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Isaiah 59:1-21

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Isaiah 59:1-21 “Falling to Peaces” Isaiah 59:1-21 At Christmas we celebrate the giving of identified them this way: “‘Love the Lord God’s gift to humanity—his incarnate Son, your God with all your heart and with all Jesus Christ. Giving loved ones something your soul and with all your mind.’ This is I believe all people are they truly need for Christmas is what moti- the first and greatest commandment. And loved by God and need vates us to either go out or go online to do the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as Jesus Christ as their our holiday shopping. It’s also what moti- yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets Savior. vated God on that very first Christmas. He hang on these two commandments” (Mt gave us his Son, so that we might have 24:37-40). “For God so loved the what we desperately need, namely, for- world that he gave his one But when the LORD looked at Israel, all giveness, righteousness, and life in his and only Son, that who- he saw according to Isaiah was religious kingdom and in a new earth, all of which ever believes in him shall observance and injustice. So God asked his come through faith in him. not perish but have people, “Is not this the kind of fasting I eternal life.” We all know the way the world is isn’t have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice the way it should be; neither is it the way and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the we would like it to be. About this year’s oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it Advent series, All is Well, Pastor David not to share your food with the hungry and Daniels writes: “Our world has been con- to provide the poor wanderer with shel- tinually turned upside down by political, ter—when you see the naked, to clothe racial, ethnic and moral conflict. More seri- them, and not to turn away from your own ous than our opposition toward one anoth- flesh and blood?” (58:6-7). Then he told er is our opposition toward God. It was them based on the Mosaic Covenant, which into this war-torn creation that God sent promised blessings for obedience and Jesus, the Prince of Peace. This Christmas cursings for disobedience (Dt 28), “If you at Central Bible Church, we remember how do away with the yoke of oppression, with Jesus brings inward and outward peace so the pointing finger and malicious talk, and that his people, no matter what darkness or if you spend yourselves in behalf of the difficulty they face, can say with confi- hungry and satisfy the needs of the op- dence, ‘All is Well.’” pressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like Our high-tech world is little different the noonday” (vv. 9b-10). from the ancient world of Isaiah’s day—at least as far as God’s expectations and hu- Unfortunately, this they were unable to manity’s failure to meet them is concerned. do; they were unable to meet God’s right- The prophet laments that even in the cove- eous demands. No one, neither Jew nor nant community of Israel truth is nowhere Gentile, neither then nor now, can. No- to be found, and there is no justice. And body’s perfect. People need the LORD to appallingly, there is no one able to step up send a Redeemer—someone to provide sal- and actually do something about it (59:14- vation for humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, 15). What God expected of his people is and to secure fulfillment of his promises to what he expects of all people, namely, obe- Abraham, David, and Jeremiah regarding dience to two great commandments. Jesus his future kingdom. Read Isaiah 59:1-21 After reading the text, practice your Observation Verses 15b-21 skills by noting the following: • Circle “justice” in v. 15b. 15b The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. • Underline “no one” (2x) in v. 16. 16 He saw that there was no one, • Box “so” indicating result in v. 16. he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, • Underline articles of clothing namely, “breastplate,” “helmet,” “garments,” and “cloak” and his own righteousness sustained him. in v. 17. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; • Circle “islands” in v. 18. he put on the garments of vengeance • Box “like” indicating comparison in v. 19. and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. • Circle “covenant” in v. 21. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay What one word would you use to describe the TONE wrath to his enemies of this passage? (i.e., stern, joyful, cautious, etc.) and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, people will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will What word or idea stands out to you in this passage? revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along. 20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” What is one thing you do not understand in this pas- declares the LORD. sage? 21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forev- Try to summarize the THEME of this passage in one er,” says the LORD word. If you were going to describe these verses, you might say, “This text is about ________________.” 1. In Isaiah 59:1-15, the prophet repeatedly laments there is “no justice” in Israel’s society. What does “no jus- tice” in society look like? 2. How does contemporary society compare with Israel’s ancient society? 3. According to 59:16a, the situation seems hopeless. How so? 4. Describe the LORD’s response to his people’s hopeless situation. 5. Who would you say are the objects of the LORD’s “wrath” and “retribution” in verse 18? 6. The execution of judgment will have positive consequences according to verse 19. Describe them. 7. Explain the comparison, “like a pent-up flood” in verse 19. 8. Has the promised Redeemer come to Zion? Explain. 9. Identify the “covenant” referred to in verse 21 and where to find it. 10. Discussion: For what purpose does the Lord give his people his Spirit and his words? Talk about verse 21. what is to be done? Isaiah 59:15b-21, which con- cludes not only 59:1-15a but also the extended pas- sage beginning in 56:1, provides the answer. Isaiah 59 cannot be rightly understood apart from Seeing no one to intervene to save his people its context. Historically, the prophet ministered dur- from their desperate circumstances, the LORD him- ing the reigns of these kings (including coregencies): self decides to intervene (vv. 17-19), for “the arm of Uzziah (790-39 B.C.), Jotham (750-32), Ahaz (735-15), the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull and Hezekiah (715-686), and likely into the sole reign to hear” (v. 1). When used with respect to Israel, of Manasseh (697-42). According to one commenta- “save” has both corporate and individual connotations. tor, “These years in Israel’s history were a time of Corporately it refers to the rescue of the nation Israel, great struggle both politically and spiritually. The God’s covenant people, including the keeping of his Northern Kingdom of Israel was deteriorating politi- promises for their future, which were made to Abra- cally, spiritually, and militarily and finally fell to the ham (Ge 12:1-3, 7; 15:4-5, 9-19), David (2Sa 7:1-17; Ps Assyrian Empire in 722 B.C. Isaiah was aware 89:3-4, 28-37), and Jeremiah (Jer 31:31-37). Individu- (from Deut. 28:49-50, 64-67) that Judah was destined ally it refers to the personal salvation of members of for exile as had recently befallen the Northern King- that community who repent, as well as to all Gentiles dom. His book, then, was direct to two groups of who believe (Ge 12:3; cf., Gal 3:8). people: (a) those of his generation who would who Like a warrior, Isaiah says, the LORD will forth to strayed from the covenantal obligation given them in fight for his people. According to verses 17-19, “God the Mosaic Law, and (b) those of a future generation will take vengeance on His enemies and on those who would be in exile. Isaiah was calling the first forces that opposed His people. He will pay them group back to holiness and obedience, and he was back according to their dealings. While the context comforting the second group with the assurance that refers to deliverance from sin in a general sense, the God would restore the nation to their land and reference to the coastlands [islands NIV] suggests would establish His kingdom of peace and prosperi- that the Lord will also defend and deliver Israel from ty” (John A.
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