James – The Bible Brief

This is an expanded summary of the book of Isaiah as recorded in 'The Major Prophets of the Bible' available through This Link on Amazon. Related with full permissions given. When it was written: 700 - 680 B.C. By Whom: Isaiah the Prophet (Ch.1:1) People & Places: Isaiah; Hezekiah; Cyrus Judah; Jerusalem; Israel; Moab; Philistia; Assyria; Babylon Sound-Bites: “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” (Ch.1:18) “And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.Nation will not lift up sword against nation,And never again will they learn war.” (Ch 2:4) “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a a]virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name [b]Immanuel.” (Ch 7:14) “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders.” (Ch.9:6) “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” (Ch.53:5) “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted;He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners.”(Ch 61:1) The Messianic Link: The Messiah is typified in several places throughout Isaiah known as the ‘Suffering Servant’ passages. In chapter 7 he is born of a virgin (Ch.7:14) In chapter 9 the messiah would be both God and man (Ch.9:6). In chapter 35 the Messiah heals the sick (Ch.35:5-6) He would be rejected by the Jews in chapter 49. (Ch.49:7) He would be whipped and scourged (Ch.50:6) Messiah would be the perfect sacrifice (Ch.53) The Book: The period of Isaiah’s writing covered the reigns of four Judean kings throughout the 8th century B.C. Namely, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The ‘minor’ prophets Hosea and Micah also wrote during this period. By the time Isaiah appeared on the scene, the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, and Amos had already completed their ministry. And the state of Israel had been in the promised land for some 700 years. At this time however the Kingdom had been split into two nations. The Northern kingdom of Israel with the ten tribes, and Judah in the southern kingdom with the remaining two tribes. By the time of Isaiah’s writing, Israel was a tiny nation newly established and caught in the middle of the conflicts between three rising ‘superpowers’: Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. Assyria was poised to overwhelm Israel during this turbulent period of Isaiah’s ministry. Isaiah spoke mainly to the people of Judah – who also faced growing threats from the surrounding nations -and the message was mostly to ‘repent’ and turn from their wicked ways that The Lord might bless them yet again. God has tried to reason with them, but they are a ‘stubborn people’ or ‘stiff necked people’ (CF 48:4). Isaiah gets his commission in chapter 6 when God asks whom he will send and Isaiah volunteers. Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me.” (Ch.6:8). Isaiah is particularly concerned with, or focused on, the coming of the Messiah, a savior who will also be a ‘light unto the nations’ (Ch.42:6). Throughout this book, Isaiah rages against hypocrisy and the double-dealings of those who would claim to be ‘religious’ and God-fearing; warning that the Judgment of God is about to descend upon them with a ‘consuming fire’ (Ch.30:30, 33) unless they repent of their ways. Notes & Quotes: It’s fair to say I think that the Prophet Isaiah is one of the ‘giants’ amongst the Bible Prophets. In today’s world he would probably have his own TV show! In fact, even in his own day, he was a man widely recognized as being a force to be reckoned with and a definite ‘conduit’ between man and his Creator. When he spoke, people listened. As mentioned earlier, one of the main themes throughout this book, apart from repentance, is the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. From his lowly birth (Chs.7, 9) to the fact that he would suffer an ignominious death on a cross (Ch.53), thus making himself the perfect sacrifice for mankind’s sins, it is all written in graphic detail throughout the book of Isaiah. Satan Cast out of Heaven This brief outline of Isaiah would be incomplete if I did not mention chapter 14 of Isaiah – the fall of Lucifer (bright shining one), henceforth referred to as ‘Satan’. How you have fallen from heaven,O star of the morning, son of the dawn!You have been cut down to the earth,You who have weakened the nations!13 “But you said in your heart,‘I will ascend to heaven;I will raise my throne above the stars of God,And I will sit on the mount of assemblyIn the recesses of the north.14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;I will make myself like the Most High.’15 “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,To the recesses of the pit.” For those who would doubt this actually refers to the fall of Lucifer/Satan, then the Lord Jesus Himself seems to refer to this event in Luke 10:18 “And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” The Prophet Ezekiel gives more details on the exalted roll and the subsequent downfall of Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:11-19 Ultimately these writings make clear that the sin of Lucifer that led to his spectacular downfall was PRIDE! He had become so self-obsessed with his position and power, that he presumed himself to be above even The Lord who had blessed him so abundantly. Se for instance the 5 - ‘I Will’s’ in the previous example. Big lesson here – Be careful that you do not let the ‘provision’ come between you and the provider (The Lord) or your downfall is assured. King Nebuchadnezzar fell into this trap, and ended up grazing in the field like a wild animal for 7 years! CF. Daniel 4: 25-36