Babylon Defeat
Israel is preparing to leave Babylon. God will defeat Babylon and is preparing to destroy the nation of Babylon.
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14. “Along with Israel’s new freedom and new witness, Isaiah writes about Israel’s new ‘exodus’ (vv. 14-28).” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Prophets. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2002], 51)
“The ultimate destruction of Babylon is foretold.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume III. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 293)
15. “‘I am the Lord,’ the Holy transcendent divine One, who created Israel as his people in the first place; he is the King who rules the world that he created.” (Smith, Gary V., The New American Commentary, Volume 15B, Isaiah 40-66. [Nashville, B & H Publishing Group, 2009], 207)
Exodus
16. “The prophet introduces God by reminding the audience of God’s mighty power, his guidance of his people through the Red Sea, and his defeat of the mighty armies of Egypt.” (Smith, 209)
17. “The verse celebrates God’s miraculous deliverance of his people through the waters (Exodus 14:21-29; 15:8) as well as his total defeat of the horses and soldiers of the Egyptian army.” (Smith, 209)
18. “It is appropriate for the audience to put their thrust in God’s past action like creation and the exodus, for these traditions and historical claims strongly support the prophet’s theological position that God can be believed (43:10).” (Smith, 209)
19. “The God of the exodus had something new for them. They must forget the past and its problems.” [Max Anders and Trent C. Butler (2012). HOTC Vol. 15: Isaiah. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
20. “This new thing that God will accomplish includes the transformation of dry deserts into areas that are blessed with water.” (Smith, 210)
21. “When God forgives and restores His people, He wants them to forget the failures of the past, witness for Him in the present, and claim His promises for the future. (vv. 18-21).” (Wiersbe, 52)
Weary
22. “Lacking a personal covenant relationship with God, their religious activities were merely formal actives of required obedience and not true expressions of a heart overflowing with love and joy.” (Smith 214)
23.” What God rejected was the sacrifices of people who did not turn from their sins. Their sacrifices were meaningless and a wearisome burden for him to bear. (1:10-15).” (Smith, 214)
24. “The sacrificial system was intended as a symbolic ceremony that would help the people think through the principles of atonement of sins so that they would be forgiven (43:25; Leviticus 4:10,13,16,18) and their sins would be removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:13).” (Smith, 215)
25. “The forgiveness of sin is a prerequisite for worship and fellowship with God (59:1-2).” (Smith, 215)
“He forgave them, not because they brought Him sacrifices—for they had no altar in Babylon—but purely because of His mercy and grace.” (Wiersbe, 52)
26. “The problem with the people of Israel was that many had not confessed their sins and received forgiveness.” (Smith, 216)
People “must admit that they are sinners and confess their sins, so that they can enter a new relationship with God by being declared free of guilt.” (Smith, 216)
27. “The nation’s past sins are recalled, back to their ancient fathers (possibly Abram or Jacob) and the rebelliousness of past ‘arrogant spokesmen, a term that could refer to any important person (more likely a wicked priest, a false prophet, or evil king) who led the people astray in their understanding of sin.” (Smith, 216)
28. “This is the present condition of Israel. They have no peace today because they have departed from the living and true God.” (McGee, 293)
References
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.
Max Anders and Trent C. Butler (2012). HOTC Vol. 15: Isaiah. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume III. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
Smith, Gary V., The New American Commentary, Volume 15B, Isaiah 40-66. Nashville, B & H Publishing Group, 2009
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Prophets. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2002
