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The Lord Your Healer: 

Discover Him and Find His Healing Touch by Paul J. Bucknell

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Discover Him and Find His Healing Touch

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The Bible Teaching Commentary on Genesis: The Book of Foundations

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Overcoming Anxiety: Finding Peace, Discovering God

 

Discussions on Each Section of the Book of Isaiah

Chronology of Isaiah  of Judah and Assyria
Book of Isaiah : Overview of BFF Contents

The Bible Teacher's Commentary

Paul J. Bucknell

The Overview of the Book of Isaiah
The Purpose of Isaiah: Redemptive Chart of Isaiah
The Plan of Isaiah: Light & Dark Diagram
The Chonology of Isaiah
The Outline of Isaiah

Discussions of Main Sections of Isaiah (Isaiah's Cap)
Isaiah 1-6 | 7-12 | 13-23 | 24-27 | 28-33 | 34-35 | 36-39 | 40-66

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Isaiah has two main sections:

Chapters 1- 39 (7 subsections)

Chapters 40-66 (3 subsections)

In the first 39 chapters of Isaiah, adulterous Israel is running off and making alliances with Assyria, Egypt and Babylonia. God kept calling them to trust Him, but they stubbornly resisted. God could not use His own kings to accomplish His righteous purposes. So God instead showed how He would, despite themselves, find an Israelite, a servant, who would do all of His will. This is the long promised Messiah.

OT Biblical DVDThrough the first 39 chapters, the bursts of light brightening the otherwise dark scenes as they hint of the promised righteous servant.The numerous reminders of the coming destruction of the wicked humble the righteous but otherwise create hopeful hearts in God's coming kingdom.

Chapters 40-66, in clear contrast, present a string of salvation messages, with hope and utopia beautifully coloring each of them. This unexpected closing message confirms God is not so preoccupied with saving the righteous that He has forgotten the judgment of the wicked. Isaiah dashes the modernists’ approach of letting bygones be bygones. Isaiah wants the contrite to enjoy their salvation fully, but the wicked need to be warned of the impending judgment!

Click Isaiah's Cap below for a closer look at the mnemonic diagram illustrating the structure of Isaiah. Further explanations of the outline and structure are below.

Isaiah's Cap - outline diagram of Isaiah

ISAIAH'S CAP: Illustration

Below is an abbreviated discussion of each of these selections. Click for more thorough discussions.

Picture of Isaiah: Judgment leads to Redemption

Click image for larger picture

Isaiah Chapters 1-6

Instruction for renewal by Isaiah in a wicked age

Isaiah chapters 1-6 preface the massive volume of 66 chapters with a call to repentance. Although very willing to acknowledge the Israelites as His people, Yahweh sets a standard of judgment against them. They must repent from their sins or prepare for the storm of God’s wrath. And although the threats are severe, His merciful calls to return to Him are moving. An affirmative response to God’s call is exemplified by Isaiah’s humbling of heart in chapter 6. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 7-12

Switch of leaders purges evil King Ahaz

In chapters 7-12, we are instantly confronted with King Ahaz’s reign. These chapters are somewhat connected with the first six chapters, but the approach differs. King Ahaz’s person and response to the Lord are contrasted with Isaiah’s. God revealed Himself to King Ahaz just as to Isaiah, but the response was one of a skeptic rather than a believer. He was going to trust in Assyria to rid the northern kingdom of its threat. God counters Ahaz’s false trust by establishing His own king. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 13-23

Accounts are settled of all nations before God

Clearly turning away from a single focus on the inferior rule of Israel, God turns His eye to all the nations in chapters 13-23.

Each section has to do with a certain nation or capital and is set apart with the words, “the oracle of”. God undermines any trust in any nation no matter how powerful or influential. He has His own purpose for each nation. Sometimes in His mercy He chooses to work some good within that nation. Full discussion

Unrighteous lawbreakers fully deserve the wrath of God. Instead of seeking mercy, they arise and curse God as unjust. Although the godly are suffering because of their rebellious countrymen, their hearts are full of joy because they have discovered God's grace (Isaiah 24:14-16).

Isaiah Chapters 24-27

Indictment of the world brings hope to God’s people.

Chapters 24-27 crown the former chapters as they break away from the treatment of individual nations and deal with the whole world in judgment. God’s people are not to fear of the world's judgment no matter how close it comes, but they are to hope in God’s sure salvation. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 28-33

Acceptance of God’s case against His people

In chapters 28-33 the Lord interjects with an update on the southern kingdom’s response to God. One would hope if they didn't learn from the judgment of the other nations, they would learn from the fate of the northern kingdom, Israel. But no. Instead of trusting in Assyria, Hezekiah leans on Egypt and his supposedly innovated foreign policy. God exposes their foolish plans to trust in another besides Himself and graciously provides His redemptive plan and message. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 34-35

Holiness follows judgment as time meets eternity.

Chapters 34 and 35, with their strong apocalyptic character, bring us to face two great culminating paths. The intensity of destruction characterizes the first. The beauty of God’s gracious redeeming work radiates in the second. They both are almost wholly lifted from history and time and instead portray the final scenarios for mankind. The historical names are more symbolic whether it be Edom representing the enemies of God’s people, or the usage of wilderness to paint the despairing scene around His godly ones. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 36-39

Scenes from Hezekiah’s life to understand the coming judgment

Chapters 36-39 jump back into time and revolve around themes of growing hardships: war, death and the pain of pride. Isaiah is trying to bring his people to understand their situation. Judgment against Judah was certain. However, because of all the former promises, the unsettling way in which this section ends forms the basis for the following section in chapters 40-66: the humble hearts which anticipate God’s redeeming work. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 40-48
God’s gracious dealings with man

Caring for man

This section enables the exiles to see their whole life, including their capture, in light of their relationship with their God. Isaiah identifies the places that they do not trust and obey their covenant God Yahweh. He exposes what their sin really is. By stressing God's greatness and faithfulness, they are not only humbled by God's grace, but they maintain hope in their exiled state. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 49-57
God’s gracious provision of redemption

Atonement provided

The Servant serves as the focus of hope in chapters 49-57 and serves as clear assurance that God has not altogether forsaken them even while in exile. His work is not easy, but he finds strength in the Lord God. It would be easy to arrange for their passage back to their homeland as the first section about Cyrus shows, but to bring them back to Himself is not easy. The prized Servant must suffer a horrible death.

God patiently taught the Jews about His plan to incorporate people from all around the world. The 'everyone' of 55:1 is inclusive. Chapter 56 speaks of the foreigners. God intends to provide spiritual freedom to those from every tongue and race.

How great and immeasurable is God's grace! Chapter 57, though, brings us right back to the operating table where He spreads their evil before their eyes so that they might seek Him and find His healing. Full discussion

Isaiah Chapters 58-66
God’s gracious promises of hope

Promises of Hope

Isaiah’s strong message of hope shines out from these reminders to the wicked. God demands contrite hearts, reformed lives, and personal faith in Him from those desiring salvation.

If one gets easily turned off by God's reminders to put away sin, then that one will probably never be able to read on to the hope so beautifully spread out in the later passages. Within the last section (chapters 58-66), reform and repentance are mentioned much less, while the theme of hope in God's salvation pulsates much stronger. Full discussion

Book of Isaiah: Plan and Outline

The Overview of the Book of Isaiah
The Purpose of Isaiah: Redemptive Chart of Isaiah
The Plan of Isaiah: Light & Dark Diagram
The Chonology of Isaiah
The Outline of Isaiah
Discussions of Main Sections of Isaiah (Isaiah's Cap)

Background of the Book of Isaiah

A Historical Timeline of Isaiah

Assyria's Relationship with Israel/Judah

Section Introduction & Background

=> Isaiah Index


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Scriptures typically quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted: (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1988

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