Isaiah 40-43

Bonnie, I had to borrow from Patricia again today, simply because she got to know Jesus later in life, much like you....she shares some feelings from a different perspective than I have and I wanted to see what you think:

This is the Shift if the book of Isaiah. (compare it to the shift in Book 40 in the Bible makes, the New Testament).  The past 39 Chapters have been a warning and a preparation for the Captivity.   Now we turn the corner and Chapter 30 talks about their new life when released from Captivity.  A Call to Comfort.    This section speaks so powerfully of God’s Salvation that we as Christians see in it something bigger than the rescue of Israel, but the announcement of the coming Messiah.   

(Historically) As we are reading God will reunite Israel and Judah and restore them but they are still in captivity.  Judah still had 100 years of trouble before Jerusalem would fall, then 70 years of exile.  So God is comforting them during those times, as he does ours.  Chapter 40 referrers to the restoration after the exile.  God will use Cyrus as an instrument to deliver them.

If you have a pen in your hand I am assuming most of Chapter 40 is now underlined.  WHoosh, good stuff.  God is telling them to COMPARE THE LORD TO THE FALSE GODS IN YOUR LIFE…WHAT IS THE COMPARISON?

When we ger to Matthew 3 we will look back to Isaiah 40 to see the fulfillment of Scripture.  See, one of my biggest questions when I became a CHristian was “How do we know this man (Jesus) was the Messiah?  There were thousands of men on earth proclaiming to be “the one”.  Well the answer (besides the obvious Resurrection) is that He fulfills EVERY written Prophecy. 

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
   ”A voice of one calling in the desert,
   ’Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.’  Isaiah 40:3 and Matthew 3:3

The rest of Chapter 40 was INCREDIBLE.  Read it not as words but as acknowledgement straight to the Lord.  Sometimes we need a little reminder if who God is, well Chapter 40 is it!

Isaiah 40:8  vs 1Peter 1:24

   ”All men are like grass,
      and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
   the grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

Chapter 41, I am sure many of you have heard scriptures before and loved them as ‘stand alone’ scriptures.  You know in a study, or on a mug, or as a word of encouragement.  Well, now I can read them and know exactly who God is referring to and why.  Sometimes is takes Him putting us in our own exile,  or a desert to finally see Him.  Anyway, in 41, the man from the East is actually Cyrus (verse 2).  God is going to use the king of a foreign nation, Persia, as a tool to release the Israelites from captivity, and He continues to comfort His people of reminder all the way back to Abraham, that He has been with them and not forsaken them the WHOLE time.

Chapter 42 (DO not skim Chapter 42….I know the reading is long but this is amazing)   700 years before Jesus is born Isaiah describes His coming in such great detail. These words could only be from God through Isaiah.  Look at Chapter 42 and then look at this:

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
      the one I love, in whom I delight;
   I will put my Spirit on him,
      and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 
 He will not quarrel or cry out;
      no one will hear his voice in the streets. 
 A bruised reed he will not break,
      and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
   till he leads justice to victory. 
 In his name the nations will put their hope.” Mt 12:18-21

Look at Isaiah 42  verse 6 in that Chapter for you to know that us Gentiles were always included in God’s plan.

CHAPTER 43.  READ this as God is speaking to YOU.  That is the purpose.  This is a chapter we need to keep that little ribbon in all the time.  I am going to read it again.  PLEASE share the one verse that really popped out at you.  Underline it.  Date it.  Smiley face it. Know that He is talking to Jew and Gentile, for those who believe in the Savior Jesus this message is written.