Isaiah is a person that we do not know a whole lot about, but what we do know is amazing. He was married, and married to a prophet. He is the great evangelist of the Old Testament. He foretold the coming of Jesus.

The book of Isaiah is a controversial book because people have a hard time believing Isaiah could have foretold all he did with such accuracy. BUT if God is God then He can predict the future, because He knows the future. And if God does reveal Himself to His prophets, then He can tell them the future.

Many instead propose there were several Isaiah's. Countering the idea of many Isaiah's:
-- Questions re unity: Is 1-30, 40-55, 56-66
-- Bottom line: Predictive Prophecy
-- New Testament witness
-- Similarities more significant than differences
-- Dead Sea Scrolls

Pastor shares a timeline of Jerusalem's Fall 931 - 586 BC, and places Isaiah in a 60 years time period of 740 - 681 BC. King Hezekiah did listen to Isaiah, but many did not want to hear what Isaiah had to say even though he was a man of integrity.

Isaiah predicted incredible things hundreds of years before they happened. Plus, he brings word of judgment to the people but also gives them words of hope. We will see this as we explore the beginning chapters together.

Judgement and Hope
-- Broken Covenant - 1:3
-- Future Hope - 2:1-4
-- Vineyard - 5:1-7 (also 5:20) Jesus uses the vineyard picture in his teachings too.
-- Commission - 6:1-10 After an encounter with the Holiness of God, Isaiah responds, "Here am I, send me!"
-- Immanuel - 7:14 (note context) Isaiah tells that there is One coming to bring redemption to all people. Immanuel, God with us.
-- Fulfillment - 9:1-7 ("prophetic perfect"); 11:1-10 "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…." Isaiah spoke this 700 years before Christ came, but it is a prophecy that is so certain that it is spoken in the past tense (have seen, as if it has already happened). This style of prophecy is called the prophetic perfect. It is certain, "they have seen" even though they have not yet seen.

Chapters 13-23 we see Isaiah giving prophetic words about the nations around Judah. Many already fulfilled, some with his life time, others after and others still to be fulfilled.

In chapters 24-29 Isaiah gives prophetic word about Jerusalem and Judah, the siege of Jerusalem by Assyria and then we come to chapters of comfort and fulfillment.

Comfort and Fulfillment
-- Comfort, comfort - 40:1-8, 29-31
-- My Servant - 42:1-4 (Matthew 12:15-21) God's Servant will come to do the Lord's work, mercy, grace, God with us, and brings justice
-- No Fear! - 43:1-3, 11
-- Every knee will bow! - 45:22-23
-- Suffering Servant - 52:13-53:12 These verses are all about Jesus, His suffering, death and resurrection. And that He comes for ALL. (The verses in Isaiah 53 have not been read in the synagogues for centuries.) In a snippet from Isaiah 53 - we can clearly see this is describing Jesus. Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
-- Good News! - 61:1-2 (see Luke 4:14-21). Isaiah 61:1-2

Isaiah ends with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. That is what lies ahead!!

Join us next week for the study of Jeremiah.

For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year

Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation, revealing Jesus throughout both the Old and the New Testaments! In Ephesians 6, the word of God is called the sword of the spirit, and a sword is best used when you take it out of the scabbard to use it! Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active! Meaning it is not dry, dusty, old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the Living Word, it has the power to impact us still today!

Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com