Isaiah Review Continued

 Isaiah also said that there was coming a day when the people would come to God by faith.  When this day came, those that put their faith in Him would turn their swords into plowshares.  They would want the peace of God and not the wars of the world.   Jesus Christ did not come to wage war with the world, and we as His followers are not called to wage war with the world, but we are called to proclaim peace through faith in Him. 

Isaiah prophesied a lot about the coming judgment of God and called on the people of Israel and all who would put their faith in God to remain faithful to Him.  He also often called on them to repent and return to worshipping God alone.  We must do the same today.  We must come to Jesus Christ by faith and if we allow sin back into our life, we need to repent and return to obeying God.   

Isaiah also prophesied about the Jews returning to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon and Jerusalem being rebuilt.  This did happen, but this was only a physical thing and though it was important, it did not forever save those who returned.  Being physically in a church building for every service that is held there will not save us, just as it couldn’t save the people of Judah in that day.  Only by faith in God and the coming Messiah could they be saved, and only by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah Who came, can we be saved.  

Isaiah often took on the prophets of other gods, and he always defeated them, at times even mocking them.  We need to be willing to battle the false gods of the world today, and we will always be victorious when we do. I don’t believe that we should mock those who worship other gods though, but we should share the gospel with them and pray that they will put their faith in the only God that there is. 

Isaiah often did things at God’s command to get the attention of the people but would have caused the people to whom he was witnessing to look on him as being very strange.  For example, he was called to walk around naked for a period of time.  Whether he was totally naked or not, the consensus is that at least his butt was exposed.  I can imagine how people would react if a preacher showed up in such a state of undress today, and I have a feeling that few would do so even if they thought God might be calling on the to do so. Though still strange, this would have been less so in Isaiah’s day.