Ecclesiastes, part 2 with Ness Hughes

So what Hope is there for Isaiah's audience? It is the Hope of the Messiah, the Spirit empowered King who will unite and rule in righteousness and justice. In the midst of so much judgment, condemnation and conquest, this theme of Hope in the book of Isaiah is the golden thread we hold on to.

Isaiah is commissioned through a vision of God. He volunteers for the role of God's messenger, only to learn that his words will be ignored by God's people. But this ought not to overwhelm Isaiah because he is now on God's side, anchored in Him instead of the people of Israel.

We enter the courtroom where God calls heaven and earth as witnesses against his people. He has acted as a good Father towards his people, raising and feeding them. But they have spurned his love, rejected his protection and rebelled against him. This searing indictment is aimed at persuading God's people to turn back to him in repentance.

The big picture of Israel's decline presents a bleak picture of Israel and Judah stumbling into apostasy and refusing to turn back to God. Even Hezekiah, one of the comparatively better kings of Judah, displays a divided indifference towards his people's relationship with God. The seeds of exile are beginning to grow and mature. @Growing-Disciples

The book of Isaiah, so important to Jesus Christ's self-understanding and mission, is best understood by paying attention to its historical setting. It is first of all a book of its own time, before it shines light on the mission and identity of God's Messiah. It also has an important message for our time, reflecting its earlier settings.