Isaiah 12 - Printer Friendly

What does Isaiah 12 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Isaiah 12 concludes a section of the book of Isaiah that began in chapter 7. It follows Isaiah's description of the glorious kingdom to come in Israel's distant future. This will be when the "root of Jesse," the Messiah, Jesus Christ, returns to earth and establishes His kingdom (Isaiah 11:10). Among other things, He will gather the scattered people of Israel, reunite them as one nation, and give them final victory over their enemies (Isaiah 11:11–16).

In this chapter Isaiah promises that on that day, Israel will direct their attention to the Lord and thank Him for all He has done for them. They will acknowledge that He was rightfully angry with them. But they will also thank Him for restraining His anger and mercifully giving them comfort (Isaiah 12:1).

Modern readers may wonder if the people of Israel found this prediction hard to believe. The were given this prophecy while suffering through the judgment of the Lord for their faithlessness to Him. A peaceful, grateful future would have been hard to imagine as the bodies were piled high, their homes were plundered, and their people were marched off into exile. Exactly how people reacted to the introduction of this prophecy is unknown. It is a sobering thought and adds context to reading Isaiah's chapter.

Isaiah insists that all who read his book understand that the Lord will judge His people for their sin. But salvation will come in the end in and through the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel. In that day, they will declare that God is their salvation. They will fully trust Him so much that there will be no more room for fear. They will tell Him directly that He is their strength and song and salvation. They will not speak these words to any foreign king or any false god. They will recognize that God alone is their salvation (Isaiah 12:2).

They will joyfully participate in the Lords' salvation, fully and eternally provided for by the Lord. In that time, they will call each other and the world to join them in praising their God. The Lord's people will call on one another to praise God. They will encourage each other to share the stories of His works among the peoples of the world. They will make clear as day to all nations to join them in exalting the name of the Messiah (Isaiah 12:3–4).

This time in Israel's future will be a party. They will sing public praises to the Lord and call attention to His glory. They will spread the word of His greatness to every corner of the globe. The inhabitants of Zion, Jerusalem, will shout and sing for joy because the Promised Savior Israel is with them (Isaiah 12:5–6).

Isaiah 12:1–6 describes the future, when a reassembled Israel praises God for comforting them and mercifully diverting His anger. They will see that He alone is their salvation, song and strength. Together, they will praise the Lord and proclaim His glory to the peoples and nations of the world. With singing and shouting, the people of Zion, Israel, will declare the greatness of the Holy One of Israel in their midst.

Chapter Summary:

Isaiah follows his description of the future earthly kingdom of the Messiah on earth with a promise: that God's people will praise Him when that day comes. They will see that His anger has turned away and He is comforting them. They will understand that God alone is their salvation, strength, and song. They will encourage each other to spread the news to the world. They will tell stories of what He has done and to invite everyone to join them in exalting His name. The celebration will include loud shouting and joyful singing because the Holy One of Israel is with them.

Chapter Context:

Isaiah 12 follows the description in Isaiah 11 of the glorious kingdom to be established in Israel's future. This is when a descendant of King David will take the throne over Israel and the world. In that day, they will praise the Messiah who is living in their midst. They will be grateful that He has turned away His anger and chosen to embrace them. This leads into a radical shift in tone, as Isaiah turns to prophecy against the Gentile nations who were oppressing Israel.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 4/29/2024 4:25:08 PM