54:1-17 Israel must sing: The Servant has reconciled Israel

and the LORD through a covenant of peace. 55:1-13 The Lord extends an unrestricted invitation to come

and partake of the blessings of the Servant’s work. 55:1-5 All who come will enjoy the blessings

of God’s promise to David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:7-17).

55:6 The LORD exhorts Israel to seek Him

while He is near.

55:7-11 The LORD assures all seekers that His word of pardon to them will indeed be valid.

55:12-13 The LORD describes the ultimate outcome of His salvation: a redeemed people, living in a redeemed creation, offering glory to the LORD, the Redeemer (cf. 11:1-12:6; 35:1-10; Rom. 8:18-23).

An Overview of Isaiah 40-55 Context

• Prophecy of Babylonian Captivity (39:5-7) Historical Background

• The Babylonian Captivity (605-586 B.C.) THE LORD’S DESIRE AND ABILITY TO REDEEM ISRAEL – 40:1-31 THE LORD’S PURPOSE FOR REDEEMING ISRAEL – 41:1-44:23 THE LORD’S MEANS OF REDEEMING ISRAEL – 44:24-55:13 Means #1: Cyrus the Great (44:24-48:22)

By the end of chapter 48, the LORD has set forth both His purpose for delivering Israel from Babylon (41:1-44:23) and the means by which He will do it (44:24-48:22). The emphasis throughout chapters 40-48 is clearly upon Israel’s political problem (Babylonian captivity). As we move into chapters 49-55, the focus shifts to a deeper problem which is actually the source of the political problem. These chapters also introduce us to another means by which the LORD intends to deliver His people. With the introduction of this new means of deliverance, the Servant of the LORD, we hear no more of Cyrus. Means #2: The Servant of the LORD (49:1-55:13)

49:1-13 The LORD uses His Servant to restore Israel and bring salvation to all the earth. 49:14-23 The LORD reassures doubting Zion. 50:1-3 Israel’s sin and continued unresponsiveness are the root of his problems.

50:4-9 The LORD’s Servant submits perfectly to the LORD’s instruction.

50:10-11 Israel must follow the Servant’s example or perish. Now for the second time (cf. 49:4; 50:4-6), we have seen the Servant testify of the hardships that he faced in His mission, a mission of redeeming Israel from captivity and of taking salvation to the end of the earth. The exact reason for this suffering is not explicitly clear, though we may certainly assume that it is due at least in part to the inherent hardships involved in any kind of political deliverance of a people. 51:1-52:12 The LORD comforts His humble and righteous people. Throughout chs. 49-50, we have seen that the LORD intends to use an individual Servant, an ideal Israelite, to redeem the nation of Israel from the political bondage caused by their sin. As we move into ch. 51, we see a nation that is now charac-terized by righteousness, humility, and heart obedience. This is the remnant which we have seen throughout the book, the remnant that passes through the judgment and emerges purified. The LORD’s purpose here is to comfort them.

51:1-3 Comfort for those Israelites who seek the LORD: You will again be fruitful and multiply.

51:4-6 The LORD will fulfill His

purpose of bringing salvation to the end of the earth.

51:7-8 Comfort for those Israelites who keep God’s law with their heart: Fear not. 51:9-11 Just as the LORD redeemed Israel from Egypt long ago, so He will return the captives from Babylon to Zion with joy. 51:12-15 Comfort for fearful Israelites: I will deliver you. 51:16 Israel will again serve the LORD.

51:17-23 Comfort for bereaved Israel: The LORD pleads your cause; your tormentors will receive their due.

52:1-12 Comfort for captive Israel: Good news of deliverance is here! For some time now, Isaiah has been telling us

that the LORD would work deliverance by means of His arm (40:10; 48:14; 51:5, 9). Now in 52:10, as we near the climactic announcement of the LORD’s coming to save, Isaiah again announces that it will come by the LORD’s arm.

52:13-53:12 The LORD’s Servant successfully atones for the

sins of His people and is exalted to world supremacy.

52:13-15 The Servant rises to a position of world supremacy that matches his inhuman humiliation.

For the third time now (cf. 49:4; 50:4-

6), we witness the hardships of the Servant in his mission. But again, the

precise cause of the suffering is left unstated.

53:1-3 The Servant, the arm of the Lord, is

rejected by the nation. 53:4-6 The Servant’s hardships all along (cf.

49:4; 50:4-6; 52:14) have been for the specific purpose of atoning for the sins

of his people. 53:7-9 The Servant willingly submits to death

for the sake of his people. 53:10-12 The Servant’s death was God’s plan, by

which He would justify many.