Lesson #35

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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

ISAIAH 41 AND 42
Lesson #35
FULFILLMENT OF THE FRIENDSHIP COVENANT

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 41:13

 

• IN ISAIAH 40, WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF JESUS CHRIST AS A MEMBER OF THE TRIUNE GOD WHO CREATED THIS WORLD. CHAPTER 41 DEALS NOT WITH A VERY DISTANT GOD WAY OUT IN SPACE SOMEWHERE, BUT A VERY PERSONAL GOD WHO DEALS WITH MAN.
• READ ISA 41:1
  • THROUGH HISTORY ALL MANKIND HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD JUDGMENT DAY, THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE COASTLANDS OR ON ISLANDS WILL NOT ESCAPE JUDGMENT. HOWEVER, BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, GOD, IN HIS MERCY IS CALLING MEN TO COME TO HIM.

• READ ISA 41:2-5
  • “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN FROM THE EAST” (2) = WHO IS THIS?
    • THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS TO HIS IDENTITY:
      • =1= THIS WAS AN ACTUAL HISTORICAL LEADER WHO WAS THE LEADER OF THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE. HIS NAME WAS CYRUS.
        • REMEMBER THAT AFTER THE FALL OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE, CAME THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE THAT DESTROYED JERUSALEM AND TOOK ALL THE JEWS CAPTIVE TO BABYLON. AFTER THE FALL OF THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, THE MEDES AND THE PERSIANS FORMED A DUAL KINGDOM. THE JEWS WERE STILL CAPTIVE IN BABYLON. WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT GOD HAD SAID THE JEWS WOULD BE IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY 70 YEARS, AND THAT THE 70 YEARS WAS ALMOST COMPLETED, CYRUS FREED THE JEWS. GOD CALLED CYRUS “HIS ANOINTED”.
          • WE WILL SEE MORE REMARKABLE THINGS ABOUT CYRUS LATER IN ISAIAH. HE IS CALLED “RIGHTEOUS MAN” IN VERSE 2 BECAUSE HE CARRIES OUT THE RIGHTEOUS PLAN OF GOD.
      • =2= HIS IDENTITY IS JESUS CHRIST AND CYRUS IS SIMPLY A TYPE OR PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST.
        • THEREFORE, THERE ARE 2 FULFILLMENTS TO ISAIAH’S PROPHECY IN VERSE 2-3:
          • CYRUS IS THE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
          • JESUS CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIUM IS THE SECOND FULFILLMENT.
        • WHEN WE COME TO VERSE 4, IT IS OBVIOUS ISAIAH IS NOT TALKING ABOUT CYRUS, BUT ABOUT JESUS CHRIST.
          • REV 1:8 REV 22:13

• READ ISA 41:6-14 AN INNATE FEAR LEADS UNGODLY MEN INTO IDOLATRY
  • ALL PEOPLE SEEK TO WORSHIP SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS VACUUM GOD PLACED WITHIN THE HUMAN HEART THAT MEN SEEK TO FILL IT WITH SOMETHING. THERE IS NO CULTURE ON THIS EARTH THAT DOES NOT HAVE SOME TYPE OF RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. THE REASON IS THAT GOD SHAPED VACUUM HE PUT IN ALL OF US.
    • REMEMBER THAT IN ISA 40 WE SAW THAT ALL CREATION DECLARES THE GLORY OF GOD. THEREFORE ALL MEN KNOW IN THEIR HEARTS THAT THERE IS A GOD THEY SHOULD WORSHIP.
    • UNGODLY MEN MAKE IDOLS WHEN THEY DO NOT SEEK TO WORSHIP THE TRUE CREATOR, GOD (6-7). ISRAEL HAD NO REASON TO MAKE IDOLS BECAUSE FROM THE BEGINNING THEY KNEW WHO GOD WAS. ISRAEL HAD A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE OF ABRAHAM. (8)
      • READ GEN 15:5-18
        • GOD CALLS ABRAHAM “FRIEND” IN ISA 41:8 BECAUSE OF A COVENANT IN GEN 15.
          • THIS PASSAGE IN GEN 15:5-18 IS CALLED “THE CUTTING OF THE FRIENDSHIP COVENANT”.
          • WHAT UNIQUE THINGS DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE COVENANT?
            • IT IS A COVENANT OF FAITH (6)
            • IT IS AN UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT FOR ABRAHAM DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING IN THE MAKING OF THE COVENANT. HE SLEPT THROUGH IT.
    • WHO DOES GOD CALL, “MY SERVANT”? (8)
      • ISRAEL.
        • IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH, THERE ARE 3 SERVANTS OF THE LORD MENTIONED:
          • DAVID (37:35)
          • ISRAEL (41:8-16; 43:1-10; 44:1-8,21; 45:4; 48:20)
          • THE MESSIAH (42:1-12; 49)
        • YOU CAN ONLY DETERMINE WHICH SERVANT GOD IS TALKING ABOUT BY THE CONTEXT.
          • BECAUSE GOD CHOSE ISRAEL, REVEALED HIMSELF TO HER, MADE A COVENANT WITH HER, AND POURED OUT A MULTITUDE OF BLESSINGS ON HER, ISRAEL SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO FALL INTO IDOLATRY. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO FEAR GOD OR FINAL JUDGMENT BECAUSE THEY KNEW GOD.
        • GOD CALLS ISRAEL “WORM JACOB” (14).
          • REMEMBER THE STORY OF JACOB IN GEN 25. HE WAS A DECEITFUL MAN WHO STOLE THE BIRTHRIGHT FROM HIS BROTHER ESAU. GOD DEALT HARSHLY WITH JACOB UNTIL HE BEGAN TO LET GOD CHANGE HIS DECEITFUL WAYS. THEN GOD CHANGED HIS NAME TO ISRAEL.
          • WHENEVER THE BIBLE REFERS TO ISRAEL AS “JACOB” AS IT DOES HERE IN ISA 41:14, IT IS SAYING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ACTING LIKE OLD REBELLIOUS, DECEITFUL JACOB. GOD COMPOUNDS THE IMAGE BY CALLING THEM “WORM”.
          • GOD WILL HELP THIS WORTHLESS, REBELLIOUS NATION (14) WHY? BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDSHIP COVENANT HE MADE WITH ABRAHAM. IT WAS AN UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. GOD WOULD FULFILL HIS PART EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT FAITHFUL TO HIM BUT WORSHIPED IDOLS INSTEAD.
      • WHY DO YOU THINK GOD MENTIONS THIS COVENANT HERE IN ISAIAH?
        • IT IS BECAUSE THIS SECTION OF ISAIAH CONTAINS PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MESSIAH.
          • WHO WILL FULFILL THE FRIENDSHIP COVENANT? (14)
            • “THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL”, “THE REDEEMER”
              • THESE ARE NAMES FOR JESUS CHRIST.

• READ ISA 41:15-20 GOD OVERRULES NATURE TO PROVIDE FOR ISRAEL
  • THIS SECTION LOOKS FORWARD TO THE MILLENNIUM WHEN THE CURSE ON THE LAND IS WITHDRAWN AND CROPS PRODUCE AN ABUNDANCE TO SUPPLY ISRAEL WITH ALL SHE NEEDS.

• READ ISA 41:21-29 ISRAEL’S FUTURE AND KING CYRUS
  • GOD CALLS UPON NATIONS WHO RELY ON IDOLS TO TELL THE FUTURE. (21)
    • OF COURSE THEY CANNOT FORETELL THE FUTURE WITH 100% ACCURACY. ONLY GOD CAN DO THAT. (21-24)
  • GOD PREDICTED A STRONG LEADER (25) WOULD COME FROM THE NORTH. THIS IS CYRUS. IN VERSE 2 WE LEARNED THAT CYRUS IS SAID TO COME FROM THE “EAST”. IN ACTUALITY CYRUS CAME FROM BOTH THE NORTH AND THE EAST OF ISRAEL.
  • CYRUS WOULD TREAD THE NATIONS AND GRIND THEM TO DUST LIKE BROKEN PIECES OF POTTERY. (25)
  • HE WOULD BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. (27)
    • WHAT GOOD NEWS?
      • THE NEWS THAT THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY IS ENDED AND THEY CAN ALL RETURN TO ISRAEL.

• READ ISA 42:1-4 SERVANT SONG #1
  • ISRAEL, THE UNFAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE LORD, IS CONTRASTED WITH THE FAITHFUL SERVANT IN ISA 42.
    • WHO IS THE SERVANT IN VERSE 1?
      • READ MAT 12:18-21
        • JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH.
    • THE MINISTRY OF THE SERVANT MESSIAH:
      • HE WILL PERFORM HIS MINISTRY ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. (1) (FIRST AND SECOND COMING)
      • HE WILL BRING JUSTICE TO THE NATIONS. (SECOND COMING)
        • WHAT DO YOU THINK VERSE 3 MEANS (AN ADVANCED QUESTION)?
          • (A CLUE: READ MAT 12:17-21)
            • JESUS CHRIST WOULD BE BRUISED BUT HE WOULD NOT BREAK. HIS LIFE WOULD APPEAR QUENCHED BUT HE WOULD BRING VICTORY OUT OF DEATH BY DEFEATING SATAN ON THE CROSS.
• READ ISA 42:5-7 GOD’S PURPOSE FOR HIS SERVANT SON, JESUS CHRIST
  • GOD GAVE JESUS BREATH AND LIFE TO BECOME A MAN. (6).
  • JESUS CHRIST IS CALLED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. (6)
  • GOD GAVE JESUS AS A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE. (7)
    • HEB 8:6
  • HE IS TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES. (7)
    • THE JEWISH NATION WAS TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, BUT THEY FAILED IN THIS RESPONSIBILITY. BECAUSE GOD WOULD HAVE GENTILES SAVED AS WELL AS JEWS, THE MESSIAH WILL FULFILL THIS RESPONSIBILITY. LUK 2:32
  • THE SERVANT SON WILL HEAL THE BLIND. (7)
  • THE SERVANT SON WILL FREE THOSE WHO ARE CAPTIVE TO SIN. (7)

• READ ISA 42:8-18 THE SCOURGE OF IDOLS
  • GOD SAYS HE WILL JUDGE NATIONS THAT TRUST IN IDOLS. THAT JUDGMENT WILL BE IN THE FORM OF NATURAL CATASTROPHES THAT DESTROY NATURE AND THE PRODUCTIVENESS OF THE LAND.
    • GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU LOOK AT NATIONS WHOSE CULTURES ARE TIED DEEPLY TO IDOLATRY, YOU NOT ONLY SEE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS BUT A LACK OF PRODUCTIVITY OF THE LAND.
      • INDIA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

• READ ISA 42:19-25 THE BLIND AND DEAF SERVANT CONTRASTED WITH THE BLIND AND DEAF MESSENGER:
  • WHO IS THE SERVANT IN VERSE 19?
    • iSRAEL
  • WHO IS THE MESSENGER IN VERSE 19?
    • JESUS CHRIST
  • VERSES 19-21 ARE DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET UNTIL WE REMEMBER THAT THIS CHAPTER CONTRASTS THE SERVANT, ISRAEL, WITH THE SERVANT, MESSIAH.
    • THE CONTRAST:
      • THE SERVANT, ISRAEL:
        • ISRAEL IS BLIND AND DEAF TO GOD’S PLAN, TO HIS DAILY WORKING IN THEIR LIVES, AND TO THE REASONS WHY THEY DO NOT SUCCEED AS A NATION. THEIR BLINDNESS COMES FROM THEIR PROPENSITY TO IDOLATRY. THEY DON’T EVEN RECOGNIZE WHEN GOD HAS JUDGED THEM. (25)
          • AND, OF COURSE, WHILE ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT JEWS HERE, GENTILES ARE JUST AS BLIND AS THE JEWS, THOUGH THE GENTILE NATIONS ARE NOT CALLED THE SERVANT OF GOD, ONLY ISRAEL.
      • THE SERVANT MESSENGER:
        • HOW IS THE MESSENGER DEAF AND BLIND?
          • NOTICE THAT THE MESSENGER, JESUS CHRIST, IS PERFECT. THAT MEANS HE IS WITHOUT SIN.
          • BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF ISRAEL TO BE A FAITHFUL SERVANT, THE NATURAL REACTION WOULD BE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP ON ISRAEL. HOWEVER, INSTEAD JESUS CAME THE FIRST TIME NOT TO JUDGE THEM FOR THEIR SINS, BUT TO OVERLOOK THEM IN ORDER TO MINISTER TO THEM. THEREFORE, IN HIS FIRST COMING, WE CAN SAY HE WAS DEAF AND BLIND TO THEIR FAULTS.

HOMEWORK
ISAIAH 43 AND 44
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• APPLICATION OF ISA 41-42
  • ISRAEL WAS CALLED OUT TO BE GOD’S SERVANT, BUT THEY FAILED AT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES. IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE, GOD HAS CALLED OUT CHRISTIANS TO BE HIS SERVANTS.
    • (1PET 2:9) WE ARE NOT ONLY TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, BUT A LIGHT TO THE WORLD. (MAT 5:14)
      • EXAMINE YOUR FAITHFULNESS AS GOD’S SERVANT, CALLED TO BE A LIGHT TO THOSE AROUND YOU. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

• IN WHAT WAYS CAN YOU BE A MORE FAITHFUL SERVANT TO HIM?

• PREPARATION FOR ISA 43 AND 44:
  • READ ISA 43:1-28
    • GOD SAYS WE CAN KNOW THERE IS A GOD IF WE OBSERVE THE SERVANT WITNESS IN ISA 43:10-12?
      • WHO IS THIS?

• HOW DOES OBSERVING THIS WITNESS TELL US ABOUT GOD?

• READ ISA 44:1-28
  • WHEN IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY IN VERSE 3?

• ACCORDING TO THIS CHAPTER, IDOLATRY IS FOOLISH, WHY?

• THERE IS ONLY ONE BENEFIT FROM MAKING IDOLS; WHAT IS IT?

MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 43:11