This is a slightly developed version of a summary of Isaiah I wrote for our Fellowship group. We were looking at some of the ‘salvation’ pictures in Isaiah.
The OT Prophets
The OT prophets prophesied from around 800 BC until around 430 BC. They span about 4 centuries. Their message is largely one of judgement and salvation. Both of these normally had a near future reference but often intertwined is an ultimate future belonging to the times of the End (Dan 12:4).
The prophets discerned two horizons in their prophecy but clearly the ultimate horizon was only hazily grasped (1 Pet 1:10-11). From our perspective, as people now living in ‘the time of the End’ (1 Cor 10:11) , we perceive more clearly how the ‘time of the End’ pans out.
Since judgement and salvation involve Messiah, the prophetic perspective embraces the time from his First Coming until his Second Coming and beyond. The OT time of the End has begun and ‘the day’ is approaching. (Hebs 10:25) . Different aspects of this ‘day’ sit side by side in the OT and often not in chronological order. Sometimes ‘the day of the Lord’ has a specific reference to the specific day of his Second Coming in judgement and salvation while at other times ‘the day’ has a wider time frame,
Isaiah
Isaiah (the Lord is salvation) prophesied around 700 years before the arrival of Christ.
By Isaiah’s time Israel was two nations; the ten tribes in the north (called Israel or Ephraim) and the two tribes in the south (Judah and Benjamin). Isaiah was a Prophet to Judah, however, he also prophesies concerning Israel (the ten tribes in the north).
His prophecy is in two clear sections divided by a narrative section (Chs 36-39). The narrative is a kind of historical bridge with two key incidents that shape Isaiah’s prophecy: the invasion by Assyria (Ch 36. 701 BC) and the future exile to Babylon (Ch 39. 600 BC).
In Chs 1-35, Judah, having enjoyed relatively prosperous times for the previous 50 years, now are warned of imminent judgement. Judah (and Israel), has fallen into serious and persistent sin and despite hearing God’s voice through the prophets has refused to repent. Thus, Isaiah prophesies both an Assyrian invasion (for both Judah and Israel), an Assyrian exile for Israel in the north and a Babylonian exile (for Judah) – all are devastating events. He also delivers widely ranging prophecies concerning judgement for the nations. Judgement plays a big part in the first half of Isaiah’s prophecy although the promise of salvation is frequently and gloriously interspersed. Judgement comes to an initial climax for Judah with the Assyrian invasion in Ch 36. However, in chapter 39 Hezekiah is told of a Babylonian invasion and exile to come.
If judgement dominates Chs 1-35 than salvation dominates Chs 40-66.
By Chs 40-66, the Babylonian exile is almost over and Isaiah addresses the exiles in Babylon to herald the good news (the gospel) of deliverance. Those exiled in Babylon will soon be free to return to Judah. God is about to raise up an anointed one (Cyrus the Great) to deliver them. Here, even the ‘near’ aspect of Isaiah’s prophecy describes events 150 years in his future.
Salvation, as noted, plays a major role in Chs 40-66. Salvation, in Isaiah, lies on the far side of judgement. This is a regular pattern in Scripture. However, Isaiah’s salvation exceeds in scope the deliverance of the exile. Cyrus may be God’s servant (although he’s not called this) to bring freedom from exile but true salvation will require an altogether greater servant accomplishing an altogether greater deliverance. This one God calls ‘my servant’. Although Isaiah prophesies judgement, like the Lord, salvation is his desire for his people; Isaiah lives up to his name and the Lord lives up to his name as the one who saves (Isa 12:2)
Isaiah then, like many of the other OT prophets, foresees both judgement and salvation for both Israel and the nations (the names of his two sons convey these two realities (Isa 7, 8). Judgement and salvation have a (fairly) ‘near‘ reference. In the Assyrian attack, and the Babylonian exile promised judgement takes place while Jerusalem saved from the Assyrians and the exiles return from Babylon are express God’s salvation.
However, as we noted earlier, both judgement and salvation have also an ultimate reference. Both the immediate and ultimate may be inextricably meshed in the one prophecy and it is not always easy to distinguish between them*. The literary hints that the prophecy has moved from the immediate to the ultimate and eschatological involve increases in scale: that which is local becomes universal, the temporal becomes eternal while judgment and blessing significantly increase.. Probably most important of all, in final judgement and salvation Messiah dominates the stage.
Perhaps for most of us reading Isaiah the finer distinctions may pass us by. It’s easy to miss the wood for the trees. However, we should all be able to grasp I think the terrible judgement the Holy One of Israel pours upon sinners in both Israel and the nations and the marvellous salvation embracing heaven and earth that his grace provides, again for both Israel and the nations. Isaiah graphically describes both.
We should remember too that prophecies about the future are couched in the cultural landscape the prophet inhabited. The prophet’s one world provides the template for describing a future that will transcend the template. There will be true correspondence but not always carbon copy between vision and fulfilment. Indeed some prophetic descriptions are obviously intended metaphorically rather than literally. If we read the prophets thinking all is metaphor we shall have no firm ground to place our feet. If on the other hand we read thinking all is literal we will stumble and miss the variety of language the prophet employs.
Isaiah’s main characters in his drama are: God, the Holy One of Israel who dominates everything. He is all powerful in judgement and salvation; Messiah who is not only the Davidic King of the first half of Isaiah’s prophecy but the suffering servant of the second half. It is through messiah that God’s ultimate plans are realised; Israel is the nation under judgement but eventually redeemed (both Judah and Israel redeemed and reunited); Jerusalem is often a symbol for the nation in its worst spiritual manifestation and also the eschatological city of salvation where God’s eschatological people, both Jew and gentile, enjoy the blessings of community under Yahweh ; the nations are sometimes the ungodly of the nations who are judged but they are also the redeemed of the nations who are citizens with with Israel of the Jerusalem. They have equal standing to Israel as the people of God (19: 24, 25). the remnant or survivors through whom the hope of ultimate salvation is kept alive; these are specifically those of faith from Israel and the nations (6:13, 4:2,3, 53:10).
In Israel’s darkness hope lies in God and Messiah is God’s agent of judgement and blessing. Messiah will judge the world who defies Yahweh but he will also be the source of salvation. How will the God who in his righteousness will accomplish salvation do so? He will do so through Messiah. Messiah is the king n Ch 1-35 is the Davidic king who will vanquish the nations. In 44-66 he is the suffering servant who will save his people. Israel, who will save Israel and the nations too (Isa 49). How he does so is astonishing. He does is by being a sacrifice for their sins. Atonement is accomplished by the servant in Ch 53 and is the foundation of all Isaiah’s salvation. The seed of the servant (53:10) is the holy seed, the remnant, who will populate renewed Jerusalem and a new heavens and new earth.
Jerusalem is where God has chosen to dwell among his people. As a city it is female (and so becomes a bride). Israel, on the other hand is male. The eschatological Jerusalem is ultimately a cosmopolitan city of the redeemed from every nation (54:3); all who are by faith are Messiah’s offspring.
Isaiah’s book climaxes in Ch 65 with a vision of a new heavens and new earth and a new Jerusalem. Isaiah’s salvation embraces the universe (Rev 21, 22), Salvation is cosmic. Yet, ever the realist, Isaiah’s last word is one of judgement.
By any standard Isaiah is a magnificent piece of literature . It is apparently quoted more in the NT than all the other prophets put together. It encapsulates the gospel. It warns of impending judgement for continued serious sin yet presents a hope of lavish salvation for all who embrace Messiah, the servant. Isaiah’s warning and hope are held out to us.
* Isaiah’s prophecies can be complicated. They have a near and far perspective. The ‘far’ or ‘latter days’ find fulfilment in Messiah. Thus Isaiah’s eschatological hope embraces the whole period from Christ’s First Coming until his Second Coming and beyond. The two comings of Christ divide God;s kingdom into two stages; the first stage began with Christ’s First Coming He is presently building through the gospel the church, Messiah’s kingdom people, the present inaugurated kingdom involves suffering while the second stage realised at Christ’s second coming involves the kingdom in consummated glory. Isaiah’s prophecy embraces both.
Cave Adullam 