Commentary to Book of Isaiah

Commentary to Book of Isaiah, by John Schultz (c) 2007 Bible-

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ISAIAH

The book of the prophet Isaiah is one of the most beautiful pieces of prose in the world of literature. The beauty of its language overwhelms the reader. The fact that the Word of God is translated into the word of man is only surpassed by the fact that the Word of God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, a fact of which Isaiah testifies. Anyone who approaches a study of this book must do it with fear and trembling. To study The Book of Isaiah is like tackling the Bible as a whole.

J. Sidlow Baxter, in Exploring the Book, introduces his analysis of Isaiah with the observation: "What Beethoven is in the realm of music, what Shakespeare is in the realm of literature, what Spurgeon was among the Victorian preachers, that is Isaiah among the prophets. As a writer he transcends all his prophet compeers; and it is fitting that the matchless contribution from his pen should stand as leader to the seventeen prophetical books." The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia observes: "For versatility of expression and brilliancy of imagery Isaiah had no superior, not even a rival. His style marks the climax of Hebrew literary art. Both his periods and Genius and descriptions are most finished and sublime. He is a perfect artist in words."

The Hebrew name of Isaiah is yesha'yahu, or yesha'yah, meaning: "Yahweh saves." He was the son of Amoz. We know that Isaiah was married and had at least two sons called, Shear-jashub, meaning "a remnant shall return," and Maher-shalal-hash-baz, "hasting to the spoil, hurrying to the prey."1

The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia states about Isaiah: "He seems to have belonged to a family of some rank, as may be inferred from his easy access to the king (Isa 7:3), and his close intimacy with the priest (8:2). Tradition says he was the cousin of King Uzziah. He lived in Jerusalem and became court preacher."

About the period of his prophetic ministry, Easton's Bible Dictionary states: "He exercised the functions of his office during the reigns of Uzziah (or Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). Uzziah reigned fifty-two years (810 BC - 759 BC), and Isaiah must have begun his career a few years before Uzziah's death, probably 762 BC. He lived till the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, and in all likelihood outlived that monarch (who died 698 BC), and may have been contemporary for some years with Manasseh. Thus Isaiah may have prophesied for the long period of at least sixty-four years."

The Book of Isaiah has been the focus of criticism by the school of Higher Criticism, which contends that a prophet who lived during the Babylonian exile wrote the chapters 40 through 66. J. Sidlow Baxter, in Exploring the Book, quotes Archibald McCraig, who writes: "According to the old tradition, the prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder. Of the truth of the tradition we cannot be sure, but we know that one of the earliest feats of the Higher Criticism was to perform the like operation upon his prophecy."

For our study we will follow the outline provided in commentary on Isaiah by J. Alec Motyer, in the series of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries.

Outline of Isaiah:

THE BOOK OF THE KING (1?37)

I. BACKDROP TO THE MINISTRY OF ISAIAH: THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE (1 ? 5)

a. Heading (1:1)

b. A comprehensive failure (1:2?31)

i.

The national situation (1:2?9)

ii.

The religious situation (1:10?20)

iii. The social situation and its consequences (1:21?31)

c. The ideal lost and found (2:1 ? 4:6)

i.

Heading (2:1)

ii.

The great `might have been' (2:2?4)

1.

See Isa. 7:3; 8:2.

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iii. The actual Jerusalem ? part one (2:5?21)

iv. The actual Jerusalem ? part two (2:22?4:1)

v.

The greatness that is `yet to be' (4:2?6)

d. Grace exhausted (5:1-30)

i.

A total work and a total loss (5:1?7)

ii.

The stink-fruit harvest and its consequences (5:8?30)

II. LIGHT BEYOND THE DARKNESS: THE COMING KING (6 ? 12)

a. The individual, atonement and commission (6:1?13)

b. Darkness and light in Judah (7:1?9:7)

i.

The moment of decision (7:1?17)

ii.

Divine judgment (7:18?8:8)

iii. The believing, obeying remnant (8:9?22)

iv. The royal hope (9:1?7)

c. Darkness and light in Israel (9:8?11:16)

i.

The moment of decision (9:8?10:4)

ii.

Divine judgment (10:5?15)

iii. The believing, obeying remnant (10:16?34)

iv. The royal hope (11:1?16)

d. The individual in the community: salvation, singing and proclamation (12:1?6)

III. THE KINGDOM PANORAMA: THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HAND (13 ? 27)

a. The first series of oracles: sure promises (13:1?20:6)

i.

Babylon: a look behind the scenes (13:1?14:27)

ii.

Philistia: the Lord's sure promises to David (14:28?32)

iii. Moab: salvation refused by pride (15:1?16:14)

iv. Damascus/Ephraim: the way of death and the promise of life (17:1?18:7)

v.

Egypt: one world, one people, one God (19:1?20:6)

b. The second series of oracles: the long night and the dawn (21?23)

i.

The desert by the sea: the Babylon principle (21:1?10)

ii.

Silence: days of darkness (21:11?12)

iii. Desert evening: Gentile needs unsolved (21:13?17)

iv. The Valley of Vision: the unforgivable sin (22:1?25)

v.

Tyre: holiness to the Lord (23:1?18)

c. The third series: the world city and the city of God (24:1?27:13)

i.

The city of meaninglessness (24:1?20)

ii.

Ultimately ... the King! (24:21?23)

iii. Salvation and provision: the world on Mount Zion (25:1?12)

iv.

The strong city (26:1?21)

v.

The universal Israel (27:1?13)

IV. THE LORD OF HISTORY (28 ? 37)

a. The six woes (28:1?35:10)

i.

The first woe: the word of God and the purposes of God (28:1?29)

ii.

The second woe: is anything too hard for the Lord? (29:1?14)

iii. The third woe: spiritual transformation (29:15?24)

iv.

The fourth woe: faithlessness and faithfulness (30:1?33)

v.

The fifth woe: all things new (31:1?32:20)

vi.

The sixth woe: home at last (33:1?35:10)

b. Epilogue: the rock of history (36:1?37:38)

i.

The first Assyrian embassy: the helpless king (36:1?37:7)

ii.

The second Assyrian embassy: the godly king (37:8?35)

Commentary to Book of Isaiah, by John Schultz (c) 2007 Bible-

iii. The finale: Assyrian overthrow (37:36?38)

THE BOOK OF THE SERVANT (38-55)

V. HEZEKIAH AND THE WAY OF FAITH: THE DECISIVE SIN (38:1 ? 8)

a. One prayer, two answers (38:1?8)

b. Death and life (38:9?22)

c. The moment of decision (39:1?8)

VI. UNIVERSAL CONSOLATION (40:1 ? 42:17)

a. Consolation for the Lord's people (40:1?41:20)

i.

The message of comfort (40:1?11)

ii.

God the Creator, guarantor of his promises (40:12?31)

iii. God the world ruler, guarantor of his promises (41:1?7)

iv. Three pictures: guaranteed consolations (41:8?20)

b. Gentile hope (41:21?42:17)

i.

Summoned before the court: the plight of the Gentile world (41:21?29)

ii.

The Servant: the great solution (42:1?9)

iii. Singing world, saving Lord (42:10?17)

VII. THE LORD'S PLAN UNFOLDED (42:18 ? 44:23)

a. Israel's bondage and liberation (42:18?42:21)

i.

The blind servant (42:18?25)

ii.

Unchanged divine care (43:1?7)

iii. No other God: sure promises (43:8?13)

iv. A new exodus: the problem of bondage solved (43:14?21)

b. Israel's sin and redemption (43:22?44:23)

i.

Diagnosis (43:22?24)

ii.

Remedy (43:25?44:5)

iii. No other God: sure promises (44: 6?20)

iv. Redemption from sin (44:21?23)

VIII. THE GREAT DELIVERANCE: THE WORK OF CYRUS (44:24 ? 48:22)

a. Cyrus: builder and conqueror (44:24?45:8)

i.

The Lord and his word (44:24?26b)

ii.

The Lord and his purpose (44:26c?28)

iii. The Lord and his anointed (45:1?7)

iv.

The Lord and his created resolve (45:8)

b. Rebellion and resolve, quibbling and consolation (45:9?46:13)

i.

The potter and the parent (45:9?13)

ii.

An unchanged worldwide purpose for Israel (45:14?25)

iii. The unchanging Lord and his stubborn rebels (46:1?13)

c. Free at last (47:1?48:22)

i.

Pride before a fall (47:1?15)

ii.

Home, yet not home (48:1?22)

IX. THE GREATER DELIVERANCE: THE WORK OF THE SERVANT (49 ? 55)

a. The Servant's double task (49:1?6)

i.

The first testimony: Israel as it was meant to be (49:1?3)

ii.

The second testimony: the Agent, the task and the result (49:4?6)

b. Divine confirmation: worldwide success (49:7?13)

c. Nation and Servant, a contrast: unresponding and responding (49:14?50:11)

d. Salvation in prospect: the watching remnant (51:1?52:12)

i.

Commands to listen: promises of salvation (51:1?8)

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Commentary to Book of Isaiah, by John Schultz (c) 2007 Bible-

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ii.

A dramatic appeal: exodus past and future (51:9?11)

iii. Interlude: a final briefing (51:12?16)

iv. Commands to respond: what the Lord has done (51:17?52:12)

e. Worldwide salvation (52:13?55:13)

i.

The triumph of the Servant (52:13?53:12)

ii.

The great invitation (54:1?55:13)

THE BOOK OF THE CONQUEROR (56 ? 66)

X. THE IDEAL AND THE ACTUAL: THE LORD'S NEEDY, UNDERACHIEVING PEOPLE (56:1 ?

59:13)

a. The waiting people (56:1?8)

b. The divided people (56:9?57:21)

i.

The failure of the leaders (56:9?57:21)

ii.

The prostitute's brood and the Lord's household (57:1?21)

c. The Sabbath people (58:1?14)

d. The guilty people (59:1?13)

i.

Accusations (59:1?4)

ii.

Descriptions (59:5?8)

iii. Confessions (59:9?13)

XI. THE PROMISED CONQUEROR: VENGEANCE AND SALVATION (59:21 ? 60:22)

a. Preface: situation and remedy (59:14?20)

b. The Covenant Mediator and his achievement (59:21?60:22)

i.

The Covenant Mediator (59:21)

ii.

The universal city (60:1?22)

c. The Anointed One and his transforming work (61:1?9)

i.

First testimony of the Anointed One: transformation (61:1?4)

ii.

Transformation confirmed (61:5?9)

d. The Savior and his gathered people (61:10?62:12)

i.

Second testimony: acceptance of the role of Savior (61:10?62:7)

ii.

The Lord's oath, summons and proclamation (62:8?12)

e. The consummation: the Anointed One completes his task (63:1?6)

XII. THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH: PRAYERS AND PROMISES (63:7 ? 66:24)

a. A `remembrancer' at prayer (63:7?64:12)

i.

Remembering (63:7?14)

ii.

Asking (63:15?64:12)

b. The Lord responding: sure promises, coming consummation (65:1?66:24)

i.

Pleading and provocation (65:1?10)

ii.

Contrasting destinies (65:11?16)

iii. All things new (65:17?25)

iv.

Judgment and hope (66:1?24)

Analysis of Isaiah:

THE BOOK OF THE KING (1?37)

I. BACKDROP TO THE MINISTRY OF ISAIAH: THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE (1-5) a. Heading (1:1)

1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

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The Hebrew word rendered "vision" is chazown, which as the English word implies, means something that is seen or perceived, in this case particularly mentally. It speaks of insight as well as sight. The word is less common than one would expect in the Bible. In The Book of Second Chronicles it is used to designate the whole Book of Isaiah. We read: "The other events of Hezekiah's reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel."1

Bible scholars have argued about the question whether the title pertains to the whole book or only to the first chapter, whether part of it was added later by Isaiah or by another person or was in the original text. It is obvious that Isaiah addressed more than Judah and Jerusalem alone. As The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary observes: "Other nations also are the subjects of his prophecies, but only in their relation to the Jews (Isa 13-23); so also the Ten tribes of Israel are introduced only in the same relation (Isa 7-9)." The Adam Clarke's Commentary states: "The prophecy contained in this first chapter stands single and unconnected, making an entire piece of itself. It contains a severe remonstrance against the corruptions prevailing among the Jews of that time, powerful exhortations to repentance, grievous threatenings to the impenitent, and gracious promises of better times, when the nation shall have been reformed by the just judgments of God. The expression, upon the whole, is clear; the connection of the several parts easy; and in regard to the images, sentiments, and style, it gives a beautiful example of the prophet's elegant manner of writing; though perhaps it may not be equal in these respects to many of the following prophecies."

J. Alec Motyer, in his commentary on Isaiah, writes: "As the book of Isaiah has come to us, chapters 1-5 form a distinct section ? like a `preface' to Isaiah's collected prophecies. This is apparent for four reasons. (a) The precise dating of chapter 6 contrasts with the undated oracles in 1:2 ? 5:30. Specific events must, of course, have prompted these oracles, but Isaiah did not find it necessary to state them. (b) What we call `chapter 6,' the prophet's call, is well suited to form chapter 1 of the book, following the `author's preface' (cf. Je. 1:4?19; Ezk. 1:1 ? 3:27; although, since the call of Amos is not noted until Amos 7:10?17, this is not a decisive factor. (c) Apart from the illustrative reference to the Philistines in 2:6, no foreign nations are named ? not even the threatened super-conqueror of 5:25?30 ? and this increases the sense that these chapters offer general truths designed to form a backdrop to the `main' content of the book. (d) Chapters 1 ? 5 are coherently structured with a progressive message. The unexpected heading at 2:1 indicates a fresh beginning, and the matching passages 2:2?4 and 4:2?6 form a bracket or inclusio ... making them a distinct section. In this way 1:2?31 and 5:1?30 are also marked off as separate divisions of the prefatory chapters."

About the period covered by Isaiah's prophecy, J. Alec Motyer, in Isaiah, states: "Isaiah ministered within the fifty-year period between the death of Uzziah (1:1; 6:1, probably 739 BC), and that of Hezekiah (1:1, 686 BC). This was also the great period of Assyrian imperialism initiated by Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul, 2 Ki. 15:19) in 745 BC."

b. A comprehensive failure (1:2?31)

i.

The national situation (1:2? 9)

2 Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." 4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. 5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.

1.

II Chron. 32:32

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