Highlights from the Book of Isaiah, Part 2

This is part 2 of my highlights from the book of Isaiah. Like part 1, this article is also filled with gems that are so relevant and valuable to us and our world today. 

Chapters 13-26 Highlights

Chapters 13-21 and 23-24 are warnings and promises aimed at various nations surrounding Israel and the inhabited earth in general. Chapter 22 is directed to Jerusalem. 

25:1-5

This is Isaiah’s testimony of praise to God poured out from his personal relationship with Him. 

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. (Isaiah 25:1)

Isaiah recognizes God’s faithfulness and eternal sovereignty. In the verses that follow, Isaiah gives examples of what he has seen that God promised would happen and did in his lifetime. 

Those who stayed true to the God of Israel or returned to Him will have their tears wiped away (verse 8). And there will be rejoicing.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)

Salvation in this Old Testament usually refers to deliverance from danger or bad situations. Those who trusted in God during the enemies’ attacks and saw how God delivered them are openly praising and thanking God for His goodness. This leads to rejoicing and glad hearts. We see this a lot in the psalms and in the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles. 

For more information about this time period and how deliverance leads to rejoicing, lead the article, “1 and 2 Chronicles • The Value of a Reboot.”

26:1-19

There is more rejoicing in this chapter. And peace is available to those who trust in their God. 

You (God) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

When you are steadfastly trusting in God, He gives you His peace. Consider God to be your rock. As a geologist, I picture a mountain of granite or gneiss, which is even harder and more resistant to erosion. Our God is that solid, that trustworthy. 

Why doesn’t everyone look at God’s goodness and automatically turn to Him with trusting hearts? In chapter 26, I read some of the most astounding verses that are obviously still true.

When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord. Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. (Isaiah 26:9-11) 

Stubborn and foolish people do not learn God’s lessons through His grace but by His judgments. Even in a land of uprightness (upholding laws applying to everyone), the wicked do not learn uprightness for themselves. They go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord. Though God’s grace is shown to the wicked (as well as to the righteous), they do not learn from His grace. With hardened hearts, they are being deliberately foolish, not wanting to learn from the righteous living among them. America is a land filled with God’s grace. The wicked flaunt their freedom and self-righteousness. Only a change of heart will affect their lives. They don’t fear the judge behind the grace. They don’t acknowledge His goodness to them. How sad to live that way!

Read more about this in these articles, “2 Chronicles 26-28 • Subdue That Boastful Pride of Life” and “Nehemiah 7-13 • Rebellious Hearts Spurn God’s Grace.”

Then, there is the reference to resurrection in verse 19.

But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise—let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy—your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)

What a promise to the faithful followers of God! We will rise from the dead one day. Jesus talked about this prophecy of resurrection of the dead—first for Himself then for His followers. Paul described what will happen to all believers, dead or alive, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 

Read more about the future resurrection of the believers in this article, “1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 • Perspective on Death and the Rapture.”

Chapters 27-32 Highlights

30:15-21

The people had been ignoring their spiritual teachers, priests and prophets encouraging them to stay faithful to God. In Him would be both rest and strength. But a time would come when they would no longer ignore godly teaching. 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. … Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! … Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:15, 18, 20-21)

God longs to be gracious to people. Trusting Him during times of trouble give us both rest and strength. Verse 21 especially grabbed my attention. It reminded me of the work of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. God lives inside us by way of His Spirit who leads us to both understand and follow God’s Word and His ways. “This is the way; walk in it.” I love that privilege! Do you?

32:1-10

Verses 7-8 grabbed my attention.

Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand. (Isaiah 32:7-8)

You are known by what you do—the fool by her folly and heresy; the noble by her good deeds. Scoundrels will take advantage of your tender heart to do whatever they can to suck you into their schemes. Beware the causes you support. Don’t get sidetracked by cultural issues. Let the unbelievers fund those things. Compromise with the world is usually subtle and tricky.

The women of Acts 13 were tricked into supporting a cause that opposed God. Read about it here, “Acts 13 • Support Causes Aligned with God’s Purpose.” 

There are many noble women in the Bible including some who lived during Isaiah’s lifetime. They made noble plans and make noble decisions that have been recorded for us. 

But women can also get lured into complacency with a false sense of security. Isaiah addressed this in verses 9-11. 

You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say! In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come. (Isaiah 32:9-10)

God gave the women a year’s warning of the disaster coming to shake them out of their complacency. That is grace! Security is so important to us women. How many times have you wanted a heads-up about what you would be facing in the future so you can prepare for it now? I have. That is why we must trust in God to lead us daily. 

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Isn’t that true!

Chapters 33-43 Highlights

33:2

Isaiah prayed a prayer that is applicable to us today.

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 32:2)

Chapter 35 describes the joy of the redeemed—future in the kingdom. But we can experience the same joy today because as Christians, we have already been redeemed. And there is more gladness and joy in our future. 

Chapters 36-39 are narratives regarding history during the reign of Hezekiah. God’s powerful presence was with them and defeated the strong Assyrian army brilliantly! 

Read about this from Hezekiah’s time, “2 Chronicles 29-33 • Unstoppable Power of God’s Forgiveness.”

Chapter 40 is filled with famous verses that give encouragement and comfort to all of God’s people. 

v. 3—The promise of “one calling in the wilderness” fulfilled by John the Baptist 

v. 8—“The grass withers and the flowers fail, but the word of our God endures forever.”

vv. 28-31—

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. … He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Our personal God gives strength to each one who has need of Him. What a promise!

43:1-11

I love these verses. You probably do too. Though addressed to the Jews, we know God loves us in the same way as His children because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are the redeemed also. 

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 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. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; (Isaiah 43:1-3

Then, God speaks to the people reminding them that He is God alone. There are no other gods out there. 

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11)

Our God is the only savior to whom anyone can call upon for help. He is the only one who can foretell events then make them happen exactly as foretold.

Read more in “Highlights from the Book of Isaiah, Part 3.” 

Study about the time period in which Isaiah wrote in the Reboot Renew Rejoice Bible Study