Sermon Tone Analysis

Isaiah 43:14-21

A Little About Isaiah

Isaiah was the son of Amoz

His name means “Yahweh Is Salvation”

Isaiah is quoted 21 times in the New Testament and by Jesus, as well.

Prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

Believed to have been martyred during the reign of Manasseh

His prophetic ministry covered a span of some 60+ years 740-680 BC

His ministry would have overlapped the ministries of Hosea in the north and Micah in the south.

Isaiah prophesied at the most crucial period in the history of Judah and Israel.

Both Southern and Northern kingdoms had experienced a half-century of growing prosperity and power.

Israel to the north had been ruled by Jereboam and six other minor kings, succumbed to pagan worship.

Judah to the south, had maintained an outward conformity to orthodoxy, but had gradually fallen into serious moral and spiritual decline.

Secret places of worship were tolerated; the wealthy oppressed the poor; the women neglected their families in the quest for carnal pleasure; many priests and prophets became drunken men-pleasers.

It was clear to Isaiah that the Mosaic Covenant of

Isaiah knew this had been so violated that judgement and captivity were inevitable.

One of Isaiah’s purposes is to announce God’s displeasure with their sin and the coming judgement on Judah, Israel and the surrounding nations.

There were some partial revivals that took place during that time, but nothing lasted.

One of Isaiah’s greatest purposes is to lay a foundation of hope and promise for the faithful remnant of God’s people.

This book is full of promises of restoration and redemption, of the certain advent of Messiah, of salvation of all nations, and of God’s ultimate triumph despite periods of suffering.

Isaiah For Today

There is no other Old Testament book, with the possible exception of the Psalms, which speaks more powerfully and appropriately to the modern day church.

He has been called both the “messianic prophet” and the “evangelical prophet”.

His prophesies cover all future ages, predicting the first and second advents of Christ.

His very name means salvation and it was a salvation, not only for his day and people, but for all nations and times.

This salvation issues from a Savior or Redeemer who has provided a ransom; it is always a vicarious salvation by grace.

The prophetic time frame of Isaiah will not close until the Son of David rules over His kingdom of peace (Isaiah 2:1-5

; 11:1-9

; 42:1-4

; 61:1-11

; 65:17-25

; 66:22-23

Isaiah speaks as powerfully to our day as he did to the society of his day.

He focused a spotlight of holiness upon the sordid sins of Israel and Judah, he summoned his contemporaries to cease from their social injustice, their quest for carnal indulgence, their trust in the arm of flesh, and their hypocritical pretense of orthodox religion.

He also warned of the consequences of sin if they continued.

Christ Revealed

After His resurrection, Jesus walked with two disciples on their way to the little town of Emmaus (Luke 24:27

To do so, He must have drawn heavily from the prophet Isaiah.

There are 17 chapters in Isaiah that contain prophetic references to Christ.

Christ is spoken of as --

LORD

Branch of the LORD

Immanuel

Wonderful, Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father