1. Our God is a Holy One, Isaiah 5:15–16
So man will be brought low and mankind humbled, the
eyes of the arrogant humbled. But the Lord
Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself
holy by his righteousness. [1]
Because of Judah’s sinfulness
they would experience several results, the worst being exile. Included
in that experience would be death by hunger and thirst. All proud
people would be humiliated regardless of their previous stations in life. This
destruction of the nation would lead to a display of God’s justice and
holiness (v. 16).
This does not mean that He delights in revenge. Rather, He keeps His word as
spoken in the covenant. His discipline of the nation would show that He still
loved Israel and would someday bring it back into a favored position.[2]
2. Our God is a Feared God, Isaiah 8:13–15
The Lord
Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear,
he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses
of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes
them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many
of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and
captured.” [3]
The
Lord had promised to be with His people, but many in both Israel and Judah
refused to believe He would keep His promise.
Isaiah emphasized that the people of Judah should not be afraid of the
Aram-Israel alliance or of the Assyrian threat looming on the horizon. Rather
they were to be afraid of the Lord
Almighty. He is the One they should fear and dread. The
Lord will be a sanctuary, a place of safety, for those who believe in
Him, but for those who do not believe Him, He will be the means of
destruction. Isaiah’s message follows an emphasis in the Old Testament. God
promised that those who believe in and obey the Lord will be blessed but those
who refuse to believe in and obey Him will be disciplined.[4]
3. Our God is a Judge, Isaiah 11:1–5
A
shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear
fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will
rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel
and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of
the Lord. He will not judge by
what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with
righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for
the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with
the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist. [5]
As world Ruler, the Messiah
will judge the world . But He
will not be like an ordinary judge who may be swayed by
superficial knowledge. He will judge impartially and in righteousness.
The needy and the poor will not be oppressed by Him as they often
are by human leaders. The oppressed will be the beneficiaries of His justice,
and the wicked will be slain. His reign will be characterized by righteousness
and faithfulness as if they were integral parts of His clothing, as a belt
and sash.[6]
4. Our God is our Salvation, Isaiah 26:1–4
In that day this song will be sung in the land of
Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open
the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You
will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in
you. Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal. [7]
Throughout
the world the redeemed will live in cities and towns, but the strong city
(Jerusalem) where the Messiah will reign pictures the security of the world’s
redeemed inhabitants. Because of the Messiah’s presence there, that city is
figuratively said to have salvation for its walls.
This
city will be opened for the righteous nation, a reference to the remnant
of Israel. Other nations will have places in the kingdom, but believers in
Israel will have special positions.
People who trust in the
Lord enjoy perfect peace.
This availability of inner tranquility encourages believers to continue
trusting the Lord
because He is firm like a Rock and He is eternal.[8]
5. Our God is a Sovereign Lord, Isaiah 44:6–8
This is what the Lord
says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord
Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who
then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to
come-yes, let him foretell what will come. [9]
Several
titles stress God’s sovereignty: Israel’s King, Redeemer , the Lord Almighty God, and the First
and the Last. The Lord argued for His uniqueness by challenging anyone
to tell of the past and the future. Since His knowledge of the future (from long
ago) proves His uniqueness, His people should not be afraid.[10]
6. Our God is a Living God, Isaiah 41:10-13
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with
my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and
disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you
search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord,
your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I
will help you. [11]
7. Our God is a Lord of Glory, Isaiah 60:1–3
Arise,
shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and
thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord
rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn. [13]
When the Lord returns to live among His
people the nations will be attracted to the light of His glory and will
flock to Israel for the light (the blessings of salvation from spiritual
darkness). [14]
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 5:15-16
[2] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL :
Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1042
[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 8:13-15
[4] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor
Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1051
[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 11:1-5
[6] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL :
Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1056-1057
[7] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 26:1-4
[8] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible
Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor
Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1074
[9] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 44:6-7
[10] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL :
Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1098
[11] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 41:10-13
[12] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL :
Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1094
[13] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed.
Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 60:1-3
[14] Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B.
; Dallas Theological Seminary: The
Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL :
Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1115
