2. Introductory Issues
✦ Title – Isaiah means “Yahweh is Salvation”
✦ Date of Events – 739–681 b.c.
✦ Uzziah (791–740)
✦ Hezekiah (716–687)
✦ Canon
✦ book of Sirach (190 b.c.), aka Ecclesiasticus
✦ Qumran
✦ placed directly after Kings
3. …it stands, in the Hebrew ordering of the books,
back-to-back with Kings, the last book of the Former
Prophets. That interface … is fortuitous because the
books of Kings and Isaiah are together preoccupied
with the destiny of Jerusalem. The books of Kings end
with an account of the sorry end of the destruction of
Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians and the
ensuing deportation and exile. The book of Isaiah, in
its turn, is a meditation, albeit in complex
configuration, about the destiny of Jerusalem into the
crises of exile and the promise of Jerusalem out of
exile into new well-being.
4. The Structure of Isaiah
Threat of Promises of
Historical Connecting Link
Judgment Deliverance
Chapters 1–35 Chapters 36–37 Chapters 38–39 Chapters 40–66
Coming of Coming of Babylonian
Assyrians Assyrian Attack Babylonians Conquest
Anticipated Anticipated Assumed
5. Working Outline of Isaiah
1. Judgment & Salvation of God’s People (1–12)
2. Judgment & Salvation for the Nations (13–39)
3. Prophecies Relating to the Return from
Babylon (40–55)
4. Isaiah’s Final Prophecies (56–66)
6. Thus says the LORD, “Preserve justice
and do righteousness, For My salvation is
about to come And My righteousness to be
revealed.”
Isaiah 56:1
8. Here the imminent becoming-revealed of the
divine saving righteousness is the reason for
the demand to human beings to bring about
justice and righteousness themselves.
9. 1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, And for
Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, Until her
righteousness goes forth like brightness, And her
salvation like a torch that is burning. 2 The
nations will see your righteousness, And all kings
your glory; And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.
Isaiah 62:1–2
11. And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the
Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds
among the peoples; Make them remember that
His name is exalted.”
Isaiah 12:4
12. Judgment & Salvation of the
Nations (13–23)
✦ Why follow reunification & praise with scene of massive
judgment on nations?
✦ Why is Babylon first?
✦ Not primarily oracles of salvation for Israel.
✦ Rather, establish God’s sovereignty over the nations,
particularly human pride.
✦ The judgment of these nations would result in peace and
tribute for Yahweh (16:5; 18:7; 19:21–25; 23:15–18).
13. Judgment & Salvation of the
Nations (13–23)
✦ Words of salvation and blessing:
✦ Moab – 16:5
✦ Damascus – 17:7
✦ Cush – 18:7
✦ Egypt – 19:18–25
✦ Tyre – 23:17–18
14. Apocalyptic Vision (24–27)
✦ 24–27: Eschatological focus on destruction of all
nations and humankind (cf. ch. 13)
✦ means God’s kingdom is established in
Jerusalem (24:23)
✦ response of praise by Isaiah (25:1–12) and
by inhabitants of Judah (26:1–21)
✦ return of God’s people (ch. 27)
16. Justice (34–35)
✦ Edom is used as an example, as the archenemy of
the nation.
✦ According to the scroll (34:16–17)
✦ Note the connections between chs. 35 & 40 … so
why are they separated by 36–39?
17. Historical Insertion (36–39)
✦ see 10:12
✦ When would Isaiah’s earlier prophecies happen?
✦ The narrative shifts the focus from Assyria to Babylon.
✦ The point is to locate the prophecies in the future rather
than the past or present.
✦ The scope is messianic and eschatological, a time after
the exile.
✦ Hezekiah becomes an example of the trust God desired.
21. ✦ addresses post-exilic situation
✦ In 56:1–8 salvation is close at hand and extends
beyond Israel.
✦ Even after the exile, many would forsake
Yahweh (57:3–11). Those who did live
righteously would suffer (vv. 1–2).
✦ The only recourse was to trust in Yahweh (vv.
12–13).
22. ✦ Sin had separated them from the Lord (59:1–8),
which Isaiah acknowledged (vv. 9–15).
✦ Since they could not help themselves (vv. 16–
19), God would send His Redeemer to Zion (v.
20).
✦ New Covenant (v. 21)
