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Pictures Of Redemption
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Isaiah: the Bible in miniature

It may be a tired old cliché, but the thing about clichés is: they had to be true and recognized as such, by a lot of folks over a lot of time, before they could ever qualify to be considered clichés:

'Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees!'

This saying has real validity when we look at the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah is a very difficult prophecy:

Isaiah is certainly a study which would benefit greatly from a "forest before the trees" approach.

And so we offer: a quick and easy way of thinking about and remembering the whole of Isaiah:

Firstly,
Books of the Bible: 66.
Divisible into:
Books in the Old Testament: 39.
Books in the New Testament: 27.

Secondly,
Chapters of Isaiah: 66.
Divisible into:
"Old Testament Isaiah": first 39 chapters (Isa 1-39) -- and
"New Testament Isaiah": last 27 chapters (Isa 40-66).

This is quite reasonable, in that the first portion of Isaiah is related primarily to the nation of Judah (Israel), and its interactions with the surrounding nations (and, in a nutshell, this is what the whole of the Old Testament is about!). [Likewise, as we shall see, the last portion of Isaiah is related primarily to a single special Servant of Yahweh (and, again, that is what the whole of the NEW Testament is about!).]

[Note: Probably no one would contend that the chapter and verse divisions in the King James Version (followed by all later translators) are inspired the same as the text itself. For one thing, some chapter divisions are clearly in the wrong places! But sometimes these divisions are so satisfying, and suggestive of spiritual ideas, that one might be led to suppose a sort of providence guided the hands of the men who produced them.]

The last four chapters of the "Old Testament" section (Isa 36-39) are a sort of appendix -- explaining the historical background of the rest of the prophecy. Coming as they do at the end of section one (instead of, where we might expect, at the very end of the whole Book), this appendix also serves to highlight the division of the whole of Isaiah into two major parts.

[These chapters are almost perfectly reproduced from the history of the Old Testament, in 2 Kings. This fact also suggests a kind of contrived (albeit inspired) emphasis on the major division in the Book of Isaiah.]

In this appendix, the first two chapters (Isa 36 and 37) describe Jerusalem (and Judah) saved from the Assyrian invader (Sennacherib) in the days of Hezekiah. These two chapters point BACKWARD, to Isa 1-35. The deliverance of Jerusalem from foreign enemies is of course the defining moment of the first half of Isaiah -- which also helps to explain and interpret much that might otherwise be obscure in the first half.

In the appendix, the last two chapters (Isa 38 and 39) focus on one single man, Hezekiah -- the king of Judah, who suffered a grievous illness, was brought to the point of death, and was "raised up" by God to a renewed life in a renewed Kingdom. (This personal "deliverance" happens at about the same time as his nation is delivered from "national death" at the hand of the Assyrian. Thus the king is saved from death, and at the same time, practically, the nation is saved from its Gentile enemies!)

These two chapters (38 and 39) point FORWARD, to Isa 40-66.

In Isa 40-66, this "Suffering Servant" of Yahweh (who was Hezekiah, in the first instance) is plainly intended to be a type pointing forward... to the true "Suffering Servant", Jesus Christ.

And Hezekiah (to some extent) and Jesus (much more) are the patterns for the last portion of Isaiah (40-66), about the "Servant" of Yahweh. This is the "New Testament" portion of Isaiah!

TWO KEY POINTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SECTION

There is obvious connection among Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6,7; and Isa 11:6-9.

The first two prophecies were, first and in a limited sense, about the child Hezekiah. in Isa 7, Isaiah is commanded to bring his message of hope to king Ahaz. The original "virgin" in the context would have been his bride-to-be. Ahaz seems to scoff at Isaiah's offer of an encouraging message -- he wants nothing to do with the God of Israel. But the child which his young wife would bear to him would be Hezekiah; this special child of promise was destined to deliver his people from the Assyrian threat.

Isa 9:6,7 -- in the immediate historical context -- carries forward the promises of Isaiah. The new child would become king, would be specially strengthened by Yahweh (as his symbolic name implied: "Immanuel" -- "God is with us!"), and would be bring peace to a war-torn and broken land!

In these first two passages also, the connections with the coming Messiah are obvious and powerful -- so much so that sometimes the original history and Old Testament connections are not given the full weight they deserve. But it is worth recognizing their primary -- if only partial -- fulfillment in the days of Hezekiah and Sennacherib. And seeing the "big picture" of Isaiah helps in this respect.

This brings us to the third "child" prophecy, in Isa 11. The words of Isaiah describe a scene of complete tranquility, when all the savagery of the beasts of the field has been removed:

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isa 11:6-9).

It is certainly a picture, in broad and general terms, of man's reclamation of dominion over the earth, and his subjugation of the animal kingdom (Gen 1:28).

But it is more than that; it is a picture, in specific terms, of Christ's victory over sin and death. (And this is precisely what a failure to link together the Scriptures -- and look for the larger context, the "forest" and not just the "trees" -- may cause us to miss.) In the final and complete fulfillment, Christ is the son born of the virgin in Isa 7:14; he is also the child born "unto us" in Isa 9:6. Then, considering this context, he is just as surely the "little child" in Isa 11:6, and the "infant" ("sucking child": AV) and finally the "young child" ("weaned child": AV) in Isa 11:8. So the beautiful vision of these verses is not impersonal. It is not just about ANY young child -- or even ALL young children; it is about Christ!

Isa 11:6 shows Christ as the "little child" because of his perfect trust in God (cp Mat 19:13,14); he is the "babe" ordained in strength to still the enemy and to have dominion over all creation (Psa 8:2,6-8).

Isa 11:8 shows Christ as the "sucking child" and then the "weaned child" -- feeding first on the "milk" and then on the "meat" of the word, growing in spirit and wisdom and grace (Luke 2:40). Both "cobra" and "viper" belong to the "seed of the serpent" (Gen 3:15; Mat 3:7; 23:33). Jesus, under the nurture and admonition of his Heavenly Father, steadily grew in spiritual strength, and steadily faced one by one the trials of the "adversary" in his flesh. He had nothing to fear from the power of the serpent, for he faced it and overcame it with a greater power -- faith in God's word and promises. And, finally, in the kingdom age, the "den" of the serpent will hold no fear whatsoever for Christ, or for those who like him have become "little children" in faith!

*****

Note: Here is another question: is the description of the great predators lying down at peace with their prey, in Isa 11, to be taken literally, or only symbolically? While not ruling out some sort of more literal fulfillment, the context surely points toward a symbolic fulfillment:

  1. If the "little child" in Isa 7 and Isa 9 is, ultimately, Jesus Christ, then what is the real point of HIS proximity to the den of the poisonous serpent, without danger to himself... if it be not Gen 3:15? In other words, Jesus -- the child born of the virgin (the "seed of the woman": Gen 3:15!) -- is the one who will bring true peace (Isa 9:6,7) by crushing the head of the "serpent" of sin. And if the "child" and the "serpent" are to be best understood figuratively, then what about the "wolf" and the "leopard" and the "lion" and the "calf" and the "yearling"?
  2. The whole of the immediate context -- Isa 7-12 -- pictures an imminent threat from the Assyrian invaders, and a people living in fear of their depredations: in effect, a flock of helpless sheep in dread of the wild beasts that will attack and devour them. Against this threat the LORD will raise up a "prince of peace" (Isa 9:6) -- through whom these "wild beasts" will be themselves destroyed. Consider how closely these verses mirror the prophecy of Micah (a contemporary of Isaiah):
"But you, Bethlehem... out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times [cp Isa 9:6: 'everlasting Father']. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth [cp Isa 7:14: 'a virgin shall conceive'; also cp with Mic 4:9,10]... He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God... And he will be their peace [cp Isa 9:6: 'prince of peace']. When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. They will rule [or 'crush' -- like Gen 3:15 again!] the land of Assyria with the sword... He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he invades our land and marches into our borders... The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep [cp the language of Isa 11:6-9], which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue... I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed me" (Mic 5:2-15).

Isa 13-23 contain some of the most obscure and difficult prophecies in the whole of the Book of Isaiah. Detailed exposition of these chapters is by no means easy. But it would be well to keep in mind that these prophecies occur also in the context of the Assyrian threat to Judah in the days of Hezekiah, and that they seem to be directed against other nations and peoples who are near neighbors of Judah -- and who have generally joined in alliances against God's Land and God's people.

Also, it may be significant that these "burdens" number approximately ten (the counting of these cannot be absolutely certain -- difficulties of interpretation abound):

Ten "burdens":

Ten may be a significant number:

Jeremiah has a similar grouping of approximately ten Gentile nations, against which he issues oracles of warning and doom (Jer 46-51). In one single prophecy (Jer 25), Jeremiah enumerates approximately ten nations (perhaps as many as 13 or 14, depending on how they are grouped), nations that are destined to drink the cup of the LORD's wrath. Ezekiel also has a similar grouping of judgments against Gentile nations -- not quite as many in number (Eze 25-32)

There is quite a bit of overlapping among the different lists, but there are still many more than ten nations in total which are identified in these lists. Quite possibly, however, ten should be seen as a figurative number, of ALL the enemies of Israel in the last days -- which will surely be defeated and destroyed by divine Power if or when they attack God's People and Land.

A KEY POINT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT SECTION

Isa 53 is the "highlight" of the second half of Isaiah -- and it comes exactly halfway through the last half (counting by chapters). From Isa 40 through 53, there are about 17 references to the "Servant" (singular) of Yahweh -- and none to the plural "servants". But from this point on (Isa 54-66) there are no more references to the singular "Servant", but about nine references to the "servants" (plural) of Yahweh.

The central chapter of "Second Isaiah" (40-66) is... Isa 53! No surprise! Actually, Isa 52:13 through 53:12 is a single unit, at the very heart of the second half of Isaiah! It is the Old Testament "crucifixion" passage: the bridge between the life of the special Servant of Yahweh and the developing lives of the "new creation" in him... the "servants" (plural) of Yahweh!

This transition is reflected in the chapter itself:

So the New Testament portion of Isaiah (40-66) itself breaks down into two portions: in its first half (40-53) it is about the ONE preeminent "servant", and in its second half (54-66) it is about the many "servants" (who owe their spiritual existence to the One special servant). In this, it is a perfect match for the New Testament itself: the first part about Christ (Matthew to John), and the last part (Acts to Revelation) about the Body of Christ (his servants)!

*****

One final, small point:

It has often been asserted, in academic circles, that there were really two "Isaiahs", in the sense that no one man wrote the whole book... and that, perhaps, the second portion of Isaiah was written hundreds of years after the first portion. (A main reason for this is the failure to appreciate that Isaiah's references to "Babylon" -- which rose to preeminence long after Isaiah was dead -- are in fact references to "Assyria". Because of geographical proximity, and Assyrian conquest of the city of Babylon -- the two names are used more or less interchangeably by Isaiah.)

But the overview and thematic analysis demonstrates, almost incidentally, the wholeness of the text of Isaiah: there are... plainly... two main sections, but each section is tied to the central appendix, and thus is clearly part of a single, integrated whole.

And, as we have seen briefly, the whole of Isaiah presents, in effect, a miniature "Bible". All by itself, Isaiah provides an Israel's history, with the promise of deliverance from Gentile enemies, through a special King, who is the suffering Servant, and whose sacrifice produces a whole family of servants who follow him.

This story would be incomplete if one part of Isaiah were severed from the other. The whole Book, taken together, presents the whole picture. Every tree, in its own place, is a part of the complete, and beautiful forest!

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