Isaiah is among the most important of the prophetic biblical books. It covers a long period of Israel’s history (before, during, and after the exile) and offers the full range of God’s prophetic messages: terrifying words of judgment as well as comforting words of promise. Isaiah portrays God as the powerful Creator, like no other, and also the gentlest comforter, like an earthly lover or mother.
Prophetic books like Isaiah are, for the most part, written in poetry and should be read accordingly. Readers should offer appropriate care for and attentiveness to the common features of Hebrew poetry, such as repetition, thematic echoes, line endings, metaphor, and the creative use of language.
At the heart of Isaiah’s message is God’s purpose of grace for sinners. If that ultimate miracle is accepted—and one cannot be a Christian without accepting it—then a lesser miracle is no barrier. Indeed, the prophet making predictions of future events is not a problem; it is, as Isaiah intended it to be, encouraging evidence of God’s sovereign salvation intercepting a sinful world.
A Familiar text later quoted by Jesus can be found in chapter 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Today, we hope and pray for:
Joy as we journey together,
Sight for the blind and healing for the sick,
Freedom for the prisoners
and good news for the poor,
Release for the oppressed with justice for all
and love for each other.
And the coming of God’s topsy-turvy,
inside out,
upside-down Kingdom. Amen
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