How Could Isaiah Have Known?

Introduction

I’d like to encourage you to be opening your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 1. Or shall I say, opening your phones or your iPads to 1 Peter chapter 1. It is in this great chapter that the apostle speaks about why we rejoice with joy unspeakable, better felt than told. For he speaks about the salvation that is made possible through Jesus Christ, and of that inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, reserved in heaven. But in verses 10 through 12 of 1 Peter 1, he speaks about this salvation of which the prophets have written. I’m reading 1 Peter 1, beginning in verse 10. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired, and search carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating.

When he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

Things which angels desire to look into.

They did not fully comprehend all about what they were writing. The time or when or what the purpose would be. I find that impressive because I believe one of the strongest proofs that the Bible is the inspired word of God is fulfilled prophecy. How could these men have guessed hundreds of years before they were fulfilled what would occur? In fact, Isaiah, the prophet of God, spoke some 60 different prophecies that are recorded in the New Testament. Really, some 85 citations in the New Testament, so because some of those are repeated more than once. Isaiah spoke about the coming of the Messiah. And he’s often called the Messianic prophet because of that. This morning I’d like to raise the question and look at some of the prophecies that Isaiah foretold, and simply raise the question how could he have known?

1. A Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son

How could Isaiah have even guessed? How could it be that all of what he said has been fulfilled, along with what other prophets also spoke. And so now, if you have your Bible or tablets, you may turn to the book of Isaiah with me. And at least three outstanding prophecies I’d like for us to consider this morning with the question how could Isaiah have known? First of all, in chapter 7 and in verse 14, one of the most important and outstanding of the prophecies.

Behold, the virgins shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Now, obviously, this is one of the most debatable kind of verses that you may find in the prophecy of Isaiah. Because those who do not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, or those who do not believe that a miracle could occur, obviously have a problem with this, don’t they? How could it be that a virgin would conceive and bear a son? Indeed, there are those who say, well, the word that is translated, the Hebrew word Alma, that is translated virgin in most of our text, that’s the wrong word. That really that word could sometimes simply mean young woman. And that’s the way they try to work around this inspired version.

In fact, the time at which Isaiah 7 occurs historically was at a time when the king of Judah, the southern kingdom, was named Ahaz. And he really was not a good king. He was a wicked king, who did not trust in the Lord like his father or even his son later did. But so it was at the time, in fact, when Ahaz was ruling, that Ephraim, the northern ten tribes, and Syria, just north of it, were making war against Judah and Jerusalem. And the Lord, through Isaiah, Isaiah came to Ahaz and gave him the word of the Lord, if you just trust in the Lord, he would give you victory over both Ephraim and Syria. Just ask for a sign, and God would assure you. Wicked Ahaz said, I’ll not, I’ll not trust the Lord.

Actually, in his own words, he just said, I’ll not test the Lord. But really, what he was meaning, as I said it a moment ago, because in effect, the scripture teaches us in 2 Kings 16 that what Ahaz had done. He had bypassed the Lord, and he had already gone to Assyria seeking protection against these two enemies of his. Ahaz was not concerned about can the Lord deliver me. He was more concerned about the might of human power and human will. And so he made a covenant really with Assyria that backfired on him because Assyria came down anyway and fought against him. But the point is that because God, through Isaiah had said, just ask for a sign, and I’ll give it you. And Ahaz says, I’ll not ask for a sign.

I’m not going to test the Lord. God responded, I’ll give the house of David a sign, Judah a sign anyway. And this is the sign, as quoted. The whole a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be Emmanuel. Actually, there are two signs that seem to be given. The first was the promise to the house of David that a virgin birth would occur. It did not occur in Ahaz’s time. Some 700 years later, in fact, when Jesus was born, is when this is fulfilled. In fact, we know that the right word is used. When we come to the New Testament, for in Matthew chapter 1, whenever Joseph, who had become betrothed to Mary, and found or saw that she was with child, and Joseph became concerned.

He knew he had not come together with Mary as a husband and wife as yet. And was she guilty of immorality? How could it be that she’s with child? In Matthew chapter 1, you may know the story of how Gabriel the angel appeared to Joseph and assured him that it was by the miracle through the Holy Spirit that she had conceived, and the birth through this virgin would be of the child, the Son of God. And his name Emmanuel would mean literally God with us. And therefore, what we find written in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23, I believe confirms that what is written in Isaiah 7 14 was indeed the exact and the correct word. Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated God with us.

But I raised the question how could Isaiah have known? How could Isaiah have known to pick that word? How could Isaiah have even guessed that a virgin would bear the Son of God? He certainly was writing as a man inspired. I’m certain here is one in which he did not know when or what fully that must have meant. For by human experience that was an impossibility. Only through the miracle of God, and by God’s hand involved, could this one come through the seed of the Holy Spirit with Mary. Mary of the right lineage of Judah, of David, indeed, all the way back from Abraham when God had made the promise through the seed of Abraham. God would bless all families of the earth. And therefore, as we open the Bible and follow through the scriptures, we understand that indeed this prophecy came to pass just as God had foretold through his prophet Isaiah.

2. The Mountain of the Lord’s House

But also in Isaiah is another remarkable prophecy. If you have your Bible, look at Isaiah chapter 2. And verses 2 through 3, particularly here, Isaiah, through inspiration, said, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, shall be exalted above the hills. All nations shall flow to it. Many people shall shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his path. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. How could it be that over 700 years earlier that he could prophesy and speak how that indeed the word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem?

When you look at Isaiah chapter 2, though, there’s several things that are connected throughout the scriptures. Just in fact, look at the prophecy itself. As it starts, the King James Version particularly uses this, in the last days, the new King James says, in the latter days, same meaning. In the last days, what’s going to occur? What does he mean by the last days? Isaiah is not the only one who used that term. Daniel used it. Joel used it. In fact, if you’re familiar with the reading in Acts chapter 2 and the first gospel sermon that is preached, in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost falls on the apostles. And as they began to speak with other tongues. Indeed, there are those who wonder, what’s going on?

Are these men drunken? And Peter, standing up with the 11 in Acts 2 and verse 17, implies, and in fact confirms this is what the prophet Joel had foretold. Joel had foretold that it shall come to pass in the last days that the God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh. And therefore, what is occurring is in fulfillment of the prophecy made by Joel hundreds of years earlier. The last days. Again, not only did the prophets of old speak it, but even in the New Testament. That terminology is also used. In Hebrews chapter 1, in verses 1 and 2, the great book of Hebrews opens with the very words God, who at sundry times or various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the worlds.

What does it mean, time past and these last days? You know anything about the Bible? You know that the Old Testament is filled with how God spoke particularly and especially to his people, the chosen people through Abraham’s lineage that we know as the Israelites. God was preparing the family out of which the Christ would be born, would come. And therefore, in times past, God spoke. We sometimes refer to that period of time, in fact, when we call it the Mosaic Age, because the law of Moses was given to the children of Israel, that they might know about God and might know His will for them, how they would serve and how they would trust in Him. Indeed, it was through them. What have I got here now?

I guess I’m going to have problems again. It was the other day I came in here and I had a great outline. I’m gonna try what Adam told me to do one time. I don’t know if I trust Adam all the time. Adam, you want to come up here and help me? Okay. What’s the password? I don’t know a password for this. But I’m gonna come up with something here in a minute. And I’m gonna let it go like this. Alright. I preached, I preached about two weeks ago. And I was thoroughly disappointed because I had such a great power point that would not show. And I guess I’m coming again. And I really came up here to test it. And indeed. Pardon?

Click to the meeting notes. I don’t know what’s happening here. David, you know what’s happening here? All right. Well, we work with that. Okay.

There we go. That’s the first one. That’s what I’ve already gone through. You see that? Okay. Now, how could Isaiah have known that the gospel would go first from Jerusalem? And so were these points. First of all, in the last days. What is meant by the term of the last days? Compared with the law of Moses, the Mosaic period, we are in the last days. What is to come after this period will be indeed the coming of the Christ and the judgment. Indeed, as the scriptures and other places speak about how that we look forward to the time when this generation shall pass. These things that we now know. But one day we shall meet the Lord in a judgment scene. But then also, the scripture in Isaiah 2 says, the mountain of the Lord’s house.

What is he speaking about? The mountain of the Lord’s house. If you’re familiar with the book of Daniel, you may remember how the prophet of God, when in Babylonian captivity, was there interpreting the dream of the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. And Nebuchadnezzar had this dream, but he couldn’t remember what it was, and he asked all his wise men to tell him what he had dreamed. And it was at that point in time that Daniel expressed to him what the dream was. Why he had dreamed about this great image, the head of gold and the breasts and arms of silver and the belly and thighs of brass and the legs of iron, feet of iron and mirry clay. And he said, there was a stone, a stone that was cut out of a mountain.

And it it crushed that gold and that silver and that brass and that iron. And that stone filled all the world and became a great mountain. It became a mountain. And then he began to explain to Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of that dream. The head of gold, he said, represents Babylon. But it would not be a kingdom that would last forever. Here is history being told before it occurred. Here again is prophecy being fulfilled. How could Daniel have known even? But what a significant is, while the kingdom of Babylon would exist, but it would one day fall. It’d fall to the Medes and the Persians. Indeed, it would then, that one would fall to the Grecian or the Macedonian Empire, which would fall to the Roman Empire.

But the important point in verses 44 and 45, it was in the days of these kings, the days of the Roman Empire, the fourth kingdom, that God would set up a kingdom. But the kind of kingdom that God would establish is not just an earthly kingdom. It was not one that had existed just on earth, but it would be one that would be spiritual, for it shall stand forever. Indeed, that is the kingdom of which the New Testament now speaks as the kingdom of the Lord. Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords, and King of kings, is ruler over his kingdom. In fact, the kingdom of the Lord is that kingdom in which you and I now have opportunity. Colossians 1 and verse 13 speaks how that we’re translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear son.

He speaks of it as though it is the church. People who’ve been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. And therefore, when Isaiah speaks about the mountain of the Lord’s house, actually, he’s not talking about a building we may describe as a house, but he’s talking about a household, as a family of God’s people. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15, in fact, speaks about it as a people. How that you may know how to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of truth. The church of the Lord, as in Acts 20 and verse 28, that’s been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. You mean Isaiah was speaking about things that you and I today participate in?

Exactly. Established in the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house, the kingdom of the Lord of the church. It would be established on the top of the mountains, exalted above the hills. What that simply has to mean is that the kingdom of the Lord, the church of the Lord, is superior to all else. There is no power on earth, secular or whatever. Indeed, God is ruler of his kingdom. In Ephesians 1 and verse 20. In fact, the scriptures speak about when Christ was raised from the dead, set at the right hand of God. Listen to it, far above. All principality, all power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

Jesus Christ is head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1, verses 23-23. You want to know about this kingdom of the Lord, the mountain of God’s house? It is established above all else. And so as the prophet spoke, it has indeed been fulfilled. But also, all nations would come unto it. All nations shall flow. Is this the kingdom of the Lord simply for the Jews? The law of Moses was given unto the Israelites. And the Old Testament primarily speaks and has its history mostly about the Jews, doesn’t it? But the kingdom that God established, the mountain of the Lord’s house that’s to be established in the last days, the one in which you and I are party to, is not just for Israelites only.

It is for all men, everywhere. Whoever comes to Christ in full belief. Indeed, it is in this kingdom. When the Lord gave the great commission in Mark 16, he said, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. He who does not believe shall be condemned. It is a kingdom that is for all men everywhere. And that’s why I could say, all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall shall come and come and say, Come, come unto the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. For he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. It is in this kingdom with the Lord ruling as its king that we are able to know.

Indeed, fulfillment of Scripture. Acts chapter 2, what is preached there? Peter standing up with the eleven preaches the first gospel sermon, and his sermon is about who the Christ is. How indeed that he fulfills the scripture, but most importantly, not only of fleshly lineage, but even his death and his resurrection had been prophesied. That it was not because of wicked men being so strong, but it was by the foreknowledge of God. And according to God’s purpose and plan, that Jesus indeed was taken and by wicked hands was crucified. But he was raised the third day, even according to the scriptures. In Luke chapter 24 and in verse 47, Jesus speaking to his apostles just shortly before he ascended into heaven. He said, Therefore, it is written.

And thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. That repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Indeed, that he would be crucified and raised, yes. But preached. Preached everywhere. Preached to all nations. But did you notice? Beginning at Jerusalem. Jesus indeed said that’s part of Scripture. And therefore, even as we turn to the scripture, we know it was fulfilled. I ask you, how could Isaiah have known all of this? All this that we might read and we take the scriptures and we see how it fills in and applies. And in every detail, it is exactly as predicted by Isaiah, the prophet of God. But again, if you have your Bible, look at one more passage with me.

3. The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb

How could Isaiah have known? Look at chapter 11 of Isaiah. And in this is a very important prophecy. You may hear quite a lot about it. In Isaiah chapter 11, really it is indeed one of the most exalted portrayals of the Messiah to be found in the Old Testament. When the present ruling house of David is cut off, it promises that there’s a remnant that remains. And over that remnant, the Messiah would indeed be like the one who would come forth strong and leading it. It would be through this Messiah that he would bring about peace, the kind of peace which no earthly or temporal king could bring. But if you have your Bible open with me now, I want you to notice particularly verses 6 through 8.

Where the scripture decides, the wolf also shall dwell with a lamb. The leopard shall lie down with the young goat. The calf and the young lion and the fatling together. And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze. Their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole. The winged child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. Notice that has that been fulfilled? I say there are those who we describe as premillennialists. That’s the people who believe you may hear talk about a thousand year Christ that is yet to occur. That when Christ comes again, he’s supposed to set up his throne in Jerusalem and literally for one thousand years reign in Jerusalem.

But also involved in that they say all the Jews of the Israelites are going to return to Jerusalem. Now I say to you, pre-millennialists have to play biblical hopscotch. They seem to quote verse after verse, but they skip from here to there and other places. But this is one of their favorite places. Why, have you ever known a wolf dwelling with a lamb? Has you ever known that to occur? And so their logic is, well, since that hasn’t yet occurred, then that’s just proof that it’s yet to occur. It’s yet future. Because here’s a prophecy that hasn’t been fulfilled. Well, like they do with so many scriptures, they overlook a context. They fail to see really what comes before and what follows after. Actually, in chapter eleven, where he’s speaking about the rule of this Messiah, the seed of David, indeed you notice verse four, he speaks as though with there’s some figurative language here.

He says, with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. I point that out simply because it’s quite obvious when he speaks about the rod of his mouth or the breadth of his lips slaying that he’s using a figure of speech. You can understand the power that he has through his word, is what he’s really saying there. But in this same context of thought, it’ll be such peace that even it’ll be like as if the wolf would dwell with a lamb. There’ll be such peace that natural enemies will be able to even lie down as though lying down together.

What’s the meaning by this? As you come to the New Testament, there are many scriptures that indeed show the meaning of it. That we are in a kingdom by the precious blood of Christ. And if we’ve been purchased by the blood of Christ, there’s a change in each of us. If you are a Christian, if you really have been converted, you understand there’s a difference. We may come from different backgrounds, and I know in this audience today there are some of various different backgrounds. And yet we are as one.

How could that be? For hundreds of years, the Jews looked down upon the Gentiles as unclean. They’d have nothing to do with the Gentiles. And indeed, God forbade them even to intermarry with Gentiles. But now in Christ, listen to the words in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 14 through 17. For speaking of Christ, he himself is our peace. Who has made both one, has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity. That is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. That he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death enmity. And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

The church of the Lord, the body of Christ, is the place in which no matter what your background may have been, if you understand who the Christ is, and you’re converted to be like him, that as God is holy, so we are to be holy. And therefore it changes our attitude toward one another. People that may have been your enemies are now your brethren and your sisters in Christ. And what is meant by that simply is that there is peace, such as if the wolf shall dwell even with the lamb, or indeed the nursing child shall play with the cobra’s hole, and the winged child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. What I say when we come to chapter 11, while I believe it is fulfilled in the Lord’s church today, as a family of God, people who are at peace with one another, as we’re at peace with God.

An answer to the question, really, those who would take Isaiah 11 and say, oh, see, there it hadn’t been fulfilled yet. And say, take a look at the context. If you look at verse 9, it’ll tell us where. Where it was that this wolf will lie down with the lamb. I’m reading now, chapter 11, verse 9, they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. My holy mountain. Have we not already determined what the holy mountain of the Lord is, the mountain of the Lord’s house? And so he’s saying, This peace will be in my holy mountain. This church or the church of the Lord that fulfills the prophecy.

Indeed, this is where it is that such peace exists as if the lion and the lamb are together. But not only that, the when. When will it be? I’m reading verse 10. And in that day, there shall be a root of Jesse who shall stand as a banner to the people, for the Gentiles shall seek him, and his resting place shall be glorious. He tells us in verse 10, it’ll be in the day, at a time when the Gentiles would be seeking him. It’d be in a time when indeed there should be a root of Jesse who stands as a banner to the people. Jesus Christ would say to the Gentiles, and I suppose most probably, if not everyone in this audience, is a Gentile in the flesh.

Interestingly, Isaiah 11 and verse 10 is quoted in the New Testament. It’s quoted in Romans 15 and verse 12, in a context in which the apostle is writing, how indeed the family of God will be made up of both Gentiles as well as Jews. So the time in which the lion will lie down with a lamb, be at a time in the church of the Lord, my holy mountains, and at a time when in Eve and indeed the root of Jesse shall stand and appeal even to the Gentiles. But notice further who? Who it is that is involved here, who the recipients of these blessings are. And now we go to verse 11. In Romans Isaiah 11 and verse 11, it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people who are left.

Now understanding that text takes a little study about the background. In that day would be at a time when the Lord will set his hand the second time, indeed, to recover the remnant of his people who are left. What do you suppose that means? When did the Lord ever set his hand to recover his people? When was the first time? I suggesting to you that as you know something about the history of the Israelites, that indeed the people of Israel were taken into captivity. First of all, the northern ten tribes were taken into Assyrian captivity, but but finally in 606 BC, Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians overran Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, took the people into Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah had prophesied of it. In fact, in Jeremiah chapter 25, he had said they would be there for 70 years.

But you know, at the end of the 70 years, the first remnant is drawn back. God, with you read Ezra chapter 1, the leadership of Zerubbabel brings the children of Israel, the remnant at least, that are left, are brought back to the promised land. And there they prepare for the waiting of the Messiah. Indeed, that’s really pretty much where we end the Old Testament. The people have come back to the land, they’ve rebuilt the temple, and they’re awaiting the coming of the Messiah. That’s the first remnant coming back. But also the scripture speaks about in this verse, the Lord will set his hand the second time. And thus we say, well, what is the second time? And again, as we come to the New Testament, particularly in the Romans.

And Romans chapter 9, verses 27 and 28, it there speaks about how indeed, as Isaiah cried out, through the though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved. For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth. What Isaiah was saying, and Romans 9 is quoted, is the Lord will set a time where there would be a spiritual remnant saved. And Romans 11 and in verse 5, the apostle even there says, Indeed, there is now a remnant of grace that exists. What does he say? If you look at the people of Israel, the majority rejected Jesus in unbelief. But not all. There was a remnant who did believe.

You start with the apostles. And those they first converted in the first seven to nine years. The early church were all made up of fleshly Jews who believed. And so the apostles would say, There’s a remnant. Now, I want to add one more point before we close, and that is the first remnant was the return of the physical Israel. Ezra chapter 1. The second remnant is the remnant of grace. Those who believe in the Christ, obey the gospel, and make up the church. Where is there any scripture for a third remnant to come back? The premillennialists need to find that scripture. What I’m saying to you is there is no scripture for that. What we are now simply represent the remnant by grace. Through Jesus Christ, we are the people of God, the mountain of the Lord’s house that was established on the top of the mountains with Jesus Christ as the ruler over it all.

Conclusion

Exalted. And he will teach us of his ways. We will walk in his path. Indeed, the law of the Lord will come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem has been fulfilled. How could Isaiah have known all of this? I say to you, couldn’t have. And if I have said anything else that makes sense, I hope at least this much this morning will make sense to you. Fulfill prophecy is one of the strongest proofs that the Bible is the word of God. It is in the book of Miz by men who’ve made some guesses about certain things, and some of it’s true and some of it’s not true. No, the prophecies, all of it came to pass. You can rely on it. And you know what further that proves?

Not only that you can trust this as the word of God, but you can trust that God is. God is the only one who could give these things. Isaiah chapters 41 through 45 speak about the contrast between the true God and idols. In fact, the challenge is, what idol can tell you about things before it occurs? Let them speak. You know every idol is silent. Men may bow and down before them, but they get no message of the future. But God, through his prophets, gave many occasions of telling the future. God is real. The Bible is the word of God. And what that finally says is, brethren, is we ought to be humble in searching it and obeying it. We’re going to sing a song in a moment called The Power.

There’s power in the blood. What that simply says is if you’re not a Christian, if you’ve not come to the blood of Jesus Christ, that God planned and indeed foretold how it would be that there’d be the redemption of our sins. The penalty is paid through the blood of Christ. But while that’s made possible for everyone, it comes only to those who believe and obey. Are you a Christian? Have you come to the blood of Christ? If you believe Jesus is to be the Son of God, born of a virgin, and that he lived among men and that he died, but he arose from the grave the third day according to the scripture. If you really believe that, then why not submit your life to the Lord of Lords?

If you’ve never been baptized, why not today? If you’re not a faithful Christian, why not turn back today? For you’ll face the Lord one day in judgment. Are you prepared? If not, won’t you let us help you be prepared and come now, even now, while together we stand and while we sing.