Isaiah is one of the most powerful books of the Old Testament, filled with poetic proclamations aimed at the people of the southern kingdom of Judah. His was a message of warning about the spiritual condition of God’s people—their sinfulness and their neglect for the poor and needy—and a message of hope based on the future God promises them.
Isaiah helps us recall that God is in the business of restoration and redemption:
“Though your sins are scarlet, they will be white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).
The sixth chapter records God’s call to Isaiah to take up the prophetic task. In that moment, he was given a glimpse of the Lord in all His majesty and glory. Interestingly, this call came at a time of great challenge for the people of Judah, as their king had just died. It is a reminder to us that even in the tough times God is in control and has work for His people to do.
It is a reminder to us that even in the tough times God is in control and has work for His people to do.
Isaiah is a long book because it deals with two great sweeps of time—the days in which the prophet lived and the time yet to come when the Messiah returns and establishes His kingdom of righteousness. That’s why Isaiah 53 is such a precious chapter, telling us of the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, who would bear our sins and someday rule as King. The message of Isaiah to us today is that we need to adjust the way we live so that when the King returns, we can enter into the kingdom full speed ahead because we have prepared ourselves by living according to God’s righteous standards.
Here’s a short video that highlights five key themes from the book of Isaiah. May you be blessed by it!
