*Isaiah 40:17-18 / *Isa. 40:17 -
God and His wishes are infinitely more important than even all of humanity together (Isaiah 40:17, Isaiah 2:22). Because of this, there is no perfect analogy for how great God is compared with humanity (Isaiah 40:18).
The closest analogy involving living things would be how great a man is compared with bacteria. Imagine a microbiologist wanted it to be known how advanced he was in his field. So first he created a new strain of bacteria from scratch by genetic engineering. Then he grew a batch of the bacteria until he had billions of bacteria growing as a colony on a substrate spread across a large glass plate. Then he created some super-bacteria food which could make them live forever, perfectly healthy without any stress at all (but also without ever dividing and multiplying). And then he created some bacteria poison which when added to the food would not kill them, but stress them just enough to make them shrivel up in a stressed state indefinitely.
Then the microbiologist regularly placed the food without any poison (what he called "the good food") into just one-tenth of the colony, and the food mixed with the poison (what he called "the bad food") in the other nine-tenths of the colony. Then he published a scientific paper announcing what he had done. A few years later, he published another paper showing how none of the bacteria had died over the years, but had remained alive all that time, the ones with the good food remaining perfectly healthy without any stress at all, and the ones with the bad food remaining shriveled up in a stressed state.
When word got out of what he had done, no one complained about it. There was no uproar from any group called: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Bacteria". Nor did anyone picket outside his lab with signs reading: "Are you loving to leave 9/10 of the bacteria in a stressed state forever?", or: "A loving person would give the good food to all the bacteria!". Instead, everyone applauded the microbiologist for his skill in creating a new strain of bacteria, and showing that he could keep total control over it, and do with it whatever he wanted.
Someone might say that this analogy fails because bacteria do not have feelings. But how do we know that bacteria do not have feelings? Do not they move away from things harmful to them, and move toward things beneficial to them? How could they do this without experiencing some sensation? Does a man then have to love all bacteria, and never do them any harm, simply because they experience some level of sensation, no matter how infinitesimal it may be compared with his own? And if a man does not have to do this, because of how much greater his sensation is than that of bacteria, then why would anyone think that God has to love all humans, and never do them any harm, simply because they experience some level of sensation, no matter how infinitesimal it may be compared to His own, infinite consciousness?
God's consciousness is so infinitely greater than humans' that, in another analogy, they are like mere pots of clay compared to Him as the potter, and...
[Romans 9:21-23]
(See the "Vessels of wrath" section of Romans 9:11 below. Also, see the "Consciousness" section of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 below)
~
(Re: Is not this a low view of human value, and a low understanding of the love, grace, and goodness of God?)
No, for it is not possible to have too low a view of human value compared with God. For compared with God, even all of humanity together is worth "less than nothing" (Isaiah 40:17, Daniel 4:35, Isaiah 2:22). And God's eternal punishment of non-Christians (Matthew 25:41,46) will not in any way lower the value of His love, grace, and goodness toward Christians, but will even allow it to be known for what it is, by way of contrast, just as, for example, "up" cannot be eternally known for what it is without the eternal coexistence of "down".
That is, though even Christians have no innate worth compared with God Himself, He still loves Christians dearly as His own children (1 John 3:1).
As an analogy, imagine a boy living on a huge chicken farm (with tens of thousands of chickens) finds one stray little chick hopping on his front porch. He picks it up, and starts to take care of it, feeding it by hand with a teaspoon; making a little, comfy bed for it in a shoebox; and carrying it around with him in the shoebox wherever he goes. After a few days of seeing this, one of the farmhands calls out: "Hey, kid! You know how much that chick is worth? About five cents. Would you love a nickel like you love that chick? Come here and I'll give you a dollar for it."
"No!"
"Okay, how about ten dollars."
"No way! I wouldn't give him up for 100 dollars!"
"100? Okay, tell you what [taking out his wallet], I'm gonna give you everything I've got, 150 dollars for that chick."
"No! No! No! I wouldn't give him up for the whole world! He's my friend. I love him!"
(See Luke 12:6 below. Also, compare what James 2:23 says)
~
(Re: If we have a low view of humans' value compared with God, is it okay for us to harm them?)
No. For we have no right to ever harm our fellow humans, even in self-defense (Matthew 5:39).
(See Matthew 5:39 below)
--
*Isaiah 40:22 / *Isa. 40:22 -
This is not saying that the earth is a circle instead of a sphere, but is referring poetically to the circle of the horizon as it appears to someone on the earth's surface.
--
*Isaiah 40:31 / *Isa. 40:31 -
(Re: Eagles same as in Luke 17:37?)
No, see Luke 17:37 below.
--
*Isaiah 41:1 / *Isa. 41:1 -
This can refer to any time.
--
*Isaiah 41:2 / *Isa. 41:2 -
This can refer to the ancient Persian king Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 44:28; 2 Chronicles 36:23), who in 538 BC restored the Jews to their land after their Babylonian captivity.
--
*Isaiah 41:8-20 / *Isa. 41:8 -
This can refer to the future Millennium (of Revelation 20:4-6).
--
*Isaiah 42:6 / *Isa. 42:6 -
See Isaiah 49:6 below.
--
*Isaiah 42:8-14 / *Isa. 42:8 / *Isa. 42:13 -
Isaiah 42:8 means that God will not give people the glory due only to Him as the Creator of all things (Isaiah 42:5, Revelation 4:11). Isaiah 42:8 is not contradicting that God gives Christians some glory (Romans 8:17,30, Romans 2:7,10; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Peter 5:1,4; 1 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:43; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17, Ephesians 5:27).
~
(Re: Is Isaiah 42:8-14 about Jesus' Second Coming?)
Isaiah 42:8-12 can apply to any time. But Isaiah 42:13-14 can indeed refer to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming. For compare the cry/roar of Isaiah 42:13-14 with the Second Coming shout of 1 Thessalonians 4:16. And compare God as a man of war in Isaiah 42:13 with the Second-Coming "in righteousness he doth judge and make war" in Revelation 19:11. And compare God prevailing against His enemies in Isaiah 42:13b with His Second-Coming prevailing against His enemies in Revelation 19:19 to 20:3.
Also, note that Isaiah 42:14 suggests that God's/Jesus' patience has a limit. Ultimately, He will let loose, at His future, Second Coming. For it is okay to eventually get angry, even for Christians (Ephesians 4:26), made in God's image (Colossians 3:10), which would include God's emotionality. But Christians must not let the sun go down on their anger (Ephesians 4:26). That is, they must never harbor grudges, but speak forth what is bothering them, and find a way of resolving it (Matthew 18:15-17), or letting it go (Matthew 6:14-15), before the day is through. God/Jesus will likewise express His anger against His living enemies in the single day of His future, Second Coming from heaven (Revelation 19:11 to 20:3).
But while God/Jesus has the right to employ violence against His enemies, Christians have no such right. Indeed, they are never to harm anyone, even in self-defense (Matthew 5:39).
(See Matthew 5:39 below)
--
*Isaiah 42:19-21 / *Isa. 42:19 -
Here the perfect and righteous servant and messenger is Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:7, Malachi 3:1b-2), as is the servant in Isaiah 42:1-7, which Matthew 12:16-21 says was fulfilled by Jesus. He is blind and deaf (Isaiah 42:19-20) only in the figurative sense (cf. Psalms 38:13-14) of when at His first coming He did not condemn people (John 3:17) according to what He saw and heard, but showed them mercy (John 8:1-11). So Isaiah 42:19-20 is the same idea as Isaiah 42:3. Also, Isaiah 42:20 refers to when Jesus at His first coming miraculously opened the ears of some deaf people (Mark 7:32-37).
--
*Isaiah 43:10b / *Isa. 43:10b -
This shows that there will be no future Gods, just as there were no past Gods. For YHWH has always been, is now, and forever will be the only God (Deuteronomy 4:35, Isaiah 45:5-6, Psalms 90:2b).
--
*Isaiah 43:25 / *Isa. 43:25 -
This refers to the blessing of Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, under the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:34c,31, Matthew 26:28; 1 John 1:9,7b).
--
*Isaiah 44:22 / *Isa. 44:22 -
This, like Lamentations 2:1 and Lamentations 3:44, does not require that the clouds related to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming in Revelation 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Luke 21:27, Mark 14:62, Mark 13:26, Matthew 26:64, and Matthew 24:30 will be figurative instead of literal, just as Isaiah 44:22 does not require that the clouds related to Jesus' first coming in Acts 1:9, Luke 9:34-35, Mark 9:7, and Matthew 17:5 were figurative instead of literal.
--
*Isaiah 45:5-6 / *Isa. 45:5 -
See Isaiah 43:10b above.
--
*Isaiah 45:7 / *Isa. 45:7 -
Here the original Hebrew word (ra`: H7451) translated as "evil" can refer to "calamities" (Psalms 141:5b). And in Isaiah 45:7 the reference to darkness can mean literal darkness, like at night (Genesis 1:5). Isaiah 45:7 does not mean that God is responsible for any moral evil or darkness. For everything that He does is perfectly just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4). And He never causes anyone to sin; He never even tempts anyone to sin (James 1:13-17). Instead, it is Satan and his fallen angels and demons (Revelation 12:9-12, Revelation 20:10, Matthew 25:41, John 8:44, Zechariah 3:2), and all of us sinful humans, who are responsible for all of the moral evil in the world (1 John 3:8, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 2:2-3, Ephesians 6:11-12). Everyone will be held responsible for his own deeds (Romans 2:6-8).
--
*Isaiah 45:18 / *Isa. 45:18 -
See Genesis 1(space) above.
--
*Isaiah 45:22 / *Isa. 45:22 -
This means that some people will become Christians from every nation on the earth (Revelation 5:9b).
(See also paragraphs 2-4 of section 5 of John 3:16 below)
--
*Isaiah 46:4 / *Isa. 46:4 -
This is a conditional promise. For it must be qualified by other Bible verses (Isaiah 28:9-10; 1 Corinthians 2:13) which show that Christians retaining their salvation to the end will be conditional on their actions (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 10:26-29, Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
--
*Isaiah 47:14 / *Isa. 47:14 -
This refers to the destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 47:1), and so brings to mind Revelation 17:16 and Revelation 16:19.
(See Revelation chapters 17-18 below)
--
*Isaiah 48:11b / *Isa. 48:11b -
This means that God will not give to another that glory due only to Him as the Creator of all things (Isaiah 48:12-13, Revelation 4:11).
(See sentence 2 of Isaiah 42:8 above)
--
*Isaiah 49:6 / *Isa. 49:6 -
This and Isaiah 42:6 foretold that Jesus Christ's Gospel of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), made only with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34), would save both Jewish and Gentile Christians (Acts 26:22-23, Luke 24:46-47). The New Covenant includes Gentile Christians by grafting them into Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29, John 10:16).
Isaiah 49:6b started to be fulfilled at Jesus Christ's first coming (Luke 2:32, Acts 26:23), and His sending forth of His apostles to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47, Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 26:17-18, Acts 22:21).
(See also Jeremiah 31:31 below, and the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
--
*Isaiah 49:8-23 / *Isa. 49:8 / *Isa. 49:18 -
This can refer to the future Millennium.
--
*Isaiah 49:15 / *Isa. 49:15 -
(Re: Means once-saved-always-saved?)
No, see Galatians 4:6 below.
--
*Isaiah 51:3 / *Isa. 51:3 -
This can refer to the future Millennium.
--
*Isaiah 51:5 / *Isa. 51:5 -
(Isles / H0339)
See Job 22:30 above.
--
*Isaiah 51:6 / *Isa. 51:6 -
This brings to mind Hebrews 1:10-12, which refers to when our present atmosphere (the first heaven) and the current surface of the earth will be destroyed by God and replaced with a New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 20:11, Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:12-13), as in a new atmosphere and surface for the earth.
--
*Isaiah 51:11 / *Isa. 51:11 -
This refers to the future Millennium.
--
*Isaiah 51:16 / *Isa. 51:16 -
The original Hebrew word (yacad: H3245) translated as "lay the foundations of" can be translated as "establish" (Proverbs 3:19). So Isaiah 51:16 can refer to God's future establishment of a literal New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth), and a literal New Earth (a new surface for the earth), like in Isaiah 65:17-25, Isaiah 66:22-24, and Revelation 21:1-8. And Isaiah 51:16c can refer to the literal city of New Zion/New Jerusalem, the only one which will have everlasting joy and holiness (Isaiah 51:11, Isaiah 52:1, Revelation 21:2-8).
(See also paragraphs 4-5 of Revelation 21:9 below)
--
*Isaiah 52:4 / *Isa. 52:4 -
(The Assyrian oppressed them)
This can refer to past oppressions of the Israelites by ancient kings of Assyria, such as Tiglath-Pileser III in 734-732 BC (1 Chronicles 5:26; 2 Kings 15:29), Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in 724-722 BC (2 Kings 17:3-6), and Sennacherib in 701 BC (Isaiah 36:1).
--
*Isaiah 52:8-12 / *Isa. 52:8 / *Isa. 52:10 -
This will not occur until Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 14:3-21).
--
*Isaiah 53 / *Isa. 53 -
(Re: Contrasted with Zechariah 14)
There was a contrast between the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah's/the Christ's coming, with some of them showing Him coming to be meekly crucified for our sins (Isaiah 53, Psalms 22), and others showing Him physically descending from heaven to wage war and to physically reign over the earth (Zechariah 14, Micah 4:1-4). But nothing in the Old or New Testament requires a future (to us), pre-tribulation coming of Christ versus only a post-tribulation coming of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31). For all of the as-yet-unfulfilled Old and New Testament prophecies regarding Christ's coming will be fulfilled at or sometime after His post-tribulation coming.
(See also Matthew 24:31 below)
--
*Isaiah 53:11 / *Isa. 53:11 -
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied . . ." (Isaiah 53:11, KJV).
This means that God the Father saw the suffering of Jesus Christ's soul during His Passion, and God the Father's justice was satisfied (1 Peter 3:18).
(See 1 John 2:2 below)
~
(Re: Is it really justice for someone to take the punishment of another?) / (*Fine analogy)
Jesus Christ's substitutionary suffering for us during His Passion (1 Peter 3:18) can be understood if the punishment is put into financial terms. Compare the "ransom" of Matthew 20:28. For example, if the punishment in a court judgment is a million dollar fine, it does not matter how the fine gets paid, so long as it gets paid. If the fined person's brother, for example, pays the million dollars for him, that is okay. Then the situation becomes one between the fined person and his brother, where the fined person owes a giant debt of gratitude to his brother, and owes the doing of a huge number of chores for his brother over a very long period of time at no charge, should his brother ask him to. Compare what 2 Corinthians 5:15 says. So it is not like Christians can do whatever they want after they have accepted Jesus Christ's substitutionary suffering for their sins (Matthew 26:28). Instead, they are to become His total and eternal voluntary servants (Romans 12:1, John 12:26, Romans 6:22, Luke 17:10).
--
*Isaiah 54:1 / *Isa. 54:1 -
This is quoted in Galatians 4:27 in the context of Christians partaking of the salvation of the New Covenant and the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:24-27, Hebrews 12:18-24). Also, Isaiah 54:1 could include reference to the earthly Jerusalem when it will come into salvation at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 4:3-6), and when it will be exalted during the subsequent Millennium (Isaiah 2:2-4).
--
*Isaiah 55:9 / *Isa. 55:9 -
Apart from Jesus Christ, human wisdom is seen by God as foolishness and vanity (1 Corinthians 3:19-20; 1 Corinthians 1:19-20), as far beneath God's wisdom as the earth is beneath the heavens (Isaiah 55:9). But in Christ (Galatians 3:27), Christians receive a measure of God's wisdom by receiving a measure of God's own Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12-13, Ephesians 1:17), and Jesus Christ's own mind (1 Corinthians 2:16b; 1 Corinthians 1:24,30), Jesus Christ's own Word (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15 to 4:4, Isaiah 55:10-11).
(See also the "reason" section of Ecclesiastes 11:5 above)
--
*Isaiah 56:1-8 / *Isa. 56:1 -
This could have foretold the second Jewish temple period (Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:7b) during which Gentile proselytes to Old Covenant Judaism were allowed to come and pray and worship at the temple (Acts 8:27), just as they had been allowed to do so during the time of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:41-43).
--
*Isaiah 56:10-12 / *Isa. 56:10 -
This can refer to both ancient Israel and the Church today and historically.
--
*Isaiah 57:12 / *Isa. 57:12 -
This means that works will not profit us if we are in unrepentant sin (Isaiah 57:9-12).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
--
*Isaiah 59:17-20 / *Isa. 59:17 -
This will be fulfilled at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:11-21, Zechariah 14:3-21, Zechariah 12:10-14, Isaiah 4:4, Romans 11:26).
--
*Isaiah 60:1-2 / *Isa. 60:1 / *Isa. 60:2 -
This can refer to Jesus' Christ's future, Second Coming (Matthew 24:27,29-30).
--
*Isaiah 60:3-14 / *Isa. 60:3 / *Isa. 60:9 / *Isa. 60:10 -
This can refer to Jerusalem during the future Millennium (Isaiah 2:2-4, Micah 4:1-4).
--
*Isaiah 60:21 / *Isa. 60:21 -
(Re: Means that the current state of Israel cannot be destroyed?)
It can be destroyed. For Isaiah 60:21 will not be fulfilled until Isaiah 60:19-20 is fulfilled, which will not be until the time of the New Jerusalem on the future, New Earth (Revelation 21:23, Revelation 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth.
There is another Bible verse which people usually refer to when they think that the current state of Israel cannot be destroyed: Amos 9:15.
(See that verse below)
--
*Isaiah 61:2b / *Isa. 61:2b -
Here, "the day of vengeance of our God" can refer to the day of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when "he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:15c).
--
*Isaiah 61:3-11 / *Isa. 61:3 -
This refers to the future Millennium.
--
*Isaiah 61:6 / *Isa. 61:6 -
(Ye shall be named the Priests of YHWH)
Compare Revelation 20:6's "they shall be priests of God".
--
*Isaiah 62:1-12 / *Isa. 62:1 / *Isa. 62:6 -
Isaiah 62:1-5,8-12 refers to the future Millennium (Micah 4:1-8, Isaiah 2:1-3).
Regarding Isaiah 62:6-7, even today Christians and Jews can go up onto the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem and pray to God until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7, Micah 4:1-7).
--
*Isaiah 62:4 / *Isa. 62:4 -
"Hephzi-bah" (Chephtsiy bahh: H2657) can mean "Delightful".
"Beulah" (ba`al: H1166) can mean "Married", just as the same Hebrew word is translated at the end of the verse as "married".
--
*Isaiah 63:1-6 / *Isa. 63:1 / *Isa. 63:3 -
This refers to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when He will be the only one to fight the battle (Revelation 19:15,21), to tread the winepress of God's wrath (Isaiah 63:3, Revelation 19:15b).
(See Daniel 12:7b and Matthew 5:39 below)
--
*Isaiah 63:15 / *Isa. 63:15 -
(Bowels / H4578)
See Isaiah 16:11 above.
--
*Isaiah 63:16 / *Isa. 63:16 -
This can mean that the souls of dead people might not always have knowledge of what is occurring on the earth. Isaiah 63:16 is not contradicting that their souls are still alive (Luke 20:37b-38, Luke 16:22-31).
(See the "Soul sleep?" section of 1 Corinthians 15:51 below)
--
*Isaiah 64:6 / *Isa. 64:6 -
See John 8:34 below.
--
*Isaiah 64:10-11 / *Isa. 64:10 -
This could refer to Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
--
*Isaiah 65:17 / *Isa. 65:17 -
This will occur after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7 to 21:1).
Isaiah 65:17 means that the future, New Earth, as in a new surface for the earth, will be so great that people will not even think about the old earth (our present earth). But people will be reminded of those who transgressed against God without repentance on our present earth. For on the New Earth (Isaiah 66:22), obedient Christians shall go forth from New Jerusalem and "look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (Isaiah 66:24). For the lake of fire and brimstone will be outside one wall of New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:15, Revelation 21:8), on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-8).
(See also Matthew 25:41 below)
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Nov 21, 2018
God and His wishes are infinitely more important than even all of humanity together (Isaiah 40:17, Isaiah 2:22). Because of this, there is no perfect analogy for how great God is compared with humanity (Isaiah 40:18).
The closest analogy involving living things would be how great a man is compared with bacteria. Imagine a microbiologist wanted it to be known how advanced he was in his field. So first he created a new strain of bacteria from scratch by genetic engineering. Then he grew a batch of the bacteria until he had billions of bacteria growing as a colony on a substrate spread across a large glass plate. Then he created some super-bacteria food which could make them live forever, perfectly healthy without any stress at all (but also without ever dividing and multiplying). And then he created some bacteria poison which when added to the food would not kill them, but stress them just enough to make them shrivel up in a stressed state indefinitely.
Then the microbiologist regularly placed the food without any poison (what he called "the good food") into just one-tenth of the colony, and the food mixed with the poison (what he called "the bad food") in the other nine-tenths of the colony. Then he published a scientific paper announcing what he had done. A few years later, he published another paper showing how none of the bacteria had died over the years, but had remained alive all that time, the ones with the good food remaining perfectly healthy without any stress at all, and the ones with the bad food remaining shriveled up in a stressed state.
When word got out of what he had done, no one complained about it. There was no uproar from any group called: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Bacteria". Nor did anyone picket outside his lab with signs reading: "Are you loving to leave 9/10 of the bacteria in a stressed state forever?", or: "A loving person would give the good food to all the bacteria!". Instead, everyone applauded the microbiologist for his skill in creating a new strain of bacteria, and showing that he could keep total control over it, and do with it whatever he wanted.
Someone might say that this analogy fails because bacteria do not have feelings. But how do we know that bacteria do not have feelings? Do not they move away from things harmful to them, and move toward things beneficial to them? How could they do this without experiencing some sensation? Does a man then have to love all bacteria, and never do them any harm, simply because they experience some level of sensation, no matter how infinitesimal it may be compared with his own? And if a man does not have to do this, because of how much greater his sensation is than that of bacteria, then why would anyone think that God has to love all humans, and never do them any harm, simply because they experience some level of sensation, no matter how infinitesimal it may be compared to His own, infinite consciousness?
God's consciousness is so infinitely greater than humans' that, in another analogy, they are like mere pots of clay compared to Him as the potter, and...
[Romans 9:21-23]
(See the "Vessels of wrath" section of Romans 9:11 below. Also, see the "Consciousness" section of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 below)
~
(Re: Is not this a low view of human value, and a low understanding of the love, grace, and goodness of God?)
No, for it is not possible to have too low a view of human value compared with God. For compared with God, even all of humanity together is worth "less than nothing" (Isaiah 40:17, Daniel 4:35, Isaiah 2:22). And God's eternal punishment of non-Christians (Matthew 25:41,46) will not in any way lower the value of His love, grace, and goodness toward Christians, but will even allow it to be known for what it is, by way of contrast, just as, for example, "up" cannot be eternally known for what it is without the eternal coexistence of "down".
That is, though even Christians have no innate worth compared with God Himself, He still loves Christians dearly as His own children (1 John 3:1).
As an analogy, imagine a boy living on a huge chicken farm (with tens of thousands of chickens) finds one stray little chick hopping on his front porch. He picks it up, and starts to take care of it, feeding it by hand with a teaspoon; making a little, comfy bed for it in a shoebox; and carrying it around with him in the shoebox wherever he goes. After a few days of seeing this, one of the farmhands calls out: "Hey, kid! You know how much that chick is worth? About five cents. Would you love a nickel like you love that chick? Come here and I'll give you a dollar for it."
"No!"
"Okay, how about ten dollars."
"No way! I wouldn't give him up for 100 dollars!"
"100? Okay, tell you what [taking out his wallet], I'm gonna give you everything I've got, 150 dollars for that chick."
"No! No! No! I wouldn't give him up for the whole world! He's my friend. I love him!"
(See Luke 12:6 below. Also, compare what James 2:23 says)
~
(Re: If we have a low view of humans' value compared with God, is it okay for us to harm them?)
No. For we have no right to ever harm our fellow humans, even in self-defense (Matthew 5:39).
(See Matthew 5:39 below)
--
*Isaiah 40:22 / *Isa. 40:22 -
This is not saying that the earth is a circle instead of a sphere, but is referring poetically to the circle of the horizon as it appears to someone on the earth's surface.
--
*Isaiah 40:31 / *Isa. 40:31 -
(Re: Eagles same as in Luke 17:37?)
No, see Luke 17:37 below.
--
*Isaiah 41:1 / *Isa. 41:1 -
This can refer to any time.
--
*Isaiah 41:2 / *Isa. 41:2 -
This can refer to the ancient Persian king Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 44:28; 2 Chronicles 36:23), who in 538 BC restored the Jews to their land after their Babylonian captivity.
--
*Isaiah 41:8-20 / *Isa. 41:8 -
This can refer to the future Millennium (of Revelation 20:4-6).
--
*Isaiah 42:6 / *Isa. 42:6 -
See Isaiah 49:6 below.
--
*Isaiah 42:8-14 / *Isa. 42:8 / *Isa. 42:13 -
Isaiah 42:8 means that God will not give people the glory due only to Him as the Creator of all things (Isaiah 42:5, Revelation 4:11). Isaiah 42:8 is not contradicting that God gives Christians some glory (Romans 8:17,30, Romans 2:7,10; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Peter 5:1,4; 1 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:43; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17, Ephesians 5:27).
~
(Re: Is Isaiah 42:8-14 about Jesus' Second Coming?)
Isaiah 42:8-12 can apply to any time. But Isaiah 42:13-14 can indeed refer to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming. For compare the cry/roar of Isaiah 42:13-14 with the Second Coming shout of 1 Thessalonians 4:16. And compare God as a man of war in Isaiah 42:13 with the Second-Coming "in righteousness he doth judge and make war" in Revelation 19:11. And compare God prevailing against His enemies in Isaiah 42:13b with His Second-Coming prevailing against His enemies in Revelation 19:19 to 20:3.
Also, note that Isaiah 42:14 suggests that God's/Jesus' patience has a limit. Ultimately, He will let loose, at His future, Second Coming. For it is okay to eventually get angry, even for Christians (Ephesians 4:26), made in God's image (Colossians 3:10), which would include God's emotionality. But Christians must not let the sun go down on their anger (Ephesians 4:26). That is, they must never harbor grudges, but speak forth what is bothering them, and find a way of resolving it (Matthew 18:15-17), or letting it go (Matthew 6:14-15), before the day is through. God/Jesus will likewise express His anger against His living enemies in the single day of His future, Second Coming from heaven (Revelation 19:11 to 20:3).
But while God/Jesus has the right to employ violence against His enemies, Christians have no such right. Indeed, they are never to harm anyone, even in self-defense (Matthew 5:39).
(See Matthew 5:39 below)
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*Isaiah 42:19-21 / *Isa. 42:19 -
Here the perfect and righteous servant and messenger is Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:7, Malachi 3:1b-2), as is the servant in Isaiah 42:1-7, which Matthew 12:16-21 says was fulfilled by Jesus. He is blind and deaf (Isaiah 42:19-20) only in the figurative sense (cf. Psalms 38:13-14) of when at His first coming He did not condemn people (John 3:17) according to what He saw and heard, but showed them mercy (John 8:1-11). So Isaiah 42:19-20 is the same idea as Isaiah 42:3. Also, Isaiah 42:20 refers to when Jesus at His first coming miraculously opened the ears of some deaf people (Mark 7:32-37).
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*Isaiah 43:10b / *Isa. 43:10b -
This shows that there will be no future Gods, just as there were no past Gods. For YHWH has always been, is now, and forever will be the only God (Deuteronomy 4:35, Isaiah 45:5-6, Psalms 90:2b).
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*Isaiah 43:25 / *Isa. 43:25 -
This refers to the blessing of Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, under the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:34c,31, Matthew 26:28; 1 John 1:9,7b).
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*Isaiah 44:22 / *Isa. 44:22 -
This, like Lamentations 2:1 and Lamentations 3:44, does not require that the clouds related to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming in Revelation 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Luke 21:27, Mark 14:62, Mark 13:26, Matthew 26:64, and Matthew 24:30 will be figurative instead of literal, just as Isaiah 44:22 does not require that the clouds related to Jesus' first coming in Acts 1:9, Luke 9:34-35, Mark 9:7, and Matthew 17:5 were figurative instead of literal.
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*Isaiah 45:5-6 / *Isa. 45:5 -
See Isaiah 43:10b above.
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*Isaiah 45:7 / *Isa. 45:7 -
Here the original Hebrew word (ra`: H7451) translated as "evil" can refer to "calamities" (Psalms 141:5b). And in Isaiah 45:7 the reference to darkness can mean literal darkness, like at night (Genesis 1:5). Isaiah 45:7 does not mean that God is responsible for any moral evil or darkness. For everything that He does is perfectly just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4). And He never causes anyone to sin; He never even tempts anyone to sin (James 1:13-17). Instead, it is Satan and his fallen angels and demons (Revelation 12:9-12, Revelation 20:10, Matthew 25:41, John 8:44, Zechariah 3:2), and all of us sinful humans, who are responsible for all of the moral evil in the world (1 John 3:8, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 2:2-3, Ephesians 6:11-12). Everyone will be held responsible for his own deeds (Romans 2:6-8).
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*Isaiah 45:18 / *Isa. 45:18 -
See Genesis 1(space) above.
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*Isaiah 45:22 / *Isa. 45:22 -
This means that some people will become Christians from every nation on the earth (Revelation 5:9b).
(See also paragraphs 2-4 of section 5 of John 3:16 below)
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*Isaiah 46:4 / *Isa. 46:4 -
This is a conditional promise. For it must be qualified by other Bible verses (Isaiah 28:9-10; 1 Corinthians 2:13) which show that Christians retaining their salvation to the end will be conditional on their actions (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 10:26-29, Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
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*Isaiah 47:14 / *Isa. 47:14 -
This refers to the destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 47:1), and so brings to mind Revelation 17:16 and Revelation 16:19.
(See Revelation chapters 17-18 below)
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*Isaiah 48:11b / *Isa. 48:11b -
This means that God will not give to another that glory due only to Him as the Creator of all things (Isaiah 48:12-13, Revelation 4:11).
(See sentence 2 of Isaiah 42:8 above)
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*Isaiah 49:6 / *Isa. 49:6 -
This and Isaiah 42:6 foretold that Jesus Christ's Gospel of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), made only with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34), would save both Jewish and Gentile Christians (Acts 26:22-23, Luke 24:46-47). The New Covenant includes Gentile Christians by grafting them into Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29, John 10:16).
Isaiah 49:6b started to be fulfilled at Jesus Christ's first coming (Luke 2:32, Acts 26:23), and His sending forth of His apostles to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47, Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 26:17-18, Acts 22:21).
(See also Jeremiah 31:31 below, and the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
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*Isaiah 49:8-23 / *Isa. 49:8 / *Isa. 49:18 -
This can refer to the future Millennium.
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*Isaiah 49:15 / *Isa. 49:15 -
(Re: Means once-saved-always-saved?)
No, see Galatians 4:6 below.
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*Isaiah 51:3 / *Isa. 51:3 -
This can refer to the future Millennium.
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*Isaiah 51:5 / *Isa. 51:5 -
(Isles / H0339)
See Job 22:30 above.
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*Isaiah 51:6 / *Isa. 51:6 -
This brings to mind Hebrews 1:10-12, which refers to when our present atmosphere (the first heaven) and the current surface of the earth will be destroyed by God and replaced with a New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 20:11, Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:12-13), as in a new atmosphere and surface for the earth.
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*Isaiah 51:11 / *Isa. 51:11 -
This refers to the future Millennium.
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*Isaiah 51:16 / *Isa. 51:16 -
The original Hebrew word (yacad: H3245) translated as "lay the foundations of" can be translated as "establish" (Proverbs 3:19). So Isaiah 51:16 can refer to God's future establishment of a literal New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth), and a literal New Earth (a new surface for the earth), like in Isaiah 65:17-25, Isaiah 66:22-24, and Revelation 21:1-8. And Isaiah 51:16c can refer to the literal city of New Zion/New Jerusalem, the only one which will have everlasting joy and holiness (Isaiah 51:11, Isaiah 52:1, Revelation 21:2-8).
(See also paragraphs 4-5 of Revelation 21:9 below)
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*Isaiah 52:4 / *Isa. 52:4 -
(The Assyrian oppressed them)
This can refer to past oppressions of the Israelites by ancient kings of Assyria, such as Tiglath-Pileser III in 734-732 BC (1 Chronicles 5:26; 2 Kings 15:29), Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in 724-722 BC (2 Kings 17:3-6), and Sennacherib in 701 BC (Isaiah 36:1).
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*Isaiah 52:8-12 / *Isa. 52:8 / *Isa. 52:10 -
This will not occur until Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 14:3-21).
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*Isaiah 53 / *Isa. 53 -
(Re: Contrasted with Zechariah 14)
There was a contrast between the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah's/the Christ's coming, with some of them showing Him coming to be meekly crucified for our sins (Isaiah 53, Psalms 22), and others showing Him physically descending from heaven to wage war and to physically reign over the earth (Zechariah 14, Micah 4:1-4). But nothing in the Old or New Testament requires a future (to us), pre-tribulation coming of Christ versus only a post-tribulation coming of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31). For all of the as-yet-unfulfilled Old and New Testament prophecies regarding Christ's coming will be fulfilled at or sometime after His post-tribulation coming.
(See also Matthew 24:31 below)
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*Isaiah 53:11 / *Isa. 53:11 -
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied . . ." (Isaiah 53:11, KJV).
This means that God the Father saw the suffering of Jesus Christ's soul during His Passion, and God the Father's justice was satisfied (1 Peter 3:18).
(See 1 John 2:2 below)
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(Re: Is it really justice for someone to take the punishment of another?) / (*Fine analogy)
Jesus Christ's substitutionary suffering for us during His Passion (1 Peter 3:18) can be understood if the punishment is put into financial terms. Compare the "ransom" of Matthew 20:28. For example, if the punishment in a court judgment is a million dollar fine, it does not matter how the fine gets paid, so long as it gets paid. If the fined person's brother, for example, pays the million dollars for him, that is okay. Then the situation becomes one between the fined person and his brother, where the fined person owes a giant debt of gratitude to his brother, and owes the doing of a huge number of chores for his brother over a very long period of time at no charge, should his brother ask him to. Compare what 2 Corinthians 5:15 says. So it is not like Christians can do whatever they want after they have accepted Jesus Christ's substitutionary suffering for their sins (Matthew 26:28). Instead, they are to become His total and eternal voluntary servants (Romans 12:1, John 12:26, Romans 6:22, Luke 17:10).
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*Isaiah 54:1 / *Isa. 54:1 -
This is quoted in Galatians 4:27 in the context of Christians partaking of the salvation of the New Covenant and the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:24-27, Hebrews 12:18-24). Also, Isaiah 54:1 could include reference to the earthly Jerusalem when it will come into salvation at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 4:3-6), and when it will be exalted during the subsequent Millennium (Isaiah 2:2-4).
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*Isaiah 55:9 / *Isa. 55:9 -
Apart from Jesus Christ, human wisdom is seen by God as foolishness and vanity (1 Corinthians 3:19-20; 1 Corinthians 1:19-20), as far beneath God's wisdom as the earth is beneath the heavens (Isaiah 55:9). But in Christ (Galatians 3:27), Christians receive a measure of God's wisdom by receiving a measure of God's own Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12-13, Ephesians 1:17), and Jesus Christ's own mind (1 Corinthians 2:16b; 1 Corinthians 1:24,30), Jesus Christ's own Word (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15 to 4:4, Isaiah 55:10-11).
(See also the "reason" section of Ecclesiastes 11:5 above)
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*Isaiah 56:1-8 / *Isa. 56:1 -
This could have foretold the second Jewish temple period (Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:7b) during which Gentile proselytes to Old Covenant Judaism were allowed to come and pray and worship at the temple (Acts 8:27), just as they had been allowed to do so during the time of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:41-43).
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*Isaiah 56:10-12 / *Isa. 56:10 -
This can refer to both ancient Israel and the Church today and historically.
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*Isaiah 57:12 / *Isa. 57:12 -
This means that works will not profit us if we are in unrepentant sin (Isaiah 57:9-12).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
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*Isaiah 59:17-20 / *Isa. 59:17 -
This will be fulfilled at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:11-21, Zechariah 14:3-21, Zechariah 12:10-14, Isaiah 4:4, Romans 11:26).
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*Isaiah 60:1-2 / *Isa. 60:1 / *Isa. 60:2 -
This can refer to Jesus' Christ's future, Second Coming (Matthew 24:27,29-30).
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*Isaiah 60:3-14 / *Isa. 60:3 / *Isa. 60:9 / *Isa. 60:10 -
This can refer to Jerusalem during the future Millennium (Isaiah 2:2-4, Micah 4:1-4).
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*Isaiah 60:21 / *Isa. 60:21 -
(Re: Means that the current state of Israel cannot be destroyed?)
It can be destroyed. For Isaiah 60:21 will not be fulfilled until Isaiah 60:19-20 is fulfilled, which will not be until the time of the New Jerusalem on the future, New Earth (Revelation 21:23, Revelation 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth.
There is another Bible verse which people usually refer to when they think that the current state of Israel cannot be destroyed: Amos 9:15.
(See that verse below)
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*Isaiah 61:2b / *Isa. 61:2b -
Here, "the day of vengeance of our God" can refer to the day of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when "he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:15c).
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*Isaiah 61:3-11 / *Isa. 61:3 -
This refers to the future Millennium.
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*Isaiah 61:6 / *Isa. 61:6 -
(Ye shall be named the Priests of YHWH)
Compare Revelation 20:6's "they shall be priests of God".
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*Isaiah 62:1-12 / *Isa. 62:1 / *Isa. 62:6 -
Isaiah 62:1-5,8-12 refers to the future Millennium (Micah 4:1-8, Isaiah 2:1-3).
Regarding Isaiah 62:6-7, even today Christians and Jews can go up onto the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem and pray to God until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7, Micah 4:1-7).
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*Isaiah 62:4 / *Isa. 62:4 -
"Hephzi-bah" (Chephtsiy bahh: H2657) can mean "Delightful".
"Beulah" (ba`al: H1166) can mean "Married", just as the same Hebrew word is translated at the end of the verse as "married".
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*Isaiah 63:1-6 / *Isa. 63:1 / *Isa. 63:3 -
This refers to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when He will be the only one to fight the battle (Revelation 19:15,21), to tread the winepress of God's wrath (Isaiah 63:3, Revelation 19:15b).
(See Daniel 12:7b and Matthew 5:39 below)
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*Isaiah 63:15 / *Isa. 63:15 -
(Bowels / H4578)
See Isaiah 16:11 above.
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*Isaiah 63:16 / *Isa. 63:16 -
This can mean that the souls of dead people might not always have knowledge of what is occurring on the earth. Isaiah 63:16 is not contradicting that their souls are still alive (Luke 20:37b-38, Luke 16:22-31).
(See the "Soul sleep?" section of 1 Corinthians 15:51 below)
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*Isaiah 64:6 / *Isa. 64:6 -
See John 8:34 below.
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*Isaiah 64:10-11 / *Isa. 64:10 -
This could refer to Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
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*Isaiah 65:17 / *Isa. 65:17 -
This will occur after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7 to 21:1).
Isaiah 65:17 means that the future, New Earth, as in a new surface for the earth, will be so great that people will not even think about the old earth (our present earth). But people will be reminded of those who transgressed against God without repentance on our present earth. For on the New Earth (Isaiah 66:22), obedient Christians shall go forth from New Jerusalem and "look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (Isaiah 66:24). For the lake of fire and brimstone will be outside one wall of New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:15, Revelation 21:8), on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-8).
(See also Matthew 25:41 below)
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