The book of Isaiah is a great masterpiece from at least two perspectives. (1) It is a literary masterpiece in its stirring poetic cadences and its gripping imagery. (2) It is a theological masterpiece, managing to contain in its 66 chapters virtually the whole of biblical theology, from God’s transcendence through creation and redemption to the final destiny of the cosmos.
Author and Date
Isaiah (“Yahweh saves”) is said to be the son of Amoz, but we do not have any information about Amoz or any other of Isaiah’s family. Information about the book’s date and location is by implication. All of Isaiah’s activity seems to have been in and around Jerusalem, and his messages were apparently delivered between the dates of King Uzziah’s death (739 BC) and Sennacherib’s attack on Judah (701 BC). The book itself mentions only one author: “Isaiah son of Amoz” (1:1; 2:1; 13:1). On this basis, the traditional view is that Isaiah authored the entire book. However, certain factors (noted even in ancient times) cause some to question this conclusion. Among these are differences in vocabulary and style in chs. 40–66. Furthermore, chs. 40–66 seem to address two different historical situations, both far beyond the prophet’s own lifetime.
As a result of these and other factors, it has become common for Isaiah scholars to posit a number of authors for the book. But there are strong reasons to maintain the traditional view:
1. The text does not identify any writers other than Isaiah. Why would later authors go to such great lengths to hide their own identities and try to make it appear that Isaiah was the sole author?
2. Chs. 40–48 proclaim that God’s ability to predict the future through his prophets is the primary evidence of his Godhood. But critical scholars have argued that Isaiah of Jerusalem could not have made such predictions and therefore could not have written chs. 40–66. That would mean that the author of chs. 40–55 was making an argument he knew to be fallacious.
3. Chs. 40–66 do not refer to any historical persons or events except for one glaring exception: Cyrus, the Persian emperor. One explanation for this fact is that such details were originally present in the work of “Second Isaiah” (chs. 40–55) and “Third Isaiah” (chs. 56–66) but that the writers themselves or later editors removed them to promote the illusion that Isaiah son of Amoz wrote the whole book. A better solution is that the historical details are not there simply because Isaiah, writing long before the fact, did not know them except for the one fact he learned by inspiration: Cyrus.
4. One further argument for the unity of the book is a linguistic one. Although there are linguistic differences between chs. 1–39 and chs. 40–66 (and especially chs. 40–55), there are also some important connections between the two parts. One such connection is the occurrence of the phrase “the Holy One of Israel.” Of the 31 occurrences of this phrase in the OT, 25 are found in Isaiah, with 12 occurrences in chs. 1–39 and 13 in chs. 40–66. When the Bible’s single occurrence of “the Holy One of Jacob” (29:23) is added, the distribution is 13 and 13. There are also many examples of terms occurring in both parts of the book that hardly occur elsewhere in the Bible.
For these reasons and others, it seems less problematic to assert that the materials in the book come from Isaiah than to assert that the materials come from a number of authors. There are two possible explanations for the differences in vocabulary and style between chs. 1–39 and chs. 40–55: (1) Perhaps Isaiah’s moving from talking about his own time to talking about an only broadly perceived distant future causes the differences. This would be especially possible if a number of years elapsed between his writing chs. 1–39 and chs. 40–66. (2) Perhaps a disciple is responsible for actually writing the later chapters. If so, the ideas come from Isaiah himself, but the vocabulary and sentence structure are those of the disciple.
Composition
The book may be divided into three main units: chs. 1–39; 40–55; 56–66. But within these units, with the possible exception of chs. 40–55, there are no clear organizing principles. It seems probable that either Isaiah himself or his disciples transcribed his oral declarations during his lifetime and combined them to form the book.
Chs. 1–39 have recognized groupings of materials, but there is not much agreement as to how they relate to each other or function together. The subunits are chs. 1–5; 6–12; 13–23; 24–27; 28–35; 36–39. A strong possibility for their interrelationship is as follows: Chs. 1–5 introduce the book, starkly contrasting the Israel of the prophet’s own time and the Israel of the future. Ch. 6 bridges chs. 1–5 and chs. 7–12. On the one hand, ch. 6 presents the prophet’s own experience as the model for what needs to happen in the nation of Israel to move the actual Israel of the present to the ideal Israel of the future. On the other hand, chs. 7–12 further develop ch. 6’s prediction that the prophet’s words would only harden the hearts of the present generation.
In ch. 7 Isaiah issues King Ahaz a challenge to trust Yahweh, not Assyria’s power. Ahaz refuses the challenge, and much of Judah’s history between that point (734 BC) and the destruction of Sennacherib’s army in 701 BC revolves around the results of Ahaz’s refusal. A burning question unites chs. 7–39: Will Israel trust Yahweh or the surrounding nations? Chs. 7–12 not only give the answer (no) but also give the answer’s implications. Chs. 13–35 are lessons in trust: in a variety of ways they contrast Yahweh’s infinite trustworthiness with the folly of trusting the nations.
The issue of trust surfaces again in chs. 36–39: Will Ahaz’s son Hezekiah trust Yahweh in the face of the Assyrian threat? The answer is a qualified yes. The qualification is how Hezekiah responds to the Babylonian envoys (ch. 39). That qualification provides Isaiah with the basis for transitioning to the future Babylonian exile in the following chapters. But in any case, this conclusively answers the question of Yahweh’s trustworthiness as the sovereign of history: Hezekiah trusts Yahweh in the face of overwhelming Assyrian power, and Yahweh delivers him.
Chs. 40–55 seem to fall into three subunits: chs. 40; 41–48; 49–55. Ch. 40 introduces the entire unit, asserting Yahweh’s desire, ability, and intention to deliver his people.
Chs. 41–48 focus on Yahweh’s deliverance of his people from Babylon and their gods. Far from casting Israel away on account of their sins, Yahweh intends to use the nation as his servant to demonstrate his sole Godhood. But that raises an issue: What about the sin that separates Israel from their God? Can God simply ignore it?
The answer to that question is found in chs. 49–55, which present Yahweh’s desire, ability, and intention to deliver his people from the sin that alienates them from him. The key to that deliverance is the servant of the Lord, first introduced in ch. 42. The servant, famously explained in 52:13—53:12, unexpectedly manifests Yahweh’s mighty arm of deliverance, making possible the ringing invitations to reconciliation in chs. 54–55.
From the perspective of gracious deliverance, chs. 56–66 seem somewhat anticlimactic. But viewed in the larger context of the book and its concerns, their message is an integral part of the whole. Chs. 1–5 declare that somehow sinful Israel will become holy Israel and that all the nations of the earth will come to the holy mountain to learn the instructions (tôrâ or “law”) of God. Ch. 6 suggests that just encountering the holy God’s fire purifies the prophet Isaiah to declare the message to his people; the same may be true for the nation, making them the promised light to the nations. Chs. 56–66 show how it will be possible for that promise to become a reality. These chapters seem to be arranged in pyramid fashion, culminating in the Anointed One in ch. 61; they address the character of the nation that must bear the light of God. So the prophet Isaiah declares that righteous, covenant-keeping foreigners are more pleasing to Yahweh than unrighteous purebred returnees. But the people of Israel declare themselves unable to be righteous. In response, Yahweh reveals his righteous Warrior (59:15b–21; 63:1–6), who will defeat sin and graciously empower Israel to live righteously and thus become the promised light to the nations.
Place of Composition and Destination
Isaiah addresses chs. 1–39 to the people of his own day. These people are not only from Judah (1:1) but also from the northern kingdom of Israel prior to that kingdom’s final fall to Assyria in 722 BC (28:1–4). Jerusalem is the only location Isaiah identifies as a place where he delivers his messages (7:3; 22:15; 37:5; 38:1; 39:3).
The audience of chs. 40–55 and 56–66 is much less certain. There are elements in these chapters that would be appropriate to an eighth-century BC audience, but there are others that seem less appropriate. The earlier part of the book addresses people who are concerned about impending national calamity and inclined to trust the nations, whether Assyria or Egypt, to avert that calamity. But chs. 40–55 address a captive people who doubt that their God wants to, is able to, or intends to deliver them. Whereas God calls the earlier people to trust him and not the nations, he calls these people to believe his promises of deliverance.
Chs. 56–66 seem to address yet another situation. Deliverance from captivity is not the issue; rather, the people cannot live righteously and consequently fail their national mission to bring light to the nations. Again, there would be a message here for corrupt Jerusalem during Isaiah’s lifetime, yet it seems more likely to be describing the situation after the return of the exiles, as represented in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi.
It seems likely that if it is correct that Isaiah addressed not only persons in his own time but also persons in the distant future, his message was prompted by the fall of Samaria in 722 BC. That event was the beginning of the exilic period, with all the great questions the exile would raise. Thus God gave Isaiah a single divine revelation putting all of Israel’s experience of defeat, exile, and return (722–500 BC) into one encompassing theological treatment. It is also possible that the book of Isaiah’s canonical position as first of the Prophetic Books means that he is given a panoramic vision of all that the OT prophets would address.
Occasion and Purpose
The overarching occasion of the book’s writing was the ongoing political-theological crisis produced by the dominance of the great Mesopotamian powers. Judah and Israel were taught to believe that Yahweh, their God, was the sole creator of the universe and the sovereign Lord of history. They were also taught that they were God’s uniquely chosen people, partners with him in an eternal covenant. From these truths they extrapolated some erroneous conclusions: as long as they faithfully perform the prescribed rituals, their royal city of Jerusalem and their holy temple of Yahweh would be inviolable; furthermore, they were destined to rule the world through the endless line of David. The successes of the Solomonic kingdom seemed to give credence to these ideas.
However, some events shocked their understanding: Assyria and then Babylon dominated the ancient Near East from about 900 BC until about 540 BC. Assyria destroyed and exiled the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, and Babylon delivered the crowning blow by destroying and exiling Judah in 586 BC. How could Yahweh be the sole Lord of the cosmos if oppressors were forcing his people to bow down to them? While all of the Prophetic Books deal with these issues to some extent, Isaiah responds to and reflects on the issues most comprehensively.
The occasion of chs. 7–39 is the complex of events stretching from about 734 to 701 BC. During these years, the Assyrians were pressing southward through what is modern Syria and Israel toward their ultimate goal: Egypt. The small nations that stood in their way tried a number of tactics to avoid or at least blunt the oppressor’s terrifying power. In all of the crises provoked by the Assyrian activities, Isaiah calls the Judahites to trust Yahweh rather than human power and glory. They certainly should not make an alliance with Assyria, as Ahaz did, for Assyria will turn on them and all but drown them (chs. 7–12). Neither should they rely on Egypt, as Hezekiah and his officers are tempted to do, for Egypt will fail them in the end (chs. 28–33).
The predictions Isaiah includes in his prophecies came true with a vengeance. In 701 BC Assyria flooded into Judah, and Egypt failed Judah. When a high Assyrian officer calls on Hezekiah to surrender (ch. 36), Hezekiah instead trusts Yahweh for deliverance, and Yahweh vindicates that trust by killing 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (37:36).
Chs. 40–55 primarily address the theological questions that the exile would pose rather than the historical setting itself. (To see what a prophecy given in the historical setting of exile looks like, cf. the book of Ezekiel.) Chs. 40–55 address and boldly answer questions that the exile would raise: Have the Babylonian gods defeated God? Have our sins defeated God? Put another way, does God want to deliver us from exile? Can he deliver us from exile? Will he deliver us from exile? Furthermore, how could Israel be restored to a relationship with God in the light of the sins that would result in exile?
Similarly, chs. 56–66 address the theological issues that arose most clearly in Israel’s return from exile. But again, it is not the historical experiences specific to that setting that shape what Isaiah says here (see the books of Haggai and Zechariah for prophecies so shaped). Rather, like chs. 40–55, theological issues provide the occasion. Those issues focus on what it would mean to be the people of God in a new historical setting: without king, army, or state. Reflecting on the causes of the return evidently heighten this question. Chs. 40–55 do not make repentance or promises to do better a condition for restoration. Rather, it appears that Israel would have to do nothing but continue to believe God’s gracious promises that he would deliver. That might lead to the conclusion that the character of the returnees’ lives after the return would be of little importance; it would be only birthright that was really important.
Chs. 56–66 sharply dispel such notions. God will still require righteous behavior, as demonstrated in covenant-keeping. The people cry that they cannot do this, but God promises that the divine Warrior (59:16–17; 63:1) will come to defeat their enemy, namely, sin. As a result, the righteous nation will be a bright lamp through which the light of God can shine out to all the world (chs. 60–62).
Genre
The book of Isaiah includes a wide variety of genres, ranging from narrative to messages of judgment. These genres are mixed together in often bewildering ways. This variety supports the conclusion that Isaiah may have originally delivered many of the individual units independently from each other and later combined them in their present form. The reader would benefit from examining the present form of the book and seeking the rationale for its arrangement. While some scholars believe that the arrangement is either accidental or arbitrary, there is a growing appreciation among scholars for the care with which Isaiah constructed the final form of the text.
Except for a few portions in prose, most of the book is composed of poetry. Properly interpreting poetry requires appreciating its particular character (see “Introduction to the Wisdom and Lyrical Books”).
Themes and Theology
In a book as large and profound as Isaiah, there are many important theological themes. Some of the most important ones are: (1) the nature and character of God, (2) the nature of sin, (3) the nature of salvation, (4) servanthood, and (5) the Messiah.
The Nature and Character of God
The view of God in the book of Isaiah is more complete and profound than in any other single book in the Bible. God is absolutely transcendent: there is no other being in the universe like him; he is utterly without comparison; he is the Holy One. But at the same time he intimately cares for his creatures and is personally involved with them. On the one hand, he is a God of implacable cause and effect; his creation plan will be fulfilled, and those who defy it will suffer the consequences. But on the other hand, God is so creative that he can find a way to satisfy his justice and deliver the sinner at the same time. God is true; he is absolutely dependable and trustworthy. God will do what is right, whatever the cost to himself. Was it right to send sinful Israel into exile? Of course. But would it be right for him to leave them there? Never. For him, his righteous ways are both the motive and the cause of deliverance.
The Nature of Sin
In Isaiah sin is seen especially as rebellion (1:2; 66:24; see 36:5; 63:10). It is a refusal to recognize the character and nature of God—not only as transcendent creator but also as loving Father, which should result in loving obedience. Sin is also seen as self-exaltation, or pride (2:9–11; 14:13–14). Here again, this is folly in view of the absolute holiness of God. The only appropriate response to God’s holiness is the humility demonstrated by Isaiah himself in his experience in the temple (6:5). Furthermore, sin expresses itself in the worship of creation, demonstrated in idolatry. To make God into an image of humanity out of created matter is the height of folly (44:9–20). It is to reduce oneself to nothing.
The Nature of Salvation
Fundamental to all divine deliverance in the book of Isaiah is trust in God. This theme is central to chs. 7–39. It is highlighted by the Assyrian crisis that provides the backdrop for those chapters. The Judahites are tempted to trust the exalted nations of the earth to deliver them. Isaiah goes to great pains to show them that only Yahweh is exalted and that anything they trust in place of him will necessarily fail them. If they “wait” for him (26:8; 30:18), he will deliver them (26:3–6; 30:15–18). Eventually, Yahweh demonstrates his full trustworthiness when Hezekiah trusts him in defiance of the Assyrians’ mockery of that trust (36:15; 37:36–37).
The book also makes it very clear that divine grace is the only means of salvation. Clearly, the Judahites are absolutely helpless to deliver themselves from Babylon (42:18–22). Furthermore, they are clearly unable in themselves to turn back to God. He alone is able to defeat the gods of Babylon, and in so doing he will even use Jacob/Israel as the witnesses to his grace (43:8–13). But not only will he restore the people of Judah from captivity to their homeland, he will also restore them from their sin to himself. He will do this through the self-giving death of the servant, who will be for Jacob what Jacob could never be in himself (52:13—53:12).
The expression of salvation is a life of righteousness. This is made particularly clear in chs. 56–66. Here a strong contrast is painted between foreigners and eunuchs who keep God’s covenants (56:3–8) and people of Judah/Israel who do not. The latter grope in darkness (59:1–15a) when they are supposed to be a light to the nations (60:1–3). Once again, it is through divine intervention that such a change is possible.
Servanthood
In chs. 40–66 the theme of servanthood is especially prominent. Servanthood stands in direct contrast to the sins of rebellion and distrust. The true servant is the one who willingly submits to the master because of trust in the master. It is possible for Yahweh to take Israel as his servant, in spite of the sins of the past, because of the work of the servant. There is a striking contrast between the blind, rebellious servants whose deliverance is a witness to the nations (43:20–28) and the perceptive, obedient servant who lays down his life so that Jacob may be restored and justice may be brought to the nations (49:1–12). The goal of this servanthood is not merely that the nations might know that Yahweh alone is God but that they should join in his worship and obedience (2:1–4; 56:6–7; 66:19–24).
The Messiah
In many ways the theme that draws all of the above together is the Messiah. From the outset of the book, the coming King is a key figure. He is the child Immanuel in chs. 7–9. He is “the Root of Jesse” and the “banner” (11:10) for the nations in ch. 11. He sits on the throne of David displaying divine qualities in 16:5. He is the noble king and lawgiver of chs. 32–33. He is the one who brings “justice to the nations” (42:1) in chs. 42; 49. He is the one who continues to trust God in spite of misunderstanding and abuse in chs. 49–50. And he is the one who lays down his life for his people in ch. 53. He is the one who comes in power to enable his people to live righteous lives (59:15b–21; 63:1–6), the means by which God’s light can shine on the nations. All of this is done through the power of the Spirit (chs. 11; 61) so that he can rule over a kingdom of light, peace, and deliverance.
These themes are often presented in polarities. For instance, the Messiah is both king and servant. These two pictures complement each other throughout the book. The king of ch. 11 is one who rules not through brutality but through gentleness. So also the servant of 52:13—53:12 will put kings to shame and divide the spoils with the strong.
Another polarity is the one between hope and judgment that is especially displayed in chs. 1–5. Whereas the Judahites look for a hope that will allow them to escape judgment, Isaiah tells them that the only hope for those in their state of corruption is through the fires of judgment. Contrary to their expectation, God does not intend that judgment will destroy them. Rather, he intends that it will be the means of their purification, just as the coal from the altar was the means of Isaiah’s purification (6:6–7).
Outline
I. Introduction: The Problem of Servanthood (1:1—5:30)
A. Charges Against Rebellious Israel (1:1–31)
1. Isaiah’s Vision Concerning Judah and Jerusalem Introduced (1:1)
2. Israel’s Condition (1:2–9)
3. Two Possible Solutions (1:10–20)
4. The Perverse Character of the People (1:21–23)
5. The Results of Sin (1:24–31)
B. The Nations Will Come to Jerusalem (2:1–5)
C. Israel’s Pride Brought Low (2:6—4:1)
1. The Lord Alone Will Be Exalted (2:6–22)
2. Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah (3:1–15)
3. The Humiliation of the Haughty Daughters of Jerusalem (3:16—4:1)
D. The Branch of the Lord (4:2–6)
E. The Song of the Vineyard (5:1–30)
1. Israel’s Condition (5:1–24)
a. The Vineyard (5:1–7)
b. Israel’s Bitter Grapes (5:8–24)
(1) Greed (5:8–10)
(2) Self-Indulgence (5:11–17)
(3) Intentional Sin (5:18–19)
(4) Perversity (5:20)
(5) Self-Determination of Good and Evil (5:21)
(6) Link Between Self-Indulgence and Social Injustice (5:22–24)
2. The Destruction of the Vineyard (5:25–30)
II. Isaiah’s Commission (6:1–13)
III. Trust: The Basis of Servanthood (7:1—39:8)
A. Ahaz’s Refusal to Trust (7:1—12:6)
1. Signs of the Promise (7:1—9:7)
a. The Sign and the Consequences of Its Rejection (7:1–25)
(1) Judah Pressured to Join Coalition Against Assyria (7:1–2)
(2) A Challenge to Trust Yahweh (7:3–9)
(3) The Rejection of the Sign (7:10–25)
(a) The Sign of Immanuel (7:10–17)
(b) The Coming Assyrian Attack (7:18–25)
b. Isaiah and His Children as Signs (8:1–22)
(1) The Sign of Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (8:1–10)
(2) Yahweh: Sanctuary or Stumbling Block (8:11–15)
(3) God’s Word or the Occult (8:16–22)
c. Light Through the Child (9:1–7)
2. The Lord’s Anger Against Israel (9:8—10:4)
a. Pride (9:8–12)
b. Wicked Leaders (9:13–17)
c. Tribal Jealousy (9:18–21)
d. Social Injustice (10:1–4)
3. Redemption Through the Branch (10:5—11:16)
a. Assyria, the Tool in Yahweh’s Hand (10:5–34)
(1) Assyria’s Judgment (10:5–19)
(2) A Remnant Will Survive (10:20–23)
(3) God to Strike Down Assyria (10:24–34)
b. The Branch, Deliverer of His People (11:1–16)
4. Hymns of Deliverance (12:1–6)
B. Lessons in Trust (13:1—35:10)
1. Prophecies Against the Nations (13:1—23:18)
a. Babylon and Briefly Assyria (13:1—14:27)
(1) A Prophecy Against Babylon (13:1—14:2)
(2) A Prophecy Against the King of Babylon (14:3–23)
(3) A Prophecy Against Assyria (14:24–27)
b. Judgments on the Nearer Neighbors (14:28—17:11)
(1) A Prophecy Against Philistia (14:28–32)
(2) A Prophecy Against Moab (15:1—16:14)
(3) A Prophecy Against Damascus (17:1–11)
c. A Prophecy Against Cush (17:12—18:7)
d. A Prophecy Against Egypt (19:1—20:6)
e. A Prophecy Against Babylon (21:1–10)
f. A Prophecy Against Edom (21:11–12)
g. A Prophecy Against Arabia (21:13–17)
h. A Prophecy About Judah (22:1–25)
(1) A Prophecy About Jerusalem (22:1–14)
(2) Judgment on Shebna (22:15–25)
i. A Prophecy Against Tyre (23:1–18)
2. The Lord: Sovereign Actor in History (24:1—27:13)
a. The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth (24:1—25:12)
b. The Lord’s Day (26:1—27:13)
3. Woe to Those Who Will Not Wait (28:1—33:24)
a. Woe to False Leaders (28:1–29)
b. Woe to David’s City (29:1–14)
c. Woe to Those Who Try to Hide Their Plans From Yahweh (29:15–24)
d. Woe to the Obstinate Nation (30:1–33)
e. Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt (31:1—32:20)
(1) A Message of Judgment (31:1–3)
(2) A Message of Salvation (31:4—32:20)
f. Woe to the Destroyer (33:1–24)
4. Conclusion: The Desert or the Garden (34:1—35:10)
C. Hezekiah’s Willingness to Trust (36:1—39:8)
1. The Lord Delivers From Assyria (36:1—37:38)
2. Hezekiah’s Mortality and Fallibility (38:1—39:8)
IV. Grace: The Motive and Means of Servanthood (40:1—55:13)
A. Gracious Deliverance (40:1–31)
1. Yahweh Desires to Deliver His People (40:1–11)
2. Yahweh Is Able to Deliver His People (40:12–26)
3. Yahweh Intends to Deliver His People (40:27–31)
B. Israel Graciously Chosen to Be God’s Servant (41:1—48:22)
1. The Lord’s Court Case Against Idols (41:1—46:13)
a. The Two Servants (41:1—42:9)
(1) The Fearful Servant: Israel (41:1–20)
** The First Presentation of the Case Against Idols (41:21–29)
(2) The First Revelation of the Ministering Servant (42:1–9)
b. The Basis of Deliverance (42:10—44:22)
(1) The Song of Salvation (42:10–17)
(2) Israel, the Deaf and Blind Witness (42:18—43:13)
(a) Israel’s Condition Is Desperate (42:18–25)
(b) The Lord’s Promise to Deliver Israel (43:1–7)
** The Second Presentation of the Case Against Idols (43:8–13)
(3) The Lord’s New Thing (43:14—44:5)
** The Third Presentation of the Case Against Idols (44:6–20)
(4) The Announcement of Salvation (44:21–22)
c. The Restoration of Jerusalem Through Cyrus (44:23—46:13)
(1) Call to Praise (44:23)
(2) Cyrus Announced (44:24–28)
(3) Cyrus Affirmed as Yahweh’s “Anointed” (45:1–8)
(4) Yahweh’s Right to Use Cyrus (45:9–19)
** The Final Presentation of the Case Against Idols (45:20—46:7)
(5) Conclusion: Yahweh’s Absolute Uniqueness (46:8–13)
2. Implications of the Case Against Idols (47:1—48:22)
a. The Sentence Upon Babylon (47:1–15)
(1) Babylon’s Humiliation (47:1–4)
(2) Babylon’s False Pride (47:5–11)
(3) Babylon’s Helplessness (47:12–15)
b. Israel Called Upon to Believe God’s Promises (48:1–22)
(1) Everything Has Been Predicted (48:1–11)
(2) Israel Freed (48:12–22)
C. The Servant: Gracious Means of Israel’s Servanthood (49:1—55:13)
1. Anticipation of Deliverance (49:1—52:12)
a. The Second Revelation of the Ministering Servant (49:1–12)
b. Zion Is Not Forgotten (49:13—50:3)
c. The Third Revelation of the Ministering Servant (50:4–9)
d. Obey the Voice of the Ministering Servant (50:10—51:8)
e. Awake and Be Delivered (51:9—52:12)
2. The Final Revelation of the Ministering Servant (52:13—53:12)
a. The Triumph and the Shock of the Servant’s Work (52:13–15)
b. The Rejection of the Servant (53:1–3)
c. The Substitutionary Suffering of the Servant (53:4–6)
d. The Apparent Outcome of the Servant’s Suffering (53:7–9)
e. The Real Outcome of the Servant’s Suffering (53:10–12)
3. Invitation to Deliverance (54:1—55:13)
a. The Heritage of the Lord’s Servants (54:1–17)
(1) Restoration of Marriage With Yahweh (54:1–8)
(2) Protection From Enemies (54:9–17)
b. Seek the Lord (55:1–13)
V. Righteousness: The Character of Servanthood (56:1—66:24)
A. Righteous Foreigners and Eunuchs (56:1–8)
B. Israel’s Inability to Do Righteousness (56:9—59:21)
1. God’s Accusation Against the Wicked (56:9—57:13)
a. Blind Watchmen (56:9–12)
b. A Righteous Generation Quietly Disappears (57:1–2)
c. A Diatribe Against Worshipers of Idols (57:3–13)
2. Comfort for the Contrite (57:14–21)
3. Declare Their Rebellion (58:1—59:15a)
a. The Sin of Hypocrisy (58:1–2)
b. False Versus True Fasting (58:3–12)
c. Sabbath-Keeping (58:13–14)
d. Failure to Do Righteousness (59:1–15a)
4. The Divine Warrior, Solution to the Problem (59:15b–21)
C. Light to the Nations (60:1—62:12)
1. The Lord’s Light Shines on the Nations (60:1–22)
2. The Messiah Announces Good News of Deliverance (61:1–3)
3. The Lord’s Righteousness Is Displayed to the Nations (61:4—62:12)
a. The People Whom the Lord Has Blessed (61:4–11)
b. Zion’s New Name (62:1–12)
D. Israel’s Inability to Do Righteousness (63:1—66:17)
1. The Divine Warrior (63:1–6)
2. A History of Redemption and Rebellion (63:7—65:16)
a. A Résumé of Redemption and Rebellion (63:7–14)
b. A Cry for Yahweh to Intervene (63:15—64:12)
c. Yahweh’s Response (65:1–16)
3. New Heavens and a New Earth (65:17–25)
4. Unrighteousness and Redemption (66:1–17)
E. Righteous Gentiles (66:18–24)
A Judahite family being deported from Lachish after the town was taken over by Assyrians.
© 2013 by Zondervan
