JULY 25 ISAIAH 40-43

Isaiah 40-43

Thirty-nine years ago today (It was also a Friday!), Becky and I were married at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Illinois. The candlelight service was 7:30 p.m. and I was so scared that my best man threatened to walk into the sanctuary and marry Becky in my place. These many years later, I’m so thankful God helped me overcome my fears. Happy anniversary, Becky!

Today in Isaiah, we turn a corner so sharp that some commentators don’t believe that the original Isaiah wrote the rest of the book. They refer to Isaiah 40-66 as “Second Isaiah.” They base this on a perceived difference in tone and vocabulary.

And it’s true: from Isaiah 40 on, the prophet sounds more hopeful with even more advance peeks into the Messiah’s glory. But to say that Isaiah 40-66 was written by someone else is to ignore all the elements of continuity between the first and second parts of the prophecy. For one thing, the oldest manuscript we have of Isaiah (from the Dead Sea Scrolls, c. 200 B. C.), has no break whatsoever between chapters 39 and 40. 

That reminds me of a wonderful coincidence. Just as there are 66 books in the Bible, there are 66 chapters in Isaiah. Just as there are 39 books in the Old Testament, there are 39 chapters in the first part of Isaiah. Just as there are 27 books in the New Testament, so there are 27 chapters in the second part of Isaiah. AND, just as there is continuity between the Old and New Testaments, there is continuity between the sections of Isaiah. The God of the Old Testament is not simply the vengeful, wrathful God some make Him out to be; nor is the God of the New Testament without wrath and judgment. The same is true for God in the two parts of Isaiah! It is just wrong to say that Isaiah 1-39 is all judgment and Isaiah 40-66 is all mercy. 

True, Isaiah 40 begins with “comfort” for those who have experienced the punishment of Jerusalem’s destruction and the nation’s exile. How can this be? Isaiah died before these events. Someone else must have written chapter 40-66. My answer is simple: God knows the future and could easily have revealed it to Isaiah, giving him words that would one day comfort the exiles. Once cannot read Isaiah 40 without s sense of God’s greatness and our smallness. Try it. You’ll see.

Chapters 40-43 contain some of the most beloved promises and passages in the Bible. Read them slowly and carefully. Watch for Isaiah 40:31, 41:8-13; 42:1-9 (The first of the Servant Songs of the Messiah, which we’ll talk about tomorrow!), and 43:1-7. See if you don’t sense the Lord speaking directly to you!

This weekend, we read more of the Servant Songs!

Your fellow pilgrim through the Prophets,
Pastor Gary