This chapter introduces another important section of Isaiah’s prophecy, wherein Christ is presented, as Israel’s true King, their Messiah, and their rejection of Him is set out, with their final blessing through Him. The Jews turned to idols, and because of this, lost their homeland; but a greater, far greater, sin became theirs when He presented Himself to them, and they put Him to death. This deeply instructive portion of Isaiah ends with chapter 57.
The Gentiles are first addressed; not Israel only shall be blessed in the Millennium, as this chapter goes on to show, though in their pride and moral distance from1 God arid ignorance of His Word, the nation of Israel deluded themselves with the thought that He would not go beyond their border to bless.
At the outset the person of God’s Elect is presented,—His beloved Son, though that relationship is not revealed in the Old .Testament. Verse 1 finds its fulfilment . concerning Him in Matthew 1:18-21,18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:18‑21) and the beginning of verse 2 brings before us Himself as the Word of God (Hebrews 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12); Revelation 1:16; 2:12,16; 19:1516And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)
12And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Revelation 2:12)
16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16)
15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)).
Hidden from our view and knowledge until He came forth as Man, God’s only perfect Servant to execute His will (“a polished shaft”), but Himself unknown as He passed through the world (John 1:10-1110He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:10‑11)) is the One upon whom all blessing for Israel and for the Gentiles, rests.
However the Servant was rejected; His work was without result through the hard hearted unbelief of those to whom He came,
"I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for naught and in vain" (Matthew 11:20-26; 23:13-3920Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. 25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:20‑26)
13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:13‑39)).
Such was the immediate result; Israel would not hearken, would not be gathered. Yet in the purposes of God (such is His grace) a better prospect than that which they lost is in view for the nation that crucified His Son their Messiah.
The immediate answer to the cross of Christ was His exaltation as Man to the throne of God (Psalm 110), and the sending forth of the Holy Spirit with the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 2:33-3633Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:33‑36); Romans 3:21-2621But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:21‑26)) and with it, taking out those who are to form the heavenly bride of Christ. When the present day of grace is ended, the Spirit will once more work among Israel nationally, and among the Gentiles that have not known the gospel, that Christ may have an earthly people as He surely will.
God's response to His Son's rejection then, was to publish His purpose to far more fully honor Him (verse 5-9), At the close of verse 7 the text should read, "Who hath chosen Thee"; and in verse 2i1, "I had lost my children and was desolate, an exile, and driven about" is a better translation than the authorized version.
Verse 12 mentions a land of Sinim, whose position is not understood, but it is thought to be western China; the purpose would seem to be to indicate a distant land, apparently east of Palestine.
What infinite compassion, what immeasurable love and grace and mercy on God's part, does this chapter reveal! God is love (1 John 4:88He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)), though He is light also (1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)), and must punish sin, But since His own Son has suffered for sins, the just One for the unjust ones, that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)), He can receive everyone who believes the testimony He has given concerning Him.
A mother may forget her babe; she may fail to have compassion on her own son, but Jehovah, in love will not forget Israel—Israel that grieved Him to the heart, hard, stiffnecked, rebellious Israel, which crowned their career of sin by putting to death God's only and beloved Son.
And love equally beyond measure is ours who, not having seen, believe.