Second
Isaiah
(40-55)
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- Introductory Matters
- Author
- Isaiah of the 8th century B.C.E. who wrote 1-39 and was able to uncannily see and
comment upon the future
- Another prophet influenced by the Isaiah of 1-39 but who lived toward
the end of the exile in Babylon - he spoke words of comfort and
challenge to the Jews preparing to return to Judah
- Emphasizes salvation, monotheism, and God's call to all people
- Some theological points
- Salvation (40, 44, 45)
- Comfort (40:1-2,29-31) - as the exile drew to a close, judgment was
replaced by comfort and strength
- Salvation was very near (40) - in the prophet's own age
- God was about to do a completely new thing - what God would do would
be like a new exodus (49:9-10) and a new creation (40:12) all rolled up into one (51:9-11)
- Babylon which had terrorized and captured Judah was about to fall
(47)
- Description of God (40, 45, 46, 48, 55)
- Creator (40:22,26; 45:12) - emphasis on God as creator of world - He
created the stars which some people foolishly worship in astrology
- Ruler of history (40:27, 45:9-11)
- God rules the nations and uses them for His purposes
- Cyrus is the "anointed" of God (44-45) - if Cyrus the
Persian can be the anointed, then Israel is no longer predominantly a political nation -
God rules the world and Israel has a responsibility to the world
- Savior (46:3-4)
- Powerful (55) - His thoughts and ways are far above ours - God is not
simply a "bigger human" - His word always accomplishes what He sends it out to
accomplish
- Disappointed (48:17-19) - God wishes people had followed Him from the
beginning - everything would have been better
- Monotheism
- States quite clearly that God is the only deity who exists (44:6-8) -
while other biblical authors had implied this, Second Isaiah boldly states it
- Worthlessness of idols (40:18-20, 44:9-20, 46:1-2,5-7)
- God cannot be compared to a created idol (40:18-20)
- 44:9-20 is a beautiful satire of idols - people warm themselves with
one part of a tree and worship another part that has been carved into a statue - idolatry
is foolish - idolatry is to limit God to one or a few methods of revelation instead of
giving Him the freedom to reveal Himself as He chooses
- The gods cannot even take care of their own idols - they have to be
carried away to safety - how then can they save people? (46:1-2,5-7)
- Universal call
- All nations are to participate in this salvation - salvation is not
limited to Israel - Israel has a world-wide mission (45:22)
- The calling of Cyrus (45:1) indicates God's concern with the world
- The Servant of the Lord (42:1-4,
49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12)
Artwork by Guy Rowe from the Bible Picture Library of Photo Art
(c) Christian Computer Art, 1994-97
