ISAIAH LESSON 50


     We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 43:14  "Thus saith the LORD,
your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to
Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans,
whose cry [is] in the ships."

     This prophecy is a promise to restore Israel. This means that
their Babylonian captivity will not continue. God, Himself, will free
them from their captivity. God has heard their cry, and will restore
them.

     Isaiah 43:15 " I [am] the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of
Israel, your King."

     Now, we see by what authority God destroys one nation and builds
up another. The Creator can do with His creation as He wishes. Look at
all the descriptions of God in the names. He is I Am. He is the LORD,
who eternally exists. He is the Holy One of Israel, when He says your
Holy One. He created all things. He is King of kings.

     Isaiah 43:16 "Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea,
and a path in the mighty waters;"

     This is speaking of the highway God made through the Red Sea for
His people Israel. The breath of His nostrils kept the Sea in a heap
on either side, until they could cross over on dry ground. The highway
was so dry, they did not even get their feet wet. This is the God that
can restore a nation when He chooses.

     Isaiah 43:17 "Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the
army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise:
they are extinct, they are quenched as tow."

     We also know, from a previous lesson, that Pharaoh's army,
horses, and chariots were drowned in that very same Red Sea. They are
extinct, because God drowned them. This is mentioned to show them that
the same God, that delivered Israel at the Red Sea, will deliver them
from Babylon.

     Isaiah 43:18  "Remember ye not the former things, neither
consider the things of old."

     The only reason to look back is to encourage us to have faith for
now. The miracle will not be the very same. The deliverance from
Babylon will be just as great, or greater, than the Exodus from Egypt.

     Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring
forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness,
[and] rivers in the desert."

     This new thing is the way to be saved through grace. This is
speaking of two things, as most prophecy is. Jesus Christ is the Way
for all who will dare to believe. Not only, does this speak of them
being delivered from Babylon, but it is speaking of a spiritual
deliverance for all mankind from the spirit of Babylon. Just as Moses
was the deliverer from physical Egypt, Jesus is the Deliverer for all
from the world and its sin.

     Isaiah 43:20 "The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons
and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in
the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen."

     When God blesses His chosen by furnishing water in the desert
place, it benefits even the beasts and the fowl that dwell in these
desolate places. It furnishes water for them to drink. When God
blesses His people with water to drink, it provides water for
everything in the vicinity.

     Isaiah 43:21 "This people have I formed for myself; they shall
shew forth my praise."

     We see the reason God made these people. The following Scriptures
say it best. Colossians 1:16 "For by him were all things created, that
are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
[they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him:"  Revelation 4:11 "Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
God is proud of His earthly family. They bring pleasure to Him, when
they praise and worship Him.

     Isaiah 43:22 "But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou
hast been weary of me, O Israel."

     The most dangerous thing a person can do, is stop praying to God.
To be out of fellowship with God brings nothing but heartache. They
were in Babylon, because they had forgotten God. They must not repeat
that. To tire of worshipping God, is a sure sign of failure. God hears
and answers the prayers of His people. The following are two examples
of the results God promised, when we pray. Psalms 50:15 "And call upon
me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify
me." Jeremiah 29:12 "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and
pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you."

     Isaiah 43:23 " Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy
burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I
have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with
incense."

     This is almost an explanation of why they went into captivity.
They had neglected God and the offerings due Him. This neglect caused
them to stray from God's teachings, as well as His blessings. All
through the Bible, God blesses those who keep His commandments. To
neglect God would be committing a sin. The requirement had not been
burdensome on them. In fact, everything they gave God was multiplied
and given back to them. Many neglect going to church today. They think
they do not have time for God. The sad thing is, they are missing
God's blessings when they do this.

     Isaiah 43:24 "Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money,
neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou
hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine
iniquities."

     It is an understatement to say, that today God is wearied of the
iniquities of the people. It seems our society is about the most evil
it has ever been. This breaks the heart of a loving God. Israel
strayed from God over and over. God always forgave them and restored
them. He never gave up on them repenting and turning back to Him. Sin
is anything that displeases God. Just about one of the most hurtful
things they could do to Him, is to ignore His wishes.

     Isaiah 43:25 "I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy
transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

     Notice, in this, He does not cover the sins up. He does away with
them. The only reason God blots out the sin, is because He loves
Israel. They do not deserve to be forgiven. They are forgiven, because
of His great love for them. This is the very thing the Lord Jesus does
for the Christian. He blotted our sins out with His precious blood.

     Isaiah 43:26 "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together:
declare thou, that thou mayest be justified."

     To be "justified" is to be as if you had never sinned. God loves
for us to remind Him of His promises to us. In the case here, it would
be better not to look back, because they have displeased God. The
grace of God is free. This is introducing the gift of grace. To
declare is to speak of something you know to be true. In the 10th
chapter of Romans, we find that believing in your heart, and
confessing with your mouth the Lord Jesus, will get you saved. That is
the way to receive the grace offered.

     Isaiah 43:27 "Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have
transgressed against me."

     This first father could be speaking of Abraham, who was the
father of the Israelites. All Israelites are proud to speak of Abraham
as their ancestor. Even Abraham sinned. His faith is what saved him.
The teachers are, probably, the priests and high priest. They were
mere men, so they sinned, also. No man was saved by the works of the
law. God sent a Saviour for all mankind, so that simple faith would
bring salvation.

     Isaiah 43:28 "Therefore I have profaned the princes of the
sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to
reproaches."

     "Princes of the sanctuary" is speaking of those in authority in
the sanctuary, the priests and high priest. Isaiah is prophesying of a
time when the priesthood would not be honorable. This very priesthood
would have fallen so far from the truth, they will deny the Lord of
glory. The priests of that day were captured by the Babylonians and
not respected. The priesthood will deteriorate until the time when
Jesus comes. The law will be so twisted by the time Jesus comes, He
calls it their law, not God's.
















































                          Isaiah 50 Questions


1.  What is verse 14 prophesying?
2.  Who will free them from captivity?
3.  Name the descriptions of God in verse 15.
4.  What way in the sea is verse 16 referring to?
5.  What kept the sea heaped up?
6.  What is verse 17 speaking of?
7.  What is the only good reason for looking back?
8.  What is the new thing spoken of in verse 19?
9.  Who is the Way?
10. Who was the deliverer of Israel from physical Egypt?
11. What, in verse 20, benefited from the overflow of blessings?
12. Quote Colossians chapter 1 verse 16.
13. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive ________ and ______ and
    ______.
14. The most dangerous thing a person can do, is stop _____________ to
    God.
15. To tire of worshipping God, is a sure sign of what?
16. Quote Psalms chapter 50 verse 15.
17. Quote Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 12.
18. What was God upset with them about in verse 23?
19. Who does God bless?
20. How do many Christians neglect God today
21. What is God wearied of today?
22. How can you be saved, according to the 10th chapter of Romans?
23. What happened to the sins of the Christians?
24. "Justified" means what?
25. Who is the first father, in verse 27, speaking of?
26. Who are the teachers in the same verse?
27. What is "princes of the sanctuary" speaking of?