ISAIAH: The messianic prophet

Keith Mosher, Sr. D. Min.

Chapters to teach in class: 34-35.

The text of Isiah

Who is the author and is it one book? By the time of the Qumran community is one scroll.
But this does not mean anything.

Arguments against the partition of Isiah – there is only one heading, there is no manuscript
evidence, nobody questioned it before the 19th century. Ben-Sirach spoke of one book of
Isaiah. The Cyrus argument. The knowledge of the land (?). Same style (?) No Babylonian
influence (?). Concern for gentiles in Babylon (?).

The NT testimony has no bearing on the question.

Isiah (My God is Salvation) 740-69.

1-12: Prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

13-23: Oracles about justice and salvation.

24-27: God’s judgement of the entire world.

28-35: Warning about aligning with Egypt.

36-39: Hezekiah’s reign and a song.

40-66: Future glory of God’s kingdom.

He prophesied in the courts of the king. He was commissioned to preach in the days of
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. This is all 8th century.

His attitude is disgusted about the sin of the people but sees beyond to the future reign of
God. He points in the direction in of Jesus. The old and new order.

The key word of the book is salvation – The holiness of God is an important theme. The
two faces of God: Holiness and Majesty.

His effort was to be a reformer and to go back to the Jehovism – the most monotheistic
2 Sam. 7; 1 Kings 10; Is. 2 – The house of David. The kings typified “Christ” (those were
the christs).

Tiglath-Pileser 745-727 in Assyria. A warrior and set in practices the policies of old
Mesopotamia. Conquered the city state of Babylon governed by Nabunasar. He started to
take captives the conquered people. 2 Kings 15:19-20; 1 Chr. 5:26; 2 Kings 16:7-9

2 purposes of the book:

- Urging Judah to return to God.

- To deal with the political condition of the day: the alliance with Egypt. 2 Kings
17:4. So was called Shabaka, he conquered Egypt.

2 Kings 19:37; 2 Chr. 33:11;

2 Kings 17 – Hoshea did not want to pay tribute to Shalmaneser and he put him in prison.

Who conquered Samaria? Sargon or Shalmeneser?

2 Kings 18:9-1; 2 Kings 21:9-19

The Isiah Scroll 1QIsa. Is virtually identical with the Masoretic text.

Isiah 1

v. 1: A heading that probably covers only one little part of the book. Dated 741 B. C.
Isaiah’s commission in ch. 6 to 739-740. Deut. 31:28ff.

v. 2-3: The topic is God calling the people back to him. The solemn convocation of heaven
and earth for hearing the word of Yahve. After the convocation the charge He raises the
accusation against the people of being ignorant to follow him.

Jer. 2:2, 27; Hos. 9:10;

v. 4-6: Their sins have filled the whole land of Judah. God’s discipline has been too much
already. The nation is beaten and bruised because of their rebellion.

The tense relationship of the prophet with the king – preaching to the king is to stand
against injustice.
They have done harm to themselves in their sin.

v. 7: This has to refer to the present condition, there is no foretelling in all the book.
Probably the invasion from Sennacherib. Or maybe one metaphor as the sick body.

v. 8-9: Unless there are a faithful remnant the punishment of the Lord shall be like Sodom
and Gomorrah.

v. 10: The controversy is not against the people but against the rulers. The word Torah is
used as a complete form of teaching but not the collected writings.

v. 11ff: The religious services were devoid of meaning. The worship is not condemned but
the intention behind the act. Am. 5:18-24; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8. This idea of the dichotomy
between ritual and meaning is modern and protestant, not in the text. Jer. 6:20.

- In worship come in peace

- In worship come thinking about the power of God
- Come in purity
- Perpetuity.

Teach them why to worship, not only how to worship.

v. 12: probably refers to the attitude in v. 11.

Lev. 3.

v. 15: Ex. 9:29; 17:11-12; 1 Kings 8:22.

Here is the explicit reason for the condemnation: “your hands are full of blood”.

v. 16-17: They themselves have the remedy – turn from the evil ways. The prophetic
message is always of mercy and forgiveness. There is possibility of repentance.

Now we understand what was the problem in Judah – sin never carries a moralistic sense,
but a structural evil.

v. 18: this is not “reason” in the “Greek” sense, this is simply to make an agreement
between God and the sinner.
v. 19-20: Attaining the grace of v. 18 implies to be willing and obedient. With respect to the
sword.

v. 21: How to read these accusations and their references to feminine impurity? All who
have done this to the city are men who have killed and raped and mistreated women – is not
this a form of irony? Isaiah is in the place of the victims.

v. 22-23: The rulers are full of corruption and the opulence has been the result of
oppression.

v. 24-26: Adonai Jehovah Sebaot the Mighty: a description of a man of war to describe the
vengeance upon the land in order to establish a righteous kingdom, what he was expecting
from his people. Through hardships and pain the city will be purified.

v. 27-28: Is. 4:4 – a complete purification of the city: those who repent shall be saved while
the sinners will be destroyed. Lam. 2:11.

v. 29-31: Their opulence will be shameful and will finally be destroyed.

Isaiah 2: the messianic new Kingdom (?)

v. 1: Unexpected new subscript.

v. 2-4: Mic. 4:1-3: how to account for the collection of this saying? There has to be a
different editor. Zech. 8:21; In the middle of the destruction, there will be a hope of
restoration. Jer. 10:25. The universalism is strange in this stage of Jewish theology. Hos.
2:18; Eph. 4:32.

A peaceable kingdom.

v. 5: Jerusalem the ideal.

v. 6: The real Jerusalem – the condition of the city in their historical setting. They are
involved in idolatry and superstition. A prayer of agony on his part.

2 Kings 5:6; Lev.19 – Superstition is condemned.

v. 7-8: Their land – is this about Judah or the nations round about them? I think it means
that the opulence of Judah had led them into that condition
What is the origin of idolatry? – abandonment and loneliness. Addiction and sin is the
same.

v. 9: forgive them not – the humbled and present condition of the people is nothing before
God. Their sins are overwhelming that they do not “deserve” forgiveness.

v. 10: The terror will make the people want to hide under the rocks. Ps. 18:27; Prov. 21:4;
Prov. 6:19ff;

v. 11-12: Their pride will be their destruction. Obad.

v. 13-18: poetic imagery: the strength of the cedars of Lebanon will be broken. Ps. 92:12; 1
Kings 5:6. Mountains and hills: signs of idolatry. Even the towers and other creations of
man will be broken by God. Tarshish – north Africa, near Tunez. God alone would be
exalted – the source of all idols is their other sins.

v. 19: They will have to hide inside the ground. Josh. 6:2; 1 Sam. 13:6.

v. 20: The idols will be thrown away in the day of judgement. None of them were of any
help.

v. 21-22: Terrify the earth – bringing an army. The advice to not put the trust in human
beings. In a practical application: make sure the people are converting to God not to your
teaching.

Nothing in us placed by God to direct our steps. Jer. 10:23.

3:1ff: Total removal of what Judah is – specifically the leaders are prophesied to go into
captivity. 2 Kings 1:9; Hos. 3:4. Different positions of leadership in religious aspects. Many
occult practices.

v. 4-6: Hos. 13:11 – unskillful and oppressive leaders will be placed.

v. 7: Ruling will be despised.

v. 8: what they say and what they do is entirely evil and blasphemous to God.

v. 9: They make their sin public.

v. 10-11: The remnant that are righteous will be protected – be comforted knowing that
there are some who will be preserved, but the guilty will be punished.

v. 12: The people have become weak and are being misled by weak leaders.

v. 13: The Lord will argue the case – He brings the justice in the tribunal.

v. 14-15: The judgement is against those who prey the poor.

v. 16-17: The women (prob. the rich women as in Amos) who partake in the sins of the
people will be preyed by the captors.

Chauvinistic attack on the women of Jerusalem.

v. 24-26: probably the city described in “feminine” terms.

4:1: this can be interpreted as the horrible conditions in which women were, they had no
representation nor legal standing.

Late addition (post-exilic): restoration of Jerusalem.

v. 2: It works perfectly in the context of the book.

The pride and glory of the survivors of Israel: the land shall be healed and people will be
one with it once again.

Zech. 13:1;

v. 3-6: once the cleansing of Jerusalem is done, the glorious future would come. The clouds
are a sign of protection for the people.

ISAIAH 5

v. 1: my beloved: Yahweh. The vineyard: Judah.

v. 2: God cared for it and protected it and expected to receive fruit from it. But only
gathered rotten grapes.

Jer. 2:21 – tower: protection and care.

v. 3-4: judge whose fault is it? Could I have done anything more for you? Mic. 6.
v. 5-6: Since the vineyard will not give fruit He will remove his protection from it.

Gen 3:18; 2 Sam. 1:21.

v. 7: The expectations of God were not met – the purpose of God with his people was to
bring about justice into the world, but from them he only got a people of violence.

v. 8-10: Greed and ambition: the land will turn in desolation.

v. 11-13: from feasting in alcohol and banquet, the leaders will starve.

Eccl. 10:16; Am. 6:5-6.

Without knowledge: not of the Scriptures but of God.

v. 14-17: Sheol is personalized here – the graves swallows every man and every nation. But
in this God is exalted in being righteous and just.

v. 18-19: challenging God.

v. 20-23: this has to understood in the light of v. 23 – they change justice for injustice in
acquitting the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of their rights. This has nothing to
do with “morals”.

v. 24ff: foreign invasion predicted.

9:12

v. 25: The anger of the Lord is apaced still, much more punishment will come upon the
people.

v. 26-27: Here the invasion considered is not Babylon but the siege of Sennacherib.

Vivid descriptions of the army marching in.

Ps. 45:5

Isaiah 6

This is the call of the prophet – it should have been at the start of the book, it probably got
misplaced in the last edition of the book.
v. 1-4: the beautiful vision: tridoxologia. Very ancient tradition of angels. The Lord
(adoniai) sitting in the throne.

Seraphim – the burning ones. Flying over the throne with the face and feet covered by their
wings. Tremendous holiness and willingness to do the will of the King and Judge.

Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh – the Jehovah Sebaot. His voice would shake the whole house.

v. 5: Ps. 24:3-4; Mal. 3:2 – the vision made Isaiah realized his frailty and impurity. So
much holiness and glory made him to feel undone. He cannot praise God in his condition.

“Mine eyes have seen the King the Jehovah Sebaot” – speechless.

v. 6-7: The altar of fire from which the coal came, is the altar of incense: worship to God.
In the NT is the prayers. 1 Tim. 2:4. The commissioning of a preacher: cleanse of his
mouth.

Who can preach God’s word? One with clean mouth. What makes a preacher great? Not the
ability but the personality.

v. 8: The vision reaches its climax in God’s question: who can go for us…?
Comprehending himself as clean, Isaiah shouts “Here am I, send me”.

v. 9-10: Go and say: Isaiah had not a message of his own, it was given one. The message is
paradoxical and “absurd”.

Hear but do not comprehend, look but do not understand: the passage is explicit that the
message is not supposed to be understood, lest they turn and be healed.

v. 11-13: This will be so until the whole land is waste. Even the little remnant remains
should be burn.

Isaiah 7

v. 1-2: King Ahaz – the Davidic king of Judah. 2 Kings 15:37; 16:5; 2 Chr. 28:5-8. Pekah
of Israel and Rezin of Syria attacked Jerusalem and took some captives with them, but they
could not defeat them completely.
v. 3-6: This brought fear to Ahaz that even sent message to Tiglath-Pileser 2 Kings 15:7.
The Lord, then, will send Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub (the remnant will return) to
encourage the king and tell him to not be afraid. Prov. 3:26; Amos 4:11, 18

The purpose of Syria and Israel was to conquer Jerusalem and put a king of their own.

v. 7-9: The Lord has determined that this will not come to pass. 1 Kings 15-17, and
Ephraim will be destroyed in 65 years (later interpolation).

v. 10-12: I’ll give you a sign if you need it! But trust. Ahaz refuses to ask because of fear to
tempt the Lord. 1 Kings 18:25.

v. 13: house of David: this is basically the theme of the oracle. You are the house of David!

v. 14: Even if you don’t want it the Lord will give it to you. A young woman will conceive
a child that will signify the presence of God with us. Ps. 45:14 – this is not almah.

The passage is only understood as messianic in the NT.

2 Sam. 7:12-13.

v. 15: the scarce food: even in the times of need God is with us. King’s food (supernatural
food?) *Mosher.

v. 16-17: The promise that this child signifies is the preservation of the kingdom of Ahaz
and the restoration of a glorious time for the kingdom of Israel. But the reference to the
king of Assyria is strange.

v. 18ff: this probably refers to a summoning of Assyria and Egypt to judgement. This is so
ambiguous and weird.

This is not a complete unit. There are many different parts that are abruptly connected with
each other.

Isaiah 8

v. 1: This chapter deals with the Assyrian invader. Maher… “hurry up”.

v. 2: the leaders are witnesses to the words of God.

v. 3: the prophetess – God had prophetesses in his mind all along. The son of Isaiah will be
a sign and bear the name that God gave him.

v. 4: The sign is that before this child grows, Samaria will be conquered.

v. 5-6: Shiloah: protection. The people refuse the protection of the Lord. Instead they were
looking the protection of the foreign nations.

v. 7-8: the floods of Assyria will even reach Judah (this did not come to pass compeltely).
Oh Emanuel – even then God will be with them.

v. 9-10: How is this related to the rest of the passage? It is baffling the presence of
Emmanuel, it makes sense within the verses but not with the previous oracle.

This is an oracle from Judah to the nations, not from God to Judah.

v. 11-15: The armies and political conspiracies are meaningless to stop the power of God.
Do not be afraid to what others could do, but trust in the Lord. But if you reject God, he
will be a stumbling block.

v. 16-18: Sealed the testimony and trust in the Lord. The role of the children in the ministry
of Isaiah: they are signs.

v. 19-20: Necromancy condemned. Instead, consult the law and the testimony. (?) the
NRSV is very different.

v. 21-22: A strong condemnation and curses against those who practice magical rites. Mat
10:28.

Isaiah 9 – the messianic hope

v. 1 (8:23 in Hebrew): probably it is still stressing the point about the Assyrian invasion.

v. 2: the area of the world where the Messiah would come. Mat. 4:14-16. An area of
enemies surrounding the land. Mosher: this is the light of the Messiah would shine to the
gentiles.

v. 6: The authority of the coming Kingdom: the child that is born. Counselor: Pele-yoes;
Mighty God: El-Gibbor; The father of eternity: ad-ab; Prince of peace: sar-shalom
Ps. 2:7 – probably a psalm of coronation. Ps. 89.

He fills the space between us and God. The fullness of all in all.

In the Targum of Isaiah – applies this to the Messiah.

v. 7: the mode of his kingdom and the place of his kingdom – righteousness and peace upon
the throne of David.

Assyria’s destruction of Samaria.

v. 8: word of judgement against the kingdom.

v. 9-10: The pride blinded them to see their destruction.

v. 11-12: Assyria and Philistia came and destroyed them. What Philistia did not destroy
Assyria did.

v. 13-16: everyone will fall in one day when Assyria comes. The responsibility is on the
leaders who had led them astray.

Jer. 44 – the people that went to Egypt and carried their idolatry. People who do not want to
change their idols because they thought they had given them blessing. How do people react
to the authority of God? The leaders are leading people astray, but each one is responsible.

v. 17: pity – NRSV; MT: rejoice.

The tragic turnaround of God: because you did not take care of the orphans and widows, I
will not have mercy on them.

v. 18-21: Their wickedness grew to the point that it consumed the whole land. The image
here is of fire burning the fields. The wickedness is self-destruction. The stress on brotherly
fight is discouraging.

Isaiah 10: same oracle

v. 1-2: denunciation of social injustice from the leaders. The real reason for their
destruction.

v. 3-4: there is no escape.

Assyria as instrument of God.

v. 5-6: Assyria is used by God to punish Israel.

v. 7-11: the pride of Assyria, unaware that it is only a puppet of God.

v. 12: At the end, when God finishes to use this nation, he will discard it and punish it as
well for their pride and wickedness.

v. 13-14: Assyria believes that it is its own power has conquered the nations.

v. 15-19: because of their pride, the fire of God’s judgement will consume the nation. Very
few would stay that even a child would count them.

v. 20: this will teach the remnant to trust in God: The Holy One of Israel.

v. 21-23: The purpose of God will be fulfilled in the remnant, but the destruction is sealed.

v. 25: a little while – probably the time between Tiglath-pileser’s invasion and Sennacherib
siege.

v. 26-27: after this God would struck Assyria.

v. 28-32: south travel of Sennacherib until Nob from where he will surround Jerusalem.

v. 33: When this happens, the Lord would stop the Assyrians. The usual image in the
prophets about the strong trees being torn down.

Ezek. 31:3

Isa. 11

v. 11-12: Pentecost being promised: the restoration of the tribes of Israel. Luke’s motifs
surely come from this passage.

v. 13: The unity among the brethren. The enmity between Ephraim and Judah will be
vanished. Gal. 3:28.

v. 14: The defeat of the enemies of the people. The roles should be turned.
v. 15: obscure verse.

v. 16: The remnant will have a place in the coming Kingdom.

Isaiah 12

v. 1: Isaiah breaks into song: the praise would return to Jerusalem. Despite the punishment
there is comfort. 2 Cor. 1:1-4

Comfort: naham - speaking to the heart.

v. 2: God is my salvation – When the Lord becomes your strength. Exod. 15:2; Ps. 118:14;
83:18.

KJV: Salvation, Strength, Song.

v. 3: knowing that there is a place for salvation, one can approach it with joy.

v. 4: When salvation is drawn one will break into praise God and announce his name.

v. 5-6: the closing of the song repeats the universality of God’s glory. Psa. 98.

Isaiah 13: the beginning of the oracles against the nations

v. 1: Babylon was not a nation in the 8 th century, this is probably an oracle of the late 7 th or
6th century.

v. 2: Jer. 50-51. The raising of the nation celebrated. God used Babylon as a rod just as
Assyria.

v. 4-5: the military growth is done by God to form himself an army.

v. 6: Judgement will be repaid to Babylon by the same God that raised them up.

v. 7-8: no one will be able to stand the battle, and will be left ashamed.

v. 9-10: The day of the Lord – judgement. Matt. 24:19, apocalyptic literature: a terrible day.

v. 11-12: when God finishes with Babylon, few human beings will be left.

v. 13: Hag. 2:6; Psa. 110:5; Lam. 1:12 – apocalyptic language to symbolize the end of an
era or empire.
v. 14: some will flee to their lands; people being set free: Ciro’s edict?

v.15: No, it refers to survivors that are then captured and killed.

v. 16: wow

v. 17: First specific reference to the history of Babylon. Darius the Mede coming from this
passage? Oxford Commentary.

v. 18-22: vivid description of the destruction.

Isaiah 14 – Calvin Barret.

1-2: Israel

v. 1: still hope for the people – still His people. The return was only because of God’s
mercy, while the captivity was because of their sins. Jacob – Israel and Judah. Both people
would be joined one more time: the restoration of the “twelve” motif in the NT.

Foreigners: ambivalent treatment of the foreigners -

v. 2: Here strangers are taken as servants: the idea that the nations would bring offering and
tribute to the people of Israel.

3-24: the prophecy to Babylon

v. 3-4: The people of Israel would “mock” the misfortune of the enemy. Rest as a promise
consistent in Scripture. At that point of rest, they would be able to look back at Babylon
and see it waste.

v. 5: God would break the rule of the powerful. He is over everyone; no one is not
amenable to God’s law. Whether one decides to be or not, He is over every ruler.

v. 6: A merciless and ruthless nation that had no pity for others.

v. 7: Because Babylon is defeated, the land has rest and in the midst of joy.

v. 8: universal joy – even the creation itself is at rest. The trees are no longer tools for war.
The Lord takes care of his creation and brings rest to it.

v. 9: Ps. 9:17 – Sheol: stirred up for receiving Babylon. Such an obscure verse.
v. 10-11: the ceremonial and victorious signs are consumed and destroyed – what exalted
them above others is put down and Babylon is turned as the rest.

v. 12: Lucifer: morning star. This is the king of Babylon. Rev. 8:10. The one that was
exalted above all is now brought low.

v. 13-14: The pride and arrogance of trying to be in the place of God. Gen. 11. 2 Thess. 2:4.
North: probably a reference to Jerusalem.

v. 15: Sheol – as the final destiny of the king.

v. 16-17: people will wonder how is it possible that this is the same nation that terrified the
world.

v. 18-19: a dishonorable burial.

v. 20: the reason why: he turned his back to his own people in order to gain power.

v. 22-23: the downfall of Babylon is a work of the Lord – utterly destroyed, it would be the
house wildlife.

24-27: Assyria

v. 24: probably an editorial comment in order to shift the attention to the oracle against
Assyria.

v. 25: The invasion of Sennacherib will be broken.

v. 26-27: The certainty of this: God promised, and it will come to pass. This goes against
the premillennialist idea that the Lord failed in his attempt to establish the kingdom.

28-32: downfall of Philistia.

v. 28-29: Even if Babylon is fallen, Philistia should not rejoice.

Isaiah 15: Oracle against Moab.

v. 1: Ar, Kir: city and fortress. Complete destruction of Moab.

The lists of cities usually refer to a thorough destruction of the land.

v. 5: It is interesting this “crying out” of Isaiah – is this compassion?

Isaiah 16 – Cole

v. 1:

2 Sam. 8:12.

Jer. 48:20, 32.

It is surprising the attitude of Isaiah. Who knew that he was a human being? It hurts so
much to read of a prophet blasting words that turned to be real, but it breaks the soul to see
a prophet cry. How can I make his words my own? I am not, and never will be a prophet…

Reflection on the ‘moment of Camus’ – Isaiah never compromised the pain of others, even
when he saw God using the pain of a nation against another, every cry of every innocent is
a cosmic occurrence. No suffering is never justified.