ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD PROMISES COMFORT TO HIS PEOPLE ISAIAH CHAPTER S 40 TO 48 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 48 ISRAEL’S EMPTY RELIGION V1 The *Lord says, ‘Listen to this, you family of Jacob. You are called “Israel”. You come from the *tribe called “Judah”. You make solemn (serious... [ Continue Reading ]
The people received their new name from the *Lord (see Genesis 32:28). Therefore they ought to be true to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
But the people’s behaviour does not match their word. • The Book of Isaiah emphasises the *Lord’s special name ‘Commander of Heaven’s Forces’, over 60 times. See my note on Isaiah 44:6. THE *LORD HAS ANNOUNCED WHAT WILL HAPPEN V3 ‘Long ago I declared that certain events would happen. I made know... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘certain events’ included such incidents as the promise to Abraham of land and a vast family (see Genesis 13:15-16). And the rescue of the people from Egypt (see Exodus 3:8). • God’s action may have seemed ‘sudden’ to *human beings. But here the word ‘sudden’ simply means ‘God saw that the time... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord uses a powerful picture in words. The people were totally unwilling to change their opinions. So the *Lord says that their heads and necks were like metal. It is very difficult to bend metal, because it is too firm. And the people had such firm opinions that nobody could change their minds... [ Continue Reading ]
Much popular religion in Israel believed that *idols controlled events. The *Lord is denying that this is true. Only he can say what will happen in the future. Only he can announce events before they happen. No *idol has ever done that. THE *LORD’S WORDS CAME TRUE V6 ‘You heard what I announced. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Of course, the phrases ‘you heard’ and ‘you saw’ refer to *ancestors before Isaiah’s day. But reports of what God had done in earlier centuries were well-known to Isaiah’s audience.... [ Continue Reading ]
Only the *Lord could announce new events. Because it was he who was arranging them. THE *LORD PROTECTS HIS NAME V8 ‘You have never listened to me. So I have never been able to trust you. V9 But because of my name, I will hold back my anger. And because of my honour, I will still be patient. I will... [ Continue Reading ]
To ‘listen’ to another means more than ‘to take in information’. To listen includes ‘to understand and to show clearly that you agree by your actions’.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the Bible, the word ‘name’ does not merely mean the word that we may use to call someone. It also means that person’s honour, character and authority. So when the *Lord protects his name, he is acting to defend the honour of his most holy character. The *Lord chose Israel to be his special peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
Like other passages, this verse speaks of God as ‘beginning’ and ‘end’, or as ‘First’ and ‘Last’. Such phrases often appear in passages about the *Lord’s control of events, both in the past and the future. (See my note on Isaiah 41:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
God created the world by his Word (see Genesis chapter 1, and John 1:1-2). And what God creates, he continues to control (see Isaiah 44:24-28).... [ Continue Reading ]
When God calls someone to do some task for him, God also helps that person to carry out the task. THE *LORD’S PLAN FOR ISRAEL V16 ‘Come to me. Listen to what I am saying. In the past I did not use words that were unclear. I spoke plainly about events that would happen. At the right moment those ev... [ Continue Reading ]
The reference to future events repeats what the *Lord has just said (see my note on Isaiah 48:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
This gives some details of the help that God will provide. The help will be completely sufficient. But it is necessary for people to accept the help that God offers. ISRAEL’S FAILURE TO OBEY GOD V18 ‘If you had only listened to my commands, your life would have been like a full river. Such a river... [ Continue Reading ]
Unfortunately, the people would not obey the *Lord’s instructions. The result was that the people lost a wonderful future. And instead of happiness, the people became miserable prisoners in a foreign country for many years. THE *LORD RESCUES HIS PEOPLE V20 Get away from Babylon! Go with great joy!... [ Continue Reading ]
Cyrus has already taken control of other territories. In these places, he found many people that earlier enemies had taken away from their own countries. Cyrus allowed them to return home. • The *Lord tells his people that they must not delay. They are to return home when Cyrus gives them the oppor... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord reminds his people how he looked after them in the past. He always supplied the things that they needed, even in the desert (see Exodus 17:1-7).... [ Continue Reading ]
But God’s promises are not for people who refuse to give up their wicked behaviour. LORD ~ God’s personal name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s name ‘Lord’ means ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’. TRIBE ~ group of the later family of one father. JERUSALEM ~ at the time of David and Solom... [ Continue Reading ]