Year of the Bible: Part Seven of TwelveSample

The Ultimate Hope

In the Book of Isaiah, the speaker and his perspective often alternate, which can be confusing. Sometimes the text expresses Isaiah’s concerns that aligned with God’s heart. Other times, God’s perspective is given through the voice of Isaiah as a prophet. Additionally, God’s direct voice is expressed in the first person. However, determining the current perspective of a text in the book of Isaiah is not the most important thing because it all points to the heart of God.

Whether taken as Isaiah’s anointing to encourage the Israelites in Babylonian captivity or Jesus’ reference to fulfill the prophecy of the Messiah, today’s passage all boils down to God’s love for His people. In both interpretations, this passage is intended to encourage the humble, the brokenhearted, and those in bondage. However, it doesn’t end there; this passage also speaks about Jesus returning to save us from all despair and take us into His eternal glory.

The heart of God’s word applied to Isaiah’s perspective for the imprisoned Israelites as much as it did to those that Jesus spoke to firsthand. The difference is the expected hope of Isaiah versus the fulfilled hope in Jesus. Isaiah looked forward to the Messiah, Jesus looked forward to His resurrection, and we can look back at hope fulfilled and confidently look forward to Jesus’ return. Regardless of the time, this passage proclaims the hope God intended for us back then, now, and for eternity. Don’t ever forget the ultimate hope is and will always be in Jesus in every circumstance.

Question: What gives you hope and why?

Prayer: “So then, brother, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God the Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 ESV). This was Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians. It also serves as a prayer for us and as we pray for others.