bible is one expression. The facts to be revealed are already in God’s record and are now to become part of the Holy Scriptures. The plan of God is obviously greater than that which is revealed in the Bible itself.

Verse 21 is introduced by “But” ( áaba„l) which is a strong adversative particle which serves to introduce the antidote to the fears for the theocracy cited in verse 20. The angelic conflict, great though it is, is subject to “the writing of truth,” translated “the book of truth” in most modern English versions. Zöckler comments, “Properly, ‘in a book of truth,’ i.e., in a Divine document upon which ‘the yet unrevealed (Deut. 32:34) fortunes of nations (Rev. 5:1) as well as of individuals (Psa. 139:60) in the future are entered’ (Hitzig). Cf. the books of judgment in chap. 7:10 and also the term [ áe†met] in chap. 11:2, which briefly comprehends the contents of the book of truth.”576

Concerning the “writing of truth,” Jeffrey notes, “In the Talmud (Rosh-ha-Shana 16 b) we read how on New Years Day the books were opened and fates recorded. These tablets in the book are frequently mentioned in Jubilees and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, and in the Prayer of Joseph preserved in Origen, Philocalia 23, 15 we read, ‘For I have read in the tablets of heaven all that shall befall you and your sons.’”577 The sovereignty of God reflected in His plan revealed in the Scriptures is Daniel’s assurance in this hour of uncertainty and need. To this basis for faith, the angelic messenger refers.

In regard to the coming revelation and the spiritual struggle it records, the angelic messenger has been given unusual responsibility which is exceeded only by Michael, described as “your prince.” Daniel in this way is reminded of the special angelic ministry which God had provided him all through life and especially in this present period of detailed divine revelation. The entire experience of Daniel in this chapter is on the one hand a reminder of human weakness and insufficiency, and on the other, of divine enablement which will strengthen Daniel for his responsible task of recording this great revelation. The fact that an entire chapter is devoted to this preparation makes clear that the revelation to follow is important in the consummation of God’s purposes in the world.

542 H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Daniel, p. 441.

543 For discussion from the liberal point of view, see J. A. Montgomery, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, pp. 137-39; 404-5.

544 Ibid., p. 405.

545 Leupold, p. 442.

546 E. J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel, p. 223. Young cites in support several articles by Robert Dick Wilson, such as “The Title ‘king of Persia’ in the Scriptures,” Princeton Theological Review, 15:90-145 and “Royal Titles in Antiquity: An Essay in Criticism,” Princeton Theological Review, 2:257-82; 465-97; 618-64; 3: 55-80; 238-67; 422-40; 558-72.

547 Cf. Young, p. 223; Leupold, p. 443.

548 Montgomery, p. 404.

549 Leupold, p. 443.

550 Ibid., p. 446.

551 Ibid., p. 447.

552 Young, p. 223.

553 Montgomery, p. 407.

554 C. F. Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 409; Leupold, p. 447; Young, p. 224. Contrast Montgomery, p. 407.

555 Leupold, pp. 447-48.

556 Young, p. 225.

557 Keil, p. 409; Young, p. 225.

558 Montgomery, p. 408.

559 S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel, p. 154.

560 Ibid.; Leupold, p. 449.

561 N. W. Porteous, Daniel, A Commentary, p. 152.

562 Driver, p. 155.

563 Leupold, p. 450.

564 Brown, Driver, and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p. 451.

565 J. Calvin, Commentaries on the Book of Daniel, 2:252.

566 O. Zockler, “The Book of the Prophet Daniel,” in Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, p. 228.

567 Keil, p. 419.

568 Leupold, pp. 457-58.

569 Young, p. 227.

570 Calvin, 2:257.

571 Montgomery, p. 413.

572 R. H. Charles, The Book of Daniel, p. 116.

573 Leupold, p. 463.

574 Ibid., p. 464.

575 Cf. Montgomery, pp. 416-18.

576 Zockler, p. 231.

577 A. Jeffrey, “The Book of Daniel,” in The Interpreter’s Bible, 6:510.

Reading Christian Biographies: A Selected Bibliography, by Steven J. Cole

Related Media

Revised, April, 2020

The following books on church history and biographies of great Christians have been helpful to me. I have tried to list the individual biographies in rough chronological order under each section.

Reference Works:

  1. Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity [Eerdmans], ed. by Tim Dowley. An excellent all-round reference work, with many short articles on key people and movements.
  2. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church [Zondervan], ed. by J. D. Douglas. Short biographical articles on thousands of people and movements in church history.
  3. Dictionary of Christianity in America [IVP], ed. by Daniel Reid, Robert Linder, Bruce Shelley, & Harry Stout. Short articles on key people and movements in American church history.
  4. Great Leaders of the Christian Church [Moody Press], ed. by John Woodbridge. Short biographies of the leaders of Christianity from Peter to Francis Schaeffer.

Church History:

  1. Christian History Magazine, published by Christianity Today. Each issue treats a different person or era in church history. Well done, informative, & readable.
  2. Christianity Through the Centuries [Zondervan], by Earle Cairns. Concise (500 pages) readable church history.
  3. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, John Foxe. Sobering to ead what these faithful saints endured!
  4. Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, Eamon Duffy. Shows how the popes have all been power brokers and politicians, not godly men.
  5. The Bad Popes, E. R. Chamberlin. History of the worst of the worst popes. These guys were worse than normal pagans!
  6. Pages from Church History, Stephen Nichols. Good: 13 people from various periods of church history.
  7. 121 Christians Everyone Should Know, writers of Christian History magazine. Short bios. They have a very broad definition of “Christian.”
  8. The Reformation, Stephen Nichols. Short, helpful introduction to this important time.
  9. Reformation Heroes, Diane Kleyn, with Joel Beeke. Written at middle school level, but helpful vignettes of many heroes of the faith.
  10. The Unquenchable Flame, Michael Reeves. Basic treatment of the Reformation in an easy to read style.
  11. Worldly Saints [Zondervan], by Leland Ryken. The Puritans as they really were. First rate! Don’t miss it!
  12. The Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, J. I. Packer. Excellent! I’ve read it four times.
  13. Meet the Puritans, Joel Beeke & Randall Pederson. Short introductions to the Puritans.
  14. The Devoted Life, ed. by Kelly Kapic & Randall Gleason. Various essays on the Puritans and their writings.
  15. Light From Old Times [Evangelical Press], by J. C. Ryle. A history of some of the 17th century martyrs under Bloody Mary. It will impress you with their commitment to the gospel.
  16. Christian Leaders of the 18th Century [Banner of Truth], by J. C. Ryle. Brief biographies of George Whitefield, the Wesleys, and other lesser known but greatly used servants of God.
  17. By His Grace and For His Glory [Baker], by Thomas Nettles. A historical, theological, and practical study of the doctrines of grace in Baptist history. Shows how the early Baptists were solidly Calvinistic.
  18. Revival & Revivalism {Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Subtitled, “The Making & Marring of American Evangelicalism, 1750-1858.” I’ve read it twice. Gives much insight into the evangelical mess we’re in today and how it came about.
  19. Evangelicalism Divided [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Subtitled, “A Record of Crucial Change, 1950-2000.” He traces the theological compromise of men like Billy Graham in American evangelicalism.

Great Preachers & Christian Leaders:

  1. Walking With the Giants [Baker], by Warren Wiersbe. Outstanding! Numerous short biographies of great preachers you should know. Part 2 deals with “Classic books on the ministry.” Every pastor and church leader should read this and the next one.
  2. Listening to the Giants [Baker], by Warren Wiersbe. Similar to the book above, plus a sample sermon from each preacher. The chapter, “A Basic Library,” is worth the price of the book.
  3. The Company of the Preachers [Kregel], by David Larsen. A lengthy history of preaching, consisting of short biographies of preachers from the Old Testament to the modern era. Flawed by the author’s aversion to Reformed truth and at times sounding like a doctoral thesis, but a useful survey with many interesting details of some of the characters God has used to preach His Word.
  4. Preachers who Made a Difference, by Peter Jeffery. Brief but good treatment of nine preachers.
  5. The Man Who Shook the World (new title, The Apostle), by John Pollock. A readable biography of Paul.
  6. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free [Eerdmans], by F. F. Bruce. A more scholarly treatment of Paul.
  7. The Legacy of Sovereign Joy [Crossway Books], by John Piper. Subtitled “God’s Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, & Calvin.” Excellent reading!
  8. Contending for Our All, John Piper. How Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen contended for biblical truth.
  9. The Life of William Farel [Bible Truth Publishers], by Frances Bevan. Farel was Calvin’s predecessor and mentor at Geneva, a bold preacher of the gospel.
  10. Elijah of the Alps, William Blackburn. Story of Farel’s bold, courageous life.
  11. Here I Stand, a Life of Martin Luther [Abingdon Press], by Roland Bainton. Hard to follow the details at points, but a classic biography of the great reformer.
  12. Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought [P & R Publishing], by Stephen Nichols. A recent, helpful introduction to Luther.
  13. Martin: God’s Court Jester [Fortress Press], by Eric Gritsch. Many interesting facts as he tells Luther’s story and theology.
  14. Ulrich Zwingli, William Blackburn. Interesting life of the great Reformer, but Blackburn’s difficult 19th century writing style makes it hard to follow in places.
  15. This Was John Calvin [Baker], by Thea Van Halsema. A basic introductory biography of the great reformer.
  16. John Calvin [Lion Publishing], by T. H. L. Parker. The best treatment of Calvin by a leading 20th century Calvin scholar. His Calvin’s Preaching [Westminster/John Knox Press] is an excellent study of Calvin’s emphasis on the Word. Highly recommended!
  17. The Life of John Calvin [Evangelical Press], by Theodore Beza. Beza was Calvin’s successor at Geneva, so this is a firsthand look at Calvin.
  18. John Calvin, by Williston Walker. Helpful, although the author’s theological liberalism slips through at points and comes into full view in his final analysis of Calvin’s theology.
  19. John Calvin, Robert Godfrey. Short intro to Calvin’s life and thought.
  20. John Calvin, Herman Selderhuis. A warm, human treatment of Calvin. Many stories from his life.
  21. John Calvin: His Life and Influence, by Robert Reymond. He has a few helpful facts that I didn’t know from my other reading on Calvin’s life.
  22. The Legacy of John Calvin, David Hall. Short but helpful, showing Calvin’s influence.
  23. The Soul of Life, the Piety of John Calvin, ed. by Joel Beeke. Short bio on Calvin, then short selections from his writings on various aspects of piety. Good.
  24. John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, & Doxology, Burk Parsons. Good intro to Calvin and his thought.
  25. Theodore Beza: The Man and the Myth, Shawn Wright. Not really a bio as much as it is a treatment of Beza’s theology. He corrects many common misconceptions.
  26. God’s Outlaw, William Tyndale [Evangelical Press], by Brian Edwards. The story of William Tyndale, who was persecuted for putting the Bible into English.
  27. The Life of John Knox [Free Presbyterian Publishers], by Thomas M’Crie. The life of the bold Scottish reformer.
  28. The Thunder, Douglas Bond. A novel on John Knox. Interesting, but with historical novels, you never know which part is true and which is fiction.
  29. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (in volume 1 of The Works of John Bunyan) [Baker], by John Bunyan. The autobiography of the author of Pilgrim’s Progress.
  30. John Bunyan [Banner of Truth], by Frank Mott. A short biography.
  31. The Hidden Smile of God [Crossway], by John Piper. Subtitled, “The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd. Really good!
  32. Richard Baxter [Christian Focus], by Richard Baxter. Autobiography of the influential Puritan pastor.
  33. John Owen, Prince of the Puritans [Christian Focus], by Andrew Thompson. Biography of the most scholarly Puritan theologian.
  34. John Owen: The Man and His Thought [Evangelical Press/ P & R Publishing], by Sinclair Ferguson & others. Essays on various aspects of Owen’s life and theology.
  35. William Romaine, an Iron Pillar, Tim Shenton. Sketchy on Romaine’s family life. Like many great men, he had his shortcomings, some rather glaring (anti-Semitism, short temper).
  36. Out of the Depths [Moody Press], by John Newton. The fascinating autobiography of the slave trader turned pastor, author of the beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace.”
  37. Through Many Dangers, Brian Edwards. The story of John Newton. Good!
  38. The Roots of Endurance [Crossway], by John Piper. Subtitled, “Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce.” Really good!
  39. The Journal of John Wesley [Moody Press], ed. by Percy Parker. Wesley was an interesting bundle of contradictions. John Pollock also has a biography of Wesley that I’ve read, but it may be out of print.
  40. Wesley and Men Who Followed Him [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Murray is more lenient on Wesley than I would be. His life shows that God can use some imperfect vessels!
  41. George Whitefield [Crossway Books], by Arnold Dallimore (2 vol.). (A one-volume edition by Dallimore is published by Good News Publishing, although I haven’t read it.) Whitefield was a mighty Calvinistic evangelist, friend of the Wesleys and Edwards.
  42. George Whitefield [Lion Publishing], by John Pollock. Whitefield was an interesting man, zealous for souls, and greatly used by God.
  43. Heroes, Iain Murray. Short bios on Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Newton, Thomas Charles, Robert Kalleym, William Hewitson, Charles and Mary Colcock Jones, and Spurgeon as an evangelist.
  44. The Life and Times of Howell Harris [Need of the Times Publishers], by Edward Morgan. An 1852 biography of a remarkable Welsh revivalist preacher who lived 1714-1773. Harris knew Whitefield and the Wesleys.
  45. Howell Harris and the Dawn of Revival [Evangelical Press of Wales], by Richard Bennett. A detailed account, based on Harris’ diaries, of the first three years of his spiritual pilgrimage.
  46. Jonathan Edwards, a New Biography [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. An excellent treatment of the great revivalist preacher and theologian, called the greatest mind ever in America.
  47. Jonathan Edwards, a Guided Tour of his Life and Thought [P & R Publishing], by Stephen Nichols. A recent, helpful introduction to Edwards and his theology.
  48. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, by George Marsden. Excellent! Marsden helps you see Edwards in his cultural context.
  49. A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards, George Marsden. Good shorter bio on Edwards.
  50. Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards [Audubon Press], by Elisabeth Dodds. Their story from his wife’s perspective. He was difficult because he was a genius, not because he was hard to get along with. They had a wonderful marriage. Recently back in print!
  51. A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards, ed. by Michael Haykin.
  52. The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards, ed. by D. G. Hart, Sean Michael Lucas, & Stephen Nichols. Essays on Edwards’ vision, theology, and legacy.
  53. A God Entranced Vision of All Things, ed. by John Piper & Justin Taylor. Essays on Edwards’ life and legacy, lessons from his life and thought, and expositions of his major theological works.
  54. Cotton Mather [Barnes & Noble], by Barrett Wendell. An American Colonial Puritan preacher. You will be amazed at his education and intellectual output.
  55. Robert Murray McCheyne [Zondervan], by A. A. Bonar. Devotional Scottish preacher who died at 29, but has had lasting impact on many.
  56. Awakening: The Life and Ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne, David Robertson. God used McCheyne in a remarkable way in his short life (29 years).
  57. The Roots of Endurance, John Piper. How John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce persevered through many difficulties.
  58. Charles Simeon of Cambridge, by Hugh Hopkins. Heavily British in style, but a helpful bio of this great evangelical preacher.
  59. Cambridge and the Evangelical Succession, Marcus Loane. Short biographies on William Grimshaw, John Berridge, Henry Venn, and Charles Simeon.
  60. Oxford and the Evangelical Succession, Marcus Loane. Short biographies on George Whitefield, John Newton, Thomas Scott, Richard Cecil, and Daniel Wilson.
  61. Asahel Nettleton: Life and Labors [Banner of Truth], by A. A. Bonar. Nettleton was a Calvinistic evangelist, opposed to Finney, who saw upwards of 30,000 conversions under his preaching.
  62. A Scribe Well-Trained: Archibald Alexander and the Life of Piety, e. by James Garretson. Brief bio of the Princeton theologian and excerpts from his devotional writings.
  63. C. H. Spurgeon [Moody Press], by Arnold Dallimore. The best shorter biography of this godly pulpit giant.
  64. C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography [Banner of Truth], 2 vol. Long, but well worth reading. A remarkable man!
  65. Spurgeon, Heir of the Puritans [Eerdmans], by Ernest Bacon. Short, but good treatment.
  66. Charles H. Spurgeon: His faith and works, H. L. Wayland. A tribute to the great preacher written in the year of his death (1892).
  67. Living by Revealed Truth, Tom Nettles. Lengthy but helpful bio of Spurgeon showing his commitment to Scripture.
  68. A Marvelous Ministry [Soli Deo Gloria], by Tim Curnow & others. Subtitled, “How the All-round Ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon Speaks to us Today.” I learned several new and interesting facts.
  69. The Forgotten Spurgeon [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Deals with the three major controversies of Spurgeon’s life. Read after you’ve read Dallimore.
  70. Spurgeon & Hyper-Calvinism [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. How Spurgeon battled those who took Calvinism too far. In some of his views, I think that Spurgeon was inconsistent with all of Scripture.
  71. Spurgeon & Son [Kregel], by Craig Skinner. A biography of Spurgeon’s son, Thomas, a preacher who later succeeded his famous father at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
  72. A Camaraderie of Confidence, John Piper. Short bios on three giants of faith: Charles Spurgeon, George Muller, and Hudson Taylor.
  73. A Passion for Souls: the Life of D. L. Moody [Moody Press], by Lyle Dorsett. The author (as well as Moody) is critical of the doctrines of grace, but it is still an interesting read on a man God used to reach thousands.
  74. Moody [Evangelical Press], by John Pollock. May be out of print (I saw 2 on Amazon.com). I like Pollock as a biographer.
  75. J. C. Ryle, Prepared to Stand Alone, Iain Murray. Excellent bio of the godly 19th century Anglican bishop.
  76. John Charles Ryle: Evangelical Bishop [Reiner Publications], by Peter Toon. Ryle is known for his Expository Thoughts on the Gospels and other devotional writings.
  77. Faithfulness and Holiness: the witness of J. C. Ryle, J. I. Packer. A short tribute to Ryle and the text of his classic, Holiness (read it if you haven’t, along with anything else Ryle wrote!).
  78. Charles Hodge, Andrew Hoffecker. Good, although too heavy on a lot of Presbyterian battles that I couldn’t keep straight. But Hodge was a godly man.
  79. George Muller of Bristol [Revell], by A. T. Pierson. Written in early 20th century, biography of the godly man of prayer who founded orphanages in England. This book changed my life when I first read it in 1970.
  80. George Muller: Delighted in God [Harold Shaw], by Roger Steer. Best recent biography of Muller. Great!
  81. George Muller Autobiography [Whitaker House]. Now back in print.
  82. Answers to Prayer [Moody Press], by George Muller. Excerpts from his diary, showing dramatic answers to prayer.
  83. Robert Chapman: Apostle of Love, Robert Peterson. Bio of a godly 19th century Plymouth Brethren man, a friend of George Muller and Hudson Taylor.
  84. Gipsy Smith, autobiography of God’s amazing blessing on a simple, self-educated Methodist evangelist. It only goes up to 1901, but he lived until 1947.
  85. A Man of the Word [Baker], by Jill Morgan. The life of her father, G. Campbell Morgan, well known preacher and author.
  86. Ordained of the Lord [Loizeaux Brothers], by E. Schuyler English. The life of H. A. Ironside, another great Bible expositor.
  87. J. Gresham Machen [Eerdmans], by Ned Stonehouse. Machen stood firm against liberalism in the Presbyterian Church. He founded Westminster Seminary when Princeton went liberal.
  88. Contending for Our All, John Piper. Short bios on Athanasius, John Owen, & J. Gresham Machen.
  89. Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas. Bonhoeffer (in my opinion) was a mixed-up theological hodgepodge, yet seemingly clear on the gospel. Martyred by the Nazis because of his involvement in a plot to kill Hitler.
  90. The Life of A. W. Pink, by Iain Murray. Pink was an interesting character, used of God through his writing in spite of his anti-social behavior.
  91. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray (2 vol.). The first volume covers the first 40 years of the man who has been called the greatest preacher in the English language in the 20th century. Vol. 2 is 800 pages, but I was sad when it ended. You ought to know this great man of God!
  92. The Sacred Anointing [Crossway], by Tony Sargent. A good treatment of Lloyd-Jones’ preaching.
  93. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Family Portrait [Baker], by Christopher Catherwood (Lloyd-Jones’ grandson). A shorter treatment of his life if you don’t have the gumption to tackle the 2-volume work.
  94. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Chosen by God [Crossway], ed. by Christopher Catherwood. Essays on Lloyd-Jones’ life and ministry by men such as J. I. Packer, Carl Henry, John Stott, and others that knew him.
  95. Daws [NavPress], by Betty Lee Skinner. The story of Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators.
  96. That Man Barnhouse [Tyndale], by Margaret Barnhouse. The life of Donald Grey Barnhouse, an influential Presbyterian pastor, radio speaker, and author. He was quite a character!
  97. The Tapestry [Word], by Edith Schaeffer. The interesting life of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, founders of L’Abri in Switzerland. He was a Christian philosopher and writer. She wrote this before his death from cancer in 1984.
  98. Francis Shaeffer: An Authentic Life, Colin Duriez. Sympathetic, shorter bio of Schaeffer.
  99. The Letters of Francis Schaeffer [Crossway], ed. by Lane Dennis. Reading these letters gives you insight into the pastoral heart of this Christian thinker.
  100. What is a Family? [Revell], by Edith Schaeffer. Not strictly a biography, but she weaves their family into this helpful book on the Christian family. Read after you’ve read The Tapestry.
  101. A Severe Mercy [Harper & Row], by Sheldon Vanauken. Moving love story of a couple who met Christ through C. S. Lewis. You will need Kleenex nearby!
  102. Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, D. A. Carson. A bio of Carson’s dad, a pastor/missionary in Quebec, who struggled with inadequacy, discouragement, and depression.
  103. Billy Graham [McGraw Hill], by John Pollock. This is a 1966 biography of Graham. A more recent one is now available. Graham is an influential and interesting man, who has done much good and some bad.
  104. J. I. Packer [Baker], by Alister McGrath. The life of the popular theologian, author of Knowing God.
  105. Joni [Zondervan], by Joni Eareckson Tada. A powerful story of God’s grace triumphing over tragedy.
  106. John MacArthur, Iain Murray. Shows how God is blessing His Word through MacArthur’s worldwide ministry. If you compare yourself to MacArthur and his ministry, you could easily get discouraged, though!
  107. Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield. Story of a radical lesbian English professor who came to Christ and now is a pastor’s wife.

Missions Biographies/Histories:

  1. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya [Zondervan], by Ruth Tucker. A history of missions, giving short biographies of many missionary heroes. This is a powerful, life-changing book. Read it!
  2. Guardians of the Great Commission [Zondervan], by Ruth Tucker. A biographical history of women in missions. It is similar to the above, except that the author is grinding an axe for feminism, which I strongly disagree with. But the stories are still inspiring and informative.
  3. A Heart for Mission: Five Pioneer Thinkers [Christian Focus], by Ron Davies. He covers the mission thinking of Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mather, Richard Baxter, Jan Amos Comenius, & Count Zinzendorf.
  4. William Carey [Zondervan], by Mary Drewery. The “Father of Modern Missions.” Quite a story. His reluctant missionary wife went insane. He translated the Bible into over 35 languages!
  5. William Carey, by Pearce Carey. More detailed and better than Drewary. Carey was an incredible man!
  6. The Legacy of William Carey, by Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi. Shows how Carey helped change India’s culture.
  7. To the Golden Shore [Little, Brown], by Courtney Anderson. The moving story of Adoniram Judson, pioneer missionary to Burma, who endured incredible trials and setbacks. Read it! You won’t complain about your minor troubles again!
  8. My Heart in His Hands, Ann Judson, by Sharon James. Shows the suffering and perseverance of the Judson’s.
  9. The Life and Letters of Henry Martyn [Banner of Truth], by John Sargent. Martyn went to Iran in the early 1800’s, and died of tuberculosis in his early 30’s.
  10. For the Love of India, Jim Cromartie. Good treatment of Henry Martyn, whose short life was kind of sad.
  11. David Livingstone: the Truth Behind the Legend [Christian Focus], by Rob Mackenzie. Livingstone had amazing perseverance in spite of overwhelming difficulties.
  12. David Livingstone: His Life and Letters [Harper], by George Seaver. A thorough treatment, but the author is a theological liberal who did not understand the need for conversion.
  13. Hudson Taylor [OMF], by Roger Steer. The most recent and readable treatment of the great pioneer missionary to China. Read it and be changed!
  14. Hudson Taylor & Maria [Zondervan], by John Pollock. Honest treatment of Taylor’s life up to Maria’s death. Moving!
  15. J. Hudson Taylor: God’s Man in China [OMF], by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor. An out of print earlier version is in two volumes. This is a sympathetic “eulogy” type biography written by his son and daughter-in-law. Very challenging.
  16. It is Not Death to Die, Jim Cromarty. Longer, helpful biography of Hudson Taylor.
  17. The Cambridge Seven, John Pollock. He uses British language and cultural assumptions, which makes it a bit difficult for American readers. Interesting story of how God raised up 7 19th century British men for missions in China.
  18. John Paton Autobiography [Banner of Truth]. An amazing story of commitment and courage. He left Scotland to go to the New Hebrides Islands, where cannibals had killed and eaten missionaries. There is also a recent biography on Paton by Jim Cromarty, but I haven’t read it yet.
  19. Anthony Norris Groves, by G. H. Lang. Out of print, hard to find. Groves was George Muller’s brother-in-law. He went overland to Baghdad in the 19th century.
  20. Borden of Yale [Moody Press], by Mrs. Howard Taylor. Borden gave up his fortune to go to Cairo, where he got sick and died at 25.
  21. A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael [Revell], by Elisabeth Elliot. A strong woman missionary and devotional writer who suffered greatly, but took in needy children and built a caring community in India.
  22. The Small Woman [Dutton], by Alan Burgess. The story of Gladys Aylward, featured in the film “Inn of the Sixth Happiness,” starring Ingrid Bergman. She went to China, lived by faith, and led a group of orphans on a long survival journey during the Japanese invasion. Quite a story!
  23. Jonathan Goforth, Rosalind Goforth/ A zealous evangelist in China who saw thousands converted. His main quirk was buying into Finney’s unbiblical revival methods.
  24. Praying Hyde, Francis McGaw. Hyde devoted himself to much prayer, especially for India, where he served.
  25. Fire on the Mountains [SIM], by R. J. Davis. Story of an amazing revival in Ethiopia during WWII.
  26. Against the Tide, the Story of Watchman Nee [Christian Literature Crusade], by Angus Kinnear. Nee was a powerful preacher and church planter, imprisoned by the Communists.
  27. Three of China’s Mighty Men [OMF], by Leslie Lyall. The story of David Yang, Watchman Nee, and Wang Ming-dao, three men of great faith in the face of persecution.
  28. John and Betty Stam, Vance Christie. Story of a courageous couple martyred in China in 1935.
  29. Bakht Singh of India [International Students], by Daniel Smith. Hard to find, and my copy is missing! Story of a powerful evangelist and man of God. I heard him speak once at Biola.
  30. The Flying Scotsman [??], by Sally Magnuson. The story of Eric Liddell, of “Chariots of Fire” fame.
  31. A Boy’s War [??], by David Michaelson. Story of a missionary boy separated from his parents, interned in a Japanese POW camp in China, where Eric Liddell was also a prisoner.
  32. Evidence Not Seen, Darlene Deibler Rose. Amazing story of endurance and witness through suffering in a Japanese P.O.W. camp in World War 2.
  33. Gold Fears No Fire [OMF], by Ralph Toliver. Not strictly a biography, but a novel based on a composite of true stories in China. Shows what the saints there are going through. Gripping!
  34. Foreign Devil in China [WorldWide Publications], by John Pollock. The story of Dr. Nelson Bell, father-in-law of Billy Graham, missionary doctor to China.
  35. The Power to Save: A History of the Gospel in China, Bob Davey. Excellent. The early missionaries persevered against overwhelming odds. Chinese believers have suffered much.
  36. Mission to the Headhunters [Christian Focus], by Frank & Marie Drown. Missionaries to the tribes in Ecuador. (The parents of Ruth Mortenson from our church worked with them.)
  37. Through Gates of Splendor [Spire], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of the five missionaries to the Aucas who were martyred, including Jim Elliot, the author’s husband.
  38. Shadow of the Almighty [Zondervan], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of her husband Jim, martyred at 28. This story will challenge you spiritually.
  39. The Savage My Kinsman [Harper], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of how she and her young daughter lived among the tribe that murdered her husband.
  40. Singing in His Ways, Sanna Rossi. The story of Gospel Recordings founder Joy Ridderhof and two other women’s adventures in some remote and dangerous situations.
  41. Uncle Cam [Wycliffe], by James & Marti Hefley. The story of Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
  42. At the Foot of the Snows, David Watters. A couple who took the gospel to the unreached Kham people of Western Nepal and the suffering that the new believers endured for the sake of the gospel.
  43. Days of Glory, Seasons of Night [Zondervan], by Marilee Dunker. The story of Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, told by his daughter. An agonizing story of a man who badly wounded his family, but accomplished much for the cause of missions.
  44. Bruchko [Creation House], by Bruce Olson. Story of a 19-year-old boy who went to South America and reached a murderous tribe. He is still living there, in his early 60’s now. Gripping!
  45. Peace Child [Revell], by Don Richardson. Story of how he and his young family reached a headhunting, cannibalistic tribe in Irian Jaya. (Also in video.) Amazing story!
  46. Lords of the Earth [Revell], by Don Richardson. Another amazing story of missionary courage in reaching a savage tribe in Irian Jaya. This should be a movie! The turn of events at the end is one of the most amazing stories in missions history!
  47. And the Word Came With Power [Multnomah], by Joanne Shetler with Patricia Purvis. How God used one woman to transform the Balangao people of the Philippines.
  48. The Good Seed, Marianna Slocum. Story of the gospel taking root among the Tzetal Indians in Chiapas, Mexico.
  49. Weak Thing in Moni Land, William Cutts. How God used a man who had great physical limitations to spread the gospel in Irian Jaya.
  50. Give Me This Mountain, Helen Roseveare. She was an English missionary medical doctor who suffered in the Congo under the rebels.

Related Topics: Christian Education, Discipleship, Spiritual Life, Testimony & Biography

Books For Growing Christians

Related Media

(Updated & Revised, June, 2020)

Bringing good Christian books into your home is like inviting godly, wise Christian leaders to share their insights with you and your family. It’s a worthwhile investment. I recommend that you budget money to purchase good Christian books. If you spend money for cable TV, videos, & movies, why not budget some money for books to help you and your family to grow in Christ? I usually purchase books rather than borrow because I can mark them and write comments in the margin as I interact with the authors. I also set goals on how many books I want to read each year to help me keep at it. I try to vary my reading between devotional (often sermons from the godly men of the past), biographical (see my separate book list entirely on this), and theological.

I usually buy books either used or at a discount. One source: for some harder-to-find, but solid books: Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service, P.O. Box 613, Carlisle, PA 17013. Phone: (800) 656-0231. Web: www.cvbbs.com Even with shipping costs, you can usually beat retail prices. Also, try www.monergism.com & www.Amazon.com. Go to www.campusI.com to compare prices on books. There is now a lot of helpful free stuff available on the web (see my favorite links on fcfonline.org).

This list is selective. There are many other worthwhile books. I’ve listed some that have helped me. Being on this list does not imply total endorsement. Read critically and prayerfully, comparing everything with Scripture!

Reference Works, Bible Study Aids

Note: You can now purchase many of the following works in various combinations in electronic format. Generally, you can get far more books for your buck this way, if you don’t mind having them in this form. And, you can find many Bible study helps such as concordances, commentaries, and sermons online at monergism.com, Bible.org, Sermonaudio.com, and other sites. You will have to search around and determine what best fits your needs.

  1. New American Standard Bible. It is the most literal translation, although sometimes not smooth. Get the updated version.
  2. English Standard Version Study Bible. This is a literal translation also, attempting to be a bit smoother than the NASB. There are extensive helpful notes and articles.
  3. New International Version Bible. For alternate reading & study; less literal than the NASB, but easier to read. The New King James Version is a modern update of the popular old version. Generally the Greek text behind the KJV & NKJV is not as authentic as the text behind the NASB & ESV (although this is hotly debated!).
  4. Exhaustive Concordance to the NASB. A concordance lists every word in the Bible and where it occurs, so you can locate a text if you can remember one word from the verse; or do a theme or word study by tracing every occurrence of a word in the Bible.
  5. The New Bible Dictionary.
  6. The New Unger’s Bible Handbook.
  7. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 12 vol. Best evangelical, multi-volume commentary set. This set has been abridged into the two-volume NIV Bible Commentary, Kenneth Barker & John Kohlenberger III, eds. If you purchase this shorter set, you could also purchase vol. 1 of the Expositor’s set, which contains some very helpful articles.
  8. The Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament & New Testament (2 vols.). Brief commentary on the whole Bible (dispensational perspective, written by Dallas Seminary faculty).
  9. Calvin’s Commentaries. Expensive and does not cover whole Bible. But he is devotionally as well as exegetically good. You can read these on the web (www.monergism.com).
  10. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (5 vols.).
  11. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W. E. Vine. Word studies for students who don’t know Hebrew or Greek.
  12. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, ed. (4 vols.). More scholarly word studies than Vine, but you can use it even if you don’t know Greek. There is also a one volume edition of Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.
  13. Any good Bible atlas.
  14. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter Elwell, ed.
  15. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, J. D. Douglas, ed.
  16. Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity, ed. by Tim Dowley.
  17. Unlocking the Scriptures, Hans Finzel (principles of inductive Bible study; or, there are several other good books that help you learn to study the Bible on your own).

Theology/Doctrine

Don’t be scared off by this section! Christian families used to teach their children through catechisms, which are great summaries of biblical truth. John Piper offers a Baptist catechism on DesiringGod.org. American Christians need sound doctrine! In addition to the specific works listed below, I highly recommend that you read any of the Puritans. Also, men like Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, J. C. Ryle, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones have many sermons in print that combine solid theology, devotion to God, and practical application.

  1. The London Baptist Confession of 1689 (this is now available from Cumberland in a modern version called A Faith to Confess: The 1689 Confession in Modern English).
  2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (along with the Longer and Shorter Catechisms; I don’t agree with their position on baptism and the Sabbath, but it is an excellent summary of solid doctrine).
  3. Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin (buy the edition by J. T. McNeill, translated by Ford Lewis Battles, which is more up-to-date than the Beveridge edition). While some sections are hard to read, others are outstanding (the section on prayer is great)! Next to the Bible, Calvin’s Institutes is far and away the most profound book I’ve ever read (twice at this date)!
  4. The Institutes, Tony Lane. A greatly condensed edition of the original. Maybe start here.
  5. Calvin: An Introduction to His Thought, T. H. L. Parker (synopsis of the Institutes).
  6. Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem. Contemporary, Reformed on salvation. I do not agree with his charismatic views. A condensed version of this book is called, Bible Doctrine.
  7. Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge (get the one-volume abridged edition; Hodge was a solid Reformed professor at Princeton in the 19th century).
  8. The Works of Jonathan Edwards (2 vol.). Edwards is difficult to read, but immensely rewarding. He knew and loved God as few men have.
  9. The Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther (a classic; a modern English edition is available from Cumberland called “Born Slaves”).
  10. Faith Works, John MacArthur, Jr. On “lordship salvation.”
  11. The Holiness of God, R. C. Sproul.
  12. The Most Encouraging Book on Hell Ever, Thor Ramsey. Brief, helpful, at times humorous, defense of hell.
  13. Knowing God, J. I. Packer.
  14. The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock (2 vol.). Very good, although wordy and repetitive.
  15. The Doctrines of Grace, James Boice & Philip Ryken (on Calvinism).
  16. Chosen by God, R. C. Sproul. Clear, convincing, and practical.
  17. Chosen for Life, Sam Storms. Helpful treatment of divine election.
  18. The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, John Owen. The best defense of “particular redemption.”
  19. Redemption: Accomplished and Applied, John Murray. The Reformed doctrines of salvation.
  20. Still Sovereign, ed. by Thomas Schreiner & Bruce Ware. A collection of essays on the vital subject of God’s sovereignty. Some are very helpful.
  21. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, D. A. Carson. Short, but provocative.
  22. The Love of God, John MacArthur.
  23. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Bruce Ware. Short, helpful treatment of the trinity.
  24. Our Triune God, Philip Ryken and Michael LeFebvre. Basic, non-technical treatment of the trinity.
  25. Living for God’s Glory, Joel Beeke & others. Helpful, devotional, practical.
  26. The Blessed Hope, George Ladd. Argues irenically, yet convincingly, for the post-tribulation rapture.
  27. The Presence of God, Ryan Lister. Really helpful. He ties all of Scripture together around the theme of God dwelling with His people.
  28. The King in His Beauty, Thomas Schreiner. Overview of the Bible, tying everything into the theme of God’s kingdom and Jesus as the beautiful king.
  29. Five Views on Law and Gospel, ed. by Wayne Strickland. Point/counterpoint on a difficult subject!
  30. God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants, Peter Gentry & Stephen Wellum. Condensed version (300+ pages) of their Kingdom through Covenants (800+ pages). Both are good! Traces the story line of the Bible through God’s covenants.
  31. The Temple and the Church’s Mission, Greg Beale. Provocative and insightful.
  32. How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament, Jason DeRouchie. Overall, very helpful. You can skip his more scholarly sections on using Hebrew.

Spiritual Life/ Devotional

  1. Any of Spurgeon’s sermons (many are available in paperback and online: www.spurgeon.org). They’re a bit wordy, but devotionally meaty. Worth the effort!
  2. Any of John Bunyan’s sermons or devotional writings. The Acceptable Sacrifice and Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ are now available from Banner of Truth. Both are wonderful!
  3. Newton on the Christian Life, Tony Reinke. One of the best books on the spiritual life I’ve ever read!
  4. Edwards on the Christian Life, Dane Ortlund. Good treatment of Edwards’ spiritual life.
  5. Schaeffer on the Christian Life, William Edgar. Helpful overview of Schaeffer’s life and thought by a man (now a seminary professor) whom Schaeffer led to Christ.
  6. Spurgeon on the Christian Life, Michael Reeves. Convicting on prayer!
  7. Owen on the Christian Life, Matthew Barrett & Michael Haykin. Not easy to read because of long quotes by Owen, but helpful.
  8. Lloyd-Jones on the Christian Life, Jason Meyer. Good overview of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
  9. Augustine on the Christian Life, Gerald Bray. Difficult at points, but overall helpful.
  10. The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter (a Puritan, old English, but a wonderful exposition of the fact that our hope is in heaven, not in this life).
  11. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, J. I. Packer. (Packer isn’t easy to read, but this is a great book. I’ve read it four times so far.)
  12. Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life, Donald Whitney. A study guide is also available.
  13. Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper. I wish this had been available when I was in my 20’s.
  14. Desiring God, John Piper. Provocative and life-changing.
  15. When I Don’t Desire God, John Piper. How to fight for joy and against depression.
  16. The Pleasures of God, John Piper. What God delights in.
  17. God’s Passion for His Glory, John Piper. The first half is Piper’s introduction to Jonathan Edwards. The second half is Edwards’ difficult, but rewarding essay, “The End for Which God Created the World.”
  18. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, ed. by John Piper and Justin Taylor.
  19. One Thing, Sam Storms. On God’s greatness and glory.
  20. Temptation and Sin, John Owen (a condensed, modern English version is, What Every Christian Needs to Know) This is the best treatment of how to deal with temptation. I’ve read it at least 4 times. Owen, a 17th century Puritan, is meaty, but very hard to read in his original works. You might try Overcoming Sin & Temptation, by Owen, ed. by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor.
  21. The Enemy Within, Kris Lundgaard. A modern version of Owen’s Temptation and Sin.
  22. The Obedience Option, David Hegg. Basic, helpful study of obedience and overcoming temptation.
  23. Practical Religion, J. C. Ryle (a 19th century Anglican, but contemporary and solid; read anything of his you can find. This work is now in a modern, condensed version titled “Walking With God,” available from Cumberland).
  24. Holiness, J. C. Ryle. A classic. The last chapter, “Christ is All,” is wonderful.
  25. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 4 vol., J. C. Ryle. Great devotional insights on every paragraph in the gospels. This makes for great daily devotional reading as you read through the gospels. It is available for free online.
  26. Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan. Get a modern English version. Read and reread it yourself & to your kids. Spurgeon read it through yearly!
  27. Revival, Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
  28. The Sermon on the Mount, Martyn Lloyd-Jones (incisive analysis of Matthew 5-7). All of Lloyd-Jones’ books of sermons are devotionally rich. He has 8 volumes on Ephesians and 14 on Romans.
  29. Our Sufficiency in Christ, John MacArthur, Jr. Attacks the modern intrusion of psychology & pragmatism into evangelical circles.
  30. The Ultimate Priority, John MacArthur, Jr. (on worship). Excellent!
  31. A Praying Life, Paul Miller. One of the best I’ve read on prayer.
  32. A Journey to Victorious Praying, Bill Thrasher. Another helpful book on prayer.
  33. Taking Hold of God, Joel Beeke and Brian Najapour. On the Puritans and prayer.
  34. A Method for Prayer, Matthew Henry. Helpful, but convicting.
  35. The Hidden Life of Prayer, David McIntyre. Short, helpful, on prayer.
  36. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, William Law (18th century, get a modern English abridgement if you can). A bit out-dated, but it shows you the solid spirituality of these godly men of the past in comparison with the flimsy spirituality of today.
  37. From Pride to Humility, Stuart Scott. A short booklet, excerpted from The Exemplary Husband. Every Christian should read this booklet repeatedly! It is really good and practical.
  38. Humility, C. J. Mahaney. Short, helpful look at this important virtue.
  39. How Does Sanctification Work? David Powlison. Shows the multi-faceted way that God sanctifies His people.
  40. No Quick Fix, Andrew Naselli. He refutes the Keswick view of the “higher life.” However, I thought that his favorable citations of Martyn Lloyd-Jones overlooks Lloyd-Jones’ view of the Holy Spirit, which is similar to the erroneous Keswick view.
  41. An Infinite Journey, Andrew Davis. Very helpful treatment of sanctification and discipleship.
  42. A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament, Alec Motyer. Helpful, short treatment from a scholar in his nineties who obviously loves God and His Word.
  43. The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Ladd. Helpful, devotional study of the kingdom of God.

Church History/Biography/Missions

(I have benefited much from reading in this area. See, also, my more extensive biographical bibliography, “A List of Christian Biographies,” on fcfonline.org. Some of these are of more interest to preachers, but would benefit any believer. I’ve listed them separately below.)

  1. George Muller, Roger Steer (Muller was a giant in faith and prayer).
  2. George Muller of Bristol, A. T. Pierson. An older treatment. This book profoundly influenced me.
  3. Hudson Taylor, Roger Steer (recent treatment of this great pioneer missionary to China).
  4. Hudson Taylor and Maria, John Pollock.
  5. It is Not Death to Die, Jim Cromarty. Longer, helpful biography of Hudson Taylor.
  6. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George Marsden. Longer bio on Edwards. Very good.
  7. A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards, George Marsden. Good shorter bio on Edwards.
  8. Jonathan Edwards: A Guided Tour of His Life, Stephen Nichols. Good introduction to Edwards.
  9. The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, John Piper. God’s triumphant grace in Augustine, Luther, & Calvin.
  10. Contending for Our All, John Piper. Short bios on Athanasius, John Owen, & J. Gresham Machen.
  11. The Hidden Smile of God, John Piper. How God used affliction in the lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, & David Brainerd.
  12. The Roots of Endurance, John Piper. How John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce persevered through many difficulties.
  13. A Camaraderie of Confidence, John Piper. Short bios on three giants of faith: Charles Spurgeon, George Muller, and Hudson Taylor.
  14. The Reformation, Stephen Nichols. Short, helpful introduction to this important movement in history.
  15. Martin Luther, Stephen Nichols. Short introduction to Luther.
  16. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Ruth Tucker (great, moving historical biography of missions).
  17. John Paton Autobiography. Amazing story of a 19th century missionary to cannibals in the South Pacific.
  18. Bruchko, Bruce Olson. Exciting story, great for reading to family.
  19. The Tapestry, Edith Schaeffer. Life of Francis & Edith Schaeffer, a real‑life drama of how God leads as we walk with Him.
  20. Worldly Saints, Leland Ryken. A great book on the Puritans; it will surprise you!
  21. To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson, Courtney Anderson. Life of the pioneer missionary to Burma. Judson is a phenomenal example of endurance in spite of overwhelming obstacles. Top notch!
  22. Adoniram Judson, Vance Christie. A more recent treatment of Judson’s remarkable life and ministry.
  23. Shadow of the Almighty, Elisabeth Elliot. Life of Jim Elliot, martyred husband of the author. Life-changing!
  24. Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot. Story of five missionaries martyred in Ecuador.
  25. William Carey, Pearce Carey. An amazing man who persevered through many trials and setbacks to impact India.
  26. The Legacy of William Carey¸ Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi. Shows how Carey helped change India’s culture.
  27. For the Love of India: The Story of Henry Martyn, Jim Cromarty. Early missionary to India and Persia.
  28. Peace Child, Don Richardson. Couple goes to stone age, cannibal tribe with the gospel. Fascinating.
  29. Lords of the Earth, Don Richardson. If this were a movie, you’d swear it couldn’t be true. But it is true!
  30. The Power to Save: A History of the Gospel in China, Bob Davey. Excellent. The early missionaries persevered against overwhelming odds. Chinese believers have suffered much.

Biographies Especially For Pastors, Those Interested In Preaching:

  1. Walking With the Giants and Listening to the Giants, Warren Wiersbe (short biographies of great preachers).
  2. John Calvin, T. H. L. Parker (best biography, by leading Calvin scholar).
  3. Calvin’s Preaching, by Parker (Great book! Calvin’s emphasis on expository preaching).
  4. Spurgeon, Arnold Dallimore (best shorter biography of this giant).
  5. Autobiography of C. H. Spurgeon (2 vol., [Banner of Truth]). Well worth reading!
  6. Living by Revealed Truth, Tom Nettles. Lengthy but helpful bio of Spurgeon showing his commitment to Scripture.
  7. The Forgotten Spurgeon, Iain Murray. Shows the theological issues Spurgeon faced and stood for.
  8. D. M. LloydJones, 2 vol., Iain Murray. Lloyd‑Jones is called the best preacher in 20th century. (Vol. 2 is 800 pages, but worth it! I was sad when it ended. I’ve read it twice now.)
  9. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Christopher Catherwood. A shorter bio of MLJ by his eldest grandson.
  10. Jonathan Edwards, Iain Murray. Colonial New England revival preacher and theologian.
  11. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George Marsden. Excellent bio on Edwards.
  12. Revival & Revivalism, Murray. Insightful history of American evangelicalism from 1750-1850, showing how modern American evangelicalism got this way. I’ve read it twice.
  13. The Puritans, Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
  14. Knowing the Times, Lloyd-Jones.

Evangelism / Missions / Apologetics

  1. The Soul Winner, C. H. Spurgeon. Meaty, but nourishing. I come back to it often.
  2. A Pastor’s Sketches, (2 vol.), Ichabod Spencer. Remarkable accounts of a 19th century Brooklyn pastor’s evangelistic conversations.
  3. Share Jesus Without Fear, Bill Fay. Helpful ways to bring up spiritual matters and share Christ.
  4. Concentric Circles of Concern, W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. Argues for witnessing to those closest to you.
  5. 8 to 15, Tom Mercer. Simple, non-guilt approach to evangelism, similar to Thompson.
  6. The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman.
  7. How to Give Away Your Faith, Paul Little. The basics on how to witness.
  8. Evangelism Explosion, D. James Kennedy.
  9. Evangelism for the Rest of Us, Mike Bechtle. Helpful for all introverts who are threatened by witnessing. You have to filter out some psychobabble, though.
  10. The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel. I don’t like his chapter on psychology, but the rest of the book is a solid presentation of the evidence for the faith. Use it in your witness.
  11. Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell. Wealth of information on the resurrection.
  12. Darwin on Trial & Defeating Darwinism, both by Phillip Johnson (a bit technical at times, but excellent attacks on evolution).
  13. Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martin. A good reference work on the major cults.
  14. Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse, by David Reed. Helpful if you’re witnessing to a JW.
  15. The Fatal Flaw & Answers to Roman Catholic Claims, both by James White. His web site is www.aomin.org
  16. Operation World, Patrick Johnstone & Jason Mandryk. A wealth of statistics and prayer needs for every country in the world. Get the most recent edition.
  17. Eternity in Their Hearts, Don Richardson. Fascinating stories of how God prepares people groups for the gospel.
  18. Let the Nations be Glad, John Piper. Not easy to read, but worth the effort!

(For further reading on Missions, see the numerous missionary biographies in my Christian Biography book list.)

The Church/Ministry

(See the above section of biographies especially for pastors.)

  1. Lectures to My Students, C. H. Spurgeon.
  2. An All-Round Ministry, C. H. Spurgeon.
  3. The Supremacy of God in Preaching, John Piper. Excellent!
  4. Preaching and Preachers, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. His lectures on the task of preaching. He was a master!
  5. The Preacher and His Models, James Stalker (probably out-of-print, but excellent).
  6. Ashamed of the Gospel, John MacArthur, Jr. Critique of the “market the gospel” approach and call for biblical methods. There is an updated 3rd edition now (2010).
  7. Reckless Faith, John MacArthur. He hits the rampant subjectivism in evangelical circles today.
  8. Radical Together, David Platt. Helpful look at what the church should be.
  9. Strange Fire, John MacArthur. Strong exposé of the charismatic movement. Even if you don’t agree with MacArthur’s cessationist views, you should read this.
  10. Pastoral Graces, Lee Eclov. A great book for all church leaders. He balances grace and truth in shepherding the flock.
  11. The Compelling Community, Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop. Provocative, overall helpful.
  12. What is the Church’s Mission? Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert. They argue for the Great Commission.

Marriage And Family, Relationships

Most of the current Christian books in this and the next two headings are badly tainted by worldly psychology, rather than based on Scripture alone, which is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16) and our only source for God’s wisdom in these crucial areas. I have tried to select books that are not psychologically tainted (although note the comments below).

  1. Self-Confrontation, John Broger, chapters 9-15 (a study workbook, not a book to sit and read; see below under “Counseling”). Practical, loaded with Scripture references.
  2. What is a Family?, Edith Schaeffer. Now out of print, but a creative, warm approach to biblical family life.
  3. When Sinners Say “I Do,” Dave Harvey. Shows how we need to face our own sin, not blame our mate.
  4. Love that Lasts, Gary and Betsy Ricucci.
  5. Reforming Marriage, Douglas Wilson.
  6. The Exemplary Husband, Stuart Scott. The best book for husbands that I’ve read.
  7. The Excellent Wife, Martha Peace. Same comment as #5.
  8. The Fruit of Her Hands, Nancy Wilson (I have not read it, but my wife thinks it is excellent for wives).
  9. Christian Living in the Home, Jay Adams.
  10. This Momentary Marriage, John Piper. Helpful on marriage and also the single life. I disagree with his view that remarriage after divorce is not permitted for any reason.
  11. Love Life for Every Married Couple, Ed Wheat. Although tainted a bit by worldly “self-esteem” teaching, his overall treatment of biblical love and responsibility in marriage is excellent.
  12. Intended for Pleasure, Ed Wheat. A Christian medical doctor deals with the sexual relationship in marriage.
  13. Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande & Kevin Johnson. Basics on an important topic.

Child Rearing

(See comments and some titles under Marriage/Family.)

  1. Self-Confrontation, John Broger, chapters 16-17 (see below under “Counseling”).
  2. How to Really Love Your Child, by Ross Campbell. A lot of psychology needs to be filtered out, but Campbell has some helpful, practical insights into how to make your children feel your love.
  3. The Duties of Parents, J. C. Ryle.
  4. You and Your Child, Charles Swindoll.
  5. Leading a Child to Independence, Paul & Jeannie McKean. Although tainted by worldly “self-esteem” teaching, they have some helpful insights on setting practical goals in child rearing.
  6. Parents in Pain, John White. Although you have to filter out numerous psychological “insights” that aren’t based on Scripture, White has some helpful wisdom for parents of wayward children.

Family Devotions

I encourage families to get a modern catechism (see #1 under THEOLOGY/DOCTRINE) and work through it with your children. John Piper also has a catechism. See www.desiringgod.org (Search = catechism)

  1. The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes, Kenneth Taylor. Brief Bible stories for reading to pre-schoolers.
  2. The Muffin Family series, Gilbert Beers. Bible stories coupled with a short story which applies it. Good for 4-8 year-olds.

(I’m sure that there are probably many more resources now available, but since my children are grown, I do not keep up with them. World magazine has reviews of children’s books in every issue.)

Family Finances

  1. Master Your Money, Ron Blue.
  2. Your Finances in Changing Times, Larry Burkett.
  3. Your Money Matters, Malcolm MacGregor. It may be out of print; I like his humor.
  4. When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. Wisdom about giving.
  5. Giving Wisely, Jonathan Martin. Excellent guidelines for giving wisely.
  6. Total Money Makeover, Dave Ramsey. Humorous, practical. Main message: Get out of debt!

Counseling/Emotions/Suffering

(Grouped somewhat topically):

  1. SelfConfrontation, John C. Broger (available from Biblical Counseling Foundation, P.O. Box 925, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270). A helpful, biblically based approach to personal discipleship and to helping others with their problems. Study workbook format.
  2. The Christian Counselor’s Manual, Jay Adams.
  3. How to Counsel From Scripture, Martin & Deidre Bobgan. They have since renounced their own book and the entire Christian counseling movement, but I think it has some helpful guidelines. Their web site is: www.psychoheresy-aware.org
  4. Christian Psychology’s War on God’s Word, Jim Owen (EastGate Publishers, Santa Barbara, CA 93110). Shows the harmful influence of “Christian” psychology.
  5. PsychoHeresy, Martin & Deidre Bobgan (EastGate Publishers). Hard-hitting, biblically sound critique of “Christian” psychology.
  6. 12 Steps to Destruction, Martin & Deidre Bobgan. Exposes the false teaching of the “Christian” recovery and “codependency” movements.
  7. Why Christians Can’t Trust Psychology, Ed Bulkley. I think that he is balanced in his approach.
  8. Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. A spiritual classic.
  9. The Last Thing We Talk About, Joseph Bayly (on death & grief).
  10. Affliction, Edith Schaeffer.
  11. When God Weeps, Joni Eareckson Tada & Steve Estes.
  12. From Forgiven to Forgiving, Jay Adams.
  13. Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson. Short, helpful.
  14. The Peacemaker, Ken Sande, a more thorough treatment of the subject than the previous book.

Personal Management/Direction

  1. Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald.
  2. Strategy For Living, Edward Dayton & Ted Engstrom. On setting goals.
  3. First Things First, Stephen Covey, Roger & Rebecca Merrill. This is the only non-Christian book on this list, so read it with discernment. But I think they have a lot of wisdom on ordering your life according to your goals. Just make sure that your goals are biblical goals!
  4. Crazy Busy, Kevin DeYoung.
  5. Do More Better, Tim Challies.
  6. What’s Best Next? Matt Perman. Kind of overwhelming to put in practice, but helpful.

Contemporary Issues/World VIew

  1. No Place for Truth, David Wells. Not easy to read, but a great analysis of our culture and how the church has become worldly to the core.
  2. God in the Wasteland, David Wells. Sequel to the above. Calls for a return to God-centeredness.
  3. Losing Our Virtue, David Wells. Hits the worldly, market-driven American church.
  4. The Truth War, John MacArthur.
  5. Recovering the Christian Mind, Harry Blamires. Insightful!
  6. Worldly Amusements, Wayne Wilson. Hits Christians for their indiscriminate involvement with corrupt movies. Calls us to honor Christ in our entertainment choices. Every Christian should read this book!
  7. Lifeviews, R. C. Sproul. Easy-to-follow treatment of differing worldviews and philosophies.
  8. What You Should Know About Inerrancy, Charles Ryrie. Simple, brief treatment of an important theological issue.
  9. Men and Women in Biblical Perspective, James Hurley. Good on male and female roles.
  10. Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, ed. by John Piper and Justin Taylor. Helpful.
  11. What Ever Happened to the Human Race? Francis Schaeffer & C. Everett Koop. A bit outdated and maybe out of print, but God used it years ago to wake me up to the horrors of abortion.
  12. Politics According to the Bible, Wayne Grudem. Excellent, helpful thinking on many modern issues.
  13. Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen. Written almost 100 years ago, but still relevant. He shows that liberal “Christianity” is not Christian at all.

Related Topics: Book Review, Christian Home, Christian Life, Discipleship, Library and Resources, Spiritual Life

网上牧师杂志–中文版(简体), SCh Ed, Issue 30 2019 年 冬季

作者:  Roger Pascoe博士, 主席,
邮箱: [email protected]

Part I:加强讲解式讲道

“ 强化结尾”

通常在准备讲章的最后,也就是引言之前(或者准备引言的同时)准备结语。 引言和结尾紧密结合—后者对前者进行了总结。一个不好的引言可能无法有效地吸引听众来倾听信息的内容,而一个不好的结尾往往无法激励听众去做这篇信息所要求的。

结尾的主要目的是有效地结束讲道。除非信息激励听众生命的改变,否则这篇信息不算恰当地结束。这是我们之所以讲道—不是传讲有意思的信息;不是往你脑子里塞知识;也不是使每个人感觉良好,而是作为生命改变的催化剂。我们“劝说男人和女人” (哥后 5:19)。

一个不好的结尾可能会破坏你讲道的效果。许多布道者不知道如何结束一篇讲道。在公开演讲和布道中,都会如此。一个不好的结尾就像一个人开始建了一座塔却不知道如何结束。

结尾常存在的两个明显的错误:

1.讲道没结束之前就开始结尾。

2.讲道已经结束了才开始结尾

一个不好的结尾主要由两件事导致:

1.对结尾以及通过这篇讲道你(和圣灵)所要达成的目的,没有充分的想法、准备以及祷告。

2.没能让结尾起到该有的重要性。

A.一个好结尾的基本因素

1.总结:“明确”真理

教导最好的方式之一就是重复-最基本的三重模式:

(1)告诉他们你要说的是什么(引言)

(2)说(主体)

(3)告诉他们你刚刚说过的(结尾)

但要确保不要重复地过多。也不要以一个意料之中的短语作为开头比如“今天早晨我们学的是…” 。而要使它成为你结尾中自然的一部分,不要用要点的形式总结它,而是在结尾中涵盖讲道的范围和思想。

最好在结尾重复你的主旨,如果有合适的地方,可以在整个讲道的不同地方重复。这样你就完成了几个重要的步骤:

(1) 你通过把引言和结尾联系起来提醒听众你是从哪里开始的。

(2)你巩固了这篇讲道以及经文的整体神学观点。

(3) 你帮助人们记住讲道的要点。

(4)你证明你已经传讲了你想要说的——也就是说,你已经证明了这个观点,或解释了这个真理,或劝诫他们接纳了一个思想,或者回答了你一开始提出的问题。

(5)你再次把整个讲道浓缩成一句话。如果你的听众还没有领悟到,这一次亮光应该照亮他们的思想。他们应该说:“是的!这就是这段的真理。”

你总结讲道的一个方式就是重复要点。这样他们可以很快地以大纲的形式再次理解讲道,他们也可以看到你从哪里开始的,希望他们也能够知道现在应该怎么做。

如果你已经在引言中说明了你讲道的目的,那么在结尾中你可以通过说明这篇信息的挑战再次加以重复 ,以至于你讲道的目的非常明确。听众的注意力也再一次被集中在这里。

总结是为了明确目的—使这篇信息的目的很清楚;明确中心问题;以及给出一个最终的、明确的想法。

如果可能,试着回到你开头的点。也许你讲了一个故事来说明这个问题,或者引用了一首诗,或者举了一个例子。通过回顾它,听众就会看到你刚才所讲的内容。也可能你留下了一些问题,现在你可以完成你的故事或回答问题了。回到引言,在某种程度上就像是讲道的一个画框(或者一个书夹)—将讲道带到结束。。

2.例证:使真理“视觉化”

一个好的例子是一种非常有效的方法,可以在结尾将整个布道融会贯通。如果你选择了一个好的例子,它会将你所传讲的主题以一幅文字图的方式呈现出来,并将其印在听众的脑海中。通过例子,听众更能明白你所讲的真理以及相较于真理他们自己的生活如何。

例子使抽象的真理视觉化和具体化。确保你所使用的例子适合讲道的主题并且不要太长。你也可以用一首诗(或者歌词)或者一个非常相关而有力量的引用作为最后的例子。诗歌的特殊价值在于,它以凝练的形式,以丰富多彩的、独特的文字表达抽象的真理。

3.劝诫:使真理“具体化”和 “个人化”

劝诫,就如同重复,将听众的注意力重新集中在讲道的目的,也就是,激励听众去做些什么;去采取“道德和属灵上的行动”;在个人的生活中把这一点弄明白。

在结尾这部分,告诉他们你想让他们做什么—例如,改变他们的行为、思想、态度、关系、遵行真理等等。如果这个讲道已经发生功效,人们应该已经在心里问自己:“我们应该做什么”或者“为什么我们应该做?”或者“我们应该怎么做?”我们的任务是通过引导他们认罪悔改,遵守真理来告诉并回答他们心中的问题 “做什么”,“为什么”,以及“怎么做”。

有时候经文本身给了你结束时的应用。在保罗书信中很多时候一个段落以应用来结束。

使你的劝诫个人化—称呼他们为“你们”。现在“我们”的阶段已经结束了。为神说话并且要求听众响应,这是作为先知的角色。

这是最后的“应用”。虽然你在整篇讲道中都贯穿了真理,但结尾给了你最后一次机会来强调特别的、个人化的重点。所以,要使其具体生动,举出你希望讲道之后看到他们具体行动的例子。这就是主耶稣在山上宝训结束时做的,他将一个生动的例子和一个有力的应用结合起来(太7:24-26)。这是你将讲道和听众联系起来的最后机会—为圣经和现代社会搭起桥梁以及为“为什么”、“做什么”、“怎么做”这样的问题提供答案。一定要让你的应用建立在经文的基础上,而不是你自己的经验和理论。

这里你要像使徒一样“恳求”—鼓励他们,恳求他们(比如与神和好),敦促他们(比如更像基督)。

4.邀请:“实践”真理

这给了人们回应的机会—在他们的生活中“实践”真理。这部分结尾的形式应不同的讲道类型和听众的不同而不同。但是一般来说,这是你要求他们决定的地方。这是一个做决定的时间。所有好的讲道都需要某种决定。因此结束的时候, 我们对他们的反应做一个直接的、个人性的呼吁。

在圣经中这样的讲道很常见。例如,在约书亚记24:15中约书亚向百姓发出挑战:今日就可以选择所要侍奉的,至于我和我家,我们必定侍奉耶和华。在使徒行转2:36-40彼得如此结束他的讲道:故此,以色列全家当确实地知道:你们钉在十字架上的这位耶稣,神已经立他为主、为基督了。在这彼得直接对他们的内心发出恳求,他们也立即回应:“我们应该做什么?并且通过要求他们“认罪悔改和受洗”,使真理实践化。在使徒行转17:30-32保罗这样结束讲道:‘世人蒙昧无知的时候,神并不监察,如今却吩咐各处的人都要悔改。因为他已经定了日子,要借着他所设立的人按公义审判天下,并且叫他从死里复活,给万人做可信的凭据。众人听见从死里复活的话,就有讥诮他的

传道人的目的不是让人们什么样子来还什么样子回去;听众的目的也不是怎样来还怎样回去。我们讲道和人们听道都是为了通过讲/听道被神的话语和圣灵改变。

一定要给出时间允许圣灵来做工,使讲道在人们的生活中成为实践。不要着急,有时候很容易这样。这样做,不要感到尴尬。也许你需要预先让他们知道,在结尾你会要求他们做出决定,以避免太过突然,他们在听道的过程中也可以为他们的回应做些准备。

结尾是你最后的动员机会—激励他们(如果已经是基督徒)成长或者成为一个基督徒(如果还不是的话)。回应时间应该针对信徒和非信徒。信徒需要与神并且与彼此之间有一个正确的关系—对罪、习惯、态度、关系、信仰、话语等认罪悔改。非信徒需要和神有一个正确的关系—与神和好、信靠神、得到饶恕等。

回应可以是公众的或者个人的。并不是所有这些都要在全会众面前。个人的回应可能就在他们的座位上—比如坦白、认罪悔改;也可能在散会之后(比如对于想了解更多的人)。公众的回应可能意味着,想要公开承认自己的信仰的人来到前面,或者举手让你知道并为他们祈祷。

B.对结尾有帮助的一些指导

1.有决定性

当你进入结尾的时候,每个人都知道—所以,要使它成为结尾。给人一种信息完成和结束的感觉。不要没完没了地说你之前忘记了的事情。不要引入新素材—这样肯定会破坏了结尾。这是在结尾时最普遍会犯的问题。新素材只会混淆问题,分散手头的任务。

2.清晰明了且肯定

关于你期望听众做什么(比如回应邀请)以及为什么这样做,不要在他们脑海里留下任何疑团。问你自己,是否每个人都能够明白你期望他们做什么?试想如果你在他们的位置,没有像你研究这段经文也没有花大量的时间来准备,是否会明白。

3. 准确

确保你的结尾准确并且符合原文的挑战

4.以真诚的方式和氛围

不要突然想成为某个著名的传道人比如Billy Graham,期望很多人在你唱“就像我一样”时走到前面来。用你自己的、自然的方式来结束讲道。

5.个人化

不要以含糊不清的语调或者非个人化的方式结束你的讲道。抽象的真理已经难以领会,更不用说一个无法与他们生活建立联系的传道者了

你的听众需要知道,你所讲的是对他们说的——也就是你知道他们内心最深处的秘密和生活。通常听众会说,你击中他们生活的核心。你怎么知道的?你并不知道,但是圣灵知道。

听众需要带着对他们个人的挑战,对他们问题的答案,对他们难处的解答,以及听道的喜悦而离开。在这方面,总要设法给他们一些希望的话。神的话是真正的好消息。要保证你是如此传讲的。在这个世界上有太多的东西导致失望。在教会中不要重复或者夸大这些。人们带着绝望来到教会,找寻一些好的消息,希望,以及他们生活中问题的答案。确保你提供给他们一个希望的理由和方法。

问你自己:“每个人都会被这篇信息触摸到吗?” 在心中想象一下教会一排排的座椅和你的会众,然后把这个问题应用到每个人身上。

6.可实行性

如果是很大的人群,当你要他们来到前面的时候,你需要给他们足够的时间走到前面,并要有足够的空间。如果回应的人很多,你需要同工帮助你或者会后再来处理。如果非信徒回应,你需要有材料给他们。如果新来的人回应,你需要有教会及其事工的资料来给他们。

7.对回应有指导性

使你的邀请有意义有目的,而不只是在结束时你需要做的一件事而已(仅仅成为形式)。指导他们做什么以及怎么回应—比如不论是在会中立即的回应还是在今后的生活中,当这篇讲道的真理在他们生活中活出来的的时候,应该是什么样子。

8. 恰当的

确保你的结尾对当时的场合、信息以及听众都是恰当的。确保你的应用立足于经文。(如果使用例子的话)确保你的例子与信息、经文以及听众都紧紧相关,而不需要特意的解释。问你自己:“这个结尾对我的听众、信息以及这个场合合适么?”

C.要避免的危险

1.停不下来”的结尾(或者结尾“堆积”)

这就像一辆车,你熄火了之后,它还继续往前跑一点。传道人多讲一点这个再多讲一点那个,慢慢地,不但讲道的重点没有了,而且听众的注意力和回应也没有了。

这通常是没有好好计划结尾导致的。

知道如何结束和知道如何开始一样重要。你可能都听说过(惨痛地)某个人在教会做见证,最后却不知道如何结束。当听众知道你要结束,而你却停不下来,对他们来说是很沮丧。

2. “原地打圈的”结尾

这种情况发生在当传道人好像要结束了,却又开始了另外一个结尾的时候。他只是不知道如何结尾以及什么时候结尾。有的时候传道人可能讲完了,但是又接着说:“我的意思是…”,再一次开始结尾。一定要知道你的结尾是什么而且只能有一个。

3. “似曾相识的”结尾

这样的情况是,结尾本该总结讲道,却仅仅重复了一下讲道,以至于你又听了一遍。这就好像某个瞬间似曾相识,你确定知道你以前到过这里或者看到这些。当他意识到他漏说了一些内容或者不确定自己该说什么时,往往会如此。说你需要说的,然后结束。

4. “余剩的”结尾

有时候,传道人将他在讲道中没有用到的每一个东西都放在结尾。训练自己丢掉与信息不相关的东西。不要试图把你在研究中挖掘到的所有东西都包括进去。删除材料的时候要无情。对所有的材料,都要问这个问题:“这个和讲道的主题相关吗?”

讲道不是写评论,要列出所有不同的观点以及每个人写过的与之相关的东西。讲道就像一声枪响(集中、一发),而不是乱打枪(多打、广射)。

5. “总是相同的”结尾

这就是每个结尾都采用相同的方式。每个人都知道你的方式,因为你每个周都用。就如同多样性在引言中很重要,多样性在结尾中也很重要。不要每个周都用同样的方式。

6. “操纵式”结尾

这样的危险,要不惜一切代价去避免。操纵或者恐吓是试图以欺骗或者施压的方式迫使听众做出决定。而劝诫,只是简单地恳求会众,当圣灵在他们里面做工的时候,要他们对讲道的真理做出回应。

D.关于结尾最后的评论

1.仔细思考然后写出你的结尾

你不会想把这件事留到现场。它太重要了,而且通常也很难临场发挥。

2.知道结尾是什么

在引言中已经确立了—讲道的 “目的”和“主旨”。因此结尾就是又回到引言。

3.给结尾留下时间

不要着急。让他们明白你希望他们做什么。给他们回应的机会。

4.按着信息调整结尾

如果你在讲道的时候,对信息做了更改,那么你必须将这些改变融入到你的结尾中。

5.将结果交托在神手中

最后,只有圣灵能够改变人的生活。我们必须尽一切努力促进这一变化(毕竟我们是所神拣选的人来做这份工)。但是当我们已经尽力了,剩下的要交到神的手中。将结果交托仰望到神的手中,对传道者来说如释重负,尤其当你看不到你喜欢或者期望的结果时。

Part II.圣经讲解

“教会里的争讼”(哥前6:1-11)1

Stephen F. Olford博士

介绍 在这段经文中,保罗谈到引起他注意的教会中的第二大混乱。这关系到教会会众中的诉讼或者指控。这是主要牵扯到教会中的希腊元素。犹太人通常不会在公共法庭上诉诸法律。事实上,他们所受的训练明确禁止他们这样做。但希腊人却恰恰相反。他们热衷于互相起诉!他们的整个生活都离不开法律程序。

另一方面,在这段经文中,使徒告诉我们,当信徒之间有彼此相争的事,应该由教会的信徒来审理,而不应该让外邦人审理。这不代表我们永远不使用公共法庭。有的情况下我们必须使用。实际上,我们应该记住这封信的作者,使徒保罗,就曾经上告于外邦法庭(使25:11);这与神教会内部的争论无关,也与教会弟兄姐妹之间的纷争无关。所以神的这段话明确地教导我们:

I.基督徒之间的诉讼有悖于教会的命定

“你们中间有彼此相争的事,怎敢在不义的人面前求审,不在圣徒面前求审呢? 岂不知圣徒要审判世界吗?若世界为你们所审,难道你们不配审判这最小的事吗?岂不知我们要审判天使吗?何况今生的事呢? 既是这样,你们若有今生的事当审判,是派教会所轻看的人审判吗?”(哥前6:1-4)。保罗以惊奇和挑战的话语进入他的主题。他说:“你们中间有…怎敢在不义的人面前求审?”(节1).接着他给出了两个理由,为什么这样的行为违背教会的命定。首先,圣徒要审判世界(节2)。福音书和使徒书信都教导我们这个惊人的真理。

耶稣说:“…我实在告诉你们,你们这跟从我的人,到复兴的时候,人子坐在他荣耀的宝座上,你们也要坐在十二个宝座上,审判以色列十二个支派。 ”(太19:28)

犹大说:“…主带着他的千万圣者降临,要在众人身上行审判,证实那一切不敬虔的人所妄行一切不敬虔的事,又证实不敬虔之罪人所说顶撞他的刚愎话。”(犹14-15)

保罗提醒我们说“我们若能忍耐,也必和他一同做王…”(提后2:12)这是何等的未来!信徒在基督里何等的合一和被高举,不论是地位还是能力!然而哥林多的信徒却有意或者无益忽略这些事情。由于基督是教会的头和在基督里的合一,他们本该行使属灵的权柄,然而却对处理当地教堂里的那些鸡毛蒜皮的争吵,毫无能力。

保罗的第二个理由是第一个的延伸。他问,“岂不知我们要审判天使吗?”他进一步引申他已经说过的,在永恒的国度里,圣徒将分享他们的主所拥有的高过所有受造物的最高权柄。

可见,哥林多的信徒是多么愚昧,现代的信徒多么愚昧,竟然没有能力来审判今生的事情。事实上,使徒以辛辣的讽刺说道,即便是“教会中最不受重视的”(节4)在处理教会的事情上也应该比世上最好的审判官强。因此,基督徒之间的诉讼违背教会的命定。

II.基督徒之间的诉讼有悖于教会的原则

“我说这话是要叫你们羞耻。难道你们中间没有一个智慧人能审断弟兄们的事吗?你们竟是弟兄与弟兄告状,而且告在不信主、不义的人面前!”(哥前6:5-6).这两句经文从一般意义上极其清楚地告诉我们,对于解决教会内部争端,神的原则是双重的。

首先,这样的纷争和矛盾与非信徒毫无关系。没有什么比一个教会让不信主的人来审判教会内部的事情更违背神对教会的旨意。当一个地方教会不得不把与基督徒的生活、信仰和行为等有关事情诉诸于世俗手段时,就很堕落了。实际上,堕落到这种程度便是在外邦人面前做假见证,即基督徒的生活方式是不够的。

第二,仲裁或者“弟兄审理”就像“审判”这个词在这段经文中,代表让教会中有智慧的人来处理。教会的本质不是民主,而是神权体制—或者更好的说是“基督体制”。基于主耶稣是教会的头,在领导和仲裁的问题上建立了一连串的命令。教会必须服从这个,因为经文说“听从那些引导你们的…”(来13:7)。只要有圣灵所引领和教导的领导,就不应该有不能解决的问题。保罗在指责哥林多教会不协调不一致的方式上,使我们痛苦地看到了,这一点非常清楚。他说,“我说这话是要叫你羞耻…”(6:5),接着以谦卑的方式继续问道,在他们中间是否能够“找到”一个“有智慧”的弟兄来审理这件事!

我们可以补充一点,这个神圣的原则从来没有失效过。神始终期望他的教会依据他的话语被管理和审判。

III.基督徒之间的诉讼有悖于教会的慈爱

“你们彼此告状,这已经是你们的大错了。为什么不情愿受欺呢?为什么不情愿吃亏呢? 你们倒是欺压人、亏负人,况且所欺压、所亏负的就是弟兄!”(哥前6:7-8).在这封书信的第13章,保罗说出了在教会生活中每个行动都要有的最高动机。这个动机就是爱。实际上他说,具备了每样东西却没有爱就是什么都没有。在这段经文里使徒也仅仅是回应了主说的话“你们若有彼此相爱的心,众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了”(约13:35)很显然,使徒在处理这个纠纷问题时,他的出发点就是基于这个“最高的动机”。

你会注意到,“弟兄”这个词在第5,6,8节中一直被重复。接着他说,在弟兄手里受欺,强于没有爱而将彼此之间的纠纷带到外邦法庭。所以在第7节说“你们彼此告状,这已经是你们的大错了。”换句话说,保罗指可能赢了一场官司,却失了德行。或者可以说,不但不情愿受欺,反而欺压人、亏负人。这样的态度和精神正是基督形象和加略山之爱的对立面。对于我们的救主,经文说“…他被骂不还口,受害不说威吓的话,只将自己交托那按公义审判人的主”。你看,当圣灵的大能运行在十字架上,肉体以及属肉体的一切形式的自爱、怨恨和恶毒,都被消除了。

IV.基督徒之间的诉讼有悖于教会的圣洁

“你们岂不知不义的人不能承受神的国吗?不要自欺,无论是淫乱的、拜偶像的、奸淫的、做娈童的、亲男色的、偷窃的、贪婪的、醉酒的、辱骂的、勒索的,都不能承受神的国。你们中间也有人从前是这样,但如今你们奉主耶稣基督的名,并借着我们神的灵,已经洗净、成圣、称义了。”(哥前6:9-11)。保罗在这个问题的处理上达到了高潮,他显示了世界与教会完全的不相容。他将第9节中的“不义”和11节中那些已经“洗净…成圣…称义”的显著地进行了对比。毫无畏惧和偏心,他指出,在神的恩典之外,没有重生的外邦人哪怕做到最好,也仍然有可能

a)淫乱—这个词的字面意思是婚姻之外的性关系

b)拜偶像—指以某人或某物取代神

c)通奸—指和别人的配偶发生性关系。

d)女里女气—指为了享乐和奢侈生活而失去了男子或女子该有的气质

e)同性恋—指与同性发生性关系

f)偷窃—指的是滥用属于神的或他人的时间、精力或金钱

g)贪婪—这个词指使他人及其财产成为崇拜的对象

h)醉酒—指无节制的饮酒

i)毁谤—这个词指的是没有节制地说话,说污秽的话

j)勒索—这个词指的是总是企图得到并攫取它没有权利得到的东西

这是一个多么可怕的一个单子!想一下在我们中间以及我们自己里面都有像保罗所说的这样败坏。但是一个奇迹已经发生。神在基督里遇见我们并且改变我们;使我们成为圣洁和美好。靠他的名,籍着他的灵,我们得以洁净、被分别出来,好在光明中朝见神。“洗净”、“成圣”、“称义”这三个词描述了“完全的救赎”。唯有恩典、唯有信心、唯有基督才使我们得以进入这个救赎。

结论:如果我们在基督里的地位和身份如此圣洁,我们这些 “蒙召的圣徒” (2:1),在“不义的”法庭上和不圣洁的审判官面前,怎会觉得舒服自在呢?

所以保罗处理了教会中的纷争。如果我们愿意遵行神的话,也要做同样的事。并且应该更进一步,我们必须谨慎,使教会生活永不要沉沦到如此地步以至于必须进行这种属肉体的程序。对我们在基督里的命定、原则、慈爱和圣洁的理解必须决定我们的思想和行为(不论在教会内还是在教会外)。

Part III.讲道大纲

如果想听关于这些的英文讲道,请点击链接:Link 1 - Jn. 20:1-2; Link 2 - Jn. 20:3-10; Link 3 - Jn. 20:11-18

题目:我刚看见了耶稣

主题:复活的震撼和现实

要点 #1:空坟墓使观看者成为信徒(1-10)

1.空坟墓使观看者成为跟随者(1-2)

(1)十字架上,有些是观看者(路 23:55-56)

(2)空坟墓,有些是跟随者(1-2)

2.空坟墓使跟随者成为信徒(3-10)

(1)有些人,空坟墓仍然使他们怀疑(6-7)

(2)另外一些人,空坟墓促使他们相信(5, 8-9)

要点 #2:复活的基督使忧愁变为喜乐(11-18)

1.复活的无知产生忧愁(11-13)

(1)尽管有证据,仍然生成忧愁(11)

(2)尽管有见证,仍然生成忧愁(12-13)

2.复活的知识产生喜乐(14-18)

(1)通过认识他而产生喜乐(14-16)

(2)通过顺服他而产生喜乐(17-18)


1关于哥林多前书第一章这一系列的其他文章见本杂志:2016夏季版,2016秋季版,2017冬季版,2017春季版,2017夏季版,2017秋季版,2018冬季版,218春季版,2018夏季版。

Related Topics: Pastors

網上牧師雜誌 – 中文版(繁體), TCh Ed, Issue 30 2019 年 冬季

作者:  Roger Pascoe博士, 主席,
郵箱: [email protected]

Part I:加強講解式講道

“ 強化結尾”

通常在準備講章的最後,也就是引言之前(或者準備引言的同時)準備結語。 引言和結尾緊密結合—後者對前者進行了總結。一個不好的引言可能無法有效地吸引聽眾來傾聽資訊的內容,而一個不好的結尾往往無法激勵聽眾去做這篇資訊所要求的。

結尾的主要目的是有效地結束講道。除非資訊激勵聽眾生命的改變,否則這篇資訊不算恰當地結束。這是我們之所以講道—不是傳講有意思的資訊;不是往你腦子裡塞知識;也不是使每個人感覺良好,而是作為生命改變的催化劑。我們“勸說男人和女人” (哥後 5:19)。

一個不好的結尾可能會破壞你講道的效果。許多佈道者不知道如何結束一篇講道。在公開演講和佈道中,都會如此。一個不好的結尾就像一個人開始建了一座塔卻不知道如何結束。

結尾常存在的兩個明顯的錯誤:

1.講道沒結束之前就開始結尾。

2.講道已經結束了才開始結尾

一個不好的結尾主要由兩件事導致:

1.對結尾以及通過這篇講道你(和聖靈)所要達成的目的,沒有充分的想法、準備以及禱告。

2.沒能讓結尾起到該有的重要性。

A.一個好結尾的基本因素

1.總結:“明確”真理

教導最好的方式之一就是重複-最基本的三重模式:

(1)告訴他們你要說的是什麼(引言)

(2)說(主體)

(3)告訴他們你剛剛說過的(結尾)

但要確保不要重複地過多。也不要以一個意料之中的短語作為開頭比如“今天早晨我們學的是…” 。而要使它成為你結尾中自然的一部分,不要用要點的形式總結它,而是在結尾中涵蓋講道的範圍和思想。

最好在結尾重複你的主旨,如果有合適的地方,可以在整個講道的不同地方重複。這樣你就完成了幾個重要的步驟:

(1) 你通過把引言和結尾聯繫起來提醒聽眾你是從哪裡開始的。

(2)你鞏固了這篇講道以及經文的整體神學觀點。

(3) 你幫助人們記住講道的要點。

(4)你證明你已經傳講了你想要說的——也就是說,你已經證明了這個觀點,或解釋了這個真理,或勸誡他們接納了一個思想,或者回答了你一開始提出的問題。

(5)你再次把整個講道濃縮成一句話。如果你的聽眾還沒有領悟到,這一次亮光應該照亮他們的思想。他們應該說:“是的!這就是這段的真理。”

你總結講道的一個方式就是重複要點。這樣他們可以很快地以大綱的形式再次理解講道,他們也可以看到你從哪裡開始的,希望他們也能夠知道現在應該怎麼做。

如果你已經在引言中說明了你講道的目的,那麼在結尾中你可以通過說明這篇資訊的挑戰再次加以重複 ,以至於你講道的目的非常明確。聽眾的注意力也再一次被集中在這裡。

總結是為了明確目的—使這篇資訊的目的很清楚;明確中心問題;以及給出一個最終的、明確的想法。

如果可能,試著回到你開頭的點。也許你講了一個故事來說明這個問題,或者引用了一首詩,或者舉了一個例子。通過回顧它,聽眾就會看到你剛才所講的內容。也可能你留下了一些問題,現在你可以完成你的故事或回答問題了。回到引言,在某種程度上就像是講道的一個畫框(或者一個書夾)—將講道帶到結束。。

2.例證:使真理“視覺化”

一個好的例子是一種非常有效的方法,可以在結尾將整個佈道融會貫通。如果你選擇了一個好的例子,它會將你所傳講的主題以一幅文字圖的方式呈現出來,並將其印在聽眾的腦海中。通過例子,聽眾更能明白你所講的真理以及相較於真理他們自己的生活如何。

例子使抽象的真理視覺化和具體化。確保你所使用的例子適合講道的主題並且不要太長。你也可以用一首詩(或者歌詞)或者一個非常相關而有力量的引用作為最後的例子。詩歌的特殊價值在於,它以凝練的形式,以豐富多彩的、獨特的文字表達抽象的真理。

3.勸誡:使真理“具體化”和 “個人化”

勸誡,就如同重複,將聽眾的注意力重新集中在講道的目的,也就是,激勵聽眾去做些什麼;去採取“道德和屬靈上的行動”;在個人的生活中把這一點弄明白。

在結尾這部分,告訴他們你想讓他們做什麼—例如,改變他們的行為、思想、態度、關係、遵行真理等等。如果這個講道已經發生功效,人們應該已經在心裡問自己:“我們應該做什麼”或者“為什麼我們應該做?”或者“我們應該怎麼做?”我們的任務是通過引導他們認罪悔改,遵守真理來告訴並回答他們心中的問題 “做什麼”,“為什麼”,以及“怎麼做”。

有時候經文本身給了你結束時的應用。在保羅書信中很多時候一個段落以應用來結束。

使你的勸誡個人化—稱呼他們為“你們”。現在“我們”的階段已經結束了。為神說話並且要求聽眾回應,這是作為先知的角色。

這是最後的“應用”。雖然你在整篇講道中都貫穿了真理,但結尾給了你最後一次機會來強調特別的、個人化的重點。所以,要使其具體生動,舉出你希望講道之後看到他們具體行動的例子。這就是主耶穌在山上寶訓結束時做的,他將一個生動的例子和一個有力的應用結合起來(太7:24-26)。這是你將講道和聽眾聯繫起來的最後機會—為聖經和現代社會搭起橋樑以及為“為什麼”、“做什麼”、“怎麼做”這樣的問題提供答案。一定要讓你的應用建立在經文的基礎上,而不是你自己的經驗和理論。

這裡你要像使徒一樣“懇求”—鼓勵他們,懇求他們(比如與神和好),敦促他們(比如更像基督)。

4.邀請:“實踐”真理

這給了人們回應的機會—在他們的生活中“實踐”真理。這部分結尾的形式應不同的講道類型和聽眾的不同而不同。但是一般來說,這是你要求他們決定的地方。這是一個做決定的時間。所有好的講道都需要某種決定。因此結束的時候, 我們對他們的反應做一個直接的、個人性的呼籲。

在聖經中這樣的講道很常見。例如,在約書亞記24:15中約書亞向百姓發出挑戰:“今日就可以選擇所要侍奉的,至於我和我家,我們必定侍奉耶和華。”在使徒行轉2:36-40彼得如此結束他的講道:“故此,以色列全家當確實地知道:你們釘在十字架上的這位耶穌,神已經立他為主、為基督了。”在這彼得直接對他們的內心發出懇求,他們也立即回應:“我們應該做什麼?並且通過要求他們“認罪悔改和受洗”,使真理實踐化。在使徒行轉17:30-32保羅這樣結束講道:‘世人蒙昧無知的時候,神並不監察,如今卻吩咐各處的人都要悔改。因為他已經定了日子,要借著他所設立的人按公義審判天下,並且叫他從死裡復活,給萬人做可信的憑據。眾人聽見從死裡復活的話,就有譏誚他的

傳道人的目的不是讓人們什麼樣子來還什麼樣子回去;聽眾的目的也不是怎樣來還怎樣回去。我們講道和人們聽道都是為了通過講/聽道被神的話語和聖靈改變。

一定要給出時間允許聖靈來做工,使講道在人們的生活中成為實踐。不要著急,有時候很容易這樣。這樣做,不要感到尷尬。也許你需要預先讓他們知道,在結尾你會要求他們做出決定,以避免太過突然,他們在聽道的過程中也可以為他們的回應做些準備。

結尾是你最後的動員機會—激勵他們(如果已經是基督徒)成長或者成為一個基督徒(如果還不是的話)。回應時間應該針對信徒和非信徒。信徒需要與神並且與彼此之間有一個正確的關係—對罪、習慣、態度、關係、信仰、話語等認罪悔改。非信徒需要和神有一個正確的關係—與神和好、信靠神、得到饒恕等。

回應可以是公眾的或者個人的。並不是所有這些都要在全會眾面前。個人的回應可能就在他們的座位上—比如坦白、認罪悔改;也可能在散會之後(比如對於想瞭解更多的人)。公眾的回應可能意味著,想要公開承認自己的信仰的人來到前面,或者舉手讓你知道並為他們祈禱。

B.對結尾有幫助的一些指導

1.有決定性

當你進入結尾的時候,每個人都知道—所以,要使它成為結尾。給人一種資訊完成和結束的感覺。不要沒完沒了地說你之前忘記了的事情。不要引入新素材—這樣肯定會破壞了結尾。這是在結尾時最普遍會犯的問題。新素材只會混淆問題,分散手頭的任務。

2.清晰明瞭且肯定

關於你期望聽眾做什麼(比如回應邀請)以及為什麼這樣做,不要在他們腦海裡留下任何疑團。問你自己,是否每個人都能夠明白你期望他們做什麼?試想如果你在他們的位置,沒有像你研究這段經文也沒有花大量的時間來準備,是否會明白。

3. 準確

確保你的結尾準確並且符合原文的挑戰

4.以真誠的方式和氛圍

不要突然想成為某個著名的傳道人比如Billy Graham,期望很多人在你唱“就像我一樣”時走到前面來。用你自己的、自然的方式來結束講道。

5.個人化

不要以含糊不清的語調或者非個人化的方式結束你的講道。抽象的真理已經難以領會,更不用說一個無法與他們生活建立聯繫的傳道者了

你的聽眾需要知道,你所講的是對他們說的——也就是你知道他們內心最深處的秘密和生活。通常聽眾會說,你擊中他們生活的核心。你怎麼知道的?你並不知道,但是聖靈知道。

聽眾需要帶著對他們個人的挑戰,對他們問題的答案,對他們難處的解答,以及聽道的喜悅而離開。在這方面,總要設法給他們一些希望的話語。神的話是真正的好消息。要保證你是如此傳講的。在這個世界上有太多的東西導致失望。在教會中不要重複或者誇大這些。人們帶著絕望來到教會,找尋一些好的消息,希望,以及他們生活中問題的答案。確保你提供給他們一個希望的理由和方法。

問你自己:“每個人都會被這篇資訊觸摸到嗎?” 在心中想像一下教會一排排的座椅和你的會眾,然後把這個問題應用到每個人身上。

6.可實行性

如果是很大的人群,當你要他們來到前面的時候,你需要給他們足夠的時間走到前面,並要有足夠的空間。如果回應的人很多,你需要同工説明你或者會後再來處理。如果非信徒回應,你需要有材料給他們。如果新來的人回應,你需要有教會及其事工的資料來給他們。

7.對回應有指導性

使你的邀請有意義有目的,而不只是在結束時你需要做的一件事而已(僅僅成為形式)。指導他們做什麼以及怎麼回應—比如不論是在會中立即的回應還是在今後的生活中,當這篇講道的真理在他們生活中活出來的的時候,應該是什麼樣子。

8. 恰當的

確保你的結尾對當時的場合、資訊以及聽眾都是恰當的。確保你的應用立足於經文。(如果使用例子的話)確保你的例子與資訊、經文以及聽眾都緊緊相關,而不需要特意的解釋。問你自己:“這個結尾對我的聽眾、資訊以及這個場合合適麼?”

C.要避免的危險

1.停不下來”的結尾(或者結尾“堆積”)

這就像一輛車,你熄火了之後,它還繼續往前跑一點。傳道人多講一點這個再多講一點那個,慢慢地,不但講道的重點沒有了,而且聽眾的注意力和回應也沒有了。

這通常是沒有好好計畫結尾導致的。

知道如何結束和知道如何開始一樣重要。你可能都聽說過(慘痛地)某個人在教會做見證,最後卻不知道如何結束。當聽眾知道你要結束,而你卻停不下來,對他們來說是很沮喪。

2. “原地打圈的”結尾

這種情況發生在當傳道人好像要結束了,卻又開始了另外一個結尾的時候。他只是不知道如何結尾以及什麼時候結尾。有的時候傳道人可能講完了,但是又接著說:“我的意思是…”,再一次開始結尾。一定要知道你的結尾是什麼而且只能有一個。

3. “似曾相識的”結尾

這樣的情況是,結尾本該總結講道,卻僅僅重複了一下講道,以至於你又聽了一遍。這就好像某個瞬間似曾相識,你確定知道你以前到過這裡或者看到這些。當他意識到他漏說了一些內容或者不確定自己該說什麼時,往往會如此。說你需要說的,然後結束。

4. “餘剩的”結尾

有時候,傳道人將他在講道中沒有用到的每一個東西都放在結尾。訓練自己丟掉與資訊不相關的東西。不要試圖把你在研究中挖掘到的所有東西都包括進去。刪除材料的時候要無情。對所有的材料,都要問這個問題:“這個和講道的主題相關嗎?”

講道不是寫評論,要列出所有不同的觀點以及每個人寫過的與之相關的東西。講道就像一聲槍響(集中、一發),而不是亂打槍(多打、廣射)。

5. “總是相同的”結尾

這就是每個結尾都採用相同的方式。每個人都知道你的方式,因為你每個周都用。就如同多樣性在引言中很重要,多樣性在結尾中也很重要。不要每個周都用同樣的方式。

6. “操縱式”結尾

這樣的危險,要不惜一切代價去避免。操縱或者恐嚇是試圖以欺騙或者施壓的方式迫使聽眾做出決定。而勸誡,只是簡單地懇求會眾,當聖靈在他們裡面做工的時候,要他們對講道的真理做出回應。

D.關於結尾最後的評論

1.仔細思考然後寫出你的結尾

你不會想把這件事留到現場。它太重要了,而且通常也很難臨場發揮。

2.知道結尾是什麼

在引言中已經確立了—講道的 “目的”和“主旨”。因此結尾就是又回到引言。

3.給結尾留下時間

不要著急。讓他們明白你希望他們做什麼。給他們回應的機會。

4.按著資訊調整結尾

如果你在講道的時候,對資訊做了更改,那麼你必須將這些改變融入到你的結尾中。

5.將結果交托在神手中

最後,只有聖靈能夠改變人的生活。我們必須盡一切努力促進這一變化(畢竟我們是所神揀選的人來做這份工)。但是當我們已經盡力了,剩下的要交到神的手中。將結果交托仰望到神的手中,對傳道者來說如釋重負,尤其當你看不到你喜歡或者期望的結果時。

Part II.聖經講解

“教會裡的爭訟”(哥前6:1-11)1

Stephen F. Olford博士

介紹 在這段經文中,保羅談到引起他注意的教會中的第二大混亂。這關係到教會會眾中的訴訟或者指控。這是主要牽扯到教會中的希臘元素。猶太人通常不會在公共法庭上訴諸法律。事實上,他們所受的訓練明確禁止他們這樣做。但希臘人卻恰恰相反。他們熱衷於互相起訴!他們的整個生活都離不開法律程式。

另一方面,在這段經文中,使徒告訴我們,當信徒之間有彼此相爭的事,應該由教會的信徒來審理,而不應該讓外邦人審理。這不代表我們永遠不使用公共法庭。有的情況下我們必須使用。實際上,我們應該記住這封信的作者,使徒保羅,就曾經上告於外邦法庭(使25:11);這與神教會內部的爭論無關,也與教會弟兄姐妹之間的紛爭無關。所以神的這段話明確地教導我們:

I.基督徒之間的訴訟有悖於教會的命定

“你們中間有彼此相爭的事,怎敢在不義的人面前求審,不在聖徒面前求審呢? 豈不知聖徒要審判世界嗎?若世界為你們所審,難道你們不配審判這最小的事嗎?豈不知我們要審判天使嗎?何況今生的事呢? 既是這樣,你們若有今生的事當審判,是派教會所輕看的人審判嗎?”(哥前6:1-4)。保羅以驚奇和挑戰的話語進入他的主題。他說:“你們中間有…怎敢在不義的人面前求審?”(節1).接著他給出了兩個理由,為什麼這樣的行為違背教會的命定。首先,聖徒要審判世界(節2)。福音書和使徒書信都教導我們這個驚人的真理。

耶穌說:“…我實在告訴你們,你們這跟從我的人,到復興的時候,人子坐在他榮耀的寶座上,你們也要坐在十二個寶座上,審判以色列十二個支派。 ”(太19:28)

猶大說:“…主帶著他的千萬聖者降臨,要在眾人身上行審判,證實那一切不敬虔的人所妄行一切不敬虔的事,又證實不敬虔之罪人所說頂撞他的剛愎話。”(猶14-15)

保羅提醒我們說“我們若能忍耐,也必和他一同做王…”(提後2:12)這是何等的未來!信徒在基督裡何等的合一和被高舉,不論是地位還是能力!然而哥林多的信徒卻有意或者無益忽略這些事情。由於基督是教會的頭和在基督裡的合一,他們本該行使屬靈的權柄,然而卻對處理當地教堂裡的那些雞毛蒜皮的爭吵,毫無能力。

保羅的第二個理由是第一個的延伸。他問,“豈不知我們要審判天使嗎?”他進一步引申他已經說過的,在永恆的國度裡,聖徒將分享他們的主所擁有的高過所有受造物的最高權柄。

可見,哥林多的信徒是多麼愚昧,現代的信徒多麼愚昧,竟然沒有能力來審判今生的事情。事實上,使徒以辛辣的諷刺說道,即便是“教會中最不受重視的”(節4)在處理教會的事情上也應該比世上最好的審判官強。因此,基督徒之間的訴訟違背教會的命定。

II.基督徒之間的訴訟有悖於教會的原則

“我說這話是要叫你們羞恥。難道你們中間沒有一個智慧人能審斷弟兄們的事嗎?你們竟是弟兄與弟兄告狀,而且告在不信主、不義的人面前!”(哥前6:5-6).這兩句經文從一般意義上極其清楚地告訴我們,對於解決教會內部爭端,神的原則是雙重的。

首先,這樣的紛爭和矛盾與非信徒毫無關係。沒有什麼比一個教會讓不信主的人來審判教會內部的事情更違背神對教會的旨意。當一個地方教會不得不把與基督徒的生活、信仰和行為等有關事情訴諸于世俗手段時,就很墮落了。實際上,墮落到這種程度便是在外邦人面前做假見證,即基督徒的生活方式是不夠的。

第二,仲裁或者“弟兄審理”就像“審判”這個詞在這段經文中,代表讓教會中有智慧的人來處理。教會的本質不是民主,而是神權體制—或者更好的說是“基督體制”。基於主耶穌是教會的頭,在領導和仲裁的問題上建立了一連串的命令。教會必須服從這個,因為經文說“聽從那些引導你們的…”(來13:7)。只要有聖靈所引領和教導的領導,就不應該有不能解決的問題。保羅在指責哥林多教會不協調不一致的方式上,使我們痛苦地看到了,這一點非常清楚。他說,“我說這話是要叫你羞恥…”(6:5),接著以謙卑的方式繼續問道,在他們中間是否能夠“找到”一個“有智慧”的弟兄來審理這件事!

我們可以補充一點,這個神聖的原則從來沒有失效過。神始終期望他的教會依據他的話語被管理和審判。

III.基督徒之間的訴訟有悖於教會的慈愛

“你們彼此告狀,這已經是你們的大錯了。為什麼不情願受欺呢?為什麼不情願吃虧呢? 你們倒是欺壓人、虧負人,況且所欺壓、所虧負的就是弟兄!”(哥前6:7-8).在這封書信的第13章,保羅說出了在教會生活中每個行動都要有的最高動機。這個動機就是愛。實際上他說,具備了每樣東西卻沒有愛就是什麼都沒有。在這段經文裡使徒也僅僅是回應了主說的話“你們若有彼此相愛的心,眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了”(約13:35)很顯然,使徒在處理這個糾紛問題時,他的出發點就是基於這個“最高的動機”。

你會注意到,“弟兄”這個詞在第5,6,8節中一直被重複。接著他說,在弟兄手裡受欺,強於沒有愛而將彼此之間的糾紛帶到外邦法庭。所以在第7節說“你們彼此告狀,這已經是你們的大錯了。”換句話說,保羅指可能贏了一場官司,卻失了德行。或者可以說,不但不情願受欺,反而欺壓人、虧負人。這樣的態度和精神正是基督形象和加略山之愛的對立面。對於我們的救主,經文說“…他被罵不還口,受害不說威嚇的話,只將自己交托那按公義審判人的主”。你看,當聖靈的大能運行在十字架上,肉體以及屬肉體的一切形式的自愛、怨恨和惡毒,都被消除了。

IV.基督徒之間的訴訟有悖於教會的聖潔

“你們豈不知不義的人不能承受神的國嗎?不要自欺,無論是淫亂的、拜偶像的、姦淫的、做孌童的、親男色的、偷竊的、貪婪的、醉酒的、辱駡的、勒索的,都不能承受神的國。你們中間也有人從前是這樣,但如今你們奉主耶穌基督的名,並借著我們神的靈,已經洗淨、成聖、稱義了。”(哥前6:9-11)。保羅在這個問題的處理上達到了高潮,他顯示了世界與教會完全的不相容。他將第9節中的“不義”和11節中那些已經“洗淨…成聖…稱義”的顯著地進行了對比。毫無畏懼和偏心,他指出,在神的恩典之外,沒有重生的外邦人哪怕做到最好,也仍然有可能

a)淫亂—這個詞的字面意思是婚姻之外的性關係

b)拜偶像—指以某人或某物取代神

c)通姦—指和別人的配偶發生性關係。

d)女裡女氣—指為了享樂和奢侈生活而失去了男子或女子該有的氣質

e)同性戀—指與同性發生性關係

f)偷竊—指的是濫用屬於神的或他人的時間、精力或金錢

g)貪婪—這個詞指使他人及其財產成為崇拜的對象

h)醉酒—指無節制的飲酒

i)譭謗—這個詞指的是沒有節制地說話,說污穢的話

j)勒索—這個詞指的是總是企圖得到並攫取它沒有權利得到的東西

這是一個多麼可怕的一個單子!想一下在我們中間以及我們自己裡面都有像保羅所說的這樣敗壞。但是一個奇跡已經發生。神在基督裡遇見我們並且改變我們;使我們成為聖潔和美好。靠他的名,籍著他的靈,我們得以潔淨、被分別出來,好在光明中朝見神。“洗淨”、“成聖”、“稱義”這三個詞描述了“完全的救贖”。唯有恩典、唯有信心、唯有基督才使我們得以進入這個救贖。

結論:如果我們在基督裡的地位和身份如此聖潔,我們這些 “蒙召的聖徒” (2:1),在“不義的”法庭上和不聖潔的審判官面前,怎會覺得舒服自在呢?

所以保羅處理了教會中的紛爭。如果我們願意遵行神的話,也要做同樣的事。並且應該更進一步,我們必須謹慎,使教會生活永不要沉淪到如此地步以至於必須進行這種屬肉體的程式。對我們在基督裡的命定、原則、慈愛和聖潔的理解必須決定我們的思想和行為(不論在教會內還是在教會外)。

Part III.講道大綱

如果想聽關於這些的英文講道,請點選連結:Link 1 - Jn. 20:1-2; Link 2 - Jn. 20:3-10; Link 3 - Jn. 20:11-18

題目:我剛看見了耶穌

主題:復活的震撼和現實

要點 #1:空墳墓使觀看者成為信徒(1-10)

1.空墳墓使觀看者成為跟隨者(1-2)

(1)十字架上,有些是觀看者(路 23:55-56)

(2)空墳墓,有些是跟隨者(1-2)

2.空墳墓使跟隨者成為信徒(3-10)

(1)有些人,空墳墓仍然使他們懷疑(6-7)

(2)另外一些人,空墳墓促使他們相信(5, 8-9)

要點 #2:復活的基督使憂愁變為喜樂(11-18)

1.復活的無知產生憂愁(11-13)

(1)儘管有證據,仍然生成憂愁(11)

(2)儘管有見證,仍然生成憂愁(12-13)

2.復活的知識產生喜樂(14-18)

(1)通過認識他而產生喜樂(14-16)

(2)通過順服他而產生喜樂(17-18)


1關於哥林多前書第一章這一系列的其他文章見本雜誌:2016夏季版,2016秋季版,2017冬季版,2017春季版,2017夏季版,2017秋季版,2018冬季版,218春季版,2018夏季版。

Related Topics: Pastors

Lesson 2: Saved Unto Eternity (1 Peter 1:3-5)

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Have you ever been going through a difficult time when some bubbly Christian came bursting into the room shouting, “Praise the Lord!” Don’t you hate it when that happens? About the last thing you want to hear when you’re going through hard times is, “Praise the Lord!”

And yet when the Spirit of God inspired Peter to write to these suffering Christians, after his opening greeting, the first thing he does is to burst forth in praise: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” How insensitive of Peter! How could he do such a thing?

Let me put it this way: What if you were going through some trial and I burst into the room and exclaimed, “Praise God! You’ve just inherited $100 million!” Would that make any difference? A $100 million inheritance may not solve all your problems, but it does have a way of opening up some interesting new options, doesn’t it? With that much money, at least you could take a nice long vacation to mull things over! Just daydreaming about it has a way of lifting your spirits, doesn’t it?

Back to reality, folks! You haven’t inherited $100 million. You’ve inherited something far better! Peter is saying, “Blessed be God, because He has given us far more than $100 million. He’s caused us to be born again to a living hope. Our inheritance is reserved in heaven!” So,

Whatever our problems, we can praise God as Christians because He has saved us unto eternity.

But maybe you’re thinking, “Now, wait a minute, Steve! That’s really a superficial approach to my very complex problems. If you knew the things I’m facing, you wouldn’t be so glib as to say that I should praise God because someday I’ll have pie in the sky when I die. I need help right now!” Maybe you’re saying, “I’m being treated unfairly at work.” Or, “I’ve been fired because of my Christian testimony.” Or, “I can’t find work and I’m facing severe financial problems.” Or, “I have a mate who’s not a Christian, who makes life miserable for me.” Or, “A good friend turned against me without cause and runs me down behind my back.” Or, “Since I’ve begun to follow Christ, problems have multiplied to the point where I’m overwhelmed.” Or, “I’m facing death itself.”

I’ve just described those to whom Peter wrote this letter. Christian slaves were being treated unfairly by their masters, even though they had done no wrong (2:18-20). Christian wives were being mistreated by their unbelieving husbands (3:1-6). Many of the believers had lost former friends who now were slandering them (2:12; 3:16, 17; 4:4, 13-14, 16). Some were being threatened and it’s likely that some even were facing martyrdom (3:14; 4:12). Peter knew all about these problems and yet he proclaimed to them, “Blessed be the God ... who has caused us to be born again to a living hope ....”

If the idea of your future inheritance in heaven doesn’t affect you as you face present problems, one of two things may be true: You may not truly be saved; or, you may be saved, but you may, to some degree, be buying into an errant form of Christianity that puts the emphasis on the here and now rather than on our eternal salvation. Reverend Ike used to say crassly, “I don’t want my pie in the sky when I die; I want cash in the stash here and now.” Most of us aren’t that blatant. But I find many who are into Christianity for what it can do for them now. Heaven is a nice extra, but they want the good life now. If Christ isn’t going to give it to them, and fairly soon, they shop elsewhere. They came to Christ because they heard that God had a wonderful plan for their lives. What they didn’t understand was that the wonderful plan often means enjoying the riches of Christ in the midst of suffering and perhaps even martyrdom.

We need to stop and think about what salvation means. Salvation means that we who justly deserve the eternal wrath of God have been delivered from that wrath through the death of Jesus Christ on our behalf. If we are not saved, we’re lost, under the terrible condemnation of God. One of our problems today is that we’re trying to get people saved who have no concept of how terrible it is to be lost. And we’re trying to coax people who have forgotten what it feels like to be eternally lost into enduring hardship in living the Christian life. They don’t appreciate what God has done in saving them.

Suppose you were standing in a long line at the bank and I came running in, grabbed you by the arm, jerked you out of line, and dragged you outside. You’d probably be a bit upset. You’d say, “What do you think you’re doing? You made me lose my place in line, you made me look like a fool in front of all those people, and you hurt my arm!” You wouldn’t appreciate what I had done. But what if some terrorists had just come into the bank who intended to take everyone hostage and to kill hostages every few minutes if their demands were not met? If I rescued you from that awful fate, you wouldn’t complain about losing your place in line or looking like a fool or your sore arm. You’d be grateful to me in spite of any inconvenience or pain, because I rescued you from a terrible death.

As Christians, I fear that we’ve gotten far away from this eternal perspective. We complain about our trials and run after whatever we think will make us happy in this life (whether it’s biblical or not) because we’ve forgotten the terrors of hell from which God has saved us and the eternal inheritance He has given us in heaven. Peter makes two points here: Whatever our problems, we can praise God because our salvation comes from Him (1:3); and, because our salvation is safe unto eternity (1:4-5).

1. Whatever our problems, we can praise God because our salvation comes from Him (1:3).

When Peter describes God as “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” it does not mean that Jesus was not fully God. Jesus is the eternal God in human flesh, the second person of the Trinity. In His humanity, the Father was Jesus’ God. He prayed to the Father; He trusted in the Father. In Jesus’ humanity, the Father (the first person of the Trinity) can rightly be called the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His deity, Jesus is related to God the Father as the eternal Son of God.

That Jesus is fully God can be proved in many ways from the Bible. But let me limit myself to three proofs from the immediate context. First, Jesus is mentioned with the Father and the Spirit as having an essential part in our salvation (1:2). It would be blasphemy to mention any being less than God in the same breath with God as Peter does here. Second, the title “Lord” is the Old Testament word “Yahweh” used to describe God. To call Jesus “Lord” is to call Him the sovereign of the universe, rightly demanding the submission of even heavenly powers to His name (3:22). Third, the title Christ proves Jesus to be God, because the Messiah (= “Christ”) is divine. Jesus made it clear from Psalm 110 that the Christ is not only David’s son, but also David’s Lord (Matt. 22:42-45).

Thus, Peter makes it clear that our salvation comes to us from God the Father through the work of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. (As we saw in 1:2, the Spirit is also involved, although not mentioned in 1:3-5.) In 1:3, Peter shows three ways that our salvation comes to us from God. If we’ll grasp this, we will praise God in spite of whatever trials we face in this life.

A. We can praise God because our salvation comes from His great mercy.

Salvation never comes from any merit or worth or from anything in us. In fact, it comes in spite of us. We cannot do anything to earn it. We cannot do anything to predispose God to grant it. Mercy is His undeserved favor. It is essentially synonymous with the word “grace.” If there is a difference, it may be that “grace is God’s free gift, displayed in the forgiveness of sins, extended to us as we are guilty, whereas mercy is His love extended to us as we are miserable” (R. C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament [Eerdmans], p. 170). Mercy has the connotation of God’s compassion toward those who suffer.

As Martin Luther points out (Commentary on Peter and Jude [Kregel], p. 20), human nature cherishes the thought that we, through our own strength, free will, good works and merit, or by keeping God’s law, can atone for our sins and acquire eternal salvation. But that is the very thing that we must let go of if we want to experience God’s mercy. If we deserve salvation, it does not come through God’s mercy. We only deserve His wrath because of our great sin, but He has shown us great mercy.

A few months ago as I was studying this very passage I received a phone call from a dear woman who was sobbing and threatening suicide. As I told her the good news about God’s forgiveness and mercy through Christ, she responded that she was a good person. It’s a rather ticklish matter to try to explain to a suicidal woman that she has too high a view of herself! But it was her clinging to the notion of her own goodness that prevented her from understanding and receiving God’s mercy which would have given her the hope of salvation.

If our salvation depends on our own goodness, it’s not very secure, to say the least! What if we do something bad? What if God doesn’t grade on the curve, or what if the curve is higher than we thought? To expect that we will get into heaven because of our own goodness is to face eternity with false hope. But if we let go of our supposed goodness and realize that we deserve God’s wrath, and we appeal to Him for His great mercy, then our hope of salvation is as secure as the mercy of God! Whatever problems we face, we can praise Him because our salvation comes from His great mercy!

B. We can praise God because our salvation comes from His life-giving power.

Peter says that God “has caused us to be born again.” This reflects Jesus’ language to Nicodemus (with which Peter no doubt was familiar), that unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Just as we were born physically, so we must be born spiritually. And, just as we had nothing to do with our physical birth—we didn’t will it; we didn’t help the process; we didn’t decide, “I’d like to be born to these parents in this time and way”—so we cannot assist in our spiritual birth. It must come from the life-giving power of God (John 1:12-13; 6:44).

But this also gives us a reason to praise God. If our salvation comes from our effort or will or performance, then it rests on shaky ground. But if it comes from the sovereign will of God, based upon His mighty power to bring us out of spiritual death into life, then it’s a sure thing. However shaky life is, we can praise God because our deliverance from spiritual death comes from God, not from ourselves.

C. We can praise God because our salvation comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” If God had left Jesus in the grave, our salvation would not be complete. In His death on the cross, Jesus bore our sins. But if He had not been raised bodily, He would not have conquered sin and death. As Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17).

Peter was an eyewitness of the risen Jesus Christ. At first he did not believe the reports that Jesus was risen. But Christ’s many appearances to the apostles before He ascended into heaven turned Peter’s doubts into sure and convincing testimony. His depression and gloom over the crucifixion were turned into living hope—vital, strong, growing hope. Unlike worldly hope that often fades and grows weaker over time, living hope grows stronger as the day of its realization draws closer. Whatever trials we face, we can praise God because we have a living hope that rests on the sure fact of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Thus Peter wants us to know that no matter how great our problems, we can praise God because our salvation comes from God, not from ourselves or our efforts to obtain or keep it.

2. Whatever our problems, we can praise God because our salvation is safe unto eternity (1:4-5).

Peter goes on to describe our salvation as an inheritance, locked up in the bank vault of heaven, guarded against every intruder who might take it from us. And we are assured that God’s power is guarding us so that someday we will enjoy our inheritance.

A. Our salvation is a secure inheritance in heaven (1:4).

I hate reading legal documents. Why attorneys can’t write in plain English is beyond me, except that it protects their jobs to write in language that no one else can understand. Reading or listening to legal documents being read has to be the ultimate boring activity. But there’s one legal document where we all would hang on every word: The reading of a will, when we know that we are named as heirs of a large inheritance.

Peter says that our salvation is an inheritance kept in heaven for us. Of course, Christ Himself is our inheritance. But it also includes all that He has provided and will provide for those whom He has purchased with His blood. It is so vast and indescribable that the only way Peter can describe it is by telling us some things that it is not: It is not perishable, not defiled, and not fading.

By imperishable, Peter means that our salvation is free from death and decay. Any human inheritance is subject both to death and decay. I may die before I can obtain and enjoy a human inheritance. I may be the heir to billions, but it won’t do me a bit of good if I die. If I manage to get it, it’s still subject to moth, rust, and thieves, as Jesus pointed out, so I could easily lose it. But our heavenly inheritance is imperishable; it can’t be destroyed.

Also, our inheritance is undefiled, which means that it’s free from moral impurity or uncleanness of any kind. Earthly inheritances can be tainted and they can taint the person receiving them. Families of wealthy men who have died have been known to degenerate into nasty quarrels that last for years as greedy family members fight over their share of the inheritance. Everyone is defiled by that kind of thing. But our heavenly inheritance is not that way. I can’t take anything from your inheritance and you can’t take anything from mine. God has plenty in store for us all.

Furthermore, our inheritance will not fade away. It is free from the ravages of time. Earthly inheritances get used up the more time goes on. But God’s riches are inexhaustible! Throughout eternity we will not get to the bottom of all that He has provided for us who are in Christ. His riches are reserved in heaven for us and nothing can diminish or destroy what God Himself has determined to give us!

But, you may be thinking, it’s nice that all that’s in heaven. But what if I don’t make it to heaven? What if I fall by the wayside so that I never get to where my inheritance is located?

B. We are securely guarded by God’s power through faith (1:5).

“Protected” is a military term (see 2 Cor. 11:32) that implies that those who are born again are under enemy attack. Satan wants to keep us from gaining our inheritance. But we are surrounded by a garrison of troops conducting us with safe passage to the place where our eternal inheritance awaits us. But it is no vulnerable earthly army that protects us—it is the very power of God! What could be more powerful than the power of the God who spoke the universe into existence! Thus we are guarded for our salvation.

When Peter says that our salvation is “ready to be revealed in the last time,” he means that we now only enjoy a small part of what God has laid in store for us. We couldn’t even begin to comprehend it all, but we can trust God that it will be far better than we can imagine. Heaven will not be the boring picture you see in cartoons—sitting around on clouds in white robes strumming harps forever. The creative God who made such a complex universe that modern science cannot even begin to figure it out can keep us creatively engaged throughout eternity.

Our salvation is ready to be revealed, like a statue waiting to be unveiled. The word “ready” is also used in 1 Peter 4:5 to warn that God is ready to judge the living and the dead. The future holds one or the other for every person: Either you wait to see the veil lifted on your salvation, or you wait to face God in judgment. Both are prepared. What determines your future is seen in the phrase, “through faith.” We receive God’s salvation and live the Christian life through faith.

Maybe you’re thinking, “I only wish I could have that kind of faith, but I don’t!” Ah, but you do! You have plenty of faith. The problem is, you’re putting it in the wrong object if it is not in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross. If your faith is not in Him, then it is in yourself or in some god of your own making. If your faith is in yourself, then you’re saying, “I believe that I’m a good enough person to get to heaven by my own efforts.” That’s tremendous faith, but it’s placed on a very faulty and inadequate object.

God says that no flesh will boast in His sight. If you could get to heaven by your own good works, then you could boast in yourself. But God alone is worthy of glory. So He humbles us by making us let go of all trust in ourselves. We must cast ourselves completely on His great mercy. We cannot do this in and of ourselves. He must impart saving faith to us, which humbles our pride and gives all the glory to what God has done in Jesus Christ. Thus God has ordained that we receive His salvation by faith, not in ourselves, but in Christ alone. We live the Christian life in the same manner, trusting each day in what Christ is to us and what He has done for us. Those who have tasted of His mercy will persevere in faith until that great day when faith becomes sight.

Conclusion

Many years ago a team of mountain climbers began the dangerous descent of one of the peaks in the Swiss Alps. The first man in the line lost his foothold and slipped over the ledge. The next two men were dragged after him, but the experienced climbers above braced themselves and stood firm to bear the shock. But when the rope ran its length, rather than bearing the weight, it snapped like a string. Horrified, the climbers saw their friends fall to their deaths on the glacier 4,000 feet below. For half an hour the other three stayed immobilized with fear. Finally they nerved themselves to continue their perilous descent. Hours later they arrived in Zermatt to tell their sad story. When the climbers examined the rope to find out why it failed, they were shocked. True Alpine Club rope has a red strand running through it, but this rope did not. It was a weak substitute. (“Our Daily Bread,” 6/82.)

The death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only thing strong enough to save us from our sins. If your faith is in yourself or your own goodness, the rope will snap and you will perish. If your faith is in what God has done through Christ because of His great mercy, then no matter what problems you face now, you can join Peter in proclaiming, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because He has saved me according to His great mercy. Because my salvation is not from myself, but from God, I am saved unto eternity!” It’s far better than inheriting $100 million!

Discussion Questions

  1. Is it wrong to share the gospel from the angle of what it can provide now? Cite biblical evidence.
  2. How can we develop an eternal perspective in the midst of present problems?
  3. Should an unfaithful professing Christian be assured of salvation?

Copyright 1992, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, © The Lockman Foundation

Related Topics: Establish, Faith, Spiritual Life, Suffering, Trials, Persecution

Isaiah, A Brief Commentary

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I. The Assyrian Era (With Other Prophecies), Isaiah 1-39

I.A. Introduction.

I.A.1. General Introduction To The Book.

I.A.1.A. A Vision.

This book represents the vision (ḥazon) that Isaiah had about Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of four kings who ruled between 767 and 686 B.C., so the vision was not the event of a night but of years, various separate revelations combining to form the vision of Judah and Jerusalem that God gave. Visions were the normal expectation for prophets (1 Sam 3:1; Jer 14:14; Lam 2:9; Ezek 7:26; Hos 12:10; Mic 2:6); such prophetic vision was needed by God’s people (Prov 29:18). God declared in Deuteronomy 18:14-22 that he would declare his will to his covenant people through prophets. Nathan received a vision about David’s future (1 Chron 17:15). The term is often used with respect to the future (e.g., Ezek 12:27), and other prophets use this term to describe the revelation that God gave them (Obad 1:1; Nah 1:1).

I.A.1.B. Poetic And Messianic.

Most modern translations put much of Isaiah in poetic form, detecting a use of meter and parallelism that distinguishes the writing from prose. Isaiah, called the prince of the prophets, wrote with exceptional beauty and imagery. He creates moods, evocative scenes, and atmospheres, as poetry does. God used him to uncover spiritual realities of his own time but also of the near and far future. What Peter wrote seems especially true of Isaiah, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories” (1 Pet 1:10-11 ESV). For Isaiah spoke of several different time periods in prophecies that could quickly shift from one to the other. He gave prophecies of Christ but also prophecies of Cyrus. He prophesied about immediate enemies, such as the Assyrians, but also of more distant enemies, such as the Babylonians, and both could serve as types for enemies at the end of the age.

I.A.1.C. The Author’s Life.

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and served King Hezekiah with great distinction. However, tradition suggests that he may have been sawn in two during the time of Hezekiah’s son Manasseh (cf. Heb 11:37). He boldly confronted King Ahaz (Isaiah 7) and was evidently the author of the depiction of Assyrian invasion in 2 Kings 18-20 (cf. Isaiah 36-39). He recorded the events of King Uzziah’s reign (2 Chron 26:22) along with those of Hezekiah’s (2 Chron 32:32). Isaiah is the Old Testament (OT) book alluded to most in the New Testament (NT), and the second most quoted book after Psalms. Its prophecies of Christ are the most extensive of all OT prophecies of him. Isaiah was exceptionally close to the Lord.

I.A.2. Multi-Author Theory.

I.A.2.A. A Liberal Theory Due To Time Shifts.

Prolific shifts in time frame have caused many liberal scholars to assume that Isaiah was written by more than one author; they imagine a school of Isaiah that carried on his work over the centuries. They divide the book into first Isaiah (chs. 1-39), second Isaiah (chs. 40-55), and third Isaiah (chs. 56-66). The first faced the Assyrian threat, the second was written during the Babylonian exile, and the third was written about the time of the return (520 to 516 B.C.). But because there is genuine prophecy throughout the Bible, no clear indication of such authorial divisions within the book, and NT reference to these texts simply as from the prophet Isaiah, it is best to assume that the book has a single author. Matthew 13:14 cites Isaiah 6:9, Matthew 3:3 cites Isaiah 40:3, and Luke 4:17 quotes Isaiah 61:1-2, all referring to the prophet Isaiah, not just the prophecy. Detailed studies of the words used in the book support this understanding, since some uncommon words are repeated in all three sections of the book.

I.A.2.B. God’s Purpose For Time Shifts.

Since God wanted to use Isaiah to prophecy great things about the Messiah and coming kingdom, he enabled him to prophesy about sixth-century events. Isaiah’s eschatology would not have matched NT prophecy if he had only used eighth-century events. His predictions about the sixth century not only showed God’s sovereignty over history but were a poignant warning of what was to come. Even though God sent Isaiah to turn the people’s hearts, he knew that they would not listen (Isaiah 6), so worse events were to come than Isaiah’s generation faced. Isaiah foretold them. His naming of Cyrus (Isa 44:28; 45:1) is one of two cases in Scripture when a prophet mentions a future historical figure by name (cf. 1 Kgs 13:2), and in both cases the purpose was to elevate the sovereignty and omniscience of God.

I.A.3. Isaiah As Covenant Spokesman.

Since the Mosaic covenant represented the operating rules (laws) of God’s relationship with Israel, it is natural that the prophets, instruments of the covenant (Deut 18:14-22), should articulate God’s position towards Israel at any time in view of the covenant. Since the covenant promised blessings or curses corresponding to Israel’s response to its covenantal obligations (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28), it was natural for prophets to confront the nation in those terms. The psalmists allude to the covenant at Sinai (Pss 78:10; 103:17-18; 106:45). The historians regard it as central in explaining national judgment (2 Kgs 17:14-15, 34-38).

I.B. Alternating Prophecies Of Near And Far Future, Isaiah 1-5.

I.B.1. Isaiah 1 As Covenant Lawsuit Inclusive Of Near And Far Future.

Isaiah 1 can be regarded as a covenant lawsuit against Israel, and it reflects Deuteronomy 32, which also condemned Israel for its rejection of God. Isaiah wrote about the great calamities and ultimate restoration that the Mosaic covenant declared would occur. It begins with the near future but includes the far future.

I.B.1.A. Covenant Confrontation Was A Prophetic Norm.

Isaiah was not the only prophet to bring a lawsuit or legal charge against Israel (see, e.g., Jer 2:4-12; Ezek 16:59; Psalm 50). This was standard procedure for the prophets. Eight-century Hosea makes God’s covenant with Israel prominent (Hos 4:1-19; 6:7; 8:1). Isaiah’s contemporary Micah announced the Lord’s lawsuit against Israel based on his redemption of them from Egypt (Mic 6:1-5), and used ideas in the covenant curses (Mic 6:13-15; cf. Deut 28:30, 38-40; Lev 26:16, 20, 26). Isaiah’s contemporary Amos announced judgment on Judah for failure to keep the Lord’s law and decrees (Amos 2:7), mentioned specific Mosaic laws violated (2:6-8, 11-12; contrast Deut 15:7-11; Ex 23:6; Lev 18:8; Deut 24:17; Num 6:2-21), and recalled God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Amos 2:10). Israelites after the eighth century viewed relationship with God in terms of the Mosaic law and covenant (Jer 11:1-13; 31:31-33; Ezra 9:6-15; Neh 1:5-11; 9:6-37; Dan 9:4-19; Hag 2:5; Zech 9:11; Mal 2:10; 3:1). Isaiah would have been an exception if he had not evaluated Israel’s stance before God in terms of the Mosaic covenant.

I.B.1.B. Covenant Lawsuit Form In Isaiah 1.

The call for heaven and earth to hear (Isa 1:2) is wording that helps identify Isaiah 1 as a covenant lawsuit, for elsewhere this call to heaven and earth to hear implies a responsibility for them to act as witnesses in relation to covenant fidelity (Deut 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1; Psa 50:4). After the call to witnesses follows the complaint (Isa 1:2b-3), address of the accused with accusations, interrogations, and threats (1:4-15), an appeal for betterment (1:16-17), the offer of an agreement (1:18-20), a final complaint (1:21-23), and restatement of the different treatment accorded the repentant versus stubborn offenders (1:24-31). Some want to separate 1:4-9 as a woe oracle, since verse 4 is in the third person, while covenant lawsuits generally use direct address, often in the forms of questions (Ps 50:13, 16, 21; Mic 6:3, 6-7; Deut 32:6; Jer 2:5). But the LXX, Syriac, and some English translations take Isaiah 1:4-9 as direct address. It is not odd in Semitic languages for a vocative to be followed by a relative clause containing a third-person verb. The Hebrew word translated “woe” is an exclamation used often in laments, and the typical lament pattern is direct address of the dead (2 Kings 13:30; 2 Sam 1:26; 2 Sam 19:1). So direct address may be normal with this word.

I.B.1.C. Comparison Of Isaiah 1 With Deuteronomy 32.

Isaiah 1:1-9 reflects Deuteronomy 32 in the infliction of covenant curses; Jewish scholars Rashi and Ibn Ezra made this connection in the Middle Ages. Isaiah 1:10-20 rejects covenant-mandated worship when the nation defies social standards of the covenant. It is guilty of bloodshed (Isa 1:15; cf. Deut 5:17) and evil deeds (Isa 1:16). It does not perform justice, care for the widow, or protect the orphan (see Deut 1:16-17; 24:17). The Hebrew verb translated “reason together” in Isaiah 1:18 also functions in a covenant lawsuit in Micah 6:2 as “dispute” or “bring charges.” Here are some parallels between Isaiah 1 and Deuteronomy 32. Both start with much the same address to the heavens and earth. Both move to the subject of Israelites as God’s sons (Isa 1:2; Deut 32:5). Both show God’s care for Israel as a son or child (Isa 1:2; Deut 32:6-14). Israel is shown as rebellious against God (Isa 1:2; Deut 32:15-18). Israel does not know, understand (Isa 1:3), or remember their Father (Deut 32:6, 18). The Israelites are corrupt sons (Isa 1:4; Deut 32:5; cf. Deut 4:16, 25; 31:29). Both chapters use the same verb for Israel’s rejection of God (Isa 1:4; Deut 31:20). Both chapters (Isa 1:4; Deut 32:15-21) charge that Israel has forsaken God (cf. Deut 28:20; 29:25). Israelites are estranged (Isa 1:4), not his sons though he is their Father (Deut 32:5-6). They are a brood of evildoers (Isa 1:4), a perverse, sinful generation (Deut 32:5). Both chapters describe a judgment that greatly decimates Israel (Isa 1:5-9; Deut 32:21-27). Both symbolize God’s judgment as a “sword” (Isa 1:20; Deut 32:25). God is determined to take vengeance on adversaries (Isa 1:24; Deut 32:41). Both chapters show ruin for rebels abandoning God (Isa 1:28; Deut 32:5, 15, 18-20, 23-26). Both deal with idolatry (Isa 1:29; Deut 32:16-17, 21, 37-39). Both describe a burning pertaining to idolatrous sinners (Isa 1:31; Deut 32:21-22).

I.B.1.D. Covenantal Overview Of Book.

Isaiah 1 can be a summarizing overview of the book, and some think it was added after the rest of the book was written. If it recalls the covenant, it can give a covenant tone to the whole book. Isaiah 1 calls Israel to account by alluding to the Song of Moses. Ibn Ezra wrote about Isaiah 1:2: “And he began by calling the witnesses whom Moses had summoned to witness against Israel ‘that you shall surely perish.’ And look, the time had come.” Ibn Ezra linked 1:2 with Deut 4:26 and 30:18-19, where Moses warns that the people will perish if they worship idols in the land. The Song of Moses was to be a witness against Israel at the time that God destroyed the nation for its idolatry, and idolatry constituted one of Isaiah’s major criticisms of Israel as he prophesied its destruction. Other early texts in Isaiah seen as Deuteronomic include 4:4-5; 5:25-26; and 19:20. Later Isaiah 51:10 speaks of the Exodus.

I.B.1.E. Isaiah 1 As A Judgment.
I.B.1.E.I. A Purging Of The Nation.

The “writing prophets,” who began to appear in the eighth century, prophesied a divine judgment that would bring collapse of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. They condemned the sins leading to this judgment. The “writing prophets” differed from their predecessors, except possibly Moses, because they had an eschatological element in their writing. They expected God’s final demolition of affairs pertaining to this aeon so that very different conditions of a new aeon could arise. These prophets describe the judgment that purges Israel (e.g., Isa 1:25) as ultimately purging those everywhere who are hostile to Israel. Then Israel can rise again in glory. The judgments preannounced in the Mosaic covenant met the eschatological concerns of the writing prophets at this place of purging (see Isa 1:25).

I.B.1.E.II. The Purging Within God’s Greater Plan.

By the time Isaiah was called by God, Israel had had centuries to resolve its sin problems. In the eighth century the sin patterns of the nation were deepening. Long before 722 and 586 B.C. God determined to send Assyria and Babylon in judgment (Isa 22:11; 37:26; 46:10). He planned not to intervene miraculously to reverse the downward slide of the Israelite kingdoms. Their free choices would be determinative, and his prophets, by confronting the people with their sin, would stir antagonism that hastened the slide (see 30:10-11). Isaiah’s ultimate effect would not be to reform his society but to announce its sins and their implications for judgment. Yet God’s covenants with Israel promised its ultimate well-being (Gen 17:7; 28:14; Deut 4:31; 2 Sam 7:16). The writing prophets magnified God’s faithfulness to bless as well as to judge by pointing to the future rebirth of the nation as a result of its fall. This hope would be the outcome of God’s sentence upon Israel’s covenant violations. So Isaiah 1 concludes partly with a vision for this blessed future (Isa 1:26-27).

I.B.2. The Specifics Of Isaiah 1.

I.B.2.A. Israelites As Sons, 1:1-4.

God describes the Israelites as sons who do not recognize the Father who raised them. For a son to fail to recognize his nurturing father would be disgraceful. God explains that Israel has rebelled, and other Scripture shows that they worshiped other gods such as Baal (2 Kgs 17:16; 23:4) and Tammuz (Ezek 8:14). Their infidelity made them less intelligent than animals, who know their master (Isa 1:3).

I.B.2.B. Other Images For Israel, 1:5-9.

Isaiah personifies Israel as a person beaten up and covered with untended wounds (vv. 5-6), which symbolize the forms of discipline God has brought against the nation to turn it back to himself. He pictured Jerusalem, personified as a woman (“daughter Zion”; Zion was a hill in Jerusalem on which the city of David was built) under attack as a flimsy shelter used in the fields at harvest time and then as a city under siege. The latter image corresponded to reality when the Assyrians had conquered everything but Jerusalem in 701 B.C., so some see Isaiah 1 as having been written after then. It was only God’s determination to preserve a remnant of his people that kept them from annihilation like Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 9).

I.B.2.C. Israel’s Unreal Worship, 1:10-17.

God criticized the hypocrisy in Israel. He implied that the lifestyle of Israel was like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet despite the oppression and murder, Israel came before God with offerings in the temple. God ignored such phony respect and called for repentance marked by righteous behavior.

I.B.2.D. God’s Offer, 1:18-20.

God promises forgiveness and blessing for obedience but destruction for further rebellion. He could rightly threaten death for disobedience because of his supreme authority as Lord of all.

I.B.2.E. Review Of The Past, 1:21-31.

God summarizes the history of Jerusalem. Jerusalem began in righteousness with King David’s rule (v. 21) but had become a harlot. This is another reference to infidelity because God often pictured his relationship with Israel as that of a husband, and Jerusalem could represent the nation, which gave its loyalty to other nations and gods in return for what they could offer, such as protection from enemy attack (e.g., Ahaz going to Assyria for help in Isaiah 7; see 2 Kgs 16:7-17). Now murder and thievery characterized the people, even the leaders. They failed to give justice to the vulnerable as God’s law required. So God would take vengeance by removing such people until the city was again what it had been at the start. This vision really extends to the end of this age (cf. Isaiah 2) since any fulfillment of a redeemed city after the Babylonian Captivity was incomplete. For that reason, perhaps, the chapter ends on a negative note of warning of national destruction for idolatry.

I.B.2.F. Textual Notes.

Some translations (NIV, NET, CJB) call the trees in verse 29 “sacred,” or clarify that idolatry is in view (NLT, DRA). The trees marked groves for idols. The Septuagint and Vulgate have “idols” as the translation of the word for trees. The form of the word for “oaks” or “terebinths” is similar in form to the word for “gods.” Another text-critical matter in the chapter pertains to a word in verse 17 translated either “oppressor” or “oppressed.” The medieval Masoretes, who added symbols for vowels to the Hebrew consonants, took the word as “oppressor” (modern translations with this idea include GWN, NASB, NJB, NKJV), but the ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac), which were much earlier, understood a different vowel at one point. Their idea of “oppressed” fits the context of widows and orphans and is the choice of most English translations.

I.B.3. The Future Versus The Present, Isaiah 2.

I.B.3.A. The Future, 2:1-5.

Isaiah 2:1-5 gives a separate vision that Isaiah received about Judah and Jerusalem concerning “the end of the days,” or the final times of the future when the glorious goal for Jerusalem of 1:26-27 will be realized. Fulfillment will involve the Lord actively intervening on earth (Isa 2:3-4). This evidently corresponds to the Lord’s enthronement on earth described in Matthew 25:31. The term “word” in Isaiah 2:1 could also signify “thing.” A change in the elevation of Mt. Zion will apparently occur (Isa 2:2), one connected with a great earthquake (Zech 14:3-5), a rebuilding of Jerusalem (Jer 31:38-40), and a changed landscape (Ezekiel 47 and Joel 3:18). Jerusalem will attract the world’s nations (cf. Hag 2:6-9; Zech 14:16-19; Zeph 3:9-11; Isa 60:3; 66:23). Isaiah envisions a time when the nations are submissive to the Lord’s active rule from Jerusalem.

I.B.3.B. The Present, 2:6-8.

But verses 6-8 shift to the contrary contemporary scene in which Israel was influenced towards idolatry by the other nations rather than the nations being influenced towards the Lord by Israel.

I.B.3.C. Transition To The Future: High To Low, 2:9-22.

Verses 9-22 are a poetic prevision of a judgment on this elevation of human things (v. 8) so that the Lord is exalted and mankind is brought low. The poetry is obvious in the repetitions: refrains (vv. 11, 17), “land” three times in verses 7-8; “brought low” and “humbled” (vv. 9, 11, 17); “from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty” (vv. 10, 19, 21), and “rocks” (vv. 10, 18, 21). The “idols” of verse 8 find mention in verses 18 and 20 as an expression of human arrogance. Words for pride here in Hebrew derive from roots referring to height, so the contrast between high and low is an outstanding feature of the poem. Zechariah 14:9 similarly predicts that on the day of the Lord he will be king, and his name will be the only name. Isaiah 2:9-22 teaches that it is wrong to make too much of man (v. 22), because the Lord is at the center of everything.

I.B.4. In The Present: High To Low: Isaiah 3.

I.B.4.A. Loss And Judgment Of Leadership, 3:1-15.

If Isaiah could use his times as types of the end time, he could work the other way, because Isaiah 3 is a contemporary example of the kind of humbling of pride that 2:9-22 portrays of the end time. The two chapters are joined by a connective word “for,” addressing the people of Isaiah’s day, who were the recipients of the command in 2:22. They were not to elevate man because God was about to remove all the props that supported Israelite society. The chapter warns of defeat and exile. All the high-placed people would be removed from Jerusalem along with the material support, either by war, exile, or flight. Verses 4-5 and 12 show the same kind of role reversal seen in 2:9-20, except where earlier what was high became low, in 3:4, 12 what is low becomes high as people turn against one another in the meltdown. Verses 6-7 show a ruined society where civic pride is gone. Rebellion against the Lord and brazen sin (vv. 8-11) brought this ruin. Verses 12-15 show that the Lord’s judgment falls on leaders who mislead the people and abuse the poor.

I.B.4.B. Haughty Women Humbled. 3:16-4:1.

The verb “are haughty” in verse 16 can also mean “are high/exalted,” so the women of Zion, evidently the same ones who rule the men according to verse 12, are an example of what is high that is brought low, as in 2:9-22. The finery is overwhelming and so testifies to vanity. These are probably the wives of the rulers who oppress the poor. The severity of God’s discipline is plain in verse 17. The sores, baldness, stench, rope, sackcloth, and branding suggest captivity and exile, which match the defeat in warfare of the men in verse 25. Zion’s gates mourn because the people are gone. The city is personified as sitting on the ground “desolate” (NKLV, DRA, KJV, NAB), where the Hebrew term more strictly means “emptied.” This is an early warning of the Babylonian exile. There is a slight textual issue with the word “women” in verse 12 because the LXX, Aquila, Theodotion, and the Targum have an idea more like “exactors,” which would just involve a different vowel supposed for the originally vowelless text. The Latin Vulgate and Syriac support the understanding “women” of the Masoretic Text (MT), which seems a bit better in the context of improper people ruling (vv. 4, 12). Women humbled by judgment will seek to avoid being spinsters, since so many men have died in war (see a similar covenant curse in Lev 26:26). The chapter division puts these humbled women in Isaiah 4, for word of them is introduced by “in that day,” the same phrase that begins futuristic 4:2. It is typical of Isaiah to shift from present to future with an ambiguous verse. These could be women whose filth is washed (4:4), but it will be in another era when Israel’s defeat gives way to victory.

I.B.5. The Far Future Of Blessing, Isaiah 4:2-6.

The passage shifts back to the end time, showing a reversal from judgment to blessing. There is debate whether “branch” in verse 2 is a name for the Messiah (the NIV, NASB, and NKJV capitalize “branch”) or indicates “growth” of vegetation. The Hebrew word refers to what springs up from the ground but sometimes serves as a name for the Messiah (Jer 23:5; 33:15: Zech 3:8; 6:12; see the related verb in Ps 132:17). Here in Isa 4:2 the term is parallel with the “fruit of the land,” so it may refer to what the Lord causes to grow. Uninhibited plant growth after military defeat is a theme of Isaiah 7:23-25, so it could fit the context here, with the fruit being what grows naturally. The abundant plant life signals God’s blessing. The holiness of the survivors points to the end of the age (cf. Zech 13:1-2; 14:20-21; Isa 10:20-22). The imagery of shade from heat and shelter from storm rains corresponds to that in the Messianic setting of Isaiah 32:1-2. The cloud of smoke by day and glow of fire at night recall the divine presence protecting Israel at the Exodus (Ex 13:21-22; 14:19-20, 24). Likewise, the glory and the canopy in Isaiah 4:5 suggest an idyllic setting in the messianic kingdom.

I.B.6. The Near Future Of Doom, Isaiah 5.

I.B.6.A. Song Of The Vineyard, Isaiah 5:1-7.

Isaiah 5 shifts back to judgment as Isaiah sings a song about the Lord and his vineyard, Israel. Isaiah loved the Lord, and the Lord loved his vineyard, doing everything for it that could be done. But because it produced the bad fruit of murder and cries of distress, he was going to destroy it. The briers and thorns in this parabolic song are a prophecy of the reality in 7:24-25. It is not ultimately Assyria and Babylon that cause Israel’s ruin; they are the Lord’s instruments.

I.B.6.B. Woes Upon Israel For Its Sin, 5:8-30.

A series of woes pronounced against the nation spell out the song’s warning in greater specificity. The first woe (vv. 8-10) against those who accumulated great estates came because the Lord intended for families to preserve the land inheritance assigned to each. Taking permanently the land of other families violated the principle that God was the ultimate owner of the land, and the people were his tenants (Lev 25:23-24). The second woe (Isa 5:11-17) was against worldly hedonists. Their lack of interest in the Lord would lead to their dying without even understanding why death was coming. Isaiah personified Sheol, the place of the dead, as having a limitless mouth to consume the Israelites. Verses 15-16 repeat the theme of the poem in 2:9-22 about mankind being brought low and the Lord being exalted through judgment. However, this is the near future, not the eschaton. Strangers would possess the land of Israel (v. 17). There is woe for sinners who mock at God’s work (vv. 18-19), those who upend God’s set of values (v. 20), and those who take pride in themselves rather than God (v. 21). The last woe in the chapter (vv. 22-24) is about big drinkers who corrupt justice.

I.B.6.C. General Consequences, 5:25-30.

Introduced by “therefore,” a summary reports what will befall all these groups. The Lord acts in two stages, initially striking people dead so intensely that the mountains shake (v. 25). This could describe the internecine war between the northern and southern kingdoms that led to King Pekah killing 120,000 Judahite soldiers in one day (2 Chron 28:6) at the time of King Ahaz. But God’s anger was unsatisfied, and he struck Israel through foreign nations (Isa 5:26-30) such as Assyria and Babylon. These enemy soldiers seem empowered by God. The “darkness and distress” (v. 30) seem a preview of the “distress and darkness” of 8:22 related to Assyrian invasion and the time preceding Jesus’ birth (Isa 9:1-2).

I.C. Prophecies Of Judgment Mixed With Messianic Hope, Isaiah 6-12.

I.C.1. Isaiah’s Commission, Isaiah 6.

Isaiah 6 records God’s call to Isaiah for his mission, which came in 740 B.C., the year of Uzziah’s death.

I.C.1.A. Isaiah’s Vision And Cleansing, 6:1-7.

God reveals himself in a form expressive of glory and majesty. The fact that Isaiah saw himself as undone, a person of unclean lips, suggests that the Lord had not sent him to prophesy before this time. In that case the Lord is not giving him a special message but telling him what the thrust of his ministry will be. Some take the angels’ saying “holy” three times to be in honor of the Trinity, but threefold repetition could be epizeuxis, an emphatic way to say something (cf. Jer 22:29; Ezek 21:27). The word “seraphs” means “burning ones,” and this may be another name for the cherubim, who are similar in description and surrounded by flames (Ezek 1:13-14; 10:2, 7, 20). With both groups there are burning coals in the midst. Since the NT says that nobody has seen the face of God the Father, many assume that the Lord seen by Isaiah was the preincarnate Christ (and see John 12:39-41).

I.C.1.B. Isaiah’s Dialogue With God, 6:8-13.

Isaiah expressed his gratitude for his cleansing from sin by answering the Lord’s call for someone to send. Jesus used verses 9-10 about Israel in his day, and the verses appear several times in the NT (e.g., Mt 13:14-15; Mk 4:11; Lk 4:20; Jn 12:40; Acts 28:27). God seeks people, but they must be willing to listen. That is how his word can change hearts. God forewarns Isaiah that his calls for Israelites to repent (e.g., 1:18-20) will cause them to shut themselves off from the message and thus from God. Because God knows in advance what the response will be, one can say that God brings about the result. However, Jesus made it clear that it is the people who have shut their eyes, ears, and heart (Mt 13:15). Isaiah asked how long he would need to go on preaching, and the Lord clarified that the conclusion of the matter would be national destruction and exile. Verse 13 indicated that a second destruction would follow the first, but even so there was still hope. The Assyrians took captive about 200,000 people, according to the annals of King Sennacherib, and killed many others, so the destruction of the surviving tenth could be the Babylonian invasion and exile. A quite similar phrase to “holy seed” (v. 13) occurs in Ezra 9:2 of the Israelites as God’s chosen people. Isaiah 6:13 compares the nation to a tree cut down that retains a root stock and so can regrow. Isaiah adds that its root stock is holy seed, that is, the Israelite survivors, or remnant.

I.C.2. The Failure Of Ahaz, Isaiah 7.

Historical prose largely replaces poetry here.

I.C.2.A. Initial Pronouncements To Ahaz, 7:1-9.

The Lord took initiative to send Isaiah to King Ahaz as he faced invasion from the northern kingdom of Israel along with Syria (Aram). As mentioned earlier, there was a deadly war that killed 120,000 Judaeans at one point. The divine reason for bringing the attack was Ahaz’s infidelity to the Lord, his making idols to worship Baal, his sacrifice of sons in fire, and his support of all sorts of pagan religion (2 Chron 28:1-5). Since Ahaz has just heard of the alliance of Israel and Syria in Isaiah 7:2, and 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28 only mention one war between Judah and Israel, it may be that Isaiah went to Ahaz before the war. The statement that the two kings went up for war but could not overpower Jerusalem (Isa 7:2) matches a statement in 2 Kings 16:5. Second Chronicles 28:5-6 mentions Syria and Israel separately as defeating Judah, but the same conflict seems to be in view. So this was a deadly war, where Ahaz lost a son and top advisors (2 Chron 28:7). The statement of the enemy’s inability to prevail (Isa 7:1) is an advance summary of the outcome. The Lord was right to tell the king that the enemy’s intention, which was to replace Ahaz with a king of their choosing, would not happen (v. 7). Yet God did not get into details of the assault, only promising that in not too many years these enemy kingdoms would not exist. However, he warned Ahaz that if he did not stand in the faith, he would not stand.

I.C.2.B. The Sign And Immediate Future, 7:10-16.

Ahaz did not stand firm in the faith, it seems, because he did not cooperate when God invited him to request a sign. His rationale that he would not test the Lord was false since God wanted him to seek a sign for the sake of his faith. So Isaiah rebuked him for trying God’s patience and gave the house of David a sign. A virgin would conceive and bear a child, naming him “God with us.” Matthew 1:22-23 says that the birth of Christ fulfilled this text. One might think Matthew simply reused the words, applying to Jesus what originally concerned a woman who got pregnant in Isaiah’s time and named her son after the prospect of God supporting Israel. However, since this name ‘God with us” (“Immanuel” in Hebrew) reoccurs in 8:8, 10, and then a child called the “mighty God” appears in 9:6 pointing to the Messiah, there is evidently prophecy of Christ in 7:14. Several theories exist about how the words work in the eighth-century context. It could be an unnamed virgin, or it could be Isaiah’s wife, since an event about her in 8:1-4 is similar in predicting the defeat of these two kings when the child is small (7:15-16; 8:3-4). Since Isaiah already had a son Shear Jashub, whose name means “A Remnant Will Return,” the prophetess either was a second wife or the Hebrew word translated “virgin” did not have that implication in this case. Since Isaiah’s child gets a separate name, it seems better to think of two children with two different mothers. It is conceivable that the child in Isaiah 7 is only the Messiah, for he would not have been old enough to know good and evil before he was born. The words would be tortuous, but as David told God (Ps 18:26), “With the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.” Ahaz did retain his throne but immediately submitted to the King of Assyria to gain help against Syria and Israel. This action eventually brought Assyria against Judah, however (2 Chron 28:20-21). He also started worshiping the Syrian god, since Syria had defeated him (2 Chron 28:22-24). His infidelity to God increased (2 Chron 28:24-25), stirring the divine anger mentioned in Isaiah 5:25.

I.C.2.C. The Further Future Of Assyrian Threat, 7:17-25.

Isaiah 5:26 speaks of God whistling to distant nations at the end of the earth, and in 7:18 God whistles for the flies in Egypt and bees in Assyria, metaphors for the armies of those places. The shaving of Israel (7:20), head to feet including beard, indicates a greatly humiliating act (cf. 2 Sam 10:4-6). God was the one shaving, with the King of Assyria and his army being the hired razor. The rest of the chapter describes the humble conditions in Israel after the Assyrian assault. It gives a less positive slant on Immanuel eating curds and honey in Isaiah 7:15. It is the food of poverty, not royalty (v. 22).

I.C.3. More Prophecy About Assyria, Isaiah 8.

I.C.3.A. The Sign, 8:1-4.

Isaiah 8 shows Isaiah with a large scroll functioning as a placard. It read, “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.” The message is literally: “Hastening plunder; speedy spoil.” The verb forms seem to be adjectival participles. The message may refer to the speed with which the wealth of Damascus and plunder of Samaria would be carried off. The word “plunder” occurs again in the Lord’s explanation of the name (v. 4). God sent two respectable men, unnamed elsewhere in Scripture, to be witnesses to Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming defeat of the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria. When the defeat occurred, they would be able to testify that Isaiah had foretold it. God timed the event by having Isaiah name his new son by this message, whose fulfillment would precede the son being able to call his father or mother with words. The agent of defeat would be Assyria, as Ahaz sought.

I.C.3.B. Broad Message About Assyria, 8:5-10.

But God had a less favorable message to add.

I.C.3.B.I. Unfavorable Aspect, 8:5-8.

The rejected waters of “Siloah” are in the pool of Siloam in southeast Jerusalem, according to the lexicons (Jn 9:7; Neh 3:15). The people could have rejoiced over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, because they left Jerusalem, but so many Judaeans died then that it seems more likely that Judaeans rejoiced over the kings’ defeat by Assyria, which brought an end to these two kingdoms hostile to Judah. But Judah had rejected the Lord (symbolized by the waters of Siloam) to obtain this deliverance, not trusting him but the king of Assyria. The Lord would let Judah have the Assyrian waters, but they would come in the form of a flooding river. Ahaz had put Assyria’s attention on the wealth they could gain from Judah. The armies of Assyria would be like mighty floodwaters overrunning the banks of the Euphrates River, which ran by Assyrian territory. Judah would be inundated with water to the neck; that is, they would barely survive. Isaiah addresses Immanuel; Assyria would cover his land. The words seem excessive for some obscure child merely included to date an event and God’s favor against Israel and Aram. The name is being used in connection with Assyrian invasion of the whole land and so points back to God’s harsh discipline of his people (Isa 7:20). That was also what it could mean to have “God with us.”

I.C.3.B.II. More Favorable Aspect, 8:9-10.

Assyria would come with other nations as allies. Assyrian military policy was to conquer a people and move it to some distant place where it would be dependent on Assyria. So when verses 9-10 taunt the nations planning to attack Judah, they can have Assyria in mind, but perhaps as representative of all the enemy nations. They would ultimately fail because God had eternal plans for his chosen people and would protect them. He was with them (v. 10); Isaiah repeats the wording “Immanuel” for the third time.

I.C.3.C. God’s Word For Isaiah, 8:11-15.

The strong hand on Isaiah in verse 11 was to prevent him from conforming to the thinking of his fellow countrymen, because they were not following God. They would first fear Israel and Syria, but God had said those nations would not last. Then they might fear Assyria, but Isaiah knew Assyria was only God’s tool. For Isaiah God would be a sanctuary. Isaiah was to continue to fear God and regard him as the Holy One, unlike his idolatrous neighbors. In both Israel and Judah the majority would find God a rock over which they stumbled and fell. Because they were under the Mosaic covenant, he would be a trap and snare as they failed to live as he said and so came under the covenant curses. The imagery of stumbling and falling returns in verse 15 of battle defeat and captivity.

I.C.3.D. Isaiah’s Response, 8:16-22.

God might speak in verse 16, but the first-person referent would shift to Isaiah (v. 17) without notice. Or Isaiah may pray or command others in verse 16.

I.C.3.D.I. Instruction And Observation, 8:16-18.

“Bind” and “seal up” imply protection and preservation. Some think the “testimony” (the Hebrew word occurs also in Ruth 4:7, there as a legal term) and “law” refer to the prophecy at the start of the chapter and its attesting placard. The children given to Isaiah (Isa 8:18) could be the disciples, but it was his literal children who were signs and symbols in Israel through the names God had Isaiah give them. Isaiah would wait for God to act in fulfillment of his prophecies. The words in verse 18 are applied to Jesus and his disciples in Hebrews 2:13. Isaiah may mention God dwelling in Zion because so many in the nation seemed to forget that reality.

I.C.3.D.II. Warning, 8:19-22.

Many consulted mediums and spiritists, whom Isaiah mocked by evoking their whispering and muttering behavior. Seekers should seek the living God about living people and not consult spirits of the dead, a practice God had made a capital offence (Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27). Verse 20 repeats the terms “law” and “testimony” from verse 16. They are guidance for the whole nation, so law probably refers to the Mosaic law, while testimony can include the large scroll of 8:1 as part of God’s testimony through history. To guide one’s life by anything else than God’s word brought failure. People could anticipate only hunger, rage, and further hostility to God and his societal order. God would consign them to a hopeless fate.

I.C.4. Mercy And Anger, Isaiah 9.

I.C.4.A. The Lord’s Victorious Mercy, 9:1-7.

Isaiah 9 retains the foregoing setting of darkness. Assyria had invaded the northern kingdom under Tiglath-Pileser, stripping away Gilead and Galilee, with all the land of Naphtali, as well as many cities, deporting the people to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). This explains how God brought low the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali (Isa 9:1). Tiglath-Pileser listed his captives and their cities, and several of the cities not listed in 2 Kings 15 were in Zebulon (The MacMillan Bible Atlas, p. 147). God’s determination to honor Galilee shifts to a future time. Matthew 4:13-16 cites Isaiah 9:1-2 as fulfilled in Jesus. He was the “great light” that “dawned.” Zechariah the priest prophesied of Jesus that “the sunrise from on high has visited us” (Lk 1:78), and Jesus said that he was “the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). The “day of Midian” (Isa 9:4) refers to Gideon’s defeat of Midianites (Judges 7). The time of ultimate fulfillment is eschatological, even though Isaiah speaks of a child being born, since the defeat of the enemy (Isa 9:4-5) comes at the return of Messiah to defeat the nations (Revelation 19), which leads to the messianic kingdom (Isa 9:7; Rev 20:4-6). Yet the kingdom was established at Christ’s first advent, so Isaiah 9:1-7 summarizes a continuum of events.

I.C.4.B. The Downfall Of Ephraim, 9:8-21.
I.C.4.B.I. False Pride And Local Enemies, 9:8-12.

Verses 8-21 return to Isaiah’s time. The statement in 5:25 about God’s anger and outstretched arm forms a refrain in 9:12, 17, and 21. But while Isaiah 5 focused on Judah and Jerusalem, 9:7-21 focuses on the northern kingdom of Israel. It had built a rich capital city, but it had faced attack. Northern Israel assumed it could bounce back even stronger (Isa 9:9-10), but their ally, Rezin of Syria, was about to be defeated (v. 11; 7:1), and Syria would turn against Israel, as would the Philistines. Further trouble was ahead (v. 12).

I.C.4.B.II. Failure To Repent Brings Divine Judgment, 9:13-17.

The Israelites never turned back to the Lord (v. 13), so the end was at hand (vv. 14-17). “Head and tail” form a merism referring to the whole nation. So are “palm branch and reed,” since the reed is the humblest of plants, while the palm branch is quite glorious. Elders (v. 15) were leaders of towns and tribes. God’s anger is against the weakest in the nation, too: the young, fatherless, and widows.

I.C.4.B.III. Breakdown Of The Northern Kingdom, 9:18-21.

Wickedness and divine wrath would burn up the land, turning people against one another (vv. 18-19). Unsatisfied desires pitted families and tribes against one another, and they would drive the north down against Judah. More wrath would come because attack on Judah led to Assyrian elimination of the northern kingdom.

I.C.5. More Anger And Its Removal, Isaiah 10.

Isaiah 10 continues the “woe” oracles from chapter 5 and the divine anger/outstretched arm statements from chapters 5 and 9.

I.C.5.A. Woe Against Jewish Lawmakers, 10:1-4.

Legislators abused the poor, whom God wanted to receive special care (vv. 1-2; Ex 22:25; Deut 15:7). He required justice for them (Ex 23:6), but powerbrokers withheld it. They attacked the widows and fatherless despite God’s warning and curse about doing so (Ex 22:22; Deut 27:19). They could only anticipate ruin. How could such people expect God’s help when they were attacked (Isa 10:3-4)?

I.C.5.B. Woe Against Assyria, 10:5-19.
I.C.5.B.I. Inflated Mission, 10:5-7.

Assyria, the agent of divine discipline for Judah, exceeded God’s role by wanting to annihilate nations rather than just loot and humiliate them (vv. 5-7). The Hebrew of the second half of verse 5 may say: “and my indignation is a staff in their hand.”

I.C.5.B.II. Confident Assyrian Claims, 10:8-11.

Assyria’s speech (vv. 8-11) reflects a history of success. Carchemish’s defeat preceded Calno’s, Arpad’s preceded Hamath’s, and Damascus’ (Syria’s) preceded Samaria’s (Israel’s). Assyria assumed it could do whatever it liked. Their national god had the same name as the nation in Hebrew (Ashur), and they felt that they were defeating nations with inferior gods. Their national policy was extortion and violence.

I.C.5.B.III. God’s Vow To Punish Assyrian Pride, 10:12-19.
I.C.5.b.iii.(1). The Vow, 10:12.

But God’s promise was to punish the Assyrian arrogance as soon as he had used Assyria to punish Judah. He characterized the Assyrian attitude as haughty pride. They would exceed their authority when they tried to annihilate Jerusalem.

I.C.5.b.iii.(2). Assyria’s Speech Displayed Its Arrogance, 10:13-14.

Assyrian royal annals show just this kind of self-congratulatory, boastful speech. Assyria’s strategy was to impose terror.

I.C.5.b.iii.(3). Assyria Attacked God, 10:15-19.

God found Assyria’s aggression inappropriate as it assaulted divine authority (vv. 15-16). The threatened wasting disease (v. 16) became a reality when Assyria came against God’s holy city (Isa 37:36-37). God, source of Israel’s life, would become a fire to attack what threatened that life. “The phrase “Lord Yahweh of armies” (10:16) may point to angelic armies since an angel struck the Assyrian army. Assyria’s forest symbolizes its strength but also its soldiers. “Thorns and briers” (v. 16) are often associated with what is ungodly in the Book of Isaiah, probably due to Genesis 3:18, where these things are a punishment of human sin. The prophecy was written after Samaria’s ruin (v. 11). The fire of Assyria’s defeat would occur in one day (v. 17; cf. 37:36). God is pictured as a consuming fire in Deuteronomy 4:24, perhaps due to his appearance on Mt. Sinai (Ex 24:17). In Isaiah 10:18 the phrase is literally “from soul and as far as flesh”: from what is most inward to what is most outward. It is a merism here for complete destruction. The remaining trees of Assyria’s forest would be few, as the army of Assyria came to be (v. 19).

I.C.5.C. Judah Reduced To A Righteous Remnant, 10:20-23.

King Ahaz had mistakenly relied on Assyria to defeat the northern kingdom of Israel, but God’s defeat of Assyria would teach Judah to trust the Lord (v. 20) and to repent (v. 21). Repetition of “remnant” 4 times in 3 verses stresses the national reduction. The remnant can refer to survivors of Assyrian attack but may carry further application to later returns. Repetition of roots for “destruction” and “decreed” are also emphatic (vv. 22-23). The term “overflowing” (v. 22) recalls 8:7-8.

I.C.5.D. God’s Assurance To Judah, 10:24-27.

Assyria’s cruelty resembled that of Egypt during Egyptian slavery, but it would not last long, for God’s anger would turn from Judah towards Assyria. The rock of Oreb was where Midianite princes Oreb and Zeeb were slaughtered (Judg 7:25; 8:3; cf. Ps 83:11). Isaiah concludes the prediction of God’s judgment on Assyria by returning to the language of 9:4, not just with Midian but the yoke and bar. So the defeat of Assyria will be comparable to the defeat of Israel’s enemies that the Messiah brings. When one compares the suddenness of Christ’s victory in Revelation 19 to the angelic defeat of Sennacherib at Jerusalem, the resemblance is close (cf. Zech 14:12-15).

I.C.5.E. God Halts Assyria’s Advance, Isaiah 10:28-34.

Isaiah pictures the Assyrian army moving south through Judaean cities en route to Jerusalem (vv. 28-32). Judaeans flee from the intervening towns. The Assyrians seem unstoppable in their threat. But the Lord cuts down the army like a lumberjack cutting cedars on the mountains of Lebanon (vv. 33-34).

I.C.6. The Blessed Kingdom, Isaiah 11-12.

I.C.6.A. Messiah Establishes His Kingdom, Isaiah 11.

Isaiah 11 shifts to messianic prophecy about the descendant of David who is to rule over a kingdom.

I.C.6.A.I. Character Of The King, 11:1-5.

Jesse was David’s father (Ruth 4:17; 1 Sam 16:1-13). The word for branch in 11:1 is not the same word as in 4:2, but it sounds like the first part of “Nazareth,” which some think is a Greek form of the word. Scripture uses the number 7 to symbolize completeness, so that may be why 7 qualities of the Spirit are mentioned in 11:2 (cf. Jn 3:34). Isaiah 11:3-4 may point to divine guidance in Messiah’s decision-making, since Jesus said that he did nothing apart from the Father (Jn 8:28). The same concern for the poor (v. 4) characterizes Messiah as characterizes Yahweh (Pss 113:7; 140:12). The Messiah lives out God’s righteousness and faithfulness (Isa 11:5).

I.C.6.A.II. General Features Of His Kingdom, 11:7-9.

The kingdom is still future in its fulness. Nature will become non-violent and cooperative (vv. 6-8). God will still have a holy mountain (cf. 2:2). Peaceful nature will reflect worldwide knowledge of the Lord at that time (11:9; cf. 2:4).

I.C.6.A.III. The Nature Of The King’s Reign, 11:10-16.

All nations submit to the messianic king (vv. 10, 12; cf. Pss 2:8; 72:8-11). His administration in Israel (Isa 2:2) is glorious (11:10; cf. 2:1-4; 4:5-6). There will be another exodus, with Israelites brought out of all nations (11:11). He tasks the nations with returning the Jews (v. 12), who will form a unified nation (v. 13). The military activity (v. 14) could flashback to the Tribulation, but the order of events favors a transitional period after Armageddon (cf. Dan 12:11-12), with subjugation of any resisting nations around them. The Lord will facilitate the return of Jews from formerly hostile nations, perhaps supernaturally because the action is compared to the Exodus (Isa 11:15-16).

I.C.6.B. The People Will Be Glad, Isaiah 12.

The setting of Isaiah 12 is when the kingdom has come: “in that day” (12:1). God’s “anger” was focused on in Isaiah 5, 9-10, and the word “comfort” here will return especially in 40:1, which foresees the same time. The second half of verse 2 is taken from Exodus 15:2. Isaiah 12:4 in part matches 1 Chronicles 16:8 and Psalm 105:1. The first half of Isaiah 12:5 resembles Psalm 98:1. Isaiah 12 is an exuberant psalm of praise expressing the kind of traditional sentiments the Israelites will offer when God fulfills all his good promises to them through the Messiah. There is a need to make these things known to the entire world (vv. 4b and 5b; cf. Pss 67:2; 106:8).

I.D. Oracles Against The Nations, Isaiah 13-23.

I.D.1. Oracles Against Babylon, Isaiah 13-14:23.

I.D.1.A. The Attack, Isaiah 13.

Isaiah 13 is another chapter that has an eschatological flavor, although it speaks of ancient nations. It does not seem perfectly to match the historical events but to point beyond them to something more ultimate, the day of the Lord.

I.D.1.A.I. The Lord Assembles An Army Against Babylon, 13:1-5.

The oracle could be about Babylon when it was captured by Assyria, but there is no mention of Assyria and only the Medes. Also, 14:1-3 shows the Israelites as captives in Babylon, so the sixth century seems to be in view. The Medes and Persians were responsible for the conquest of Babylon at the end of the Neo-Babylonian empire, but the city Babylon did not become uninhabited then (v. 20). Since Babylon is the name Revelation gives to the end-time world power (Rev 17:5; 18:2), and since Zechariah 5:5-11 shows after the Babylonian exile that Babylon will be the dwelling place of wickedness in the future, Isaiah may be using the Median conquest of Babylon to give a type of eschatological realities. God summons a multitude of nations and armies for war to execute his wrath against the whole land of Babylon by destroying it (Isa 13:2-5; cf. Rev 17:15-18).

I.D.1.A.II. Characteristics Of The Day Of The Lord, 13:6-16.
I.D.1.a.ii.(1). Panic, 13:6-8.

Much of verse 6 is like Joel 1:15. The wail of mourning suits this destructive time (Isa 13:6). A loss of nerve results from a sense of supernatural doom (v. 7). The most fear-ridden emotions control the human hearts (v. 8)

I.D.1.a.ii.(2). Annihilation, 13:9-13.

The Day of the Lord, as elsewhere, has cruel wrath (Zeph 1:15) and darkened heavenly bodies (cf. Joel 2:1; 3:14-15; Amos 5:18, 20). God is punishing the whole world in these events; the language of bringing low what is high returns from Isaiah 2:9-22 in 13:11. God will make human beings rarer than the finest gold (v. 12). These two facts suggest the end times. The heavens shake as the earth is moved from its place (v. 13).

I.D.1.a.ii.(3). Flight, 13:14-16.

Perhaps it is foreign mercenaries who feel they are prey and flee to various homelands (v. 14). In a merciless atmosphere capture means death (v. 15). Babylonians face infanticide, looting, and rape (v. 16).

I.D.1.A.III. The Lord’s Destiny For Babylon, 13:17-22.

This pitiless scene unfolds because God chose Median adversaries who do not really care about spoil or about mercy (vv. 17-18). They turn Babylon, whose beauty was heralded in the ancient world, into total ruin like Sodom and Gomorrah. Although Babylon is in ruins today, the invasion of the Medes and Persians was not very destructive, and the city continued to be inhabited until about 650 A.D., with a village called Babel lasting until the 10th century A.D. So if its overthrow by God is to be like that of Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 19), some suppose that it will be rebuilt, or that ancient Babylon served as a type for prophecy about the “Babylon” of which Revelation speaks. For ancient Babylon fell when its capital was conquered by invasion, as the end-time “Babylon” will fall (Revelation 17-18). Isaiah 13:20-22 emphasizes the utter desolation of the place and that this ruin is coming soon. Even the Median conquest of the city was some 160 years in the future to Isaiah, but God gave him many visions about that time, and in God’s time the destruction may not have been far off.

I.D.1.B. Aftermath Of Battle, Isaiah 14:1-23.
I.D.1.B.I. Release For Captive Israel, 14:1-2.

Isaiah 14 seems to form a matched pair with Isaiah 13 because the context for 14:1-23 is still Babylon, and it seems to describe the end-time blessing for Israel after Babylon’s fall. God has compassion on Israel, which may be the same as the comfort of 12:1. He chooses the people again, so the times of the Gentiles seem to be over, along with the scattering of Israel among the nations, according to Luke 21:24. The nations will bring the Israelites to their own land (Isa 14:1-2), and the Israelites will even treat the Gentiles as male and female servants, as Isaiah 60 also describes (cf. Isa 66:20). Nothing like that happened at the historical return from Babylon, and so the scene seems eschatological.

I.D.1.B.II. Taunt Song Against The King Of Babylon, 14:3-21.

Israel will sing this song (v. 3). The final king of the Neo-Babylonian empire, Belshazzar, was disrespectful to God (Daniel 5), not outstandingly wicked (Isa 14:4-6). Perhaps, though, he symbolized the whole dynasty. Belshazzar did not strike down all the lands in fury (vv. 6-7). The celebration of the pine and cedar trees matches later passages in Isaiah that seem to go beyond the historical reality of the Jewish return from Babylon in 536 B.C. (cf. 35:1-2; 55:12-13). A name like “morning star” (14:12) did not suit Belshazzar. The king’s grandiose ambitions (vv. 12-14) may go beyond those of Belshazzar. Belshazzar did not “shake the earth” or make “the world a desert” (vv. 16-17). Isaiah describes a king whose fate shocks the rest of the underworld and who does not receive a burial as they did (vv. 15-20). This makes one think of the world-conquering Antichrist, who will be cast alive to the lake of fire (Rev 19:20). Defeat could mean death to royal offspring associated with their father’s wrongs and presenting a threat of rebellion (Isa 14:21).

I.D.1.B.III. God’s Summary Pronouncement, 14:22-23.

God will fulfill the promise of the song. Babylon itself will have no surviving progeny, nor will the city have any future. These facts do not suit historical Babylon and again sound like eschatology.

I.D.2. Oracle Against Assyria, Isaiah 14:24-27.

A prophecy about the Assyrians emphasizes God’s sovereign control over all historical events. He intends to crush the Assyrian in his land, and that is what happened outside Jerusalem in 701 B.C. (Isaiah 37). The language of the Assyrian yoke and burden being removed (Isa 14:25) matches 10:27 and suggests one specific context for 9:4. As this is God’s plan for the whole world, all the nations, Assyria is a model. But it can also be a type because the Antichrist will meet his end as he attacks Jerusalem with a great army in the end time (Rev 16:12-16; 19:11-21).

I.D.3. Oracle Against Philistia, Isaiah 14:28-32.

The prophecy about Philistia (vv. 28-32) starts with the death of Ahaz, a specific date, while most prophecies are not dated. One would assume that the broken rod striking Philistia was Ahaz, but some object that he was a victim rather than a perpetrator of Philistine raids (2 Chron 28:18). Yet perhaps Ahaz had done something to Philistia, too. History conveys that the earliest possible date of Ahaz’s death could also have been the year of Tiglath-Pileser III’s death (727 B.C.; 2 Kgs 18:1, 9-10). But Hezekiah could have started a co-reign with Ahaz then, since 2 Kings 18:13 suggests a death for Ahaz in 715 B.C. (no Assyrian king died around 715 B.C., with Shalmaneser dying in 722, and Sargon in 705). The prophecy is likely to revolve round the named person, Ahaz, and not an unnamed Assyrian king’s death. The “venomous serpent” (v. 29) was likely to be Hezekiah, who defeated the Philistines repeatedly (2 Kgs 18:8). The “poorest of the poor” (Isa 14:30) are likely Israelites in contrast to Philistine survivors of the attack described in verse 31, who would die by famine. The north (v. 31) was the typical direction from which Mesopotamian invaders attacked Israel and surrounding nations. The army in verse 31 resembles the Assyrian army depicted in 5:26-29. King Sennacherib of Assyria squashed Philistine rebellion against Assyria in 701 B.C., but Judah under Hezekiah would answer Assyria’s envoys (14:32a) with a resolve not to surrender (Isaiah 36-37). The resolve would be based on faith that the Lord who gave Judah its capital in Jerusalem would make the city a refuge (14:32b). That is what happened as the Assyrians took every city in Israel except Jerusalem.

I.D.4. Oracles Against Moab, Isaiah 15-16.

I.D.4.A. The Defeat Of Moab, Isaiah 15.

The chapters about Moab (15-16) resemble those about Babylon (13-14) in that the second of each pair (14, 16) introduces the connection with Judah. The NIV Study Bible identifies the attack with one made by King Sargon II of Assyria in 715/13 B.C. Jeremiah 48 repeats much of the language about an attack occurring much later (Josephus dated events of Jeremiah 48 to the 23rd year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon [Antiquities 10.9.7].). Ar (Isa 15:1) was an ancient city (Num 21:15), and Kir is probably Kir Hareseth, a main fortress (Isa 16:7). The picture is sudden, nighttime destruction of the Moabite cities, so that all the Moabite survivors are in extreme grief (15:1-4). The person grieving in verse 5 seems to be God, based on the speaker soon saying that he will bring lions on Dimon (v. 9). The impression deepens with similar first-person sorrow in 16:9, 11 because the “I’ of 16:10 is God. Sorrow over the suffering does not prevent God from imposing needed wrath. In 15:6-9 image after image conveys suffering. People flee from the enemy, taking their belongings with them. Drought has struck the land, and the people’s blood is in the water.

I.D.4.B. Appeal To Judah For Mercy, Isaiah 16.
I.D.4.B.I. Moab Appeals To Judah, 16:1-4.

Divine instruction to the Moabite king advises a gift of lambs to Jerusalem as an appeal for refuge from the enemy (16:1). The women of Moab, perhaps widows, crowd by the border to Judah at the fords of the Arnon River, asking to be hidden by Judah. The land north of the Arnon traditionally belonged to the Israelite tribe of Reuben. Verses 3-4a share what the Moabite women would say to the Judaeans.

I.D.4.B.II. Messiah Will End Oppression, 16:4b-5.

An end will come to the kind of destruction Moab faced from Assyria. For God’s love will establish his kingdom with a faithful, righteous, and just descendant of David. Jesus will do what no king of Israel did after this prophecy.

I.D.4.B.III. Two Prophecies About Moab, 16:6:14.
I.D.4.b.iii.(1). The Older Prophecy, 16:6-12.

Moab’s pride and wrongful boasting are the reason for this wailing loss (vv. 6-7). The words for pride correspond to some for pride or majesty in 2:9-22. Verses 8-12 picture the natural beauty and plenty of Moab withering as the nation’s joy and people disappear. God is sorrowful over this, but Moab’s prayers to its false gods will receive no answer.

I.D.4.b.iii.(2). The Current Prophecy, 16:13-14.

Fulfillment of these words would come in exactly three years because the counting would be like that of a hired man keeping close track of the days of his contract (v. 14). The northern enemy would decimate Moab.

I.D.5. Oracle Against Syria And Implications For Israel, Isaiah 17.

I.D.5.A. Syria’s Destruction Will Harm Ephraim, 17:1-4.

The ruin of Syria (Aram) came largely as Shalmaneser took the city of Damascus in 732 B.C. after a stifling siege. The same king initially attacked Israel later (2 Kgs 17:3-4; 18:9). The most famous “Aroer” (v. 2) is the one near the Arnon River (see Deut 2:36; cf. Josh 13:25; 1 Sam 30:28). The LXX does not have Aroer here but rather “forever,” and the Targum has “its cities,” with Damascus as the pronominal antecedent. Rather than posit an otherwise unknown Aroer in Syria, one can understand “cities of Aroer” to introduce the northern kingdom of Israel early in this prophecy, which associates northern Israel with Syria twice in verse 3. Or Syria’s power went as far south as Aroer at this time. Syria’s capital would suffer ruin, and Ephraim’s cities (v. 3) would vanish. Isaiah associated Syria’s downfall with Ephraim’s, which came a decade later, for the two kingdoms were allied (see Isa 7:1, 4-6). Also, Ahaz hired the King of Assyria against both.

I.D.5.B. Three Results Of Aram’s Destruction. 17:4-9.

Each begins with “in that day.”

I.D.5.B.I. The Pitiful Diminishment Of Jacob, 17:4-6.

Franz Delitzsch (Isaiah, 1:341) assumed that “the glory of Jacob” (v. 4) included Judah, whose defeat by Assyria came in 701 B.C. and almost wiped it out (the valley of Rephaim [v. 5] was in the territory of Judah), but “Jacob” might be another name for “Israel” here, in contrast to Judah, as in 9:8. Verse 5 is giving a simile using the valley of Rephaim, but the referent could be the northern kingdom.

I.D.5.B.II. A Return To The Lord, 17:7-8.

In either case, there would be few survivors, and God’s judgment would turn the attention of his people back to him rather than idols. Isaiah associated idols with human initiative contrary to God (v. 8).

I.D.5.B.III. Forsaken Land, 17:9.

Israelite cities in that day would be as abandoned to thicket and undergrowth as the Canaanite cities had become after Joshua conquered the land for Israel.

I.D.5.C. Rebuke Of Israel, 17:10-11.

Israel has forgotten God its Savior (v. 10). The verse suits the northern kingdom best because Hezekiah and Isaiah in the south did not forget God their Savior but depended on him (and Syria never had Yahweh as its God). The Israelites might plant the finest plants and imported vines, but in keeping with the Mosaic curses (Lev 26:16; Deut 28:38-40), they would not harvest them. Foreign plants may symbolize foreign influences in the northern kingdom.

I.D.5.D. The Futility Of Nations Attacking Judah, 17:12-14.

Lament suits the raging of nations who attack God’s people, because raging leads to national death. The nations resemble those in 29:5-8, but Isaiah refers again to Damascus and Ephraim. As with Moab, God’s judgment could come suddenly at evening (17:14; cf. 15:1). Since this is an oracle about Damascus (17: 1) that includes Ephraim, Ephraim is included among those who “loot us” (v. 14), “us” being God’s people. Ephraim allied itself with Syria to tear Judah apart and depose its king of Judah (7:6), so its portion was to be counted among the many nations and destroyed as not part of “us.”

I.D.6. Oracles Against Cush And Egypt, Isaiah 18-20.

I.D.6.A. Oracle Against Cush, Isaiah 18.
I.D.6.A.I. A Message Of Woe, 18:1-2.

The first word in Isaiah 18 usually indicates a prophecy of woe associated with judgment and death. Some think the word here is an attention-getting shout (Isa 55:1; Zech 2:10), but historical context suggests woe because Isaiah was prophesying against Cush for three years (20:3-5). Cush designates the lands around the Nile in southern Egypt, that is, Nubia and northern Sudan (from about the Second Cataract south to Khartoum). The whirring wings (18:1) probably represent crickets/locusts (Deut 28:42), which can be devastating in that part of the world. The 25th dynasty in Egypt consisted of pharaohs who came from the Kingdom of Cush, whose capital was Napata near the Fourth Cataract. They reigned over part or all of Egypt from 744–656 B.C. The Cushite Tirhakah (or Taharqa), who later became Pharaoh, led an Egyptian army into Palestine to help Hezekiah against Assyria but was defeated by Assyria at the battle of Eltekeh in 701 B.C.

I.D.6.A.II. God’s Message For The Whole World, 18:4-6.

The raising of a standard (v. 3) recalls 11:12 and 13:2. The mountains are probably those of Israel (see Ezek 39:4), and the standard and trumpet suggest a call to battle in which Cush is likely to participate. The passive voice and trumpet can suggest that God is raising the banner, as in Isaiah 11:12 and 13:2. But in the meanwhile, 18:4-6 picture divine patience and observation. God, like sunshine and cloud, is watching the harvest of earth develop. At the best time, like a vine keeper, God will prune off all the useless vine growth, and birds and animals will feed on it for many months. The scene seems symbolic of judgment that will come when the banner is raised. War often is pictured as producing many victims that the wild animals consume. This image is used of Armageddon (Rev 19:17-18; cf. Ezek 39:4). Since the scene affect all nations, it is broader than the Assyrian attack of Judah.

I.D.6.A.III. Aftermath Of The Battle, 18:7.

The true harvest will remain, and part of that harvest will be Cushites, who will bring an offering to the Lord at Mount Zion in what seems the messianic kingdom. Some suppose that they brought gifts after Sennacherib’s defeat at Jerusalem (2 Chron 32:23), and if that happened, it may have served as a type for the battle of Armageddon, since the next oracle, specifically about Egypt, looks ahead to the messianic kingdom (19:18-25).

I.D.6.B. Oracle Against Egypt, Isaiah 19.

Israel tended to rely on Egypt for help as Assyria attacked it (see Isa 30:1-5; 31:1-3). Isaiah 19 may try to undermine such misplaced confidence as it shows Egypt’s weakness and its need to rely on Yahweh.

I.D.6.B.I. The Lord Advances Against Egypt, V. 1.

The Lord riding on a cloud agrees with his making the clouds his chariot and riding on the wings of the wind (Ps 104:3; cf. Hab 3:8; Ps 68:17). Egyptian idols and people are afraid just as a nation would fear enemy chariots. So God comes to war against Egypt.

I.D.6.B.II. God’s War Plans Against Egypt, 19:2-10.
I.D.6.b.ii.(1). Plan against the People, 19:2-4.

As God does elsewhere in war (2 Chron 20:20-23; Zech 14:13), he will stir the Egyptians against each other (Isa 19:2). He is so displeased with Egypt that he will frustrate their plans, which are based on false religious practices (v. 3). The identity of the fierce king who rules over them is unclear. Sennacherib’s son Esarhaddon conquered Egypt in 671 B.C., although the Pharoah Tirhakah escaped. Esarhaddon’s son Ashurbanipal invaded Egypt in 667 B.C. He defeated Tirhakah, and Tirhakah died in 664 B.C. in Thebes at about the time the Assyrians were sacking the city.

I.D.6.b.ii.(2). Plan against the Land, 19:5-10.

The text seems too detailed to be poetic analogy. God afflicts the nation with drought along with war (vv. 5-7a). Egypt’s life depends on the Nile, so the Nile’s failure brings down the whole economy (vv. 7b-10).

I.D.6.B.III. God’s Taunt Of Egyptian Wisdom, 19:11-15.

Like a warrior, God mocks the helpless foe. Wise men were undeserving of the title, leading Egypt astray (vv. 11, 13). They could not thwart what God was planning against Egypt (v. 12). Zoan and Memphis were capitals, respectively, of Lower and Upper Egypt. The effect of God’s judgment is compared to drunkenness, as often in Scripture. Neither top nor bottom of society could help Egypt (v. 15).

I.D.6.B.IV. Four Consequences Of God’s Victory, 19:16-25.

Each begins with “in that day.”

I.D.6.b.iv.(1). Terror Overwhelms Egypt, 19:16-17.

“In that day” (v. 16) could refer to imminent events, but it is often an eschatological phrase and is so in verse 18. Verses 16-17 may be transitional, applicable to the near future of Assyrian attack but also to the far future. The name “Judah” could have disquieted Egypt (v. 17) because it meant failure and loss vis-à-vis Assyria. But it will also be an unsettling name eschatologically when all nations come against Jerusalem only to be defeated (Zechariah 12, 14). Gog, who seems to represent the Antichrist in Ezekiel, has as one of his allies Cush (Ezek 38:5), which ruled Egypt in Isaiah’s time.

I.D.6.b.iv.(2). Egypt Will Have Close Ties to Judah, 19:18.

For “city of destruction” (v. 18) the Dead Sea Scrolls, some Hebrew manuscripts, Symmachus, the Targum, the Vulgate, and the Arabic have “city of the sun,” referring to Heliopolis. Some towns may have spoken Hebrew after Israelites fled there to escape Babylon (Jeremiah 43-44), but not Heliopolis, which was an important Egyptian city, a regional capital and major religious center honoring the sun god. For it to swear allegiance to Yahweh would imply a great change to the nation.

I.D.6.b iv.(3). God Will Strike Egypt into Trusting Submission, 19:19-22.

An altar to the Lord in the middle of Egypt and a monument to him at the border (v. 19) would also imply great change. That God saves the Egyptians when they call shows that they pray to Yahweh and are in right relations with him (v. 20). Verse 21 spells out this relationship. But before amity comes, the Lord sends a plague (v. 22) that leads to Egypt’s repentance and healing.

I.D.6.b.iv.(4). A Tri-Nation Pact with the Lord, 19:23-25.

End-time cooperation binds Assyria, Egypt, and Israel, as 11:15-16 hinted. The Lord will have the worship from other nations that was his ultimate vision when choosing Abraham and his offspring, and his offspring will be the blessing on earth (19:24) that God said they would be when he chose them (Gen 12:2-3).

I.D.6.C. Enacted Prophecy Against Cush And Egypt, Isaiah 20.
I.D.6.C.I. Time Of The Prophecy, 20:1.

The consensus is that this prophecy concerns King Sargon of Assyria’s attack on Ashdod in Philistia in 711 B.C. Probably with the support of the Cushite Shabako, who ruled over Egypt beginning in 714 B.C., the Ashdodites in 713 B.C. removed Ahimiti, a vassal king Sargon had appointed over Ashdod, and they installed Yamani in his place. Sargon II attacked the city, Yamani fled to Egypt, and Egypt meekly sent Yamani bound to Assyria. Sargon made Ashdod a province of Assyria. The events proved that Israel could not rely on Egypt’s help against Assyria. It was also proof that Assyria had little to fear from Egypt.

I.D.6.C.II. Instruction To The Prophet, 20:2.

Sackcloth was a standard garment worn to express mourning, and Isaiah as a prophet could have conveyed a message of mourning to his people by wearing it (see Rev 11:3). The command to remove it in favor of nakedness may have still implied a loincloth, as “naked” does in John 21:7, where Peter wears an inner garment (see also Isa 58:7 and Jas 2:15, where “naked” seems to imply relative nakedness). The loincloth could have left Isaiah’s buttocks bare.

I.D.6.C.III. A Later, Explanatory Prophecy, 20:3-6.

Three years after the Lord’s command in verse 2, he explained the meaning of Isaiah’s actions (v. 3), which show how connected Egypt and Cush were. Usually enacted prophecy described Israel directly; it was unusual for Isaiah to represent himself as Egypt and Cush, soon to be captive slaves to Assyria (v. 4). He warned of their coming defeat by Assyria so long to dissuade Hezekiah and Israel from trusting Egypt. Their error was serious and would put them to shame (v. 5). Punishment from Assyria was coming (v. 6). The answer to how they could escape (v. 6) was in Isaiah’s Lord, “the hope of Israel and its Savior in time of trouble” (Jer 14:8).

I.D.7. Oracle Against Babylon, Isaiah 21.

I.D.7.A. A Frightening Vision About Babylon, 21:1-5.
I.D.7.A.I. Questions Of Place And Date.

The desert of verse 1 need not describe Babylon since the invader of Babylon comes from the desert. The lands to the east of the Persian Gulf, where Elam was, have stretches of desert. Is this another vision of the fall of Babylon in chapter 13, which also mentioned Medes and could refer to 539 B.C. (see also ch. 47)? The seemingly related oracle concerning Arabia (21:16) would be fulfilled in precisely a year and so could favor an early date for the oracle about Babylon. Since Babylon fell (v. 9), the destruction of the city in 689 B.C. by Sennacherib might be in view. Yet attack by Elamites and Medes seems to bring the end (v. 2). The fall of Babylon in 539 B.C. was good news; it might not be so here (see vv. 3-4). The scene in verse 5 resembles Babylon’s invasion by Cyrus during Belshazzar’s banquet (Daniel 5), which caught the Babylonians unprepared. But Jerusalem is similarly unready in Isaiah 22:13.

I.D.7.A.II. Contemporary Circumstances.

Elam and Media attack Babylon (v. 2), which for much of Isaiah’s time was controlled by Assyria. However, it revolted from Assyria under Merodach Baladan (722 to 710 B.C.; 703 to 702 B.C.). Later in 694 B.C. the Elamites captured and executed Ashur-nadin-shumi, a son of Sennacherib whom his father appointed king of Babylon from 700 B.C. to his death. The Elamites installed Nergal-ushezib as king, but after little more than a year Sennacherib fought Babylon and captured Nergal-ushezib. Mushezib-Marduk replaced Nergal-ushezib as king in 693 B.C. and in 691 led a rebellion of the Babylonians, Chaldeans, Persians, Medes, Elamites and Aramaic tribes against Sennacherib and Assyria at the Battle of Halule. Both sides declared victory, but when the King of Elam suffered a stroke later that year, Sennacherib began a nine-month siege of Babylon that ended with its capture and destruction (though Esarhaddon rebuilt it in 680 B.C.). Mushezib-Marduk’s rebellion could explain why the term “betrayer” was used in verse 2.

I.D.7.A.III. Several Puzzles.

God will bring to an end to “its groaning.” The groaning could be what Babylon suffered or what it caused, with several versions understanding the latter (NIV, NLT, NASB, NRSV). Although the “I” bringing this end seems to be God (v. 2b), the “I” who staggers because of what he hears and sees, and whose body is racked with pain (v. 3), is likely to be the one shown the vision (v. 2a), that is, Isaiah. He could have staggered at such an ancient, city of culture falling, at the severity of its fall, or at the loss of an ally against Assyria.

I.D.7.A.IV. Conclusion.

It is hard to see why God would judge and destroy an oppressed city, so it seems better to think of the groaning as caused by Babylon. That suits the 539 B.C. time better. Sennacherib’s destruction was not by the Elamites and Medes and so does not suit verse 2 as well. Nor was Sennacherib’s destruction critical historically. The feature of the watchmen (vv. 6-12) allows for a wait before Babylon’s fall, even if Kedar was destroyed very soon. Babylon’s fall in 539 B.C. could merit another vision because of its biblical importance. Isaiah’s fear and trembling may be like God’s sorrow over Moab’s fall despite Moab regularly being Israel’s enemy (see 25:10-11). The vivid vision of war may have shocked Isaiah’s night (21:4).

I.D.7.B. The Scene Of Watchmen, 21:6-10.
I.D.7.B.I. God’s Instruction, 21:6-7.

Babylon’s fall had relevance for Judah because God commanded Isaiah to post a watchman to wait for news from Babylon (v. 6). Perhaps “watchman” is a wordplay here, with a secondary meaning of prophet (62:6; cf. Ezek 3:17). Visitors to Jerusalem would be fleeing from Babylon or bringing news from the east (v. 7).

I.D.7.B.II. The Watchman’s Report, 21:8-9.

The report comes that Babylon’s idol gods were destroyed as the city fell. Revelation 14:8 and 18:2 repeat the words about Babylon falling (see also Jer 51:8, 43, 49, where the words prophesy about 539 B.C.).

I.D.7.B.III. Isaiah’s Announcement, 21:10.

This could be good or bad news, depending on the larger interpretation. In 689 B.C. the news might have been disheartening, but God did not want Israel relying on other nations. So it is more likely that God is giving good news about 539 B.C.

I.D.8. The Oracle Of Dumah, Isaiah 21:11-12.

Dumah was an oasis in the Arabian desert. Seir, which was another name for Edom, was on a trade route that ran though Dumah. Harm to places further east could hurt Seir’s economy. Assyria controlled the northern route that followed the Euphrates River, so rebels might have used this southern route. The first “night” (v. 11) might represent Assyrian oppression. Edom appears in Sennacherib’s inscriptions. Coming “morning” (v. 12) could be the end of Assyria, with following “night” being Neo-Babylonian oppression (Nebuchaddnezzar destroyed Edom).

I.D.9. Oracle Over Arabia, Isaiah 21:13-17.

The Dedanites were an Arabian tribe that seems to have lived near Edom, according to Jeremiah 49:8 (Esau=Edom). There was a Hamitic Dedan (Gen 10:7; 1 Chron 1:9) and a Semitic one descended from Abraham and Keturah (Gen 25:3; 1 Chron 1:32). The names listed with the Hamitic Dedan are later found in the southern Arabian peninsula. If the Dedanites in Isaiah are those in Jeremiah, they may have been Semitic and northern Arabian. Their caravans may have plied the trade route. The divine call comes to aid fugitives, perhaps those from Kedar. Tema, another Arabian tribe living on an oasis in the Arabian desert, was to bring the fugitives food. Kedar was a largely nomadic Arabian tribe that ranged over the north Arabian desert at this time. Its first historical mention comes in the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. Kedar, Dumah and Tema were sons of Ishmael (Gen 25:13-15), which is another reason to think that the associated Dedanites were Semitic. In 703 B.C. Sennacherib defeated the Arabian tribes helping the rebellion of Merodach-Baladan, king of Babylon. So he could have reduced Kedar to a few warriors (Isa 21:17). Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal show that Hazail, king of the Arabs, against whom Sennacherib's army fought between 691 and 689 B.C. in the region of Dumah, and who surrendered to Esarhaddon, was the king of Kedar.

I.D.10. Oracle Against Judah, Isaiah 22.

I.D.10.A. Jerusalem’s Pitiful Defeat, 22:1-4.

Jeremiah 21:13 puts Jerusalem in a valley. “Valley of vision” (Isa 22:1) could name Jerusalem sarcastically due to lack of vision: the people partied on rooftops in the face of military threat (vv. 1-2). But Isaiah may speak of a vision given him of the city’s future defeat (vv. 2b-3), one causing him to weep over its coming destruction (v. 4). The slain he sees not fighting to the death but fleeing and being caught (vv. 2-3). This is what occurred in 586 B.C., when King Zedekiah and the army fled and were caught (2 Kgs 25:4-7).

I.D.10.B. The Lord’s Day Of Tumult, 22:5-8a.

Isaiah foresaw a dark day of battle when Elam and Moab (see Kir in 15:1) would be attacking. Moab fought with Babylon against Judah in its last days (2 Kgs 24:2). Nebuchadnezzar put down an invasion from Elam in about 596 B.C., so he may have had Elamites fighting with him. Walls were not torn down (Is 22:5) in 701 B.C.

I.D.10.C. Worldly Preparation For War, 22:8b-13.

Jerusalem was diligent about defenses (vv. 8b-11; see 2 Chron 32:1-5 in Assyrian times). They even got the ornamental shields from Solomon’s showcase palace of the forest (1 Kgs 7:2; 10:17, 21; 14:26-27). But they did not give attention to the Lord, who had planned the disaster and so could have turned it aside. This inattention was inexcusable because God had called them to repent in tears, and they did the opposite (Isa 22:12-13). They justified their revelry by saying that death could soon come.

I.D.10.D. The Lord’s Sentence, 22:14.

The city’s sin, God revealed, could only end in death because sacrifice could not atone for defiant sin, which deserved death (Num 15:30-31).

I.D.10.E. The Case Of Shebna, 22:15-25.

Shebna evidently typified the worldly spirit that would ultimately lead to Jerusalem’s destruction.

I.D.10.E.I. God’s Judgment On Him, 22:15-19.

Shebna was over the palace, but God would remove him from the position for a self-aggrandizing attitude. Shebna had splendid chariots and a splendid tomb but was a disgrace, so he evidently should have gotten permission from the king to carve a tomb where he did. Perhaps the Lord’s harsh warning through Isaiah moved Shebna to repent, for he appears later as secretary after Eliakim had become over the palace (36:22; 37:2). Or his removal to a large country (Assyria?) where he would die could have come later.

I.D.10.E.II. His Replacement, 22:20-25.

It must have been humbling for Shebna to hear the Lord call Eliakim his servant. Eliakim would wield the power of his office rightly, becoming a support for all his family. But one day he would lose his position, to the detriment of all who depended on him. John Oswalt (Isaiah, NICOT, 1:423-24) suggests that people not looking to the Lord put too much on the shoulders of the few godly men, so they ultimately failed. On the other hand, the first verb in verse 25 can mean “depart” in the sense of “be removed” (cf. 54:10 of the mountains). The fact that the peg was driven into a firm place could imply that it was “cut off” 22:25) by an outside force, such as ungodly Manasseh when he became king. Manasseh was coregent with Hezekiah from 697 B.C. and became sole king in 686.

I.D.11. Oracle Against Phoenicia, Isaiah 23.

Tyre had a mainland part, but its strength was a fortress built on two islands. This oracle against the island fortress aligns best with the city’s destruction by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C., when the city was finally leveled. But Tyre rebelled against world powers and had numerous attackers before 332 B.C.: Shalmaneser, Sargon, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Ashurbanipal, and Nebuchadnezzar.

I.D.11.A. Wailing Over Tyre’s Destruction, 23:1-14.

Isaiah pictures the ships of Tarshish, which were vessels capable of long-distance travel (Tarshish is of uncertain identity, perhaps Tartessos in Spain) getting the news of the city’s destruction far from home and wailing about it. Eastern mourning regularly incorporated wailing. Silence (v. 2) and shame (v. 4) suited Tyre and Sidon for the humiliation they had experienced. Shihor (v. 3) was either an eastern branch of the Nile or a lake in the eastern Nile Delta. The sea says that it is as if it had never been in labor or borne children because the people of Tyre are dead. Egypt would grieve because of their great trade with Tyre. The survivors of Tyre who escaped were to go to Tarshish and grieve. Verse 7 begins with the same root translated “revelry” in v. 12, “Is this to you, revelling one?” Tyre established trading colonies around the Mediterranean (v. 7). The Lord was the planner of this defeat to humble the inordinate pride of Tyrians (vv. 8-9). Isaiah often notes the Lord’s role as planner of great historical events. The Dead Sea Scrolls agree with the LXX in reading “till” rather than “cross” (MT) at the start of verse 10 (see NIV, NJB). It is the difference between two easily confused letters. Tilling by the Nile involved irrigation. “Daughter of Tarshish” would, in this reading, be a reference to Tyre, which has lost its harbor (v. 1). The people, who may have originated in Tarshish, had to farm now that sea faring had become impractical. The word “harbor” in verse 10) is obtained either by switching the last two letters of the Hebrew word or giving it a different meaning (HALOT) than in two other occurrences in Scripture, where it means “waistband, girdle.” The Lord similarly “stretched out his hand” (v. 11) over Egypt at the Exodus to strike it. The daughter of Sidon is the Canaanite nation, which formerly had been virginal in the sense of being unravished by another nation but now was crushed (v. 12). Isaiah’s prophecy was a forewarning, and Tyre needed to look at Babylon to see what rebellion produced, since Assyria destroyed rebellious Babylon in 689 B.C. (v. 13).

I.D.11.B. The Revival Of Tyre, 23:15-18.
I.D.11.B.I. Identifying The 70-Year Period, 23:15a.

Some think that Sennacherib’s attack on Tyre in 701 B.C. could explain the 70-year period, since Tyre suffered eclipse after that until Assyrian power waned about 630 B.C. He installed his own vassal king Ethbaal when Luli, the king of Tyre and Sidon, fled by boat. But he did not destroy the island (nor did Nebuchadnezzar later: Ezek 29:18). It is hard to point out a 70-year period after Alexander’s destruction, but Tyre, though rebuilt and flourishing, did not regain her former glory.

I.D.11.B.II. The Song Of The Prostitute, 23:15b-18.

Perhaps Isaiah used a popular song about a prostitute (v. 16) to describe Tyre’s return. The city was like a prostitute in prioritizing money. It sold itself for commercial gain, not military or international power. Dedicating a harlot’s hire to the Lord as a gift was forbidden in Israel (Deut 23:18), but this was just an analogy, and Isaiah spoke of something holy (23:18). The time when Tyre’s profits do not enrich her but those who live before the Lord (v. 18), that is, Israelites and perhaps temple servants especially, may be the messianic and eternal kingdoms (Isa 60:5; Hag 2:7; Rev 21:24-26), for Isaiah often shifts to eschatology. Tyre in Christian times became seat of a bishopric.

I.E. The Little Apocalypse, Isaiah 24-27.

After Isaiah gave prophecies about most of the nations in the Middle East, he answered the question of where they were all finally headed in a series of poems now called the Little Apocalypse (The Book of Revelation is the big apocalypse; the first Greek word of Revelation is the one from which comes the English “apocalypse”). Isaiah’s poems are short, sketchy, and evocative of moods or scenes.

I.E.1. Isaiah 24.

Isaiah 24 gives a bird’s eye view of the end of the age.

I.E.1.A. A Universal Disaster, 24:1-3.

God will destroy this present earth, displace its people, and confront everyone with the same disastrous realities.

I.E.1.B. Sin Is The Cause, 24:4-6.

A curse comes because of human guilt. Nature withers because of mankind’s defilement, disobedience, and unfaithfulness. The last sin listed is breaking “the everlasting covenant” (v. 5), a term used for the Noahic covenant (Gen 9:16), which prohibited murder. The resulting divine curse that consumes the earth recalls the curses in Revelation that do this (Revelation 6, 8-9, 16). The burning of earth’s inhabitants (Isa 24:6) until few are left also corresponds to these Revelation chapters and represents the extreme violence of the time.

I.E.1.C. The Blessings Of Life Disappear, 24:7-13.

There will be no more partying, and any alcoholic drinking will be bitter because people know it is to escape a dreadful reality. Cities are deserted and ruined. The survivors on earth are like the gleanings after the harvest.

I.E.1.D. Worldwide Victory From The Lord Will Come, 24:14-16a.

From the earth’s far corners those who worship the Lord will praise the appearance of the Lord’s splendor.

I.E.1.E. Agonizing Danger Precedes Victory, 24:16b-18a.

Before God takes power, wicked men prey on humanity, making human survival hazardous due to one danger after another.

I.E.1.F. Earth Is Like A Collapsing Building, 24:18b-20.

Isaiah used language reminiscent of Noah’s flood (v. 18b) to picture a planet split open. Sin makes it teeter and sway until collapse.

I.E.1.G. God Replaces The Old System, 24:21-23.

Heavenly and earthly rebels will be imprisoned until punishment. The imprisonment probably occurs during the thousand-year reign of Christ (Rev 20:1-3) after which comes the white throne judgment (Rev 20:7-15). The Lord reigning on Mount Zion recalls Isaiah 2:1-4. But the sun and moon being ashamed may point beyond the millennium to the new heavens and earth, where the sun and moon are not needed because God’s glory gives the light, and the Lord Jesus is the lamp (Rev. 21:23).

I.E.2. Three Pictures Of God’s Victory, Isaiah 25.

I.E.2.A. Subduing The Violent, 25:1-5.

The Lord destroys a city to protect the poor and needy. Even mighty people revere him as a result. God planned it long in advance, to be a refuge for the weak from ruthless worldly strength that he silences.

I.E.2.B. Preparing A Feast, 25:6-9.

“This mountain” is evidently Zion. The banquet may be the same end-time one mentioned by Jesus (Lk 13:28-30). It seems to occur after the first resurrection as the Lord swallows up death forever. Israel will finally receive honor (Isa 25:8b). Faith in God will be vindicated at that time, and the Lord exalted (v. 9).

I.E.2.C. Humiliating The Foes, 25:10-12.

Moab, a traditional foe of Israel, represents worldly opposition to the Lord’s will. God’s hand will rest on Zion to support it (v. 10), but Moab will be trampled under the Lord. After the word “trampled,” the translation could be “under him” or “in its place,” depending whether the contrast is between the hand of the Lord and his feet, or the mountain and Moab’s place. The former seems more vivid. Straw was pressed into dung to form manure. The enemy’s humiliation is highlighted by the picture of thrashing hands in manure. Not only fortifications but pride would fall.

I.E.3. The Lord’s Dealings With The Righteous And Wicked, Isaiah 26.

I.E.3.A. The Righteous Have A Strong City, 26:1-6.

Isaiah segues from the enemy’s ruined city (Isa 25:12) to the strong city of the righteous nation (26:1-2), one that trusts in the Lord (vv. 3-4). God uses poor and needy folk to humble and trample the city of the mighty of earth (vv. 5-6).

I.E.3.B. The Righteous Versus The Wicked, 26:7-11.

God levels the “path” for the righteous, who follow the “path” of his laws (vv. 7-8). They desire God and know that He judges to achieve righteousness (v. 9). The wicked do not acknowledge the Lord. The righteous pray for God to save them so the enemies can endure shame as they perish (vv. 10-11).

I.E.3.C. The Lord Gives His People Their Achievements, 26:12-15.

The peace they have comes from him (v. 12). They knew other lords, but there is no comparison (v. 13). Those men died and will not rise, for God eliminated them (v. 14). He enlarged his people’s nation, probably as a result (v. 15).

I.E.3.D. The Lord Gives His People New Life, 26:16-19.

This stanza seems paired with the previous one. Both start with vocative “Lord.” In one, people die without rising; in the other, people who die will rise. Israel came to God without strength as in the anguish of childbirth (vv. 16-17). They failed in their efforts and did not bring salvation or new birth to the world (v. 18). But nonetheless they will rise from the dead; that was their firm hope (v. 19).

I.E.3.E. The Lord Gives The Wicked Judgment, 26:20-21.

God invites his people to rest and hide while his wrath passes by. The scene recalls the tenth plague in Egypt as the death angel passed by the Israelite homes to kill among the rest. In the last days the Lord will come down to rid the world of its wicked ones. Revelation 18:24 speaks of the blood of those unjustly slain on earth being found in Babylon (Isa 26:21).

I.E.4. Judgment Of Satan And Israel’s Salvation Await Its Repentance, Isaiah 27.

I.E.4.A. Punishment Of Satan, 27:1.

The phrase “In that day” refers back to the punishment of the earth, which Jesus and Revelation call the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21; Rev 7:14). It concludes with the Lord’s coming and the punishment of Satan (Rev 20:1-3), whom Revelation calls the “ancient serpent” (Rev 12:9; 20:2). The imagery of a seven-headed serpent (cf. Rev 12:3), slippery and wriggling, came from the Baal-and-Mot myth written in Ugarit, a society destroyed in 1200 B.C. The Bible used ancient myths for various purposes, referring to this serpent several times (see Ps 74:14; 104:26; Job 3:8; 41:1).

I.E.4.B. Israel, A Fruitful Vineyard, 27:2-6.

The phrase “in that time” signals the same period as Satan’s punishment. The Lord is again caring for his vineyard (cf. Isa 5:1-7), and finally Israel will be fruitful. Briers and thorns as weeds are an enemy to a vineyard, and God would quickly attack such a foe. “Briers and thorns” symbolize the Assyrian army in 10:17. The other option is to submit to the Lord (27:5). In the end time those opposed to an Israel reconciled to God will be opposed to God. Israel will be a blessing to all the world (v. 6).

I.E.4.C. God Waits For Israel To Turn To Him, 27:7-11.

Verse 7 assumes some blow against Israel by the Lord, but the comfort is that his dealings are not as harsh as they have been with the nations that have attacked Israel. Those attackers he killed, but he made war against Israel in a way that led to exile, the nation being driven away as by a harsh, hot wind (v. 8). God will know Israel has repented when it gets rid of idols (v. 9). In the present time of the prophecy the land suffers the effects of exile, with the few remaining people eking out a living. The Lord promised to bless an obedient Israel (Deut 28:1-14), so circumstances show the nation’s rebellious lack of understanding (cf. Deut 32:28), which deserve no compassion or favor from him.

I.E.4.D. In The Future Compassion Will Come, 27:12-13.

“In that day” in verses 12-13 probably refers to the same time as the phrase in verses 1-2, Satan’s punishment and Israel’s kingdom. Isaiah returns to the regathering of Israel from Egypt and Assyria that he broached in 11:15-16 and 19:23-25, with this passage helping to give the time for those earlier prophecies. The nations worshipping the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem (27:13) agrees with 2:1-4.

I.F. Mostly Woe Oracles, Isaiah 28-33.

These chapters deal with the Assyrian crisis but often look beyond it to the end of the age. They are judgmental but include many visions of the future to provide hope.

I.F.1. Woe To Ephraim And Judah, Isaiah 28.

I.F.1.A. Woe To Ephraim, 28:1-4.

The wreath and fading flower were Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom. The people were debauched with wine and would lose their glory (v. 1). The strong one the Lord compared to a destructive storm was Assyria (v. 30). The northern kingdom would be a desirable prize, like a first-ripe fig (vv. 3-4). Speed of conquest is not the idea since the siege took three years (2 Kings 17:5).

I.F.1.B. Promise That Matches The Woe, 28:5-6.

“In that day” may refer to the eschaton, as in 27:12-13. Ephraim had gloried in the wreath of Samaria, and someday the Lord will be a wreath for his people, but more, a glorious crown (v. 5). He will inspire the judges for justice and the warriors for might (v. 6).

I.F.1.C. Wine Also Disables Jerusalem, 28:7-10.
I.F.1.C.I. The Problem Of Wine, 28:7-8.

Isaiah had already condemned Ephraim to judgment, so the shift to priest and prophet seems to be to the southern kingdom. Isaiah would have had no respect or concern for the northern priests, who rejected the Lord’s ways. There is a chiasm in verse 7, for the priests could render judicial decisions (Deut 17:8-13), while the prophets saw visions. Drunkenness was widespread and extreme (Isa 28:8). It was especially shameful in priest and prophets, and particularly during service to God and man (Deut 21:20; Lev 10:9-10).

I.F.1.C.II. The Resulting Inability, 28:9-10.

Verses 9-10 could be words of the people mocking Isaiah. They could imply that he talks to them like babies in repeating commands and lines of instruction, or in giving babble (since the repeated words in Hebrew could sound like babble). Perhaps better, Isaiah could ask whom God will teach knowledge or explain a message, since the priest and prophet are both drunk, along with all those sitting at tables. From time to time God teaches command by command, line by line, so is he to teach babies, the only sober ones?

I.F.1.D. God Will Get Their Attention By Judgment, 28:11-13.

God would get his people’s attention by speaking through foreigners. He had a message of rest for Judaeans, but they were unwilling to listen. So God’s word to them would be command upon command, line upon line, spoken from time to time by foreign invaders, so that the Judaeans would stumble backwards (cf. 8:14-15) and suffer injury, entrapment, and captivity. The wording of 28:9-10 reoccurs here in irony.

I.F.1.E. God’s Message Of Sheer Terror, 28:14-22.
I.F.1.E.I. The People’s Boast, 28:14-15.

The Lord had a word for the scoffing leaders of Jerusalem, who thought they could have safety without trusting the Lord and assumed they had an agreement with death. The overflowing scourge that they thought would pass by without touching them recalls the river Euphrates, symbolic of Assyria, that would overflow and pass by (8:8). Their covenant was likely that of Ahaz with Tiglath-Pileser, who was to protect them from death at the hands of Ephraim and Syria. The lie they were trusting in could have been the word of Assyria, since that predatory nation probably did not intend to leave Judah untouched when extortion and conquest were its way of life.

I.F.1.E.II. The Lord’s Response, 28:16-19a.

God intended to lay down an immovable foundation to give the believer confidence despite overflowing scourges (v. 16). The NT identifies this cornerstone as the Lord Jesus (Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:6-7). God would use justice and righteousness as measuring tools for construction of the building around the cornerstone (Isa 28:17a). The storm associated with the overflowing scourge would destroy Judah’s shelter in falsehood. Judah would not avoid death, but the scourge would repeatedly pass by, carrying people away in its flood. The Assyrians took every Judaean city but Jerusalem.

I.F.1.E.III. The Need To Accept The Message, 28:19b-22.

The terror in the message was that there was no way to make it a comfortable one (vv. 19b-20). The Lord would rise (v. 21a) against Judah the way he rose against the Philistines at Mount Perazim (2 Sam 5:20) or the Amorites in the Valley of Gibeon (Josh 10:10-13). It was a strange work for God to attack his own people (Isa 28:21b). Mocking activity by the Judaeans would only intensify this disciplinary treatment, for he had decreed a destruction that would come (v. 22).

I.F.1.E.IV. The Only Comfort Was The Lord’s Wisdom, 28:23-29.

The Lord was going to bring tragedy to Judah, but there was a good purpose behind it. The wisdom God gives farmers (vv. 26, 29) was applicable. Both sowing (vv. 24-25) and reaping (vv. 27-28) show the same restrained use of force. God’s cutting and blows would suit the Judaeans, being no harder than they needed. He did not intend to destroy his vineyard (cf. 27:2-5) but to obtain a harvest.

I.F.2. Woe To Jerusalem And Then Blessing, Isaiah 29.

I.F.2.A. God Punishes With Nations That He Then Rejects, 29:1-8.
I.F.2.A.I. They Bring Low Sinful Judah, 29:1-4.

“Ariel” means “Altar Hearth” and symbolizes Jerusalem as home to the Lord’s altar. David captured Jerusalem and made it his capital (1 Chron 11:4-9). The Israelite worship did not impress God because of its falseness (cf. Isa 1:11-17). When God says he will besiege (29:3), he means that he will do so through Assyria and allied nations (see v. 7). He would use their siege towers (v. 4). Judah would be brought low, as God promised to do to the high and proud in 2:9-22. Judaeans in deathly weakness would whisper like a spiritualist medium. In disobedience to God their mediums used to whisper (8:19).

I.F.2.A.II. But Then They Disappear, 29:5-8.

Dust is a link between verses 4 and 5. The foes humbling Jerusalem become like windblown chaff (29:5). In a sudden theophany, God comes with powerful phenomena that sometimes accompany him (v. 6). The nations besieging Zion will have no more reality than a dream from which one has awoken. They thought they were satisfying themselves, but it would not be. Assyria brought Judah low and then fled away overnight when the Lord struck (Isa 37:36-37). This can also prefigure the eschaton, when God will come with might to defeat the nations fighting against Jerusalem (Zechariah 12, 14; Revelation 19).

I.F.2.B. Israel Would Not Understand This Vision, 29:9-12.

People would blind themselves (cf. 6:9-10) by refusing to see what Isaiah said. They lacked the sobriety provided by a close walk with the Lord (29:9). Prophets, too, lacked insight as they reacted with rebellious insensitivity to the Lord’s actions, something God foreknew and was pleased to actuate (v. 10). People would view the Lord’s message as inscrutable or see themselves as unable to understand it (vv. 11-12).

I.F.2.C. Incomprehension Was Due To Infidelity, 29:13-16.

Israelites sounded godly but were not since they did not worship God truly but because somebody told them to do so (v. 13). So God would again “do wonders,” words used of the Exodus and at Sinai (Ex 3:20; 15:11; 34:10), to make the worldly wise see how little they knew (Isa 29:14). For they made plans in secret as if to hide from the Lord (v. 15). They criticized God, acting as though they were God (v. 16). Isaiah could refer to Assyrian attack and its repulsion (cf. vv. 5-8).

I.F.2.D. God’s Wisdom Will Eventually Shine, 29:17-24.
I.F.2.D.I. He Will Reverse Present Circumstances, 29:17-21.

If mountainous Lebanon becomes a fertile field, and a fertile field a forest, conditions are reversed (v. 17). The prophecy seems eschatological (cf. 32:15). The deaf will hear the words of a scroll, and the blind will see (cf. 29:9-12). Spiritual deadness will change to receptivity (v. 18). The humble will rejoice in God instead of suffering (v. 19), The ruthless evil ones, who falsely accuse, undermine the righteous, and deprive the innocent of justice, will be banished instead of ruling (vv. 19-20).

I.F.2.D.II. He Will Bless His People Israel, 29:22-24.

God, who redeemed Abraham, will remove the shame of his descendants permanently (v. 22). His regathering of them will motivate them to revere Him (v. 23). Israelites who go astray spiritually will repent (v. 24), unlike in Isaiah’s day.

I.F.3. Woe To Obstinate Children, Isaiah 30.

I.F.3.A. The Folly Of Seeking Egypt’s Help, 30:1-5.

It was sinful for Judah to make an alliance with Egypt, something that was not God’s plan and could not end well (vv. 1-2). God had told Israel never to go back to Egypt (Deut 17:16). Sending ambassadors to Egyptian cities would bring shame because Egypt would not be helpful (vv. 3-5).

I.F.3.B. Oracle Of The Desert Animals, 30:6-7.

Isaiah pictured the ambassadors traveling to Egypt with gifts for that nation. On the hard trip there are not only camels and donkeys, and not only wild animals like lions and adders, but they are bringing the gifts to a monster animal (Egypt), one that will hurt Israel by doing nothing. So Isaiah called it Rahab, the name of a mythic monster that means “surger” after the boisterousness of sea waves.

I.F.3.C. God’s Testimony: Rebellious Children, 30:8-11.

Most think that Isaiah was to write the name “Rahab” and the description of its just sitting as a lasting witness against Judah for disobedience in going to Egypt. The scroll may be the Book of Isaiah. The people’s actions proved that they did not listen to the Lord’s instruction (v. 9). They defied God by discouraging prophets who warned them. Judah wanted visions of things going well (v. 10) but did not want to hear about God’s demands (v. 11), though he was the source of their well-being.

I.F.3.D. Their Sin Will Remove Their Security, 30:12-14.

Since Israel rejected God’s good way and relied on deceit and oppression, that sinful source of trust was like a bulging crack moving down a great wall. As a wall suddenly collapses, so Judah’s security will disappear. Judah will be like a jar so smashed that no shard is big enough to carry coals or scoop water.

I.F.3.E. Waiting On The Lord Brings Safety, 30:15-18.

God sought Judah’s repentance and trust, but Judah sought safety in buying horses from Egypt, the closest source (31:1; Deut 17:16, 1 Kgs 10:28). God mocked their flight plans as causing a need for flight (Isa 30:16). Judah would be left like a banner without an army, a pitiful few in replication of a Mosaic covenant prophecy about one enemy soldier chasing a thousand Israelites (Deut 32:30). Yet God stood ready to be gracious to people who looked to him for deliverance (Isa 30:18).

I.F.3.F. His Graciousness Will Win Their Loyalty, 30:19-22.

Graciousness is a link between verses 18 and 19. God would respond immediately as they called (v. 19). Bread and water were prison rations (see 1 Kgs 22:27) and symbolize the nation’s divine discipline of suffering. God would supply teachers when they were ready to listen (Isa 30:20) and would guide them directly (v. 21). They would respond by rejecting idols, even precious ones (v. 22).

I.F.3.G. This Blessing Comes In The Kingdom Age, 30:23-26.

Since verse 23 continues the narrative, and this section presents altered heavenly lights (v. 26), Isaiah implies that Israel’s full turning to God will bring another age. Healing for Israel will come in the kingdom (v. 26), when God blesses nature richly (vv. 23-24; cf. Isaiah 35). This time will follow a day of great slaughter and destruction, the Day of the Lord (cf. Zech 14:12-15; Rev 16:14; 19:15-21).

I.F.3.H. God’s Judgment Of Assyria Foreshadows This Day, 30:27-33.

A person’s name represented his character (v. 27). Smoke symbolizes God’s anger (see Ps 18:7-8). Assyria had been like an overflowing river up to the Judaeans’ necks (Isa 8:8), and now God would be like that to the Assyrians (30:28). His sovereignty shakes nations in a sieve (cf. 40:15) and puts bits in their jaws. Israel would rejoice at God’s victory over Assyria (30:29), coming with heavenly signs and his voice (vv. 30-31). Israel would play instruments as God acted (v. 32; cf. 2 Chron 20:21, 28). Topheth was a place for sacrifice of children to the god Molech in the Valley of Hinnom (Jer 7:31); God had long planned to sacrifice the Assyrians there (Isa 30:33). Assyria can picture the end-time enemy, who meets his end outside Jerusalem (Dan 11:45; Rev 14:20).

I.F.4. Woe To Judah Going To Egypt For Help, Isaiah 31.

I.F.4.A. Seeking Egypt And Seeking God Are Incompatible, 31:1-3.

Judgment will come to those whose actions show they seek material strength (v. 1), not God. But Assyria was not the only danger. God could be a spiritual enemy to the wicked Judaeans and their Egyptian helpers (v. 2). Egypt could not save Judah from the Lord and would perish with her in trying (v. 3).

I.F.4.B. Nonetheless God Would Save Israel, 31:4-5.

The Holy One of Israel (v. 1) would protect Jerusalem despite its defeat that would come (vv. 1-3). He would have the undistracted focus of a lion on its prey as he came to battle Jerusalem’s attackers, the Assyrians (v. 8). He would shield the city like birds over their nest.

I.F.4.C. Coming To The Lord Sooner Is Better, 31:6-9.

Israelites should repent at the promise, for they surely would turn to the Lord, rejecting idols that they made as sin, on the day he saved them from Assyria (vv. 6-7). Assyria’s defeat would come from God, not man (v. 8). Isaiah went beyond the Jerusalem battle to the destiny of the Assyrian nation. Battle flight, forced labor, and military destruction of their fortress (their “rock”) lay ahead because of the Lord’s will (v. 9). God’s fire and furnace may refer to the temple altar fire, which was never to go out (Lev 6:13).

I.F.5. A Preview Of The Future Focusing On Blessedness, Isaiah 32.

The shift from Assyrian defeat (31:8) to kingdom blessedness (32:1) is typical of Isaiah, who uses historical events to prefigure end-time ones. The Antichrist’s defeat in Israel will precede Messiah’s kingdom (cf. Dan 11:36-12:13).

I.F.5.A. The Kingdom Will Have Exceptional Administrators, 32:1-2.

Not only will the king rule rightly, but those under him. They are described in imagery used of God and his actions (cf. 4:6).

I.F.5.B. Society Will Heal, Evaluating People Correctly, 32:3-8.

The spiritual blindness and deafness of Israel will depart (v. 3, cf. 29:9-12). Those with various personal problems will overcome them (32:4). The ungodly will no longer receive respect (v. 5). The fool is harmfully godless and fails to meet the needs of others (v. 6). The scoundrel is devoted to wicked schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when they are truth-tellers (v. 7). Noble people will succeed by their noble plans (v. 8)

I.F.5.C. Judgment Soon And Lasting Is Replaced By Blessing, 32:9-20.

The complacent Judaean women would tremble over failed crops in little more than a year. The prophet calls them to express grief over a land overgrown with thorns and briers (vv. 11-13). This seems to be crop failure due to invasion, leading to untended fields (see 5:6 and 7:23-25). Fort and city are abandoned, even Jerusalem, the city of “revelry” (32:13; see 22:2, 13). So Isaiah looked beyond Assyria to the Babylonian exile (32:14). The nation would be perpetually bare fields until God poured out the Holy Spirit on the nation (v. 15). This outpouring is probably not Pentecost but the end-time of conversion of Israel to the Lord (Rom 11:26). This will bring great improvement, desert becoming fertile field, and fertile field, forest (Isa 32:16). Justice and righteousness dominate these places, producing a quiet, confident society of peace and security (vv. 16-18). The hail leveling forest and city may point to Tribulation events, whose outcome will be the idyllic conditions of the kingdom age (vv. 19-20).

I.F.6. Woe To The Oppressor As The King Comes, Isaiah 33.

I.F.6.A. Threat To The Oppressor, 33:1.

The terms “destroyer” and “betrayer” occur in 21:2 in reverse order. “Betrayer” implies a relationship with those attacked that was not honored. This is second-person singular, an individual. “Destroyer” was used of the attacker of Moab in Isaiah 15-16, so this is probably a king. Providence would deal with this person as he dealt to others.

I.F.6.B. Prayer From The Oppressed, 33:2-4.

The oppressed person praying for help against the nations is probably responding to the destroyer in verse 1, who, therefore, is probably leading nations against Israel. For the first-person plural in prayers to Yahweh is Israel if there is no further qualification, and verse 2 is typical psalmic language. Verse 3 uses wording that Moses prayed whenever the ark moved in the wilderness (Num 10:35): “Arise, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” The plunder (v. 4) is evidently taken by the Israelites from the nations as they flee from attacking Israel.

I.F.6.C. Exaltation Of The Savior, 33:5-6.

The Lord’s exaltation naturally follows his scattering of the enemies. His rising (v. 3) and exaltation (v. 5) recall the eschatological poem where the Lord rises (2:19) and is exalted (2:11, 17). The heavenly king will fill his chosen city with his own character qualities (33:5). He is the security of Zion’s times as a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Fear of the Lord is the treasure he gives to people because it is a fountain of life (Prov 14:27), making available what the Lord has in store.

I.F.6.D. Exaltation When Things Are Worst, 33:7-12.

Brave men crying, envoys of peace weeping from rejection, and highways empty of travelers are caused by somebody powerful who breaks a treaty, despises cities, and does not respect humanity (vv. 7-8). Isaiah imagined nature itself in mourning over these conditions (v. 9); verse 9 is the opposite of 35:2, describing the period that follows this one of mourning. In this sad time the Lord will arise (33:10; cf. v. 3) to end the power behind this disorder. The “you” in verse 11 is plural, the enemy forces, whose schemes come to nothing and whose life force is self-destructive in assaulting the Lord’s vineyard. He will set ablaze the thorns (v. 12), as he warned in 27:4.

I.F.6.E. The Lord, A Consuming Fire To Enemies, 33:13-16.

This rescue (vv. 2-3, 6, 10-12) is a sign to people everywhere of divine power. Within Zion sinners fear, perhaps remembering how Israel has long called God a “consuming fire” (Deut 4:24; 9:3). “Everlasting burnings” (Isa 33:14) resemble the “eternal fire” God has for those who mistreat his people (Mt 25:41). But people living right can dwell with him as he supplies their individual needs (Isa 33:14-15); they do not allow their bodies to participate in evil (v. 15: feet, mouth, hand, ears, eyes).

I.F.6.F. Saved Israelites Will See The Messiah, 33:17-19.

The king’s beauty can be glory, but also beauty of character and person (v. 17). The setting is not Hezekiah’s Israel. The land stretching far is an expanded nation. The former terror implies the evil ruler of verses 1 and 8. The towers could have been siege towers; foreign officers demanded tribute. The imagery of the obscure speech and strange language links to prophecies of Assyria in 28:11, but Assyria can be a type of the Antichrist, as the scene requires an era beyond this one.

I.F.6.G. Saved Israelites Will See Messianic Zion, 33:20-22.

This is the Zion where the Lord reigns (vv. 22-23; cf. 2:3-4). Kingdom prophecy shows holy festivals celebrated (33:20; Zech 14:18; Ezek 45:21; 46:11). Jerusalem will never be moved again. The topography will change to broad rivers and streams, in line with other prophecy (Isa 30:25; Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18). The Lord as judge, lawgiver, and king will protect his people from foreign ships. The water could be so broad that it acts as a defense against enemy ships (see Thebes [Nah 3:8] or Tyre).

I.F.6.H. Enemy Ships Will Become Israel’s Spoil, 33:23-24.

“Your rigging” has a second-person, feminine, singular pronoun, for a ship could be personified as female. The ship is inoperable and has been stormed by those dividing the plunder, even the lame. But Jerusalem will not have sick people because, its residents will be forgiven of sin (cf. 35:5). The time could be transitional as the nations at their attack of God’s people were plundered in defeat (33:4).

I.G. Judgment Of Nations And Redemption Of Israel, Isaiah 34-35.

These two chapters are paired accounts that have opposing structures. Common denominators are the Lord’s vengeance, Zion’s welfare, and an eschatological setting.

I.G.1. Judgment Of The Nations, Isaiah 34.

I.G.1.A. The Lord’s Anger Will Strike Down All Nations, 34:1-4.

The Lord warns all nations that his anger is against them and their armies, suggesting a military setting for the execution of his wrath. He will impose a sentence of destruction (vv. 1-2). There will be an overwhelming slaughter (v. 3). Isaiah speaks of heavenly bodies (v. 4), as do some of the most calamitous OT prophecies against nations, but also as do the Lord’s prophecies about the end times, especially those in Revelation.

I.G.1.B. Edom Is An Example Of The Slaughtered Nations, 34:5-7.

Isaiah pictured the Lord in heaven with a sword reaching down to earth (v. 5). He depicted the Edomites as various animals slaughtered for the Lord’s sacrifice, using gritty imagery (vv. 6-7).

I.G.1.C. God Is Avenged Against Edom For Its Violence To Zion, 34:8-15.

The phrase “day of vengeance” can refer to any day (Prov 6:34) but in Isaiah refers elsewhere to the end time (Isa 61:2; 63:4), and 63:4 mentions Edom. Edom was a bitter enemy of Israel and a special object of the Lord’s wrath (Mal 1:3; Obad 1-21). The vengeance is against all the nations (Isa 34:2), but perhaps its force is best visible against the worst offenders. Isaiah shows Edom as a burning ruin still smoking in the next generations due to pitch and sulfur, either in the soil or from heaven (v. 10; cf. Gen 19:24; Lk 17:29). It will be permanently uninhabited by people (Isa 34:10). God measures it for destruction (v. 11). God’s foreknowing, all-seeing perspective carefully observes the plants and animals that will inhabit its ruins, most of the animals being unclean (vv. 11-15).

I.G.1.D. The Animals Will Possess It Forever, 34:16-17.

These animals are named in the Lord’s book, probably the Book of Isaiah, because God has determined that they will be there at this future time. God’s Spirit will ensure their gathering (v. 16). God will provide for them and allot the land to them for the lasting future (v. 17).

I.G.2. The Land And People Of Zion Will Be Glorified And Holy, Isaiah 35.

I.G.2.A. The Desert And Arid Land Will Bloom Richly, 35:1-2.

Since Carmel and Sharon are in Israel, it should be assumed that parched land and wilderness are there, too. It is a divine passive in verse 2; God gives splendor to this land. Isaiah shows the natural world reflecting the joy of the occasion as God’s glory is revealed in manifold ways.

I.G.2.B. The Divine Vengeance Benefits Weakened Zion, 35:3-4.

Israel is under pressure, marked by feeble limbs and fearful hearts. But they need to know God will save them. The vengeance to uphold Zion’s cause (34:8) is the same vengeance with which God comes in 35:4. His coming to save Israel from the nations is the main eschatological subject of Scripture.

I.G.2.C. God’s Coming Brings Miraculous, Positive Changes, 35:5-7.

The end-time setting is apparent not only in the Lord’s coming and the glorification of the land of Israel (v. 7) but in the healing of the blind, deaf, and lame (vv. 5-6). The God who changed nature to match human sin alters it again to match redemption.

I.G.2.D. God Prepares A Highway So The Redeemed May Return, 35:8-10.

Isaiah has mentioned such a highway outside Israel (11:15-16; 19:23). A highway from Egypt to Assyria would probably run through Israel, and 35:8-10 could allude to the Israelite section, since it brings the returning Israelites into Zion (v. 10). God allows only the godly on this highway, where they are protected from natural and human evil (vv. 8-9). There is wordplay between “way” as a road and a manner of life (v. 8). The people have the joy that nature reflects (v. 10). They are spiritually as well as physically redeemed because they have “everlasting joy.”

I.H. The History Surrounding Assyrian Invasion, Isaiah 36-39.

Isaiah employs historical narrative in these chapters, though some words of Isaiah and Hezekiah (Isaiah 38) are poetic.

I.H.1. The Rabshakeh’s Appeal And Rationale, Isaiah 36.

I.H.1.A. The Meeting, 36:1-3.

The fourteenth year of Hezekiah (v. 1) was 701 B.C.; Sennacherib ruled Assyria from 705 to 681 B.C. Hezekiah had rebelled against Assyrian rule (2 Kgs 18:7). According to Assyrian records, he imprisoned Padi, the king of Ekron, in Jerusalem when a coup occurred in Ekron. “Rabshakeh” means “chief cupbearer” (NJB), The NLT calls him “chief of staff” (CSB: “royal spokesman”), but he was in a military capacity (NIV: “field commander”). He meets Hezekiah’s representatives where Isaiah had met King Ahaz (7:2).

I.H.1.B. The First Speech, 36:4-10.

Everything he said aimed to undermine the confidence of Judah in its rebellion. It had no meaningful strategy (vv. 4-5d), reliable ally (v. 6), or divine support (v. 7). Israel’s army was no match for Assyria (v. 9), and Yahweh commanded the attack against Israel (v. 10). The Rabshakeh made a grandiose promise if surrender occurred (v. 8).

I.H.1.C. The Objection, 36:11-12.

Hezekiah’s representatives urged the Assyrian to speak in Aramaic, which was the language of diplomacy at the time. The logic was that negotiations should be among state officials (v. 11). But the Assyrian said that everybody should hear, since they would all be affected by the siege, which would degrade them (v. 12).

I.H.1.D. The Second Speech, 36:13-20.

The Assyrian’s second effort was to undermine King Hezekiah’s authority. Hezekiah, he said, was deceptive, was incapable of rescuing, and gave false promises of the Lord’s deliverance (vv. 14-15, 18). The Rabshakeh reasoned that the gods of no other place had delivered it from the Assyrians. His long list of city-states, including the northern kingdom of Israel, had to be impressive (vv.18-20). He promised that surrender would allow Judaeans to enjoy their own land until Assyria deported them to a similar land (vv. 16-17).

I.H.1.E. The Silent Response Of Judah, 36:21-22.

The people on the wall had royal orders to say nothing (v. 21). There is no mention of the king’s envoys replying, though they may have. Their torn garments were a sign of mourning as they reported the message to the king (v. 22).

I.H.2. Resolution Of The Conflict, Isaiah 37.

This chapter orients one to the larger historical context of the book.

I.H.2.A. Hezekiah’s Appeal To Isaiah, 37:1-4.

Hezekiah agreed with the need for mourning by tearing his own clothes. His going to the temple shows how primary his faith was. He sought Isaiah’s help in prayer (vv. 2, 4). In Hezekiah’s thinking, there was no one closer to God within access. Hezekiah had rebelled against Assyria but now realized that he lacked the strength to succeed in his effort (v. 3). He had been a godly king (2 Chronicles 28-31) and expressed faith in God about this crisis (2 Chron 32:7-8), but his godliness could not outweigh the nation’s ungodliness. Despite his godly actions, God had sent Isaiah to preach to a rebellious people. Even the king had weaknesses (chapter 39) that may have led to political mistakes like seeking Egypt’s help. But he saw the Assyrian insults of Yahweh as a possible basis for mercy.

I.H.2.B. Isaiah’s Favorable Answer To The Appeal, 37:5-7.

God agreed that the Assyrians had blasphemed him. The report Sennacherib would hear that sent him home was the death of his army (vv. 36-37). Sennacherib later would die for his blasphemy (v. 7).

I.H.2.C. The Rabshakeh Departed, 37:8.

The great army outside Jerusalem’s wall left, bringing temporary relief. But Sennacherib was still taking Israelite cities.

I.H.2.D. Sennacherib Tried To Instill Doubt In Hezekiah, 37:9-13.

Sennacherib would soon defeat the Egyptians, led by Tirhakah, the Cushite general who later became Pharaoh, at the Battle of Eltekeh. Sennacherib reinforced the Rabshakeh’s message with one like it. He granted the existence of Israel’s god but considered him deceptive and weak. He named more conquests of Assyria than Rabshakeh had (9 versus 4).

I.H.2.E. Hezekiah’s Prayer Of Mighty Faith, 37:14-20.

Hezekiah’s monotheism kept him from buckling under Sennacherib’s logic (vv. 14-16). He believed in an interventionist God who had seen the insults and would respond (v. 17; v. 7). He understood what a testimony to God the defeat of Sennacherib would be and made it his prayer (vv. 18-20).

I.H.2.F. Isaiah’s Message To Hezekiah About Sennacherib, 37:21-35.

His prayer was in God’s will.

I.H.2.F.I. Summary Of Outcome And Causation, 37:21-25.

Isaiah sent the answer to Hezekiah’s prayer (vv. 21-22) in an apostrophe to Sennacherib. He would flee Jerusalem, which is pictured as an unravished virgin with contempt for her suitor (v. 22). The reason for the flight was the blasphemy aimed at God by the insults of the messengers (v. 23). The Assyrian king thought he could do whatever he liked, controlling everything (vv. 24-25).

I.H.2.F.II. God’s Sovereign Control Of Sennacherib, 37:26-29.

Sennacherib should have known that God had ordained Sennacherib’s conquests (vv. 26-27). The omniscient God saw Sennacherib’s raging against him and would send him home like a conquered slave (vv. 28-29).

I.H.2.F.III. God’s Sign For Hezekiah, 37:30-32.

Judah’s remnant, huddled behind city walls, had not brought in the harvest that year and evidently had missed the planting season for the next year. They would survive on what sprang up of itself and plant the third year (v. 30). This sequence would give confidence that the rest of the promise would come true, the reestablishment of Judah by God’s zeal (vv. 31-32).

I.H.2.F.IV. God’s Promise About Sennacherib, 37:33-35.

God said twice for emphasis that the Assyrian king would not enter Jerusalem. He would not execute any attack action against it. God would defend the city for his sake, for the eternal plan that he had, and for David’s sake, to fulfill his covenant with David. Assyria would not wipe out Judah but go home empty-handed.

I.H.2.F.V. The Angelic Battle, 37:36-38.

The Lord’s angel executed the Lord’s attack pictured in 30:27-33. Assyria is understood to have had the largest army in the world up to that time.

I.H.2.F.VI. Sennacherib’s Sentence, 37:38.

Sennacherib’s god did not protect him from the true God, who used his own sons to kill him. Esarhaddon recorded that a palace coup led to his father’s death.

I.H.3. Hezekiah’s Illness And Recovery, Isaiah 38.

I.H.3.A. Hezekiah’s Bad News And Prayer, 38:1-3.

God himself had Isaiah tell Hezekiah he would die from his deadly illness. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall for privacy and prayed with bitterness, appealing to God on the grounds of his good, devoted actions as king.

I.H.3.B. God Answers His Prayer, 38:4-8.
I.H.3.B.I. A Promise Of Fifteen More Years, 38:4-6.

God seems to have taken the davidic covenant into account when healing Hezekiah, whose tears expressed his love for life and relationship with God (vv. 4-5). God’s promise to protect the city from Assyria (v. 6) leads many to assume the sickness preceded the Assyrian invasion (cf. similar words in 37:35). Since Sennacherib reigned 20 years after the attack, the promise could have concerned the potential for a reinvasion. Parallel accounts also place the incident after a record of the invasion (2 Chron 33:24; 2 Kgs 20:1).

I.H.3.B.II. The Sign Of Coming Healing, 38:7-8.

God accommodated the king’s anxiety with a miraculous sign. God gave Hezekiah a choice about whether the shadow should go up or down, with the king choosing the less natural path (2 Kgs 20:9-11).

I.H.3.C. Hezekiah’s Psalm Of Thanksgiving, 38:9-20.
I.H.3.C.I. Introduction, 38:9.

Hezekiah wrote it after he was well again (v. 9).

I.H.3.C.II. Hezekiah Recreated His Gloomy Prayer, 38:10-14.

He characterized his life as half done (v. 10) and saw his imminent death as a deprivation. Verse 11 is the opposite of Psalms 116:9 and 27:13. The shepherd’s tent conveyed brevity of life and the weaver’s cut, finality in life (vv. 12-13). He was crushed, crying, and weak as he prayed for help (vv. 13-14).

I.H.3.C.III. He Explained His Gratitude. 38:15-20.

He was speechless and permanently humbled (v. 15). The antecedent for “them” (“on account of them they live”; v. 16) may be God’s speaking and acting (v. 15a), which brought Hezekiah’s preservation and restoration. The antecedent for “them” (“by everything in them”) may be “my years” (v. 15b) because both words are feminine in Hebrew. Hezekiah saw that God worked all things together for good (v. 17) and saved the king from death because of his love and forgiveness. Hezekiah realized his duty to praise God for his life and pass along his faith to the next generation (vv. 18-19). He would do these things through worshipful singing in the temple that may have included this song (v. 20).

I.H.3.D. Footnotes To The Account, 38:21-22.

Isaiah may have held back the details to give a more forceful account. Isaiah gave instruction for a divinely healing poultice, and Hezekiah had requested the sign. The account in 2 Kings shows that Isaiah gave the instruction when he told the king that his prayer was answered, and that the king requested the sign then.

I.H.4. Hezekiah Meets Babylonian Officials, Isaiah 39.

I.H.4.A. He Rejoices Over Their Visit And Gifts, 39:1-2.

Recognition by letters from the distant King of Babylon must have been encouraging. Merodach Baladan was also a rebel against Sennacherib. Hezekiah’s display of all his wealth, which was very great (2 Chron 32:27), showed misplaced absence of concern about divulging such information. Sennacherib’s defeat brought Hezekiah many gifts and high respect from monarchs (2 Chron 32:23). But his vow of humility (Isa 38:15) did not last. Pride arose in failure to recall his survival as a mercy, so God’s wrath came on him and Judah (2 Chron 32:25). This may be why God left him with the Babylonians to test him and know his heart (2 Chron 32:31). Jesus considered being left alone by God a sign of his displeasure (Jn 8:29).

I.H.4.B. Dialogue Between King And Prophet, 39:3-4.

Isaiah came on a mission to query Hezekiah about the state visit, and the king admitted to having displayed all his wealth.

I.H.4.C. Isaiah’s Pronouncement Of Future Exile, 39:5-7.

God’s word came that Babylon was no trustworthy friend but would steal everything it had been shown. Hezekiah’s royal offspring would become eunuch slaves in the Babylonian palace.

I.H.4.D. Hezekiah’s Self-Comfort, 39:8.

Hezekiah found a silver lining of peace in the cloud of judgment. He may seem selfish or uncaring, but he and Jerusalem repented of pride, thus averting God’s wrath during the rest of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Chron 32:26).

II. The Babylonian Era (Near And Far), Isaiah 40-55

Isaiah’s vision of the future Babylonian exile (Isa 39:5-7) was part of a larger set of revelations God gave him about the future that focused on the Babylonian threat and the comfort God would give to Israel.

II.A. The Glorious God Will Come To Israel, Isaiah 40-41.

II.A.1. Four Messages, Isaiah 40.

II.A.1.A. Command To Comfort, 40:1-2.

A time is coming when the disciplines that the Lord dealt to Israel, like the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, will be over. God will have allowed hard times double what her sins required.

II.A.1.B. Call To Ready The Lord’s Way, 40:3-5.

The messenger preparing the Lord’s way reappears in Malachi 3:1. When a dignitary visited a city in ancient times, the city might make a new road for his welcome. The lowering of hills and mountains echoes 2:14, which also concerned that day of the Lord’s exaltation. God’s coming will be universally visible because of the glory involved. Jesus spoke similarly about his return (Mt 24:30; Lk 17:24; Rev 1:7). The gospels show this passage with a partial fulfillment in the ministry of John the Baptist to announce Jesus to Israel (Mt 3:3; 11:10; Mk 1:1-2; Lk 3:4-6). Jesus’ ministry was the beginning of God’s comfort for Israel.

II.A.1.C. The Voice About Man’s Transience, 40:6-8.

God’s perspective is that human glory is like the grass and flowers that wither. God makes them wither (v. 7). The permanence in human society comes from what God injects into it: his word. It may be implied that permanence for mankind is attainable through God’s word.

II.A.1.D. The Voice Of Good News, 40:9-11.

It announces the Shepherd’s coming. In ancient times passing along news could take a lot of effort. God is going to come to Zion bringing his sheep in love. He will come to reward his flock, but since reward and recompense are with and before him, and the flock is with and before him (v. 11), his people may be his reward here.

II.A.1.E. The Incomparability Of God, 40:12-31.
II.A.1.E.I. Questions Asking Who Is Like God, 40:12-14.

The Lord does things impossible for anyone else (v. 12), and no one can understand God, much less teach him anything (vv. 13-14).

II.A.1.E.II. God’s Size, 40:15-17.

The Lord reveals just how incomprehensibly big he is. Perhaps because of human sin the nations are “less than nothing” (v. 17).

II.A.1.E.III. God’s Superiority To An Idol, 40:18-21.

The gods of the other nations are a natural competitor to God, but there is not really much resemblance. There is something inadequate about a god who needs humans to make an image for him, an image that could fall over.

II.A.1.E.IV. God’s Well-Known Sovereignty, 40:22-24.

Romans 1:20 agrees (v. 21) that God’s divine nature and eternal power have been clearly seen since the creation, being understood by what has been made. He controls earth and heaven (v. 22). He controls all people (23-24) and is not shy in speaking about his power to kill.

II.A.1.E.V. The Creator’s Uniqueness, 40:25-26.

The vastness and constancy of the heavens exalt their Creator as unequaled.

II.A.1.E.VI. Foolish Complaint About The Sustaining God, 40:27-31.

Israel’s complaints about God reflect ignorance of the reality that the Creator does not tire or lack knowledge in his provision for his people in need (vv. 27-29). Believers in him will be awarded the strength to thrive (vv. 30-31).

II.A.2. The Real God Acts On Israel’s Behalf, Isaiah 41.

II.A.2.A. He Calls A Conqueror, 41:1-4.

God summons the idols to court to tell who brought this undefeatable ruler of nations from the East (vv. 1-3). It is the same One who brought forth the generations from the beginning of time, the Lord, who has been with all of them (v. 4). Later context will clarify that God brings Cyrus. The context of this chapter suggests that he comes to deliver Israel.

II.A.2.B. Idols Are A Defense Against God, 41:5-7.

The islands, parallel with “ends of the earth,” represent distant places (v. 5). In a man-made enterprise they respond to the Lord’s action by constructing idols as a defense (vv. 6-7).

II.A.2.C. But God Is With Israel, 41:8-10.

God earlier brought Abraham from the east and now was committed to Abraham’s offspring, Israel, a nation that was his servant by covenant (vv. 8-9). Israel did not need to fear the conqueror, since God would help, strengthen, and preserve the nation (v. 10).

II.A.2.D. God Will Give It Strength Against Enemies, 41:11-16.

All Israel’s foes would fail and disappear like winnowed chaff carried away by wind (vv. 11-12, 16). For the One reassuring Israel of help was the Lord, its God (v. 13). Fearful Israel could count on his help (v. 14). He would make it against its enemies like a powerful threshing sledge, a board studded with sharp stones or metal pieces that was dragged over wheat to separate grain from straw (vv. 15-16).

II.A.2.E. He Will Provide Its Needs Miraculously, 41:17-20.

Israel was suffering acute thirst, but God would respond (vv. 17-18) to provide water supernaturally, beautifying nature in the process (vv. 18-19). The miracle would be a testimony to the Lord for all nations.

II.A.2.F. Idols Are Inactive And Lack Power, 41:21-24.

God calls the idols to bring their case for their reality as controllers of the future (v. 21-22a). They should either recount past predictions, showing how they were fulfilled (v. 22b), or they should forecast future things so everyone could know they were gods (vv. 22c-23a). Let them affect reality for good or ill to show they deserved reverence (v. 23b). They could not do these things and were worthless, so anyone serving them was detestable (v. 24).

II.A.2.G. God, Not Idols, Brought This One, 41:25-29.

The one God brings from the north is probably the same as the one from the east (v. 2), since the parallel line says that he is from the rising sun. Conquerors from the far east often advanced on Palestine from the north. This northern one’s success in battle (v. 25b) matches that of the king from the east in verses 2-3. No one else but God preannounced this one (v. 26), and he did so as good news to Jerusalem (v. 27). The silence of idols about this one was another proof of their worthlessness (vv. 28-29). God may be pictured as in the future looking back at Isaiah’s unique predictions of Cyrus.

II.B. God’s Servant, Isaiah 42-44.

II.B.1. Apparently Two Contrasted Servants, Isaiah 42.

II.B.1.A. The Servant God Upholds And Calls, 42:1-7.

The Messiah is part of Isaiah 1-39, and the “servant” sometimes represents him in Isaiah 40-66. God calls David “my servant (42:1) twice in 2 Samuel 7:5, 8 when he inaugurates the covenant with him, and then David calls himself “your servant” ten times in the chapter. Matthew 12:15-21 quotes Isaiah 42:1-3 as fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. A king would impose his law on nations (v. 3), and the Messiah is to rule the nations (Pss 2:8; 72:8). Nations put hope in a ruler (Isa 42:3), and the king’s role was to secure justice (vv. 1, 3-4). God put his Spirit on the first Israelite kings. God stresses his role as Creator and Sustainer before telling the servant that he has called him for a righteous purpose (v. 6). Simeon applied verse 6 to Jesus (Lk 2:32) when he called him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” The word for people in verse 6 (‎‎am), and especially in parallel with “nations/Gentiles” (‎גּוֹיִם, goyim) tends to refer to Israel. The servant’s tasks in verse 7 may have repetition in 61:1. When John the Baptist asked if Jesus was the coming one, Jesus told him that “the blind receive their sight” (Lk 7:22). Isaiah 42:7 was a verse that gave Israel that understanding of the Messiah’s role.

II.B.1.B. The Lord Does Praiseworthy New Things, 42:8-12.

The “former things” are past prophecies like the Exodus, with the new things referring to a pair of men, Cyrus (see 48:6, 15) and the servant. Cyrus’ deliverance of Israel from Babylon is a type of Messiah delivering Israel from the end-time Babylon (Revelation 17-18). God announces new things in this prophecy of the servant (Isa 42:1-7). The new things (v. 9) merit a new song (v. 10), one sung in the far corners of the world. A “new song” implies fresh inspiration and perhaps a basis in events.

II.B.1.C. God Will Be A Mighty Warrior For His People, 42:13-17.

The Lord’s marching out as a warrior seems to suit the dramatic verses that follow. The battle cry (v. 13) was preceded by a long silence (v. 14) but now comes out like the cry of a woman in childbirth (v. 15). The warrior lays waste the mountains, hills, rivers, and pools. This can symbolize a destructive conflict. Then he leads the blind, who can represent his blind servants (v. 18), along unfamiliar paths, which recall the highway God will prepare in the end times for the return of his people to Israel. The turning of darkness to light and rough to smooth suggests amelioration of their situation. The ones he does not forsake are elsewhere almost always his people, who are contrasted here with those who trust in idols (v. 17). Being “turned back,” especially in shame, is often an idiom for defeat in a fight or battle (Jer 46:5; Pss 35:4; 40:14; 70:3; 129:5), and this is a battle context. So the conflict was between his people and those who worshiped idols.

II.B.1.D. The Blind, Disobedient, Plundered Servant, 42:18-25.

It may be the blindness of the servants (v. 18) that led to the conflict from which the Lord delivered them (vv. 13-17). The present tense implied in parts of verses 18-25 hint at a long-standing blindness that characterizes Israel. A sharp contrast exists between the servant in 1-7 and the one in 18-25, leading readers to ask why. The blindness of the servant recalls Isaiah’s fate of blinding Israel (6:10), and God’s description of them as blinded (29:9, 18). It was still true in the time of Jesus, who called Israelite leaders blind (Mt 15:14; 23:16-17, 19, 24, 26) and saw his role as like Isaiah’s (Mt 13:15). Israel disobeyed God’s glorious law (Isa 42:21, 24), with the result that God allowed the people to be plundered, hidden, and imprisoned (v. 22). This message would be relevant, too, in time to come (23), in the Babylonian exile and later, when Israel would be completely plundered (v. 24). Divine wrath would express itself in war against uncomprehending sinners (v. 25).

II.B.2. Israel’s Preciousness Despite Blind Sin, Isaiah 43.

II.B.2.A. Return From Exile In Earth’s Four Corners, 43:1-7.

The words “But now” in 43:1 imply a contrast from the picture of destruction in 42:8-25. God will redeem Israel (43:1), though it will be through trials of flood and fire (v. 2). God is willing to sacrifice other nations for the value of saving precious, beloved Israel (vv. 3-4). It will be a return from exile in distant places all over the earth of a people God intends for glory (vv. 5-7).

II.B.2.B. God Delivers Blind Witnesses To His Unique Deity, 43:8-13.

Israel is still spiritually blind when this return from exile begins (v. 8). No other nation with its gods predicted either this event or the earlier things God had done (v. 9). The Israelites were witnesses to God because he had worked with them as a people chosen to know and trust him as sole God and Savior (vv. 10-11). He is the only God Israel has experienced, and from ancient times. He saved because he acts with sovereign power that can also punish (vv. 12-13).

II.B.2.C. God Will Save Israel From Babylon As From Egypt, 43:14-21.

It is for Israel’s sake that God will turn all the Babylonians into fugitives, for he rules Israel, which he created (vv. 14-15). The God of the Exodus is going to do something that will make the Exodus forgettable (vv. 16-18). The new thing will also involve a way through the desert with supernatural provision of water so his people can declare his praise (vv. 19-21). The roadway in the desert for his people’s return to Israel appears again (cf. 35:8-9; 19:23; 11:15-16).

II.B.2.D. Israel’s Immediate Future Is Destruction, 43:22-28.

Israel’s lack of prayers to the Lord (v. 22) and offerings for him (v. 23a) does not suit the biblical period, unless it is hyperbole about the unfaithfulness in the days prior to exile in 586 B.C. Nor does God’s lack of demand for grain offerings or incense (v. 23b) suit that time. The reality of Israel presenting burdensome sins to God rather than offerings could match much of history since Rome destroyed Israel. God finds it right in his purposes to forgive Israelites’ sins, but they were neither calling for forgiveness (v. 22) nor were they innocent (v. 26). Since God used the names Jacob and Israel, he is probably the first father of the nation who sinned (v. 27; cf. Deut 26:5). The noun after “father” indicates an official go-between, here probably between Israel and God, referring to prophets, priests, and kings. The history of national sin without prayer for forgiveness moved God to impose disciplinary curses of destruction and scorn on the people. Miraculous salvation will come later. The return from a worldwide exile (Isa 43:5-6) suggests that Isaiah looked beyond 536 B.C. and the return authorized by Cyrus of Persia. So Isaiah probably described the return in 536 B.C. and a return at the end of the age engineered by the Servant. They were in the future as Isaiah wrote.

II.B.3. The True God Assures Israel, His Servant, Isaiah 44.

II.B.3.A. Promise Of The Spirit For Israel, 44:1-5.

The words “but now” in verse 1 transition from judgment (43:22-28) to blessing just as these words do in 43:1. Isaiah regularly shifts from judgment to blessing, with the blessing often involving the end of the age. The forming of Israel in the womb (44:2) could refer to God’s choice of Abraham before there was a nation. Repetition of the idea of God’s choice (vv. 1-2) conveys comfort to Israelites. Jeshurun is a name Moses used for Israel (Deut 32:15; 33:5, 26) that is related to a word meaning “upright.” The pouring out of water on dry ground and the Spirit on people (Isa 44:3) recalls the pouring out of the Spirit in 32:15, which causes the desert to become a fertile field indwelt by righteousness and justice. Isaiah 35:6-7 describes water in the desert in another eschatological picture of changed spiritual conditions bringing changed physical ones. The gift of the Spirit for all the people is something Moses desired (Num 11:29). The Israelites will multiply at this future time, each feeling a loyalty to his heritage in the Lord (Isa 44:4-5).

II.B.3.B. Israelites Witness To Yahweh As Sole God, 44:6-8.

Yahweh as the only God (v. 6) is highlighted by the phrase “the first and the last,” which is applied to Jesus (Rev 1:17; 2:8; 22:13). There were many so-called gods, but Yahweh challenged whether they were like him (Isa 44:7). God recounted the ancient past and foretold the future accurately, things other gods could not do (v. 7). Israel is not to fear as history unfolds, since God has foretold the events, showing his sovereignty. Israelites have a special part in witnessing to God’s unique actions (v. 8).

II.B.3.C. Makers Of Idols Show Their Folly, 44:9-20.
II.B.3.C.I. Idolators Have No Future, 44:9-11.

Idol-makers may have had status in their societies, but God saw them as valueless, and their gold idols as worthless. Speaking on behalf of idols was spiritual blindness and ignorance (v. 9). Making idols brought no real profit (v. 10) but instead shame, and ultimately it will bring the terror of divine judgment (v. 11).

II.B.3.C.II. A Thoroughly Human Product, 44:9-13.

An idol takes a lot of strength and ingenuity to make but is often in human form in its temple.

II.B.3.C.III. Praying To The Same Wood Used For Cooking, 44:14-17.

After the maker selects or grows a tree, he may use some of its wood to cook his food and the rest to make an idol to which he prays.

II.B.3.C.IV. Deluded Blindness About The Activity, 44:18-20.

Idol makers, held captive to wrong thinking, fail to see the silliness of their behavior (v. 18). They do not consider that they worship a god they made from what they used to cook dinner (v. 19). They cannot save themselves by these efforts, nor even realize the lie of the idol (v. 20).

II.B.3.C.V. God Calls Israel To Remember This Instruction, 44:21-22.

Israel needed to remember the falsity of idols because they served the true God, who formed the nation to be his servant. God, who sweeps away clouds and mist, will have swept away their rebellions and sins in his promised help (vv. 1-5). That rebellion included idolatry, in which they forgot God, yet He would not forget them but would redeem them according to promise.

II.B.3.C.VI. God’s Redemption Will Cause The World To Rejoice, 44:23.

Isaiah transports us to the time of fulfillment. Not only will the desert be glad about the redeemed (35:1, 9), but heaven and earth will sing and shout, and mountains and trees, when God shows glory in redeeming Israel.

II.B.3.C.VII. God’s Self-Description, 44:24-28.

He is Creator (v. 24), Debunker of falsehood (v. 25), Fulfiller of prophecies of ruined Jerusalem’s restoration (v. 26), Dryer of the streams (v. 27), and Announcer of Cyrus, the man who will be God’s shepherd for Israel (v. 28). The drying of streams relates to the drying of the Red Sea and Jordan but can also relate to the way Cyrus took Babylon. Herodotus, the Greek historian, gave two different instances in which Cyrus drained water from a river to access Babylon. God’s last self-identification was awesome because Cyrus was born 100 years after Sennacherib’s attack of Jerusalem. Josiah is the only other person in biblical prophecy named with his actual name generations before he was born (1 Kgs 13:2). This is an instance of God foretelling the future as the idols cannot. Isaiah correctly predicted that Cyrus would give permission for Jerusalem to be rebuilt (2 Chron 36:23).

II.C. Deliverance From Babylon, Isaiah 45-48.

II.C.1. God Is Sovereign Over Israel And The World, Isaiah 45.

II.C.1.A. God’s Plan For Cyrus, 45:1-8.

God highly honored Cyrus as his shepherd and anointed one and would personally guide his conquests (v. 1). The doors and gates belong to cities Cyrus takes. The language here resembles that in Isaiah 41, which allows one to identify the one from the east there as Cyrus. God “calls” the person (41:2; 45:4), who “subdues” (41:2; 45:1) his foes consisting of “nations” and “kings” (41:2; 45:1). The person’s mission brings “righteousness” (41:2; 45:8). God would eliminate the barriers to Cyrus’ success (45:2). Cyrus gained fabled riches (v. 3) in defeating King Croesus of Lydia. He also conquered Media before taking Babylon in 539 B.C. God’s guidance would make it possible for Cyrus to learn about the God of Israel as the sole God. Cyrus’ success was for God’s goal of freeing Israel from Babylonian captivity (v. 4). God would do these things despite Cyrus’ not knowing the Lord (vv. 4-5). These events would eventually create a worldwide testimony to God’s reality through Jesus Christ. The world needs to know who is responsible for the blessing and misfortune in it (v.7). God would use Cyrus as part of his plan to make righteousness and salvation grow over the earth (v. 8).

II.C.1.B. The Trustworthiness Of His Plan, 45:9-13.

People, probably Israelites, were finding fault with God’s plan. God compared such negativism to clay complaining about the potter (v. 9), or a child criticizing what his parents produced (v. 10). Paul uses words like verse 9 to discuss God’s plan for Israel (Rom 9:20-21). God knew what he was doing with the nation that he created and formed (43:1, 7, 15, 21; 44:2, 21, 24). They were his sons (43:6), his children (45:11). Even if his discipline in the Babylonian conquest seemed harsh, it was to a good end. People questioning the things God prophesied about Israel (v. 11) were questioning the Creator of all things (v. 12). But God would prepare Cyrus to carry out God’s righteous plan to free Israel to rebuild its temple, and he would not have to pay Cyrus to do it (v. 13).

II.C.1.C. His Plan Is The Defeat Of Idols, 45:14-17.

The people of Egypt and Cush in Africa, and the Sabaeans of South Arabia (modern Yemen) were idol worshippers. Seba was the first-named son of Cush (Gen 10:7). They will someday come with their wealth in defeated slavery, bowing to Israel and admitting that the only God has helped Israel defeat them (Isa 45:14). God truly is a God hiding himself because not until the end of the age will everyone know the Lord’s sole deity (v. 15). But the idol worshippers will in the end times rise against Israel and meet defeat (v. 16). For God will save his people everlastingly with no further shame or disgrace (v. 17).

II.C.1.D. God’s Plan Is Not Israel’s Failure, 45:18-19.

The earth’s population will be decimated by the final war, but God intended the earth to be full of inhabitants, so victorious Israel will be important in refilling it, a reality helping ensure no further disgrace (v. 18). This is not a secret, for God’s word has many such promises. Israel’s ages in the wilderness of mistreatment and misunderstanding will not end in futility. They will find God as his good and right plans come to fruition (v. 19)

II.C.1.E. The Nations Will Surrender To God, 45:21-25.

God invites the survivors of this great war who are from the other nations to gather to him. The idols they worshiped in ignorance had not saved them (v. 20). God invites them to foretell the future as the Lord alone had done in foretelling this defeat of the nations who fight Israel (v. 21). Of course, only he could as the sole God. God will invite all the world’s people to turn from those idols to be saved by the only God (v. 23). God has ordained and sworn that all people will submit to his authority (23). They will know that righteousness and strength come from him (v. 24). Rebels against him will be condemned before him (v. 25), while all the seed of Israel will be vindicated and will celebrate. This chapter that begins by talking about Cyrus ends in the eschaton because Cyrus is a type of the final shepherd and anointed one, the Lord Jesus.

II.C.2. The True God Versus Babylonian Gods, Isaiah 46.

II.C.2.A. Contrast Between Idols And The Lord, 46:1-4.
II.C.2.A.I. The Idols, 46:1-2.

Isaiah’s frequent repetition of themes such as God’s incomparability, the inability of idols to know the past or future, and the folly of making idols shows the severity of Israel’s attraction to idolatry. Bel and Nebo were Babylonian gods. Isaiah 46:1-2 pictures their idols carried on the back of animals in flight from defeated Babylon, it seems. They weigh down the animals until both the animals and idols collapse.

II.C.2.A.II. The Lord, 46:3-4.

The Israelites are “carried” just like the idols (vv. 3, 1). But it is the Lord, rather than animals, who bears the Israelites. While the animals fail, the Lord has carried Israel from conception and will until old age (vv. 3-4).

II.C.2.B. Idols, A Poor Imitation Of The Lord, 46:5-7.

God has asked who is like him (v. 5) several times (cf. 44:7; 43:9; 41:26; 40:18). People try to make a comparable god, but it cannot move, respond, or save (46:6-7).

II.C.2.C. So Israel Needs To Trust Rather Than Rebel, 46:8-13.
II.C.2.C.I. A Call To Remember, 46:8-11.

Israel needed to remember the futility of idols (v. 8) and the things from long ago that showed Yahweh as the only God (v. 9), such as the Exodus (43:16-18). He is unique in announcing the future in advance and fulfilling his words (v. 10). An example of this is his call of Cyrus, which he preannounced through Isaiah (v. 11). God’s comparison of Cyrus to a bird of prey is like’s the Law’s simile between a distant, conquering nation and an eagle swooping down (Deut 28:49).

II.C.2.C.II. A Call To Listen, 46:12-13.

Despite the rebellion of Israelites, God would accomplish his plan on schedule to install righteousness in his people at the time he saved and glorified Israel.

II.C.3. The Humbling Of Queen Babylon, Isaiah 47.

This chapter, except for the doxology in verse 4, is a series of four addresses by God to Babylon.

II.C.3.A. Babylon In Defeat Personified As A Woman, 47:1-3.

Babylon was a virgin, not having been molested, but would have to leave her position of rule (v. 1). She had a reputation for fine things but would become a common worker (v. 2a). Wading through water might symbolize flight (v. 2b). Xenophon and Herodotus say that the Euphrates River running through Babylon was drained into a lake by Cyrus’ army until one of the river’s channels was low enough for enemy soldiers to ford to enter Babylon. Exposure of nakedness was something done to adulteresses or criminals but here might symbolize defeat in war; God took vengeance through Cyrus (v. 3). Belshazzar died that night (Daniel 5), so there was almost certainly fighting.

II.C.3.B. Responsive Praise From Israel, 47:4.

Israel praises God as its Redeemer from captivity in Babylon.

II.C.3.C. God Indicts Former Queen Babylon, 47:5-7.

The silence (v. 5) may contrast to court revelry. Darkness may represent imprisonment or oblivion (v. 5). Babylon exceeds its limits in punishing Israel (v. 6), just as Assyria did (10:6-7). Babylon did not consider the outcome of mistreatment of Israel but arrogantly assumed invincibility (v. 7).

II.C.3.D. God Announces Babylon’s Calamity, 47:8-11.

The kingdom indulged in pleasures with no anticipation of defeat (v. 8). In one day the “queen” would suffer complete loss, both husband and children (v. 9), which might symbolize king and people. Her occult practices would not save her (vv. 9-11) from the Lord (cf. 44:25).

II.C.3.E. God Mocks Babylon’s Reliance On The Occult, 47:12-15.

This warning given a century in advance would not stifle Babylon’s occultism, which God mocks. The Book of Daniel shows how reliant the nation was on magicians, enchanters, and astrologers (Dan 1:20; 2:2; 3:8; 4:7). They hoped to arouse terror in their enemies (v. 12). God invited them to do their best with their astrologers, but such people wore out a nation (v. 13). They were like tinder for Babylon’s conflagration, since they sparked God’s wrath (v. 14). Babylon relied on misguided people unable to save the kingdom (v. 15).

II.C.4. Israel In Babylon For Its Sin, Isaiah 48.

II.C.4.A. God’s Ways With Rebellious Israel, 48:1-11.
II.C.4.A.I. Special Ways In The Past, 48:1-6a.

The Israelites, descended from the forefathers, swearing by the same God, did not do so in truth or righteousness (v. 1). Yet they relied on God (v. 2). God fulfilled former prophecies, such as the Exodus preannounced to Abraham more than 450 years beforehand (Gen 15:13-16). God brought fulfillment suddenly so Israelites could not claim their idols had accomplished the good (Isa 48:3, 5). They would make such claims from a neck of iron sinew, rebellious against God (v. 4). Israelites at the Exodus were repeatedly called stiff-necked (Ex 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9). Israel knew what God had done and needed to testify to such things (Isa 48:6a).

II.C.4.A.II. Special Ways With New Prophecies, 48:6b-11.

God through Isaiah was announcing new prophecies. God delayed announcement lest Israel grow complacent in its knowledge (vv. 6b-7). They did not understand what was happening because they were treacherous to the Lord, rebelling from the start (vv. 8-9). God held back wrath for his own sake, so his name would not be polluted and minimized in comparison to some other name (vv. 9, 11). Yet he afflicted and refined the Israelites (v. 10).

II.C.4.B. His Promise Of Redemption To Israel, 48:12-16.

The new prophecy was the promise of redemption from Babylon.

II.C.4.B.I. General Address To Israel, 48:12-13.

The eternal One, named the First and Last earlier in 41:4 and 44:6, called the nation to listen to the Creator and Sovereign.

II.C.4.B.II. Address To Israel About Cyrus, 48:14-15.

There is a second call to gather and listen, with a challenge to Israel to name another god who had foretold as God was foretelling. God talks about one he “loved” who would carry out his “purpose” (v. 14). This is evidently Cyrus because the idea of calling him (v. 15) occurred earlier in 41:2 and 44:4. The plan to “bring” him suits the Lord “stirring up” Cyrus “from the east” (41:2) and taking hold of his right hand (45:1). Cyrus fulfills the Lord’s “purpose” (44:28). The Lord’s “purpose” (46:10) is to call a man from the east (46:11), another probable mention of Cyrus.

II.C.4.B.III. Address To Israel About The Servant, 48:16.

Then God again calls the people to draw near and listen, as he stresses both how public his prophecies are and how present he is at their fulfillment. The speaker saying that God sent him (v. 16b) could be Isaiah (6:8), but he has not spoken elsewhere in this section of the book. The servant speaks in the first person in 49:1 and may introduce himself here. His having the Spirit and being sent matches the person in 61:1, who is the servant (on the other hand, Isaiah has the Spirit in 59:21 and was sent [6:8]).

II.C.4.C. Expression Of Regret About Israel’s Lost Peace, 48:17-19.

The One who addressed them was their Teacher (v. 17). Had they learned, they would have had peace and great numbers (v. 18). This regret probably pertains to the entire time from Israel’s rebellion in Isaiah’s day to Israel’s deliverance from the end-time Babylon by the servant, the Lord Jesus. The two calls to Israel to listen, one about Cyrus and the other about the servant, prepare Israel for a command to leave Babylon (vv. 20-22) that applies to both periods in history.

II.C.4.D. Call For Them To Leave Babylon, 48:20-22.

This command will spread with joy as will an announcement of redemption to the earth’s ends (v. 20). God will bring Israel safely home with divine provision of water (v. 21). There is ambiguity in this message, which could apply to the return from Babylon in 536 B.C. but also can point to the end times in the worldwide announcement of redemption and the transformation of the desert (cf. Isa 35:6). Verse 21, if applied rhetorically to the return in 536 B.C., where no miracle is mentioned, could suggest a divine provision like that of the original Exodus (Ex 17:6; Ps 105:41). Isaiah envisions another exodus. But the wicked can have no peace (v. 22). The “wicked” can refer to doomed Babylon but also to the rebellious Israelites through history (48:1-11).

II.D. The Special Servant, Isaiah 49-53.

II.D.1. Israel Who Gathers Israel, Isaiah 49.

II.D.1.A. Servant Israel, God’s Concealed Weapon, Speaks, 49:1-4.

The fact that Israel (v. 3) speaks as an individual could imply a personification. Birth terms (v. 1) are used of national Israel (e.g., Ezek 16:3-6). The words about God displaying beauty through Israel apply to the entire nation in 60:21 and 61:3. But the man’s being called from his mother’s belly makes one think of a person like Jeremiah (Jer 1:5). The servant’s concealment (v. 2) could refer to Jesus’ years before public ministry. His expenditure of strength to no purpose (v. 4) applies to Jesus’ rejection by his people. His desert of reward (v. 4) could envision the coming kingdom.

II.D.1.B. God Explains The Servant’s Role, 49:5-7.

Verses 5-6 are important to identifying the servant in Isaiah. This servant called Israel (v. 3) cannot be national Israel because God appoints him to regather national Israel to God (v. 5). The idea of an individual Israel within national Israel seems comparable to Paul’s notion of an individual “seed,” Christ, within the ethnic “seed” of Abraham (Gal 3:16). Just as Christ brings the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises of blessing for the world, so the individual Israel, again Christ, embodies God’s hope in establishing national Israel. This person will also be “a light for the Gentiles” to bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. At Jesus’ dedication as an infant, Simeon, filled with the Spirit, called Jesus “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Jesus Christ brought word of God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. So this servant who speaks embodies the ideal of Israel but is a person whom we now call the Lord Jesus. This is the same honored servant of Isaiah 42:1-7, who was also called “a light for the Gentiles” (42:7). The servant who is the nation Israel is displeasing to God (42:18-25), but this servant is honored by God (49:5). This one “despised and abhorred by a nation” (v. 7) is thus the same person as the servant in Isaiah 53, who is likewise described as “despised” and rejected (53:3). The despising nation was Israel. Jesus served rulers by being obedient to their dictates (v. 7). The honor to be shown him by kings and princes (v. 8) has an echo in 52:15, and the honor came because of the Lord’s faithfulness (49:8) in helping the one he chose (cf. Lk 9:35).

II.D.1.C. What The Servant Will Do For Israel, 49:8-13.

The Lord’s “answer” to the servant implies a prayer (cf. Ps 22:24; Heb 5:8); it also implies the “salvation” mentioned (Isa 49: 8). The servant is to become a “covenant of a people” (Isa 49:8), and Jesus spoke of the new covenant being “in my blood” (Lk 22:20). The new covenant is especially for the people of Israel (Jer 31:31) and will come to full fruition when Israel turns to the Lord Jesus. That is when he will restore Israel’s land (Isa 49:8) and release its captives (v. 9; cf. 42:7; 61:1). Feeding by the roads as highways are raised up (49:9, 11) evokes earlier passages about the return to Israel of the dispersed people, and verse 12 not only suggests the return’s universality but mentions Egypt again (11:15; 19:23). This is another reference to an exodus. Mountains bursting into song recall 44:23 and 35:1. The kingdom’s coming will be the promised “comfort” (v. 13) of 40:1.

II.D.1.D. The Lord Consoles Zion, 49:14-21.

Israel’s sense of forsakenness may characterize the era of its rejection of Christ (v. 14). God gives consolation that he has more love than a mother, being unable to forget (v. 15) as he is accused of doing (v. 14). The palm engraving (v. 16) makes one think of Christ’s nail prints (the Law forbade tattoos: Lev 19:28). The proof of God’s remembrance is the return of Israelite exiles as sons to Zion, personified as a mother, while Zion’s attackers leave (Isa 49:17). This regathering will glorify the nation (v. 18) and follows the great suffering of the Tribulation (vv. 19, 21). The children born during bereavement are probably born outside Israel (v. 20). God will wonderfully repopulate Israel as the millennium starts (vv. 19-21).

II.D.1.E. God Explains How Restoration Will Happen, 49:22-26.

The Gentile transportation of Jews back to Israel appears often (11:11-12; 14:1-2; 60:3-16; 66:19-21). Profound changes in the world’s estimation of Israel will occur through the Tribulation and Second Advent (49:22-23). This is the same banner (v. 22) that in 11:12 brings the dispersed of Israel. The escort of exiles follows the return of the Lord Jesus in wrath (Isa 66:15-18) to defeat the nations attacking Israel. That is why the nations’ royalty lick the dust of the Israelites’ feet (v. 23). Israel will know that the Lord is the Lord. This is a constant refrain of Ezekiel’s eschatology (e.g., Ezek 37:14). God’s promise not to disappoint those who hope in him (Isa 49:23) resembles one in 28:16. The Antichrist’s apparent grip on Israel will be broken as the Lord takes vengeance on him and his forces (49:24-25; cf. Rev 19:11-21). Prophets speak of the sword being drunk with blood (Deut 32:42; Jer 46:10), so being drunk with one’s own blood (Isa 49:26) suggests the mutual slaughter other prophets predict for this time (cf. Zech 14:13; Ezek 38:21). The Lord will especially act to save Israel (Isa 49:26; Zech 14:1-5), and the world will know it.

II.D.2. Sinful Israel And The Servant, Isaiah 50.

II.D.2.A. Yahweh Challenges His Wife And Children, 50:1-3.

There are at least two interpretations of God’s question about the writ of divorce (v. 1): 1) it could give the reason for divorce as transgression, or 2) there is no writ because God simply sent the wife away for the children’s misbehavior. The second theory allows reconciliation, which the book shows later. Also, it provides a better parallel to the lack of creditors. Yet God reached out to sinful Israel with no response of faith from her (v. 2a). Israelites should not have viewed God as incapable of healing the situation since he is sovereign over the earth (vv. 2b-3).

II.D.2.B. The Servant Suffers Because God Will Vindicate Him, 50:4-9.

This is the servant speaking again (though “servant” does not appear until v. 10). The way the first-person singular shifts without marking from Yahweh to the servant has its resolution in the NT, which shows the servant to be God. No man spoke like the Lord Jesus (v. 4; Jn 7:46). Jesus prayed early in the morning (Mk 1:35). Jesus taught what he learned from his Father (Jn 14:10). It was the Father’s will to crush his Son (vv. 5-6; Isa 53:10). Jesus at his trial suffered as in verse 6 (Mk 14:65; Mt 26:67; John 19:2-3). The servant setting his face to confront suffering (Isa 50:7) matches Jesus setting his face to go to Jerusalem to suffer (Lk 9:51). Paul applies Isaiah 50:8-9 to himself as benefiting from Christ’s work on the cross (Rom 8:33-34). Opposition to the servant is doomed to fail because it is opposition to God (v. 9)

II.D.2.C. The Two Alternatives God Offers, 50:10-11.
II.D.2.C.I. Exhortation To Trust God, 50:10.

People who fear God will trust his servant. They may walk in darkness but can rely on God and his name (v. 10).

II.D.2.C.II. Warning To Those Who Trust Their Own Devices, 50:11.

The alternative is to provide one’s own light or fire to navigate the dark (v. 11). In context this implies neglecting God, which the speaker, who is God, says must end in torment.

II.D.3. The Promise Of Righteousness For Israel, Isaiah 51.

The chapter underscores themes already introduced. Three calls to “listen to me” (vv. 1, 4, 7) precede two calls to “Wake up, wake up” (vv. 9, 17) that are separated by God saying, “I, I am he” (v. 12).

II.D.3.A. Another Assurance Of Comfort, 51:1-3.

God appeals to the righteous remnant of the nation, for he has reserved his promises of blessing for that group. The lives of Abraham and Sarah represent the kind of blessing God intends to bestow. They give promise for the multiplying of the people after end-time devastation (v. 3: “ruins”). Twice God mentions the word “comfort” used twice in 40:1 (v. 3). Deserts becoming like Eden recall 30:23-25; 32:15; and 35:1-7. The joy and gladness echo 35:10.

II.D.3.B. God Reasserts That His Salvation Will Come, 51:4-6.

“Righteousness” and “salvation” occur near the start and at the end of this section (vv. 5-6). The language is also used of the servant, though it is the Lord speaking here. God calls the servant in “righteousness” (42:6) and appoints him so that God’s “salvation” may be to the ends of the earth (49:6). The servant brings “justice” to the nations (51:4; 42:1). The islands will hope in his “law” (51:4-5, 42:3). He is a “light to the nations” (51:4; 42:6; 49:6). The servant is implicit is this plan of salvation. The present heavens and end will end with great loss of human life (51:6; cf. 65:17), but they give way to an eternal salvation.

II.D.3.C. He Urges Fearlessness Toward Foes, 51:7-8.

God again addresses the righteous remnant, assuring them that the opposition of men will fail, for they will die, but divine salvation will last forever. Verse 8b is quite like verse 6b.

II.D.3.D. The Lord’s Arm Will Bring His People Home, 51:9-11.

The Lord’s arm was a powerful image at the Exodus (Ex 6:6; 15:16), and Rahab is the name for a mythical sea monster symbolizing Egypt (Pss 87:4; 89:10), perhaps as residing in the Red Sea. The sea dried to let Israel cross but destroyed the Egyptian army (Isa 51:9-10). God redeemed the people then (Ex 15:13) and would likewise redeem them from Babylon (Isa 51:10). Verse 11 repeats 35:10, an eschatological text about an exodus through the wilderness.

II.D.3.E. The Lord Chides Fearfulness Toward Men, 51:12-16.

God identifies himself as their Comforter (v. 12). They should not fear mortal man with God on their side, since the oppressor will disappear (v. 12-13). Their imprisoned ones will be released and have their needs met (v. 14). For the God of Zion rules the sea and created everything (vv. 15-16). The Lord also said that he put words in Israel's mouth and covered him with the shadow of his hand (v. 16). These words recall description of the individual servant called Israel (49:2; 50:4, 10). The individual servant Israel is like God in bringing justice (51:4) and like man in needing the protection of God’s hand (v. 16). He may be the one to free these Israelite prisoners (42:7; 49:9; 61:1).

II.D.3.F. The Lord Will Remove His People’s Judgment, 51:17-23.

This section uses drunkenness (vv. 17, 21-23) as a picture of divine judgment like other prophets (Jer 25:15-17, 26-28; Ezek 23:32-34). Israel had lacked leadership (Isa 51:18). The word “two” (v. 19) can mean “double” but may mean “pairs” here because Isaiah lists two pairs of calamities. In each pair the two items sound and look similar in Hebrew. The double blow recalls 40:2. Israel could not be “comforted” at this time. The picture of Jerusalem’s destruction signals divine wrath (51:20), but God promises drunken Israel that he will defend them so that they will never drink wrath again, another sign of end-time events (vv. 21-22). Rather Israel’s enemies who tormented her will drink it (v. 23).

II.D.4. Jerusalem’s Restoration And The Servant, Isaiah 52.

II.D.4.A. Another Call For Jerusalem To Wake Up, 52:1-3.

This second call to Jerusalem (cf. 51:17) is the reverse of the call to Babylon to come down from her throne (chapter 47). It is the end time as the time of Jerusalem’s splendor when no enemies will ever enter her again (52:1; cf. 33:21). The city has been in a captive condition (52:2; cf. 51:19-22). The city’s being sold into enemies’ hands (cf. Judg 3:8) came from divine purpose, and so would its redemption (Isa 52:3).

II.D.4.B. Yahweh Will Vindicate His Name To Israel, 52:4-6.

The Lord reviews Israel’s past oppression in Egypt and by Assyria (v. 4), but this is a climactic case of it. Israel did nothing to deserve exile, and those with power over them mock them (v. 5; the variant “mock,” rather than MT “wail” follows the Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, the Targum, and the Vulgate). The rulers also blaspheme God’s name, so God will vindicate it by fulfilling his prophecies (vv. 5-6).

II.D.4.C. Good News Of God’s Victory Comes To Zion, 52:7-10.

The herald of good news on the mountains by Zion resembles the herald in 40:9, who announced God coming as a Shepherd with his lambs. The parallel language associates that coming with this one in 52:9. Just as the Lord’s comfort was the theme in 40:1, so it is in 52:9, and the Lord’s lambs in 40:10-11 are the redeemed exiles returning to Jerusalem at the time of the Lord’s worldwide victory (52:7). The Lord returns to Zion in the sense of residing there again, and since it is a visible return (v. 8; Zech 14:4), it is the return of the Lord Jesus to Israel from heaven at the second advent (Mt 23:39; Mk 14:62). The city is ruined (Isa 52:9), but it is a joyful time since the whole world has witnessed God’s power (“arm”) and salvation (cf. Rev 1:7; Lk 17:24; Mt 24:30).

II.D.4.D. A Call To Leave Babylon, 52:11-12.

God calls Israel to leave their place of imprisonment. This is evidently Babylon, as seen earlier in 48:20, where language allows two divine rescues from there. Jeremiah 51:6, 45 may draw on Isaiah to call for flight from Babylon in 536 B.C., and Revelation 18:4 quotes these passages of the end-time Babylon. Israel needs to avoid Babylon’s defilement. The flight will be dignified because the Lord will be guiding it (Isa 52:12), going before and behind the people as his angel went before and behind the people at the Exodus (Ex 14:19).

II.D.4.E. The Servant Brings Great Change, 52:13-15.

Mention of the servant here indicates that he is involved in delivering Israel from the final oppressor. It is the time of his exaltation. Jesus was exalted in heaven after his ascension, but his visible glory on earth will be at his return. The terms “high” and exalted” (v. 13) match those used of Yahweh in 6:1. David “acted wisely” in his time (52:13; see 1 Sam 18:5, 14-15, 30). There is an extended comparison (52:14-15) where shuddering at the servant’s disfigurement, understood to refer to Jesus’ crucifixion, is matched by what the servant does to many nations. The MT has “sprinkle” (v. 15), but the LXX says many nations will “wonder.” The original verb in Hebrew could have been one meaning “startle”: as many were appalled, so will he startle many. This is the choice of many translations (CEB, CJB, NAB, NET, NJB, NLT, NRSV). Yet there is no other use of “startle” in the Hebrew Bible, and the root must be hypothesized from an Arabic cognate verb. The Greek, also, does not have the servant as subject of the verb, and the LXX in Isaiah is not the best. “Sprinkle” would refer to Christ’s priestly work of sprinkling people clean from sin with his blood (Ex 24:8; Heb 10:22; 12:24: 1 Pet 1:2) (ESV, GWN, KJV, NASB, NIV, CSB). Elsewhere sprinkling is “on” something, but there is no preposition here. The MT has the support of the Vulgate and Syriac. While “startle” works, the comparison (“just as” . . . “so”) could be one of cause and effect: disfigurement qualified him to be a high priest. Shutting the mouths of kings suggests universal humbling along with the universal enlightenment (Isa 52:15).

II.D.5. The Servant Suffers To Justify His People, Isaiah 53.

II.D.5.A. The Servant Did Not Seem Majestic, 53:1-3.

Paul cites the first words of the chapter as indicating lack of belief in Jesus (Rom 10:16). Isaiah associates the servant with the arm of the Lord (Isa 53:1). The servant grew up before the Lord (v. 2). The idea is that human life is “before the Lord” (cf. Gen 10:9). Jesus was not strikingly handsome (Isa 53:2). He was a person of suffering through rejection and ill repute (v. 3). The “we” is the people of Israel, as those who were with the servant and as “we” signifies in general in Isaiah (e.g. 42:24; 59:9; 63:17; 64:11).

II.D.5.B. People Misunderstood What Happened To Him, 53:4-6.

Matthew 8:17 cites the words about taking infirmities (Isa 53:4) as fulfilled in Jesus’ healings. Israel considered Jesus’ death a divine judgment on him (v. 4), but his piercing on the cross was for the sins of Israel and all people (the referent of “our” can be expanded due to NT theology). Verse 5 shows a vicarious atonement for sins made by the servant. Theologically, verse 6 goes beyond the immediate referent of Israel to all people. Everybody has gone astray in sin and can benefit from the servant’s substitutionary suffering, since he brings salvation to Gentiles everywhere (49:6).

II.D.5.C. He Lost His Life In His Service, 53:7-9.

Isaiah shows the representative nature of his suffering by describing all as sheep gone wrong, and then this one like a lamb led to slaughter, bearing that iniquity (vv. 6-7). Acts 8:32-35 applies Isaiah 53:7-8 to Jesus. Jesus was silent before accusers because his execution was God’s will (v. 7). “Oppression” and “judgment” (v. 8) are probably a hendiadys meaning oppressive judgment. To be cut off from the land of the living is to be killed (Jer 11:19). This one would have no physical descendants (Isa 53:8). Verse 8 also ends with substitutionary atonement. Jesus’ grave would have been with the wicked men who died beside him except for the intervention of rich Josephus in donating his own grave (v. 9).

II.D.5.D. He Accomplished Vicarious Redemption For Others, 53:10-12.

God intended Jesus’ suffering as a guilt offering for human sin (v. 10). Jesus does have a spiritual offspring (v. 10) because all who believe Jesus are born of God (Jn 1:12-13) as sons (Gal 3:26) and are children God gave to Jesus (Heb 2:13). Jesus will execute the Lord’s will (Isa 53:10) because God put all authority in his hands (Mt 28:18). After “see” in Isaiah 53:11, the LXX and all the Dead Sea scrolls of Isaiah have the word “light,” and this seems strong evidence for its inclusion. He would see the light of life (Job 33:30; Pss 36:9; 56:13). Jesus was pleased with the outcome of his work (Isa 53:11). It took incredible knowledge for Jesus to carry through his self-offering; consider just his forty days of fasting before facing the devil. So Jesus will enjoy great glory because of his submission to his Father to give himself in bearing the sins of the rest of mankind. His self-giving was an intercession to God on behalf of mankind (v. 12).

II.E. God Exhorts Israel About Restoration, Isaiah 54-55.

II.E.1. Jerusalem As A Rejected Wife, Isaiah 54.

The Lord addresses Jerusalem in its state of separation from the Lord, which leads to terrible consequences.

II.E.1.A. Jerusalem As A Rejected Wife, 54:1-8.
II.E.1.A.I. Israel, A Barren Woman, Will Soon Have Many Children, 54:1-3.

Superficially, verse 1 compares Jerusalem to barren Sarah versus Hagar, but it could also compare final Israel with Israel before the Lord rejected her. This passage makes one wonder whether the initial barrenness of three patriarchal wives (Gen 11:30; 25:21; 29:31) was a sign that Israel as a nation would be barren for much of its existence. The song and joy match the end-time song and joy elsewhere in Isaiah. The multiplied children are those returning from exile. The eschatological expansion of the city and the tent imagery (Isa 54:2-3) recall 33:17, 20. It is then that Israel will dispossess other nations (54:3).

II.E.1.A.II. The Lord, Her Husband, Will Retake Her, 54:4-8.

Barrenness brought shame and disgrace (v. 4) in the ancient world (cf. Lk 1:25). Israel’s future will be so bright as to dispel memory of the past, for her husband is the Lord Almighty (Isa 54:4-5). He will draw the nation back to himself (v. 6). Compared to her future, her time of rejection was a “brief moment” (v. 7), though it has lasted nearly two thousand years. The restored marriage will last forever (v. 8).

II.E.1.B. The Restoration Brings Guaranteed Permanence, 54:9-10.

The Noahic covenant ended the threat of universal flood; likewise, God’s covenant of peace with Israel will end the threat of his anger. The term for anger in verses 8-9 implies rage, fury, or wrath. God’s permanent covenant of peace appears also in Ezekiel 34:25 and 37:26. Jesus’ covenant is eternal (Heb 13:20). Isaiah shows the time when Israel, turning to the Lord, enters its blessings (Rom 11:26).

II.E.1.C. Jerusalem As A Suffering City, 54:11-17.
II.E.1.C.I. Promises Of Glory, 54:11-14.

God addresses the city under oppression (v. 11) before God’s “comfort” has come, as the Lord turns back after rejecting it (54:1-8). The city’s walls beautified with precious stones (vv. 11-12) resemble the walls of new Jerusalem (Rev 21:18-20). Jesus quoted the first line of Isaiah 54:13 as being fulfilled in himself (Jn 6:45). The righteousness of the city fulfills God’s goal for it (Isa 1:26). So it will be without fear or cause for it, far from the oppression that came as God’s discipline.

II.E.1.C.II. Promises Of Protection, 54:15-17.

Any attack will fail because God will not be behind it (v. 15). Since opposition is possible, God is likely speaking of the millennium. God sovereignly brings about weapons and destroyers to use them (v. 16). He can thus guarantee that no weapon will succeed, nor any hostile speaker. This is what God will give his servants to demonstrate their righteousness (v. 17; cf. Ps 149:6-9).

II.E.2. Invitation To Repent And Enjoy, Isaiah 55.

II.E.2.A. God Promises Good Through The Davidic Covenant, 55:1-5.

The invitation is for anyone (vv. 1-2). The verbs are plural in Hebrew. Thirst symbolizes felt spiritual need; the lack of money refers to spiritual poverty. “Buy” equates to the “buy in” of faith commitment. The milk and wine correlate to the spiritual sustenance and refreshment God provides. What is not bread is what we expend our lives to obtain that does not meet our deepest need. Jesus picked up this image in speaking of being the “bread of life” and of the need to eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:35, 53). God freely shares the truth we need through his word. He wants to make an eternal covenant. The same word for “loyal love” occurs here (v. 3) as in 54:10, where the subject is a covenant of peace. So the covenant of peace may be a renewal of the davidic covenant that lasts forever. The faithful love to David was that his seed would reign forever, one whom God would treat as a son (2 Sam 7:14). Isaiah 9:6-7 has mentioned such a son born to reign on David’s throne forever. Isaiah 55:4 notes how David was both a witness and commander over other nations. Isaiah mentions this in connection with the future renewal of the covenant when nations will hasten to Israel. Second-person plural in verses 1-3 shifts to second-person masculine singular in verse 5, so the addressee may be the davidic king. In this context he is probably be the individual servant. Then the servant will be glorified at this time, as in 52:13-15. The davidic king will have authority over the nations just as the ancient David did and will be a witness to them. The eternal covenant is God’s bond with his people to meet their needs forever through the reign of his Son.

II.E.2.B. God Appeals To Israel With This Promise Of Good, 55:6-13.

He calls the people to repent and turn back to him, even the wicked and evil, since he promises to pardon (vv. 6-7). God can make such gracious promises because his thoughts and actions are as high above those of humans as heaven is above earth (vv. 8-9). Just as rain always waters the earth to produce needed seed and grain, so God’s word always comes down from heaven to accomplish his will (vv. 10-11). The result of Israel’s repentance will be the redemption described earlier in Isaiah 35, with nature itself celebrating (55:12). This may be a renewal of nature and Israel that accompanies Israel’s victory at the Lord’s return. Israel’s beautification will be an everlasting sign to the nations of the Lord’s presence in it. God’s favor will never again depart from it (v. 13).

III. Only Righteousness Will Bring Promised Blessings, Isaiah 56-66.

III.A. The Need For Righteousness, Isaiah 56-59.

III.A.1. Two Alternatives In Israel, Isaiah 56.

III.A.1.A. The Call To Maintain Righteousness, 56:1-8.
III.A.1.A.I. Promise Of Blessing To The Righteous, 56.1-2.

Righteousness is what God’s plan will achieve, so it is the right path, bringing blessing. Keeping the Sabbath, the sign of God’s covenant with Israel (Ex 31:13), showed righteousness, as did refraining from evil.

III.A.1.A.II. No Believer Is Excluded, 56:3.

The Mosaic law excluded some foreigners and eunuchs from the Lord’s assembly (Deut 23:1-7), but God intends to include them among His people (Isa 56:3).

III.A.1.A.III. Pious Eunuchs And Foreigners Will Be Honored, 56:4-8.

God is going to welcome pious eunuchs into his temple (vv. 4-5). An everlasting name implies eternal life (v. 6). Verse 8, in the context of verses 3-7, conceivably influenced Jesus in his words of John 10:16.

III.A.1.B. Unspirituality Manifested By Israel’s Leaders, 56:9-12.

The beasts would be the enemy nations (v. 9). God invites them because Israel’s righteousness is lacking. Prophets were watchmen (Ezek 3:17), as were other national leaders overseeing the people, since the watchmen are also called shepherds (Isa 56:11; cf. Ezek 34:1-10), a term including kings (1 Chron 11:2). They are spiritually blind (Isa 29:9-10), as are the sheep, the people (43:8). Like mute dogs, the watchmen do not perform the needed function of warning about danger. Their dreaming is both laziness and distraction from duty. They are greedy (56:11). As in Ezekiel 34, the shepherds seek their own gain rather than the flock’s benefit (Isa 56:11). Their mind in on worldly drunkenness rather than the Lord (cf. 28:7-8).

III.A.2. Israel Has Sinned, But Hope Exists For The Contrite, Isaiah 57.

III.A.2.A. The Nation Is So Sinful That God Removes The Righteous, 57:1-2.

God considers death to be preferable to life in this evil society because the righteous are afflicted by its evil.

III.A.2.B. The Ways Of The Wicked, 57:3-10.

The mockers may mock the righteous who believe in the Lord, for God associates them with sorcery, rebellion, and other evils (vv. 3-4). Isaiah speaks of sexual acts of fertility worship (v. 5). Oaks and spreading trees were sites for idol worship (1 Kgs 14:23; Jer 17:2a). Sacrifice of children was forbidden by the law (Lev 18:21; 20:2-3) and an abomination in God’s eyes (Jer 32:35). Devotion to idols (Isa 57:6-7) would bring divine judgment, since it was perhaps the primary taboo to Israel (Lev 26:1), a capital offence (Lev 26:30). Idolatry is adultery towards the Lord (Isa 57:7-8). Israel engaged in it secretly at home (v. 8). The lovers with whom the covenant was made (v. 8) are probably foreign rulers sought out for the favor they could bestow. Looking on their power/hand (v. 8) may refer to the phallus. Some translations repoint the Hebrew word for “king” (v. 9 MT) to “Molech,” the god of child sacrifice (CEB, NIV, NJB, NLT, NRSV). But one did not have to travel to worship him. The king could be Israel’s (NET) but more probably was a foreign power like Assyria, Babylon, or Egypt, the “lovers.” God considered seeking help from other nations to be infidelity to him. The oil and ointments might be cosmetic in a figure of the nation as a woman, but with “envoys” they are probably gifts of tribute for the king. The ambassadors made great efforts in this regard; “Sheol” (v. 9) could suggest a place meaning death, such as Assyria, whose help Ahaz sought (2 Kgs 16:7). Despite the fatigue such ungodliness engendered, the sin continued (v. 10).

III.A.2.C. The Futility Of Seeking Help Apart From God, 57:11-13.

The fear producing infidelity (v. 11) could have been of other gods or nations. God had not disciplined, so the people went on in sin. He would give credit for anything good in their lives, but it would not help because of its paucity (v. 12). Trouble was coming, and God invited the false gods they collected to save them (v. 13). Those gods were worthless, like windblown chaff, but trust in the Lord brought enduring security (v. 13).

III.A.2.D. The Hope Of Salvation For Those Who Trust Him, 57:14-21.

Verse 14 alludes to the highway for the exiles to return to Jerusalem (cf. 62:10). It is appropriate for God to be high but for humanity to be low in humility through awareness of sin (57:15). God forgives the contrite, for otherwise he would thwart his own purpose in creating man for relationship. His unrelenting anger would be life-denying (v. 16). Unjust gain is sin against others, and God will strike in wrath the unjust who refuse to repent (v. 17). But God will heal the contrite despite what they have done, blessing society with peace and stirring praise (vv. 18-19). The unrepentant produce turmoil. God cannot bless the wicked with peace (v. 20).

III.A.3. Salvation Will Come When Israel Really Is Righteous, Isaiah 58.

III.A.3.A. Claims Of Fasting Refuted, 58:1-5.
III.A.3.A.I. A Complaining Show Of Righteousness, 58:1-3a.

Isaiah was to announce the sin of the people (v. 1) despite their outward show of piety (v. 2). They claimed to be unable to understand why God had not rewarded their fasting and self-denial (v. 3).

III.A.3.A.II. The Righteousness Exposed As Fraudulent, 58:3b-5.

On fast days they sought their own pleasure rather than God, while driving their workers (v. 3b). God would not answer prayer when they acted with ill will and violence (v. 4). Outwards displays of self-affliction were not the essence of God-approved fasting (v. 5)

III.A.3.B. The Promises For God-Approved Fasting, 58:6-9a.

Fasting should be part of a wholistic response to life’s challenges that includes establishing justice, ending oppression, and providing for the needy (vv. 6-7). God promises to respond with light, healing, righteousness, and glory (v.8). God will answer the prayers from that kind of fast (v. 9a)

III.A.3.C. God’s Promises For A Life Reflecting These Principles, 58:9b-12.

God promised that if they to put away oppression and accusatory behavior and put on generosity to the needy, he would improve their lives (vv. 9b-10). He would accompany, supply, and bless them (v. 11). The people would restore and rebuild their ruined nation (v. 12). Rebuilding ruins was necessary after the Babylonian invasion (44:26). God cared about those ruins (51:3).

III.A.3.D. God’s Promises For A Respected Sabbath, 58:13-14.

The same phrase “finding your pleasure” (v. 13) occurred in verse 3 of the fast. If one ostensibly honors God but seeks selfish pleasure, an observance loses its meaning. Observing the Sabbath, a sign of their covenant with God (Ex 31:13), was a direct way for them to honor him. Giving oneself to God in it would result in delight (Isa 5814). Riding the heights signifies success, and feasting implies enjoying the good things of the land (see Deut 32:13). The house of Jacob was sinful (Isa 58:1), but repentance would allow enjoyment of their inheritance in Canaan (Ps 105:10-11; Gen 28:13-14; 35:12).

III.A.4. Israel Suffered Due To Sin, But God Would Still Save Them, Isaiah 59.

III.A.4.A. Israel Is In Serious Sin, 59:1-8.

The people’s continued sinning thwarted God’s desire to save them (vv. 1-2). They were guilty of murder, lying, wicked speech, dishonesty in court, and other premeditated crimes (vv. 3-4). The association of viper’s venom (Deut 32:33; Ps 140:3) and spider’s webs (Job 8:14) with people conveys, respectively, harm and uselessness. Paul quotes part of Isaiah 59:7-8 in depicting the sinfulness of mankind (Rom 3:15-17). Isaiah’s way of peace (Isa 59:8) is comparable to the “way of life” in Proverbs in contrast to the way of death (Prov 5:5-6; cf. Jer 21:8). The lack of peace (Isa 59:8) recalls 57:21.

III.A.4.B. So Israel’s Hopes Are Dashed, 59:9-11.

Absence of “justice” opens and closes this section. People cannot enjoy good things (vv. 9, 11) if they practice evil deeds. Darkness represents terrible situations (v. 9). Their figuratively blind stumbling (v. 10) lived out a covenant curse for disobedience (Deut 28:29). Being like the dead (Isa 59:10) suggests a defeated, exhausted society. Nahum 2:7 describes slaves “moaning like doves” (Isa 59:11).

III.A.4.C. Their Sins Created This Condition Of Injustice, 59:12-15a.

Israel’s many sins (v. 12) are given as the explanation for lack of justice (v. 11), and the people were aware of their guilt before God. Awareness can come when circumstances get dark (v. 9). Isaiah gives another list of sins (v. 13; see vv. 3-4): rebellion, treachery toward God, failure to follow him, oppression, falsehood, and lies. He personifies four virtues to picture their lack of effective presence (v. 14). Nobody cares or dares to speak truth, for practicing righteousness leads to one’s harm (v. 15a).

III.A.4.D. God Would Nonetheless Save Them, 59:15b-20.

As the NT shows, salvation can only come from God (cf. Isa 26:18) because of man’s lack of strength and virtue 59:15b-16). The resulting injustice is displeasing to God. Paul repeats some of the armor parts in the Christian’s armor (v. 17; Eph 6:14-17), but not garments of vengeance, which belong to God (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19). God’s zeal in saving appeared earlier in Isaiah 9:7 and 37:32. God will punish the nations who attacked Israel, since in doing so they attacked God (59:18). This is the day of vengeance (34:8; 61:2; 63:4). Then God will enjoy worldwide reverence for His glory (59:19). Isaiah 66:18 shows that this vengeance comes with glory. His coming against foes like a rushing river driven by his breath resembles how his breath came against Assyria like an overflowing stream (30:28). His coming like this is to Zion to redeem his repentant ones (cf. 57:15; 66:2). Paul quotes 59:20 in the context of God saving all Israel in the end times (Rom 11:26-27).

III.A.4.E. God Would Also Preserve His Word Among Them, 59:21.

Israel was sinful, so it might have been easy for God’s word to be lost. But Israel’s destiny was for a repentant remnant to be saved (v. 20). “Faith comes by hearing,” Paul said (Rom 10:17) right after quoting two verses of Isaiah (Rom 10:15-16: Isa 52:7; 53:1). For the end-time redemption to occur, it is important for God to preserve his word for that generation. Despite Israel’s sin, God covenanted with the nation that not only would Isaiah continue to speak by his Spirit but that both his words and the Spirit who inspired them would be with each generation of Israelites forever. The Hebrew word translated “children” by some Bibles is “seed,” and Isaiah, being from the seed of Jacob, could reckon all that seed as his seed (cf. 43:5; 61:9; 1:4; 6:13).

III.B. The Coming Salvation, Isaiah 60-62.

III.B.1. The Nations’ Glory Will Come To Zion, Isaiah 60.

This is a quite unified chapter.

III.B.1.A. God Calls Zion To Rise And See Her Glory, 60:1-5a.
III.B.1.A.I. God Calls Zion To Arise, 60:1-3.

In a dark world, divine light comes to Zion. God and his glory provide it. The nations are drawn to the light as Israel begins to shine. This is an end-times setting somewhat coincident with Israel’s redemption in 59:18-20.

III.B.1.A.II. God Calls Zion To Look Around, 60:4-5a.

God tells Zion to observe the nations coming from everywhere, bringing the people of Israel back to their land (v. 4). The city, representative of the nation, will have powerful emotions of gladness (v. 5a).

III.B.1.B. The Wealth Of The Nations Will Come To Zion, 60:5b-9.

Whether by sea (v. 5b) or land (v. 6-7), nations will bring their wealth to honor the Lord (v. 6b). Midian, son of Abraham and Keturah, fathered Ephah as his firstborn son (Gen 25:1-4). The land of Midian was between Sheba and Zion. Sheba, modern Yemen, was a port and so could receive wealth from more distant places. All the camels seem to have brought this wealth from Sheba (Isa 60:6). Gold came from overseas (1 Kgs 10:22), and incense came from Sheba (Jer 6:20), perhaps from the Far East. Nebaioth and Kedar were the first and second sons of Ishmael and were Arabic tribes in northwestern Arabia, mentioned in Assyrian inscriptions. Their flocks will be offerings in the millennial temple, which the gold and incense will adorn. God points out to Zion the ships from the far islands of the Mediterranean, bringing returned Jewish exiles along with the islands’ monetary gifts to the Lord that will beautify victorious Israel (Isa 60:8-9).

III.B.1.C. Defeated Foreigners Bring Their Wealth To Serve Israel, 60:10-16.

God’s wrath will bring Israel low before this victory (e.g., 30:25-26; 49:25-26; 51:17-23). But his compassion (e.g., 30:18; 49:13) will use the formerly hostile nations to rebuild Israel (60:10). Jerusalem is so safe it can always keep its gates open to receive foreign wealth (cf. Rev 21:25-26) and foreign kings led as willing servants (Isa 60:11). For death will be the alternative for kingdoms unwilling to serve (v. 12). Nations, perhaps former oppressors of Israel, will offer the finest woods for the temple (vv. 13-14). God will make once-rejected Israel the endless centerpiece of succeeding generations (v. 15), with Israelites enjoying international provision they know comes from the Lord, their Savior.

III.B.1.D. Israel’s Life Circumstances Will Greatly Improve, 60:17-22.

Everything in Israel will move up a grade, with peace and righteousness ruling (v. 17). Past troubles will be gone so that salvation and praise characterize the city (v. 18). God will be Israelites’ source of light and glory (v. 19; cf. Rev 22:5). Since their sun will nevermore set, the Lord will be their everlasting light, and their sorrows will end, the well-being is permanent (Isa 60:20). Since they are righteous, they get to keep the land forever, displaying God’s beauty (Isa 60:21). They will fulfill a blessing of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants to multiply greatly (v. 22; Gen 13:16; 15:5; Lev. 26:9).

III.B.2. The Servant Will Restore The Ruins Of Zion, Isaiah 61.

In another picture of glorious Zion in Isaiah 60-62, the servant plays a central part.

III.B.2.A. He Will Revive The People To Rebuild Zion, 61:1-4.

The Spirit is on the person in 61:1 as on the royal servant in 42:1, and perhaps as on the person in 48:16. This anointed one knows the Lord, unlike Cyrus (61:1; 45:1). He is evidently king, for he “releases the bound ones” as did the royal servant (42:7). Instead, the Septuagint here has him open the eyes of the blind, and that is the text that Jesus quoted of himself in Nazareth (Lk 4:18). The Hebrew has the verb used of the blind in 42:7, and it can mean to “open the eyes” without the word “eyes.” But “bound” would have to mean “bound” in the eyes (see the use of “bind” medically in Lk 13:16). Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:2 but left out “day of vengeance” because his first coming was not for vengeance as his second will be. The anointed one brings the comfort (v. 2) of 40:1. He brings joy (61:3), which elsewhere is associated with the defeat of Israel’s foes (24:14; 48:20) and the return of Israel’s exiles (35:10; 49:13). The nation as the Lord’s plant to display beauty (61:3) occurs just earlier in 59:21, so this is the same end-time setting. Zion’s people are righteous as God intended (1:26).

III.B.2.B. God Speaks Promises To Israel, 61:5-6.

He tells his people that foreigners will take care of the mundane work of shepherding and agriculture because they will be his priests, his ministers among the nations. His original intent was that Israel be a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6). The other nations will provide their support as priests, as the tribes did the Levites within Israel (Num 18:8-32). The Israelites will boast because it will be the Lord’s provision for his service.

III.B.2.C. God Summarizes Their Blessed Condition, 61:7-9.

God replaces Israel’s longtime shame with a double portion of inheritance, like that of the firstborn son (v. 7; see Deut 21:17). This will be justice for Israel, whom the nations have robbed with iniquity (Isa 61:8). God will reward them with an eternal covenant (v. 8), the full expression of the davidic covenant (55:3; Heb 13:20), the covenant of peace (54:10; Ezek 34:25; 37:26). Israelites will be prominent throughout the world, plainly blessed by the Lord (61:9; cf. 65:2; Num 22:1; Deut 7:14).

III.B.2.D. Israel Expresses Gratitude For Its Blessings, 61:10-11.

Some assume the speaker is the anointed person who speaks in 61:1-3. Christ as a man will be glorified at his return, but the anointed one supplies the Israelites with a crown of beauty and garments of praise (v. 3). Israel needed righteousness and salvation, and the speaker can be personified Zion, who now has them (v. 10). God wanted them to “spring up” (45:10). The speaker mentions the Lord making praise and righteousness “spring up” before all nations (61:11), “spring up” describes what plants do (e.g., 55:10), and Israel has been called the Lord’s planting by which to display beauty in 60:21 and 61:3. In 61:3 what is planted is associated with praise and righteousness. God called Zion to arise and put on her garments of beauty (52:1), and now Israel has done that.

III.B.3. Jerusalem Will Be An Object Of Praise On The Earth, Isaiah 62.

III.B.3.A. God Stressed His Intention To Make Jerusalem Glorious, 62;1-7.

The “I” in verses 1 and 6 is probably God in both places because being “silent” (v. 1) is a word used of God elsewhere when he leaves matters alone (42:14; 57:11; 64:11; 65:6). Jerusalem’s righteousness does not yet shine out, so it is still the time of Israel’s darkness. Zion is still viewed as deserted by God and a desolate land (62:4). God assures Zion that he will make her glorious (v. 2; cf. 54:11-14). All kings will see this change as the city receives a new name (62: 2), a new identity, for the world will be focused on attacking Israel. Zion will become a witness to God’s glory. Its name Hephzibah means “My delight is in her,” and Beulah means “Married.” The reconciliation with God as husband repeats 54:1-8. Zion’s people are her sons (62:5), pictured as emotionally attached to her like a man to his bride. And God will have the same feelings towards her (v. 5). God’s spiritual watchmen are likewise not to be “silent” (v. 6) but are to pray until he fulfills his promise to make Jerusalem a city that the whole earth praises.

III.B.3.B. God’s Oath To Prevent Further Destruction, 62:8-9.

This passage could continue the previous one, describing what God swears about the future victory (v. 7 end). The “never again” of verse 8 would be like “no longer” in verse 4. Or this could be an oath God takes at the time of Israel’s victory, which verses 10-12 describe in the present tense. God takes oaths to stress the certainty of a matter. From the time of victory there will never again be defeat. God describes defeat in terms of covenant curses (v. 8; Lev 26:16; Deut 28:30-31, 33, 51). Normal circumstances will ensue in a worshipful atmosphere (62:9).

III.B.3.C. The Lord Returns To Zion With His People, 62:10-12.

The highway’s construction is for God’s people (cf. 57:14), who after the victory return on the roadway prepared for them (11:16; 19:23-24). In 52:8-11 the Lord’s coming to Zion combines with departure from Babylon, mentioned earlier in 48:20. So the gates (62:10) might be the enemy’s, which the exiles are leaving. But it seems more likely that Jerusalemites go out of their city to prepare the road for their kindred to return. The banner is raised in Zion as guidance for where the nations should bring Jewish exiles (62:10). The nations in this way announce good news of salvation to Zion. Here is the Lord’s coming foretold earlier in 40:9-11. The last sentence of 62:11 is identical with the last sentence of 40:10, in both cases preceded by a call to see God coming (cf. 59:20). “Reward” and “recompense” can be synonyms (“recompense” is positive in 49:4 and 61:8). God’s reward and recompense seem to be his people, as in 40:10-11, for “they” (62:12) can define the reward. Verse 12b is the opposite of verse 4a, and the name “Sought After” may include God’s attitude as the name Hephzibah did (v. 4).

III.C. Israel Prays For Deliverance, Isaiah 63-64.

III.C.1. The Lord Will Save When His People Pray, Isaiah 63.

III.C.1.A. The Lord On His Day Of Vengeance, 63:1-6.

Bozrah, a city in Edom, a traditional enemy of Israel, is dealt with by God, who bears bloodstains as the victorious warrior. He may come towards Israel, fielding questions (vv. 1, 3) that prompt his report of a righteous salvation achieved (vv. 3-6). Edom also represented the enemy nations (v. 6) of the end times in Isaiah 34. There is stress on the bloodiness and on no one else being there (Isa 63:3, 5). The Book of Revelation underscores the great death. Jesus said that apart from his intervention, no flesh would survive (Matt 24:22). The scene implies a grave need impelling God to get so involved in human affairs on this day of vengeance.

III.C.1.B. A Brief Theodicy For God’s Discipline Of Israel, 63:7-10.

Israel will go through much tribulation, but Isaiah was insistent on God’s righteous behavior in allowing it all. First, he has done many good things, all loyal acts of love (v. 7). This is based on his covenant relationship with the people as father of their nation (v. 8). He sympathized with their ill treatment in Egypt and delivered them. Then he provided for them in the wilderness (v. 9). But Israel rejected God’s leadership and his appointees, Moses and Aaron. This sort of behavior continued in Canaan. Beginning in the wilderness God began to thwart Israelites’ hopes (v. 10).

III.C.1.C. Israel Later Longed For The First Days Of Glory, 63:11-14.

In their alienation from God Israelites realized how they had lost the felt presence of God among them. He had at first provided such leadership, miracles, and power, filling their leaders with his Spirit as he unforgettably brought them from Egypt through Moses (vv. 11-13). God’s Spirit met their needs (v. 14), winning God great fame (v. 14).

III.C.1.D. They Prayed For God To Defeat Their Enemies, 63:15-19.

Feeling sorely his absent help, Israelites appeal to God to come down for their rescue again as he did in Egypt (v. 15). Their tie to him is stronger than their connection to Abraham or Jacob (v. 16). Since he is sovereign, they view him as responsible for their own disloyalty to him (v. 17). Because of their defeat and lost temple, they appeal for restored closeness. Isaiah may foresee the Babylonian destruction of the temple but look beyond that to the end of the age (v. 18). Israelites appeal for help based on their ancient covenant bond with him, while their enemies were not his (v. 19).

III.C.2. Israel Will Cry For Its Former Glory, Isaiah 64.

III.C.2.A. An Appeal For Divine Forgiveness And Help, 64:1-7.

Israelites imagine a second deliverance with mountain shaking like that at Sinai (v. 1). They want God to come in a conflagration that burns up their enemies, causing fear among the nations as did the rescue from Egypt (v. 2; Ex 15:14-16; Josh 2:10). God’s coming to Egypt was unexpected, so perhaps his coming could happen again (Isa 64:3). No other God unmistakably acted in history as Yahweh did (v. 4). They wait for him to do it again and want to do right so he will. But they know they have violated his ways (v. 5). All feel the guilt of their sins, which have weakened them (v. 6), and the majority have not been calling out to God in repentance (v. 7).

III.C.2.B. Israelites Call On God As Father To Pity Them, 64:8-12.

Since Israelites are clay, they plead for the Potter to mold them into what he wants (v. 8; cf. 29:15; 45:9). They ask him not to be too severe since they are his people (64:9). They consider the ruin of all their cities and the temple to be sufficient punishment (vv. 10-11). Since enemy nations did these things, they view God as having reason to help them (v. 12).

III.D. Salvation Comes Through Judgment, Isaiah 65-66.

III.D.1. Only God’s Servants Will Inhabit God’s New World, Isaiah 65.

III.D.1.A. Judgment Is Coming To Israel Because Of Sin, 65:1-7.

Many versions read “did not call” instead of the Hebrew “was not called” (v. 1), but this was an interpretive issue, since the earliest text lacked vowel points, and Paul understood verse 1 to refer to other nations, not Israel (Rom 10:20-21). He saw an example of God making Israel jealous by other nations (Deut 32:21) since Israel is the nation in Isaiah 65:2-7. Pursuing one’s own imaginations (v. 2) returns in 66:18 as the reason for judgment of all nations, and the implied contrast in both places is seeking God’s ways. God stretched out his hands for embrace (65:2), but Israel obstinately refused, preferring idols. Sacrifice was only supposed to occur in the temple (Deut 12:13-14), so sacrifices and burning incense in gardens (Isa 65:3) were wrong and almost certainly pagan (cf. 1:29). So were vigils among the graves (65:4), which sound like necromancy (cf. 8:19; Deut 18:10-11). Israelites were not to eat pigs or other meats identified as unclean (Isa 65 4; Lev 11:7). God commanded love for others, so people who stayed away from others, claiming to be more holy, were not in the truth (Isa 65:5). All these practices anger God, who will punish them according to the covenant curses (v. 7). The punishment will cover the sins of idolatrous forefathers, too, as was the case in in Jesus’ day (Lk 11:50-51).

III.D.1.B. Mercy In Judgment, 65:8-12.

God uses the term “servants” broadly in verse 8 since he plans to destroy many of them. He means Israelites, who were supposed to serve him. Much of the harvest has gone bad. But God intends to preserve a remnant to possess the land he gave the patriarchs (v. 9). Sharon was a coastal plain from about Caesarea down to Joppa in NT times. The Valley of Achor was about seven miles north of Jericho in the Judaean hills near the Jordan River. That these places will be pasturelands for the faithful remnant (v. 10) implies a prior time when they are not, evidently a time of exile. But for the unfaithful idol worshippers a sword of slaughter is coming (vv. 11-12). The unfaithful are those described in verses 2-5.

III.D.1.C. Contrast Between Real Servants And Others, 65:13-16.

God will give those who serve him their needs and blessings, but those who refuse will get nothing but shame and heartache (vv. 13-14). God will end their lives, turning their names into a curse, but his servants will get a new, honorable name (v. 15; cf. Rev 2:17; 3:12). In this future time only God will be worshiped in Israel, for the time of infidelity will be long gone (Isa 65:16).

III.D.1.D. A New Heavens And Earth, 65:17-25.

Isaiah seems to combine the millennium with the eternal state, since only the latter is called the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21:1. But Isaiah speaks about people dying and having children, things that will not occur in the eternal state. Isaiah pictures a time that makes the past like a bad memory put out of mind (Isa 65:17). There will be no weeping in Jerusalem (v. 18-19), which is a delight, as in 60:15-21 and 62:2-5. Although complete removal of tears awaits the eternal state (Rev 21:4), even the millennium greatly fortifies and extends human life, doing away with many sorrows (Isa 65:20, 22b). Lives will be free of the curses of war (vv. 21-22; cf. 62:8-9). People will not face the upending crises of life because God will bless them (65:23). God will be close in favor to answer prayers (v. 24). Verse 25 repeats and slightly alters language about the peaceful animals and world of the messianic kingdom in 11:6-9, with a hint that the ancient serpent (Rev 20:2) is held in check.

III.D.2. Humble Ones Enjoy Comfort After Worldwide Judgment, Isaiah 66.

III.D.2.A. The Person God Chooses, 66:1-4.

God is not so concerned with people outwardly glorifying him by physical beauty in a temple, since he created everything (vv. 1-2a). What matters to him is a humble, repentant heart that reveres his word (v. 2b). But Israelites carry out his worship with hearts of murderers, abusers, defilers, and idolaters (v. 3). They choose abominable ways, so God will punish them dreadfully. Verse 4b basically repeats 65:12b as a sad refrain of Israel’s unresponsiveness to him and its cost.

III.D.2.B. Shame For The Wicked, 66:5-6.

The righteous could take comfort that their Israelite persecutors will be put to shame. The mockery (v. 5b) resembles that in 5:19. The Lord’s destruction of enemies occurs at the temple, implying they have power there. This happened in 586 B.C. and in A.D. 70.

III.D.2.C. Jerusalem As A Childbearing Mother, 66:7-13.

Verse 7 might mysteriously refer to the birth of Jesus before Israel’s birth pains, which here seem to refer to the messianic kingdom of Israel coming into being (v. 8). The children produced immediately upon labor can be the exiles returning (v. 8). God created childbirth, and he guarantees the success of Jerusalem’s childbirth (v. 9). Those who love and mourn over Jerusalem are people with a stake in it (v. 10; cf. 57:18; 61:2-3). It will become a nourishing mother for them (cf. 60:16), for it will have peace and the world’s plenty (66:11-12). God will be behind the mothering comfort. “Comfort” occurs three times in verse 13, the same word as in 40:1.

III.D.2.D. Another Assuring Promise Of Judgment, 66:14-16.

The righteous will be glad about Jerusalem, but they again hear that enemies will face fury (v. 14). The Lord will come in battle, in whirlwind and fire to execute a decimating judgment of death on mankind (vv. 15-16). This sounds like the Lord’s coming to Zion in 59:19-20.

III.D.2.E. Judgment And Its Immediate Aftermath, 66:17-21.

Isaiah solemnly shifts to prose to share details of his vision. The people judged in 66:17 are the same ones as in 65:2-5, the Jewish people. So the worldwide judgment of 66:14-16 will take its toll on the unfaithful Jews. But all the nations have the same ungodly imaginations (cf. 65:2) and will suffer. The gathering of nations and tongues is to Jerusalem (see 29:6-8; Zech 12:1; 14:1). The glory they will see is the divine power in judgment (Isa 66:14-16; Matt 24:30; Rev 19:11-21). The sign (Isa 66:19) is the visible return of the Lord (Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7; Rev 19:11-16). Although the LXX has “Meshech” for “ones drawing a bow” (Isa 66:19), all the other witnesses agree with the MT. The survivors of the final battle, Armageddon (Rev 16:16), go all over the world reporting the Lord’s glory to the uninformed (Isa 66:19). And they bring the Jewish exiles to their homeland as a way of honoring the Lord (v. 20; cf. 11:10-12; 14:2; 60:3-9). The Israelites will be treated as holy (66:20), and the Lord will establish a Jewish priesthood and assistants for his worship (cf. Ezekiel 40-48).

III.D.2.F. The Extended Future, 66:22-24.

The nation of Israel will endure forever (v. 22) since Revelation 21-22 imply that the new heavens and earth are eternal. God will establish for the entire world a cycle of worship like that of Israel. The fire of the burning dead of Armageddon will provide a lasting, visible testimony of the heinousness of fighting against the Lord (Isa 66:24; cf. 34:10).

Related Topics: Introductions, Arguments, Outlines

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