Isaiah 4-6; Matthew 23
Isaiah 4-6
One of the central themes of the book of Isaiah is the presentation of the coming Messiah. This theme is introduced in various forms and from different perspectives. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah first speaks of the Messiah in chapter 4: "In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel." (Isaiah 4:2).
Chapter 5 presents the image of Israel as a vineyard, an image to which Christ would refer multiple times during His earthly ministry. The main idea of this image is: "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting, and He looked for justice, but behold bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold an outcry!" (Isaiah 5:7). Isaiah emphasizes the dangerous position of Israel, a nation that received so much from God but has turned away from Him.
Chapter 6 describes Isaiah's call to ministry, vividly portraying God's holiness, the power of God's calling, and the challenging nature of Isaiah's prophetic mission. God tells Isaiah that the people to whom he is sent are stubborn, and most of them will not accept his message. However, Isaiah is still commanded to preach for the sake of the remnant, in whom the seed of the Messiah will be preserved.
Matthew 23
In the days leading up to His arrest, Jesus directly confronted the Jewish religious authorities—namely, the Pharisees and scribes. These leaders, who represented the people of Israel, were the very ones who rejected the Messiah sent to them by God. Speaking directly to them, Jesus pronounces multiple "woes," highlighting the profound problem of outward religiosity. This outward display of religion closes the Kingdom of Heaven to people (Matthew 23:13) and makes some converts "twice as much a child of hell" (Matthew 23:15).
The chapter concludes with a profoundly moving statement from Jesus: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23:37-39).
One of the central themes of the book of Isaiah is the presentation of the coming Messiah. This theme is introduced in various forms and from different perspectives. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah first speaks of the Messiah in chapter 4: "In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel." (Isaiah 4:2).
Chapter 5 presents the image of Israel as a vineyard, an image to which Christ would refer multiple times during His earthly ministry. The main idea of this image is: "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting, and He looked for justice, but behold bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold an outcry!" (Isaiah 5:7). Isaiah emphasizes the dangerous position of Israel, a nation that received so much from God but has turned away from Him.
Chapter 6 describes Isaiah's call to ministry, vividly portraying God's holiness, the power of God's calling, and the challenging nature of Isaiah's prophetic mission. God tells Isaiah that the people to whom he is sent are stubborn, and most of them will not accept his message. However, Isaiah is still commanded to preach for the sake of the remnant, in whom the seed of the Messiah will be preserved.
Matthew 23
In the days leading up to His arrest, Jesus directly confronted the Jewish religious authorities—namely, the Pharisees and scribes. These leaders, who represented the people of Israel, were the very ones who rejected the Messiah sent to them by God. Speaking directly to them, Jesus pronounces multiple "woes," highlighting the profound problem of outward religiosity. This outward display of religion closes the Kingdom of Heaven to people (Matthew 23:13) and makes some converts "twice as much a child of hell" (Matthew 23:15).
The chapter concludes with a profoundly moving statement from Jesus: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23:37-39).
Posted in Reading Bible Together