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Israel's only hope is presented in the above structure:
"Israel's final blessing, restoration and only hope is in Messiah, God's King."
Isaiah's prophecy is divided, not only by these two opposing themes, but also by the
history of Sennacherib's invasion recorded in chapters 36:-39:, his challenge and
defeat. The introduction of this piece of past history into a prophecy which speaks of
deliverance from a future oppressor is for the encouragement of God's people. Just as the
prophecy of Daniel is in two parts, so that we may see, what God say He will do in the
future, he has already done in measure in the past. So before we come to the wondrous
words of Isa. 40: 1:
"Comfort ye, comfort ye My People, saith your God",
the reader may be assured that what God has promised He is able to perform.
The first section of the prophecy (chapters 1:-39:) gives us God's judgments on
Israel. In chapter 1: they are likened to Sodom and Gomorrah (1: 10). They had sunk
lower than animals, for even animals recognize their master. Israel failed to do so (i.3,4).
Not only is Israel disciplined, but Gentile nations as well who had come into contact with
Israel and for their own ends, and had injured the chosen people, for God always has
respect to His promises, both for judgment and blessing. He had told Abraham that he
would `curse him that curseth thee' (Gen. 12: 3).
From chapter 40: onwards there is a dramatic change to comfort and blessing (40: 1)
ending up with a glorious picture of the future nation, saved and becoming the priestly
kingdom that God had always intended they should be. Chapters 60: and 61: should be
studied as a whole (see 60: 1-3, 12, 19-22; 61: 5-9). All this will come to pass after the
Lord's Second Coming.
Twofoldness of the Gospel according to Matthew.
This gospel is divided into two parts by its dating. The words in italics are identical in
the Greek:
"From that time forth Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4: 17).
"From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matt. 16: 21).
The first part gives the commencement of the Lord's public ministry and is connected
with the kingdom of heaven, the earthly phase of God's kingdom (Matt. 6: 10). This
ministry is kept solely to Israel as is the ministry of the twelve disciples (15: 24; 10: 1-8).
This can never be understood unless one has the Biblical conception of the role God
willed Israel to fulfil in taking the knowledge of Himself to the ends of the earth
(Genesis 12: 3; Acts 13: 46, 47). The Lord planned to reach the Gentile world through