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October 2011 Lessons of Isaiah: Portrait of a Saint “The fruit of righteousness will be peace.” King Ahaz of Judah wanted troubled sea, when it cannot detestable to me. New peace. Instead he was sur- rest, whose waters cast up Moons, Sabbaths and convo- rounded by enemies. The kings mire and dirt. There is no cations — I cannot bear your of Aram and Israel had made a peace, saith my God, to the evil assemblies. (Isaiah 1:13 pact together to attack Jerusalem. wicked. (Isaiah 57:20-21 NIV) The Philistines were raiding the KVJ) “…wash and make your- towns of Judah. Edom was at- Isaiah was called to be a prophet selves clean. Take your evil tacking him from the south. at the end the reign of Uzziah, deeds out of my sight! Stop Many of his people were taken grandfather of Ahaz. He brought doing wrong, learn to do captive by the Arameans and the message of God to Judah and right! Seek justice, encour- 120,000 of his soldiers were Jerusalem through the reigns of age the oppressed. Defend killed. Ahaz was not like his Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. the cause of the fatherless, forefather David, nor like his Much had happened in Israel and plead the case of the widow. grandfather Uzziah and father Judah since the building of the Come now, let us reason to- Jotham. Instead of serving the LORD’s Temple by King Solo- gether," says the LORD. one true God he worshipped the mon 200 years before. The "Though your sins are like Baals and sacrificed his sons in northern ten tribes of Israel had scarlet, they shall be as white the fires of Moloch in the valley rebelled against the ruling house as snow; though they are red of Ben Hinnom. In his troubles, of David and Solomon and had as crimson, they shall be like instead of seeking help from the formed their own kingdom. Dur- wool. If you are willing and Almighty God, he tried to buy the ing this time evil and wickedness obedient, you will eat the help of the King of Assyria by had reigned in Israel and only a best from the land; but if you sending him the gold and bronze few kings of David’s lineage in resist and rebel, you will be from the Temple of the LORD. Judah in the south were true to devoured by the sword." For He also built altars for and wor- God. This was now the time of the mouth of the LORD has shipped the gods of Damascus God’s judgment against Israel by spoken. (Isaiah 1:16-20 thinking the idols would deliver the hand of the Assyrians and NIV) him. God sent his prophets including In these words the frustration of Isaiah, Micah, and Hosea to warn God with his people is heard. He In the midst of all this turmoil, both Israel and Judah of the wanted them to turn and do right. God sent Isaiah the prophet to pending destruction. He would forgive them and Ahaz with a message. The mes- cleanse them if they would just sage for Ahaz was not good. In The first five chapters of the seek him and do justly. As Isaiah fact he was told that worse things book of Isaiah bring charges delivered these words to the peo- were coming: against the people of Judah and ple, he would marvel at God’s Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, Jerusalem for their wickedness patience and compassion with you house of David! Is it not and call for their repentance. this sinful nation. enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the pa- Ah, sinful nation, a people In chapter 6 of his prophecy, tience of my God also? … loaded with guilt, a brood of Isaiah records the vision of the The LORD will bring on you evildoers, children given to glory of God that was given to and on your people and on corruption! They have for- him. He heard the seraphs de- the house of your father a saken the LORD; they have clare: "Holy, holy, holy is the time unlike any since Eph- spurned the Holy One of Is- LORD Almighty; the whole earth raim broke away from Judah rael and turned their backs is full of his glory." He felt the — he will bring the king of on him. (Isaiah 1:4 NIV) temple doorposts shake at the Assyria." (Isaiah 7:13…17 sound of their voices. He was NIV) Stop bringing meaningless filled with awe and at the same But the wicked are like the offerings! Your incense is (Continued on Page 2) Page 1 (Continued from page 1) tremble; and the earth will shake By God’s plan and purpose the time knew that he was completely from its place at the wrath of the earth will one day be filled with unworthy to see such glory. As LORD Almighty, in the day of his his glory and power: In the last Isaiah humbles himself before his burning anger.” (Isaiah 13) days the mountain of the LORD's God, God sends a seraph to re- temple will be established as chief move his guilt and purge his sin. The LORD longs to be gracious among the mountains; it will be Now Isaiah is ready to be God’s to his people: This is what the raised above the hills, and all na- messenger. Through Isaiah, the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One tions will stream to it. (Isaiah 2) glory of God is revealed to those of Israel, says: "In repentance and They will neither harm nor de- who humble themselves and lis- rest is your salvation, in quietness stroy on all my holy mountain, for ten to his message: and trust is your strength, but you the earth will be full of the knowl- would have none of it…Yet the edge of the LORD as the waters The LORD is God and there is no LORD longs to be gracious to cover the sea… In that day the other: “I am the LORD, and there you; he rises to show you com- Root of Jesse will stand as a ban- is no other; apart from me there is passion. For the LORD is a God ner for the peoples; the nations no God. I will strengthen you, of justice. Blessed are all who will rally to him, and his place of though you have not acknowl- wait for him! O people of Zion, rest will be glorious. (Isaiah 11) edged me, who live in Jerusalem, you will “…and the ransomed of the so that from the rising of the sun weep no more. How gracious he LORD will return. They will en- to the place of its setting men may will be when you cry for help! As ter Zion with singing; everlasting know there is none besides me. I soon as he hears, he will answer joy will crown their heads. Glad- am the LORD, and there is no you.(Isaiah 30) ness and joy will overtake them, other. I form the light and create and sorrow and sighing will flee darkness, God is sending a redeemer—a away.” (Isaiah 35) I bring prosperity and create dis- messiah—one who would save But Israel will be saved by the aster; I, the LORD, do all these his people from their sins: LORD with an everlasting salva- things.” (Isaiah 45) “For to us a child is born, to us a tion… For this is what the LORD son is given, and the government says — he who created the heav- God loves righteousness and jus- will be on his shoulders. (Isaiah ens, he is God; he who fashioned tice and hates iniquity and evil: 9) and made the earth, he founded it; "For I, the LORD, love justice; I “A shoot will come up from the he did not create it to be empty, hate robbery and iniquity…For as stump of Jesse; from his roots a but formed it to be inhabited — the soil makes the sprout come up Branch will bear fruit. he says: "I am the LORD, and and a garden causes seeds to The Spirit of the LORD will rest there is no other. (Isaiah 45) grow, so the Sovereign LORD on him — the Spirit of wisdom will make righteousness and and of understanding, Isaiah lived in a time of horren- praise the Spirit of counsel and of dous wickedness and deceit but spring up before all nations. power, the Spirit of knowledge even at this time God reached out (Isaiah 61) and of the fear of the LORD — to his people. Through Isaiah and he will delight in the fear of God declares his righteousness The day of God’s judgment the LORD.” (Isaiah 11) and compassion, his plans and against the wicked is coming: “But he was pierced for our trans- purpose to reveal his glory. “See, the day of the LORD is gressions, he was crushed for our Through the gift that was given to coming — a cruel day, with wrath iniquities; the punishment that Isaiah in these prophecies, people and fierce anger — to make the brought us peace was upon him, throughout the ages have been land desolate and destroy the sin- and by his wounds we are able to see just a glimpse of the ners within it… I will punish the healed.” glory of the everlasting God. world for its evil, the wicked for (Isaiah 53) There is no peace to the wicked their sins.
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