Isaiah 56:9-66:24 forms the last major unit. I am generally unconvinced of chiastic structures on the macro level,[1] but this unit seems to be structured as a chiasm. As Abernethy says, “”While I am typically sceptical of chiastic structures, this one has strong textual merit and explanatory power.”[2]
A. Confronting the faithless insiders with judgment and assuring the faithful with salvation (56:9-59:8)
B. Prayer for forgiveness and restoration (59:9-15a)
C. The warrior king judges the wicked and redeems the repentant (59:15b-21)
D. Zion’s international renown amid King YHWH’s glory and his messenger (60-62)
C’. The warrior king judges and saves the nations (63:1-6)
B’. Prayer for forgiveness and restoration (63:7-64:12)
A’. Confronting the faithless insiders with judgment and assuring the faithful with salvation (65:1-66:24)[3]
Segment A (56:9-59:8) begins by calling for judgment on sinful Israel, and the sin of the people is once again expounded. In the midst of these judgment texts, however, are passages in which God promises redemption for the repentant. However, adhering to religious forms will not please God if it is not accompanied by righteous living.
In segment B (59:9-15a) Israel speaks in first person to confess its sins.
In segment C (59:15-21) Yhwh straps on his armor and comes as a warrior to “repay” sinners “according to their deeds” (59:18). But to those who repent, a “Redeemer will come to Zion,” and Yhwh will make a covenant that conveys the Spirit and the Word to them. Paul quotes this passage in Romans 11:26-27; this passage will find its ultimate fulfillment in the eschatological judgment that is followed by the salvation of all Israel.
Having mentioned the Redeemer who comes to Zion, segment D (chs. 60-62) turn the focus squarely upon Zion. Chapter 60 is a vision of the New Jerusalem (John draws heavily from this passage in Revelation 21-22). Jerusalem shines with the glory of Yhwh, and the nations stream into it with their wealth and worship. Then in chapter 61 the Messiah speaks (“Yhwh has anointed me”) of the Spirit empowering him for ministry. Jesus quoted this passage of himself in Luke 4:18-19 (cf. Matthew 11:5//Luke 7:22). It describes his ministry in both his first and second comings. The passage then speaks of the restoration of Israel in their land. Chapter 62 returns to the theme of Zion and coming of the nations to the city, but this chapter is couched in terms of anticipation of and preparation for that day.
Segment C’ (63:1-6) returns to the theme of the divine warrior. Here is a warrior who is treading down the peoples as if they are grapes in a winepress. It is the “day of vengeance” (63:4), but note that the day of vengeance is part of the “year of redemption” (63:4). The eschatological judgment of the nations prepares the way for the new creation. Revelation alludes to this passage when it speaks of “one like a son of man” who “gathered the grape harvest of the earth and thew it into the great winepress of the wrath of God” (Rev. 14:14, 19) and when it describes the returning Christ coming “clothed in a robe dipped in blood” (Rev. 19:13).
Segment B’ (63:7-64:12) is another prayer. It follows this scene of judgment with praise for God’s steadfast love and compassion for his people. It acknowledges Israel’s rebellion and calls on God to redeem his people. Segment A’ (65:1-66:24) begins with God’s answer to the preceding prayer. His answer is that he is now saving the Gentiles while judging unrepentant Israel (65:1-7). But there will be a time when Israel will be redeemed and restored (65:8-10). He therefore distinguishes, in a series of blessings and curses his servants from those who would reject his call (65:11-16). Then God declares the creation of new heavens and a new earth. Close attention to the details of this text shows that there is combined in this text what Revelation 20 will identify as the Millennium and Revelation 21 identifies as a succeeding new earth.[4] This should not be troublesome. The millennial period is the time in which Christ, as the second Adam leads his people to subdue and rule over the earth as Adam was originally commissioned to do. It is thus the period in which the new creation is being brought about. When God says, “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth,” a process may be implied. This glorious vision of the future, and the book as a whole, closes on a somber note. All redeemed humanity will worship Yhwh—and they will view the dead bodies of those in hell whose worm will not die. Clearly Isaiah’s is burdened that those who heard (and read) his message avail themselves of the redemption accomplished by the Servant rather than continue in their rebellion and suffer God’s wrath for eternity.
[1] Oswalt captures my sentiments regarding chiastic structures: “I am very skeptical of hypotheses that depend on identifying elaborate structure, such as chiastic parallelism, extending over several chapters or even over the whole book. Not only do all these proposals seem to me to depend on misusing some of the data sooner or later, they also do not seem to take enough account of the way the motifs of the book appear and reappear. Thus, it is possible to create any number of these ‘structures,’ each one plausible and each one differing from the rest.” Oswalt, “Kerygmatic Structure,” in “God to the Land that I Will Show You”: Studies in Honor of Dwright Young, 147, n. 18, as cited in Wagner, 10, n. 20. That said, Oswalt does see a chiastic structure in Isaiah 56-66. NICOT, 2:15-16, 463-65; cf. Tully, Reading the Prophets as Christian Scripture, 155.
[2] Abernethy, NSBT, 22.
[3] This structure adapts the one found in Abernethy, NSBT, 84. The wording is Abernethy’s. However, Abernethy’s A and A’ lines have been dropped. His A line covered 56:10-8, which I have attached to the previous section. His A’ line covered 66:18-24, which I incorporated into his line B’ (65:1-66:17). I relettered the lines according to my adaption. Oswalt and Tully’s chiastic structure (see previous note) is similar to Abernethy’s original structure, the only difference being that they do not separate out the prayers in 59:1-15a and 63:7-64:12 but incorporate them into 56:9-59:15a and 63:7-66:17).
[4] For instance, 65:20 refers to the birth of infants and the death of the aged while Revelation 21:4 indicates that there will be no more death.