A 1:2–5:30. Exhortations: Reprehensory. Phrophetic.
B 6:1-13. The VOICE from the TEMPLE. The Scattering.
C 7:7–12:6. HISTORIC. Events and Prophecies (AHAZ).
D 13:1–27:13. BURDENS. Alternated with ISRAEL'S Blessings.
D 28:1–35:10. WOES. Alternated with YEHOVAH'S Glory.
C 36:1–39:8. HISTORIC. Events and Prophecis (HEZEKIAH).
B 40:1-11. The VOICE from the WILDERNESS. The
Gathering.
A 40:12–66:24. Exhortations: Promisory. Propheic. For the Canonical order and place of the Prophets, see the Structure of the Books of the O.T. according to the Hebrew Canon and notes on the Structure of the Minor Prophets as a whole
1. That the Canonical order of the Books of the Prophets is not their Chonolocigal order is well known.
But the dates usually to be found at the head or in the margin of our Bibles - as well as in many of the "Tables" supplied in "Aids" to students - involve the subject in hopeless confusion.
The 4 prophets commonly styled "Greator" (or Longer), viz. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, are all dated.
Of the other 12, called "Minor" (or Shorter), 6 are dated and 6 are undated.
The dated Books are Hosea, Amos, Michah, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah.
The undated Books are Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Malachi.
Of the whole 16, therefore, 10 are dated and 6 are undated.
From the particuars given in the dated Books themselves, we are enabled to lay down with precision the years and periods covered by the respective prophecies.
With regard to the undated Books the case is different; and we have to rely upon the guidance of their internal evidence. But this in almost every case is so clear, that their is no great difficulty in assigning each of the prophetical Books to its respective chronological position (Obadiah being perhaps the only exception).
The chart below has been prepared accordingly.
It must be premised that the periods indicated by the thick black lines are the duration of the periods in which the Divine Message continued to "come" to and through the particular prophet named: e.g. Isaiah is shown on the Chart as 649-588 B.C., thus comprising a period of 61 years. This does not represent the years of the prophet's life, which in all probability extended to some 81 or 83 years.
2. It is a Jewish belief that Jeremiah and Zechariah were contemporaries. This is quite possible. We are not told when, or how, or where Jeremiah died. When Jerusalem was destroyed finally by Nebuchadnezzar (477 B.C.) Jeremiah would be about 57 years old. He may easily have lived another 30 or 40, or even more, years after that event (The belief of some that Heb.11:37 refers to Jeremiah is based on the Jewish tradition that the prophet was "stoned" to death in Egypt. But of this we have no prophet).
If we suppose he outlived the destruction of Jerusalem by 40 years, then the year of his death would be 437 B.C., 11 years before the end of the Babylonian Captivity, in 426 B.C.
Zechariah began his 7 years of prophetic ministry 27 years later, in 410 B.C.
But we are not told anything about him in Scripture, save that his grandfather was a prophet; neither have we any clue to his age, as we have e.g. in the cases of Jeremiah and Daniel. Zechariah may very well have been at least 30 or 40 years of age in 410 B.C. when he gives us his first date (1:1). Consequently, he would have been contemporary with the great Benjamite priest for from 3 to 13 years!
3. It is further necessary to state, and important to be observed, that the dates given in the Chart have been charted down from the dating gven (or suggested by internal evidence) in the prophetic Books themselves, and not visa versa. So the student may understand that the remarkable and significant groupings of the prophets are therein depicted are in no wise "manipulated" or "fitted in" to suit any preconcieved ideas or theories. They are charted down simply from the dates and the data afforded by the Sacred records themselves, and tell clearly their own story.
4. Turning now to the Chart itself, it must be further premised that "section-paper" has been used. This is highly important; as only thus can the exact relative proportions of the length of each prophetical ministry be presented accurately to the eye. The thick black lines represent the period covered by each prophet, either as expressly stated, or to be inferred from internal or historical evidence.
And here, the value of the section-paper is at once aparent: as these black line are not merely approximate in their proportions of length one to another - as would be the case if they were set up in type; but, in each and every case, they begin and end exactly at the very year stated or indicated. Thus the eye is enabled at once to grasp the proportionate lengths of each and all the prophetical periods; the overlapping and concurrances in each particular group; the significant "breaks" between the groups; and their historical position as shown on the background of the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel.
The columns of figures to the left and right are the B.C. years, rising by tens from 350 to 700 B.C. Each of the larger section-squares thus shows 20 years, and each of the small ones 2 years.
On this plan, every date, year, and period has been charted down, and can be checked by the student with absolute exactitude.
It must be observed that the thick black lines themselves mark the exact positions of the beginning and ending of the years shown on the figure-columns to left and right, and indicated by the fainter horizontal lines - and NOT the figures placed directly above and below in each case. These latter merely state the years which begin and end each perod, as shown accurately by the top and bottom of the black line throughout: e.g. Jeremiah is given as 518-477 B.C. The top and bottom of the thick black stroke are on the lines of these respective years in the figure-clumns.
When there is only one figure given, as in the case of Habakkuk and Zephaniah, viz. 518 B.C., it will be understood that only one date year is indicated in the Scriptures.
5. It will be seen on referring to the Chart that the 16 prophetical Books fall into 4 remarkable and well defined divisions, seperated by 3 "breaks", or periods of years, as shown below: –
The First Group consists of 6 prophets: viz,: Years Jonah,Amos,Hosea, Isaiah,Micah,Nahum, covering..........102Then follows a great "gap" or "break" of.................70
The Second Group consists of 7 prophets: viz.: Jeremiah,Habakkuk,Zephaniah,Daniel,
Joel,Ezekiel,Obadiah, covering a period of...............94Followed by a "gap" or "break" of........................14
The Third Group consists of 2 prophets: viz.: Haggai,Zechariah, covering a period of....................7
Then follows a "gap" of..................................29
Which is closed by the prophet Malachi
The whole period covered by the 16 prophets is..........316
From the above it is seen that Malachi is to be reckoned as being seperate and apart from the rest; and not, as usually presented, linked together with Haggai and Zechariah. "By the Hebrews, Malachi is known as 'the Seal of the Prophets', and as closing the Canon of the Jewish Scriptures." (Wordsworth on Malachi, Prelim. note.).
The other 15 prophets (5 x 3) arrange themselves in three groups of 6,7, and 2; and the period covered by these collectively - including breaks - is 287 years (41 sevens).
6. The first Group commences with Jonah and ends with Nahum. Both are connected with Nineveh. This group consists of 6 prophets, and the period they cover is 102 years (17 sixes).
Between the First and Second Groups there is the great "gap" or "break" of 70 years (10 sevens). According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah perished in the Manassean persecution. If this persecution took place, or culminated, about 5 years after Manasseh's accession - as is most probable - this would be 584 B.C.; and that year is 65 years from the dated commencement of Isaiah's "Vision": viz., the year in which king Uzziah died (649 B.C.).
We have, however, no indication that "the Word of the Lord came" to Isaiah later than the end of the reign of Hezekiah, and Manasseh's accession in 588 B.C.
Therefore, from that year on, and until "the 13th year of Josiah" (518 B.C.), there was no "coming" of "the Word"; but, instead, a long solemn silence on the part of Yehovah for 70 years! (588-518 = 70). This silence was broken at length by the Divine utterance through Jeremiah,Habukkuk, and Zephanah simultaneously, in 518 B.C.; and the Word then "came" in an unbroken sequence of 94 years (518-424 = 94) through the 7 prophets associated with the final scenes in the history of the Southern Kingdom, Judah - including the Babylonian Captivity - as the 6 earlier prophet had been associated with the closing scenes of the Northern Kingdom, which ended in 601 B.C.
The Second Group closes with the latest date recorded by Daniel, "the 3rd year of Cyrus" (Dan.10:1), i.e. in 424 B.C.
Then occurs a short break of 14 years (2 sevens) between Daniel and Haggai (424-410 =14), followed by,
The Third Group, consisting of Haggai and Zechariah, extending over 7 years (410-403 = 7).
The 7 years covered by Zechariah are succeeded by the last "break" of 29 years, closed by the affixing of "the Seal of the Prophets", Malachi, in 374 B.C. This was exactly 30 years from the restoration of the Temple worship
and ritual, commencing after the Dedication of the Temple in 405 B.C., with the First Passover in Nisan, 404 B.C.
This year (374 B.C.) marked the commencement of the last great national testing time of the People in the land: viz. 400 years (40 x 10), and ended with the beginning of Christ's ministry in A.D. 26.
7. On examining this Chronological grouping, it will be seen that it presents the prophetic Books to us as a whole; and thus, in a manner is at variance with the usal classification into "Four Prophets the Greater (or Longer), and Twelve Prophets the Minor (or Shorter)."
Although it is, of course, manifestly true that Isaiah, Jereiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are "greater", in the sense that they are messages of ampler dimensions, and far wider scope than the majority of the others, yet - according to their Chronological positions in the Scriptures, as shown in the Chart - it would appear that they are grouped together by the Divine Spirit, with the so-called "minor" (or Shorter) prophets, as being units only in a particular "coming" of the Word of Yehovah, during certain clearly defined periods of time connected with the close of the national history of Israel's sons as possessors of the land.
It is interesting to note the close association of the figures "6" and "7" with these periods.
(a) The three groups together cover a period of 203 years, during which "the Word of the Lord came" through the prophets (102 + 94 + 7 = 203); and 203 is 29 sevens.
(b) The prophecies of the First Group, linked together by the number of Man "6", are seen to be closely connected with the last hundred years or so of the Northern Kingdom.
The Second Group, linked together by the special number of Spiritual Perfection "7", are as closely connected with the destruction and punishment of Judah and Jerusalem.
(c) In the First Group, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah were contempory for 21 years (3 sevens); viz. from 632 to 611 B.C.
In the Second Group, Jeremiah, Daniel, Joel, and Ezekiel are contemporaries for 7 years (1 seven); vz. from 484 to 477 B.C.
If Obadiah's date is 482 B.C., then we have 5 prophets all contemporaries during this period. And 5 is the number associated with Divine Grace.
After the "break" of 14 years (2 sevens) between the Second and Third Groups, we have Zechariah, the last of the 15 prophets of the three groups, continuing from 410 to 403 B.C. (1 seven); Haggai being contemporary with him in 410.
The 5 prophets represents the number of Grace thrice repeated (5 x 3).
8. Malachi's date is 374 B.C. As stated above, this is exactly 30 years after the Restoration, and the resumption of the Temple worship and ritual, beginning with the Passover in 404 B.C. (Ezra 6:19). The "seal of the Prophets" was therefore affixed 30 years from that important start-point, and 29 clear years from Ezra's last date: viz., 1st of Nisan 403 B.C. (Ezra 10:17), the year that witnessed the Dedication of the Wall (Neh.12:27-47) and the Reformation of the Peope under Nehemiah (Neh.13:1-31).
9. It may also be noted that the Book of Jonah - the prophet quoted by our Lord as the "sign" of His own Resurrection - commences the grouped 15, while Zechariah ends them with the glorious and detailed statements of the Return of the King to reign as "the Lord of all the earth".
Again: as the "break" of 29 years follows after Zechariah, before the "Seal", Malachi, is affixed in 374 B.C., this points to a fact of great importance, viz., that the O.T. is really closed by the Book of Zechariah and not Malachi, as usually understood. Malachi marks the commencement of the great probationary period of 400 years, which ended with the coming of "My Messenger" (John the Baptist) followed by the Advent of "the Messenger of the Covenant" (Messiah Himself).
Malachi is thus seen to be linked on to John the Baptist (cp. Mal.4:5,6, and Matt.11:10-15), and "seals" together the last page of the O.T., and the beginning of "The Book of the Generation of Jesus the Messiah."
In the Hebrew Canon we have
The 5 Books of the "Law". This is the number of Gace.
(2) The 8 Books of the Prohets" - this is the Dominical number.
(3) The 11 Books of the Hagiographa - this is the remarkable number (the 5th prime) which plays so important a part in the works of God.
In the Law, the grace of God was shown to Israel (Deut.4:31-37, &c.); but true grace came by Jesus Christ. (See John 1:1617.)
In the Prophets, we have Yehovah's special dealing with Israel. In the "former prophets" we see the law-principle; and in the latter prophets we see faith-principle; the two together presenting us with a wonderful picture of the failure of man on the one hand, and the faithfulness of Yehovah on the other.
Through the changing of the order of the Books of the prophets, by the Translators of the Septuagint, the Church has lost sight of the one grand illustration of the great principle of Old Testament teaching, which is currently supposed to be taught only in the New; vix. that law-priciple brings in "the curse", whereas faith-principle brings in "the blessing".
The non-recognition of the fact that this is Old Testament teaching has obscurred the specific doctrine of the New: viz., that over and above belief on the Lord Jesus Christ, a "mystery" or "secret", which had been hid in God "from the beginning of the world" (Eph.3:9), was made manifest after Pentecost, and after the Dispensation covered by the Acts of the Apostles, to the apostle Paul. See Eph.1:9; 3; and 5:32.
There is another Structure, differing from that given in the Structure of the Books of the O.T. according to the Hebrew Canon, but equally true, viz.: –
A Joshua. Israel brought into the Land. God keeps His Covenant. Israel under priests. B Judges. Israel in the Land. Man breaks the covenant. Failure of priesthood. B Samuel. Israel in the Land. God shows mercy in appointing prophets, and a king whose throne shall be establshed forever. A Kings. Israel ejected from the Land. Man breaks the covenant as before; the 10 tribes and the kings break the one made with David.Here, in the "former" prophets (Zech.7:7), we see, arranged in an Introversion, the whole of Israel's failure in the Land, set forth by the Lord.
Priests and kings were anointed: but God would now send an anointed One, i.e. Messiah; and, if they would believe on Him they would be established. For He would be also a Prophet. Corporate testimony had failed: therefore there would be a division among individuals of the nation on account of Him; so that in time of crisis those whose sins had not been expiated by His priestly work would be excluded from the Nation for not hearkening to Him as Prophet (Deut.18:18,19), and extirpated by His work as King (Isa.6:9-13; 7:9; John 7:40-43; Acts 3:19-26; 13:38-52; Matt.13:36-43). In Him, then, the righteous Servant of Yehovah, the future of Israel is seen in the latter prophets (Isa.49).
He is both rejected and accepted. The Nation went back to the land to try that question under Divine auspices (Dan.9:24-27). When they rejected Him, they were not established, but again scattered. But when they accept Him they will be regathered, and never again rooted out.
They can come back only through David (from whom their second breach of covenant referred to was a departure), before the first breach of covenant can be healed up; for the character and form of the Structure (here, as elsewhere) corresponds with the subject-matter; and, in this, the Introversion of the Structure is the same as the principle on which God works: viz., by introversion. The Law must go forth from Zion.
We find then that the following is the Structure, showing
C Isiah. Restoration of the throne of David through the priestly work of Messiah, from the standpoint of the two tribes. D Jeremiah. Political disruption, and final restoration of Judah and Ephraim (the twelve tribes)by a new Covenant. D Ezekiel. Ecclesiastical disruption, God ceasing to rule the Land in demonstration; and final restoration of the same, re-establishing all the twelve tribes. C The Twelve Minor Prophets. Restoration of the throne of David through the priestly work of Messiah, from the standpoint of the ten tribes. (see the Structure of these, proceeding Hosea.)
It is alledged by modern critics that, while Deuteronomy was the work of some anonymous writer in the reigns of Josiah and Manasseh, the ritual portions of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers were the work of Ezra and the priests of Babylon. Thus, practically, the greater part of the Pentateuch is assumed to be post-exilic, and therefore not written by Moses; and this in spite of the fact that the claims of the whole Bible necessitate the Mosaic authorship.
On the other hand, it is admitted by some modern critics that the prophets lived and wrote in the reigns of those kings with whose reigns they are repectively associated.
But the Pentateuch is full of technical terms and legal phraseology; and has its own particular vocabulary. The constant reference to these by all the prophets proves conclusvely that the Pentateuch as a whole must have had a prior existence; and must have been well known by the prophets, and understood by those who heard the prophetic utterances and read the prophetic writings.
Throughout all the Books of the prophets such references to the Pentateuch have been noted in the margin of the Companion Bible with the brief indication "Ref. to Pent.", followed by the passages referred to. It is not claimed that none have been overlooked: so that the number will be greater rather than less.
It would occupy too much space here to give the table which had been prepared. Any reader can collect the whole from the notes, and arrange them in the order of the chapters and verses of the Pentateuchal Books.
An examination of these references will show that altogether 1,531 have been noted, and are distributed as follows: Genesis is referred to 149 times; Exodus, 312; Leviticus, 285; Numbers, 168; while Deuteronomy is referred to 617 times.
Thus Deuteronomy, of which the modern critics have made the greatest havoc, is referred to more often than any of the other 4 Books: 468 times more often than Genesis; 305 ties more ofen than Exodus; 332 times more often than Leviticus; and 449 times more often than Numbers. That is to say, more often than any two of the other Books put together.
It is also remarkable that the references to technical, legal, and ritual terms are more numerous than to those relating to historical events. The latter would necessarily be better known and remembered; but the former could not have been thus referred to unless the ritual itself (less easily remembered) had existed in writing, and thus been generally known and understood. It is evident that it would have been perfectly useless for the prophets to write and qoute anything but what was well known, or could be easily referred to and verified.
The hypothesis of modern critics is that Isaiah is not the sole author of the prophecy bearing his ame, but that he only wrote chapter 1-39 (called by them "the forer porton"), and that an unknown author or authors (for there are now alleged to have been three, or more, Isaiahs) are responsible for chapter 40 to the end (called by them "the latter portion").
Thus, They would treat this prophecy much as Isaiah himself is said to have been treated, who, as tradition tells us, was "sawn asunder".
This "latter portion" also modern critics would relegate to a latter date: viz., toward the close of the 70 years' exile.
This is a very modern theory, for, the one authorship of this prophecy has been held without question by both Jews and Christians for over 2,000 years.
A sufficient and conclusive answer to his matter is afforded by Holy Scripture itself, in the fact that Isaiah is 21 times mentioned by name in the New Testament as the author of this prophecy.
11 of these passages attribute to him words occuring in the "latter" portion of the Book, and 10 of them words occurring in the "former" portion.
The 21 passages are distibuted over 6 Books of the N.T.: viz. Matt. (6 times); Mark (once); Luke (2 times); John(4 times); Acts (3 times); Romans (5 times).
And the prophet is named by 7 different speakers or writers in the N.T.
4 Times by Christ Himself; 3 being from the "former" portion of Isaiah (Matt.13:14; 15:7. Mark 7:6), and one from the "latter" (Matt.12:17).
Twice by Matthew: once from the former portion (Matt.4:14), and once from the latter portion (Matt.8:17).
4 times by Luke: all from the "latter" portion of Isaiah (Luke 3:4; 4:17. Acts 8:28; 8:30).
3 times by John the Evangelist: twice from the "former" portion (John 12:39,41), and once from the "latter" portion (John 12:38).
Twice by John the Baptist: both from the "latter" portion (Matt.3:3. John 1:23).
6 times by Paul the Apostle: 4 times from the "former" portion (Acts 28:25. Rom.9:27,29; 15:12), and twce from the latter portion (Rom.10:16,20).
A further evidence of the unity of Isaiah is furnished by the Structure of the Book: which, as the student of the Companion Bible will readily percieve, does not lend itself to any degree to the arbitrary ending suggested, at chapter 39.
A "pillar" to this "theory" is found in the supposed occurrence of certain words in the "former" portion of the prophecy which are not found in the "latter" portion, and visa versa. An examination of a few words which are cited by modern critics will show the palpable inaccuracy characterizing their assertions.
It is asserted that the following are found only in the "latter" portion of Isaiah (chapters 40 to the end): –
1. The titles Creator, Redeemer, Saviour. But the facts of creating, redeeming, and saving are referred to in 1:27; 12:1,2; 14:1; 17:10; 25:9; 27:11; 29:22; 30:18; 33:22; 35:10.
2. The thought of Yehovah as "Father".But the relation is stated in 1:2.
3. The word bachar (to chose). But see 1:29; 7:15,16; 14:1.
4. The word halal (to praise). But see 13:10; 38:18.
5. The word paer (to glorify). But see 10:15.
6. The word patsach (to break forth into joy). But see 14:7.
7. The wod tsemach (to spring forth). But see 4:2.
8. The word zerõ‘ (the arm [of Yehovah]). But see 9:20; 17:5; 30:30; 33:2.
There are more than 300 words and expressions which are common to both the alleged "former" and "latter" portions of Isaiah's prophecy; and which do not occur at all in the latter prophecies of Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
A sufficient number of these, to illustrate this fact amply, will be found given in the notes under their occurrences.
The Structure, above, declares the unity of the Book, and effectually disposes of the alleged dual authorship and the hypothetical division of the Books by modern critics into two parts: the "former" part being chs1-39, the "latter" parts chs.40-66. The "Voice", in ch.40:1-11, is necessitated in order to complete the "Correspondence" with 6:1-13; and, if an hypothesis is admitted on the one side, then it must be admitted on the other; and it is hypothetically incredible that this dual reference to the "voice" could have been the outcome of a dual authorship.
The DATE of the Book is given as "in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah".
In 6:1, the prophecy there is given as being "in the year that king Uzziah died".
Uziah died in 649 B.C.
Historically, Isaiah disappears from view after delivering the great prophecy of the Babylonian Servitude (2 Kings 20:16-18 and Isa.39:1-8). This was in the year 603 B.C., after Hezekiah's illness at the close of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib in Hezekiah's 14th year.
We thus have two fixed dates, and between them a period of 46 years, during which, undoubtedly, "the Word of Yehovah came" through saiah, and "God spoke" by him.
Though this period was covered and overlapped by the Prophet's life, it was not the whole of the period covered by the "vision", which goes far beyond the prediction of the Bablylonish Captivity.
Hezekiah lived for 15 years after his illness, dying therefore in 588 B.C. Manasseh, his son,born in the 3rd of the 15 added years, succeeded in the same year (588 B.C.).
How soon after his accession the Manassean persecution began we are not told; but it is highly improbable that a boy of 12 years would immediately commence the horrible things of which we are told in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chron.33.
The unutterable "religious" practices that lie behind the descriptive words in these chapters point clearly to some 4 or 5 years later, when Manasseh would be 16 or 17.
According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah perished in Manasseh's persecution; when, it is said, he took reuge inside a hollow mulberry tree, which Manasseh ordered to be sawn trough. This may be referred to in Heb.11:37.
If we take the 5th year of Manasseh (584 B.C.) as the date of Isaiah's death (violent or natural, we have no means of determining), then, from "the year that king Uzziah died" (6:1, which forcibly suggests the terminus a quo of the whole Book) to this point, we have 65 years from the commencement of the "visions" till the supposed date of his death (649-584 = 65).
If Isaiah was about the same age as Samuel, Jeremiah, and Daniel were, at the beginning of their ministries, viz.16-18, then we may concede that the length of his life was some 81-83 years.
There is no evidence That "the Word of the Lord came" to Isaiah after the reign of Hezekiah ended in 588 B.C., therefore the whole period covered by the "vision" of Isaiah is 61 years (649-588 = 61).
From that year onward till the 13th year of Josiah in 518 .C., there were 70 years during which God did not speak "by the prophets" (588-518 = 70).
The Chart of the Prophets shows that Isiah was contempory with Hosea from 649-611 B.C. = 38 years;with Micah from 632-611 B.C. = 21 years; and with Nahum in the year 603 B.C. = 1 year.