23 - Isaiah

TLDR: Judgment and hope: Israel and the nations under God's holiness; the coming Servant, suffering and reigning; and the promise of a new creation. "Holy, holy, holy" and "Comfort, comfort my people."

Overarching Storyline

Ch. 1–39: Judgment on Judah and nations; Assyria; Hezekiah; hope in a shoot from Jesse. Ch. 40–55: Comfort; Cyrus; the Servant who suffers. Ch. 56–66: Restoration; new heavens and new earth.

Bible Project: Isaiah overview.

Pegs for Memorizing This Book

• Person: Isaiah, the Servant, Hezekiah.
• Image: Seraphim, stump of Jesse, suffering Servant, new creation.
• Number: 66 (chapters), 40 (comfort begins at ch. 40).
• Phrase: "Holy, holy, holy" (6:3); "Comfort, comfort my people" (40:1); "A virgin will conceive" (7:14).

Highlights

• Isaiah 6 — Holy, holy, holy; "Here am I, send me."
• Isaiah 7:14 — Virgin will conceive; Immanuel.
• Isaiah 9:6–7 — Child born; Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
• Isaiah 40:3 — Voice in the wilderness (John the Baptist).
• Isaiah 53 — Suffering Servant.
• Isaiah 65:17 — New heavens and new earth.

(Link to verse entries and meditations as added.)

Before and After

• Before: Song of Solomon; Isaiah opens the Major Prophets.
• After: Jeremiah and Ezekiel continue judgment and hope.

Place in the Overarching Biblical Story

The gospel in the OT. Judgment and exile; then comfort, Servant, and new creation. The NT repeatedly cites Isaiah for Jesus (birth, ministry, suffering, reign).

Interesting Facts

• Two or three parts — Many scholars see ch. 1–39, 40–55 (Deutero-Isaiah), 56–66 (Trito-Isaiah); the book functions as a unity in canon.
• Isaiah 53 — Central for the atonement; "by his wounds we are healed."