Scripture Reading: Isa. 1:1—2:1; 3:1—4:1; 5:1-30; 4:2-6; 2:2-5
Ⅰ
The major revelation in the Bible is the unique divine economy of the unique Triune God—Eph. 1:10; 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:4:
A
The centrality and universality of the divine economy is the all-inclusive and unsearchably rich Christ as the embodiment and expression of the Triune God—Col. 2:9; 1:15, 18; John 1:18.
B
The goal of the divine economy is the church as the Body, the fullness, the expression, of Christ, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem as the union, mingling, and incorporation of the processed and consummated Triune God and His redeemed, regenerated, transformed, and glorified tripartite people —Eph. 1:22-23; 3:8-11; Rev. 21:2, 10-11.
Ⅱ
The vision, word, and burden in Isaiah are concerned with God's eternal economy in Christ, which is revealed thoroughly in this book—1:1; 2:1; 13:1; 15:1:
A
The content of Isaiah covers God's entire economy of the New Testament, from the incarnation of Christ to the new heaven and the new earth, with the Old Testament background of God's dealing with Israel and His judgment upon the nations—9:6; 7:14; 65:17; 66:22.
B
In God's economy Christ is everything—4:2; 9:1-2; 12:2-6; 32:2.
C
The divine revelation in Isaiah concerns God's economy to have Christ as the centrality and universality of God's great move:
１
God's great move is a great wheel, having a hub, a rim, and spokes between the two— cf. Ezek. 1:15.
２
As the reality of everything in God's move, Christ is the centrality—the hub—and the universality—the rim with all the spokes—cf. Col. 1:17a, 18a; 3:10-11.
D
By accomplishing God's economy, Christ will meet God's need, and in His salvation He will meet man's need—Isa. 9:6; 53:5.
Ⅲ
The central thought of Isaiah is that Christ is God incarnated to be the Savior of man that all the God-created universe, which is fallen, might be restored and consummate in the new heaven and new earth—7:14; 9:6; 43:3; 35:1-4; 65:17.
Ⅳ
The highest point in the book of Isaiah is the ushering in of Christ as the God-man, issuing in the restoration of Israel, which brings in the kingdom and consummates in the new heaven and new earth—4:2; 2:2-5; 65:17; 66:22:
A
When God comes in to deal with people, He deals with them according to what He is in His holiness and righteousness—5:16; 6:3; 32:1:
１
To be righteous is to match God's way of doing things outwardly; to be holy is to match God's nature inwardly—Eph. 4:24.
２
As the Holy One, God deals with His people; as the Righteous One, He deals with the nations—Isa. 5:16; 2:7-22:
ａ
God's chastisement of Israel is that His people would learn the lessons of holiness and be holy; His chastisement may be considered a governmental dealing—1:1-31; 3:1-26; 5:1-30; cf. 1 Pet. 4:12, 17.
ｂ
In His righteous judgment over the nations, Jehovah of hosts is exalted, and the holy God shows Himself holy in righteousness—Isa. 2:11, 17; 5:16.
B
Both the ushering in of Christ and the restoration of Israel come from God's judgment on the haughty nations—4:2-6; 2:2-5:
１
The more God judges the nations, the more Christ is ushered in.
２
The more Christ is ushered in, the more the restoration of Israel issues out—11:1-16.
C
The restoration of the created yet fallen things goes along with Israel's return to God— Zech. 12:10—13:1; Isa. 2:5:
１
God intends to restore the created yet fallen things, but there is the need for Israel to usher in this restoration—Acts 3:20-21.
２
When Israel returns to God, there will be the restoration of all things; then the all-inclusive Christ will be ushered in—Rom. 11:26; 8:19-21.
D
In the restoration Jerusalem with Mount Zion will be the most joyful place on earth—Isa. 25:6-7:
１
Jerusalem will be the center in which all the peoples of the earth will find enjoyment and satisfaction—v. 6.
２
In the restoration God will take away the veil that keeps the people on earth from seeing God's economy—v. 7.
E
The ushering in of Christ and the restoration of Israel will result in the millennial kingdom, and the millennium will consummate in the ultimate age of God's economy, that is, in the new heaven and new earth—11:1-16; 24:23b; 65:17; 66:22.
Ⅴ
The only way to solve the problems in today's world is for Christ to come —64:1-2; 11:1-5:
A
As Christ is waiting to come, He is preparing all things, including us, for His coming.
B
All things are working together to bring our thought, concept, and understanding concerning human life and the human race to a deep aspiration: "Lord Jesus, You must come back. If You are not here, there is no way. Everything must be judged by You. Lord, You must come."