Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:6

Isa 49:1-3. What is the first command Isa 49:1? Who are the recipients of this command? Who is giving this command? What is the significance of the words “born” and “womb”? What are the qualifications listed of the Servant Isa 49:2? What is He called Isa 49:3 and what is His purpose? Isa 49:4. How might the Servant be discouraged in His ministry? Yet, despite the discouragement, what is His assurance?

Isa 49:5-6. What is the Servant’s purpose Isa 49:5? How is the Servant regarded and upheld by God Isa 49:5? What is the Servant’s purpose as described Isa 49:6? How does this remind us of what Israel was called to do (Isa 42:6)? Who is the light of the world? Isa 49:7. What will the nation of Israel think of the Servant? What is God’s ultimate promise to His Servant?

Isa 49:8-9. Who is the Lord speaking to Isa 49:8? How is the ministry of the Servant described Isa 49:8-9? How are these covenant blessings to be enjoyed by God’s people? Read Isa 49:9-12. How do Isa 49:9-10 describe God’s provision, protection, and guidance? What do Isa 49:11-12 promise for those whom the Lord brings to Himself?

Isa 49:13. What is the response of all creation when the Lord liberates His people? Isa 49:14. Yet, despite God’s promises, what is the response of His people, Zion? Isa 49:15-18. What is the Lord’s word of hope to His people Isa 49:15-16? What additional promises does the Lord make to His people Isa 49:17-18?

Isa 49:19-21. Because of the Servants work, God will bring blessings to His people. Isa 49:19-20, it is as though the Lord was speaking to Jerusalem/Zion; what does He say to the city? In Isa 49:21, what do the words “bereaved and barren” indicate? Yet, what is God’s promise?

Isa 49:22-23. How do Isa 49:22-23 describe the Sovereign Lord reversing the fortunes of His people?

Isa 49:24-26. What is the question being asked Isa 49:24? How is the question answered Isa 49:25? In Isa 49:26 we see some of the horrors of siege conditions. Through God’s deliverance of His people, what will all mankind know (Isa 49:25)?

Confrontation, Conversion and Calling (Isaiah 6)

https://www.facebook.com/ben.toh.9/posts/10159744412734490 Sermon in Ukraine on Nov 7, 2021.

My eyes have seen the almighty holy God. "I saw the Lord…my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty" (Isaiah 6:1, 5).

1. Do you want to "see" God (Isa 6:1, 5)? Have you?
• What does it mean to "see" God? To confront a vision of God (Isa 6:1-4; Jn 1:14; Judg 13:22; Exo 33:20)?
• Do you have a memorable "(God) moment" in your life (Jn 1:39)?
• Did Isaiah see Jesus (Jn 12:41)?
• What does it mean that God is "holy, holy, holy" (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8)? That "the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa 6:3; 5:30)?
• Is your God big (Isa 6:1, 5) and your problems small, or are you problems big because your God is small?
2. How do you know if you are saved? How is one saved (Isa 6:5-7)? What does it mean to:
• be convicted of sin (Isa 6:5a)? Have you felt woe? Doomed by your sins (Lk 5:8; Rev 1:17)?
• confess sin (Isa 6:5b; Ps 51:4)?
• be cleansed of sin (Isa 6:6-7)?
• be changed (2 Cor 5:17, 21)?
3. Could Isaiah not hear "the voice of the Lord" before Isaiah 6:8? Why (Isa 59:2)?
4. What does it mean to you--personally and practically--to be called by God and to serve God (Isa 6:8-13; 66:2; Eph 4:1; Gal 2:20; Phil 1:27; 1 Pet 5:2)?
5. What does God caution about calloused people (Isa 6:9-10)? Can a person become worse after studying the Bible and after knowing the Bible? Why (1 Cor 1:22-23; Mt 7:26-27; Jas 1:22-24)?

"Christians are missionaries by necessity because all that we are and do only makes sense if what we are and do is done in the name of Jesus." Stanley Hauerwas, Sent: The Church is Mission (Sermon, 7/4/2010), Working With Words: On Learning to Speak Christian.

"Give me a man in love; he knows what I mean. Give me one who yearns; give me one who is hungry; give me one far away in this desert, who is thirsty and sighs for the spring of the eternal country. Give me that sort of man; he knows what I mean. But if I speak to a cold man, he just does not know what I am talking about." Augustine.

Peace Like A River

•  (Welcoming Address) Wait on God and Fly like an Eagle. The God of Comfort (Isa 40:1). People Who Fly (Isa 40:31).

1. Peace Like a River (Isaiah 47-48). O That My People Listen.
1. The tragedy of idolatry (Isaiah 47): What sinners deserve. [Listen to what happens to idolators.]
2. The triumph of grace (Isaiah 48): What sinners NEVER deserve. [Listen to the truth about yourself and about God.]
2. The God of Self-Giving Love (52:13-53:12). The Servant's Shocking Salvation.
1. (Success) Introduction (52:13-15): Success through suffering.
         2. (Suffering) Why he was despised (53:1-3): Unattractive and sorrowful.
                         3. (Significance) What his burden is (53:4-6): God laid our sins on him.                                     4. (Suffering) What his life as a servant was like (53:7-9): Meekness before violence and injustice voluntarily.
   5. (Success) What the nature of his servanthood is (53:10-12): Flourishing and exaltation through humiliation.
3. The Invitation to Grace (Isaiah 54-55). A Time To Be Found.
1. Command - Be Happy (Isaiah 54): Sing
1. A barren woman having many kids (1-3).
2. A lonely woman loved by the man of her dreams (4-10).
3. A broken city rebuilt with jewels (11-17).

II. Invitation - Be Even Happier (Isaiah 55): Come

1. You're gonna get free food and drinks at a gourmet restaurant (1-3).
2. You're gonna be gorgeous (4-5).
3. You're gonna be forgiven (6-9).
4. You're gonna flourish (10-11).
5. You're gonna dance (12-13).

• (Closing Address) Grace is Good News, the Best News (Isaiah 61). The Goal of Salvation.

Isaiah 63-66

The Bloody Warrior God and the Ever-Loving Lord (Isaiah 63-64).
True and False Christians (Isaiah 65-66). Judgment and Salvation, Blessing and Curse are sharply contrasted in Isaiah 65-66:

1. True and false religion (65:1-6). God's initiative and man's effort.
2. True and false people of God (65:7-12). Often they look the same, but their destinies are quite different. Israel's problem (2-7).
3. True and false servants of God (65:13-16). Contrasting destinies (11-16). The owned and the disowned (1-16). A patient and compassionate God (1-16).
4. Ultimate blessing for the true children of God (65:17-25).
5. True and false worshippers (66:1-6). Worshippers welcome and unwelcome. A final diatribe against ritualism. The sharp contrast is between:
   
   1. God's word and man's way.
   2. Humility and arrogance.
   3. True worship or habitual ritual.
6. Triump and disasster (66:7-24). There will one day be a clear demarcation between Blessing, Abundance and Salvation (Zion triumphant) in sharp contrast to Wrath, Anger and Judgment.
1. Hope and abundance (7-14). Suddenly, joy for Jerusalem.
2. Judgment and hope (15-24).

The Grace of God in Isaiah

1. The Grace of:
1. Initiative (Isa 1:18).
2. Forgiveness (Isa 6:6-7).
3. Presence (Isa 7:14).
4. Gentleness (Isa 9:6).
5. Faithfulness (Isa 16:5).
6. Comfort (Isa 40:1).
7. Waiting (Isa 40:31).
2. The Grace of the Servant as a:
1. Shepherd (42:1-4)--How A Servant Serves.
2. Prophet (49:1-4)--The Servant's Toil and Reward.
3. Conqueror (50:4-9)--The Servant's Victory Through Humiliation.
4. Martyr (52:13-53:12)--The Servant's Shocking Salvation.
3. The Result and Response of Grace (Isaiah 54-55). A Time To Be Found.
4. The Climax and Ultimate Reality of Grace (Isaiah 60-62). The Goal of Salvation.

The First Servant Song (Isaiah 42)

Hope, Trust and Wait on the Lord (Isa 40:31).

"Even if the enemy's foot be on your neck, expect to rise and overthrow him. Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord, who forsakes not His saints. Live by the day—ay, by the hour. Put no trust in frames and feelings. Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement. Trust in God alone, and lean not on the needs of human help." Charles Spurgeon.

42:1-25 (The Servant Saves)

1. God's chosen servant will establish justice on earth (1-4) [Will "not" occurs 7 times in 2-4.]
   
1. God prepares the servant to bring justice (1)
2. What the servant will not do to bring justice (2-3)
3. The servant will not fail to bring justice to all (4)
   
2. God's servant will be a covenant and light (5-9)
1. God the Creator speaks (5)
2. The servant's mission (6-7)
3. God's name is glorified (8-9)
   
3. Sing a hymn of praise to glorify God (10-13)
1. Call for people to sing God's praise (10-11)
2. Reason for praising God (13)
4. God will deliver and forgive the sins of his blind servants (14-25)
1. The blind are not forsaken (14-17)
1. A time of divine silence (14)
2. A time of destruction (15)
3. A time for guidance and light (16)
4. Shame for those who trust idols (17)
   
2. The blind servant's sins result in punishment (18-25)
1. Israel is my blind servant (18-20)
2. God gave them his law (21)
3. The people were plundered (22)
4. Will anyone listen (23)
5. God plundered Jacob for not obeying his law (24)
6. God sent war; Israel did not understand (25)
   

Comfort, Fear, Servant, Assurance (Isaiah 40-43)

1. Comfort (Isaiah 40): Wait on the Lord.
   
2. Fear (Isaiah 41): I am with you.
   
3. Servant (Isaiah 42): Justice to the nations.
   
4. Assurance (Isaiah 43): I love you.
   

Isaiah 1-39 (Trust); Isaiah 40-55 (Grace); Isaiah 56-66 (Power)

Comfort (Isaiah 40): Wait on the Lord

1. The God of comfort (1-11)
2. The incomparable God (12-26)
3. The God who makes man fly (27-31)

Fear (Isaiah 41): I am with you

1. Living in fear (1-7): God predicts the rise of one from the east (Cyrus) and people panic in fear.
2. Living without fear (8-20): God choosing his servants to be with them and to help them.
3. Fear and idols (21-29): Fear causes the making and depending on idols, which are worthless and useless.

Servant (Isaiah 42): Justice to the nations

1. What the Servant does (1-9): Proclaims justice to the nations.
2. How the world responds (10-12): Praise the Lord!
3. What God does (13-17): Zealously accomplish his purpose.
4. Who we truly are (18-25): Blind and deaf.

Assurance (Isaiah 43): I love you

1. I have redeemed you (1-7).
   
2. You are witnesses of my love (8-13).
   
3. I am doing a new thing (14-21).
   
4. I remember your sins no more (22-28).
   

The Servant Saves (Isaiah 42)

Theme: Man's hope is that the Servant proclaims justice by gently and perseveringly serving the weak, blind and deaf. God's heart is always for the weak, blind and deaf.

1. What the servant does (1-9).
2. How the world responds (10-12).
3. What God does (13-17).
4. Who we truly are (18-25).
   

The "servant of God" theme is one of the richest strands of Isaiah's thought, and it lies right at the heart of his message as it moves to its climax in this second half of the book. 42:1-9 is the first of four "Servant Songs" (49:1-13; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12), the first of a remarkable series in which the servant theme is developed in a quite distinctive way and brought to a resounding climax. 61:1-3 could be regarded as fifth and final Song which brings the whole series to a (another) climax.

• Isa 40 gave a general introduction to the two great themes: God's love (1-11) and his unique power (12-31). People Who Fly (40:27-31).
  

• 41:1-42:9 gave a more specific introduction to God's case against the idols and to the two servants: one fearful and the other ministering God's justice to the world (42:1-9).

• 42:10-44:22 gives even more specificity as God declares his intention to deliver his people from their distress and to use them as his witnesses against the idols.
• 42:10-43:7 addresses the certainty of God's deliverance.
• 43:8-44:22 deals with how that deliverance will witness for God and against the idols.

(42:10-17) A Hymn of Praise.

42:10-12 Isaiah calls on the whole world to give praise to God.

Barry Webb:

1. God's perfect Servant (1-9).
2. Praise the Lord! (42:10-17).
3. Sinful Israel, the blind and deaf servant (42:18-25).

Derek Kidner [Light for the nations (42:1-17); Inconstant servant and unchanging Lord (42:18-48:22)]

1. The first "Servant Song" (1-9).
2. The world acclaims its Master (10-12).
3. The Lord declares his zeal (13-17).
4. Blind leaders of the blind (18-25).
   

Justice / misphat (Isaiah 42:1,3,4), judge / shaphat, righteousness /tsedeq

• Misphat (justice) (Isa 42:1,3,4): right order, divine truth, the revelation of God, right principles. Justice expresses righteousness in sound precepts.
• Shaphat (to judge) (Isa 2:4): put things to right.
  
• Tsedeq (righteousness) (Isa 9:7): doing the right thing, right practice. Righteousness embodies holiness in sound precepts.

Misphat (justice) and Tsedeq (righteousness) coming together (Isa 5:7) usually means right practice and right principles (Isa 1:21, 27; 9:7; 16:5; 32:1, 16; 35:5; 59:9).

The Messiah's rule is consistently characterized by the administration of justice (Isa 9:7; 11:3-4; 32:1; 42:1,3,4; Ps 72:1-5; Jer 23:5; 33:15). The term justice (misphat) appears to be a fairly straightforward concept, but interpreters have connected this term with a multitude of ideas:

• the general idea of a custom, manner of behavior,
• a place of judgment,
• a case to be presented for judgment,
• the sentence, decision of a case,
• ordinance, laws, rules of behavior,
• a right, privilege of law,
• true religion,
• religious teaching, the rule of salvation; a royal duty of defending the weak and ordering the total "well-being of the community" based on earlier ideals presented in Isa 2:2-4; 11:1-5.
  

God intends to restore justice when his kingdom is introduced (Isa 1:27; 2:2-4; 4:4; 5:16; 11:1-5; 26:9; 28:6; 30:18; 33:5), and this servant will have a key role in accomplishing this goal (Isa 42:1,3,4).

The Hebrew word/noun translated "justice/judgment" (Isa 42:1,3,4) is מִשְׁפָּט (misphat). In many ways it is the antonym of תֹּהוּ (tohu, tohuw), chaos (Gen 1:3; Isa 24:10; 29:21; 34:11; 40:17, 23; 41:29; 44:9; etc). It is much more than merely legality, as "justice" has come to connote in English. Rather, it has the idea of "right order." This is why it is often paralleled to צֶדֶק (tsedeq), which is usually translated "righteousness," but simply has the idea of "doing the right thing." This means that misphat has a much larger pool of connotations than does the word "justice." To be sure, a world where the innocent are punished and the oppressors go free is a world where misphat is lacking. The word contains everything we think of as "justice," but it contains more than that as well.

The verb "judge" (שָׁפַט - shaphat) has the basic meaning of "making an authoritative pronouncement which decides issues." Likewise its noun misphat points to a society in which such a rule prevails. In Isa 42:1,3,4 misphat is the pronouncement itself, the revelation of the Lord's truth (Dt 5:1). Shaphat, therefore, does not have the meaning of "to condemn," to pass an adverse sentence, but to make whatever decision settles a particular issue -- or all issues (Ps 98:9), to "put things to right."

In Judges when the people disobey they are being beaten down by oppressors. They do not experience the kind of right order that God intended in his world. So in response to repentance and faith God sends a champion who will restore them to the kind of life God intended for them. Thus, misphat is restored in the land. So Isaiah is saying that the coming Messiah will do all that is necessary to restore God's right order on the earth.

Idols vs. the Perfect Servant (Isaiah 41:21-29; 42:1-9)

41:21-29 is Isaiah's 2nd statement of his case against idols and 42:1-9 is his 2nd address to the servant of the Lord. The case against idols is similar to the first (Isa 41:7) except that it is considerably more pointed. The address to the servant is very different from the first (Isa 41:8-20), so much so that it is likely to be a different servant being addressed.

The Case Against the Idols (41:21-29)

(41:21-24) Again God calls on the idol worshippers to present their case that the things they worship are really gods (Isa 41:21-22). Here Isaiah strikes directly at the heart of the pagan worldview. He calls on the idolaters to give evidence that their idols have ever specifically predicted the future or give an explanation of the past (Isa 41:22). Since there is neither a sense of purpose or of overarching meaning, there is no possibility of understanding why anything happens. If the past cannot be explained, then neither can the future be predicted (Isa 41:23). Have any of the gods ever given a specific prediction of something that had never happened before but that then subsequently did occur? Of course not. So God mocks them, daring them to do anything at all--either good for their worshippers or frightening against their enemies (Isa 41:23). But there is no answer. So God pronounces judgment (Isa 41:24). These gods are nothing. Their works are worthless. Those who worship them are foolish (detestable, an abomination). In attempting to deify creation, the idol worshippers have actually committed an offense against it.

(41:25-27) God responds to the challenge. God has a plan for history. What will unfold before the exiles' eyes will be the evidence of it. God has brought the conqueror (Isa 41:2; 44:28-45:1) who is coming down on Babylon like a brick-maker or a potter, who jumps into the vat where the clay is and treads it into liquid form (Isa 41:25).

It is one thing to assert that Cyrus's is coming at the direction of Jacob's King (Isa 41:21), but quite another to prove that the assertion is so. To prove this Isaiah declares that none of the idols predicted Cyrus's coming at all (Isa 41:26, 28). By contrast, the God of Israel did make such a prediction in advance (Isa 41:27) through Isaiah his messenger of good tidings in this very writing. The prediction is made in what Isaiah wrote during his own lifetime. Then when that writing is read with opened eyes (Isa 8:16; 29:11-12) amidst its fulfillment during the Exile, 150 years later, it will become its own confirmation.

41:28-29 is the pronouncement of judgment on the idol worshippers. They have been unable to give any answer to the questions God asked (Isa 41:28). There is no one among them who can give evidence that their gods are even in the same category as Yahweh (Isa 41:29). He alone is truly Other, and thus he alone is truly Holy. All who worship something other than the true God are doomed to become like their gods: nothing, worthless, wind and chaos (Isa 41:24,29). Their lives are doomed to become as meaningless as their gods are.

As Address to the Servant (42:1-9)

God's perfect Servant. The "servant of God" theme is one of the riches strands of Isaiah's thought, and it lies right at the heart of his message as it moves to its climax in this second half of the book.

In 41:1-20 the fearful servant needed to be reassured that although Cyrus's coming meant terror for the idol worshippers, it need not cause the servant any fear (Isa 41:10, . In 42:1-9 expands on Yahweh's control of history. Just as God will bring down the Babylonian Empire through Cyrus, so he will bring justice (Isa 42:1,3,4) to the nations  through his servant. The "new things" God will do through his servant (Isa 42:9) is what the gods/idols could never declare in advance, which the Lord can do so with impunity.

The identity of this servant has been the source of endless controversy. The differences between him and the servant Israel are striking. The servant Israel is fearful and blind, yet God loves him and will deliver him so that he can be God's evidence to the nations that he is indeed God. But this Servant who only appears here in ch.40-48 and but three times in ch.49-50, is of a different sort. He is always obedient and responsive to God, his mission is to bring justice to the nations for God, and he is to be a light to the nations and a covenant to the people (Isa 49:6). In contrast to the promises of divine blessing constantly being given to the servant Israel, this servant receives no benefits through his ministry but only increasing difficulty (49:1-7; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). In sum, whoever this is, it is not the nation of Israel; it is another figure altogether.

The reiterated statements are that

• this person is going to bring justice on the earth (Isa 42:1,3,4),
• God's Spirit will be on him (Isa 42:1), and
• his accomplishment of this end will not be through oppression (Isa 42:3).
  

This reminds us of the prophecies of the Messiah in Isaiah 9, 11 and 32, where we have the servant as King, while here we have the king as Servant. The idea that the ends of the earth (the islands), which could not defend the deity of their gods (Isa 41:1), will put their hope/wait for/trust in his law (Isa 42:4) is further indication that this figure is a messianic one (Isa 2:1-5).

The further description of the ministry of this Servant in 42:6-7 confirms that this is not the nation but someone who will function for the nation and indeed for the world. Where Israel was blind and deaf, captive to the powers of this world, this Servant will give sight and freedom. This ministry will be the ultimate revelation of the glory of God, which fills the earth (Isa 6:3) and belongs to no idol (Isa 42:8).

Reference: Oswalt, John N. Isaiah: The NIV Application Commentary. 2003.

Bring Justice to the Nations (Isaiah 42)

"I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth" (Isa 42:1,3,4).

This is the first of Isaiah's four Servant Songs, fulfilled in Christ. He is the servant of the Lord. He is God's alternative to our idols (Isa 41:22). He is not an abomination but a delight (Isa 42:1). He also stands in contrast with Cyprus the conqueror who "steps on people" (Isa 41:25b). But Jesus did not break a bruised reed nor snuff out a smoldering wick (Isa 42:3; Mt 12:15-21).

What does Isaiah mean by the word translated "justice"? "Justice" is the key word in 42:1-4. The Hebrew word translated "justice" in Isa 42:1,3,4 is mishpat. In many ways it is the antonym of "confusion" or "chaos" (Isa 41:29) [tohu]. It is much more than merely legality or legal correctness, as "justice" has come to connote in English. Mishpat is used in Ex 26:30 of the plan for the tabernacle, the blueprint God revealed from Heaven. In an analogous way, God has a blueprint for human existence. God knows how human beings and human society can be at their best. He knows how to make us happy and fulfilled. And through his servant Jesus he's bringing his plan down from Heaven, to reorder human civilization in a beautiful way. God's kingdom will come, and his will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, and we were made for it.

Mishpat includes within its scope all our longings for a better life and a better world. A just world, to Isaiah, is human society as God means it to be, with no corrupting idolatries. Slums, poverty, oppression, illiteracy, pollution, human misery in all its forms prove that we are arranging human life according to idolatrous ideals. That's why people always end up shoving each other into the ground, just as Cyprus (Isa 41:25) and many with power and authority do.

Injustice is more than a political dysfunction. It is a spiritual evil, a denial of God. The world is in such a mess that it's beyond our powers of correction. Yet God desires that we work for a better society (Amos 5:24).

Thus, mishpat has the idea of "right order." This explains why it is often paralleled to tsedeq, which is usually translated "righteousness" but simply has the idea of "doing the right thing." Thus mishpat has a much larger pool of connotations than does our word "justice." To be sure, a world where the innocent are punished and the oppressors go free is a world where mishpat is lacking. The word contains everything we think of as "justice," but it contains more than that as well. Isaiah is saying that the coming Messiah will do all that is necessary to restore God's right order on the earth.

Light for the Nations (42:1-17, 18-25) [Kidner]

1. The first "Servant Song" (1-9).
2. The world acclaims its Master (10-12).
3. The Lord declares his zeal (13-17).
4. Blind leaders of the blind (18-25).
   

The great solution: The Servant's mission to the Gentile world [Motyer]

1. Justice on earth (1-4).
   
2. Confirmation by Yahweh of his plan for his Servant (5-9).
3. The world sings in response (10-12).
4. The cause for praise (13).
5. Yahweh speaks: How he sees his coming actions (14-17).
6. A servant who cannot be the Servant (18-25).
   

God's servant brings justice and is a light to the nations (42:1-13; 14-25) [Smith]

1. God's chosen servant will establish justice on earth (1-4).
2. God's servant will be a covenant and light (5-9).
3. Sing a hymn of praise to glorify God (10-13).
4. The blind are not forsaken (14-17).
   
5. The blind servant's sins result in punishment (18-25).
   

A Delusion, a Servant, a New Song (41:21-42:17) [Ortland]

1. A Delusion (41:21-29): "Behold, they are all a delusion" (41:29).
• God sues the idols for false advertising (21-24).
• God proves his own ability to activate history (25-27).
• God dismisses the idols as a delusion (28-29).
  
2. A Servant (42:1-9).
• The servant will bring perfection to the nations (1-4).
• God will discredit the idols through his servant (5-9).
  
3. A New Song (42:10-17).
• The whole world is invited to worship God (10-12).
• God will rid the world of all idol-worship (13-17).
  

No Other Savior (Isaiah 45-46)

Isaiah 45:1-25; 21b-22; 46:1-13

"And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn [Look] to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other" (Isa 45:21b-22, NIV).

In Isaiah 44-46, Isaiah repeatedly and emphatically declares that apart from God there is no God (Isa 44:6, 8; 45:6, 14, 18, 21-22; 46:4, 9). Isaiah also declares that there is none but God who is man's Savior (Isa 45:21b-22; 46:13). God's salvation is an everlasting salvation (Isa 45:17). How does God save his people?

1. Through humiliation by a foreign power (45:1-8, 13; 44:28).
2. By his sovereign will as man's Maker (45:9-13).
3. By hiding himself and revealing himself (45:14-17, 18-25).
4. By carrying you (46:1-13).
   

References:

1. Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae: Isaiah.
   
2. Isaiah: Title of each chapter and commentary. Matthew Henry Complete Commentary: Isaiah.
   
3. Study Guide for Isaiah 45 (David Guzik): Look To Me and Be Saved. Charles Spurgeon conversion is from Isa 45:22.
1. Look to God who choose Cyrus (1-7).
   
2. Look to God who created everything (8-13).
   
3. Look to the God above all Gods (14-25).
   
4. Study Guide for Isaiah 46 (David Guzik): Dead Idols and the Living God.
   
1. The idols of the nations are carried into captivity (1-7).
2. A call to remember (8-13).
   
5. Outline of Isaiah 45, 46, 47, 48 —The fall of Babylon and rise of Persia. Isaiah 40-51 deliver a series of messages to Judah and the remnant of Israel. Isaiah looks into the next two centuries. He sees beyond the Babylonian captivity to the fall of Babylon, and even predicts that Cyrus king of Persia will return the captives to Jerusalem to rebuild it.
• The last verse of Isaiah 44 names a future king of Persia who would shepherd the remnant of God's people and oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem. All this came to pass.
• The Lord calls Cyrus by name before he has even been born and before the kingdom over which he will reign has risen to power (Isa 45:1-7).
• Cyrus is warned in advance not to argue with God (Isa 45:8-10).
• Cyrus will respect God's purpose and plan, and will co-operate with it to rebuild Jerusalem (Isa 45:11-13).
• God promises that, when Israel has been saved by the Lord, he will give over to Cyrus the idolatrous Egyptian kingdom and other southern nations (Isaiah 45:14-19).
• When God so powerfully brings to pass the purpose he has long ago announced, as he did in the case of Cyrus, all peoples of the earth should acknowledge him, every knee should bow to him (Isa 45:20-25).
• The gods of Babylon like Bel and Nebo, will be useless before Cyrus (Isa 46:1-2).
• Now God tells all the remnant of Israel to listen and remember. He reiterates that he is their true God, not some dumb unmoving idol. He, God, will save them from Babylonian exile when he calls Cyrus from the east, Cyrus the man of God's purpose (Isa 46:3-13).

Isaiah 9-10

Isaiah 9:8-10:34; 10:21

"A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God" (Isa 10:21, NIV).

1. The coming destruction of Israel (9:8-10:4). [The Lord's anger against Israel; His anger is not turned away; The arm of the Lord protects Judah.] For the Lord's people everything depends on their reaction to his word. When the word came to Jacob (Isa 9:8) and they chose rather the way of self-sufficiency (Isa 9:9-10), everything else followed as night follows day. In a four-stanza poem, Isaiah traces out the terrifying consequences of abandoning revealed truth. The four stanzas are marked off by a refrain (Isa 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4).
• National disaster (9:8-12): Arrogance.
• Political collapse (9:13--17): Poor leadership.
• Social anarchy (9:18-21): Terrible judgment.
• Blatant misrule and oppression (10:1-4): Injustice.

Do You See God? (Isaiah 6:1-7)

Isaiah 6:1-7; Key Verse: Isa 6:1,5

"I have seen the Lord...my eyes have seen the King, the Lord God Almighty."

When Isaiah saw God, his life would never be the same again. Let us examine who this God is whom Isaiah saw and what the result is of seeing God. Briefly, our God is holy, and when we see him, we will experience a revival in our soul that will last for an eternity.