Sunteți pe pagina 1din 6

Isaiah

This study will attempt to answer the interpretive question, “Based on the book of

Isaiah, how did Isaiah [how did Isaiah want his readers to] picture God?” The final answer

will be postulated by looking at the three main sections of Isaiah individually. These sections

are as follows: First Isaiah (1-39); Deutero-Isaiah (40-55); and Trito-Isaiah (56-66). The

perspectives drawn from these sections will be synthesized to offer a viewpoint of how Isaiah

and his readers would envision God.

First Isaiah (Chapters 1-39)

Chapters 1-6 portray God as One who judges the wayward but also offers restoration

because of covenant. Judah and Jerusalem will be disciplined because they have failed to

keep covenant. Judah and Jerusalem had grown arrogant and put their sin on public display

(Isaiah 3:9). God says, through Isaiah, that Israel has less spiritual awareness than animals

(Isaiah 1:3-6). But a time of harsh and humiliating discipline was in order (Isaiah 3:4, 12) for

these wayward children (Isaiah 1:2b). God’s discipline; however, would serve as an

instrument for the future glory of God’s people.

When the discipline had run its course Israel will be called “holy,” the “filth of the

women” and the “bloodstains” would be washed away (4:2-4). The Lord would then “create”

for His children a “flaming fire” and a “cloud of smoke” around that would be a shelter from

the “storm and rain” (4:5-6). Before this future glory would be revealed Judah and Jerusalem

would have to answer for their sins.

Isaiah vividly portrays the sinfulness of Israel by the recurring use of the word “woe”

(Chapter 28-33).

• Woe to Ephraim (Chapter 28) because of its pride. Not even the leaders would escape
God’s judgment.
• Woe to David’s City (Chapter 29) because those who live their only worship God
with their mouth and lips but it is heartless worship (v. 13b).
• Woe to the obstinate children (Chapter 30) who “carries out plans that are not mine”
(v. 1).
• Woe to those who would partner with Egypt and not trust the Lord (Chapter 31-32).
But even in this list of “woe” (judgment) there are glimpses of a future restoration. Ephraim

will see a day where Lord will be a “glorious crown” (Isaiah 29:5). The enemies of David’s

City will become like “fine dust” (Isaiah 30:5). The obstinate children who have “rejected

God’s message” (Isaiah 30:12), who fail to repent (Isaiah 30:15) and who trust in Egypt

(Isaiah 31:1) will see “a king” who will “reign in righteousness” (Isaiah 32:1).

The same theme of judgment and restoration is shown in Chapters 24-27. Chapter 24

opens with God’s judgment to “lay waste the earth” (v. 1). This section ends though with the

powerful promise of restoration (Isaiah 27:13). There is a recurring use of the word “earth”

and how it will dry up (Isaiah 24:4); be defiled by the people (Isaiah 24:5); and its residents

will be “burned up;” (Isaiah 24:6). Yet after judgment come voices of praise (24:14) and

songs of exaltation (Chapters 25-26) and finally the deliverance of God’s people from those

nations that served as instruments of God’s chastisement (Chapter 27; also see Chapters 13-

23).

Chapter 38 provides, through the life of Hezekiah, a visual metaphor of God’s

judgment and restoration. One might imply God’s word to Hezekiah of impending death due

to illness as judgment (Isaiah 38:1). Further, Hezekiah’s willingness to pray and call on the

Lord could be taken as a reminder of covenant (Isaiah 38:2-3). God’s response of adding

fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life is an act of restoration; after all, the death sentence had been

delayed (Isaiah 38:4-6). Hezekiah, like Israel, did not steward the promises or mercy of God

and his spiritual awareness become completely dull (Isaiah 38:8).

Therefore, First Isaiah portrays through recurrence/repetition the powerful picture of a

God who both tears down in judgment but rebuilds by restoration. This would imply that

God’s character is to love. The writer of Hebrews picks up on this theme of fatherly love

when he admonishes them to “endure hardship as discipline” (Hebrews 12:7). He further

asserts that God’s discipline is proof of His love and of our adoption as sons (Hebrews 12:8-
11).

Deutero-Isaiah (Chapters 40-55)

Chapters 40-48 portray a God who is sovereign and the redeemer of His chosen. The

section contains sort of an inclusio. In 40:10 calls God the “Sovereign Lord” comes with

power to rule and give rewards but also with recompense. The implication might be He is

coming to redeem His people from their pathetic state. The end of the section portrays God as

a “Sovereign Lord” who urges His chosen to come near and listen to what the Redeemer has

to say and flee Babylon (48:16-22).

This redemption would come through the instrument of an immeasurably powerful

shepherd God who is not just “Sovereign Lord” (Chapter 40). Chapter 41 asserts this same

Lord has “chosen” Israel and not “rejected” her (v. 9b). The writer portrays God as one who

gives “strength to the weary” (41:28-31) and comes to the aid of Israel (Chapter 41). God is

also portrayed as a warrior who marches out like a “mighty man” and raises the “battle cry”

(Isaiah 42:13). God is the One who will save Israel when they “pass through” waters and fire

(Isaiah 42:1-2) and encourages Israel to not be afraid because He will redeem them and not

forsake them (Isaiah 42:3-13). Even though Israel would be carried away by Babylon God

would “summon” His chosen and be their “redeemer.”

Recurring Words In This Section

1. Chosen – (only as it relates to Israel: 41:8, 9; 42:1; 43:10, 20; 44:1, 2; 45:4; 48:14)

2. Redeemer – (41:14; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17)

In Chapters 49-55 the writer describes God in many different ways. Chapter 49 shows

Him as the Redeemer who has chosen Israel (v. 7) and as a mother who does not forget her

young (v. 15). Chapter 50 shows God who is powerfully able to reach to the lowest depths to

restore His people (vv. 2-3). This chapter also contains the recurring phrase, “Sovereign

Lord” (vv. 4, 5, 7, 9). This “Sovereign Lord” gives the servant an “instructed tongue;” opens
his (the servants) ears; helps me (the servant) not to be disgraced; and helps me (the servant)

so that others cannot condemn. The KJV renders these same verses as “Lord GOD” as does

the ESV, NASB and RSV but the NIV and NLT render as “Sovereign Lord.”

The remaining chapters of this section (51-55) seem to depict God as one who offers

promises. He promises who promises “everlasting salvation” (Isaiah 51:6b). God also

promises that the “ransomed of the Lord will return” and do so with rejoicing (51:11). He is

the God who promises “comfort” from the fear of “mortal men” (51:12). Chapter 52 tells the

reader that God will redeem His people quickly. All of this culminates in the promise that

Zion will one day be returned to her former glory. God promises to no longer be angry at

Israel (54:9-10) and establish them in righteousness (54:14). The writer summarizes the

purpose of God by likening it to the work of a blacksmith. The hammer and the anvil are

instruments of brutality that produce something useful and/or beautiful. Therefore, God’s use

of nations and enemies was for the purpose of making Israel useful and beautiful.

Deutero-Isaiah shows us a God who promises to redeem His chosen. This process was

accomplished through the instrumentality of enemy nations who now would no longer

propser against God’s chosen.

Trito-Isaiah (Chapters 55-66)

This section seems to portray God as one who calls His people back to covenant by

contrasting the true and false worship then detailing the benefits for responding in

truthfulness. Chapter 58 shows God instructing His people to realign their motives for their

worship. He contrasts the ritualistic fasts that are used as an excuse to neglect the poor and

needy. God then calls them to a chosen fast wherein they would put away false worship and

be a shining light of true worship to the disenfranchised. Chapter 59 seems to be a call to

repent of the sin of neglecting the poor and using God’s command to do justice.

Chapters 60-62 reveals God’s call to Israel consider what the benefit of true worship,
here are a few from Chapter 60,

• The foreigners will rebuild your walls and their kings will serve you (60:10)

• Your gates will stand open and never shut (60:11)

• The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down before you (60:14)

• No longer will violence be heard of in your land and no ruin or destruction in your

borders (60:

• God will make Israel an “everlasting pride” (60:15b)

• The Lord will be your “everlasting light” (60:19, 20)

• The least of you will become a thousand; a nation (60:22)

• The fulfillment of these promises will be swift (60:22b).

Chapters 63-66 seem to speak of a God that comes to His people. Chapter 63-65

speak of one who comes in “splendor” and his garments “stained crimson” who has

destroyed the enemies. In these chapters we see a God who is mighty to save, who will bring

not only judgment on the enemies but also salvation to all mankind. There is also a future

promise of a “new heaven and new earth” (Isaiah 65:17). These new places will be full of joy

and be free of labor (Isaiah 65:20-24) and even enemies in the animal world will live in

harmony (Isaiah 65:25). In contrast Chapter 66 reveals the awful judgment awaiting those

who “have chosen their own ways” (v. 3b). Israel is told to listen for the “uproar” because it

is the sound of God “repaying the enemies all they deserve” (Isaiah 66:6).

Therefore, Trito-Isaiah reveals to the reader a God who calls His people back to true

worship, to renewed covenant and to grasp the promises He has made to bless the righteous

and repay the enemy.

Summary:

It appears that Isaiah paints a multi-faceted picture of God to the original audience.

God judges and disciplines wayward children but does not leave them hopeless. He promises
that the discipline has a purpose: restoration and redemption. God is also described as one

who keeps His promises and is powerful enough to fulfill them and much, much more.

To put together a composite picture of what seems to be expressed about God in

Isaiah is difficult but an attempt will be made. The God Isaiah portrays is one who will go t

any length to keep His promises to His chosen people. He will use whatever means are

necessary to bring them to the place where His chosen will choose redemption. This implies a

God who is loving but also One who fails to see the humor in sin, and thus, deals with His

adopted sons in a way to bring them to back into relationship.

S-ar putea să vă placă și