Sometimes You Can’t see the forest for the trees! This may be a tired old cliche, but the thing about cliches is that they had to be recognized by a lot of folks as being true before they ever qualified to be considered cliches:
This saying has real validity when we look at the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah is a very difficult prophecy because:
* The Hebrew is obscure, and the translation problematic, in a number of places.
* The historical background of certain chapters is uncertain.
* There is a great deal of symbolic language, and language filled with local and contemporary allusions.
Isaiah is certainly a study which would benefit greatly from a “forest before the trees” approach. Thus 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); “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 Israel, and its interactions with the surrounding nations. In a nutshell, this is what the whole of the Old Testament is about. The last portion of Isaiah is related primarily to a single special Servant of Yahweh. In a nutshell, this is what the whole of the New Testament is about.
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 II 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, 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, 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 Isaiah 40-66. In Isaiah 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.
Thus 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!
A Key Point in the Old Testament Section –
The prophecies of the “child.”
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 Isaiah 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.
Isaiah 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 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. Seeing the “big picture” of Isaiah helps in this respect.
Isaiah 11 —This brings us to the third “child” prophecy in Isaiah 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).
Here is 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).
Yet it is more than that; it is a picture of Christ’s victory over sin and death. (Here is a good example of how we may miss a key scripture message by seeing only details “trees,” instead of the larger context, “forest”). In the final and complete fulfillment, Christ is the son born of the virgin in Isaiah 7:14; he is also the child born “unto us” in Isaiah 9:6. Then, considering this context, he is just as surely the “little child” in Isaiah 11:6, and the “infant” (“sucking child” KJV and finally the “young child” (“weaned child” KJV) in Isaiah 11:8.
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!
Christ as the child in Isaiah 11
Isaiah 11:6 shows Christ as the “little child” because of his perfect trust in God (cp. Matt. 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).
Isaiah 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; Matt. 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 was not overcome by the power of the serpent, for he faced it and overcame it with a greater power — faith in God’s word and promises. 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!
Further support for a figurative application
Is the description of the great predators lying down at peace with their prey in Isaiah 11 to be taken literally, or only symbolically? While not ruling out some sort of literal fulfillment, the context surely points toward a symbolic fulfillment:
If the “little child” in Isaiah 7 and Isaiah 9 is, ultimately, Jesus Christ, then what is the real point of HIS proximity to the den of the poisonous serpent without death to himself if it be not Genesis 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”?
Further, the whole of the immediate context (Isaiah chapters 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 Yahweh will raise up a “prince of peace” (Isaiah 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”]…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).
A key point in the New Testament section
Isaiah 53 is the “highlight” of the second half of Isaiah — and it comes exactly halfway through the last half (counting by chapters). From Isaiah 40 through 53, there are about 17 references to the “Servant” (singular) of Yahweh — and none to the plural “servants.” From this point on (Isaiah 54-66), there are no more references to the singular “Servant” but about nine references to the “servants” (plural) of Yahweh.
Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12 is a single unit, at the very heart of the second half of Isaiah! It is the “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:
- 52:13-53:3: “My servant” (singular) rejected and despised by men and by Israel.
- 53:4-6: The central section of the central chapter. Notice the predominance of the second person plural: the emphasis is shifting from the one Servant to the many: to those whose awakening awareness of what HE is doing for them leads them to examine their lives, repent, and be born again:
Surely he took up OUR infirmities and carried OUR sorrows, yet WE considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for OUR transgressions, he was crushed for OUR iniquities; the punishment that brought US peace was upon him, and by his wounds WE are healed. WE all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of US has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of US all.
- 53:7-12: “Who shall declare HIS descendants?” as though he had none! (literally, Christ did not!) Yet he SHALL see his offspring! My righteous servant (singular) will, through his sufferings and his offering for sin, “justify [declare righteous] many [anticipating the New Testament, this is a pointer to Romans: Rom. 3:21-31 and (finally) “make intercession for many” [New Testament again — a pointer to Hebrews 4:15,16; 7:26; 10:11-22].
Thus 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)!
A united whole
This 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.
As we have seen briefly, the whole of Isaiah presents, in effect, a miniature “Bible.” All by itself Isaiah provides 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.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One