Power and poetic promise in Isaiah

I love the book of Isaiah – it’s one of my favourite books of scripture. What we have is only the translation of his words, but even in English they are beautiful, powerful and full of hope. I know a large part of his writings are (necessarily) about war, remonstrances, and seemingly discouraging prophecies. But if that’s all we see in Isaiah, I fear we’ve missed the most important part: the many beautiful promises made to the faithful and repentant. I love the way Isaiah writes; his fervent testimony, the passion in his words, the yearning invitations to see the beauty and goodness and awesome power of God – power that He would use to help His people if they would allow Him. I love the poetry, and the fire.

Through Isaiah, we find a God who loves wholeheartedly and everlastingly; who has compassion even after great transgression; a God of unlimited power and capacity, who calls on us to trust in His arms of strength and mercy – strength against our enemies and in our hour of need, and mercy when our sins bring us down. We find a God who promises us hope and peace in this life as we follow Him, and rest when this life of trials is over; a place of deep peace, glory and rest, where joy is poured out like oil and we need never again fear danger or heartache.

I so often hear people say they find Isaiah difficult to read; a chore that has to be gotten through when it comes up in gospel study. This makes my heart and head hurt, because all of this is contained in this book and yet they haven’t noticed! So here I’m going to share those uplifting promises and heartfelt invitations.

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no fathoming of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that hath no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary… But they that hope for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the Lord will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be thou not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; Thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. … Fear not: for I am with thee.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night. … And there shall be a tabernacle for shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things…. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take from off all the earth…. For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.…And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed in a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see [him]; And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap…and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water…

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring: And they shall springs up as… willows by the water courses.

Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: Shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight…. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, …for beside me there is no saviour.

My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

I am the Lord thy God [who] teacheth thee to profit, [who] leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on the afflicted.

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

Can a woman forget her suckling child? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Awake, awake: put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem.

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing….

The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.