Isaiah - The Evangelical Prophet

  • Isaiah was born into an influential, upperclass family that rubbed shoulders with royalty. He mentioned the name of his father, Amoz, seven times throughout the book. Amoz was a prominent citizen of Jerusalem. Isaiah was married and had two sons, Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalah-Hash-Baz.
  • Isaiah was called to his ministry “in the year that king Uzziah died” (6:1), which was 739B.C. He had a long life span as he ministered throughout the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who died in 686B.C.
  • Tradition says that he was martyred during the reign of Manasseh by being sawed in two inside a hollow log. Isaiah was a man who loved his nation, hated sin and sham religion, and was in touch with God.
  • The prophet announces judgment upon immoral and idolatrous people beginning with Judah, then Judah’s neighboring nations, and finally the whole world.
  • Isaiah was a prophet that not only wrote for his day but his message is one we also need to hear today as he cries out God’s message in this world of upheaval, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people” (40:1).

The book can be outlined as follows:

     1.   Isaiah denouncing sin:

           a.  The personal sins of the people (chapters 1-6).

           b.   The national sins of the leaders (chapters 7-12).

           c.   The sins of the Gentile nations (chapters 13-23.

     2.   A description of global judgment (chapters 24-27).

     3.   The impending Assyrian invasion (chapters 28-35).

     4.   God’s miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem (chapters 36-37).

     5.   Hezekiah’s foolish cooperation with Babylon (chapters 38-39).

     6.   A focus on the attributes of the Godhead:

           a.   The greatness of God the Father (chapters 40-48).

           b.   The grace of God the Son (chapters 49-57).

           c.   The glory of God the Holy Spirit (chapters 58-66).