Isaiah by the Day

A New Devotional Translation

Alec Motyer

Copyright © J. A. Motyer 2011

hardback—ISBN 978-1-84550-654-4

epub—ISBN 978-1-78191-377-2

mobi—ISBN 978-1-78191-378-9

Published in 2011

Reprinted in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017

This edition reprinted in 2017

with Truth for Life

P.O. Box 398000, Cleveland, Ohio 44139, U.S.A.

by Christian Focus Publications,

Geanies House, Fearn, Tain, Ross-shire,

IV20 1TW, Scotland, U.K.

www.christianfocus.com

The translation of Isaiah is © 2011 by the author, J. A. Motyer.

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture translations are the author’s.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Cover design by Paul Lewis

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the U.K. such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London, EC1 8TS www.cla.co.uk.

Dedication

To the worshipping fellowship at St George’s and St Martin’s churches, Poynton;

specially to our leaders Rob McLaren and Andy Livingston;

and in particular to my friend and colleague in the blessed ranks of the retired,

John Briggs.

CONTENTS

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE

Backdrop to Isaiah’s ministry (Isaiah 1–5)

Days 1–9

PART TWO

The Book of the King (Isaiah 6–37)

Days 10–40

PART THREE

The Book of the Servant (Isaiah 38–55)

Days 41–61

PART FOUR

The Book of the Conqueror (Isaiah 56–66)

Days 62–71

Some suggestions for further reading and study

Author’s Preface

Welcome to Isaiah! I send you this invitation as one who loves everything about him—the way he writes, his mastery of words, the rhythmic beauty of his Hebrew and, above all, the magnificent sweep of his messianic vision, taking in the glory of Jesus as God and King, the wonder and fullness of the salvation he accomplished, and the shining hope of his coming again. I want to share all this with you so that you may become as indebted to Isaiah as I feel myself to be. His book is as much the crown of the Old Testament as the Epistle to the Hebrews is of the New Testament—and for the same reason. Isaiah saw the coming King, Saviour and Conqueror; Hebrews knew him as Jesus. May the Lord God bless you richly as you read this tremendous portion of his Word.

Alec Motyer,

Poynton, Cheshire

Introduction

Please read the following carefully.

1. Isaiah wrote a book!

In a Bible with only chapter divisions it is hard to grasp a clear idea of the whole. It just seems like one thing after another. So here is an outline map.

Chapters 1–5. Isaiah’s preface

Using a selection of messages he had preached over the years Isaiah paints a picture of the situation in which he was called to be a prophet.

Chapters 6–37. The Book of the King

In chapters 6–12, against the background of the failed monarchy ...