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The Messiah’s kingdom (Isa 11:1-12:6)

A leading theme of this part of the book is that God preserves a remnant out of the destruction of Israel and Judah. Earlier this remnant was likened to the stump of a tree from which springs new life (see Isa 6:13).

The remnant is now identified with the royal line of David (son of Jesse) from which comes the Messiah (Isa 11:1).

The Messiah reverences God and, having the Spirit of God in unlimited measure, knows how to apply God’s wisdom in ruling God’s people. He is the Prince of Peace who governs with perfect love and perfect justice. He is not deceived by outward appearances, and has a particular concern for those who are the victims of injustice and oppression (Isa 11:2-5).

In the Messiah’s kingdom there is no hate, fear, cruelty or danger, but perfect peace and harmony. People truly know God, and therefore they no longer do evil to each other (Isa 11:6-9).

The blessings of the Messiah’s kingdom were foreshadowed in the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The prophet pictures God’s people coming from many nations to dwell together under the Messiah’s rule (Isa 11:10-12).

The tension that once existed between Israel and Judah is now gone, for the two kingdoms are united again. They work together in overpowering any nation that threatens the peace of the messianic kingdom (Isa 11:13-14).

In a migration of people likened to the exodus from Egypt, those held in foreign captivity return to their homeland (Isa 11:15-16).

Just as Moses and his people sang a song of praise to God for his deliverance from Egypt, so the returned exiles sing their praise to God for his deliverance from Babylon. Now that he has forgiven them, they have no need to fear. God’s salvation brings with it confidence, strength, refreshment and joy (Isa 12:1-3).

Those who have received this salvation not only want to praise God, but they also want to tell others of him and all that he has done (4-6).

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-Isa 13:1-23:18  '''MESSAGES FOR VARIOUS NATIONS'''
+'''The Messiah’s kingdom''' (Isa 11:1-12:6)
-All the nations are under the rule of God, who controls their rise to power and their final destruction according to his purposes. This is the truth that the prophet teaches in the collection of prophecies against various nations in Chapters 13 to 23. The first message is for Babylon, which in Isaiah’s day had not yet risen to a position of international power. The fall of Babylon that is pictured in these chapters would not take place for more than one hundred and fifty years.
+A leading theme of this part of the book is that God preserves a remnant out of the destruction of Israel and Judah. Earlier this remnant was likened to the stump of a tree from which springs new life (see Isa 6:13).
-The pride and fall of Babylon (Isa 13:1-14:23)
-Although a combined army of Medes and Persians overthrew Babylon, God was the one who moved them to do it. The prophet pictures the scene as the Medo-Persian army gets ready for battle, with soldiers shouting, signalling, organizing themselves and preparing their weapons (Isa 13:1-5).
+The remnant is now identified with the royal line of David (son of Jesse) from which comes the Messiah (Isa 11:1).
-The people of Babylon shake with fear as they see that defeat is upon them (Isa 13:6-8).
+The Messiah reverences God and, having the Spirit of God in unlimited measure, knows how to apply God’s wisdom in ruling God’s people. He is the Prince of Peace who governs with perfect love and perfect justice. He is not deceived by outward appearances, and has a particular concern for those who are the victims of injustice and oppression (Isa 11:2-5).
-It is, for them, the day of the Lord, the day of God’s great intervention in judgment (Isa 13:9-10).
+In the Messiah’s kingdom there is no hate, fear, cruelty or danger, but perfect peace and harmony. People truly know God, and therefore they no longer do evil to each other (Isa 11:6-9).
-The chief cause of Babylon’s punishment is its pride, for it boasted of its achievements, mocked God and dealt with people ruthlessly. When God decides that he will no longer tolerate the arrogance of the haughty, he pours out his wrath (Isa 13:11-13).
+The blessings of the Messiah’s kingdom were foreshadowed in the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The prophet pictures God’s people coming from many nations to dwell together under the Messiah’s rule (Isa 11:10-12).
-Enemy armies who invade the proud city show no mercy on its inhabitants, whether they be native Babylonians or foreigners (14-16).
+The tension that once existed between Israel and Judah is now gone, for the two kingdoms are united again. They work together in overpowering any nation that threatens the peace of the messianic kingdom (Isa 11:13-14).
-The Babylonians try to bribe the Medes into turning back, but the Medes will not listen. They carry on with the slaughter and destruction, till the people are wiped out (Isa 13:17-18).
+In a migration of people likened to the exodus from Egypt, those held in foreign captivity return to their homeland (Isa 11:15-16).
-The city that was once beautiful is left a ruin, inhabited only by wild animals (Isa 13:19-22).
+Just as Moses and his people sang a song of praise to God for his deliverance from Egypt, so the returned exiles sing their praise to God for his deliverance from Babylon. Now that he has forgiven them, they have no need to fear. God’s salvation brings with it confidence, strength, refreshment and joy (Isa 12:1-3).
-A further reason for the overthrow of Babylon is now revealed. God wants to break the power of Babylon, so that the captive Jews can be released and return to their homeland. Peoples who once oppressed the Jews will now help them rebuild their ruined nation (Isa 14:1-2).
+Those who have received this salvation not only want to praise God, but they also want to tell others of him and all that he has done (4-6).
-(The permission for the Jews’ return was given by the conquering Persian king, Cyrus.)
-Then comes a song that the Jews sang to the disgrace of their former master, the king of Babylon. The king is seen as the embodiment of all Babylon’s pride and evil (Isa 14:3-6).
-Now that he is dead and the captive Jews are free from his rule, the whole world rejoices. Nations feel a sense of relief after years of Babylonian oppression (Isa 14:7-8).
-Those in the world of the dead welcome the fallen king, reminding him that though he was all-powerful in life, he is no better than they in death (Isa 14:9-11).
-Arrogant and ambitious, seeking after the highest place, the greatest honour and supreme power, he is brought down to the lowest place, the greatest shame and complete weakness (Isa 14:12-15).
-Those who see him can scarcely recognize him as the one who destroyed kingdoms and enslaved entire nations. They find it hard to believe that one who terrified the world can come to such a humiliating end (Isa 14:16-17).
-Most kings are buried with honour, but this king is treated with disgrace. He is left unburied, his corpse thrown out to rot in the sun. His sons also are to be killed, to make sure they have no opportunity to copy their father (Isa 14:18-21).
-The power of Babylon must be destroyed, so that the nation can never rise again (Isa 14:22-23).