Finding Jesus in Isaiah
If you enjoy the night sky, locating and naming the constellations, occasional planet, or other objects in space, then an experience with a telescope is for you. It allows you to view what is quite distant and make it appear larger and therefore nearer. A telescope is simply a tube with a lens at one end and multiple lenses at the other that slide into each other. It’s fascinating and a great picture of the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah is the first and foremost prophet of the Bible; he’s called the Prince of the Prophets, and for good reason. Not only is he quoted in the New Testament more than any other prophet, his prophecies include both captivities (Assyria captured Israel in the north and 150 years later Babylon captured Judah in the south), the first coming of Christ, the second coming of Christ, the end times, Judgment Day, and our eternal future with God here on earth. Amazing, it’s easy to see why he is highly viewed as a prophet.
The prophetic team of 16 players is clumped together in our Bible with Isaiah kicking off. We know that his words from God were fulfilled since history confirms both captivities and the first appearance of Messiah, Jesus. That’s a pretty good record but what about the remaining prophecies?
That’s where the prophetic telescope helps our understanding. Isaiah, writing on behalf of God, focuses his lens on the future and the far-future by magnifying the events that are coming. He makes what is quite distant appear larger and therefore nearer as a telescope is designed to do. Isaiah was given spiritual warnings to give to God’s people to return, repent, and reform their ways that’s for sure. However, his prophetic lens of the far-future is where we find Jesus in this book.
Sprinkled throughout all sixty six chapters you can find references to Jesus. Details of His birth (ch. 9 & 11), His death (ch. 53), the latter days (we call it ‘end times’, ch. 2, 13), the Day of the Lord (also called the Second Coming and Judgment Day, ch. 24-27), and our eternal future (new heavens and new earth, ch. 65-66) are pictured there. No other book encompasses so much of God’s heart for His people: Jew and Gentile alike. There is no other prophet whom God has chosen to reveal Himself as in Isaiah.
God not only has a wonderful plan for your individual life, He has a plan for every family, every nation, and the all of creation. That plan often seems hidden but nevertheless, it is in place and it will not be altered. As we watch the news it may seem like Satan has the upper hand, especially as we watch Russia and the Middle East, but that’s all the more reason to understand the prophets: especially Isaiah. Let his words bring you comfort and encouragement and even a heads-up on the future. Jesus is coming again as King and we wait expectantly for ‘that Day’.
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