Book of Isaiah

[Guest yod]

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[OneAccord]

Excellent post, yod. Right on topic!

I admit to being woefully ignorant of history, especially Middle Eastern history. So it is difficult if not impossible for me to put Isaiah into a historical context, which is certainly to my detriment. Thus I find myself seeking allegorical insights.

I do have a commentary that I use, but I'm afraid his exegesis of Isaiah is brief, and touches the highlights only. Nice overview but I'm searching deeper.

I have made an attempt to check into the history of the times, but don't have the kind of study time it would take to really go into it. It would cut into my Bible time if I did. Thus I am rather dependent on man's interpretations of these events in a historical sense.

BUT it doesn't take long to figure out that Biblical history is controversial in the history field. Secular history and Bible history don't quite match up, therefore I get suspicious of exegesis that tends to force verses to fit into supposed events.

A lot of commentaries seem to be secondhand exegesis. These men study other men's commentaries and then write their own.

I belive that the 'average' Bible reader does not have a history degree, therefore are also dependent on commentators and their works, which leaves them a bit vulnerable to error if they are not given to critical thinking.

[Guest yod]

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[Crusader4Christ]

Great posts Yod. I agree with you on taking the literal interpretation first. And,

there are ways to be able to tell what prophets were of the same timeline.

God bless you Yod.

PS: I love Isaiahic prophecy!

[Adstar]

I have often wished that someone could produce a Book of Historical maps with all the lands talked of in the bible put in their place. It would help in understanding many events in prophesy.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[OneAccord]

I've wished that too but always assumed that there are good Bible atlases out there.

[Guest shilou]

Hi guys I'm finding this to be very interesting, but confusing too because of all the jumping around. The historical lifeline of Isaiah runs pretty much like this. He began his ministry in the year of King Uzziah's death (about 740 B.C.) He continued as a prophet in Jerusalem during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He was a freind of Amos, Hosea, and Micah. He was martyred under Manasseh, son of Hezekieah, who reigned from 696-642. While he was growing up the kingdom of Judah emerged as the leading power in Palestine opposing the advance of Assyria, while the Northern kingdom of Israel declined in power due to internal problems. After Uzziah's death the Assyrians conquered Damascus in 732 and Samaria in 722 reducing Syria and Israel to Assyrian provinces. While this was going on Ahaz the king of Judah ignored the warnings of Isaiah and introduced idolatry into the Jerusalem temple. In following decades Assyrian kings marched their armies southward and threatened to terminate the Davidic dynasty rule in Judah in 701. Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem were delivered miraculously, although according to Assyrian records forty-six walled cities in southern Palestine capitualated to Sennacherib, the king of Assyria and over 200,000 captives were taken into exile. Thats a very short history lesson but maybe it helps.

Isaiah repeatedly warned his people that Jerusalem and Judah would be judged because of the prevailing wickedness. But he also gave assurance to those who would trust in God that ultimately the kingdom would be restored. I see not only Isaiah's warnings to a wicked country that he lived in at the time but also a prophetic warning to all and any country who chooses to follow in the path of wickedness. (USA?) If we look across the span of history all goverments have fallen after periods of falling away from God. Not only do I see this as a warning to countries but to each of us as individual's. The temple was once in Jerusalem, it is now in us, so anytime we bring our lusts of people or things into the heart of the temple we are open to God's judgement and wrath. Most of us have experienced this and have had to spend our time in exile. Having known God for any length of time and then to go back out into the wilderness, dessert we know how horrible it can be. We also know the feeling of being reconciled to God through Christ and this is what the book of Isaiah is about. Anyway sorry I'm getting off subject. Chapters 1-6 are the judgement and hope of restoration should we start at the beginning and see where this leads?

Yod you are a good historian could you add those pieces in. I am more of an overall historian and don't do real well with all the intriquite details of it. I'm more like one accord said look at things from an overall distance. I'm really curious to see what you guys see in this book but reading the entire four pages today I was jumping all over the book just trying to understand where everyone was coming from. So are you interested in a straight forward study. I bet between all of us we can glean some very wonderful insight.

In Yeshua's love

Shilou

[Guest yod]

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[OneAccord]

Shilou, I would be interested in an orderly discussion, but find it difficult to do in a forum like this. That's why I've kind of touched on the broader stuff of Isaiah.

I fyou have some ideas on how to approach an orderly Bible Study on a thread like this, I'm definitely game.

[Guest shilou]

Ok One Accord, Chapter one tells us first verse when Isaiah was a prophet, (during which kings reigns). The whole of the chapter is saying your bringing me sacrifices and burning incence but you do nothing to change your ways. God is saying he is sick of it, it's more of a stench than anything. God is looking for repentance not just sacrifices. I can compare this with things I hear from others now a days. I have asked christians that are living in sin what they think God feels about what they are doing? I get the answer that God will forgive me. So these people like the people in Isaiah's time believe that they do not need to change their behavior, people now just think they need to ask for forgiveness, people then thought they could do as they please if they made sacrifices and burnt incense. 1:18 God is saying let's reason together, I want to help you, I love you and want to help clean you up but only if you are willing and obedient. If not then suffer His wrath, after which God himself will clean things up just as in the days of Sodom. This is a warning to all who think they can wink and blink at sin and slide by with it. Either they will choose to clean it up, or God will do it for them but either way it will be done. To those who choose to listen, repent and do as God wills for them, He promises to make them as clean as white snow. Pretty much God is sick of all the religious doing this and that with nothing real underneath it.

That is a beautiful promise but it is very obvious God is angry. Try to set yourself in the time and what are people thinking. We learn in this chapter that even the government officials and judges are corrupt. None are interested in justice but rather lining their own pockets. Look around us today and the corruption of the governments of the industrialized nations. When I read something like this I not only see the warning to the peoples and politicians of Isaiah's time but for all goverments and individuals to come. For instance take a look at the Roman empire and it went the same way and had alot of prophets giving them the same warnings and like Israel they wouldn't listen. In our present day we have good Godly men warning our government but they will not listen. I look to Israel as the model for what we should and should not do. So Isaiah is in fact not only warning the people of his time but the people of all times to come, on a governmental whole country level, and an individual level.

My reasoning for wanting to do this in order chapter by chapter is because it was written that way and since it was there is a reason for it as with all things of God. If we are jumping all over the place we're going to miss a huge point. I don't think it's impossible or too difficult to do this study here. I just think it will take some time and alot of imput on all of our parts. I'm interested in hearing from the history buffs, does anyone know the history of Palestine in this time period? Like I said I know the basics but what was really going on there and how did it come out?

To answer one of Yods questions this warning was before the Babylonian exile. The exile itself was part of the judgement. Ezekiel was a prophet during the exile 593-571. Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 so obviously they didn't listen to Isaiah. Nor did God think they would. All of this needs to be looked at in a two-fold way. First what was going on, what did God say and how did they respond so what did God do. Secondly to see Israel as the proof positive that God will do what he says. It's the model of what he is saying to us as a country and as individuals.

Chapter two jumps into the millenial reign, the wrath before hand and all that will be going on, not just in Israel but around the globe. This is a chapter of prophesy and is probably why your getting mixed up. This can not be taken in a historical sense because it hasn't happened yet. The key word in it is latter days, but because we can and do know the history and that Gods judgement did come to pass in Chapter one, we can trust the prophetic message in chapter two and trust that it will come to pass. So chapter one and two, if I am wrong about anything, or I missed anything someone please point it out to me.

In Yeshua's love

Shilou