Isaiah 55 Study: Introduction & Historical Background of the Prophet Isaiah

Isaiah 55 is often quoted — and for good reason. It’s filled with beautiful promises from God to His people. Over the next several weeks, I’ll walk through one verse at a time, slowly savoring this rich and meaty chapter. Before diving right into the chapter, we’ll unpack the preceding and receding ones to provide context. This week, we’ll simply set the scene for the chapters prior. It’s hard to grasp the beauty of this passage without understanding who’s talking, who they’re talking to and why. 

The book of Isaiah follows the prophet Isaiah as he describes both judgement and hope to be found despite Israel’s continual rebellion. Though this prophetic book speaks directly to Israel’s history and future, its message extends far beyond one nation. The book reads a prophetic message of one nation for all nations, from the beginning to the end of time.

God raised up Israel as a holy nation — His servant — to represent Him to all creation. Yet throughout this book, we see them not only abandoning this calling, but also turning their trust other nations, kings, and idols.  

The book is divided into sections: 

Chapters 1-12: Isaiah warns Israel of the judgement to come. Their rebellion has consequences, and powerful empires Assyria and Babylon will be God’s instruments of discipline. 

Chapters 13-27: Israel isn’t alone in facing judgement. Assyria’s reign will be overpowered by Babylon. The surrounding nations are just as corrupt and will face their own destruction. God remains sovereign over all nations, despite their refusal to depend on Him.

Chapters 28-39: Isaiah prophecies the rise and fall of Jerusalem under King Hezekiah. He foolishly aligns politically with Egypt for protection. Though he later repents and is spared immediate judgement, he ultimately makes an alliance with Babylon. 100 years later, this alliance will be the downfall of Israel and their eventual exile. 

Chapters 40-48: The tone shifts to one of comfort and redemption. Isaiah speaks prophetically 200 years into Israel’s future, when they will be rescued from exile and brought home. God will have mercy on them and will use King Cyrus of Persia to save them. 

Chapters 49-55: God will keep His promise of redemption — and if not through the original servant (Israel), then through a new one. This Servant, whom we now know as Jesus, will:

1) restore Israel back to God and

2) become a light to the nations
Isaiah foretells of the suffering the Servant will endure for the sake of a people who will reject Him. And yet through Him, God will bring redemption to the world. 

Chapters 56-66: This Servant will usher in a New Kingdom. Those who follow Him in humility and repentance will inherit the New Jerusalem and become part of the new creation.

Isaiah carries both judgement and hope — often side by side. Woven throughout every section is a call to return to the Lord. Instead of trusting in idols or alliances, God urges His people to trust in Him. He knows that their false hopes will bring them more suffering and will never help them. As Ray Ortlund writes in his commentary on Isaiah, “The most heart-breaking story in the universe is how much our Father loves his children, compared with how little they love and obey him.”

Even though Israel had seen God’s deliverance time and again, they continually looked elsewhere for their security. Their hearts grew dull and distant (Isaiah 1:3-4).

And yet, as Israel continually ran away from God, His love only deepened. Their rebellion didn’t deter the promises He made to them. Not even the wickedness of kings could interrupt His plan. God used both the wise and foolish to fulfill His purposes. Despite the mistakes and sin from humanity, God continually works it out for His ultimate good. And for ours, if we let Him. 

Let’s step inside Israel’s shoes for a moment. Their perspective is often shoved aside and chalked up to, “Typical Israel — always doubting God, ignoring all the good things He’s done for them.” But Israel reflects our own hearts. As much as we may not like to admit it, they’re more relatable than we think. We can see the redemption God wove through their suffering. We see how Christ delivers them and fulfills God’s ultimate promise. But they lived in the middle of it. All they saw was another day of waiting. Another day of suffering. 

They waited 400 years for deliverance from their oppressors in Egypt.

They waited 40 years to enter the Promised Land.

They waited 500 years through the rise and fall of kings, longing for the promised King.

They waited 70 years in exile before being brought home.

They waited centuries for the Messiah Isaiah promised.

They didn’t see the vantage point we do. They couldn’t see how God had been saving them — even from themselves. They couldn’t see how their alliances with Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon would only lead them to their own destruction. Their view of God blurred as they wandered from Him. They blamed Him for their suffering, unaware that He was protecting them from the destruction their choices would bring. 

As Israel, how often do we forget what God has done for us? How quickly we run to other things to give us comfort, whether it is people, food, entertainment. We reach for things that can never save us for our security — our own identity, our career, our family. We choose things that can never save us or give us what we really want. 

God chose us — and we continue to choose everything else. But that doesn’t stop Him from pursuing us. God doesn’t leave us in our rebellion of Him. Isaiah 30:18 captures His heart:

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.

He’s waiting to be gracious to us.

And so, God sent His Son to do what Israel could not do — to be the true Servant of all. To redeem the world, bring justice, and fulfill the promise of hope for every generation. 

Isaiah 55 is God’s final invitation in this section of the book. He pleads with us to choose Him over what will never satisfy. Our idols — the things we look to instead of God — will always fail us. Israel kept trusting kings and idols to save them, while their true King was already in control. 

How long will we keep waiting for our idols to give us what only God can? 

Will we see the comfort He offers us in this very moment? 

We’ll wait for next week to begin our walk — starting with verse 1 of Isaiah 55.