CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING

AUTHOR: The book presents itself as the writing of one man, Isaiah son of Amoz. The superscription to the book dates his prophetic activity as spanning the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah (783-742 BC, Isaiah’s call is dated to this king’s last year, 6:1); Jotham (742-735 BC); Ahaz (735-716 BC); and Hezekiah (716-686 BC). On Uzziah (Azariah) see 2Kg 15:1-7; 2Ch 26:1-23. On Jotham see Kg 15:32-38; 2Ch 27:1-9. On Ahaz see 2Kg 16:1-20; 2Ch 28:1-27. On Hezekiah see 2Kg 18:1-20:21; 2Ch 29:1-32:33. Not much is known about Isaiah apart from his prophecy.

Isaiah’s authorship of the whole book has been vehemently contested in the modern period. Many scholars have argued that the historical Isaiah could not have written chaps. 40-66. For those who believe that God knows the future and can reveal it to his servants, it is not problematic that God through Isaiah predicted the rise of Babylon, its victory against Judah, the exile, and the return.

BACKGROUND: Uzziah’s reign was a particularly prosperous time in the history of Judah, but storm clouds were on the horizon. Assyria was on the rise again in the person of Tiglath-pileser III (745-727 BC). The Assyrian king threatened to engulf Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. After the death of Tiglath-pileser, his successors, Shalmaneser and Sargon, defeated the northern kingdom in 722 BC and deported its citizens. This event brought Judah even more under the shadow of that great empire. Isaiah 37:38 suggests that the prophet lived until the death of Sennacherib in 681 BC.

MESSAGE AND PURPOSE

Isaiah’s message is relatively simple. First, Isaiah accused God’s people of sin: rebelling against the one who made them and redeemed them. Second, Isaiah instructed these sinners to reform their ways and act obediently. Third, Isaiah announced God’s judgment on the people because of their sin. Finally, God revealed his future restoration of the people, or at least of the faithful remnant that survived the judgment. As part of the restoration of God’s people, Isaiah foresaw both judgment on the nations (chaps. 13-23) and a future turning of the nations to God (2:1-4). The first part of the book (chaps. 1-39) emphasizes sin, the call to repentance, and judgment; the second part (chaps. 40-66) emphasizes the hope of restoration. Other topics should be noted:

GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL: From the beginning to the end of the book, God is called the Holy One of Israel. At the time of Isaiah’s call, the seraphim cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies” (6:3). God is set apart, completely removed from sin, the very epitome of moral perfection. God’s people were to reflect the character of their holy God according to the requirements of the Torah (Lv 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7), but they had fallen far short. Isaiah was commissioned to remind them of this high standard.

TRUST AND CONFIDENCE: Isaiah called God’s people to trust God, and when they did not, he condemned them for it. They were to fear God, not other humans. Most often the Israelites betrayed God by trusting a powerful foreign nation or false gods.

GOD VERSUS THE IDOLS: Because of the tendency of God’s people to trust false gods, Isaiah’s prophetic word often contrasted the true God with the false gods of the nations. God acted in history; idols did not. God could reveal the future; idols could not. God is eternal; idols were man-made and amounted to nothing.

MESSIAH AND SERVANT: Perhaps more than any other part of Isaiah, the passages describing a future anointed king (Messiah, 9:1-7; 11:1-9) and those describing the servant (42:1-9; 49:1-6; 50:4-6; 52:13-53:12) have attracted the interest of Christian readers of the book. From the time of the New Testament, Christian readers have understood Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the expectation of a future king and suffering servant.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE

It might be argued that without Isaiah, the New Testament could not have been written. There as nowhere else in the Old Testament the message is declared and the stage is set for the Davidic King to bring about a new exodus and establish God’s kingdom on earth by means of the sin-bearing Servant.

STRUCTURE

The book of Isaiah is a combination of both prose and poetry. The prose is found primarily in chaps. 36-39, a section that forms a bridge between the two sections of the book (see “Message and Purpose”). Isaiah’s poetry is rich and varied. He wrote hymns, wisdom poetry, and even poetry that resembles a love song (5:1-7). The richness is seen in Isaiah’s vocabulary. He used over 2,200 different Hebrews words, far more variety than found in any other Old Testament book.

OUTLINE

I.Rebuke and Promise from the Lord (1:1-6:13)

A.Rebellion met with judgment and grace (1:1-31)

B.Chastisement will bring future glory (2:1-4:6)

C.Judgment and exile for the nation (5:1-30)

D.Isaiah cleansed and commissioned (6:1-13)

II.The Promise of Immanuel (7:1-12:6)

A.Immanuel rejected by worldly wisdom (7:1-25)

B.God’s deliverance and the coming Deliverer (8:1-9:7)

C.Exile is coming for proud Samaria (9:8-10:4)

D.Promise of a future glorious empire (10:5-12:6)

III.Coming Judgment upon the Nations (13:1-23:18)

A.Babylon (13:1-14:23)

B.Assyria (14:24-27)

C.Philistia (14:28-32)

D.Moab (15:1-16:14)

E.Damascus and Syria (17:1-3)

F.Israel (17:4-14)

G.Cush (18:1-7)

H.Egypt (19:1-20:6)

I.Babylon, additional judgment (21:1-10)

J.Dumah (21:11-12)

K.Arabia (21:13-17)

L.Jerusalem (22:1-25)

M.Tyre (23:1-18)

IV.First Cycle of General Judgment and Promise (24:1-27:13)

A.Universal judgment for universal sin (24:1-23)

B.Praise to the Lord as Deliverer (25:1-12)

C.A song of comfort for Judah (26:1-21)

D.Promise of preservation for God’s people (27:1-13)

V.Woes upon the Unbelievers of Israel (28:1-33:24)

A.God’s dealings with drunkards and scoffers (28:1-29)

B.Judgment for those who try to deceive God (29:1-24)

C.Confidence in man vs. confidence in God (30:1-33)

D.Deliverance through God’s intervention (31:1-32:20)

E.Punishment of deceivers and triumph of Christ (33:1-24)

VI.Second Cycle of General Judgment and Promise (34:1-39:8)

A.Destruction of the Gentile world powers (34:1-17)

B.The ultimate bliss of God’s redeemed (35:1-10)

C.Deliverance for King Hezekiah (36:1-39:8)

VII.Comfort for God’s People (40:1-66:24)

A.The purpose of peace (40:1-48:22)

B.The Prince of Peace (49:1-57:21)

C.The program of peace (58:1-66:24)

750-725 BC

Death of King Uzziah of Judah 740

Isaiah’s call to be a prophet 740

Tiglath-pileser III’s invasions of Israel 734-732

Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Damascus form a mutual defense alliance against Assyria and invite Ahaz of Judah to join them. 734

Ahaz refuses Isaiah’s counsel and seeks protection from Assyria by paying tribute to them, creating a heavy financial burden on Judah for years to come. 734

Alliance between Syria and Israel collapses with the fall of Damascus (732) and the fall of Samaria. 722

725-700 BC

Hezekiah of Judah initiates reforms and shows resistance to Assyria. 715-701

Hezekiah prepares for war against Assyria, strengthens Jerusalem’s defenses, and receives Merodach-baladan’s envoys from Babylon. 705-701

Sennacherib of Assyria defeats the Phoenicians, Philistines, and Egyptians; destroys most cities in Judah; and besieges Jerusalem. 701

God delivers Jerusalem from the Assyrian forces. 701

700-600 BC

Manasseh succeeds his father Hezekiah as king of Judah. 687

Ashurbanipal (668-631) rules over a declining Assyrian Empire that experiences revolts in 642, contributed to the assassination of Amon of Judah (641) and the rise of his son Josiah (641-609).

Josiah killed by the Egyptians at Megiddo 609

Babylonians defeat Pharaoh Neco of Egypt at Carchemish. 605

600-500 BC

Babylonians attack Jerusalem and take citizens of Judah into exile. 605, 597, 586

Cyrus captures Babylon without resistance. 539

Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jews to return to Judah. 538

Work begins on rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. 538-537

Renewed work on the temple 520-518

New temple dedicated 515