Eschatology and Isaiah

Isaiah frequently employs imagery that looks back to Eden to envisage an ideal world where there is peace and harmony not just between humans but also between creatures.  A classic and well known example of this would be 11:6-9 where famously, lions, wolves, leopards, lambs and calves can live side by side and small children… Continue reading Eschatology and Isaiah

The New Heavens and New Earth

What is your experience of living in “the now and the not yet” between Jesus first coming and second coming? Are you looking forward to his return, excited about eternity? Do you ever become despondent and ask “How long?” Does it ever feel as though God is distant and silent? Read Isaiah 65 -66 Yahweh’s… Continue reading The New Heavens and New Earth

The New Jerusalem

Remember how back in chapter 22, judgement on Jerusalem was announced?  Well, we’ve been told in chapter 40 that the prophet is to speak comfort to the city and now as we come to the close of the book, God himself sings over the city.  Keen eyes will observe that the end of Isaiah is… Continue reading The New Jerusalem

The Lord’s favour

We now arrive at one of those big hitter chapters in Isaiah, one of the best-known parts of Scripture and the bit that Jesus takes and makes his manifesto at the outset of his ministry.  Having seen how Isaiah has built up to focus on the Servant as the one who ushers in God’s reign,… Continue reading The Lord’s favour

New Dawn

A big theme in Isaiah is “light in the darkness.”  The situation described earlier in the book is of darkness falling on the land causing people to become lost, stumbling about. It’s the darkness of night because night and sleep are associated with sadness, despair and death.  So, here in the later chapters, we are… Continue reading New Dawn

Isaiah in a week – breaking the book down

Some of you have been working through Isaiah, a day at a time through Lent. Other’s wont have had time to do this but perhaps you’d like a different or additional challenge, to read through the book in the week leading up to Easter. Here’s a possible outline to help you do this. Even if… Continue reading Isaiah in a week – breaking the book down

God’s chosen fast

Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking that the Old Testament is all about law and judgement whilst the New Testament is about grace, love and mercy.  We rightly respond by showing that the Old is full of references to God’s love and compassion whilst Jesus and the apostles all talk about what it means… Continue reading God’s chosen fast