The Prophet Isaiah
About Isaiah
Isaiah served during the reign of four kings(Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah) for a span of at least forty years. He was born in Jerusalem to a high family during the reign of Uzziah(791-739 B.C.). For some reason or other Isaiah appeared to have open access to the Royal House. One theory is that his father, Amoz, was the brother of King Amaziah, making Isaiah the cousin of King Uzziah. Isaiah was married to a woman he called the "prophetess" and they had two sons. His job of keeping the people of Judah faithful to Yahweh was not easy. When he recieved his calling, Israel had been conquered by Syria and now the two nations were heading towards Judah. Frequently druing his lifetime, Judah was threatened by the Assyrians.
The Call of Isaiah
Isaiah(his name means "Yahweh is salvation") received his calling in the form of a vision when he was visiting the Temple. he saw the Lord seated on a throne lifted up high and the seraphim on each side of Him. Isaiah cried out, "Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."(Isaiah 6:3) A seraph took a coal from the burning altar and placed it on Isaiah's lips preparing him for his mission. Then God said, "Whom shall i send?" (Isaiah 6:7) Isaiah answered, "Here I am; send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) The Lord warned him of the upcoming troubles with, "My children are troublesome and sensitive; if thou art ready to be insulted and even beaten by them, thou mayest accept my messsage." Isaiah, of course, accepted.
His Dealings with the People and Kings
Isaiah may have been the most politically involved Prophet. The advice he gave the kings was as good politically as it was religeously. He became an advisor to the king beginning with Ahaz. Ahaz was a weak man and didn't listen to Isaiah when he warned him that it was against God's will to form an alliance with a foreign nation but Ahaz still allied with Assyria to help fight a war. Later, Hezekiah broke the same law and attempted to form a secret alliance with Egypt. Of courze, he couldn't hide it from God and soon Assyria had laid Judah to waste and was laying seige to Jerusalem. If it wasn't for God's miraculous intervention, Jerusalem would have been destroyed. Isaiah spoke to the Jews and Gentiles of Judah. Isaiah's main task was to turn the people away from their sin. After his vision, he had a new awareness of pettiness and sin. Isaiah tried to convey his vison of hope that God would triumph amd protect those who were faithful. he prophicied that a new annointed king would come and he would be as great as David. It was truly a very hard task to make the fearful people to keep their faith. Israel had been conquered and Judah was likely to be next. They didn't believe a loving God would let powerful nations that close to their kingdom. They also didn't believe that a God could save them from the Assyrians. They thought the only way to survive was to withdraw their trust from God and gain alliances to help fight. It was all Isaiah could do to even keep the religeon a memory. Ahaz tried to actually get rid of Judaism. Isaiah is obviously a very important prophet.
Prophecies in the Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah contains three seperate groups of prophecies addressed to three groups of people. Only the first group is attributed to Isaiah. The other two(which deal with the Babylonian captivity and the Remnant community) are believed to be made by a II Isaiah who lived about 200 years later. The first prophecy by Isaiah is recorded as a collection of five prophecies all addressed to the Jews and Gentiles of Judah.
1. Prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem prior to the Syro-Ephraimitic War(735 B.C.)
2. Prophecies connected with the clash between Isaiah and Ahaz at a critical point of the Syro-Ephraimitic War.
3. Prophecies agianst Gentile nations.
4. This is the Apocalypse of Isaiah which describes the judgement of the Gentile nations and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom.
5. More Prophecies against Judah and Zion. These were the last prophecies and took place in between 726 and 702 B.C.
Isaiah's Death
According to the Talmud, Isaiah was put to death by King Manasseh of Judah(succesor of Hezekiah). Manasseh found fault with him because, "Moses thy master said,'There shall no man see God and live' but thou hast said, 'I saw the Lord seated upon His throne.'" Manasseh gave more reasons but Isaiah did not try to explain or defend himself. Isaiah then said the Unpronounceable Name and a cedar-tree opened and he disappeared inside of it. Manasseh promptly cut down the tree and Isaiah died.
A. The Book of Judgment
I. Indictment of Israel and Judah
II. Immanuel Prophecy
III. Oracles against the Pagan Nations
IV. Apocalypse of Isaiah
V. The Lord Alone, Israel’s and Judah’s Salvation
VI. The Lord Zion’s Avenger
VII. Historical Appendix
B. Book of Consolation
I. The Lord’s Glory in Israel’s Liberation
II. Expiation of Sin, Spiritual Liberation of Israel
III. Return of the First Captives
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Pop Quiz
1. What does Isaiah's name mean?
2. Who was Isaiah's father?
3. What kings did Isaiah serve under?
4. Who killed Isaiah?
Sources
1.Dom Bernard Orchard and others, "A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture"
London and others, Thomas Nelson and sons, 1953c
2.
http://www.theobamber.co.uk/prophetic%20sermons/isaiah.htm
3. "The Jewish Encyclopedia" 1904, VI God-Istria
>Good Links for More Info.
New Advent
Theo Bamber
Allen Ross on Bible.org
Jewish Encyclopedia
