Isaiah Introduction

Isaiah

Introduction

Isaiah, son of Amoz lived in Jerusalem and prophesied during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.  Isaiah prophesied about this time line, 740-698 BC and is considered by many to be the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.  His central teaching was “Hope through repentance and suffering.”  But we should not forget that God also called others, Elisha who lived around 855-800 BC whose central theme was  “God’s miraculous power” and Jonah whose message came about 786-746 BC and the central thought was “God’s universal concern.”  Then came Hosea around 786-746 with this message “God’s unquenchable love” and the next prophet was Amos who prophesied around 760-750 BC with this message, “God’s call for justice and righteousness.” 

The Holman Study Bible gives this insight in the introduction to Isaiah; “One can never read or study the book without having new insights into the nature of God and our relationship with him.  The authors of the New Testament read the book of Isaiah in light of the coming of Christ and realized that this prophet anticipated Messiah’s coming with remarkable clarity.  For this reason they quoted Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book.”

You may have wondered, where did Isaiah the son of Amoz get his call to be a prophet of God, if so you will find it in the sixth chapter, and beginning in verse one, we are told it came in the last year of King Uzziah’s life, and Isaiah reports that he saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple.  “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:5-7, ESV) 

Isaiah may have been the first volunteer and by doing so was called into the service of God as His mouthpiece to the Jewish nation.  This is what happened; “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:8-10, ESV)

Isaiah was fine with the assignment but he wanted a time line from God on the length of the obligation, and this is God’s reply; “Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.  And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah 6:11-13, ESV)

I am looking forward to this study, and my heart’s desire is that you and I come away with new insights into the nature of our great and holy God, and our relationship with Him.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice