The Messianic Prophet:Isaiah
Introduction to Prophet Isaiah
"It takes a few hours to prepare a sermon; but it takes years for God to prepare a man"
Isaiah was an outstanding prophet at whose word, God made the sun to go back 10 degree. And God sent an angel to slay 1, 85,000 army men of Assyrian army to keep the words of Isaiah.
Jan Valeton says, “Never has been another prophet like Isaiah , who stood with his head in the clouds and his feet on solid earth, with heart in the things of eternity and his mouth and his hands in the things of time, with his spirit in the eternal counsel of God and his body in the very definite movement of story.”
62 times he used the term for God as, “the Lord of Hosts” in 66 chapters.He used the term, “Holy one of Israel” for 25 times and only 6 times this term is used in the rest of the Bible.
He was married and had two sons who bore symbolic names: “Shear-jashub” (a remnant shall return 7:3) and “Maher-shalalhash-baz” (hasting to the spoil 8:3)
The entire book is based on his vision.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah,Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah 1:1
Homer hailey, “Truly, Isaiah may be called the Dean of all prophets”.
Prof. John F.A. Sawyer describes the Book of Isaiah “the Fifth Gospel.”
And here is how James Smith put it in his book on the Major Prophets in The Old Testament Survey Series where he quotes four other commentators: He has been called “The Prince of the Old Testament Prophets” (Copass), “The Saint Paul of the Old Testament” (Robinson) and “the greatest prophet” (Eusebius). Isaiah son of Amoz was a theologian, reformer, statesman, historian, poet, orator, prince, and patriot. He was “ prophet of the gospel before the Gospel” (Robinson), the fifth evangelist.
Duration of His Ministry:
Being one of the major prophets, He stood in the prophetic office for almost 60 years (BC-740-681). Tradition says that he was sawn into two be Manasseh. Under four kings Uzziah (767-740), Jotham(740-732), Ahaziah (732-716), Hezekiah (716-687) and Manasseh. Isaiah had a very long ministry that ranged from around 740 to 680. His ministry began near the end of the reign of Uzziah (790-739 B.C.) and continued through the reigns of Jotham (739-731 B.C.) Ahaz (731-715 B.C.), And Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.). From the standpoint of Gentile rulers of the time, Isaiah ministered from the time of Tiglath-Pilesar (745-727 B.C.) to the time of Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.) of Assyria
The name Isaiah means “Yehovah is salvation,” and is similar to the names Joshua, Elisha, Hosea and Jesus. The summary of the message of this book is relevant to his name.
Background: Morally corrupted, spiritually fallen, politically threatened and economically strong.
Theme: Isaiah was the Messianic prophet who shared the most of the messianic prophecies--Virgin birth of Christ, ministry of the Lord, sufferings of Christ, atonement death of Christ, burial, resurrection, Jesus becoming the chief corner stone for the Church and Millennial kingdom of Christ. He portrayed Christ as the dying lamb as well as the triumphant king.53rd chapter speaks exclusively on the suffering Messiah. He was quoted more than any other Old Testament prophet in New Testament.
Prophecies of Isaiah and New Testament
All the four Gospels writers did not fail to quote him. First quoted prophecy in the ministry of John the Baptist and in the ministry of Christ were from Isaiah. Mark opens his Gospel with the Isaiah 40:3
1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send
My Messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.”
3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”
Jesus Himself read from the book of Isaiah in the Jewish synagogue at Nazareth.
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.
And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18.”The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19.To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Luke 4:16-20
Ethiopian minister read from Isaiah and Philip led him to Christ through those Scriptures.
30.So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “ Do you understand what you are reading?”
31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent. So He opened not His mouth.
33In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”
34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture preached Jesus to him.
Apostle Paul quoted Isaiah in several places. Isaiah has been quoted around 85 times in New Testament.
The book of Isaiah is a wholesome prophetic book
This little Bible contains 66 chapters – first 39 chapters are distinct from next 27 chapters.1-39 chapters speak on fallen condition of Judah and God’s judgment and 40- 66 chapters on restoration, comfort and glory.66th chapter of Isaiah and 66th book of the Bible talk about the new heaven and the new earth. Read the book of Isaiah in one-sitting to get the whole message.
He prophesied not only about Israel but also about many gentile Nations:-
Prophecies against Gentile Nations in common (13:1-23:18)
Prophecies against Babylon (13:1-14:23).
Prophecies against Assyria (14:24-27)
Prophecies against Philistia (14:28-32)
Prophecies against Moab (15:1 – 16:14).
Prophecies against Damascus and Her Ally
Prophecies against Ethiopia (18:1-7)
Prophecies against Egypt (19:1-20:6)
Prophecies against Edom (21:11-12)
Prophecies against Arabia (21:13-17)
Prophecies against Tyre (23:1-18)
Here is a doctrinal study:http://newjerusalem.hubpages.com/hub/LAYING-ON-OFF-HANDS
