Day 52 - Isaiah 41:19 - 52:12

In today’s section, we read about:

God’s chosen servant and the Saviour of Israel
The foolishness of worshipping idols
Cyrus will be God’s chosen instrument
Babylon’s fall predicted, stubborn Israel will be returned from exile
God’s servant is commissioned
A call to trust in God

Some thoughts that struck me today:

Just a few brief observations today. These chapters are just about God, and how looking anywhere else for answers is not just foolishness, but is futile and will result in punishment and destruction. However, everything we want is being offered to us out of God’s amazing riches.

We get glimpses of Jesus - 42:1-4 ““Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. / He is my chosen one, who pleases me. / I have put my Spirit upon him. / He will bring justice to the nations. / He will not shout / or raise his voice in public. / He will not crush the weakest reed / or put out a flickering candle. / He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. / He will not falter or lose heart / until justice prevails throughout the earth. / Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.” 42:6-7 – a symbol of the covenant and a light to guide his people; 49:6 – a light to the gentiles, who brings God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. 50:6-7 – a picture of some of the things that Jesus will suffer

Certain themes about God are repeated over and over – the God who created the heavens and the earth (42:5; 44:24: 45:7,8,12,18; 48:13; 51:13); The only God, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else”, the First and the Last; (42:8, 43:4,10-11; 44:6-7,8: 45:5,6,14,18,21,22: 46:9; 48:12,17), everything God says comes true (42:9; 43:12: 44:26; 45:23; 46:10; 48:15)

Another description which recurs is of God our redeemer, who ransoms us (43:1,11). 43:25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake / and will never think of them again.” Also Saviour (43:3; 45:21; 49:26)

God’s promises to his people to be with them (43:2,5; 52:12); no one can snatch his people away from him (43:13); the Lord will not forget his people (44:21: 49:15-16); He forgives (43;25; 44:22); he will help them and lead them into good land (49:8-10)

43:26 cf Is 1:18

The suffering and punishment that Israel suffered was for a purpose, 48:10 “I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. / Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

49:14-16 “Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; / the Lord has forgotten us.” / “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? / Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? / But even if that were possible, / I would not forget you! / See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. / Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.”

49:23 – “Those who trust in me will never be put to shame”

51:8 - “But my righteousness will last forever. / My salvation will continue from generation to generation.”