293 Isaiah summary of the Scriptures 1

Isaiah – a summary of the Scriptures 1.

The book of Isaiah derives its name from the author whose name means the same as Yahshua our Messiah’s as well as Joshua’s and Hosea’s, namely ‘the salvation of YHVH.’The book of Isaiah is quoted more than 65 times in the Renewed Covenant; itis not only a single book, but a collection of 66 with themes ranging across the history of mankind and when fully understood, it reaches into eternity.Isaiah prophesied during the period of the divided kingdom of Israel, aiming the major impetus of his prophecy at the house of Judah. He condemned the idolatry into which many of the people had fallen and prophesied the coming captivity of Judah by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The first verse in the book of Isaiah is vitally important to understanding its contents, since it is where he defines the purpose of his prophecy and to whom it is addressed, as follows: ‘The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.’ Based on the time of the reigns of these kings of Judah, Isaiah wrote this book during 740 – 685 BCE.

Fulfillment of some of his prophecies in his own lifetime provided his credentials for being a prophet inspired by Elohim. One example being that many years before Cyrus the king of Persia came to the fore, Isaiah named him as the deliverer of Judah from the Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 44: 28 & 45: 1). The fulfillment of Messiah’s first coming have given him further credence (Isaiah 7: 14). The examples of the literal fulfillment of his already-fulfilled prophecies give us the assurance that prophecies about Messiah’s second coming will also occur in the foreseeable future. Even though there is nothing in the book of Isaiah that reveals the extended period dividing the two comings of Messiah, we know for certain that whereas John the Immerser was the first one to come in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Messiah’s first coming, there will also be a second person or group who will prepare the way for His second coming as may be understood from Isaiah 62: 10, in this way: ‘Go through, go through (twice) the gates; clear the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; remove the stones, lift up a standard (meaning Yahshua) over the peoples.’Even though Isaiah’s message is historical, in that his prophecy occurred in a specific place and time, we need to understand; despite the fact that part of his predictions already occurred, his message is universal, for people of all ages everywhere and as such it requires that we pay close attention to it. But what should be of concern to all those whom YHVH is calling out of the world at this time, is who instructed Isaiah to record these words for people like us? Isaiah gives us the answer in verse 2 of Isaiah 1, saying: ‘Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; for YHVH speaks, “SonsI have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me.”This tells us that YHVH is the source of Isaiah’s prophecy, as is also confirmed in Hebrews 1: 1 & 2, in this way: ‘Elohim, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (2) in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.’ The prophet Isaiah’s vision comes directly from YHVH the King of the Universe, with a special message to Judah at the time of his prophecy, but also to the house of Israel and the entire world and especially us who are alive at this end time.

Elohim called Isaiah around 740 BCE when king Uzziah died, as he also wrote in Isaiah 6: 1 – 3, saying: ‘In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw YHVH sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. (2) Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. (3) And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is YHVH of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Here in what Isaiah saw in a vision, is the source of his message, his ultimate authority. We read from John 12: 37 - 41 that Isaiah actually saw Yahshua the salvation of YHVH in Isaiah 6: 1, where he in prophecy showed that our Jewish Brothers will be blinded to the identity of Yahshua the arm of YHVH (spoken about in Isaiah 53: 1), saying: ‘But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him; (38) that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke, “YHVH, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF YHVH BEEN REVEALED?” (39) For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, (40) “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART; LEST THEY SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED, AND I HEAL THEM.” (41) These things Isaiah said, because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.’ In order to remove any doubt that Yahshua the image of the invisible Elohim was the power or right hand of Elohim (as also witnessed by King David in Psalm 98: 1 – 3[1]) before He became the Son of Man (YHVH in the flesh), Yahshua cried out in John 12: 44 & 45, saying: “He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me. (45) And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me.”Only Elohim can call a prophet and prepare him to utter a divine message. We see from verses 5 & 6 of Isaiah 6, that Elohim cleansed Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal allowing him to say or write this important prophecy. But what was Isaiah’s message?

Isaiah was truly a prophet who revealed the Oneness of Elohim as well as the purpose of Yahshua the Messiah to us, talking about Yahshua’s rulership during the millenniumin Isaiah 4: 2,, saying: ‘In that day the Branch of YHVH will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.’This is followed about the vision he had about Yahshua in Isaiah 6: 1 and His human birth as Immanuel, meaning Elohim with usin Isaiah 7: 14. Next he tells us about Immanuel who will be from the tribe of Judah, who will hide His face from them saying in Isaiah 8: 8 – 17: “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, it will reach even to the neck; and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel. (9) Be broken, O peoples (Goiim), and be shattered; and give ear all remote places of the earth. Gird yourselves, yet be shattered; gird yourselves, yet be shattered. (This means that even though there was a fulfilment before, it will happen once again.) (10) Devise a plan but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not stand, for Elohim is with us.”(11) For thus YHVH spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, (12) “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. (13) It is YHVH of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. (14) Then He shall become a sanctuary; but to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (15) And many will stumble over them, then they will fall and be broken; they will even be snared and caught.(16) Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. (17) And I will wait for YHVH who is hiding His face (identity) from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for him.” Even though Judah is presently blinded to the identity of Yahshua ((YHVH)’s face or visible image[2]), they trust Elohim is with them – and even if the Arab world, as well as many others are planning to destroy them, YHVH will thwart these plans and ultimately shatter those who are devising evil against His people. We also read from this section that both houses of Israel will stumble over the identity and or purpose of Yahshua the rock of our salvation, but we understand from Romans 11 that the blinding of Judah, is (YHVH)’s doing, to allow those of us from the lost ten tribes (plus a number of Gentiles), whom He is presently calling out of the world, to return to Him; and when the full number of those whom He wants to return has been reached, all Israel (both houses) will be saved.

Isaiah confirms the Oneness of Elohim, throughout the book saying in chapter 43: 3, 10 – 15: “For I am YHVH your Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. (10) You are My witnesses,” declares YHVH, “And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He (Yes, ‘I am’ means that YHVH is the Eternal, but as used in this verse, YHVH the speaker also tells us that He (Himself) is His servant whom He has chosen).Before Me there was no Elohim formed, and there will be none after Me (yes, the gods who came up later, namely Jesus and Allah – are no gods). (11) I, even I, am YHVH; and there is no savior besides Me.(12) It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed; and there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses,” declares YHVH, “And I am Elohim. (13) Even from eternity I am He; and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?” (14) Thus says YHVH your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and will bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, into the ships in which they rejoice. (15) I am YHVH, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”How many times does YHVH have to tell us that He alone is Elohim?YHVH also tells us through Isaiah that He cannot forget us and even though many fall over the stumbling stone (mentioned in Isaiah 8), eventually all people will know His identity, as recorded in Isaiah 49: 15, 16 & 26, in this way: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.(16) Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me. (26) And I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh, and they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh will know that I, YHVH, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Yahshua came specifically to bring the lost ten tribes back to worshipping YHVH, as he also told the Canaanite woman who asked Him to heal her demon possessed daughter, saying in Matthew 15: 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In fact Isaiah also prophesied about Messiah’s purpose in Isaiah 49: 5 – 7, saying: ‘And now says YHVH, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, in order that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of YHVH, and My Elohim is My strength), (6) He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones (or remnant) of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (7) Thus says YHVH, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One, to the despised One, to the One abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes shall also bow down; because of YHVH who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.” Isaiah revealed Messiah’s purpose to bring back a remnant of the lost ten tribes to once again serve David their King and YHVH their Elohim and to eventually when He returns to also make priests and Levites of some, as witnessed in Isaiah 61: 6, 9 – 11, saying: ‘“But you will be called the priests of YHVH; you will be spoken of as ministers of our Elohim. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (9) Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom YHVH has blessed. (10) I will rejoice greatly in YHVH, My soul will exult in my Elohim; for He has clothed me in garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland (a peer-shaped head covering like that worn by priests), and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (11) For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so YHVH Elohim will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.” A second witness to this comes from Isaiah 66: 20 & 21, where YHVH tells our Jewish Brothers that He will also make some of us priests, saying:‘“Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering (first fruits) to YHVH, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says YHVH, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of YHVH. (21) I will also take some of them as priests and for Levites,” says YHVH.’

Continuing in Isaiah 50, 51 & 52 we get the most encouraging Scriptures about Elohim’s two arms specifically sent for the salvation of the house of Israel who left YHVH and whom He divorced, but whom His arms will judge – not meaning damn, but educate to understand how to return to Him and His Torah teachings for our good in Isaiah 51: 5, as follows: “My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, and My arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands will wait for Me, and for My arm they will wait expectantly.”But also how He will deliver us from our exile in the nations where He has scattered us because of our years of confusion and disobedience. Firstly He tells us in Isaiah 50 how He divorced our forefathers and sold us for our iniquities, but how His arm is not too short or powerless to redeem us in verses 1 & 2, saying: “Where is the certificate of divorce, by which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away. (2) Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver?Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink for lack of water, and die of thirst.” He also tells us how His arm or our Redeemer was mistreated in verses 5 & 6, how He gave His back to be beaten for us and how His beard was plucked out, but How our Father did not forsake Him. Next He tells those of us who heed His call to return to Him through His arms – the salvation of Yah to trust in the name of YHVH. He tells us in verses 14 - 22 of Isaiah 51, saying: “The exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. (15) For I am YHVH your Elohim, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (YHVH of hosts is His name). (16) And I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”(17) Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from (YHVH)’s hand the cup of His anger; the chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs. (18) There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne; nor is there one to take her by the hand among all the sons she has reared. (19) These two things have befallen you; who will mourn for you? The devastation and destruction, famine and sword; how shall I comfort you? (20) Your sons have fainted, they lie helpless at the head of every street, like an antelope in a net, full of the wrath of YHVH, the rebuke of your Elohim. (21) Therefore, please hear this, you afflicted,who are drunk, but not with wine: (22) Then says your Master, YHVH, even your Elohim who contends for His people, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling; the chalice of My anger, you will never drink it again. (23) And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, ‘Lie down that we may walk over you.’ You have even made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walk over it.”

Ask yourself, who is coming back one day? We find the answer in Zechariah 14: 4 – 9, as follows: “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. (5) And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. (It seems almost prophetic how Uzziah’s name appears in Zechariah’s prophecy about Messiah’s return, similar to the vision Isaiah had in Isaiah 6: 1 after Uzziah’s death, when he saw Messiah on His throne.)Then YHVH, my Elohim, will come, and all the holy ones (those of us who qualify to make it into the kingdom of Elohim) with Him! (6) And it will come about in that day that there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. (7) For it will be a unique day which is known to YHVH, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. (8) And it will come about in that day that living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. (9)And YHVH will be king over all the earth; in that day YHVH will be the only one, and His name the only one.” Are you one who are able to say the Shema without any doubts that YHVH is our savior – as he tells us through Isaiah in Isaiah 52: 10, saying: ‘YHVH has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our Elohim.’ Do you fully grasp what Yahshua told us in John 12: 44 & 45 (quoted near the beginning of this lesson). Yes, if we believe in Him, we do not believe in Him, but in the One who sent Him and His disciples who saw Him, did not see Him, but the One who sent Him.

We also see from Isaiah 30: 18 – 20 that YHVH promised that He will eventually reveal His face to His people once again during Messiah’s rule from Jerusalem, as follows: ‘Therefore YHVH longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For YHVH is an Elohim of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him. (19) O People in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. (20) Although Adonai has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher.’ Our Jewish Brothers will also recognize Yahshua as their Messiah like Thomas did after Yahshua showed him His hands and side when Thomas exclaimed in John 20: 28, “My Master and my Elohim!” This will happen at Yahshua’s return one day on Yom Teruah, known to our Jewish Brothers as Rosh Hashanah as witnessed in Zechariah 12: 7 – 10, in this way: “YHVH also will save the tents of Judah first in order that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be magnified above Judah. (8) In that day YHVH will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like Elohim, like the angel of YHVH before them. (9) And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.(This is when Yahshua is prophesied to return one day in the near future)(10) And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace (by which we are saved) and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.”This is one of many irrefutable witnesses that the calendar observed by our Jewish Brothers is correct. The next few verses in Zechariah 12 show that they will be in their synagogues on that day, with their men sitting separately from their ladies. Will those of us called out of the world, also observe the Feast of Trumpets on the same date at Messiah’s return?

Isaiah’s second message mirrors the good news or gospel about the coming kingdom of Elohim, as recorded in the Renewed Covenant. The book of Isaiah is one of the books of the Tanach mostly quoted by Yahshua Messiah. The book is therefore correctly referred to as a summary of the entire Scriptures. The crux of the book of Isaiah is the good news about the coming Kingdom of Elohim, with Messiah ruling as King of kings and Master of masters, as Isaiah wrote in chapter 52: 7, saying: ‘How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your Elohim reigns!”’ This is obviously a vision after Yahshua our Messiah returned to rule the world from Jerusalem, as we read from verses 8 – 10, in this way: ‘Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, they shout joyfully together; for they will see with their own eyes when YHVH restores Zion. (9) Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for YHVH has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. (10) YHVH has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation (Yahshua) of our Elohim.’ We read from Isaiah 9: 6 & 7 about both Yahshua’s human birth, but also about His ultimate purpose to come and rule the world from Jerusalem during His second coming, as follows: ‘For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (7) There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of YHVH of hosts will accomplish this.’Continuing in Isaiah 11: 1 – 9 we read about Yahshua’s human ancestry and how He will change the face of the earth during His millennial rule, in this way: ‘Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. (2) And the Spirit of YHVH will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of YHVH. (3) And He will delight in the fear of YHVH, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; (4) But with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. (5) Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. (6) And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. (7) Also the cow and the bear will graze; their young will lie down together; and the lion will eat straw like the ox. (8) And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. (9) They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of YHVH as the waters cover the sea.’

In chapter 53 of Isaiah, Isaiah describes Messiah’s suffering and death to facilitate our healing, but also to justify many of those who accept Him as their personal Passover, as we read from verses 4 – 12, saying: ‘Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of Elohim, and afflicted. (5) But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our wellbeing fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. (6) All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but YHVH has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (7) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. (8) By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? (9) His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (10) But YHVH was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of YHVH will prosper in His hand. (11) As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.(12) Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.’ Yahshua our Messiah paid the penalty due to us for transgressing Elohim’s Torah, thereby reconciling us to our heavenly Father and brother Judah. In Isaiah 54: 5 YHVH tells us that He our maker is our husband and the redeemer of Israel. Knowing that, are we the lost sheep of the house of Israel prepared to become united with the house of Judah as the body and bride of Messiah, to be married to YHVH at Messiah’s return to rule the world from Jerusalem, as Rav Shaul taught in Ephesians 2: 11 – 19, but more specifically as Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 31; 31 – 33, saying: ‘Behold, days are coming, declares YHVH, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house Judah, (32) not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares YHVH. (33) “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares YHVH, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”’ (34) And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know YHVH,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares YHVH, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”’

We do not hear a lot of good news at this time, but similarly things did not go well in Isaiah’s timeas he also witnessed in Isaiah 1: 4 - 6, saying: ‘Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned YHVH, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him. (5) Where will you be stricken again, as you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint.(6) From the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil.’ This almost sounds likea description of us in the western world today. We have been in financial trouble since 2008, but our moral and familial lives are similarly threatened by disaster. Nothing is safe any longer! But, Isaiah’s prophecy remained one of hope for the future. Although he was bemoaning the sad condition of his people, he confidently encourages those who ‘listen’ to him in Isaiah 1: 16 – 17, saying: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, (17) learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”These are not the words of an antiquated political reformer – in fact they describe current state of affairs in the world. But, Isaiah offers comfort to the people, no matter how badly they failed as fathers and husbands, saying in verse 18: “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says YHVH, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”He draws a line between right and wrong and the reason whyhis and other prophets in the Scriptures are not taken seriously because of mankind’s proclivity to get trapped in a maze of uncertain moral standards. At the core of the Israelite nation’s slide to lawlessness is confusion about what is right and what is wrong.

Isaiah describes, but also condemns such moral disorder in Isaiah 5: 20 – 23, saying: ‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. (21) Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight! (22) Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink; (23) who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!’ We live and work in a society that does not exalt Elohim; our priorities are upside down. It is for this reason that YHVH asks through Isaiah in chapter 51: 12 & 13, saying: “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, and of the son of man who is made like grass;(13) that you have forgotten YHVH your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; that you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor?”Yes, we do not have to fear anybody, if we remain close to Elohim. Yahshua stated the same principle in a more-optimistic manner in Matthew 6: 31 - 33, saying: “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ (32) For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” Elohim’s Kingdom is the key and once it becomes a reality, all these futuristic prophecies will find their ultimate fulfillment. Finally, but more importantly Isaiah also tells us about the people who will be resurrected in the second resurrection before the Great White Throne judgment saying in Isaiah 25: 7 – 9, ‘And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death for all time(this will only happen after the great white throne judgment when the books of the Scriptures will have been opened to the understanding of those in the second resurrection, as may be seen from Revelation 20: 12 – 14), and YHVH Elohim will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth (at the moment Judah and the Israelite nations are some of the most hated people on the earth); for YHVH has spoken. (9) And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our Elohim for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is YHVH for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

The people who will be in the second resurrection will be given a period of time to learn about Elohim and His ways, after which they will be able to make an informed decision as to whether they want to follow His ways or not. They will upon acceptance of Yahshua as their personal Passover, be given the Set-apart Spirit and be changed into immortal children of Elohim, after which the ones whose names are not written in the book of life, will be burnt up as per Revelation 20: 15 and also mentioned in Malachi 4: 1, as follows: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says YHVH of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” We read about the period of a hundred years in Isaiah 65: 17 – 20, in this way: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. (18) But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness. (19) I will also rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying. (20) No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred shall be thought accursed.”According to the Talmud King Manasseh of Judah was responsible for Isaiah’s death at ninety years of age. One vague Scriptural record that we have about this comes from 2 Kings 21: 16, as follows: ‘Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of YHVH.’

A second hint at Isaiah’s death comes from Hebrews 11: 32 - 38, in this way: ‘And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, (33) who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, (34) quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. (35) Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; (36) and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. (37)They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword, they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (38) (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.’ It was because of Manasseh’s sin that the nation of Judah was eventually taken captive by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, as witnessed in 2 Kings 24: 3 & 4, as follows: ‘Surely at the command of YHVH it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, (4) and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and YHVH would not forgive.’ We are truly thankful that YHVH blessed us with prophets like Isaiah to foretell what is awaiting mankind in the foreseeable future. Halleluyah!

[1]Psalm 98: 1 – 3: ‘O sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained victory for Him. YHVH has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His loving-kindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our Elohim.”

[2]We read about YHVH hiding His face in Isaiah 45: 15, where He also reveals His identity to us, saying: ‘Truly, Thou are an Elohim who hides Himself, O Elohim, of Israel, Savior!’ The transliterated Hebrew in the Tanach reads: ‘Elohey Yisrael moshiya.’