Character Sketch: Isaiah
Isaiah, the prophet born with this name as Yesha’yahu, signifies “the salvation of Jehovah.” His name itself magnifies the ample scope of his forthtelling and foretelling messages. However, this name was very common in his time. Some other biblical characters had also borne this name. David’s head singer had the same name (1 Chronicles 25:3, 15); a Levite with the same name is also recorded in the book of Chronicles (26:25); a companion of Ezra who returned from exile to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:7); and a Benjamite in Nehemiah (11:7) [1].
Isaiah 1:1 tells us that he was the son of Amoz. The name seems very ambiguous to be distinguished from the prophet Amos. We have no further information about him. The Jewish tradition maintains that Isaiah might have a royal bloodline, as he had regular access to the kings of Judah. [2] Nevertheless, access to the court can hardly validate the claim that Isaiah belonged to royal lineage since prophet Nathan had also appeared to the royal court (2 Samuel 7:2–17; 12:1–15; 1 Kings 1:22-27). He was a scribe and official historiographer of the king (2 Chronicles 26:22).
Isaiah was married to a prophetess and had two sons: Shear Jashub, whose name means “a remnant will return,” and the second one was Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, whose name means, “Swift is the plunder, and speedy is the prey” (Kroeze). These names reflect the foretelling message of Isaiah. In the case of his wife, Isaiah does not mention her name. She may have been called “prophetess” just for being married to the prophet, even though she had no prophetic gift. [3]
Jewish tradition asserts that she was the same “virgin” (7:14; NRSV “young woman”). Isaiah referred to King Ahaz for the Immanuel sign. [4] According to Rabbinic tradition, he defied the abominable idolatrous acts and ordinances of King Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, so he was seized and sawn apart. [5] The author of Hebrews acknowledges Isaiah’s martyrdom (11:37 NIV). He died a horrific and indescribable death as a martyr, similar to the death of a wild beast.
“In the year King Uzziah died,” Isaiah receives the solemn call from the Sovereign God (6:1-8). It is assumed, in light of the fact that Uzziah was a leper and living in a tent at that time, that Isaiah’s prophetic office commenced late in the monarch’s reign. [6] According to William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, and Fredric W. Bush, this momentous call is dated 740 B.C. and was instituted as a recommissioning of Isaiah to proclaim the looming judgment. [7]
God provides Isaiah the glorious vision of his majesty, transcendence, and holiness (6:1-3). [8] His encounter with God—a physical manifestation of the Holy One—brings him to the point where he had to condemn himself for his sinfulness—”Woe to me” (6:5). It is not the recurring pattern of the oracle of doom in any of the prophets in the Bible. He is the only prophet who condemns himself. Seraphs cleanse him from all uncleanness by a live coal from the altar and appoint his ministry (6:8-13).
He is bold and earnest in his oracles. He lives under five kings, namely Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and, most likely, Manasseh. Later, four kings overlap his prophetic ministry. Spence and Exell, the Bible Commentators, write that Hezekiah was the only religious and God-fearing king. Furthermore, Isaiah fearlessly addresses the issues:
“Yet he maintains towards all of them an uncompromising attitude of firmness with respect to all that bears upon religion. He reveals everything, holding nothing back, out of a desire for court favor. “Is it a small thing for you to weary them?” he says to one king; “but must you weary my God also?” (7:13). “Set thine house in order,” he says to another; “for thou shalt die, and not live” (38:1). [9]
He condemns the social injustice, religious hypocrisy, oppression, sensuality, and pride of the kings and Israelites.
Isaiah is very remarkable for many reasons in the biblical canon. The prophet himself is also known as the “Prince of the Prophets” because of his account’s length, coverage of various subject matters, and values it holds.
“Its influence is clear in its contribution to the Qumran community, whose Dead Sea Scrolls have preserved at least fifteen manuscripts or fragments thereof, and especially in its impact on the New Testament, which contains more than 400 quotations and echoes of Isaiah’s language.” [10]
The New Testament writers quoted Isaiah at least 50 times on various occasions. The frequently quoted book over time also implies the importance, influence, and overall functionality of the prophet’s literature in salvation history.
It is very noteworthy that even Jesus quotes from Isaiah (61:1-2) at the commencement of his public ministry in Nazareth to show that the prophecy is being fulfilled (Luke 4:18–19 NIV). Matthew picks up the “virgin birth” or “Immanuel” passage right out of Isaiah 7:14 in his gospel (Matthew 1:23).
Isaiah has comprehensive coverage of God’s nature as a sovereign judge and redeemer. He reveals more about the nature of God than any other prophetic literature [11]. Isaiah advocates for the weak, poor, oppressed, and sick. Moreover, he is so fascinated by the holiness of God that binds him until his last breath.
In spite of spiritual and geopolitical turmoil, he asks people to put their hope in Yahweh and trust in Him alone. Isaiah himself lives a life that reflects his words. He calls people for repentance in a higher degree before God’s unmitigated wrath pours upon his people (2:18). He personally goes through the adversities, rejection, and humiliation but never constrains his steps from approaching the kings and authorities and denounces their principalities and injustices. He grasps the “fear of the Lord” and “Holy, holy, holy—the incomparable holiness” in his heart and distinguishes the superiority of the Holy One of Israel. In addition he had the powerful message of both judgment and hope.
We can draw some personal, moral, spiritual, and theological lessons from his preaching throughout the book. Once his sin is forgiven, he desires to share God’s grace and his forgiveness with others, too. Yet he suffers from his people; he tends his flock like a good shepherd. And there is no such barrier for Isaiah to challenge state authority regarding sin. In addition, Isaiah views God as the Superlative—incomparably holy, perfect, just, and loving (8:13).
The doctrine of Atonement for the Messiah is the significant one Isaiah records in his account. [12] Thus, the saving grace of God in the midst of severe judgment is the most considerable theological moral in this prophetic literature. However, hope outweighs the judgment, because no man deserves his forgiveness. Nevertheless, God forgives and restores us.
Without overstating the nobility of the text of Isaiah, we understand that knowing God reveals the gap between God and us. It brings us beneath the Cross, where we become conscious of how sinful and unholy we are. Therefore, we ought to address sin by its name, as Isaiah did in his time.
Neither earthly authority nor his sphere of comfort could stop him from proclaiming the Word of God. He put his life at stake to correct the path of his king and people. He knew that only God was the sovereign ruler of history. His dominion was inevitable, and one was bound to his burdened yoke. In the same way, we are commissioned people to preach the gospel and should not withhold our responsibility from reaching out to people.
We have a right to ask ourselves why our high authorities, leaders, and people are not a part of the covenant blessings of Sovereign God. The reason we do not experience the covenant blessings of Sovereign God is that we hold back in order to avoid offending the principles of secular humanism, which contradict God’s commandments. Is the law of the world greater than the commandment of God? Certainly not. Isaiah has taught us how to behave in this corrupt age so that they may see the Lamb slain for their sins.
The exponential growth of apostasy in Western Christianity is an example of what we call “religious tolerance.” Are we not appointed to be his messengers? We are! Then, we should have been sharing the forgiveness of God with others, too. Apostle Paul assures us that no death can separate us from God. Next, neither hardship nor affliction and persecution can stand against the assigned task of God (Romans 8:31-39).
Therefore, we conclude that we can proclaim his triumphant message of holiness, love, and justice without compromising our values to include others in his Kingdom.
Bibliography
Beyer, E. Bryan. Encountering the Book of Isaiah. Grand Rapids: Baker Academy, 2007. 24.
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/summaries/mart_isaiah.htm
Lasor, William S., David A. Hubbard, and Frederic W. Bush. Old Testament Survey. 2nd ed. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Company, 1982.
Spence, H. D., and Joseph S. Exell, eds. The Pulpit Commentary. Vol. II. Chicago: Wilcox & Follett Co. Publishers.
The Bible Handbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 122.
Young, Edward J. The Book of Isaiah. Vol. III. Ser. 17. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Company, 1972.
[1] H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, The Pulpit Commentary (Chicago: Wilcox and Follett Co.), Vol. I, i.
[2] Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah (Grand Rapids: Baker Academy, 2007), 24.
[3] H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, The Pulpit Commentary (Chicago: Wilcox and Follett Co.), Vol. I, i.
[4] William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, and Frederic W. Bush, The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament: Old Testament Survey, (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1996), 2 Ed., 277.
[5] http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/summaries/mart_isaiah.htm
[6] H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, The Pulpit Commentary (Chicago: Wilcox and Follett Co.), Vol. I, ii.
[7] William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, and Frederic W. Bush, The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament: Old Testament Survey, (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1996), 2 Ed., 278.
[8] Majesty (“seated on throne”), transcendence (“high and exalted,” “the train of his robe filled the temple,” and “the temple was filled with smoke”), and holiness (“Holy, holy, holy”).
[9] H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, The Pulpit Commentary (Chicago: Wilcox and Follett Co.), Vol. I, iv.
[10] William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, and Frederic W. Bush, The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament: Old Testament Survey, (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1996), 2 Ed., 276.
[11] The Bible Handbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 122.
[12] The Bible Handbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 122.
