The entire book of Isaiah could be called "The Gospel According to Isaiah." God's Spirit caused Isaiah to document many wonderful things about the Messiah, around seven hundred years before Jesus Christ was born! Here are three particularly spectacular statements that are meant to help us know and identify the one-and-only Messiah - the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us bathe our souls in these precious words and find ways to express the greatness of Jesus Christ to others.
From Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 40:5 we are going to ask three questions:
- What did the Lord give us?
- What is God, through His Son, going to do for us / do with us?
- What forces are at work in the world: revealing Christ to us / releasing Christ through us?
Question # 2 - What is God, through His Son, going to do for us / do with us?
| Isaiah 7:14 |
God will be with us! |
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If you think about this from Israel's perspective, this was not just a prophecy of the incarnation. They weren't going to understand that for a long time (John 1:1- 3,14,11). But if you think about all the difficult years ahead for Israel, this was a very comforting promise for them - God with us! They would have many years of God's discipline because of their unfaithfulness and disobedience. There would be the oppression of enemies, including years of captivity and being under tribute to other nations. There would be four hundred years of silence after the times of Malachi. Yet, God would be with them! God would still be with them!
Then He came in a way that they were not able to fully understand. They expected a Messiah. They yearned for a Messiah! But little did they expect a personal appearance of God in flesh! See I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-12.
We, too, may cherish the thought of God with us! He personally gives us His loving attention and presence when we call upon Him for salvation through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 5:21-24; 14:6,23). This presence of God, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is promised to us until the day redemption - and then we shall forever be with the Lord in perfect oneness. See Romans 8:1-39 (note vs. 38-39); John 14:15-23; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 1:3- 14; 4:30; Philippians 1:6; John 17:21-24; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; 5:9-11.
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| Isaiah 9:6-7
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God will guide, guard, and govern us! |
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Through Christ, God will not only protect His people and provide for the needs of His people, He will also lead them to serve Him. See Philippians 4:19; John 10:1- 10,27-30; Ephesians 2:8-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Hebrews 13:20-21. The people of Christ will not only serve Him now, but also in His future Kingdom, and in the New Jerusalem. See Matthew 19:27-29; Luke 12:31-32; 22:29-30; Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21; 5:9-10; 11:15-19; 20:1-6 (cp. Isaiah 11:1 - 12:6; Isaiah 32:1-5); Revelation 21:1-10; 22:1-5.
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| Isaiah 40:5
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God will amaze us and confound us!
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God's glory is more than just visible and audible manifestations of deity. God's glory, simply stated, is the revelation of who God is and what He does. Notice how God fulfilled Moses' request, when he wanted to see God's glory (Exodus 33:18-23 cp. vs. 18-19; Psalm 145:1-21). Jesus came to reveal the glory of the Lord. This glory is described as the life that gives light. Some people received it and were transformed. Some people hated it and tried to destroy it. See John 1:4-5, 9-14,16- 17; 3:16-21; 6:35-45; 8:12; 14:6-10 cp. Matthew 11:25-30.
Note John 1:5: And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness…
- Did not comprehend / understand / grasp it
- Did not apprehend / absorb / receive it
- Could not control / overcome / extinguish it
We are to receive God's glory and partake of it. We glorify God by honoring His Son and walking in His light. We openly glorify and worship the Lord before men. See John 5:21-24; I Corinthians 1:18-31; 10:31-33; Psalm 31:19; Ephesians 1:12; 2:8-10; 5:1-21; I Peter 2:1-12. See also II Peter 1:2-11; Psalm 145:1-21; I John 1:1 - 2:6
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