You can find a one-year Bible reading plan here.
…and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21, quoting Isaiah 61
What do we make of the final half of Isaiah? With the end of Hezekiah’s story in Chapter 39, the stage is set for the rise of Babylon and the forced exile of the people of Judah. Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians a century after the death of Isaiah, and it would be another 70 years after the fall before the exiles were able to return to their homeland. When they did return, their way was difficult and sin still characterized their lives. The second half of Isaiah speaks hope to these exiles and promises restoration and eventual prosperity like nothing they have ever experienced. Isaiah even names the man who will allow their return: Cyrus. Most importantly, the latter half of Isaiah speaks comfort to those who are suffering, complementing the judgment of the first 35 chapters, and reveals their redeemer.
There are two main views of the second or “Babylonian” part of Isaiah. Either Isaiah himself wrote the words, predicting the future by divine revelation, or followers of Isaiah wrote the words according to his teachings during or after the exile. The accuracy of the predictions is the main argument against the authorship of the historical Isaiah, but the New Testament confirms his role repeatedly (John 12:37-41, Matthew 3:3 and 4:14, Mark 1:2 and 7:6), and the Dead Sea Scrolls preserved a unified – not divided – book.
Chapters 40-66 divide into three sections, with both of the first two sections ending with the phrase, “ ‘There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked.’ ” In a fashion comparable to the New Testament, these chapters begin with the appearance of a messenger who proclaims the coming of the Messiah and close with the arrival of the New Jerusalem.
Chapter 40-48. The glory of God. Comfort and deliverance are promised by the Glorious God who contrasts his power with the worthlessness of idols. A servant is introduced, originally intended to be the nation of Israel, but Israel repeatedly fails to carry the good news to the world. God hints at his true servant who is coming.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. Isaiah 40:21-23
Chapter 49-57. The glory of the Servant. Salvation is promised through the suffering of the Servant, now clearly a single man who pours himself out to save both the Jews and the world.
…by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:11-12
Chapter 58-66. The glory of the Kingdom. God’s promises become reality in the millennial kingdom and then in the new Heaven and Earth. The righteous receive eternal blessing and the wicked eternal judgment.
No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Isaiah 60:18-19
About this blog
During 2020 I plan to post weekly writings covering the material you would read during each week as you proceed from Genesis to Revelation in one year. And so for this week I have covered Isaiah 42 – Jeremiah 3. Next week I will write about Jeremiah 4 – 29. I hope you will continue along with me. You can find daily posts about these chapters archived here on the Bible in a Year blog. For your convenience here are the previous posts covering Isaiah 42 – Jeremiah 3.
A prescription for healing: Isaiah 58
Jesus and the future of the Jews: Isaiah 61
Isaiah looks at the End Time: Isaiah 65
God will take us back: Jeremiah 3
Image by MTSOfan on Flickr, CC by-nc-sa 2.0
Bible in a Year Blog 