What is the major theme of the Book of Isaiah?
The theme to Isaiah is salvation, Isaiah’s name actually means ‘Jehovah saves.’ Isaiah portrays Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Isaiah is full of prophecies concerning the Messiah – Jesus tells us that the whole scriptures testify about Him. Only God can tell the future and the prophetic implications reveal to us the supernatural origin of the bible.
What does the Bible say about Isaiah?
The messenger of the message of salvation is the prophet Isaiah, whose name means “salvation of Yahweh,” or “Yah saves.”. He was the son of Amoz; he may also have been related to the royal family, perhaps King Manasseh, by whom he was believed to have been sawn asunder (see the Apocryphal literature; Heb. 11:37 ).
What is the message of Isaiah?
What is the main message of Isaiah? God is both the judge and the savior. This means that God has a plan to make all things right in the end, and that a necessary part of that process is declaring what is not yet right. This is the message of Isaiah the prophet. The judgment of God declares what is broken; the promise of God is to heal.
What is the summary of Isaiah?
Summary of the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah prophesied during one of the worst times in the history of Israel. The Israelites had become so corrupt God was going to remove them out of His sight. He raised up the Assyrian army to be an unmerciful, barbaric, ruthless, an unstoppable war machine.
What is the main message of Isaiah?
Isaiah is one of the most well-known prophets in the Bible for his prediction of the coming of the Messiah, who would redeem His people from their sins. A book of stark contrasts, Isaiah juxtaposes terrifying warnings of judgement and destruction with uplifting promises of hope and prosperity.
What lessons can we learn from the book of Isaiah?
They also learned principles pertaining to the consequences of choosing to be righteous or to sin. As students studied about Isaiah's call to prophesy to the people, they learned that as we are cleansed from our sins, we become willing and anxious to do what God asks of us.
What was the book of Isaiah written about?
The book of Isaiah was written during a time of great wickedness and apostasy, and it addresses both events of Isaiah's era and events that would occur in the future.
Why is the book of Isaiah so important?
For Christians, documenting evidence of the life of Isaiah holds particular importance. Christian tradition interprets Isaiah's words as prophecies about the Virgin Birth, the nature of being a messiah and the universal relevance of Jesus' messianic identity to both gentiles and Jews.
Why should we study Isaiah?
Perhaps the most important part of the book of Isaiah is Isaiah's testimony and witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and the Promised Messiah. Studying the book of Isaiah can strengthen your testimony of the Savior and teach you to listen to the Spirit as you encounter symbolism in the scriptures.
How do you understand Isaiah?
Five Keys for Studying IsaiahRealize you already know a lot. If you know the basics of Heavenly Father's plan, you're a long way toward understanding Isaiah. ... Know Isaiah's main topics. ... Take advantage of the words of latter-day scriptures and prophets. ... Get to know Isaiah's world. ... Commit to study by the Spirit.
Who wrote the book of Isaiah and why?
According to tradition first appearing in the Talmud, a compendium of Jewish law redacted in Babylonia at about 500 CE (Bava Batra 14b-15a), the Book of Isaiah was written by King Hezekiah, who reigned from 715 to 686 BCE, and his aides.
What happened to Isaiah in the Bible?
Isaiah probably lived to its close, and possibly into the reign of Manasseh. The time and manner of his death are not specified in either the Bible or other primary sources. Later Jewish tradition says that he suffered martyrdom by being sawn in two under the orders of Manasseh.
What is the goal of the book of Isaiah?
The Messiah’s kingdom on earth (Isaiah chapters 65-66) is the goal toward which all of the book of Isaiah points. It is during the reign of the Messiah that God’s righteousness will be fully revealed to the world. In a seeming paradox, the book of Isaiah also presents the Messiah as one who will suffer.
What does Isaiah say about the Messiah?
More than any other book in the Old Testament, Isaiah focuses on the salvation that will come through the Messiah. The Messiah will one day rule in justice and righteousness ( Isaiah 9:7; 32:1 ). The reign of the Messiah will bring peace and safety to Israel ( Isaiah 11:6-9 ).
Why was Judah spared?
Judah was threatened with destruction by Assyria and Egypt, but was spared because of God’s mercy. Isaiah proclaimed a message of repentance from sin and hopeful expectation of God’s deliverance in the future. Key Verses:
How did Isaiah view Israel?
That is perhaps the best summary of how Isaiah viewed the nation of Israel. Israel had an appearance of righteousness, but it was a facade. In the Book of Isaiah, the Prophet Isaiah challenges Israel to obey God with all of their heart, not just on the outside.
What does Isaiah 9:6 mean?
Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”. Isaiah 14:12-13, “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
What chapter does Jesus come in?
In His first advent, Jesus was the suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53. In His second advent, Jesus will be the conquering and ruling King, the Prince of Peace ( Isaiah 9:6 ). Foreshadowings: As stated above, chapter 53 of Isaiah describes the coming Messiah and the suffering He would endure in order to pay for our sins.
When was the book of Isaiah written?
Date of Writing: The book of Isaiah was written between 739 and 681 B.C. Purpose of Writing: The Prophet Isaiah was primarily called to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. Judah was going through times of revival and times of rebellion. Judah was threatened with destruction by Assyria and Egypt, but was spared because of God’s mercy.
What is the message of Isaiah?
In summary, the message of Isaiah is that salvation comes from God —not man. God alone is Savior, Ruler, and King.
What is the book of Isaiah?
Book of Isaiah. Mary Fairchild is a full-time Christian minister, writer, and editor of two Christian anthologies, including "Stories of Cavalry.". Isaiah is called "The Book of Salvation.". The name Isaiah means "the salvation of the Lord" or "the Lord is salvation.". Isaiah is the first book containing the writings of the prophets of the Bible.
What did Isaiah do to the people?
Isaiah's calling as a prophet was primarily to the nation of Judah (the southern kingdom) and to Jerusalem, urging the people to repent from their sins and return to God. He also foretold the coming of the Messiah and the salvation of the Lord.
What does the name Isaiah mean?
The name Isaiah means "the salvation of the Lord" or "the Lord is salvation.". Isaiah is the first book containing the writings of the prophets of the Bible. And the author, Isaiah, who is called the Prince of Prophets, shines above all the other writers and prophets of Scripture. His mastery of the language, his rich and vast vocabulary, ...
What does Isaiah say about Judah?
Isaiah predicted the demise and captivity of Judah, yet comforted them with this hope: God has promised to provide a Redeemer. The last 27 chapters contain God's message of forgiveness, consolation, and hope, as God speaks through Isaiah, revealing his plan of blessing and salvation through the coming Messiah.
What are the messages in the first 39 books of Isaiah?
The first 39 books of Isaiah contain very strong messages of judgment against Judah and a call to repentance and holiness. The people exhibited an outward form of godliness, but their hearts had become corrupted. God warned them through Isaiah, to come clean and purify themselves, but they ignored his message.
How many chapters are there in Isaiah?
Isaiah incorporates both prose and poetry into his gifted writings, which contain sarcasm, metaphor, personification, and many other skillful literary forms. Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters, paralleling the division of the entire Bible into 66 books. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah contain strong themes of God's judgment, ...
Why is Isaiah so important?
The book of Isaiah provides us with the most comprehensive prophetic picture of Jesus Christ in the entire Old Testament. It includes the full scope of His life: the announcement of His coming ( Isaiah 40:3–5 ), His virgin birth (7:14), His proclamation of the good news (61:1), His sacrificial death (52:13–53:12), and His return to claim His own (60:2–3). Because of these and numerous other christological texts in Isaiah, the book stands as a testament of hope in the Lord, the One who saves His people from themselves.
How many sections are there in Isaiah?
Much of scholarship for the past two centuries has assigned multiple writers to Isaiah, dividing the book into three sections: 1–39, 40–55, and 56–66. However, these divisions come out of a scholarly denial of predictive prophecy.
Why did the people of Judah turn their backs on God?
The people of Judah turned their backs on God and alienated themselves from Him, which created the need for Isaiah’s pronouncements of judgment —declarations made in the hope that God’s chosen people would return to Him.
Who wrote the book?
As is the case with nearly all the books of “the prophets,” the book of Isaiah takes its name from its writer. Isaiah was married to a prophetess who bore him at least two sons ( Isaiah 7:3; 8:3 ). He prophesied under the reign of four Judean kings—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1)—and he likely met his death under a fifth, the evil King Manasseh. Christian tradition as early as the second century identifies Isaiah as one of the prophets whose death is described in Hebrews 11:37, specifically the prophet who was “sawn in two.” 1 Isaiah likely lived in Jerusalem, given the book’s concern with the city ( Isaiah 1:1) and his close proximity to at least two significant kings during the period of his prophecy (7:3; 38:1).
What is the message of Isaiah?
While little is known of the personal life of the prophet, he is considered to be one of the greatest of them all. The book is a collection of oracles, prophecies, and reports; but the common theme is the message of salvation.
What is the setting of the book of Isaiah?
So the setting of the first half of the book is Judah in the days of the Assyrians, and the setting of the second half of the book is Babylon, then Jerusalem again, and then beyond in the age to come. The “target audience” in the first half of the book is pre-exilic Israel; the “target audience” in the second half of the book is Israel during the exile and at the return (we know they are different; Isaiah did not). In both parts the oracles often look to the distant future for their main meaning and application. The fact that each section includes vivid descriptions as well as general and poetic descriptions has fueled controversy about the unity of the book and the prophet himself.
What is the difference between Ezekiel 1:1 and Isaiah 2:1?
Ezekiel 1:1 is a contrast to the pattern; Isaiah 2:1 is written for a small section of the prophecy. 4. A major objection is that parts of the book are not written to or about Judah or Jerusalem (e.g., chapter 13 for Babylon and Edom). But these other oracles are recorded as they pertain to Jerusalem and Judah.
What is the collection of Isaianic oracles?
The collection of Isaianic oracles fits the progression of Israel’s history over this time. The prophet began preaching during the Assyrian crisis, about the time Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom and was threatening the southern kingdom. Although Hezekiah was able to survive that invasion through the help of the prophet, he foolishly allowed the ambassadors from Babylon to see all the treasures of the kingdom, a sin that brought Isaiah’s announcement of the Babylonian captivity in the future. The book includes this historical interlude before the second half which focuses on that captivity in Babylon. The prophet has no idea when that captivity would come; for him it could have come right after the death of Hezekiah, and that would mean his audience might be the people to go into the exile. And so he began to prepare them—but it would not be that generation, for the exile began about 100 years after the death of Isaiah. But the second portion of the book looks in a general way to that future time and writes his message of comfort and hope for the exiles of Judah, as well as descriptions of the restoration to Jerusalem. The hope of such a salvation issues into the glorious vision of the new heavens and the new earth in the age to come.
What does Isaiah 10 mean?
Isaiah 10 describes the invasion of the army from the north; Micah, a contemporary, describes the invasion of another part of the army from the lowlands ( Micah 1 ), and the Book of Kings describes the historical event, as do sections of Isaiah.
How many fragments of Isaiah are there?
There are about twelve fragments of Isaiah in the Qumran scrolls, the main one being 1QIsa a (Qumran, cave 1, Isaiah scroll A). This scroll is dated about 200-175 (early second century B.C.) by Birnbaum, which is supported by the study of other Isaiah scripts and from paleography.
What is the setting of the first half of the book?
So the setting of the first half of the book is Judah in the days of the Assyrians, and the setting of the second half of the book is Babylon, then Jerusalem again, and then beyond in the age to come.
Date Written
Landscape
- Throughout most of his long ministry, Isaiah lived in Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. During this time there was great political turmoil in Judah, and the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. Isaiah's prophetic calling was to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of Amos, Hosea, and Micah.
Themes
- As might be expected, salvation is the overarching theme in the book of Isaiah. Other themes include judgment, holiness, punishment, captivity, the fall of the nation, comfort, hope, and salvation through the coming Messiah. The first 39 books of Isaiah contain very strong messages of judgment against Judah and a call to repentance and holiness. Th...
Thought For Reflection
- It took great courageto accept the call of prophet. As the spokesperson for God, a prophet had to confront the people and the leaders of the land. Isaiah's message was scathing and direct, and although at first, he was well-respected, he eventually became very unpopular because his words were so harsh and unpleasant for the people to hear. As is typical for a prophet, Isaiah's life was …
Points of Interest
- Isaiah incorporates both prose and poetry into his gifted writings, which contain sarcasm, metaphor, personification, and many other skillful literary forms.
- Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters, paralleling the division of the entire Bible into 66 books. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah contain strong themes of God's judgment, resembling the 39 Old Testam...
- Isaiah incorporates both prose and poetry into his gifted writings, which contain sarcasm, metaphor, personification, and many other skillful literary forms.
- Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters, paralleling the division of the entire Bible into 66 books. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah contain strong themes of God's judgment, resembling the 39 Old Testam...
- The New Testament quotes Isaiah 66 times, surpassed only by the Psalms.
- Isaiah's wife is referred to as a prophetess.
Key Characters
- Isaiah and his two sons, Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Like his own name, which symbolized his message of salvation, Isaiah's son's names represented a part of his prophetic message as well. Shear-Jashub means "a remnant will return" and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil."
Key Verses
- Isaiah 6:8 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!" (NIV) Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (NIV)
Outline
- Judgment - Isaiah 1:1-39:8 1. The transgressions of Judah and Israel 2. Judgment against the surrounding nations 3. The purpose of God's judgment 4. Jerusalem's true and false hope 5. Hezekiah's reign Comfort - Isaiah 40:1-66:24 1. Israel's release from captivity 2. The future Messiah 3. The future kingdom