The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah 1:1
When I first moved to Fredericton in the mid 1960s, I had the privilege of spending much time in the company of, and in the home of, Clifford and Annie Haines. On occasion I would be at their Saturday supper table, and I witnessed something that those dear folks did every Saturday night from the time they were first saved until they were called home to Glory. Without exception, after supper, the Bibles came out, and the family read the last three verses of Isaiah 52, and the entirety of chapter 53. This was to prepare their souls to remember the Lord’s death on Sunday. This reading from a book written some 800 years before that death occurred. What a book!
Isaiah has been called the Gospel book of the Old Testament, for good reason. In addition to the amazing prophecy of Calvary in chapter 53, this book has many wonderful portions that fit right in with the New Testament. Some of our best Gospel texts are in Isaiah. We can all recite Isaiah 1:18 – Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. And there are dozens more. Isaiah seemed to have a deep understanding of the purposes of God in the coming centuries. We read his prophecy for our rich blessing.
Our text lists the kings that ruled in Jerusalem during Isaiah’s lengthy ministry. Uzziah, Jotham, and Hezekiah were good men and Judah prospered in their reigns. But it had to be obvious to Isaiah that his prophecy was not describing those administrations. He could see that the things God revealed to him pointed to a different time and to a different King. One of the best reasons for reading Isaiah is its amazingly accurate prophecy. Study it today and let the Holy Spirit teach you some of what this dear old prophet appreciated. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the vodeo of this message: https://youtu.be/kXpNxVUOWSU