The Book of ISAIAH The Hebrew of the name Isaiah is Yesha yaha or Yeshaiah and its meaning is Yahweh is Salvation or Salvation is of the Lord. Isaiah is the greatest of the Assyrian prophets, and little is known of the gospel prophet, though he is described as the son of Amoz, it is worth noting this is not Amos the prophet, it is suggested that Amoz was the uncle of Uzziah, which would make Isaiah the King s cousin, and a grandson of the king Joash, it was certain that he was of good family and education. The book itself is like a miniature bible, comprising of 66 Chapters as opposed to 66 books, and the first 39 the equivalent of the 39 in the Old Testament are teeming with judgment on immoral and idolatrous men, the surrounding nations have sinned. Judgment must come, for God cannot allow such sin to go unpunished forever. However the remaining 27 chapters, as the 27 books of the New Testament, declare the message of hope. The Messiah is coming as a Saviour and Sovereign to bear a cross and to wear a crown. Isaiah lived and prophesied in Jerusalem, he was married to a prophetess who bore him two sons,
whose names carried the nations aspects symbolically which Isaiah enforced in his prophecies. One named Shear-jashub meaning a remnant shall return. The second named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, implying Have ye, speed to the spoil. Isaiah is known as the Messianic prophet because he was totally steeped in the idea that his nation was through whom one day a great and wonderful blessing would be bestowed on them from God to all nations; the Messiah, sent from God, who would bring peace, justice and healing to the whole world. He was continually focused on the day when that great and wonderful work would be done. Isaiah s greatest achievement was the deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians. It was through his prayer and advice to King Hezekiah, and the direct intervention from God, that the dreaded Assyrian army was sent home in disarray from before the walls of Jerusalem. A list of the prophecies about the Messiah; His advent 40:3-5 His virgin birth 7:14 Galilee will be the scene of His ministry 9:1-2
His deity and the eternity of His throne 9:6-7 His sufferings 53 He will die with the wicked 53:9 He will be buried with the rich 53:9 The might and gentleness of His reign 40:10-11 The righteousness and blessings of His reign 32:1-8; 61:1-3 His justice and kindness 42:3-4, 7 His rule over gentiles 2:2-3, 42:1, 6; 49:6; 55:4-5; 56:6; 60:3-5 His vast influence 49:7, 23 Idols will disappear 2:18 A warless world will be brought into being 2:4; 65:25 The earth will be destroyed 24; 26:21; 34:1-4 Death will be destroyed 25:8; 26:19 God s people will be called by a new name 62:2; 65:15 A new heaven and a new earth will be created 65:17; 66:22 The righteous and the wicked will be eternally separated 66:15, 22-24 Isaiah was called to ministry in a stunning vision of God in heaven, Chapter 6, and he wrote a book that some call The Fifth Gospel for its multiple accurate
predictions of the birth, life, ministry and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, some 700 years later. These prophecies of redemption balance with the despairing promises of God s discipline against Judah and Jerusalem, which were overrun by Babylonian armies about a century later. Isaiah s prophecy ends with a long section, 40 66, describing God s restoration of Israel, his promised Salvation, and His eternal kingdom. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus declared that He had fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (61:1-2) as we read from 4:17b, 18, 19a; He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Amen. Early in the book of Isaiah are two of the most accurate, detailed prophecies, which coincidentally are to be read as per the 66 day reading plan that I am
currently doing, falling on Christmas Day! (I didn t plan it that way, it just happened). In Isaiah 7:14 we read; Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. And in Isaiah 9:6-7, we read; For unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice, From that time forward, even forever, The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Amen. Legend has it that Isaiah was put into the hollow of a tree and sawn in half at the command of Manasseh, as such a description from Hebrews 11:37. Isaiah was a
great man of many skills, a great prophet of Judah, a statesman and patriot, a reformer, a writer of the history, a poet, a teacher, an architect and theologian. God Bless.