From the Return of the Exiles to the Messiah
From the Return of the Exiles to the Messiah
Previous Sessions
From Creation to the Fall (Genesis 3:1-24)
From Adam’s Fall to Abraham’s Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:1-19)
From Abraham to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 19:9-18)
From Moses to the Conquest of Joshua (Joshua 2:1-21; 6:23-25)
From Joshua to David (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
From David to the Prophets (2 Kings 4:1-7)
From the Prophets to the Return of the Exiles (Haggai 2:1-9)
This week, we conclude our survey of the Old Testament. Today’s passage is in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah’s ministry began the year that King Uzziah of Judah died and spanned the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (739-681 BC). During this time, Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and deported its population. Judah was surrounded by the Assyrians but survived. It was during these critical and dangerous times that Isaiah wrote his book.
The book of Isaiah contains unforgettable images of God. Isaiah used the phrase “the Holy one of Israel” 25 times. God is described as Creator, King, and Savior for His people, the “Mighty God” who sends his Servant, the Messiah, to rescue them at a terrible personal cost.
Isaiah 42:1 - 4 (NIV)
1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”
What are the phrases used to describe God’s servant?
What characteristic would reassure those who are faltering (weakening) in life or in faith?
Isaiah 42:5-9 (NIV)
5 This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 “I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
In this section, God addresses His Servant. What has God done? What will God do for His Servant?
Based on what we have read, summarize the Servant’s duties.
· Justice
· Righteousness
· Covenant
· Freedom
Let’s compare verse 7 to Matthew 5:14.
Isaiah 42:10-13 (NIV)
10 Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them.
11 Let the desert and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.
12 Let them give glory to the LORD
and proclaim his praise in the islands.
13 The LORD will march out like a mighty man,
like a warrior he will stir up his zeal;
with a shout he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.
Where was the Servant’s ministry?
Isaiah 42:6 contains one of the Bible’s most comforting thoughts: “I will take hold of your hand.” What thought come to mind when you hear these words?
Key terms
· Messiah
· Restoration
In our survey of the Old Testament, we have seen how God consistently seeks us out. We have also seen how mankind consistently rejected or ignored God. So in the end, God made a plan that human beings couldn’t mess up. He sent Jesus Christ to purchase our salvation.
Ezekiel 22:30 (NASB)
30“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.