Isaiah - a famous Old Testament prophet; [ God's messenger ] the author of the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, noted for its description of the coming Messiah. Isaiah was probably born in Jerusalem of a family that was related to the royal house of Judah. He spent his early years as an official of king Uzziah [Azariah] of Judah. - 2Chr. 26:22 - When Uzzariah died [740 B.C.] Isaiah received his prophetic calling from God in a stirring vision of God in the Temple. - Isaiah chapter 6 -

Prophet Isaiah was married to a woman described as 'the prophetess'. - Is. 8:3 - They had two sons whom they named Shear-Jashub [ A Remnant Shall Return ] and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz [ Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty ] These strange names portray the two basic themes of the Book of Isaiah: God is about to bring judgment upon His people, hence Maher- Shalal-Hash-Baz; but after that there will be an outpouring of God's mercy and grace to the remnant of people who will remain faithful to God, hence Shear-Jashub.

After God called Isaiah to proclaim His message, He told Isaiah that most of his work would be a ministry of judgment. Even though the prophet would speak the truth, the people would reject his words. - Is. 6:10 - In the New Testament, Jesus found in these words of Isaiah's call a prediction of the rejection of his message by many of the people.

The reason Jesus talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:

You will listen and listen again, but not understand,
see and see again, but not perceive.
For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,
their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,
for fear they should see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and be converted
and be healed by me. -Matt. 13:13-15 -

Isaiah's response to this revelation from God was a lament: "Until when, Lord?" - Is. 6:11 -

The Lord answered that Isaiah's ministry would prepare the people for judgment but one day God's promises would be realized. Judah was to experience utter devastation, to be fulfilled with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587/586 B.C. This destruction would be followed by the deportation of the people to Babylon. Although the tree of the house of king David would be cut down, there would still be life in the stump. Out of the lineage of David would come a Messiah who would establish His eternal rule among His people. - Is. 6:11-13 -

The Book of Isaiah is a major prophetic book of the Old Testament, noted for its description of the coming Messiah as God's Suffering Servant. The book is sometimes called 'the fifth gospel' because of its lofty portrayal of God and His purpose of salvation. Accordingly, the great prophet Isaiah, whose name means "God is salvation."

Prophet Isaiah's message was that after their period of judgment has passed, God's Covenant People will be restored to their place of responsibility in God's plan for the salvation of the world. the great suffering through which they were passing was their period of captivity as exiles of the pagan nation of Babylon. This theme of suffering on the part of God's people is demonstrated dramatically by prophet Isaiah famous description of the Suffering Servant. The nation of Israel was God's suffering servant who would serve as God's instrument of blessing for the rest of the world after their release from captivity and restoration as His Chosen People. - Is. 42:1-9 -

But Isaiah's prophecy also points beyond the immediate future to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah several centuries later. The heart of this stunning prophecy occurs in chapter 53, as Isaiah develops the description of God's Servant to its highest point. The Servant's suffering and death and the redemptive nature of His mission are clearly foretold. Although mankind deserved God's judgment because 'we have turned, everyone, to his own way' God sent His Servant to take away our sins. According to Isaiah, it is through Jesus suffering that we are made right with God, since 'the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.' - Is. 53:6 -

Isaiah delivered his prophecies during a time of great moral and political upheaval. In the early part of his ministry, about 722 B.C. Judah's sister nation, the northern kingdom of Israel, fell to the invading Assyrians. For a while, it looked as if Judah would suffer the same fate. But Isaiah advised the rulers of Judah not to enter alliances with foreign nations against the Assyrians threat. Instead, he called the people to put their trust in God, who alone could bring real salvation and offer lasting protection for the perilous times.

God was first of all a holy God. His holiness was the first thing that impressed the prophet when he saw Him in all His glory in the Temple. But God's holiness also reminded Isaiah of his own weakness. "Woe to me" he cried, "for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips." After his confession, Isaiah's lips were cleansed by a live coal from the altar, and he agreed to proclaim God's message of repentance and judgment to a wayward people. - Is. 6:1-8 -

Prophet Isaiah tells us about a God who is interested in the salvation of His people. Even the prophet's name, "God is salvation" emphasizes this truth. The word of salvation was used more than 20 times in the Book of Isaiah, while all the other Old Testament prophets combined mentioned this word only about 10 times. In Isaiah's thought, salvation comes from God only, not from man. Indeed, God is the sovereign ruler of history and the only one who has the power to save.

Isaiah reveals that God's ultimate purpose of salvation will be realized through the coming Messiah, our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ. No other book of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible contains as many references to the coming Messiah as the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah points us to a loving Lord, Savior who came to save His people from their sins. When Jesus began His public ministry in His hometown of Nazareth. Jesus quoted from one of these beautiful messianic messages from Isaiah to show that this prophecy was being fulfilled in His life and ministry. His purpose was "to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

The spirit of the Lord Yahweh has been given to me,
for Yahweh has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring good news to the poor,
to bind up hearts that are broken;
to proclaim liberty to captives,
freedom to those in prison;
to proclaim a year of favor from Yahweh,
a day of vengeance for our God - Isaiah 61:1-2 -

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read, and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. - Luke 4:16-18 -

The prophet Isaiah describes God's judgment as His unusual act - Is. 28:21 - If judgment is God unusual act, does this not imply that salvation is the work more typical of Him as a loving God? It is an interesting question to think about as we express thanks to God.

Isaiah ministry extended from about 740 B.C. until at least 701 B.C. - Is. chapter 37 to 39 - His 40 years of preaching doom and promise did not turn the nation of Judah from its headlong rush toward destruction. But he faithfully preached the message God gave him until the very end.

According to popular Jewish tradition, Isaiah met his death by being sawn in half during the reign of the evil king Manasseh of Judah. This tradition seems to be supported by Saint Paul letter to the Hebrews. Certainly Isaiah is one of the heroes of the faith 'of whom the world was not worthy.'

These were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises. They could keep a lion's mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders. Some came back to their wives from the dead, by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or beheaded; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of sheep and goats; they were penniless and were given ill-treatment. They were too good for the world and they went out to live in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines. These are all heroes of faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us. - Heb. 11:33-40 -

With so many witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then, should throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started. Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it, and from now on has taken his place at the right of God's throne. Think of the way he stood such opposition from sinners and then you will not give up for want of courage. In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death. - Heb. 12:1-4 -


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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -