Introduction to Isaiah

Introduction to Isaiah

Rev. Troy Dennis

The Old Testament book of Isaiah has an important place in Christianity. Only the book of Psalms is larger, and many passages give details of Jesus’ life and ministry centuries before his coming. Jesus taught from Isaiah, and the apostles quoted the prophet. In modern times passages have found their way into hymns and songs, and we hear its familiar refrains in famous works like Handel’s Messiah.

Isaiah is a book of both judgment and hope. The nation of Judah would be judged because of her active rebellion against God. Chapters 1-39 tell us that idolatry and injustice were rampant despite the message of the prophets to repent, and so God would carry out his judgment through the neighboring nations, ultimately ending in exile to Babylon. The situation is not completely barren, however, since a faithful remnant would remain among the people and the pagan nations would also face judgment. In chapters 40-55 the tone changes to one of hope as the book looks forward to a time when the exile is completed. God will rescue his people and raise his anointed servant to bring justice and salvation. In chapters 56-59, the people are urged to be faithful to God, to put aside idolatry and injustice and to live in peace with God and each other. God will reward justice and righteousness, but punish rebellion. Finally, in chapters 60-66, God promises to establish Zion, the holy city of God where his rule will be established forever and the nations will recognize his glory. The people ought, therefore, to live faithfully if they hope to take part in the New Heaven and New Earth.

There are many ways to study the book of Isaiah. The historical context of the book is rich and full, spanning more than 200 years. The prophet Isaiah, credited with writing the book, received his call “in the year king Uzziah died” (6:1) and remained active through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. In this eighth century BC setting, Judah was sandwiched between the world powers of Egypt to the west and Assyria to the east. Furthermore, Israel paired with Aram to attack from the north. In response to these threats, Judah’s kings allied first with Egypt but later became a vassal state of Assyria, paying extortion by stripping gold from the temple. It is important to note that during the reign of Hezekiah, the northern kingdom of Israel fell in 722 and the people were deported. This should have added weight to Isaiah’s prophecies about exile.

While a good portion of Isaiah is anchored firmly in the eighth century BC, the prophecy about Persian ruler Cyrus in chapters 44 and 45 speaks of a time around 539 BC. In the intervening years, the Babylonians would conquer Assyria and then take Jerusalem in 586, but later fall to Cyrus, who reversed the policies of earlier regimes and allowed the exiles to return. The eager Bible student will find this rich history in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Ezra.

Isaiah’s themes are a fruitful study and teach us about God. It is clear that God is sovereign. He expects his people to be loyal, and when they are not he is able to direct even the pagan nations to bring judgment. Idolatry and pride are repugnant to God and stand out as acts of rebellion. Justice is vitally important to God. He sees when the poor and downtrodden are trampled for others’ gain and he will not let these acts go unpunished. Even in the face of judgment God leaves hope. He will not allow his people to be wiped out completely and so there will be a remnant who are faithful and will endure. And finally, there is the promise of a coming age when God will establish his kingdom forever.

The Suffering Servant merits study. While we see the Messiah in other places like Jeremiah 30-31, Isaiah is unique because we God’s promise to bring salvation to his people through the gentleness and suffering of his anointed Servant. (42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). Having examined these passages, we may find it helpful to carry this through to see their fulfillment through Jesus in the New Testament.

Finally, another fruitful study might be to examine the quotations of Isaiah in the New Testament. Isaiah is perhaps the most-quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament, and so there is no shortage of material. Both book and online resources can help the student to find these references.