The Prophet Isaiah 2 Of 2

Isaiah lived during the late eighth and early seventh centuries BC, which was a difficult period in the history of Jerusalem. This was the time of the divided kingdom with:

• Israel in the north

• Judah in the south

There was prosperity for both kingdoms during Isaiah’s youth, with little foreign interference. He was part of the upper class, but urged care of the downtrodden.

As we previously learned, he was the son of someone named Amoz. Jewish tradition teaches that Amoz was a brother to King Amaziah.

This would make King Amaziah, Isaiah’s uncle and it would also make him the cousin of Amaziah’s son, King Uzziah. Being a part of the royal family let’s us know why it seems that he enjoyed a free pass into the royal courts to speak.

According to tradition, he was martyred by being cut in two by a wooden saw, during the reign of Manasseh, who came to the throne in 687 BC.

The prophecies of Isaiah were very widespread, dealing with Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel (the northern kingdom), Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, and Phoenicia.

The prophecies against these nations were simply this; these nations that thought of themselves as secure in their own power, could be conquered by other nations at God's command.

Perhaps the easiest way to remember the divisions in the Book of Isaiah is to look at two divisions.

(1) The first thirty-nine chapters reveal the judgment of God

(2) A marked change takes place in chapter 40, and twenty-seven chapters reveal comfort

We could talk a great deal about Isaiah’s prophecies dealing with God’s judgment on Judah and these surrounding nations, but I feel our time will be better spent if we talk about two things:

(1) ISAIAH’S CALLING

Look at Isa. 6:1-8, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

We can see from these scriptures that even though Isaiah came from a very affluent family, he was a very humble man. It is unusual to see men in prominent places, displaying humility.

Illus: Today . . .

• We have politicians that are not grateful to be where citizens have placed them, but they act like they are gods and we are the poor peasants they rule over.

• We have actors and actresses today that think so highly of themselves that they act like they are doing ordinary people a favor just to let us get a glance of them.

We need to consider something else in the Book of Isaiah.

(2) THE PROPHECIES OF CHRIST

We have looked at THE MAN, in the first part of this sermon on Isaiah, but now let’s look at-

II. THE MESSAGE

Look especially at the message of the Messiah that was to come 700 years later.

The Old Testament is full of “Types and Shadows” of what was to come in the New Testament. These “Types and Shadows” were meant to prepare us for the reality that would come in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Illus: Have you ever bought something by mail? Perhaps you bought something out of a magazine and you had a description of the product, but you could not hold it or touch it! You decide to buy it under those conditions, and one day the UPS man delivers the product. You open the package and now you can actually see the product and hold it in your hands.

In the Old Testament, we get to see the picture and description of the coming Redeemer. In the New Testament they actually got a chance to see Him and touch Him. Let’s look at-