Isaiah Chapter 59

What is the meaning of Isaiah 59?

Introduction to Isaiah 59

Isaiah 59 stands as one of the most poignant chapters in prophetic literature, presenting a divine indictment of human sin while simultaneously declaring God’s remarkable promise of redemption. The chapter opens with a powerful metaphor that dispels a common misconception: it is not God’s inability that prevents salvation, but rather human iniquity that creates a barrier between people and their Creator. This theological masterpiece weaves together themes of justice, repentance, and divine intervention, culminating in the promise of a Redeemer for Zion.

The significance of this chapter lies in its brutal honesty about the human condition and its magnificent portrayal of God’s character. It serves as a bridge between the reality of human depravity and the hope of divine restoration, making it particularly relevant for believers in every generation who struggle with the tension between God’s holiness and human sinfulness.

Context of Isaiah 59

Within the book of Isaiah, chapter 59 forms part of the third major section (chapters 56-66), which focuses on the future glory of Zion and the coming of the Messiah. This chapter follows Isaiah’s messages of hope and restoration, yet begins by addressing why these promises seem delayed. It provides a sobering explanation: the problem lies not with God’s ability to save but with human sin that separates people from Him.

In the broader context of Scripture, Isaiah 59 shares thematic connections with Psalm 14:1-3 and Romans 3:10-18, which similarly describe the universality of human sin. The chapter’s conclusion, promising a Redeemer for Zion, foreshadows the New Testament’s presentation of Yeshua as the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy, particularly as referenced in Romans 11:26-27.

Within the larger narrative of Scripture, this chapter serves as a crucial link between the Old and New Covenants, demonstrating both the necessity of divine intervention and God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises. It provides essential background for understanding the New Testament’s teaching about salvation and the role of the Messiah in dealing with human sin.

Ancient Key Word Study

• קָצַר (qatsar) – “shortened” (v.1): This Hebrew word literally means “to be short” or “to be insufficient,” but here it’s used metaphorically to emphasize that God’s arm isn’t too short to save. The word choice brilliantly conveys that God’s power isn’t diminished or limited, countering any notion of divine inability.
• עָוֹן (‘avon) – “iniquities” (v.2): This term goes beyond merely describing individual sins, instead referring to the deeper condition of moral perversion and depravity. It carries the idea of being twisted or bent, emphasizing how sin distorts human nature from its intended design.
• דָּם (dam) – “blood” (v.3): Used in the plural form to indicate bloodshed or bloodguilt, this word carries legal and covenant implications, pointing to violence that breaks both divine and human law. In ancient Near Eastern culture, blood represented life itself, making this a particularly serious indictment.
• תֹּהוּ (tohu) – “empty things” (v.4): The same word used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the formless void before creation. Here it describes the emptiness of false speech and deceitful arguments, suggesting a return to chaos through moral corruption.
• צִפְעוֹנִי (tsif’oni) – “viper” (v.5): This specific species of venomous snake was known for its deadly bite and aggressive nature. The word choice emphasizes not just danger but malicious intent in human actions.
• מְעִיל (me’il) – “cloak” (v.17): A term for a ceremonial robe worn by priests and kings, here attributed to God Himself as He prepares for divine intervention. The imagery draws from both royal and priestly traditions.
• גּוֹאֵל (go’el) – “Redeemer” (v.20): This rich legal term describes a kinsman-redeemer obligated to restore family members from difficulty. Its use here presents God as personally involving Himself in humanity’s redemption, foreshadowing the Messiah’s role.
• בְּרִית (brit) – “covenant” (v.21): More than just a contract, this word represents a binding relationship established through sacred oath. Its appearance in the chapter’s conclusion emphasizes God’s commitment to His people despite their failures.

Compare & Contrast

• Verse 1’s statement “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened” uses anthropomorphic language (describing God in human terms) rather than abstract theological concepts. This choice makes the theological truth more accessible while emphasizing God’s personal involvement in human affairs. The Hebrew could have used more abstract terms for divine power but chose this vivid physical metaphor.
• The blood imagery in verse 3 employs דָּם (dam) rather than other Hebrew words for violence or wrongdoing. This specific choice emphasizes covenant violation and ritual impurity, connecting personal violence with religious transgression.
• Verse 5’s metaphor of spider webs could have used several Hebrew words for “web” but specifically chose קוּר (qur), emphasizing fragility and futility rather than intricacy or beauty. This word choice underscores the ultimate worthlessness of human schemes apart from God.
• The martial imagery in verses 17-19 deliberately echoes ancient Near Eastern royal military texts but subverts their typical usage. While such texts usually glorified human kings, here these martial metaphors are applied to God’s intervention for justice and salvation.
• Verse 20’s use of גּוֹאֵל (go’el) rather than a more general word for savior or deliverer connects this prophecy specifically to the covenant obligations of kinship, foreshadowing the Messiah’s incarnation as a human redeemer.

Isaiah 59 Unique Insights

The chapter contains a fascinating structural parallel to the creation account in Genesis. Just as darkness covered the earth before God’s creative work, spiritual darkness (described in verses 9-10) precedes God’s new creative act of redemption. This parallel suggests that God’s intervention described here is nothing less than a new creation, spiritually speaking.

Ancient Jewish commentary in the Targum Jonathan makes an interesting observation about verse 17, where God puts on “garments of vengeance.” The Targum interprets this as referring to the “final redemption,” connecting it with the Messiah’s dual role as both suffering servant and conquering king. This interpretation aligns with the New Testament’s presentation of Yeshua’s first and second comings.

The phrase “wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak” in verse 17 uses language typically reserved for priestly garments, suggesting that God’s intervention combines both royal and priestly functions. This unusual combination points forward to the Messiah’s unique role as both King and High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, as described in Hebrews 7.

The spirit/word promise in verse 21 establishes a remarkable covenant guarantee that combines both internal transformation (Spirit) and external guidance (Word). This dual promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Covenant, where the Messiah’s work provides both the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and the perfect revelation of God’s Word.

Isaiah 59 Connections to Yeshua

The chapter’s description of humanity’s hopeless moral condition sets the stage for understanding the necessity of the Messiah’s incarnation. The universal failure of justice and truth described in verses 4-8 explains why salvation could only come through God’s direct intervention in human history through Yeshua.

The warrior-savior imagery in verses 16-17 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah. While His first coming emphasized the saving aspect of His mission, His second coming will manifest the warrior aspect described here, bringing justice and defeating evil completely. This dual nature of the Messiah’s work is perfectly captured in this chapter’s imagery.

The promise of a Redeemer for Zion in verse 20 is directly quoted in Romans 11:26-27 as referring to Yeshua’s role in Israel’s future redemption. This connection demonstrates how the chapter’s promises find their ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah’s comprehensive work of redemption, both in His first coming and His future return.

Isaiah 59 Scriptural Echoes

This chapter’s themes and imagery resonate throughout Scripture. The description of universal human sinfulness in verses 1-8 is echoed in Romans 3:15-17, where Paul quotes directly from this passage to establish humanity’s need for salvation.

The warrior imagery describing God’s intervention parallels similar descriptions in Revelation 19:11-16, where Yeshua appears as a divine warrior bringing justice and salvation. Both passages emphasize the necessity of divine intervention for ultimate redemption.

The covenant promise in verse 21 finds its fulfillment in the New Covenant described in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:26-27, where God promises to put His Spirit within His people and write His law on their hearts.

Isaiah 59 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine our own lives with brutal honesty while maintaining hope in God’s redemptive power. The detailed description of sin’s effects should prompt serious self-reflection: How have we allowed seemingly small compromises to create distance between us and God? Yet the chapter’s conclusion reminds us that our hope lies not in our own righteousness but in God’s faithful intervention.

The promise that God’s Spirit and words will remain with His people “from now on and forever” (v.21) offers tremendous encouragement for believers facing spiritual warfare. This guarantee of God’s continued presence and guidance through His Spirit and Word provides the resources we need for victorious living, even in challenging circumstances.

Did You Know

• The armor imagery in verse 17 uses technical military terminology from ancient warfare, suggesting that the original audience would have recognized specific pieces of equipment used by warriors of their day.
• The spider web metaphor in verse 5 may reference a specific species of spider known in ancient Israel whose webs were particularly fragile, emphasizing the futility of human schemes apart from God.
• The term for “justice” (משפט, mishpat) appears multiple times in this chapter and carries the broader meaning of “right order” in society, not just legal proceedings.
• The description of groping like the blind along a wall (v.10) may reflect the actual experience of those blinded by the severe eye diseases common in ancient times, making the metaphor particularly vivid for the original audience.
• The covenant formula in verse 21 follows the pattern of ancient Near Eastern royal grants, where a superior party makes unconditional promises to an inferior party.
• The imagery of God putting on righteousness as a breastplate predates similar metaphors in Ephesians 6 by centuries, suggesting Paul may have drawn from this passage.
• The phrase “like a rushing stream” (v.19) uses terminology associated with flash floods in the Negev desert, a powerful image of sudden, overwhelming divine intervention familiar to the original audience.