Isaiah's Unfulfilled Prophecies

Isaiah's Unfulfilled Prophecies
 

Isaiah began his prophetic ministry only 2 years after Micah, but much greater than Micah was he in his doings for the Lord. He prophesied speaking of the "Day of the Lord" some 45 times, and of the blessing upon the restored Israel, the restoration of Israel in Palestine, and of Palestine to Israel, of the establishment of Jerusalem as capital of the earth, of the blessing upon the remnant of His people, and upon the nations, and finally upon all creation. Let's now open up the holy book, the Bible, and look up Isaiah's unfulfilled prophecies...
The Day of the Lord - That day yet to come, a time of God's judgment, is found in Isa. 2:10 - 22, 4:1, 13:9 - 13, 24:1 - 23, 32:1 - 20, 63:1 - 6. Isaiah prophesies of the humbling of the proud among all mankind, and how people will behave in desperation in those days. In one example of desperation, it is written; "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, 'We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.'" (Isa. 4:1) Imagine so much war, that as many as seven women should want to be married to one man, that they not be childless? He speaks of the heavens unlit in that day, no celestial body gives light, and punishment of the world population for all the evil and iniquity the world enjoys with pride in it! No class of people will go untouched! Is it not written that God is not a respecter of persons, for He alone it is that commands respect, for He alone is Elohim, El Shaddai, and no entity that exists can withstand Him! Isaiah predicts in that day the entire globe shall become joyless, and believers in the Tribulation time shall rejoice in God's punishment upon evil, for they also know they are His own, and in which book their names are written. Finally, the glory of the Lord shall cause the sun and moon's brightness to pale in comparison! The entire 32nd chapter is dedicated to Isaiah's prophecy of the perfect mix of politics and religion, for He will be the ideal king, Governor of the nations, and permanent Ruler of a theocratic, permanent government! He also speaks of evil, vile liberals and churls (hmm, sounds like a lot of people of a political party, doesn't it?) Isaiah also addresses the well-dressed women, that they should dress themselves in the humility of sackcloth, of clothes representing repentence! Isaiah finishes the chapter with speech of millenial blessings. The 63rd chapter prophecy verses are of a wrathful Christ, who will trample the wicked as grapes crushed in a winepress! This verse of Isaiah's is likened to the one in Rev. 14:20, wherein it is written of the bloodshed of Armageddon, blood from a slaughter so deep, it runs about 180 miles long and about 4.5 feet deep!

Blessing Upon Restored Israel - This unfulfilled condition of Israel is predicted by Isaiah in Isa. 2:1 - 5, 4:2 - 6, 9:7, 11:4 - 16, 12:1 - 6, 14:1 - 3, 25:1 - 12, 32:15 - 20, 35:1 - 10, 52:1 - 12, 59:20 - 21, 60:1 - 12, 61:3 - 62:12, 65:17 - 66:24. Isaiah 2's verses depict a peaceful theocratic governing of the nations who believed on Jesus, living in His justice in the millenial kingdom. They shall learn His ways, and war no more. In His physical absence, we know war, but in His physical presence, we shall know it no more. The verses from chapter 4 speak of the beauty and glory of the Lord as He reigns, and of the holiness of the people of His millenial kingdom. Those unfit for the kingdom have been purged from His presence! "Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isa. 9:7) Jesus' rule will be everlasting when He comes again! The 11th chapter verses listed describe yet to come the nature of His rule, how He will be righteous with the poor and meek, and how even the animals of creation who are normally prey and predator will be at peace with one another. Even the dread once assigned in Gen. 9:2 will be removed in His kingdom! Chapter 12 is Isaiah's song to God of his faith that His promises will yet be kept in the Lord's day, while the verses of chapter 14 listed assert that Israel will be served by their captors, and will rule over their oppressors. Chapter 25 prophesies of God's defeat of all opposition in all of mankind, and of God's triumph over death and sorrow, while the selected verses of chapter 32 depict the millenial blessings of the Spirit, prosperity righteousness, and peace. In chapter 35 describes the blessings of the kingdom of the millenial age, from the prospering of the desert into fertility to the glorious embodiment in the new tabernacles of His holy people to the plentifulness of waters in a once dry land. Verses selected from chapter 52 picture Zion made clean from unholiness, and how God will deliver His people, and of His redemption of Jerusalem. Isa. 59:20 - 21 speaks of the Redeemer and His covenant of salvation kept, while the listed verses from chapter 60 describes the glory of Jerusalem and Israel, and how there will be a great sea of Gentiles that come, but the opposition will be annihilated. Isa. 61:3 - 62:12 tells of the regeneration of the land and of the restoration of joy to the people in Zion, and describes Israel's restoration there. Lastly, Isa. 65:17 - 66:24 gives us a scene of the millenial kingdom's characteristics, a preliminary view to the New Jerusalem even further to come still! It speaks of the longevity of a child, yet also the punishent of sin. It is repeated how prey and predator shall cease in nature, and ritualistic offerings will be as sin and abomination. The consumption of the wicked is also described, such it will be of the nature of the wrath of the Lord. The saved will remain with the Lord, while the condemned will know the fire that is never quenched.

Restoration of Israel From The Nations - As we know of the present, much of Israel is dispersed among all the nations of the world, but Isaiah has prophesied that this will not remain a condition of God's people. Isa. 11:10 - 12, 14:1 - 2, 27:12 - 13, 35:10, 43:5 - 6, 49:10 - 12, and 66:20 contain prophecies from Isaiah of God's people reclaimed from all the corners of the earth to the promised land. The listing from chapter 11 and 43's verses speak on this with specificity of some places His people will be gathered, but also generalizes that none will be left anywhere in the four corners of the earth, that they will all be gathered in one place. Chapter 14's verses listed tell of the believers cleaving to Israel, and Israel's oppressors will find themselves ruled over by Israel! Meanwhile, chapter 27's selection listed tells of a river flow in Egypt altering its flow, and God's people there will come to Jerusalem. "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isa. 35:10) The gathering to Jerusalem will be a joyful one! Chapter 49's verses also tell of the gathering, but also brings to light that in the gathering, there will be no hunger nor thirst along the way, the trek to Jerusalem will be in comfort! "And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD." (Isa. 66:20)

Restoration of Prosperity to Israel - Some of this prophecy is beginning already, but the entirety of the prophecy has as yet to be fulfilled. The land of the Jews is becoming prosperous even now, but strangers have yet to serve the Jews. The prosperity verses are found in Isa. 30:23- 26, 60:10 - 14, 61:4 - 5, 62:4 - 5, 65:21 - 25. The verse listed of chapter 30 speak of rains in otherwise desolate areas, and of healthy livestock. Hills will give streams of water in the day of Armageddon, and the sun and moon will be brighter in those days. Chapter 60's verses listed tell of the enemies and oppressors of Israel, and how they will work for them, and how those who hated the Jews will bow at their feet. This must happen in order that there be peace in the millenial kingdom. "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves." (Isa. 61:4 - 6) The verses of chapter 62 say that the land will even experience name changes for the remarkable transformation from desolate to fertile! Chapter 65's listed verses denote Jerusalem being a place in which to live joyfully, in contrast to the present burden.

Jerusalem as Capital of the Earth - "And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city." (Isa. 1:26) This is the first of a selection of Isaiah's verses of his book wherein he speaks of the restoration of Jerusalem (Zion) as the capital of the earth in the millenial kingdom. He refers further to this in Isa. 2:3, 12:6, 24:23, 26:1, 40:2, 60:14 - 22, 62:1 - 7. Isa. 2:3 tells of His obedient people coming to Him in His holy mountain, and learning His ways, while 12:6 designates Jesus' residence in its midst! Isa. 24:23 describes Christ's great light in Jerusalem paling the sun and moon, but to the point, where Christ is in the millenial reign, so also is the capital of His kingdom! Chapter 26:1 starts a song about the capital, while 40:2 speaks of Jerusalem's receipt of grace at the end of sufficient punishment for her transgressions. Chapter 60's listed verses describe a transformed Jerusalem, an etenal excellency of earth's capital and Jesus' kingdom seat, while the selected verses of chapter 62 give addition description of Jerusalem's rebirth from its desolation.

Blessing Upon the Remnant - The redeemed will experience millenial blessings in accordance with the descriptions found in verses Isa. 26:1 - 19, 33:24, 43:25, 44:22, 46:13, 54:6 - 10. The 26th chapter selection describes a perfect peace of unshakable well being, of everlasting strength, and ends speaking of the bodily resurrection. "And the inhabitant shall not say, 'I am sick': the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." (Isa. 33:24) The millenial inhabitants will not experience the affliction of sickness nor illness. "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isa. 43:25) A blessing indeed upon the saved is to have their sins covered! "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee." (Isa. 44:22) "I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory." (Isa. 46:13) These 3 selected places Isaiah writes of forgiveness and salvation; and no wonder; these two things are vital to escaping condmenation, and therefore are a blessing, indeed! The 54th chapter verses listed describe how sweet and beautiful is the forgiveness of the Lord, as compared to a wife forced to separation from her husband for a time, and forgiven and rejoined after a time of forsakenness.

Blessing to Entire Creation - We know nature to be full of predator versus prey, but nature shall know a new way of existence in peace yet to come when Christ comes again to rule the world, and these blessings are described in Isa. 11:6 - 9, 65:17, 25, 66:22. Wolves will dwell with lambs, cows shall feed alongside bears, and lions shall give up their normal diet and eat straw along with the ox. Even cobras and vipers won't bite children, but let them play among them, and all serpents will feed on dust! "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isa. 65:17) "'For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me', saith the LORD, 'so shall your seed and your name remain.'" (Isa. 66:22) What a blessing it is, to have eternal life with God!

Is it any wonder Isaiah was such a major prophet of the Old Testament? We have all this wonder and joy to look forward to! All evil put away; desolation of land to disappear forevermore; man and all animals living side by side without harm to any; the full embodiment of the Lord shining in Jerusalem much brighter than the sun, and teaching and ruling with His righteous authority, unopposed by anyone, and all the old opposition in perfect servitude. What a life we have to look forward to, for it is written there will be a bodily resurrection and agelessness and total absence of affliction by sickness and disease! Amen! Look forward in faith that it is coming!