ESV Global Study Bible :: The Global Message of Isaiah

THE GLOBAL MESSAGE OF
ISAIAH

A God-centered Vision of All Things

Dating from the eighth century b.c., and centering on God's promises of protection, deliverance, purging, and restoration for his guilty and defiled covenant people, the book of Isaiah presents an incredibly rich landscape of salvation history in all its eternal and global scope. God has a purpose and plan, and his eternal decree will stand. It will be neither thwarted by strong and aggressive nations (Isa. 14:26-27) nor derailed by unfaithful ones (1:4, 9). God has a message for the world that he created, and he declares without equivocation,

"I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" (Isa. 46:9-10)

At the center of this global and eternal stage stands the Lord. He stands as the sovereign God (Isa. 43:13), the Holy One of Israel (1:4; 5:19; 24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11; 12; 15; 31:1; 37:23; 41:14; 16; 20; 43:3; 14; 45:11; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 54:5; 55:5; 60:9; 14), our redeemer (41:14; 43:14; 47:4; 48:17; 54:5), and the only Savior of the world (43:11).

Judgment and Salvation for All Nations

A righteous God. God himself is our salvation (Isa. 12:2; 17:10; 33:2; 6). He alone is "mighty to save" (63:1). He is incomparably great (40:25), and he is "holy, holy, holy" (6:3). The message of the book of Isaiah to the world begins with warning. Human pride and boasting are utterly foolish and a great danger before this righteous God (2:11-17; 10:33; 13:11; 16:6; 23:9; 28:1-4). Indeed, a day of judgment is coming (2:12-22, 24:1-23), so let all the nations of the earth take heed. Whether it is corporate greed, national pride, individual self-dependence, or Babel-like self-exaltation (Gen. 11:1-9), this is a message for our world today. Sin will not go unpunished. The sovereign Lord is watching.

A saving God. But warning gives way to merciful promises of salvation. The message of the book of Isaiah to the world is that there is indeed a Savior, the Messiah, who has humbly, painfully, and gloriously won salvation for sinners and for all who would trust in him (Isa. 4:2; 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5; 42:1-4; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3). Death itself is swallowed up, and our reproach is removed (25:8). What an astonishing salvation! There is no one in our world today too sinful to be saved, too hurt to be healed, too lost to be found, or too far away to be brought near. God, our Savior, is Immanuel, God with us (7:14). He saves. It is who he is.

A global God. This salvation is for all nations. God's promise to Abraham to bless the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1-3) is affirmed throughout the book of Isaiah. Even as the seraphim declare that "the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isa. 6:3), so it shall be, and so it is coming to pass even today, that the whole world will be filled with God's glory (Hab. 2:14; Num. 14:21; Ps. 72:19). In Isaiah 19 we read that one day even the hated nations of Assyria and Egypt, both of whom at some time enslaved Israel, will be included within God's gracious purposes (Isa. 19:16-25).

A trustworthy God. Our confidence in our global missionary endeavor is not in our techniques, resources, or strategies. It rests instead upon the promises and faithfulness of God. As declared in Isaiah 25:5-7, the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind will see it; the feast of the Lord Almighty will be enjoyed by all peoples, and the veil of sin, ignorance, and death will be removed from all peoples and nations! No tribe, language, people, or nation will be excluded from the salvation of the Lord (Rev. 5:9). This is not the language of exaggeration. It is the declaration of the invincible determination of our almighty and trustworthy God (Isa. 46:9-10).

Gospel Freedom and Proclamation to All Nations

A divine liberation. The gospel is a message of freedom to a world that is weary from bondage. So many among the nations are burdened—burdened by the relentless demands and empty promises of mankind's religions, philosophies, and idols. Such things are "borne as burdens on weary beasts" (Isa. 46:1). But God's message to a weary world today is that, rather than being a burden to us, the Lord himself has borne his people; he has carried us from the womb, and will carry us to our dying day, finally saving us (46:3-5).

A proclaimed salvation. God's people worldwide have the glorious privilege of proclaiming this message of freedom: "‘You are my witnesses,' declares the Lord" (Isa. 43:10, 12; see also Acts 1:8). Indeed, our very lives are an indispensable part of our witness that God uses to attract the nations to himself. As Christ taught, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). The glory and goodness of God is reflected in and through his people, by their words and by their actions.

A fearless proclamation. As we serve our God, make known his deeds among the peoples (Isa. 12:4; 66:19), and herald the good news from high mountaintops (52:7), we are commanded not to fear (40:9). Because God is our salvation, we "will trust, and will not be afraid" (12:2). To those persecuted because of their witness to Christ around the world today, we have the great comfort of Isaiah 43:

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you." (Isa. 43:2)

God will protect, renew, and restore his global people. Our assurance rests in his deeply comforting words to us:

"Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life." (Isa. 43:4)

He has proven this love in an ultimate way by sending us his Son to give his life in exchange for ours.

A Message of Cosmic Significance

We have a glorious message to proclaim to the world. We are to be "beautiful feet" bringing good news of happiness and salvation to the nations (Isa. 52:7). We are privileged and called to "walk in the light of the Lord" (2:5). We are to present to the world the open invitation of God—the invitation for cleansing and forgiveness (1:18). The invitation to receive compassion, feeding, care, and life (55:1-3). The invitation to seek the Lord and turn from our wicked ways (55:6-7).

With joy we will draw water from the wells of salvation (Isa. 12:3), and on that day we will all say,

" Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.

"Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth." (Isa. 12:4-5)