These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- New Problem…
- Isaiah told Hezekiah that Babylon would come and take everything – Isaiah 39:6-7
- And as we come to the SECOND major division of the book Isaiah jumps ahead over 100 years…
- No longer writing about the DEFEATED Assyrian army of his day [700 B.C.]
- He writes to the CAPTIVES of Judah who would be carried away to Babylon [586 B.C.]
- And says to them COMFORT – COMFORT my people – Isaiah 40:1
- They had received a DOUBLE dose [Assyria – Babylon] of from the Lord for ALL their sins…
- But their war was over – God had FORGIVEN their INIQUITY!
- Who is like God…
- Their COMFORT – was the HOPE God would PROVIDE a way to save them…
- Yet to a people who were CONQUERED – that seemed IMPOSSIBLE…
- But to the God who can hold all the OCEANS in His hand – measure the UNIVERSE in His span…
- To the God who has ALL knowledge [no one has every taught Him]
- All of the NATIONS of the world [including Babylon] were NOTHING…
- There is NO one – NOT even every nation – that was the EQUAL of God!
- Wait on the Lord…
- For those CAPTIVES sitting for SEVENTY years in Babylon…
- Who felt like God had FORGOTTEN them – and did NOT see their plight…
- The God who KNOWS the name of EVERY star – also KNEW them…
- He was ready to give POWER to the weak – and STRENGTH to those who were faint…
- If they would just WAIT on the Lord [His timing] – He would raise them up like an eagle!
- 1st – The Courtroom… vs. 1-7
- 1st – Medo-Persia… vs. 1-4
- Outline…
- Isaiah 40-48 – Comfort: for a people CAPTIVE in Babylon…
- Isaiah 49-55 – Redemption: for a people CAPTIVE to sin…
- Isaiah 56-66 – Restoration: of Israel and the world
- The Summons… vs. 1
- Keep silence before Me O coastlands – and let the people renew their strength.
- Let them come near – then let them speak. Let us come near together for judgment!
- God called all of the GENTILE nations [אִיִּים] into His COURTROOM…
- He started the proceedings by demanding SILENCE [imperative]
- As they PREPARED their DEFENSE before the LORD…
- They were challenged [imperative] to renew their STRENGTH [contrast] – Isaiah 40:31
- As they came near the Lord to SPEAK [piel] – as they came [cohortative] for JUDGEMENT!
- God is addressing the NATIONS [Babylon] who thought they were MIGHTY…
- Those who DEFIED the Lord – and looked down upon His people [Israel]
- But their STRENGTH [כֹּחַ] came from themselves – and NOT from God!
- The Evidence… vs. 2-3
- Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
- Who gave the nations before him and made him rule over kings?
- Who gave them as the dust to his sword as driven stubble to his bow?
- Who pursued them and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet?
- In response the LORD [the Judge] gave His EVIDENCE against the NATIONS [גּוֹיִם]
- He would cause [hiphil] a CONQUEROR to rise up from the EAST [Medo-Persia]
- God would GIVE [imperfect] him the nations – cause him [hiphil] to RULE over kings…
- With his SWORD – he would reduce their armies [כֶּ] to DUST…
- With his BOW – he would scatter them like CHAFF in the wind…
- He would conquer with little resistance [שָׁלוֹם] through unfamiliar places [road not traveled]!
- Isaiah would go on to NAME this FUTURE King of the Medo-Persian empire – Isaiah 44:28
- Cyrus the great would reign from 559-530 B.C.
- And would conquer THREE major kingdoms including Babylon [539 B.C.]
- The Judge… vs. 4
- Who has performed and done it calling the generations from the beginning?
- I the LORD am the first – and with the last I am He!
- Who did this – calling out CYRUS almost a HUNDRED years before he was BORN…
- The God who has always called [participle] out each generation from the BEGINNING…
- The LORD [יְהוָה] is His name – He was there with the FIRST generation [Adam and Eve]
- And He will be there with the LAST generations [the end]!
- When Nebuchadnezzar became ARROGANT because of the power of BABYLON…
- The Lord warned him in a dream – God had given it all to him and He could take it all away…
- After the KING went MAD for seven years – he had this to say about the LORD!
- Daniel 4:35 – “[God] does according to His will in… heaven – and [on] the earth.”
- The LORD is SOVEREIGN over both – the SPIRITUAL and the NATURAL…
- Looking at the craziness of the world around us – that is a VERY encouraging truth…
- God is NEVER surprised by an election – He never wonders who will win…
- NO one – NO leader – NO nation can do anything apart from the purpose of God!
- 2nd – Fearful nations… vs. 5-7
- Be strong… vs. 5-6
- The coastlands saw it and feared. The ends of the earth were afraid.
- They drew near and came. Everyone helped his neighbor and said to his brother.
- Be of good courage!
- When the GENTILE nations [אִיִּים] SAW [perfect] what the Lord could do…
- Even to the ENDS of the earth – they were [imperfect] AFRAID…
- They were TREMBLING [imperfect] as they came NEAR the LORD…
- Every man tried to COMFORT [עָזַר] those next to him [רֵעַ]
- And to his BROTHER – he kept saying [imperfect] be STRONG [imperative]
- The imagery is of people who KNEW they were about to LOSE!
- Idol makers… vs. 7
- So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith.
- He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil.
- Saying: It is ready for the soldering. Then he fastened it with pegs that it might not totter!
- Why did they need to try and COMFORT each other…
- Because all they had as their DEFENSE against the SOVEREIGN God…
- Were IDOLS that they made with their own HANDS…
- [Sequential] so the CRAFTSMAN who made the IDOL…
- Encouraged [piel] the GOLDSMITH who overlaid it in GOLD…
- And the POLISHER [smooth] kept telling [participle] the one with the HAMMER…
- To add more NAILS so their IDOL would NOT [לֹא] fall over [מוֹט]!
- Often – we look at our PROBLEMS – and we TREMBLE in fear…
- Yet it is our PROBLEMS that should be AFRAID – they are no match for the SOVEREIGN God!
- Psalm 77: 16,19 – “When the Red Sea saw you O God – its waters looked and trembled! Your road led through the sea… a pathway no one knew was there!” [NLT]
- 1st – Medo-Persia… vs. 1-4
- 2nd – Do Not Fear… vs. 8-20
- 1st – Their Hope… vs. 8-10
- My Friend… vs. 8
- You Israel are My servant – Jacob whom I have chosen. The descendants of Abraham My friend!
- God turned his attention from the NATIONS – to His PEOPLE…
- The people of Israel who were the SERVANTS [עֶבֶד] of the LORD….
- WHY – because they were the descendants [seed] of Abraham whom God LOVED [אָהַב]
- And the children of Jacob – whom God CHOSE over Esau – Malachi 1:2-3
- When we look at the lives of these men this can seem confusing…
- Esau seemed to have been a pleasant enough guy – a hardworking man…
- Yet Jacob was NOT a nice guy – he cheated and lied his way through most of life…
- But God knew that Esau would be a worldly man – NEVER interested in the Lord…
- God that Jacob would become a man who would one day follow the Lord!
- God does NOT see us as we are today – God does NOT see us from the outside…
- God sees the heart – He sees us as we WILL BE one day…
- He looks at the man or woman of God He is shaping us to be!
- My Servant… vs. 9
- You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest regions.
- And said to you: You are My servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away!
- God had taken Israel from the farthest ENDS of the EARTH…
- To a people who had been SCATTERED – who were in MANY lands [diaspora]
- And [sequential] He said to them – they were His SERVANT [עֶבֶד]
- The LORD had CHOSEN them – and He would NOT cast them out!
- There are days when we feel FAR from the Lord [scattered]
- And we wonder if the LORD has forgotten about us – if He has CAST us away…
- But the God does NOT change His mind – we are His SERVANTS!
- The Help… vs. 10
- Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God.
- I will strengthen you. Yes I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!
- Therefore – because they were CHOSEN by God – and NOT cast off…
- They were NOT to let [jussive] themselves be AFRAID [יָרֵא]
- The FIRST of THREE times the Lord will say this in this chapter…
- Do NOT be SHOCKED [שָׁעָה] by their CIRCUMSTANCES – instead look to the Lord…
- Their God was with them – and would give them STRENGTH [piel]
- He would HELP them – and HOLD them up with His RIGHTEOUS right hand!
- FEAR is NOT a response – it is a CHOICE – we chose based on what we are LOOKING at…
- If we are looking at our CIRCUMSTANCES – then we choose to be AFRAID…
- If we look to the LORD who is with us – will HELP us – and HOLD us up…
- Then we by FAITH – have nothing to FEAR!
- 2nd – Their enemies… vs. 11-13
- Disgraced… vs. 11
- Behold all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced.
- They shall be as nothing – and those who strive with you shall perish!
- God would take care of their ENEMIES – those who were angry with them [Babylon]
- BEHOLD – they would ALL [כֹּל] be put to SHAME – and CONFUSED…
- They would become [imperfect] as [כְ] NOTHING [אִין]
- ALL the nations that FOUGHT against them would PERISH!
- Nothing… vs. 13
- You shall seek them and not find them – those who contended with you.
- Those who war against you shall be as nothing – as a nonexistent thing.
- For I the LORD your God – will hold your right hand. Saying to you: Fear not I will help you!
- Israel would SEEK [piel] for those who FOUGHT with them…
- But they would NOT be able to find them – because they would as [כְ] NOTHING [אִין]
- Any nation that went to war with Israel would be GONE [אֶפֶס]
- [כִּי] because – the LORD God would HOLD [hiphil] the right hand of Israel…
- Therefore – they were NOT to let [jussive] themselves be AFRAID [second time]
- The LORD was the one who would [perfect] HELP them!
- Assyria came against Israel – and then they were conquered…
- Babylon came against Israel – and they were defeated…
- In fact every nation that ever came against the people of God – were HUMBLED…
- Spain [inquisition] – Russia [pogroms] – Germany [Holocaust]
- God blesses those who bless Israel – He curses those who curse Israel – to this very day!
- Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you.”
- 3rd – Their Victory… vs. 14-16
- Worm… vs. 14
- Fear not you worm Jacob – You men of Israel. I will help you: says the LORD.
- And your Redeemer – the Holy One of Israel!
- They were NOT to let [jussive] themselves be AFRAID [third time]
- Though Jacob – the men of Israel – were just a WORM [תּוֹלָע] – Psalm 22:6
- Yet the LORD would HELP them – the HOLY one would be their REDEEMER [גָּאַל]!
- Ruth was a WIDOW and a MOABITE – and did NOT see herself as WORTHY…
- But BOAZ loved her – and desired to REDEEM [גָּאַל] her – Ruth 3-4
- Why repeat the encouragement NOT to fear THREE times…
- Because we are SLOW to listen – and quick to FORGET…
- We have a hard TIME focusing on the LORD – we tend to look back to our CIRCUMSTANCES…
- We think either our PROBLEMS are too big [captivity in Babylon]
- Or we are just NOT worthy of being helped [Ruth] – but the LORD will REDEEM us!
- Chaff… vs. 15-16
- Behold I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth.
- You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small and make the hills like chaff.
- You shall winnow them – the wind shall carry them away – the whirlwind shall scatter them.
- You shall rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel!
- LOOK – God SET [perfect] Israel as His new threshing instrument [covered in sharp teeth]
- With them He would CRUSH mountains – and the hills would be like CHAFF in the wind…
- Israel would SCATTER them – and the WIND would carry them away…
- Israel was the tool God would use to CRUSH other NATIONS…
- BIG [mountains] and SMALL [hills] would be SCATTERED by them…
- THEN [וְ] Israel would REJOICE in the LORD – and BOAST [הָלַל] the HOLY one of Israel!
- The HOPE of Israel did not rest in their strength or ability….
- Their enemies would vanish – because the LORD held their hand…
- Therefore they would NOT glory in themselves – but in the Holy One of Israel!
- The command to FEAR not – does NOT ignore the size of our problems…
- It is based on the greatness of the presence of God – He is with us…
- We may feel weak – scattered – and overwhelmed…
- But as God holds our hand we are strong enough to face the mountains!
- 4th – Their God… vs. 17-20
- Not forsaken… vs. 17-18
- The poor and needy seek water but there is none. Their tongues fail for thirst.
- I the LORD will hear them. I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
- I will open rivers in desolate heights and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
- I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water!
- The HUMBLE and NEEDY are SEEKING [piel] after water – but there is NONE [אִין]
- Yet the LORD would ANSWER [עָנָה] – the God of Israel would NOT abandon them…
- God would open up RIVERS from the high mountains…
- He would set SPRINGS in the valleys – so there would be POOLS or water in the dry land!
- Hand of the Lord… vs. 19-20
- I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree – the myrtle and the oil tree.
- I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together.
- That they may see and know and consider and understand together.
- That the hand of the LORD has done this – and the Holy One of Israel has created it!
- Not just WATER – God would PLANT seven kinds of TREES…
- What is unique about the list is they are NOT trees that would naturally grow together…
- This is NOT a work of man – this is a work of God…
- Israel would be brough back by God from diverse lands – and planted again…
- So they may SEE and KNOW [יָדַע] – causing them [hiphil] to UNDERSTAND…
- That [כִּי] it was the HAND of the Lord who did [perfect] this – the HOLY one created it [בָּרָא]!
- Isaiah 61:3 – “That they may be called trees of righteousness – the planting of the LORD.”
- If Israel had NEVER gone into captivity – if they had NEVER been uprooted…
- They never would have SEEN God do the IMPOSSIBLE and bring them back!
- No one wants to go through TRIALS – no one wants to SUFFER…
- But the if we never had any PROBLEMS – we would never see God be the ANSWER…
- In our STRUGGLES we get to SEE and KNOW – we understand…
- It is the hand of the LORD – the HOLY one who HELPS us!
- 1st – Their Hope… vs. 8-10
- 3rd – The Contrast… vs. 21-29
- 1st – Useless Idols… vs. 21-24
- The command… vs. 21
- Present your case: says the LORD. Bring forth your strong reasons: says the King of Jacob!
- Having COMFORTED His people – the LORD turns back to the NATIONS…
- COURT was open – and they were commanded [imperative] to PRESENT [piel] their case…
- Bring out [imperative] their BEST [strong] argument [for their gods]
- Because Jacob might have been a WORM – but they were foolish to overlook his KING…
- The LORD was the KING of Jacob [only here in OT]
- The evidence… vs. 22-23
- Let them bring forth and show us what will happen.
- Let them show the former things what they were that we may consider them.
- And know the latter end of them – or declare to us things to come.
- Show the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that you are gods!
- Let the NATIONS bring out their IDOLS – show what they could do…
- Show what the IDOLS have done in the PAST so we can really [cohortative] CONSIDER it…
- Or TELL us [imperative] so we really [cohortative] KNOW what will happen in the FUTURE…
- Tell us so that we can really [cohortative] KNOW if you are GODS [אֱלֹהִים]!
- Do anything… vs. 23
- Yes do good or do evil – that we may be dismayed and see it together!
- YES – do either GOOD or EVIL so that we can really [cohortative] be AMAZED and SEE…
- That challenge was for the GODS of the NATIONS to do ANYTHING…
- The Lord had already given His PROOF – he told them about CYRUS…
- What evidence did the GODS of the nations have – how about their IDOLS!
- When Elijah faced off against the prophets of Baal…
- He mocked when the Baal could NOT even light the FIRE for the sacrifice!
- I Kings 18:27 – “Elijah began mocking them. You will have to shout louder – he scoffed – for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming or is relieving himself.” [NLT]
- Verdict… vs. 24
- Indeed you are nothing and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination!
- BEHOLD – all of the GODS of the nations – their IDOLS are NOTHING [אִין]
- All of the WORK they do is WORTHLESS [because they cannot do anything]
- And those who CHOSE them – become like what the WORSHIP [an Abomination]!
- The world puts their TRUST in things that have ALWAYS failed…
- Their idols cannot explain history – declare the future – or perform any good work…
- Yet people still blindly trust what cannot speak – understand – or save…
- Their gods have been judged in the COURT of the King as WORTHLESS!
- 2nd – Powerful God… vs. 25-29
- Cyrus… vs. 25
- I have raised up one from the north and he shall come.
- From the rising of the sun he shall call on My name.
- And he shall come against princes as though mortar as the potter treads clay!
- The LORD drew the contrast to WORTHLESS idols…
- He could say what would HAPPEN [future] – He would [perfect] RAISE up [Cyrus]
- A man from the North [Medo] who could come from the EAST [Persia]
- He would call upon the name of the LORD – Ezra 1:2
- He would CRUSH kings like [כְּמוֹ] a POTTER pounds clay!
- Knowing the Future… vs. 26-27
- Who has declared from the beginning that we may know?
- And former times that we may say: He is righteous?
- Surely there is no one who shows. Surely there is no one who declares.
- Surely there is no one who hears your words.
- The first time I said to Zion: Look there they are!
- And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings!
- WHO caused [hiphil] the FUTURE to be declared so we could really [cohortative] KNOW…
- And the things that happened BEFORE – we would say He is RIGHT…
- It was certainly NONE [אִין] of their GODS or IDOLS could [hiphil] show it…
- And NONE [אִין] of their PEOPLE told other [hiphil] about it…
- Because NO one [אִין] LISTENED since their IDOLS cannot SPEAK…
- BEHOLD the LORD was the FIRST to bring the GOOD news to ZION and Jerusalem!
- We are called to TESTIFY – we should DECLARE the Good News…
- Because ONLY our God has the ANSWER the world is looking for – Romans 1:16
- Knowing nothing… vs. 28-29
- For I looked and there was no man. I looked among them but there was no counselor.
- Who when I asked of them could answer a word. Indeed they are all worthless.
- Their works are nothing. Their molded images are wind and confusion!
- As God wrapped up the COURT – He looked out at the NATIONS…
- There was NO [אִין] man – NO [אִין] lawyer [counselor]
- Who could answer Him even ONE word when He asked…
- BEHOLD – they were all [כֹּל] WORTHLESS [אָוֶן]
- Their WORKS are like the WIND [empty] – and their IDOLS being confusion!
- We look to COURTS to give a FINAL verdict on a matter…
- God here takes on the case of the NATIONS and IDOLS of this world!
- We can look anxiously at the world around us – or look to the LORD who rules over it…
- Nations rise and fall – rulers make promises they cannot keep…
- And the idols people trust are NOTHING more than wind…
- But the LORD is NEVER surprised – NEVER powerless – and NEVER late…
- He declares the end from the beginning – and remains the King over His people…
- Therefore we do not need to be controlled by fear – we can have COMFORT!
- 1st – Useless Idols… vs. 21-24