ISAIAH STUDY, PART 10

 This is a summary of my continuing study of Isaiah.  The summary is for Chapters 49-55. Notes are taken from "A Study of Isaiah" via the YouVersion Bible app. 

CHAPTER 49: The first few verses in this chapter make up the 2nd of four "Servant songs" in the book of Isaiah. The others are in chapters 42, 50, 52 and 53. The Servant (Jesus) whom God has chosen, has two purposes: to use His words to speak on God's behalf and to call God's children back to Him. He will not just speak to Israel, but to other nations.  The 2nd purpose is to be a weapon in God's Hand and combat the chaos of the world. In the New Testament, Jesus and His Apostles acknowledged that the ministry of Jesus lined up with what Isaiah prophesied in the songs. 

For us today:  Jesus calls us to speak on God's behalf and call people to Him. We see this in John 12:22 and in Matthew 28: 19-20 (known as The Great Commission)  We can tell people about the Good News of salvation. 

CHAPTER 50: Isaiah predicted that God's servant would be humble when He was persecuted.  (see any of the Gospels!)

For us today: When we share the gospel with the world (secular people) we might face hate.  We are to stay humble and speak Truth in Love. 

CHAPTER 51: All throughout the Old Testament there are references to the "faithful remnant of God's people" ...the ones who didn't walk in sin with the unfaithful. They were the people who obeyed God's law when the rest of Israel disobeyed. They kept their focus on God. In this chapter, the faithful are suffering like the unfaithful but God tells them to wake up, look and see that He has control of their situation.  He's about to save them from their suffering.  

For us today: Tell God you know He is in control of your day. Sometimes God has bigger plans for us in the events of the day.....will we trust Him? 

CHAPTER 52: Isaiah has a two-part prophecy in these verses.  He foretells about the happy return of God's people from Babylon and about the Messiah's peaceful reign when He returns to Zion. God's power would leave no doubt that the God of Israel rescued His people.  Their deliverance is a picture of Messiah's (Jesus) redemption.  The Messianic prophecy speaks of a day in the future when Christ will reign for eternity. 

For us today: God delivered his people out of Babylonian captivity and for us He has provided a way to deliver us from slavery to sin through Jesus Christ.  As Christ followers, we are given the mission to bring the Good News of salvation to people in sin. (see Matthew 28: 18-19..the Great Commission). 

CHAPTER 53: This is the prophecy of the Lord's Servant (Jesus) who will be rejected, suffer, and then have glorification.  His sacrifice, although a future event here, is stated in the past tense.  God's work of salvation was already complete.  He took a brutal punishment (Death on a cross) for ALL sins. We have all gone astray from God, therefore we are all guilty in His death. We are sheep who wandered from the Shepherd. The  Servant's  death and resurrection made peace with God possible. There's no more sacrifices needed.  He will no longer be rejected,  but instead, highly exalted and glorified. 

For us today: We are accepted when we believe and confess our sins.  Now we need to tell others how to accept salvation and become forgiven by Jesus. 

CHAPTER 54: The Lord Almighty will show compassion and everlasting kindness to His rejected Bride. His peace and love cannot be shaken. God's promise of Jerusalem's future peace and glory in the Millennial Kingdom was comforting to His people.  God is the Maker, Husband, Lord Almighty, Holy One of Israel, Redeemer, and God of all the earth. 

For us today:  People, places, and even food will offer us a degree of comfort but those things are temporary. Lasting reassurance comes from Jesus. 

CHAPTER 55: God's words through this prophecy to Isaiah foreshadows God's invitation for Gentiles (people who are not Jewish!) to experience His salvation.  At that time in culture and history, it was inconceivable that people outside of Israel could enter into God's everlasting covenant.  God freely forgives ANY one who turns and calls on Him. 

For us today: This passage is like a road map to a higher plane of thought:  God's thoughts. His mind is revealed in promises and principles of Scripture. As we grow into Christ's image, our thoughts will start to line up with God's thoughts.  We do this through the reading and studying of the Bible, after being saved by faith in Jesus. 

I'm now a little more than half-way through this study of my favorite major prophet!