The people of Jerusalem represent all of God’s people (“my people”, verse 4). Formerly, he sent them into exile (Isaiah 5:13; 27:6-8). Now, he commands them to sit in his presence. What causes this huge change in God’s actions toward Jerusalem? Verse six states the cause, as it clearly pronounces God’s incarnation in his Servant. In verse six, for readers who have followed Isaiah closely, the voice of God and the voice of his incarnated Servant are indistinguishable. …
Isaiah 51:9-16 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.37
Christian, our comfort and eternal security rests not on ourselves and our performance before an Almighty, holy God. Rather, our security rests upon the nature, character, and will of the one who claims us as his own. Let us cling to this knowledge during troubled times and not become proud in our hearts during the good times. …
Isaiah 51:9-16 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.36
The Septuagint text allows two possible speakers in Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-11. First, God may be addressing the people of Jerusalem, or second, the prophet Isaiah may be addressing them. Because the text switches from second person vocative (direct address) in verses 9-10 to third person in verse 11, the grammatical structure leans toward Isaiah as speaker (see also Isaiah 50:10). …
Isaiah 51:1-8 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.35
Obedience Not Ethnicity
The passage in Isaiah 51:1-8 narrows down to two people groups: those who follow God and those who do not. In these verses the emphasis falls on obedience, not ethnicity. God clearly elects to include the blessing of salvation to both the faithful of ethnic Israel and to the faithful among the Gentile nations. The two become one. This occurs within the context of God’s Servant. …
Isaiah 50:10-11 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.34
The book of Isaiah simultaneously prophesies the best news in the world and the worst news in the world. The best news is the Advent of God’s Servant, Messiah, the second Person of the Trinity. As God’s Servant, he comes to bring salvation to Israel and light to the whole Gentile world. The worst news is that death and sorrow will result for those who treat him poorly.
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Isaiah 50:4-9 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.33
Most commentators accept Isaiah 50:4-9 (ESV) as Isaiah’s third servant speech (see Septuagint translation here). This should have people jumping up and down. Christians everywhere know Jesus Christ God’s Son to be God’s Servant (John 5:30; 4:34; 6:38; 7:18; Matthew 26:39). To hear the preincarnate Christ speaking in the Old Testament is amazing. Don’t you find it so? …
Isaiah 50:1-3 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.32
Summarizing briefly, the Lord in the first three verses of chapter 50 continues to rebut Sion’s claim that he forgot and forsook them (Isaiah 49:14). Oh, but I did come, says the Lord in Isaiah 50:2. But there was no one to meet me. No one answered when I called. No one obeyed my command. The Lord states these claims as rhetorical questions. Then, in the latter portion of verse 2 and continuing in verse 3, the Lord names the three great salvation events in Israel’s history. Two are past and one remains future. These three great salvation events are 1) the parting of the Red Sea, led by Moses, 2) the parting of the Jordan River, led by Joshua, and 3) the parting of the barrier between death and life, sin and holiness, led by Jesus Christ through the cross. …