The Book of Isaiah

I got this from Liberty and thought I'd share....It's a good overview:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK OF ISAIAH

This book is universally looked upon as the greatest Old Testament manuscript, as written by the greatest Old Testament prophet. In unsurpassed eloquence Isaiah describes the greatness, grace, and glory of God, the virgin birth, dual nature, earthly life, sufferings, and resurrection of the promised Messiah. The author also writes extensively regarding the terrors of the coming tribulation and wonders of themillennium. The nation Israel is one of Isaiah’s main themes as he denounces the sin of his people, pronounces future judgment, and announces Israel’s restoration.

BOTTOM LINE INTRODUCTION

FROM THE REVOLT OF SATAN TO THE RULE OF THE SAVIOR. HERE IT IS, AS TOLD BY SCRIPTURE’S MOST ELOQUENT PROPHET.

Isaiah is the Shakespeare of the prophets, and the St. Paul of the Old Testament. This marvelous manuscript has been regarded almost universally as by far the greatest and grandest treatise on the most important subject in the history of writing – Christ and his salvation. The book’s significance and sheer eloquence simply cannot be overstated.

Isaiah has more to say about the greatness of God (Isaiah 40, 43), the horrors of the tribulation (Isaiah 24), the wonders of the millennium (Isaiah 35), and the ministry of Christ (Isaiah 53), than any other biblical book. Isaiah probably contains the most important and far-reaching chapter in the entire Old Testament – chapter 53. This amazing chapter alone is quoted from or alluded to some 85 times in the New Testament. Jesus said that Isaiah saw His glory and spoke of Him (Jn. 12:41). This book is really an extended commentary on Jonah 2:9, when that prophet exclaimed from the fish’s belly, “Salvation is of the Lord.” The word salvation appears 33 times in the writing of the prophets, and of these, 26 instances occur in Isaiah.

Ronald Youngblood writes:

“The measure of any book’s greatness is not to be looked for in the quantity of its lines or paragraphs or pages but in the quality of its contents. The book of Isaiah is great because of the breadth of its teachings, because of theimportance of its message, because of the sweep of its subject matter. The Colorado River has many gorges, but none is so magnificent as the Grand Canyon: 280 miles long, 4 to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep, it beckons to the visitor to marvel at its beauty and plumb its depths again and again. In much the same way the Old Testament has many prophetic books, but none is so magnificent as Isaiah: sixty-six chapters long and thus a miniature Bible in itself. It beckons to the reader to revel in its beauty and plumb its teachings again and again.” (Themes from Isaiah, Royal Books, Ventura, CA, pp. 7, 8)

Because of the shift in mood and audience between 1-39 and 40-66, some have suggested separate authors for the two sections. Strong evidence points, however, to a single author:

· The common sense understanding of the statement of authorship (Isaiah 1:1) is that it applies to all 66 chapters.

· The same style, vocabulary, and figures of speech occur in both sections.

· New Testament writers attribute both sections to Isaiah (see John 12:37-41; Matthew 3:3; 4:14-16; Romans 9:27-29; 10:16).

· One of the Dead Sea Scrolls includes the entire text of Isaiah, with no break between chapters 39 and 40.

FACTS REGARDING THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK

1. Who? Isaiah. He is almost universally regarded as the greatest prophet in the Old Testament!

2. What? The Book of Isaiah

3. When and where? 740 B.C., from Jerusalem

4. Why? Isaiah discusses five main themes:

a. The glory and greatness of God

b. The sin of both Israel and Gentile nations and subsequent judgment

c. The dispersement and regathering of Israel

d. The first and second Coming of Christ

e. The coming Great Tribulation and Glorious Millennium

5. To whom? The entire house of Israel (Isaiah 7:14), and all saved Gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4)

KEY EVENTS

1. Isaiah's severe indictment of Israel

2. Isaiah's vision of God and subsequent call

3. Prophecy of the Messiah's virgin birth

4. Prophecy of the Messiah's dual nature and names

5. The fall of Satan

6. The coming Great Tribulation

7. The Glorious Millennium

8. The future Battle of Armageddon

9. The salvation of Jerusalem by the death angel

10. The healing of King Hezekiah

11. The coming ministry of John the Baptist, the greatness and grace of God

12. The Messiah's terrible sufferings

13. God's wonderful invitation to the hungry and thirsty

14. The Messiah's earthly ministry

15. Predicting new heavens and earth

KEY INDIVIDUALS

1. Isaiah: usually regarded as Israel’s greatest prophet and Scripture’s most eloquent writer

2. Ahaz: Judah’s 12th ruler, an especially evil king, who became the first person to hear the prophecy regarding the future virgin birth of the Messiah

3. Hezekiah: Judah’s 13th ruler, who saw God deliver Jerusalem from the death angel and who himself was later healed of a fatal illness by the Lord

4. Cyrus: Persian emperor, whose decree allowing the Jews in Persia and Babylon to return and rebuild Jerusalem, was predicted by Isaiah hundreds of years in advance

5. Sennacherib: Assyrian king whose armies surrounding Jerusalem were destroyed by the death angel on the eve of the attack

KEY PLACES

1. Galilee: northern territory of Israel which land Isaiah predicted the Messiah would minister to during His first coming

2. Babylon, Media, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Ethiopia, and Egypt: eight Gentile nations upon which Isaiah pronounces the judgment of God

UNIQUE FEATURES

1. The book of Isaiah may be compared to the Bible.

· The Bible has 66 books. Isaiah has 66 chapters.

· The Old Testament has 39 books. The first section of Isaiah has 39 chapters.

· The New Testament has 27 books. The last section of Isaiah has 27 chapters.

· The Old Testament covers the history and sin of Israel, as do chapters 1-39 of Isaiah.

· The New Testament describes the person and ministry of Christ, as do chapters 40-66 of Isaiah.

· The New Testament begins with the ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-3).

· The second section in Isaiah begins by predicting this ministry (Isaiah 40:3-5).

· The New Testament ends by referring to the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1-3).

· Isaiah ends his book by describing the same things (Isaiah 66:22).

2. Isaiah employs the most extensive vocabulary of any other biblical writer. Even though his is but the fifth longest book, he uses 2,186 different words, as compared to the Psalms (longest biblical book) which employs 2,170 words and Jeremiah (second longest book), which has 1,653!

3. There were three significant occasions in the New Testament where Isaiah was quoted. The first occurred in a synagogue, the second in a desert, and the third in a prison.

· In a synagogue, as quoted by Jesus (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21)

· In a desert, as read by a eunuch (Isaiah 53:7, 8; Acts 8:27-35)

· In a prison, as quoted by Paul (Isaiah 6:9, 10; Acts 28:24-27)

4. Three of Scripture’s greatest salvation invitations are found in its pages:

· “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

· “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

· “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness” (Isaiah 55:1, 2).

5. Isaiah is the only biblical book to mention and describe a company of angels known as the seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-8). This remarkable section not only provides us with a glimpse into heaven, but also illustrates an aspect of the ministry angels perform for believers (compare Isaiah 6:6-7 with Hebrews 1:14).

6. It is the only Old Testament book to predict both the virgin birth of Christ (Isaiah 7:14), and His dual nature (Isaiah 9:6).

7. It is the first of two Old Testament books describing the early days of Lucifer before he fell and became the devil (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-18).

8. It provides the most beautiful description of the Highway of God’s Holiness in all the Bible (Isaiah 35).

9. It is the first of two Old Testament books predicting the ministry of John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3-5; compare with Malachi 3:1).

10. It records one of the Old Testament’s most remarkable and precise prophecies about an individual. The Persian king, Cyrus, and his decree are both mentioned by Isaiah 150 years before Cyrus was even born (see Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1).

11. It contains one of the Old Testament’s clearest statements on the Trinity (Isaiah 48:16).

12. It gives the most extended overview of the Messiah’s mission to both Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 49).

13. In essence, the book of Isaiah summarizes for us, as no other Bible writer, Scripture’s five greatest prophetical themes:

· Israel’s grievous and glorious future

a. Her rebellion (Isaiah 1:2-6, 14, 15, 23; Isaiah 2:8; Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 65:2)

b. Her ruin (Isaiah 3:8; Isaiah 5:13; Isaiah 29:10; Isaiah 30:17)

c. Her repentance (Isaiah 31:7; Isaiah 64:8, 9)

d. Her regathering (Isaiah 27:12; Isaiah 43:5, 6)

e. Her rebirth (Isaiah 26:19; Isaiah 66:7-9)

· The attributes of God. He speaks of His –

a. Eternality (Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 63:16)

b. Faithfulness (Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 49:7)

c. Gentleness (Isaiah 40:11)

d. Glory (Isaiah 40:3-5; Isaiah 42:8; Isaiah 59:19)

e. Goodness (Isaiah 58:8-14)

f. Grace (Isaiah 43:22-28; Isaiah 48:17-22; Isaiah 49:14-18; Isaiah 55:1-9; Isaiah 57:16-21; Isaiah 63:7-8)

g. Holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Isaiah 57:15)

h. Justice (Isaiah 56:1-8)

i. Longsuffering (Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 65:2)

j. Mercy (Isaiah 40:1-2)

k. Omnipotence (Isaiah 31:4-5, 8-9; Isaiah 40:9-10, 12; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 64:1-4)

l. Omniscience (Isaiah 28:23-29; Isaiah 40:13-14; Isaiah 41:21-24; Isaiah 42:9)

m. Sovereignty (Isaiah 40:15-17, 21-27; Isaiah 41:1-4; Isaiah 44:6-20, 24-27; Isaiah 45:7-12, 14-15; Isaiah 46:1-4, 6-8; Isaiah 66:1-2)

n. Triunity (Isaiah 48:16; Isaiah 63:9-10)

o. Uniqueness (Isaiah 40:18-20; Isaiah 46:5, 9-12; Isaiah 48:12-13)

p. Word (Isaiah 40:6-8; Isaiah 55:10-13)

q. Wrath (Isaiah 1:28-31; Isaiah 30:27-28; Isaiah 33:14-16; Isaiah 63:11-15, 17-19)

· The coming Messiah: Isaiah pictures Him in terms of both a lamb and a lion!

The LAMB

a. His incarnation

Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)

Both God and man (Isaiah 9:6)

Descended from David (Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 11:1)

b. His relationship with the Father

Prepared by the Father (Isaiah 49:1-2)

Named by the Father (Isaiah 9:6)

Loved by the Father (Isaiah 42:1)

Empowered by the Father (Isaiah 50:4; Isaiah 61:10-11)

Commissioned by the Father (Isaiah 42:6-7; Isaiah 49:3-7)

Reassured by the Father (Isaiah 49:8-9; Isaiah 50:7-9)

Obedient to the Father (Isaiah 50:5)

c. His relationship with the Holy Spirit

The power (Isaiah 11:2)

The preaching (Isaiah 61:1-3)

d. His relationship with Israel

Its illumination (Isaiah 9:1-2)

Its foundation (Isaiah 28:16)

e. His relationship with the Gentiles

Revealing salvation (Isaiah 42:6-7)

Receiving adoration (Isaiah 11:10)

f. His gracious ministry

Not a fanatic (Isaiah 42:2)

Not a faultfinder (Isaiah 42:3)

Not a failure (Isaiah 43:4)

g. His crucifixion

Its origin (Who caused his death?)

His foes (all sinners) (Isaiah 53:3-6)

His Father! (Isaiah 53:6, 10)

Its ordeal (Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 52:14)

Its outcome (Isaiah 53:5-9, 11-12)

The LION

a. His exaltation (Isaiah 52:13)

b. His millennial reign

Its nature (Isaiah 11:3-5)

Its extent and duration (Isaiah 9:7)

Its meaning to Israel (Isaiah 59:20-21)

Its meaning to Gentiles (Isaiah 52:15)

Its meaning to sinners (Isaiah 59:16-18)

· The Great Tribulation

a. Its reasons

Pride (Isaiah 2:10-17; Isaiah 13:11)

Idolatry (Isaiah 2:18)

Lawlessness (Isaiah 24:5)

b. Its results

Divine plagues on the skies (Isaiah 13:10, 13)

Divine plagues on the soil (Isaiah 13:9; Isaiah 24:1, 19-20)

Divine plagues on sinners

The fear of sinners during the Tribulation (Isaiah 2:19-22; Isaiah 13:6-8; Isaiah 24:17-18)

The “fewness” of sinners following the Tribulation (Isaiah 13:12; Isaiah 24:2-4, 6-13)

· The Glorious Millennium

The millennial king

Jesus the glorious and beautiful (Isaiah 28:5-6; Isaiah 33:17)

Jesus the righteous (Isaiah 32:1-4)

Jesus the light-giver (Isaiah 24:23; Isaiah 60:19-20)

The millennial kingdom

Israel in the Millennium

Its citizens purified (Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 66:19-21)

Its country glorified (Isaiah 60:1-18)

Its capital magnified (Isaiah 2:1-3; Isaiah 4:2-6; Isaiah 33:5-6, 20-23; Isaiah 52:1-10; Isaiah 62; Isaiah 65:18-19; Isaiah 66:10-14)

Gentile nations

Wars will cease (Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 9:5)

Worship will begin (Isaiah 11:10)

The needy in the Millennium

Deaf and blind will hear and see (Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 35:5)

Lame and mute will walk and talk (Isaiah 35:6)

Humble and poor will rejoice (Isaiah 29:19)

Sick will be healed (Isaiah 33:24)

Captives will go free (Isaiah 52:11-12)

Ignorant will learn (Isaiah 29:24)

Sorrowful will sing (Isaiah 30:29-33; Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 42:10-17; Isaiah 65:19)

Godless will vanish (Isaiah 29:20-21; Isaiah 32:5-8)

Fearful will be unafraid (Isaiah 29:22-23; Isaiah 35:3-4)

Petitioners will be heard (Isaiah 65:24)

Dying will live (Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 65:20)

Nature in the Millennium

Plant life (Isaiah 29:17; Isaiah 30:23-25; Isaiah 32:15-20; Isaiah 35:1-2, 7; Isaiah 65:21-23)

Animal life (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:25)

COMPARISON WITH OTHER BOOKS

Deuteronomy:

• The two Old Testament books which provide the greatest amount of information on the very Person of God are those of Deuteronomy and Isaiah.

Psalms:

• Isaiah is the Old Testament book most often quoted in the New Testament. (Psalms is the second most quoted. Both are quoted twice as often as Genesis and Exodus, their closest competitors.) Isaiah and Psalms provide most of the Old Testament prophecies of details of Christ’s crucifixion.

Revelation:

• Both Isaiah and Revelation record for us:

a. The greatest angelic chorus of praise to God (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4:6-8)

b. The promise of a future new heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:1)

TITLES FOR AND TYPES OF JESUS

1. Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 1:4)

2. Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 1:9)

3. The Mighty One of Israel (Isaiah 1:24)

4. The God of Jacob (Isaiah 2:3)

5. The Branch of the Lord (Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 11:1)

6. The King (Isaiah 6:5)

7. Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)

8. The Great Light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 9:2)

9. Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)

10. The Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)

11. The Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)

12. The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

13. The Holy One (Isaiah 10:17)

14. The God of the Middle East (Isaiah 19:23-25)

15. The All Comforting God (Isaiah 25:8)

16. The Righteous King (Isaiah 32:1)

17. The Living God (Isaiah 37:17)

18. The Angel of the Lord (Isaiah 37:36)

19. The Glory of the Lord (Isaiah 40:5)

20. The Omnipotent and Omniscient God (Isaiah 40:12-31)

21. The Friend of Abraham (Isaiah 41:8)

22. The Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42:1-7)

23. The Forgiver of Sins (Isaiah 43:25)

24. The First and the Last (Isaiah 44:6)

25. The Suffering Savior (Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 53:1-10, 12)

26. The Resurrected Redeemer (Isaiah 53:10-11)

27. The God of the Whole Earth (Isaiah 54:5)

28. The Anointed of the Lord (Isaiah 61:1-3)

29. The Avenging and Victorious Warrior (Isaiah 63:1-6)

Copyright©2009 Dr. H. L. Willmington, Dean, Willmington School of the Bible, Liberty University