Isaiah - An Introduction

Before I jump into a chapter by chapter analysis of the prophet Isaiah, I want to do a brief introduction and overview. There is plenty to be found on the internet about Isaiah and a Google search reveals some interesting results. The folks over at e-Word have classic commentaries from Calvin, Darby, Luther, Spurgeon and others, so that is a good resource to hear what they have to say about Isaiah - no doubt I will rely upon many different sources as I get into some of the more obscure socio-political prophecies, particularly those starting around chapter 8.

Isaiah, to me, is very much a representation of what Christ was 700 years later. Isaiah spoke the truth to those powerful people around him and defended those without defense. He revealed the truths of God and attempted to preach repentance and redemption while condemning those who had turned from God and become corrupted by greed, power, wealth and hedonism.

Isaiah begins by outlining the current state of Israel, which isn't good, but calling the nation into repentance which will manifest itself in blessing from God. Isaiah easily switches from the two inseparable ideas of the judgment and promise of God. God judges the nation and having proclaimed His judgment delivers redemptive promise.

It isn't until the 6th chapter that Isaiah receives his mission from God after He reveals Himself in splendor. It is this personal encounter which reflects the judgment and promise on a personal level that prepares Isaiah to fully engage Israel and the surrounding nations with God's prophetic vision:

Woe to me!" [Isaiah] cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

The prophet Isaiah could not stand in the presence of a holy God, but he was cleansed and his station as prophet was affirmed as God asked the critical question "Whom shall I send?" (At this point I can't help thinking about David in Psalm 51 or Peter in John 21 ) I will get to chapter 6 soon enough, but this is a pivotal point in Isaiah's journey and it is where I think we see God's anointing and Isaiah's mission come upon him very clearly. Chapter 7 tells of the birth of Christ, Chapter 53, the death. Isaiah's gift and the visions given him stretch well beyond his current circumstances and extend to the end of all things, which makes for a very compelling read.

From this point on, Isaiah declares prophecies and judgments to Israel and the surrounding nations, ever repeating the themes of God's justice, redemption for Israel and the promise of a glorious future (or "last days") Isaiah spanned the reigns of 4 kings, almost 60 years, and it appears that he was a contemporary of Micah, Jonah, Amos and Hosea, although he was likely younger than the latter three. Micah, in particular, sounds some of Isaiah themes in his writings sometimes word for word (compare Isaiah 2 with Micah 4 )

Isaiah demonstrates to us the role of the prophet and the judge: to speak the unwavering truth of God to those who need to hear it. Isaiah confronted the rulers of his day with their sin and prophesied the results of both continuing in it and repenting from it. Isaiah also prophesied in the sense of seeing the future and so we are given glimpses of what was to come (Christ) and what is still to come. When Paul speaks of prophecy in his New Testament epistles, I think he is thinking of Isaiah, whose gift was both in speaking truth and in speaking vision. We ought not limit our concept of prophecy to the future, but remember that it is also speaking God's truth now that is prophetic.

Next time I will jump into chapter 1, although I don't know how far I'll get because this book is very dense. Before that, however, will be Wednesday's Big Idea, so hopefully Thursday will bring our first real foray into the text.