Isaiah by the Day: A New Devotional Translation

by J. Alec Motyer

These daily devotionals are birthed from a lifetime of study on the prophecy of Isaiah. Day by day you will be provided with passages from Isaiah and an opportunity to explore the passage further. Take time to acquaint yourself with these passages from God's Word and treasure them in your heart.

Genres: Devotional, Christian, Theology, Old Testament, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies, Christian Living

437 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

J. Alec Motyer (M.A., B.D., D.D.) was formerly principal of Trinity College in Bristol, England. He has extensive experience in parish ministry and is well known as a Bible expositor. He is author of The Prophecy of Isaiah, and he is Old Testament editor of IVP's commentary series, The Bible Speaks Today. He has written several volumes in that series.

Reviews

[Sarah Harelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motyer warmly invites the reader to exult in God’s promises to his people, prophesied 700 years before Christ’s coming, and makes more beautiful the redemptive works of the Lord!

Takeaways being:
- the Sovereign Yahweh will accomplish his purposes: he begins, maintains, guides, and controls everything, all the time.
- no gravity of sin or incessant rebellion by his people will deter his plans for his chosen, redeemed people; Yahweh has provided a way in his servant son & his complete accomplishments.
- the Lord’s compassion (surging, heart-emotional love) and devotion (willful, determined commitment) to his people is what drives all of these plans and decisive actions.
- Yahweh has always been and continues to carry and sustain his people.
- his Word is eternal, powerful, and God’s personal message to us; saying a continual ‘Yes’ to feeding on his promises yields peace in our hearts and obedience in our lives.

[Isaiah Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found Isaiah to be a challenging book to study slowly, but this devotional / re-translation helped tremendously. I appreciated Motyer's commentary, crossreferences, and section-summaries that allowed me to see both the minute details and the book as a whole.

[Megan Revis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had skimmed through Isaiah a few times in yearly reading plans, but it was one of the books my eyes always glazed over and I had to trudge through. Alec’s devotional was so incredibly helpful in getting a grasp on what this wonderful book of the Bible is all about. Particularly helpful was his outline of the book overall and also chapter by chapter. His translation notes provided some contextual clarity and further helped orient me to what I was reading. The daily devotion was just an added bonus. The book of Isaiah all but screams that God’s way is better and to choose him. Highly recommend this devotional!

[Kevin Halloran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isaiah is an amazing book, and Motyer was one of the best Isaiah scholars there is. So hearing he had a devotional through the book caught my interest.

Motyer’s notes on the Hebrew words were generally helpful, but more technical than I needed. I did really appreciate how he broke passages down and shared their relationship to each other—something I will certainly revisit if I preach Isaiah. The “Thought for the Day” section was useful, but not always as tied to the Isaiah passage as I was expecting.

As I read, I asked myself if reading a study Bible (specifically the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible) would have been as helpful or more helpful than Motyer’s work, and my conclusion… it depends.

If you’re looking for a good devotional read through Isaiah, Isaiah by the Day will be helpful. (More so if you want textual comments.) But so will a good study Bible! My recommendation to you is that if you’re on the fence, save money and read a study Bible.

[Katie Gibbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isaiah is obviously 5*, but I didn't feel like Motyer's translation added much for me, and the devotionals were sometimes helpful but sometimes a little random.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gave me a small taste for the glorious truths in Isaiah. I understand a little better the flow, context and many of the woes! I enjoyed meditating on this book slowly.

[Mark Loughridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motyer dropping golden nuggets as he guides you through Isaiah.

Wonderfully fresh translation of Isaiah. Excellent notes on the translation choices - without being overly technical. Lovely warmhearted devotional comments. Gives you a clearer grasp of the structure of Isaiah - although the book would have benefitted from all that structure being set out on a two page spread.

Not quite a commentary - the devotional comments are as likely to take one idea from the passage and meditate on it rather than unpack the passage. If you want a commentary, buy his commentary on Isaiah, if you want something to read in your devotions and give you a fresh view of Isaiah this is it.

It's maybe more 4 1/2 stars, but I'll round it up 5. .

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motyer is the preeminent authority on the book of Isaiah. This is his own translation, word by word, of the book. It's broken into 71 daily reading segments, each accompanied by his notes and commentary. Truly exceptional.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tool for dwelling in Isaiah, will definitely be rereading.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful yet readable devotional/commentary which moves through the book of Isaiah in 71 days (~1 chapter/day). Motyer includes his own translation which aims to reveal nuances of the Hebrew original, alongside brief explanatory notes on the themes and structure. Each day includes a half-page reflection on the passage and Biblical connections. I enjoyed this patient deep-dive: seeing how Isaiah distinctly describes the people's faithlessness to God's covenant, God's impending judgement, and his radically unexpected mercy and victory through his servant/messiah. Worth a read!

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully produced translation and devotional commentary on Isaiah. But to be honest, it is so much more. The author has written his own translation of the book, with side notes to explain decisions in translation, and make important notes. But then, at the end of each section there is a daily devotion that is always superb.

This is a great way to read through Isaiah and understand what is going on, and have your heart warmed.

[Ryn Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motyer gives example after example of the qualities which brought him to my attention five years ago as an impressive scholar worthy of emulation. His writing is surprisingly very warm in this work, bringing home his depth of knowledge on the biblical Hebrew language and the context and style of Isaiah’s writing in a format that allows for thoughtful reflection and several passages in which he interjects simple and humble praise for the truths being described. After reading his academic works during my study for my thesis, this devotional translation of the book is very precious to me. What Motyer intimates throughout the book is a truth I am greatly encouraged by—that the study we put into the Bible ought always to be rooted in love for God and gratitude and awe that He has made Himself known through words of truth and life, words that take time of slowly pondering, praying, and cherishing, as with the words of any loved one. Will most definitely be reading through this again soon, and will keep it as a reference as I pick up my own work of translating Isaiah again. His constant footnotes and explanations of Hebrew terms were consistent and fair, showing places in which he took more liberties in translation, but always explaining his thought behind each decision.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The devotional side of this book is excellent, with many inspiring and insightful points that arise from Isaiah in relation to the Christian walk. The footnotes on the text of Isaiah are interesting, although there's such a lot of them that in the Kindle version the page seems dotted with little numbers. Some of the notes are merely references to an earlier use of the same phrase, some are explanations as to why nobody quite knows what a certain line in Isaiah means, and some of helpful in terms of clarifying what's being said. Sometimes it's hard to get the numbers to flick through to the note on the Kindle; fortunately these notes come straight after the chapter in question, so it's not hard to refer to them.
Motyer's aim to provide an accurate translation of the original Isaiah texts works against its readability. He talks about Isaiah's poetry but there's little evidence of poetry in this translation; it comes out as rather clunky. Which is a great pity given the work that's put into the rest of the book.

[Annie Riggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

To finish this on Christmas Eve was fitting — Christmas Day picks up where Isaiah leaves off.

On Christmas Day, we meet the one whom Isaiah calls the Servant, the Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. On Christmas Day, we discover that he is also called Jesus. And we find him lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths — which are the robes of righteousness, girding him for the work of salvation.

Motyer is an incomparable scholar and teacher, and his wholehearted enthusiasm for Scripture (and his particular love for Isaiah) spills over onto every page!

[Barnaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good walk through of Isaiah. Motyer’s literal devotional translation is a helpful way of digging in to the original language and the way he splits up the passages is a great guide through such a large book.

I felt like thoughts on the side sometimes seemed disconnected to the passage or missed the weight of what has been read, and the footnotes often felt like a distraction rather than a help.

It is such a good resource though once you’ve worked out how you want to use it devotionally.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good devotion. I found myself often reading more than one daily reading because I was drawn in by what was coming next. A simple and informative overview to each day’s section prepared me to hear what Isaiah proclaimed. The devotion writing is purposefully full of the gospel of Jesus who is being pointed to throughout Isaiah.

[Rachel Dasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout this study, Motyer tenderly (and strikingly!) highlights this beautiful truth: Yahweh will never and can never abandon his people, to whom he has set his changeless love upon and is eternally, joyfully (!) committed. By explaining original word meanings, verb tenses, and historical context, Motyer emphasizes God’s “ongoing creatorial and providential care for his people”, encouraging the reader to wait on the Lord with confidence, expectation, and sure hope.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not totally convinced a day-by-day devotional is the best format for enjoying Isaiah - the granular approach loses some of the sweeping, grand vision of the book. It’s so VAST. Huge themes of light and darkness; the servant king; the mountains levelled; the in-gathering of people; a God who speaks.

Alec Motyer’s own translation of the text is really punchy and grasps the full, poetic force of it. His Daily Reflections were pretty random, though. I mostly found them off-putting.

[Stefanie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent devotional using the book of Isaiah. Isaiah is poetic, confronting and truth seeking. This devotional breaks down each section and meaning of Isaiah. It makes one feel convicted of their choices, yet excited for the Lord’s Return.

[Nick Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the translation and footnotes more useful than the devotional, but that's probably the way it should be!

[Cameron Malott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended if you are intimidated the book of Isaiah, but want to understand its beautiful imagery within the historical context it was written in.

[Matt Allhands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Motyer’s exegetical and devotional notes were very helpful, and edifying. This would make a helpful addition for sermon prep.

[Cole Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having finished going through Isaiah with the day by day study I find myself wanting to go through Isaiah again. I am very grateful for this work by Alec Moyter for stirring that desire for God’s Word.

[Darren Maxfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only are the daily devotional spiritual gold, but the commentary and translation notes are very helpful to understanding the book of Isaiah.

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is a user-friendly distillation of Motyer’s decades worth of study and translation of the book of Isaiah. One of the biggest gifts from this volume is Motyer’s translation. It’s a beautiful translation… it is very clear that Motyer is laboring to stay as faithful to the original Hebrew as possible. Motyer’s brief notes (usually about the translation) are often very helpful. His brief devotional thoughts at the end of each reading are warm, pastoral, and very practical. His brief outline of the book of Isaiah (at the beginning of the book) is extremely helpful and worth reading and re-reading until more or less memorized… knowing where one is in the book of Isaiah is essential to proper interpretation and application. One critique that I have would be with the publishing. The book is very nice, the layout of the text is great, but the footnotes are often (quite often) not on the same page as the point being referenced. This could have been easily avoided, but was (I feel) an unfortunate error in the publishing. That said, I’m very grateful for this translation, the additional notes, and the devotional reflections.

[Allen Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book for its fresh translation of Isaiah, along with helpful explanatory notes. The devotional thoughts at the end of each passage are hit-and-miss, but the most helpful feature is the author's excellent outlining and introduction of the various portions of Isaiah as he breaks it into 71 manageable chunks...it really helped me to understand the flow of the book and the purpose of each section in a way that I had struggled to grasp before.

I like that the layout enables me to make notes and to use my colored pencils to really interact with the text.

Highly recommended if you're interested in Isaiah. I've just bought the author's similar book on the Psalms and am looking forward to another great journey through the Scriptures!

[Amy Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this devotional on Isaiah. Motyer's full commentary on Isaiah is rank #1 on Ligonier Ministries' list for Isaiah so I thought this might be worth a try - especially at $2.99 on Kindle. It more than met my expectations. Each day part of the text of Isaiah is written out from his translation with footnotes explaining any info that would help you understand the words/phrases. Then he points you to Christ during a brief devotional following the text. SO encouraging. So helpful. The hardest part is going back and forth on the footnotes on Kindle. I would recommend getting the print copy if you can.

[Sharon Honeycutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

HIGHLY RECOMMEND for anyone who wishes to get a better understanding of the book of Isaiah. It is written as a 71 day devotional. It took me 16 months. I wanted to be sure I understood Isaiah, his context and his message so I refused to hurry through. This book has been my daily companion as I read small bits of Isaiah each day. I have learned so much and my relationship with God is so much stronger because of it. Thank you, Alec Motyer.

[Peter Yock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great devotional. Pretty technical, but sometimes that's really helpful. It's a good balance between academic notes on translation (all in the footnotes and optional) and reflections. I found it refreshing and I'll likely be using it again in the future and recommending it to others. In fact, I've already recommended it.

[Betty Sotherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent translation and explanation of the words of Isaiah.

Truly enjoyed this book. The author was very careful about the biblical interpretation of this old testament book which could be twisted to say just about anything, and it has. An excellent devotional for laypeople as well.