Introduction to Isaiah

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Isaiah 1:1 (NIV 1984) The vision of Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah, the son of Amoz, ministered from about 740 to 680 B.C. For about 20 years, he spoke to both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. After Israel’s fall to the Assyrians in 722 B.C., Isaiah continued to prophesy to Judah.

This period of Israel’s history is told in 2 Kings 15-21 and 2 Chronicles 26-33. Isaiah was a contemporary of the prophets Hosea and Micah. By the time of Isaiah, the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, and Amos had already completed their ministry.

By this time, Israel had been in the Promised Land for almost 700 years. For their first 400 years in Canaan, judges ruled Israel. These were spiritual, military, and political leaders whom God raised up as the occasion demanded. Then, for about 120 years, three kings reigned over all Israel: Saul, David, and Solomon. But in 917 B.C. Israel had a civil war, and was divided into two nations, Israel (to the north) and Judah (to the south) up until the time of Isaiah. See 1 Kings 12:1-30 and 2 Chronicles 10:1-19: Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

Up until the time of Isaiah, the northern nation of Israel had some 18 kings – all of them bad, and rebellious against the LORD. The southern nation of Judah had some 11 kings before Isaiah’s ministry, some good and some bad.

In the time of Isaiah, Israel was a little nation often caught in the middle of the wars between three superpowers: Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon.

As Isaiah’s ministry began, there was a national crisis in the northern nation of Israel. The superpower of Assyria was about to engulf the nation of Israel. During the span of his ministry as a prophet, the southern nation of Judah was faced with repeated threats from the larger surrounding nations.

Some modern scholars think that there was more than one author to the book of Isaiah. They throw about terms like “Deutero-Isaiah” and “Trito-Isaiah” or the “Isaianic School.”  

  • John 12:37-41 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

In John 12:37-41, John quotes from the “second” part of Isaiah (53:1) in verse 38 and from the“first” part of Isaiah (6:10) in verse 40 – the parts supposedly written by two or more different Isaiah’s – and specifically says it is the same Isaiah.

Isaiah, son of Amoz: The name Isaiah means Salvation is of the LORD. There are at least seven men by the name of Isaiah in the Bible, but only one is Isaiah, the son of Amoz.

Some have thought that Amoz and the prophet Amos were the same person, but this seems unlikely. Some ancient Hebrew traditions say that Amoz was a brother of king Amaziah, but there is no biblical way to prove this.

We know more about Isaiah than we do most of the other prophets. Isaiah was married and was the father of at least two sons. He probably lived in Jerusalem. Tradition holds that Isaiah outlived Hezekiah and was sawed in half by King Manasseh with a wooden saw after the prophet had hidden himself in a hollow tree from the angry king.” (Bultema) Many think Hebrews 11:37 (they were sawn in two) is a reference to the martyrdom of Isaiah.

  • Hebrews 11:37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—

Most of all, Isaiah was a great man of God. Isaiah “had the courage of a Daniel, the sensitivity of a Jeremiah, the pathos of a Hosea, and the raging anger of an Amos; and moreover he leaves all of them far behind in the unique art of holy mockery. His courage is of such a nature that he never, not even for a moment, shows himself to be weak or timid.” (Bultema)

The prophet Isaiah was a giant of Hebrew history. He was the Shakespeare of Hebrew literature, and the New Testament quotes him more often than all the other Old Testament prophets combined. No other Biblical author can match his rich vocabulary and use of imagery. And yet Isaiah spent his days not in an ivory tower, but in the corridors of power. He served as adviser to at least 4 kings of Judah and helped set the course of his nation.

Isaiah lived at a crucial time, midway between the founding of the kingdom under Saul and David and its eventual destruction by the Babylonians. A civil war had split the Israelites into North (Israel) and South (Judah), and Isaiah lived in the more pious southern kingdom.

When Isaiah began his work, the nation seemed strong and wealthy. But Isaiah saw signs of grave danger. People were using their power to harass the poor. Men went around drunk; women cared more about their clothes than about their neighbor’s hunger. People gave lip service to God and kept up the outward appearance of religion but did little more. The people of Isaiah’s day were taking God’s name in vain; their walk didn’t match their talk.  

  • Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: These people come to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

Jesus would quote Isaiah in condemning the people of his generation.

  • Matthew 15:8-9:“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

Outside dangers loomed even larger. The armies of neighboring Israel were rattling swords and spears at the border. On all sides monster empires were growing, especially Assyria and Egypt. Should the nation choose one of the foreign powers as an ally? The nation of Judah stood at a crossroads: It could either regain its footing or begin a dangerous slide downward. The prophet did not temper his message for the sake of popular opinion. He had harsh and unyielding words about what changes must take place.

Although he moved in royal circles, Isaiah was hardly a yes-man for the politicians. Sometimes he stood alone against a tide of optimism. His very name meant “The Lord saves,” and he warned kings that relying on military power or wealth or any force other than God would lead to disaster. Isaiah outlasted four kings, but he finally offended one beyond repair. King Manasseh (notorious for practicing infant sacrifice) found Isaiah’s strong words too much to handle. Tradition holds that he had Isaiah killed by sawing his body in half. But Isaiah’s God-inspired words endure to this day.

Isaiah is arguably the most eloquent book in the Old Testament with many recognizable verses and phrases. Isaiah is full of profound insights into the nature of God and his plan for mankind. Due to its length (66 chapters) and its peculiar organization, however, the book may seem hard to grasp.

Chapters 1-39: Words of Judgment – The events of chapters 1-39 occurred during Isaiah’s ministry, so they were probably written around 700 B.C. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah generally carry the message of judgment for sin. Isaiah brings the message of judgment to Judah, Israel, and the surrounding pagan nations. Judah had a form of godliness, but in their hearts they were corrupt. Isaiah’s warnings were intended to purify the people by helping them understand God’s true nature and message. However, they ignored the repeated warnings that Isaiah brought. We need not repeat their error; rather we should heed the prophetic voice.

Chapters 40-66: Words of Comfort – These chapters may have been written near the end of Isaiah’s life, around 681 B.C. The final 27 chapters of Isaiah generally bring a message of forgiveness, comfort, and hope. This message of hope looks forward to the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah speaks more about the Messiah than does any other Old Testament prophet. He describes the Messiah as both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord. The fact that the Messiah was to be both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord could not be understood clearly until New Testament times.

Based on what Jesus Christ has done, God freely offers forgiveness to all who accept the gospel. This is God’s message of comfort to us because those who heed it find eternal peace and fellowship with Him. Read 1 Corinthians 15:54-58.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
  • Isaiah 25:8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

Remember that Isaiah consists of a collection of many messages on various topics, pulled together into groupings. To understand Isaiah, it helps to think of road markers that set off the major groupings. Here is a summary of them.

  • Isaiah 1-12: Isaiah’s call and messages of warning to Judah during the prosperous days of the kingdom. These came mostly during the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz.
  • Isaiah 13-23: Isaiah’s messages to all the nations around Judah – including enemies and close allies.
  • Isaiah 24-35: A view of the future (24-27) and specific messages to the people of Judah as they faced Assyria’s imminent invasion.
  • Isaiah 36-39: An interlude telling of a great crisis faced by King Hezekiah. The focus of the book moves from Assyria to Babylon.
  • Isaiah 40-48: Prophecies addressed to a very different situation, 200 years into the future. Now Babylon, not Assyria, is the great enemy.
  • Isaiah 49-55: A word of hope about final deliverance through the Messiah.
  • Isaiah 56-66: General warnings to Judah, and a view of the future.

Keep in mind, just because it was “future” to them does not mean it is “future” to us.

High Points in Isaiah: The following chapters from Isaiah are of special note:

  • Isaiah 6: Isaiah’s dramatic call.
  • Isaiah 25: A song of praise.
  • Isaiah 40: A great description of God and His power over the whole earth.
  • Isaiah 52: A detailed description of God’s ultimate plan.
  • Isaiah 53: A prophecy quoted at least 10 times in the New Testament.
  • Isaiah 55: A word of great comfort from God.

The Kings of Isaiah’s Lifetime: Uzziah (2 Kings 15:1-17; 2 Chronicles 26), also referred to as Azariah, reigned some 50 years. As a young man he took advice from a prophet named Zechariah. He built up the army of Judah and worked on its agriculture and water supplies. Until Uzziah, Judah had been a struggling kingdom, with enemy fortifications just five miles from Jerusalem. Under Uzziah, the nation achieved true strength. Even so, Uzziah gets a short review in the Bible because of his spiritual failings.

Uzziah did not remove the high places, and he violated the Law of Moses by taking on the work of priests himself. As a result he was stricken with leprosy (2 Ch 26:19-21).

Jotham (2 Kings15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 27) ruled for 16 years. After serving as Uzziah’s proxy king for 15 years (while Uzziah was quarantined with leprosy), Jotham took over and continued the practices of his father. He expanded Judah’s economic and military strength, but did not pursue religious reforms as fully as he should have.

Ahaz (2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28) At the very moment Ahaz was being crowned armies from the north led by King Pekah of Israel were marching into Judah. Ahaz ignored the prophet’s advice to put his trust in God rather than in military alliances. Turning to the mighty empire of Assyria, he purchased aid with treasures from the temple and the king’s palace. The strategy worked temporarily: Israel’s armies withdrew to defend themselves. But Ahaz opened the door for later Assyrian invasions of Judah. Worse, he made copies of foreign gods and set them up in Jerusalem. Under him, religion in Judah took a precipitous drop. He went so far as to sacrifice his sons in the fire, following the detestable ways of foreign nations.

Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; Isaiah 36-39) Hezekiah was one of the few kings of Judah who was constantly aware of God’s acts in the past and his interest in the events of the day. The Bible describes him as a king who had a close relationship with God. He is given extensive coverage Isaiah 36-39.

Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20) Manasseh was the embodiment of evil. During his reign, he sought to undo all the good his father Hezekiah had done. He stood in stark contrast to king Hezekiah, as well as his grandson, the good king Josiah. He intentionally offended God by desecrating the temple with idols. He worshipped pagan gods and sacrificed children to the false god Molech. Manasseh’s life is sadly summed up with the words “He did evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 33:2). According to oral Rabbinical tradition, Manasseh executed the prophet Isaiah by having him sawed in half. These oral traditions were put into writing and this information can be found in both the Jerusalem Talmud as well as the Babylonian Talmud. Hebrews 11:37 makes a passing reference to this but does not mention Isaiah by name.

God showed justice to Manasseh in warning and punishing him. However, God also showed mercy to him by responding to Manasseh’s heartfelt repentance at the end of his life (2 Chronicles 33:12-16).

The book of Isaiah contains materials originating over four centuries. Several specific, datable historical events are referenced in Isaiah and provide the framework for the book:

  • The year of King Uzziah’s death (742 BC; Isaiah 6:1)
  • The Syro-Ephraimite War (734-732 BC; Isaiah 7:1-9:7; 17:1-11)
  • The fall of Samaria (721 BC; Isaiah 10:9-11)
  • The siege of Ashdod (711 BC; Isaiah 20:1-6)
  • Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah and siege of Jerusalem (701 BC; Isaiah 1:2-20; 28-33; 36-39)
  • The Babylonian conquest of Judah and subsequent exile of the Judeans (587 BC; Isaiah 40:1-2; 47:6; 48:3-6)
  • The rise of Cyrus, king of Persia and his capture of Babylon (540-539 BC; Isaiah 44:24-45:7; 46:11-13; 48:14-15)
  • The exiles return from Babylon and the rebuilding of the temple (536-516 BC; Isaiah 60:11-14; 62:9)
  • The rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (445BC; Isaiah 58:12; 60:18; 62:6)

Like all the prophetic books, Isaiah contains a great deal of Hebrew poetry, which relies on parallelism, or some form of repetition, for its overall effect.