Behold Your God

In March we begin a new sermon series in the book of Isaiah.  This book of the Bible can be daunting.  After all, it has as many chapters as there are books in the Bible!  And as with every part of Scripture, Isaiah has a unique historical context that must be considered.  Isaiah was eager to see God correct injustice, reward the obedient, and punish the evil doers of his day.  Writing about seven hundred years before Christ, Isaiah contains some of the most profound predictions of the coming Messiah.

Isaiah’s prophesies called Judah to repentance, reminding them that salvation is found in God alone.  Interestingly, Isaiah’s name means “Jehovah is salvation”.  Called the “evangelical prophet”, Isaiah’s prophecies contain a predictable pattern.  According to W. E. Vine this pattern starts with rebuke, then there is a warning, and finally there is a promise.  In the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah, we read of rebuke and dire warnings.  Our sermon series we will focus on chapters 40 to 48.  In this section, so full of God’s promises, we find portraits of the Holy One.  In each case, followers of Jesus are urged to behold God in His greatness, glory, and grace.