This research paper by Steven Paredes, submitted to Dr. Richard Belcher Jr. at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte for OT5400 – Isaiah–Malachi, offers a detailed exegetical study of Isaiah 55:10–11. Paredes demonstrates how the metaphor of rain and snow illustrates the creative, effectual, and redemptive nature of God’s Word.
Through close analysis of the Hebrew text and prophetic context, the paper argues that Isaiah presents God’s Word not merely as information or instruction but as an active agent of divine will — accomplishing what He decrees and bringing about salvation. Paredes connects this Old Testament theology of divine speech to its fulfillment in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, whose ministry embodies the same life-giving power Isaiah proclaimed.
Ultimately, the study concludes that Isaiah 55:10–11 reveals the unstoppable and purposeful character of divine revelation: God speaks, and His Word brings life.
Course and semester: OT5400 Isaiah–Malachi — Spring 2023
