"Only Life Changes"

Question:
What passages reveal 2 Isaiah’s interpretation of history?
Answer:
Now, in the second part of the text, God addresses Cyrus directly and uses Cyrus as the instrument of his purpose. Cyrus had very little interest in Israel as a nation and very little knowledge of Israel’s God. (Isaiah 45:1-7 NIV> This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. ), commissioning the Persian ruler to destroy the bars of Babylon’s prison and set Israel free (along with the captives from other nations). Cyrus, however, will not merely be a pawn on God’s world chessboard: God calls Cyrus by name, desiring that even Cyrus will come to know that God is the Lord. Later, when Cyrus issues the edict to free the Judean captives, he does in fact call upon the name of the Lord as his authority for this action. {Scribe who helped establish Jewish practices in Jerusalem after the exile}. (Ezra 1:1-4 NIV> In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”)

Question:
What is told of the servant in Isaiah 53:5 and 53:12?
Answer:
Isaiah 53:5 is a verse from the Bible that talks about the suffering of the Messiah. The verse says “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed”. This verse is considered a statement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is believed that the Messiah suffered and died for the sins of humanity, to make atonement and satisfaction for them.
Isaiah 53:12 this verse from the Old Testament that prophesies the suffering and death of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. This verse reads that God will reward him with glory and honor because Jesus willingly gave his life and was counted among the rebels. This verse also reads that Jesus bore the sin of many, meaning the whole human race, and interceded for them, meaning Jesus prayed for their forgiveness.

Question:
What was told of the servant in
Answer:
It reads in Isaiah 52:13 NIV> See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
It reads in 52:12 NIV> But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Question:
What is told of the servant in Isaiah 50:4-9 NIV>
Answer:
Speaks of the opposition that the servant will encounter and his spirit in meeting it:
I offered my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
Isaiah 50:6 NIV

Question:
What was told of the servant in Isaiah 49:2?
Answer:
And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver, He has hidden Me.”

Question:
What is told of the servant in Isaiah 42:1-4?
Answer:
This passage reads of the servant’s mission: “He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in all the earth.
Isaiah 42:4

Question:
What sections of 2 Isaiah are known as the servant songs?
Answer:
It reads in 42:1-4 NIV> “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching, the islands will put their hope.”
It reads in Isaiah 49:1-6 NIV> Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength, he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
It reads in Isaiah 50:4-9 NIV> The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me?Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.
It reads in Isaiah 52:13 NIV>See, my servant will act wisely: he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
It reads in Isaiah 53:12 NIV> Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Question:
What other figures of speech does the author use about God?
Answer:
It reads in Isaiah 42:13 NIV>The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout, he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.
It reads in Isaiah 59:17 NIV> He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
It reads in Isaiah 63:3 NIV>“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations, no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.

Question:
How does 2 Isaiah picture the love and tenderness of God?
Answer:
It reads in Isaiah 40:11 NIV> He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. It reads in Isaiah 49:15 NIV> “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

The third picture of the tenderness of God is that of a bridegroom who is in the midst of rejoicing. Isaiah 62:5 Reads! “As a bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” This is another glimpse into the tenderness of God.
It reads in Isaiah 63:9 NIV> In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy, he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
It reads in Isaiah 66:13 NIV> As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Question:
How does 2 Isaiah deal with idols?
Answer:
Isaiah 44:14-17 NIV>
He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it, he prepares his meal, roasts his meat, and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”
Isaiah 40:18-20 NIV
With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
Isaiah 46:6 NIV
Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.