Some Thoughts From Isaiah 40-55

Recently I began to read the Gospel of John in light of the lawsuit that Yahweh brings up in Isaiah 40-55. I have noted many parallels between the two and can see how John formulated his Gospel writing within the framework of Isaiah’s lawsuit. This lawsuit does something for John’s writing, namely it gives a courtroom setting for his testimony to and about Jesus. The words that we translate into English as “witness” and “eyewitness” and “to testify” in the Greek are not law-court terminology. But by placing the whole narrative within the framework of Isaiah’s lawsuit, the whole text is a legal witness. Very fascinating. Read Isaiah 42:18-43:15 to really see the lawsuit that is in play here in Isaiah 40-55. However, I want to comment on some things I found in Isaiah 40-55 that I found very warming.

First was a direct parallel between Isaiah 42:18-25. Here Yahweh declares that his servant was blind and deaf and therefore Israel was led into sin and into iniquity. God therefore poured out his wrath upon the people of Israel and Judah. In John 9 we read of Jesus healing a blind man. At the end of the chapter we read the following

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

What stands out to me is that the Pharisees have become the “servant” that led Israel into sin to be judged. In Isaiah, Yahweh has poured out his wrath upon Israel because they would not follow in his ways and obey his law. The “servant” sees much but observes nothing. His ears are open but he does not hear. Jesus is saying the same of the Pharisees. They have eyes but don’t see and ears but cannot hear. They are blind and have thus lead Israel into iniquity and sin. Therefore in Jesus judgment has come to them.

Immediately following this in Isaiah 43:1-7 Yahweh speaks of redemption for his people. Yahweh calls to his people that they belong to him because he has redeemed them and called them his. He declares that he will walk with them wherever they go, through the waters and through the flame he will protect them wherever. I take special note of 43:3-4 where Yahweh says that his people who he has redeemed are precious to him and he loves them. Therefore he will give entire nations to have Israel, the children of Jacob. All out of a love for them he declares in 43:5-7 that every nation that has taken Israel captive will give her back. But note why at the end of 43:7, Yahweh created them for his own glory. They are to exist so that Yahweh could be seen as glorious. As a Christian Hedonist, I sometimes forget that 43:3-4 and 43:5-7 are part of the same declaration by Yahweh. God’s glory and name are inextricably bound up with his love for Israel and his redeemed people.

I also found, going in the vein of Yahweh’s name, this verse very interesting. Yahweh says to Babylon in Isaiah 47:6,

I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.

In not showing mercy to Israel and punishing her for her sin in the Babylonian captivity, Yahweh profaned himself. Israel’s sin and idolatry was so heinous that he was willing to forgo his own honor to punish her. His own reputation among the other gods was no diminished because he appears to have been defeated by Assyria and Babylon. I think that this is why this lawsuit here against the other gods is so important. Yahweh is not allowing himself to be seen as defeated but rather as punishing his own people for disobedience. Thus Yahweh calls them back to Jerusalem so that his name may be re-established among the nations. He will not allow Israel to be completely destroyed and wiped out lest he be seen as a god who cannot protect his people (Isaiah 48:9-11).

These were some observations I had after reading Isaiah 40-55. I hope they were encouraging to you as well. My God is the sovereign Yahweh who cannot be defeated by anyone or anything. He declares what will be and then accomplishes it. Great is the God of Jacob!!