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 ]