Isaiah: Questions and Answers

Question 1
Explain the theme expressed in Isaiah chapter one?

Answer
The Lord was pointing out the sins of Israel, and that they have departed from Him by being sinful. It was a call to return back to God in righteousness. It was also a warning that disobedience and unrighteousness will have disastrous consequences. In particular, the following verses are noteworthy:

Firstly, Chapter 1:15-20:
"And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Further in Chapter 1:26-28, there is a promise of restoration and warning of dire consequences for the righteous who commit sins and sinners who remain sinful - their destruction will be together.

"And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed."

Question 2
Where was Isaiah 11:2 fulfilled in scripture?

Answer
Isaiah 11:2 states: "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;"

This scripture was fulfilled in Luke 4:18 when Jesus read this prophecy of Isaiah in the synagogue and stated that the scripture has been fulfilled by Him.

Luke 4:17-21 states:
"17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.

18 And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."

Question 3

How was Isaiah 22:22 fulfilled? Refer to the book of Revelation.

Answer

Isaiah 22:22 says: “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

This was fulfilled in Revelation 3:7, where it was testified that Jesus holds the key of David:

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens, no one will shut; and what He shuts, no one will open.”

This key has been delivered to the believers as stated by Jesus in Matthew 16:9:

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Question 4

How comparable is the vision in Isaiah 6:1-3 with what is documented in the book of Revelation?

Answer

In Isaiah 6:1-3, the Bible states:

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

This is mirroring what was stated in Revelation 4:8

“And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"

Question 5

Cite some instances from the New Testament of the fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6.

Answer

Isaiah 9:6 states that: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

This was fulfilled in the Gospel accounts detailing the birth and naming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Particularly in Luke 2:6-40 where upon the birth of Jesus, the angels announced that the Son of God, the Savior had been born. Simeon and Anna also confirmed the same when Jesus was brought into the temple for his dedication.

Question 6

Who or what is the precious cornerstone being referred to in Isaiah 28:16?

Answer

The precious cornerstone is Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:16 states:

“Therefore thus saith the Lord God , Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

We see direct references in the New Testament to this scripture. In Luke 20:7, Jesus referred to Himself as the stone which the builders rejected but has now become the chief cornerstone.

In Ephesians, the Bible clearly explains our translation from the kingdom of darkness and our foundation on Jesus Christ, our chief cornerstone.

“19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 2:6, also enjoins us to believe in the Chief Cornerstone.

Question 7

Where was Isaiah 53:3-6 fulfilled in scripture?

Answer

Isaiah 53:3-6 states:

“3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God,struck down and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed”.

Luke 22:47 to Luke 23:47 details the arrest, unfair trial, desertion of Jesus by His closest friends, the trial before Pilate, slaps and beatings from soldiers, crucifixion, mocking from those who said he should come down from the cross, mocking from the thief on the cross etc.

Further, 1 Peter 2:24 states: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His stripes you are healed."

Question 8

What are the benefits of fasting as stated in Isaiah 58?

Answer

Fasting can make our voice to be heard on high – answered prayers (v4), bring about deliverance by loosening the bands of wickedness, undoing the heavy burdens placed on men by the devil, releasing the oppressed to go free and breaking the yokes and punishments of the devil (v6). It is also an opportunity to do good by caring for the poor, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked (v7). Fasting brings about sound health, God’s rewards (v8-9), God’s guidance, provision and divine promotion (v11-14).