Isaiah has sometimes been called “the Fifth Gospel.” That may sound a little strange at first. After all, Isaiah is not one of the four Gospels. It is not Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. It is a prophetic book from the Old Testament, written centuries before the birth of Jesus.

God speaks comfort to his exiled people: their sin has been paid for, their God is coming, and his word will endure forever.

God is beyond comparison: he made the universe, rules the nations, outlasts idols, and gives strength to the weary who hope in him.

When the nations panic and turn to idols, God tells his chosen people not to fear, because he is with them

God introduces his perfect Servant, who will bring justice to the nations and light to those in darkness.

The world is called to sing because God is doing a new thing, but God’s own servant people must first face their blindness and sin.