The Sunday Sermon
by OneVike
In today's message, I would like to broaden your understanding of the book Christ read from while in the synagogue of His home town, Luke_4:16-30 so that you may better appreciate the book written by the Fifth Evangelist. While Isaiah is the most often quoted prophet in the New Testament, his book can be as obscure as it is interesting. Even many Christians will admit they know very little about the book and what it has to offer for their walk with Christ. Other than being familiar with a few famous passages that foretold the advent of Christ Isa_9:6 and his suffering Isa_53:1-12, most people don't know that there are prophecies that coincide with the book of Revelations. Isa_13:1-13, Isa_14:1-22. Unfortunately, because of their unfamiliarity they miss out on the true gift Isaiah has to offer.
From the beginning of time the Lord had a plan of salvation for mankind, Gen_3:15. "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel." This is the first time the Lord spoke of a savior for mankind and He did so at the very dawning of the gospel day. No sooner was the deadly poisonous wound given than the remedy was provided and revealed. The Lord had planed from the beginning that the one who was first deceived would be the one through whom the guilt of the world would fall. Since sin is handed down through the man, the sin nature of man was not handed down to the Messiah. So He is truly the unblemished Lamb whom the Lord accepted as the perfect sin offering. One can even glean from the Scriptures that the Lord had a plan for salvation even before He spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, Ecc_3:15 "That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by." However, the first mention of His plan to give us the gift of His Son is Gen_3:15. The last mention of His plan for our salvation is in the book of Revelations, Rev_22:20 "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus". A promise that may be truly said to every person in every age, Jesus the Judge is at the door. In Isaiah, you will find God's plan for the salvation of mankind Isa_53:10, His plan of judgment for the world, and those who would refuse his gift Isa_13:6-13. His birth Isa_9:6, His death Isa_53:8, and His resurrection Isa_53:10are also foretold within the pages of this book. We can either ignore Isaiah's prophecies like the Jews did or, as Christ taught, we can embrace them.
I called Isaiah the "Fifth Evangelist", and I did so because Isaiah described what would happen to Christ for our salvation in such a way that one would think he had a front row seat at Golgotha. Not even John, the most beloved and only apostle to witness His crucifixion, wrote as detailed an account as Isaiah did. No, Isaiah the Prophet was not present, instead he received a first hand account from the very One who would suffer on that cross. So when you look at the way Isaiah spoke of future events, as if they were in his past, it's easy to see why he is often referred to as either the fifth Evangelist or the first Apostle of Christ.
Isaiah's first reference to the Messiah is not a prophecy of His birth but a prophecy that the Jews would reject Him Isa_6:9-10. When you look at the traditions of the ancient writers you find that very seldom is the birth or childhood of a famous person mentioned. The Jews were exceptions in that they often mentioned the day of birth, but it was a man's accomplishments as an adult that gave the scribes a reason to write about him or his childhood. While Isaiah foretells many aspects of what the Messiah's life would entail, such as His birth Isa_7:14, His ministry Isa_9:1-2, and His many miracles Isa_35:5-6, it is the Lords rejection by the Jews that Isaiah mentions first. Without the Jews rejection of Christ the gentiles would not have been saved, thus it only makes sense that this would be the first prophecy Isaiah mentions. So just as they rejected the Lord time and time again throughout their history, they would also reject the very One they looked forward to for salvation.
Like many other prophets, Isaiah was also rejected and ultimately murdered by those he was sent to by the Lord. Christ would even allude to these rejection and murder in his parable of the absent landowner. Matt 21:33-44Isaiah came bearing a plan, given by God, for the restoration of the remnant of Israel who would truly return to Him. This plan also included the redemption for all mankind as Isaiah repeatedly pointed out Isa_11:10, Isa_49:1, Isa_53:10-12, Isa_59:15-16. Through Isaiah's writings, the Jews should have known that the Lord was also sending the Messiah to save the hated gentiles. As we now know, the Jews would be the first to persecute the Christians. Even before they crucified their Messiah they were expelling his believers from the sanctuaries John_9:28-34. Isaiah also conveys to us the compassion the Lord has for His chosen people and His desire for their redemption. Isa_65:19, Isa_65:24.
What an amazing prophecy! Long before I was born God knew I would be knee deep in transgressions against Him, and even before I called on His name he came to my rescue. When God destroyed the world by water, Noah and his family needed an Ark designed by God Himself to survive the Flood. As Christians, we realize that we also need a type of an Ark and for us that Ark is Christ. Through Isaiah, God gives us the blueprints for that Ark. Unlike the Ark that saved Noah and his family however, the Ark Christians depend upon was completely constructed by God. It is this Ark that was promised from the day Adam and Eve ate from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil".Gen_3:1-7 Isaiah wrote about this some 760 years before the birth of Christ. Throughout the Bible we have evidence of the Lord's promises, and all we need to do is have faith in those promises, just as we have faith in the promise Jesus gave Nicodemus . "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". Jhn_3:16
For those who are skeptical about the timing of these prophecies, the evidence we have is backed up by many overwhelming facts as to the Historicity of the Scriptures. When the "Dead Sea Scrolls" were discovered, it was learned that the current translation of Isaiah has not changed through the years, other than a few nondescript grammatical errors. But probably the best proof of God's promises is the fulfillment by Jesus of the more than 120 Isaiah prophecies about the coming Messiah. Along with hundreds of other Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, I believe it takes an act of mental ignorance to ignore the prophetic evidence of God's faithfulness to follow through on His promises.
As for me, I have no reason to doubt the future fulfillment of the Lord's remaining promises. By studying Isaiah and his many prophecies, I have learned to see what they really represent; the Eternal as opposed to the temporal. The when, where, who, and how are just temporal, but the Eternal is what is promised and that is where my hope lies. My faith through the grace of God has allowed me to be washed by the Blood of the Lamb. My parched soul has been renewed by the life giving water flowing from the Rock that follows me through this desert of sin called the world. My salvation was paid for Christ' victory on Calvary, and I am assured of eternal life because of His resurrection. While I anxiously await His return so that I may enjoy an eternal rest in His Glory, I invite you to join me by accepting Christ as your Lord and savior.
I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
Hey OV,
Have not seen you commenting much lately, are things OK with you? It seems I haven't seen Fred much either. If I didn't know better I would say you two are one in the same. I do know differently however, so I hope everything is Ok with him also.
Just to let you know, I really enjoyed your series on the reformation, and today's message on Isaiah was real enlightening. A friend of mine told me a few years ago that the book of Isaiah is almost a Bible in a Bible. I never really pursued what she meant because, to be honest, I am not the best at investigating religious matters. But I do follow your work and have learned to trust your opinion, so if you could shed a little light on this Bible in a Bible idea, I would appreciate it.
Nancy D
I think what your friend is alluding to when she said that Isaiah was almost "A Bible in a Bible", she meant to say that Isaiah is somewhat of a miniature Bible. Let me explain for those who may be a bit perplexed by these statements.
The first time I was aware of this was when I read some writings by the late Calvinist Preacher Ray Stedman. What he said was that the way Isaiah was structured is similar to the way the Bible has been assembled together. Consider these facts and you will see why so many come away with such a conclusion.
Just as the Bible’s is divided by having 66 books, Isaiah also is divided into 66 chapters. There are 39 books in the Old Testament, and Isaiah has 39 chapters in the first half. There is a distinct division at chapter 40, so that the remaining twenty-seven chapters constitute the second half of the book, which is exactly the number of books in the New Testament.
Isaiah is stuck smack dab in the middle of the Bible, making it almost a miniature Bible on it’s own. The New Testament begins with the history of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, as he came to announce the coming of the Messiah. Chapter 40 of Isaiah, which begins the second half of his book, contains the prophetic passage that predicts the coming of John the Baptist.
The last book of the Bible is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, foretelling the end times and the promise of a New Jerusalem. Chapter 66 speaks of the Joy in Jerusalem’s future and it ends with a picture of Gehenna the final death. So you find here in the book of Isaiah a remarkably close analogy that parallels the entire Bible.
Now obviously this analogy does not hold to perfection, because as I stated in my message, Isaiah's first prophetic mention of Christ is in chapter 6:9-10. That would put it in the first section that is supposed to be speaking of the Old testament. Like all analogies this one too is somewhat tepid, but interesting when you consider the way the Cannon of Scriptures were eventually put together.
I hope that helps Nancy, and I appreciate your compliments on my series of the reformation.
So you were the one who read them....LOL
Now the reason I have not been active commenting is I have been going through some things at home that really required my utmost attention. As things get better I will again participate as before, but for now I must take a back seat until things quiet down a bit. I will continue my Sunday article however, so rest assured you will continue seeing my articles posted on Post Scripts. That is as long as Tina and Jack will have me.
As for Fred, I have not seen any comments or posts from him on FreeRepublic either. Like you, I pray and hope he is well.
Many years ago when I first attempted to achieve a greater understanding of the Bible I came across many notions and ‘facts” from what were referred to as “higher critics.”
The Book of Isaiah was dissected to such a degree that it had drawn my attention. I was not in some advanced program of Bible study. It was just a college course on the entire Old Testament itself.
The inordinate amount of material spent on the book of Isaiah always struck me strange.
The critics have been compelled to break down Isaiah in to the works of more than 1 writer. In fact, they had to go beyond the creation of Second Isaiah to the assumption of a Third Isaiah. Even I recall that there claimed to have been multiple Isaiah's responsible for the “final” product.
That is how it works in the Divinity Programs of the 20th (and 21st) century. They simply make up “facts” based on “writing styles” and word choices.
I personally found the bottom line of most of the Bible debunking that goes on in such courses to be little more than rantings of scholars who will never acknowledge that the Bible is what it claims to be. That Isaiah was actually written by a fellow named Isaiah completely confounds their theories.
It simply does not work for their presupposed positions to be held as valid.
Good article OV, you are truly a rare man who has both insight and understanding. I pray the Lord continues using you in His fight against the forces of ignorance and evil. I, like Nancy above, miss your wit and candor on the various topics discussed here.
Hebrews followed the Law of Moses....every quote by Jesus was aimed at Jews to get them to once again, turn to the Law of Moses.
Christians through the years have made preposterous claims
based on teachings by and for Jews.
All the Apostles were Jews and died Jews.
This is me again, I left the last comment that hasn't made it to the boar as of yet,
For pure, unadulterated teachings I’ll use the Hebrew Scriptures/Torah and not the bastardized version which goes by the name of the new testament.
Hebrews followed the Law of Moses....every quote by Jesus was aimed at Jews to get them to once again, turn to the Law of Moses.
Christians through the years have made preposterous claims
based on teachings by and for Jews.
I will take your comment to mean you are Jewish and thus the accusation of us making outlandish claims to you God. Well allow me to begin by using the particular identifying word you used, Hebrew, as that is what Abraham was called to refute your claim.
Where was Lazarus found? Wasn't it in Abraham's bosom? And according to Peter, Christ upon death of the flesh went first to those 'spirits' held in prison since the days of Noah to offer them first salvation. People are certainly free to believe whatever they want but that does NOT mean it is scriptural.
It is written that the 'saints' upon overcoming sing the song of Moses and aren't the Christians the ones who recognize that term 'saints'? Now why would Christian saints be singing the song of Moses IF Moses is not Christian?
There is only one named entity that will never be offered life eternal as he has already been sentenced to death and there is a numbered of his direct followers who refused to be born of woman that are also noted that will receive the death sentence. Other than that any who are born from above have met the first requirement to 'see' the kingdom of God.
Also, I would go so far as to unequivocally say that Abraham was a Christian because he looked forward to Christ, like all the Old Testament patriarchs and faithful followers of Jehovah. After all, what is a Christian?
A Christian is anyone who puts their faith in Christ to save them from eternal damnation. Something David wrote about in Psalms time and time again. Throughout the Old Testament the prophets and teachers looked forward to salvation through the Messiah, Christ.
Even Moses prophesied the coming Prophet before the Israelites were to enter the Promised Land. He said to them, “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deut. 18:15)
It is by the rejection of your ancestors, as I wrote in the article, that the gentiles they hated were offered salvation through the blood Christ shed on the cross. I will agree it was the shed blood of a Jew, and you to can gain the salvation your ancestors rejected, after all He is your Messiah.
I’ll use the Hebrew Scriptures/Torah and not the bastardized version which goes by the name of the new testament.
Excuse me?
There is no difference, they are exactly the same.
Consider what we have learned from the Dead Sea Scrolls from the Qumran caves.
A comparison of the Qumran manuscript of Isaiah with the Masoretic text revealed them to be extremely close in accuracy to each other: "A comparison of Isaiah 53 shows that only 17 letters differ from the Masoretic text. Ten of these are mere differences in spelling (like our "honor and the English "honour") and produce no change in the meaning at all. Four more are very minor differences, such as the presence of a conjunction (and) which are stylistic rather than substantive. The other three letters are the Hebrew word for "light". This word was added to the text by someone after "they shall see" in verse 11. Out of 166 words in this chapter, only this one word is really in question, and it does not at all change the meaning of the passage. We are told by biblical scholars that this is typical of the whole manuscript of Isaiah.
I could continue with more evidence but the fact remains, the Isaiah of the NASB, NKJV, and other translations are exactly the same as the Jewish Rabbis use in the Torah they study. There is NO difference. They use the same manuscripts as we do.
Do you posses better manuscripts then 100% of all Jewish and Christian Theologians do?
Please let me know so that all the Christian and Rabbi scholars I communicate with can also benefit from your discoveries. We really would like to see them.
After all, I am fairly fluent in both Koinonia Greek and Hebrew. I use a linear Bible with all three English, Greek, and Hebrew in my studies. So again, what is your problem with my message?
Boy, I am glad I took one more look for any comments before I left town for Sacramento.