Suggested Readings To Read Through The Bible In A Year
Wednesday August 6, 2008 Isaiah 41-43
Thursday August 7, 2008 Isaiah 44-47
Friday August 8, 2008 Isaiah 48-51
Saturday August 9, 2008 Isaiah 52-58
Sunday August 10, 2008 Isaiah 59-62
Monday August 11, 2008 Isaiah 63-66
Wednesday August 6, 2008 Isaiah 41-43
Chapters 1-39 of the book of Isaiah are filled with warnings of judgment to come upon nations that forget to worship the only true and living God. There are a few bright moments in the first part of this great book when we are told that God is going to send a son to redeem his people – but for the most part we read of the judgment of the nations, Israel and Judah included.
Chapter 40 marks a division in the book. Chapters 40-66 are so different in content that some have difficulty believing that they were written by the same man who wrote the first 35 chapters. The evidence though is overwhelming that it was indeed Isaiah who wrote all 66 chapters of this great book. Chapters 40 through 66 are all about redemption and restoration. There are some who have called this section of Isaiah the New Testament section of Isaiah. They note the fact that there are 27 chapters - there are 27 books in the New Testament. Chapter 40 begins with the prophecy of John the Baptist - Matthew 3 tells of his arrival and preaching. The main theme of Isaiah 40 through 66 is Jesus Christ and the plan of redemption. Some of the greatest prophecies about Christ are in this section of this book in the Bible. Isaiah 53 is the most vivid description of Jesus going to the cross found in the Old Testament. This section is filled with the promise of restoration and redemption.
Up through chapter 39 Isaiah focuses a great deal upon Assyria - how they will overthrow nations and then be overthrown themselves. In chapter 40 Isaiah begins talking about events that are still 150 to 200 years in the future. He begins to comfort the people of Judah with the fact that though they will be taken captive by the Babylonians there will come a day when Cyrus will overthrow Babylon and send the Jews home. Isaiah foretold the name of the Persian king 200 years before he was born. Not only does Isaiah foretell of the rise and fall of Babylon, he foretells the coming of the Messiah who is going to redeem all the peoples of the earth from their sins. For example, the first few verses of chapter 42 are clearly a prophecy of the ministry of Jesus.
As we read through these last chapters of Isaiah there are a few things I would like to encourage you to watch for.
1. Watch for how many times the Lord says FEAR NOT – or words to that effect. It was a time in history when powerful nations rose up and set about to conquer the world. But God wanted his people to understand that he is indeed in control of it all. That is something that you and I need to be mindful of in this day and age!
2. Watch for how many times God points out the vanity of trusting in idols. The tendency of the people of God could have been to come to the conclusion that since these Gentile nations were so powerful that their gods must be powerful. God reminds them of his greatness and points out the foolishness of worshiping something that one has crafted with their own hands from a piece of wood or a rock. Repeatedly God points out that he is true and there is no other god to be compared to him.
3. Watch for the promises of redemption and restoration from the exile to Babylon. There will be references to Cyrus and the fall of Babylon, as well as the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
4. Watch for descriptions of the Messiah who will save the nations (that is Jesus). There will be many of them in this section of Isaiah.
5. Watch for the descriptions of the greatness of God. Isaiah is used by the Lord to point out several aspects of his greatness. In chapter 40 it is the greatness of his Person. In chapter 41 it is the greatness of his Purpose. In chapters 42-43 it is the greatness of his Pardon. In chapters 44-45 it is the greatness of his Promises. In chapter 46-48 it is the greatness of his Power.
These last 27 chapters of Isaiah contain some great words of comfort that we all should put to memory and claim as our own on the basis of the fact that we are his children. One of those sections is found in chapter 43:1-3. It would really be great to memorize this part of those verses
Isaiah 43:1-3
But now, this is what the Lord says– . . .
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
[2] When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
[3] For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; . . .
What a privilege to be able to say, He is my God – and He is my Savior!