The Narrow View and the Wide View of God

A Large View of God

          Certainly one of the key differences between the first phase of Isaiah (First Isaiah, or Isaiah of Jerusalem) and the second phase of the book (Second Isaiah) starting in  chapter 40 is that a larger scope of God's action is in Second Isaiah.  And in all places and all times spirituality and religion divide into those who hold a narrow view and those that see / imagine/ believe in a God  of wide concern, love, and action.

      In comic terms the person of narrow view prays,

"Dear Lord, Bless me, my wife, my farm -- these three and no more."  

      His faith no matter how sincere is focused upon a very few things that are close by.  While devotion and loyalty to God may be strong, the scope of concern is highly limited.  If of an unselfish frame of mine,  he cares about his village, the healthy and the sick, the rich and the poor within it.  But in geographic scope, his mind can barely move outside the county line.   

     Second Isaiah displays the wide view of God.  God can work through leaders that are outside of the Hebrew people.  Cyrus, King of the Assyrian empire can be called the servant of God, even in terms that suggest the Messiah.  God can be imagined as standing about the "circle of the earth" looking down upon the nations.   Here God has become large.  The Sacred Presence is world wide.  

    We have left tribal religion.  The Divine Life is no longer "the God of the hill country," or the God of the Jews.

In Second Isaiah we have stepped into a universal faith of a God so large that his concerns and actions touch all people in all places.  

Seeing the Connections between the Old and New Testaments

                        What the Bible says is important.

                         The connection between on part of the Bible to another part is important.

                         Connections between the Old Testament and Jesus are especially important.

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   Prophecy, foreshadowing, symbols and the development of spirituality 

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          Especially in Isaiah we can find many connections to Jesus, and the New Testament.  Let us consider a few of these. 

The Servant of the Lord in Isaiah

         What does it mean to be the people of God?  Is it a call to special blessings?  Is it a blessing upon our little tribe or twelve tribes?  Or is it a call to service of world wide scope?  Second Isaiah addresses these questions in his Servant Psalms.  These psalms within the book of Isaiah show a growing insight into what it means to be the people of God. 

        In your Bible read Isaiah 41: 8 and Isaiah 44: 1 -5.  Who is the Servant of the Lord in these Scriptures?

  And what is the servant to do in Isaiah 42: 1 - 9?

       Now the plot thickens with a shocking idea from Isaiah.  Could the servant of the Lord be a gentile (a non-jewish person?)  See Isaiah 44: 22 and read through to Isaiah 45: 4.  Who is the Servant of the Lord?
Please note, there are two different answers!

      Now read Isaiah 52: 13 through to Isaiah 53: 12.  In this Scripture who is the Servant of the Lord?
What does the servant accomplish?  Why is that important to us today?  Do you see any irony or paradox in this prophecy?

Consider the teachings of Jesus

     what did Jesus say about leadership and service?  Is that practiced today by you, or political leaders, or by the church?  

     why did Jesus wash the feet of the disciples before the Last Supper?

Divisions Within Book of Isaiah; Progress in Faith

Three Divisions are seen in Isaiah.

        The three divisions in Isaiah match up with three different phases of history.  

      The first phase is before national defeat and exile.  This is chapters 1 -39 that are filled with condemnation of the sins of the nation, and warnings of judgment to come. 

      The second phase is the period of exile.  This begins in chapter 40 with the instruction that the prophet is to "Comfort, comfort, my people."  Some serious modern Biblical scholars see chapters

40 - 55 as the work of a second prophet whose name is unknown to us.  The second division or phase of the book contains the famous "Servant Psalms."  There is much hope in the second phase, and a large view of the work of God in history.

    The third phase of Isaiah is found in chapters 56 through 66.  These chapters are addressed to the concerns of the people who have returned to the land of Judah after the exile.  Jesus declared his public ministry in his hometown of Nazareth with a reading of Isaiah 61.

=====Question:  Is there one Isaiah or two prophets, or even more represented in the book?

   For scholars this has been an issue of interest.  For non-scholars there has been little interests in the issue.

Progress in Faith

    Perhaps the one point that does make a difference to the average reader and believer is the nature of progress in faith. 

           Are we expected to grow in our faith? 

                                            Is progress made over time in spiritual matters?

   Certainly, we understand that Saul the persecutor of Christians who became Paul the great missionary Apostle grew and learned a greater faith over the years?  And many would understand that Jacob in the book of Genesis grew in his relationship with God.  And Jesus speaks provocatively in John chapter 3 to Nicodemus that he needs a profound 'new birth' to see the Kingdom of God. 

    The application of Scripture to our lives today is our proper concern.  The traditional understanding of one prophet Isaiah writing the whole book would point us to change and growth within our lifetime.  Are we open to new instructions as Isaiah received the directive to be a comfort to the hurting Hebrews?  Are we willing to change from familiar forms of mission to new forms?  The one Isaiah interpretation would then make the prophet a model for us of spiritual growth and progress in faith.

    The modern scholarly interpretation of multiple prophets who speak and minister toward different aims in different times would point us to the importance of adaption and change over time.  The church of God is not called to be a museum of yesterday.  We are to faithfully apply the Scriptures to the times in which we live.  So, perhaps your great grandfather was a racist who lived in a racist society.  This fact of the past and however, much you honor your ancestors, would not be a reason that you should not progress beyond the sin of racism today. 

  

Isaiah 30 and 31 "Worldly Solutions for A Spiritual Problem?"

Here we hear of Isaiah's rejection of a worldly solution to a spiritual problem.

      Questions for Thought:

Does God judge evil within this world ?

If so, how can God's judgment be escaped?  by repentance?  by military alliance?

                            by science or technology?  by additional finances?

Can you think of examples where societies, individuals, or churches have sought to escape God's judgment through worldly, secular solutions?

Isaiah 30 -- A Military Alliance to Escape God's Judgment

    The government of Judah sought a military alliance with Eygpt.  The leaders of  Judah hoped that in case of attack by Assyria that the Egyptians would come to their aid.  From a skeptical and spiritual viewpoint this appears to be trying to avoid the judgment of God and God's demands for justice by borrowing a foreign army.

    Can the judgment of God be so easily escaped?

                  What are other examples of worldly solutions to spiritual problems?

++++++ Is the alcoholic who tries moving to another city and getting a new job an example of seeking a secular solution to a problem that requires a spiritual solution? While we commend the alcoholic for seeking a solution to his or her problem,  is this actually a dodge to avoid facing the spiritual nature of alcoholism? 

    +++++What about the congregation in decline that seeks big video screens and a younger minister to gain congregational vitality?  Is this just a wise move or an unwise seeking for secular solutions to a problem that requires a spiritual solution --  either from God or from growth within their own souls?

+++++++Consider the cover ups of the sexual abuse of children by priests within the Catholic Church in recent years.  Is this an example of seeking a worldly solution for a spiritual problem?  

Continuing Relevance of Isaiah to Our Human Situation

My point is that Isaiah has continuing relevance to us as humans.  We go off in the wrong direction more often that we like to admit.  Isaiah is speaking as a prophet to our human situation as much as he is speaking to ancient Judah of 27 centuries ago.

Isaiah 31  -- More of Isaiah's Rejection of the Egyptian Military Alliance

     Chapter 31 continues in the same vein.  I will quote without comment.

       "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help 

        and rely on horses,

        who trust in chariots because they are very strong,

        but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.  " Isaiah 30: 1   (Revised Standard Version)

Baptist World Alliance agrees with Muslims in 12 page letter

    Wow, and double Wow!  Just when I think I understand the world, I am surprised. 

     Yesterday, while looking at the Baptist World Alliance website, I came across a remarkable 12 page letter.
In their positive warm response to a letter from an international group of Muslim leaders, the Baptist World Alliance agreed with the Muslim leaders in a call to recognize the two great commandments are to love God and love your neighbor.  The letter is thick with quotes from the Koran, Old Testament, and New Testament.  And the letter is in fact a careful study of the love of God and love of humanity from the Bible and the Koran.

    The Baptists thanked the Muslim's for quoting from Jesus on these two joint commandments, and noted that Mohamed was recorded in the Koran implying a similar thought.  Several passages in the Koran were commended as reflecting a positive interpretation of what it is to love God and love your neighbor. 

    While agreeing with the Muslim doctrine "that God has no associates," the BWA explained that Jesus as  part of the Trinity was not an "associate of God" in the sense prohibited by the doctrines of Islam.  I knew the folks at the BWA knew their Bible, but I had no idea that they knew the Koran so well.  

    If you have an interest in international affairs and our ever shrinking world, I urge you to read the BWA letter responding to the Muslim leaders letter to the Christian community.  

The Great Turn at Isaiah 40

     There is a great turn in chapter 40.  New instructions come from God "To comfort, comfort my people."
From Isaiah 40: 1 the book speaks in a different tone -- more comforting, more positive.  The big change in tone, themes and historical context has led some serious Biblical scholars to interprete this part of the book of Isaiah as the work of another prophet that lived after the defeat of Judah in the time of the exile.  Since the name of this prophet is unknown, scholars call him "Second Isaiah," or "Deutero - Isaiah." But unless you have a strong interest in these scholarly issues, the key is to remember the great themes.

     And every careful reader can feel the shift in tone and theme.  Here is a list of Key Themes In Isaiah after chapter 40:1. 

       Key Themes That Appear in the Second Phase of Isaiah

1. The Servant of the Lord ( a series of psalms expands this theme.)

2.  Assertion of absolute monotheism (Only one God exists - idols are nothing.) See Isaiah 43, 44 , and 45.)

3.  Atonement for sin is made by the suffering Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 53.)  Surely, this is one of the most moving passages in the whole Bible as it speaks of the sufferings of Jesus.

4.  Evangelistic-like invitation (See Isaiah 55.)

5.  A strong compassion spirituality (See 'Fast of the Lord' in Isaiah 58. )  This powerful call for compassion and practical acts of mercy is echoed by Jesus.  ( If you know, John 3: 16, and I Corinthians 13, you should know 'The Fast of the Lord' prophecy in Isaiah 58.)

6.  A wider inclusion replaces a narrower 'tribal' focus.  More of tolerance is in the second phase of the book.  (See Isaiah 55: 8b,  Isaiah 56: 3-8, and Isaiah 66.)

7.  Salvation receives more attention, and simple explanations of salvation are included.  

8.  We hear of God's initiative that implies God's grace, not human effort, and not reform nor ritualized worships saves.

       In short in many places and in many different ways we are reminded of Jesus.  Jesus used the reading of Isaiah 61 to announce his ministry in his home town synagogue.   We even have a mention of God as Father and God's steadfast love in Isaiah 63.  In short, we are not only reminded of Jesus, but in sections of the second part of Isaiah sound like New Testament readings.

Keep Your Eyes on the Major Themes

    The proven way to get lost in the Holy Scriptures, and never really understand them is to lose sight of the major themes.  The proverb is
                            "Can't see the forest for the trees."

William Barclay, the popular Bible teacher writes, "  So each of the eighth century prophets has his note --
Amos and Micah social justice, Hosea love; Isaiah holiness, and it is while remembering their note that we should read them"  (Introducing the Bible, page 32, William Barclay.) 

    As we progress through the highlights of Isaiah we will keep in mind the major themes.  And, we will connect the great themes to the ministry of Jesus Christ and to various parts of the New Testament.