The Gospel According to Isaiah

Thank you very much to the Greensboro Church Choir for that beautiful special music. I could have used another song if you'd like to do one. That was beautifully done. I'd like to begin with a quote from Palubit's Bible Dictionary on the Book of Isaiah.

Here's the quote, It may be safely asserted that nowhere else in the literature of the world have so many colossally great ideas been brought together within the limits of a single work. Even in literary form, the world has produced nothing greater than Isaiah. It's actually a quote from Professor Moulton. And it goes on to say that the book of Isaiah has visions of the final triumph of the Kingdom of God. The complete fulfillment will be realized when the Kingdom of God has come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We're going to focus today on these colossally great ideas or prophecies in the book of Isaiah. And I think we all will agree that this really is wonderful. Today's sermon title will be The Gospel According to Isaiah.

Many times we think of the Gospel according to Matthew or Mark or Luke or John, but fail to realize that there's a lot of the Gospel in the prophets and in the book of Isaiah, more than perhaps any of them.

I want to ask you a few questions, first of all, and we'll just kind of as a group answer them.

How many chapters are there in Isaiah?

66 and you're right! All right!

And when did Isaiah write about when did he live and write?

Anybody?

Want to venture something?

All right. We're striking out on this one, it looks like.

Around 750 to 700 BC in that range.

Those are our approximate dates.

What is the meaning of Isaiah's name? Isaiah means...

That's right.

God is salvation or salvation comes from God. Very good. Okay, we've got two out of three so far.

There are two major divisions of this book.

Very easy to recognize. What is the first division? Chapters one through...

What other chapter?

There's a clear demarcation when you look at the book itself. You'll see these two divisions.

Anybody? Want to venture?

39. One through 39 would be the first division of this book. And the second division would be chapter 40 through 66. So that's a given.

All right. Where is the chapter that deals with and describes the first coming of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sins? We read it often at Passover time. What chapter is that?

Okay, just go ahead and shout it out. Someone...

What chapter?

53. You're right.

And what chapter is it? This will be the final one.

We've done pretty well.

Not bad. The chapter on swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Disarmament. No war. Peace. Where? What chapter?

Two. Right. We did pretty well.

I'll tell you what. If we'd done bad, I was going to give you the longer version of this sermon.

But we did not too bad. So maybe just the normal version will be fine. Give me about an hour, okay?

About an hour.

I want to read from Halla's handbook.

Also, Isaiah called the Messianic prophet because he was so thoroughly imbued with the idea that his nation was to be a Messianic nation in the world.

That is, a nation through whom one day a great and wonderful blessing would come from God to all nations. And he was continually dreaming of the day when that great and wonderful work would be done.

Well, you know, we know that he wasn't just dreaming about it, but actually God was inspiring prophecies at the fall of ancient Israel and Judah is when we read messages from the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. They all lived at the time of either the fall of Israel or the fall of Judah in that period. And after the fall of Judah, some of them at the time of the Jews returning from Babylon.

So the prophets were inspired with messages from God. The Angus Bible Handbook also has something I wanted to read.

The leading theme in Isaiah is the deliverance from exile. The inspired seer goes on to dwell upon the accomplishment of redemption and the triumphs of God's kingdom to the end of time. And it goes on to say that about this future great redemption, there is thus a sublime unity of conception pervading the book. It exhibits the world powers and their conflict with the kingdom of God, which triumphs in the end and wins the whole earth to its beneficent sway.

And a later comment by the Angus Bible Handbook says, the prevailing thought is the establishment of God's universal kingdom and its triumph over every opposing form of evil.

So this does sound like an exciting book, doesn't it? Well, let's go ahead and dive right into it. We're going to be reading a lot of these scriptures this afternoon. This is certainly meat-induced season because here we are just weeks away from the Feast of Trumpets and the start of the fall Holy Days. This message just helps us to prepare all the more for what is coming up in the picture by the Holy Days just ahead. Let's turn to chapter 1 of Isaiah. That's where we'll begin.

And let's notice in chapter 1 that we...

This chapter sets the stage for the book in many, many ways.

In verse 2, This is God speaking.

You know, this had an application to ancient Israel, but it has an application to modern-day Israel as well because we see today the very same thing happening as far as turning our back on God and His law.

Verse 5 goes on to say, Why should you be stricken again?

You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick. The whole heart faints from the sole of the foot, even to the head.

There's no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores.

So we find in the book of Isaiah, as well as the other prophets, a lot about sin and corruption and how Israel and other nations as well went against God's laws and God's ways and sinned and became corrupt.

Then in the same chapter, we find a call to repentance.

God always warns. He does call nations and individuals to repent, to change their ways. So notice in verse 16, Wash yourselves.

Make yourselves clean.

Change your ways. Repent. Put away the evil of your doings from before your eyes.

Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Reprove the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plee for the widow. Come, now, let us reason together, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they're red like crimson, they shall be as wool, if you be willing and obedient. So there's a call to repentance.

The third step in this pattern, there's first of all sin and corruption. This obedience to God's laws. Then there's a warning and a call to repentance. And then, when there is not repentance, guess what happens? Well, in verse 21, we'll see that there is punishment. God will punish if we do not change our ways. How the faithful city, verse 21, has become a harlot. It is full of justice, righteousness lodged in it. But now, murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

Thus the Lord says, the Lord of hosts, the mighty one of Israel. Ah, I will rid myself of my adversaries and take vengeance on my enemies. I will turn my hand against you and thoroughly purge away your dross and take away all your alloy.

And so there is punishment. When a nation does not repent of its ways, it will be punished.

And then after that, when a nation—and this could apply to an individual—when a nation or individual repents, then there will be restoration. And that's what we find here in verse 26. I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called with city of righteousness the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice and her penitence with righteousness.

The destruction of the transgressors and sinners shall be together.

So there's a restoration, then, of those who do repent. And then coming on into chapter 2, we find that God's kingdom will be set upon the earth. We have a latter-day application of this thing of sin and a call to repentance and punishment and restoration.

We have an end-time fulfillment ahead of us. In verse 2, it shall come to pass in the latter days—that's our time—that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains. And nations flow to it. Many people come and want to be taught God's ways because God's law will go out from Zion, and He will judge between the nations—verse 4—and rebuke many people, and they'll beat their swords to plowshares and their spears to pruning hooks.

So we see here, then, that in Isaiah there is a lot about sin, a lot about punishment that is going to come to those who follow the way of sin, that reject the laws of God.

But this is a book that has a lot of the good news. We're going to dwell mainly upon that good news.

But I wanted to bring out that before the good news, there is the sin and corruption that God will deal with and He will punish. Let's read a little bit more about the sin and the corruption that happened in ancient Israel. And also, we see it happening today, and we're going to have the same consequences as they had back then—national collapse.

In chapter 3 and in verse 5, Isaiah 3 and verse 5, the people will be oppressed, every one by another—and we're seeing this more and more in our country—everyone by his neighbor, the child will be insolent against the elder and the base against the honorable.

And then in chapter 5 and verse 20, we'll just read a few verses on the evils, the sin, the disobedience to God's laws that happened in ancient Israel, and we see it repeating itself today. Isaiah 5 and verse 20, woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. And today, you know, we're calling all kinds of evil things good. We're saying it's okay. And whereas the Bible very much condemns anything that is contrary to God's law, woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight, woe to mighty men at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink. Verse 24, therefore, as the fire devours the stubble and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness and their blossom will ascend like dust, because, and here's why, because, and we saw that in our Beyond Today program today, earlier, because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. And so rejecting God's laws, rejecting His Ten Commandments, and just wanting to go our own way, a way of sin and disobedience, is going to bring evil and bad results. Ultimately, it will bring punishment and captivity, and we'll see that to repeat itself in our own time, in the days ahead. But God has a great purpose and plan that He is working out, but He will be angry, but He will still not destroy Israel or destroy all of mankind. Let's notice a little bit about that in chapter 10 and verse 1. Isaiah chapter 10 and verse 1, woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees. You know, today we have 12 states already that have legalized gay marriage, for example. That's a decree that is certainly unrighteous in God's sight. It's not biblical. And there are other unrighteous decrees that we make into law and or acceptable conduct, but woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, to take what is right from the poor of my people. And there's a lot of that going on as well.

Not the least of which is just inflation. You know, the government prints more money. Guess what? Our dollar is worth less. And you say, well, boy, things are costing more. No, it's just the dollar is not worth as much. The same thing, you know, just use more dollars because the dollar is just worth less value all the time. Surprises keep going up. So these things are happening, and we see that. In this chapter, God is going to bring Assyria in verse 5, the rot of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation and against the people of my wrath. And we believe there's a modern-day fulfillment just as this happened to ancient Israel, who went into captivity to Assyria. And there's a modern-day fulfillment of this in our time. But God is not going to make a fool into Israel. He's not done with Israel, but He will punish. In verse 20, He says, it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob will never again depend on Him who defeated them, but will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant will return the remnant of Jacob to the mighty God. And so at the coming of Christ, He is going to punish and correct our nation and then other nations as well. And He then, after they repent, He will begin to bless them with blessings like they've never had before. Yes, God is angry. He will punish, but He will not totally destroy Israel or other nations. The good news then is that God is not done with mankind just because mankind has sinned. He is not done with modern-day Israel just because modern-day Israel has sinned. But He will correct and He will punish. And we see this happening. It happened in ancient Israel and Judah, and it's happening again today. Today, we want to focus on the good news of the book of Isaiah as the quote from the Philippus Bible Dictionary said. This is a book that where it may safely be asserted that nowhere else in the literature of the world have so many colossally great ideas been brought together within the limits of a single word. We want to see those colossally great ideas or prophecies that God inspired this afternoon. I would like for us to the sermon title then is the Gospel according to Isaiah and I'd like for us to consider five major aspects of the Gospel according to Isaiah. And the first one concerns the first coming of Jesus Christ. Isaiah has prophecies about the first coming of Christ. You know, we could never get started. We could never be in God's family without His first the first coming of Christ.

And Isaiah has prophecies, just some really outstanding prophecies regarding the first coming of Christ and how God has provided a way for forgiveness. Isn't it wonderful? We all mess up. We all sin and we all need forgiveness. We all need pardon and God has provided a way. Let's read some prophecies about the first coming of Christ. And you might say that is the beginning of the Gospel is that God has provided Christ at His first coming as the Lamb of God for the forgiveness of our sins. In chapter 9 and verse 6, Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. So God did plan from the foundation of the world or even before the foundation of the world that there would be a Lamb of God. And Isaiah writes about this Lamb of God and to us a child is born, a son is given. He does focus primarily, though, upon the second coming of Christ. That's the second major aspect of the Gospel as he goes on down in verse 6 and 7, the government shall be upon His shoulder. Well, that would be the second coming of Christ. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. And so this pertains to the second coming of Christ even more, but the beginning of verse 6 is pertaining to Christ. A child is born and to us a son is given. Let's go back to chapter 7 now and in verse 14. Isaiah chapter 7 and verse 14. Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign, behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Emmanuel. This verse is referred to in the New Testament when Mary as a virgin then did conceive and she did bear the Son of God. And this was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. A virgin would conceive and would bear a son, Jesus Christ. Let's read about the first coming of Christ. Jesus did not come with great power and might. He came, in fact, very humble and lowly. Let's read about that in about His first coming in chapter 42, Isaiah 42 and verse 2. This speaks about the first coming of Christ and what it was like. These verses that we're about to read are quoted in the New Testament. You can read them in Matthew chapter 12. Isaiah chapter 42 and verses 1 to 3. Behold my servant whom I uphold, my elect one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him. He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. In some ways that looks on ahead to the second coming as well as His first. But look at verse 2, the manner in which Christ would come at His first coming. He did not cry out nor raise His voice nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flags He will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged till He is established justice in the world. So verses 2 and 3 describe very well that Jesus did not come with great power and might. He came very lowly, in fact, and very humble, His first coming. Let's read about His sacrifice at His first coming, which certainly is the beginning of the good news that we can have our sins forgiven.

In Isaiah 52 and beginning in verse 13. Isaiah 52 and verse 13.

Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

And it gets right into what happened at His first coming. As many as, just as many were astonished at you. So His visage was marred more than any man and is formed more than the sons of men. That is talking about His scourging and His beating, where Jesus would have been maybe not recognizable. He was so beaten by the scourging. He shall sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him. For what has not been told them, they shall see. And what they have not heard, they shall consider. Of course, that carries on over to when Christ returns, when this will all be fulfilled. But then we get into chapter 53. We often turn to chapter 53 at the Passover time. Who would have believed our report? In verse 2, He shall grow up as a tender plant. He has no form or comeliness, no beauty. Verse 3, He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised. We did not esteem Him. He was born our griefs and carried our sorrows. Verse 5, He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him. In verse 7, He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. In verse 10, you can read all of this chapter later, but don't have time to read it all today. But it pleased the Lord, that's the Father, to bruise Him. He has put Him to grief when you make His soul an offering for sin. And so the last part of verse 12 says that He bore, He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

So this whole chapter deals with the first coming of Christ and His sacrifice for our sins.

And Jesus Christ is the only name given among men by which we may be saved. Acts 4 and verse 12. So the book of Isaiah does then have quite a few verses about the first coming of Christ, which is the first aspect of the gospel. The second aspect of the gospel, according to Isaiah, concerns the second coming of Christ. And there are many, many verses that speak about His powerful second coming. He won't come as a bruised, as, you know, He won't not bruise a reed or come meek and humble that second time. He will come with great power, quite different than His first coming. Let's read about that in a number of verses. Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 17.

Jesus Christ is going to come storming back with power and might. Of course, the book of Revelation describes it in a lot of detail, but it's found right here in the book of Isaiah as well. Isaiah 2 and verse 17. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day. Verse 20. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver. And verse 21. They will go into the clefts of the rocks, into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the Lord, and the glory of His majesty when He arises to shake the earth mightily. So Christ is going to come storming back. He's going to grab control of world government and set up the kingdom of God on the earth. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 13, and we know that great Babylon is going to meet its maker in Revelation 17 and 18 and 19.

And here is a prophecy in Isaiah about the fall of Babylon in verse 1. The burden against Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amaz saw. And you can read on down verse 6. Whale for the day of the Lord is at hand. It will come as destruction from the Almighty. In verse 9. The day of the Lord comes, cruel with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate, and He will destroy its sinners from it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. I will punish the world. God will punish Israel. He will punish the other nations also. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will halt the arrogance of the proud and lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. In verse 13, I will shake the heavens, and the earth will move out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger. So the Scriptures reveal the Second Coming of Christ to be in anger. But it's a righteous anger because man is about ready to destroy himself and this beautiful planet and human life. There would be no flesh left alive. I tell you what, Christ will come back angry to put an end to that self-destruction of human beings. He will gain control over the nations. Let's notice in Isaiah 24 and verse 20. He will gain control over the nations, and it will take power. Power is one language that every nation understands, every human being understands, and Christ will show power in order to gain control. Isaiah 24 and verse 20, the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall totter like a hut. Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall and not rise again. It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones and on the earth the kings of the earth. They will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and will be shut up in the prison. In many days they will be punished. After many days they will be punished. And the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem before his elders gloriously. So Jesus Christ is going to powerfully establish his control over the nations. He will come with a strong hand. Let's read that in Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah 40 is the beginning of that second half of the book, Isaiah 40 through 66. And just a wonderful chapter here. Read the whole thing. I hope you're familiar with it. It talks about the coming of Christ and how Jerusalem, verse 1, comfort my people says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem and how God is going to return. Christ will return and he will bring peace to Jerusalem and to all the world. But in verse 9, Old Zion, you who bring good tidings. That's what we're talking about, the gospel. Good tidings is the same thing as the gospel. The gospel means good news. You who bring the gospel then, good news, good tidings, get up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem. You who bring the gospel, good tidings, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up, be not afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God.

Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. His reward is with him and his work is before him. And so Jesus Christ will return with a strong hand. Let's read one more passage of Scripture in Isaiah. You can read many more, but these are some of the outstanding ones about the good news of his Second Coming.

Let's read from Isaiah 66 beginning in verse 15. And again, this shows the powerful Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 66 in verse 15. Behold, the Lord will come with fire and with chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire.

So, you know, mankind again, the nations will be ready to destroy human life and destroy this beautiful planet that God has made. Christ is going to come back to put an end to that.

By fire and by his sword, the Lord will judge all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

So, the second aspect of the gospel that we discover in the book of Isaiah is the powerful Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He will begin to set up God's kingdom and he will be the King over the whole earth. This is pictured by the first Fall Holy Day, the Feast of Trumpets, just over three weeks away. So, we've got two aspects of the gospel. I'm going to give you five. The first coming of Jesus Christ to provide a way for forgiveness of sins for mankind, for all of us, because we do sin. And then the powerful Second Coming of Jesus Christ when he will return and put an end to world war and begin to set up God's kingdom on the earth. The third aspect of the gospel that we read about in Isaiah, and we read a lot about it, Isaiah prophesies of a golden age, a wonderful age when there is peace, when there is prosperity, when there's happiness and joy, and universal salvation. And we know that time after Christ returns is the millennium. Other verses show it will last a thousand years. Isaiah doesn't mention the thousand years, but he's describing the thousand years. And let's read some of those wonderful verses about what we call it the wonderful world tomorrow. And the New Testament refers to it in Acts 3 as times of refreshing, times of restoration of all things. We know the Feast of Tabernacles pictures this wonderful time, this millennium. Let's read some verses then beginning in Isaiah 2.

The gospel according to Isaiah then has a lot to say about the millennium.

In Isaiah chapter 2 and in verse 2, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days. God doesn't say that it may come to pass, or hopefully we can get everybody on board. No, it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. This describes the setting up of the kingdom of God by Jesus Christ. Many people shall come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we'll walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, what law? The Ten Commandments and the laws of Almighty God. And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations. So Jesus will be not only a king, He'll be a judge as well. He'll make decisions when decisions need to be made as to what should be done. He shall judge between the nations and rebuke many people. There will need to be some correction then. They shall beat their swords into plowshares. What a wonderful description this is. And their spears into pruning hooks. Disarmament. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. So for a thousand years we won't have any war. Won't that be wonderful? Nobody will have to learn how to kill other human beings, but how to love human beings made in the image of God. So it's going to be a wonderful time of peace. It's going to be beautiful. Let's read from chapter 4 now beginning in verse 2.

Isaiah chapter 4 verse 2. So many verses again about the millennium and how wonderful it is.

Isaiah 4 and verse 2, In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it's going to be beautiful in other nations too. It's going to be beautiful all over the earth.

It shall come the past that he who is left in Zion and who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy because everyone will then have God's Spirit and will be converted, everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem, when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst. Yes, that's that correction we talked about, the punishment that follows the warning when nations should repent. Purge the blood of Jerusalem from her midst by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. That's the correction that God will give. Then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion and above her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. So the glory of God is going to be very obvious. There will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain. So this is depicting a time where God's protection and God's presence is very evident and the nations and Israel and all the nations are blessed by it. Let's go to chapter 11. We often turn to this chapter during the Feast of Tabernacles. I'm going to prophesy that at your Feast of Sight it is very likely that Isaiah 11 will be turned to. I just believe it will be. It's a wonderful chapter about the Millennium, about the reign of Christ. It's the gospel of how wonderful that 1,000 years is going to be. Isaiah 11 in verse 1, there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Talking about Jesus Christ. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Verse 3, his delight is in the fear of the Lord, and he will not judge by the sight of his eyes or decide by the hearing of his ears, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. Verse 5 says that righteousness will be the belt of his loins and faithfulness the belt of his waist. Well, we can imagine that that's how Jesus Christ would reign. Can you picture Christ reigning any other way than with absolute equity and righteousness and faithfulness? The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with a young goat, the cow and the bear will graze together, the lion will eat straw like the ox.

And verse 9 says, they will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Well, we won't have time to read all of the verses, but just verse after verse will show us that there is peace and there is salvation. For example, chapter 12, I just can't resist the first three verses. Read the whole chapter sometime. It goes right along with chapter 11.

But chapter 12 here in verse 1, and that day you will say, O Lord, I will praise you. Though you were angry with me, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation. That's really what the name Isaiah means.

God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid for Yah or Yahweh. The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. All over the earth there's going to be salvation for all of mankind. And verse 3 goes on to say it very beautifully, therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. You know, for us today, with God's Spirit now given to us, we have that opportunity today with joy to draw water from the wells of salvation. But all nations will have that opportunity in the millennium. What a wonderful thing is depicted here.

There are three leading nations that are pointed out in chapter 19.

Chapter 19 verses 23 to 25. Three of the leading nations, very capable nations, will be leading the way in the millennium. And Isaiah 19.23, in that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. And the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land. And the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, blessed is Egypt, my people. So think of that. All the Egyptians will be God's people. This in Assyria, the work of my hands. And Israel, my inheritance. Israel does have that special calling from God. That's God's doing. And they're going to fulfill that purpose in the millennium. So these three nations are going to be three of the leading nations in the millennium. Notice in Isaiah 27 what Israel will do. Isaiah 27 and verse 6.

Those who come, he shall cause to take root in Jacob. Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the earth with fruit. So at the restoration of Israel, Israel will begin to fulfill its purpose and begin to fill the earth with fruit. Most of all, he's talking about, I believe, spiritual fruit. But certainly Israel will be involved in bringing physical blessings as well.

Notice more about the millennium. We often turn to this during the Feast of Tabernacles, chapter 35, and the first couple of verses. Whole chapter, if you want to read it all.

Isaiah 35 and verses 1 and 2. The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them. The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. So the Sahara Desert, we believe, and deserts in the great American southwest, the Mongolian desert, and other desolate wilderness areas are going to become very productive areas. Okay, chapter 40. Remember, that's the chapter that is the beginning of the second half of Isaiah. And the second half of Isaiah has so many prophecies about the millennium. It'd be at the Feast of Tabernacles, it'd be some of the best reading in the Bible. Maybe the best reading in the Bible would be just to turn to Isaiah 40 and start reading on through to chapter 66 because so much is about the millennium. There's some history in here as well, but a lot of it is about the millennium. In chapter 52, for example, in verse 1, let's just catch a little bit of this in the second half of Isaiah.

Isaiah 52 and verse 1, Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, old Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! Jerusalem is not the holy city today, but it will be then.

For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, get up off the ground, arise, sit down, O Jerusalem, loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. So God is going to set free Israel and they will return.

Notice on down in verse 7, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings. Well, glad tidings, that's the gospel. That's what we're speaking about. Who brings the gospel of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns, Your watchmen shall lift up their voices with their voices they shall sing together. For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem. For the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. See, this is talking huge, isn't it? All over the earth, God is going to extend peace and salvation to everyone. Chapter 60, read a few verses, the first three verses in this chapter. Isaiah 60 and verse 1, arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. It will, here at the end of this age, it's going to be pitch black. But the Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be seen upon you. Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. And again, it seems to be referring to Israel being restored, but God is going to then bless all nations as well. For a final look at some verses on the millennium, let's go to the last chapter, Isaiah 66 and verse 18. Isaiah 66 and verse 18, I will, for I know their works and their thoughts.

It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues. They shall come and see my glory.

So all the nations are going to see the glory of God. And verse 23 goes on to say that it shall come to pass from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another. All flesh shall come to worship before me, says the Lord. What? Everyone is going to be keeping the Sabbath.

Nobody going to church on Sunday, except when Pentecost comes around, but otherwise they won't be going to church on Sunday. They'll be keeping the Sabbath week by week. So, brethren, we, this is a wonderful gospel here, isn't it, according to Isaiah. He speaks about the millennium, pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles. What a glorious 1,000 years it will be. Okay, we've covered three major aspects of the gospel in Isaiah. The first coming of Christ, providing a way for forgiveness and pardon for our sins. The second coming of Christ, when He comes back to establish God's government, as pictured by the Feast of Trumpets. And then the 1,000-year reign of Christ, that golden age, the restoration of all things and times of refreshing.

Let's go to the fourth area, then, and we're going to have five in total. The fourth one is that after the millennium, after the 1,000 years, then there is a resurrection for the rest of the dead, which is described in the book of Revelation, chapter 20. The rest of the dead will come back to life. Those who have been deceived during this age, those who have not understood, those who've never, never even known anything, little babies who died as infants, will come back to life. All the rest of the dead will come back to life, and it will be a tremendous day of salvation for deceived masses of people. We believe and know there will be billions and billions and billions of people in this resurrection, and it's a final great day of salvation for mankind.

Well, the book of Isaiah does speak about this time. Let's go to Isaiah 25. It's a wonderful aspect of the gospel that God is not willing that any should perish. He wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth and to repent. So all those today who have not understood have a day of salvation yet in the future, and it will be after the 1,000 years. Isaiah speaks about that wonderful time. Isaiah 25 and verse 6, we might say that this could apply to the millennium, but it also seems to have an application to the second resurrection for the rest of the dead. Isaiah 25 and verse 6, In this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the leaves, of fat things full of morrow, of well-refined wines on the leaves. He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. God's going to remove that veil that where people don't really understand or know why they are here. He will swallow up death forever. The Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth, and for the Lord has spoken. And verse 9, it will be said in that day, Behold, this is our God.

We have waited for Him. I think those in the second resurrection will think this way. Maybe those in the millennium will also think this way at the beginning of the millennium. Certainly in the second resurrection they will say this is the true God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

So I believe there's an application here to the second resurrection. Let's go to Isaiah 29 and verses 22 to 24. This certainly has a reference to the millennium as well as it was seen to the second resurrection as well. In Isaiah 29 and verse 22, Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham concerning the house of Jacob. Jacob shall not now be ashamed. He has been, down through the years and ages. Nor shall his face now grow pale.

But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst. Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will come up in the first resurrection. Jacob will see his children at the beginning of the millennium.

He will see his descendants. When he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst.

They shall hallow my name, and hallow the holy one of Jacob, and the fear, and fear the God of Israel. But notice verse 24, interesting verse, These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmured will learn doctrine.

We know the Israelites erred in spirit when they were in the wilderness. It says that in the Psalms. They erred in spirit, and they also murmured. They murmured many times against God in the wilderness. So is this a reference to the Israelites in the wilderness? It seems to be.

When will they come back to life and come to understanding and learn doctrine? It says it will happen to them. When? The second resurrection. So verse 24 seems to be a clear reference to the second resurrection. And that's part of the gospel. That's a wonderful part of the gospel. Those who have been deceived and never understood will have a day of salvation in the future. Let's also read Isaiah 65. We are not dogmatic on applying this to the second resurrection, but it certainly could be. We recognize that as a certainly a possibility, a very real possibility, that it is referring to the second resurrection. In Isaiah 65 and verse 18, Be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing.

And of course, the real context begins in verse 17. I create new heavens and new earth. The former shall not be remembered. So this seems to be more like Revelation 21-22, the new heavens and the new earth. But it's kind of looking back at the conclusion of God's plan as it comes on down. Verse 19, I rejoice in Jerusalem, and enjoy in my people. The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. Of course, that is true in the millennium as well. But in verse 20, it says in interesting verse, No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, as often happens today. Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days. The child shall die 100 years old, but the sinner, being 100 years old, shall be accursed. So we wondered, is this speaking about the second resurrection as far as the length of it? It certainly very well could be. We recognize that very real possibility, but I think we say that we are a little bit less than absolutely dogmatic about it, that it has to be that period just 100 years. But very likely, it certainly does seem to me. In verse 21, they shall build houses and inhabit them. And it's like millennial conditions, if it is speaking about the second resurrection, they will live in millennial conditions of prosperity, and they'll have gardens, and there will be safety and protection for everyone, and of course, also salvation, understanding God's plan and God's purpose. So the gospel of the second resurrection, we certainly see indication of that in the book of Isaiah. The last of the five aspects of the gospel gets right to the core of the gospel. What is the core of the gospel? The core of the gospel is that man may enter God's kingdom, and that God wants to share eternity with humans who are no longer human, but have now become sons of God. Spirit beings who have glorified bodies that are just like the body of Jesus Christ, and have the mind and the nature and the character of God. That's the core of the gospel. And so the book of Isaiah certainly gets to that everlasting joy and everlasting life that we will have in the family of God. Isaiah chapter 35. Let's just read a few verses about that. Isaiah 35 and verse 10. Isaiah 35 and verse 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads, and obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. You know, if you have everlasting joy, doesn't that sound like you'll also have everlasting life? We'll have everlasting life that will have everlasting joy. Just no end of the joy. Won't that be wonderful? Let's go also to Isaiah 51 and verse 11.

Isaiah 51 and verse 11. We actually read the same thing. So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads, and they shall obtain joy and gladness, sorrow and sighing shall flee away. So everlasting life, that's what God has in mind for us as his sons and daughters. Isaiah 59. Isaiah 59, the last couple of verses here.

Isaiah 59, verse 20. The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob. As for me, says the Lord, this is my covenant, and it is the new covenant. It's an everlasting covenant to immortal life. This is my covenant with them, my spirit which is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth. Why is that? Because we'll have the nature of God, the mind of God, the character of God.

So my words which I have put in your mouth, that's really what is happening to every one of us today. If we are converted, if we're led by God's Spirit, God is putting his words in our mouth right now, and in our minds day by day. My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, or the mouth of your descendants, says the Lord, from this time and forevermore.

So forever, that's eternity. We'll have the character of Almighty God in us forever and ever. So God's ultimate purpose is for humanity to have everlasting life as sons and daughters in his eternal family. So let me briefly review the aspects of the gospel according to Isaiah, the humble and meek first coming of Jesus Christ, the powerful second coming of Jesus Christ to establish and set up God's kingdom on the earth, the wonderful millennial reign, one thousand years of happiness, joy, and salvation, and then a great day of salvation for the rest of the dead during this age who have never understood, and then finally wonderful everlasting life in the family of God.

You know, God inspired then Isaiah to write down the gospel 2,700 years ago, the gospel according to Isaiah. What should we do with the gospel according to Isaiah and according to the Bible? Of course, it's all the same gospel. What we brought out today is really things we know is found in many places in the Bible, these different aspects of the gospel. It's all part of the good news that God has for humanity. But what should we do with the gospel?

Well, Isaiah answers that question. Isaiah 55, brother, in verse 1. Isaiah 55 in verse 1, Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. So we need to come to God for what really hits the spot. Incline your ear and come to me, hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you.

Here it is, eternal life in God's family. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. He mentions the sure mercies of David. And in verse 6 then, it shows what we should do. Seek the Lord while He may be found. That's what we all need to be doing daily. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way. See, God does admonish us to get away from sin and disobedience to His law.

Let the wicked forsake His way, the unrighteous man His thoughts. Let Him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on Him and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. He's provided the way to pardon and forgive. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As the heavens are higher, than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Well, you know, God admonishes us then to repent. He admonishes us to get in line in harmony with His laws and His way of life. He also brings out in this chapter that, guess what?

As far as God's purpose and plan, He is going to be successful. Most humans are going to ultimately be in God's kingdom, and they will respond in a positive way to the gospel. Look at verse 11.

God says, "...so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void.

It shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." So God is going to succeed in His purpose and plan, and most humans then are going to respond in a positive way. Brethren, in conclusion, Isaiah, what a wonderful book this is.

I think it's very appropriate that we have looked at it and considered these five aspects of the gospel. This is meat in dew season. I think we agree with Palubit's Bible dictionary. Let me quote that again. It may be safely asserted that nowhere else in the literature of the world have so many colossally great ideas been brought together within the limits of a single work.

It is a fantastic book that God inspired. Good book to study and read as we prepare to keep the fall holy days. I want to mention to you a couple of things more in conclusion, and that is Isaiah's Jewish tradition has it that Isaiah's father Amaz was a brother of King Amaziah.

This would make Isaiah first cousin to King Aziah and grandson of King Joash, and thus of royal blood a man of the palace. He wrote other books, apparently, and he's quoted more in the New Testament than any of the other prophets. He's the most quoted prophet in the New Testament. As far as his life and the end of his life, a tradition, a Jewish tradition in the Talmud, which was accepted as authentic by many early church fathers, states that Isaiah resisted Manasseh's idolatrous decrees and was fastened between two planks and sown asunder, thus suffering a most horrible death. And this is thought to be referred to in Hebrews 11 in verse 37, where it says that some of God's people were sown asunder. Isaiah is apparently the one that is being referred to. So not only did Isaiah, was he inspired to write down the gospel, but he lived for the gospel and he died for the gospel. And you know, we also should devote our lives and live and be willing to die for the gospel as well. I want to take about two more minutes of your time and let's read from Isaiah 61, which summarizes the gospel according to Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 61 in verse 1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings, oh, there it is, to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn and console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall rebuild the old ruins and raise up the former desolations and repair the ruined cities and desolations of many generations. Let's skip on down in verse 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. That's what God is doing for his people. As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments and a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. So we find a lot, don't we, in Isaiah about the gospel, the gospel according to Isaiah.