"THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ISAIAH"
INTRODUCTION
- Undoubtedly you have heard of the four gospels...
- The gospel according to Matthew
- The gospel according to Mark
- The gospel according to Luke
- The gospel according to John
-- But have you heard of the gospel according to Isaiah?
- Preaching the gospel of Christ, it was not uncommon for the apostles
and others in the first century to refer to the Old Testament...
- It was Paul's custom - Ac 17:2-3
- Apollos did the same at Corinth - Ac 18:27-28
- That was because elements of the gospel were foretold by Old
Testament prophets...
- Concerning the coming of the Messiah (Heb., Anointed One; Grk.,
Christ)
- Concerning the establishment of His kingdom
- One such prophet was Isaiah...
- Who lived 750 years before Christ
- Who was sent to prophesy to Judah and Jerusalem - Isa 1:1
- Isaiah's book contains so many prophecies regarding the Messiah and
His kingdom...
- He is often called "the Messianic prophet"
- We could call his book "The Gospel According To Isaiah"
[To illustrate my point, let's review some of the prophecies found in
the book of Isaiah...]
- THE GOSPEL OF THE MESSIAH
- GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE MAN...
- He will be born of a virgin
- Whose name will be Immanuel ("God with us") - Isa 7:14
- Fulfilled with the birth of Jesus by Mary - cf. Mt 1:18-23
- He will be a wonderful Child
- With an amazing name(s), destined to reign - Isa 9:6-7
- Announced by the angels at Jesus' birth - cf. Lk 2:11
- He will be of the family of David (Jesse)
- Descending from the "stem of Jesse" (David's father) - Isa
11:1
- Jesus' lineage shown in Mt 1 (via Joseph) and Lk 3 (via
Mary)
- The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him
- With wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge
and fear of the Lord - Isa 11:2
- Visibly manifested at His baptism by John - cf. Mt 3:16
- GOOD NEWS ABOUT HIS MINISTRY...
- He will be proceeded by a forerunner
- One sent to prepare the way - Isa 40:3-5
- Fulfilled with the ministry of John the Baptist - cf. Mt
3:1-3
- He will be anointed to preach good tidings
- To the poor, proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord -
Isa 61:1-3
- Fulfilled by His preaching in Nazareth - Lk 4:16-21
- He will bring light to those living in Galilee
- In the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali - Isa 9:1-2
- Fulfilled by His living and preaching in Capernaum - cf. Mt
4:12-16
- He will not advertise Himself
- By quarreling or crying out in the streets - Isa 42:1-3
- Fulfilled in Jesus' response to threats on His life - cf. Mt
12:14-21
- He will suffer in our behalf
- Despised and rejected by men - Isa 53:1-3; cf. Jn 1:12
- His suffering and death for our sins - Isa 53:4-6,8; cf. Mt
8:17; 1Pe 2:24
- Silent before His accusers - Isa 53:7; cf. Mt 27:12-14
- His grave with the wicked and the rich - Isa 53:9; cf. Mt
27:38,57-60
- All according to God's will, for our sins - Isa 53:10-12;
cf. Ac 2:23; 1Ti 2:5-6
[Through such vivid prophecies, Isaiah foretold the gospel of the
Messiah. Note how Philip was able to make good use of Isaiah's "gospel"
in preaching Christ (cf. Ac 8:30-38).
But Isaiah's prophecies were not limited to the Messiah Himself. Just
as Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom (cf. Mk 1:14-15), so did
Isaiah through his prophecies...]
- THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
- GOOD NEWS ABOUT ITS ORIGIN...
- It shall come to pass in the "latter days"
- The mountain of the Lord's house will be established - Isa
2:1-2
- The time was fulfilled when Jesus began preaching - cf. Mk
1:14-15
- It shall proceed from Jerusalem
- As the Word is spread - Isa 2:3
- So Jesus explained, the Word must proceed from Jerusalem -
cf. Lk 24:44-47
- GOOD NEWS ABOUT ITS NATURE...
- It shall be a kingdom of peace
- People will not learn war; its king will be the Prince of
Peace - Isa 2:4; 9:6-7
- Thus the kingdom of God is one of peace - cf. Ro 14:17
- It shall include the Gentiles
- The Gentiles shall seek Him, in Whom they shall find justice
- Isa 11:10; 42:1,6
- Thus Jesus has united both Jew and Gentile - cf. Ep 2:11-18
- GOOD NEWS ABOUT ITS FUTURE...
- It shall last forever
- Of His kingdom there shall be no end - Isa 9:7
- Even as the angel Gabriel pronounced to Mary - cf. Lk 1:31-33
- It shall usher in a new heavens and new earth
- Promised by God in terms to which Israel could relate - Isa
65:17-25; 66:22-23
- A promised fully realized with the coming of Christ - cf.
2Pe 3:10-14; Re 21:1-4
CONCLUSION
- Perhaps we can see why the apostles and others used the Old
Testament...
- To convince many that Jesus was the Messiah
- To proclaim the prophecies concerning Him and His kingdom were
being fulfilled
- What is your reaction to the gospel...?
- Foretold by the prophets centuries before Christ came?
- Proclaimed by the apostles and preachers in the first century,
A.D.?
- My prayer and hope is that it is...
- Similar to that of the Samaritans - cf. Ac 8:12
- Akin to that of the Ethiopian Eunuch - cf. Ac 8:30-38
-- Not like some of those in Rome, who had hardened their hearts!
- cf. Ac 28:23-31
Have your hearts grown dull, and ears hard of hearing, that the good
news of the kingdom and the Lord Jesus Christ do not prompt the proper
response? I hope not, and that we are all moved to proper action by
these words of Jesus spoken at the beginning and end of His ministry:
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent,
and believe in the gospel." - Mk 1:15
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but he who does not believe will be condemned". (Mk 16:15-16)