Isaiah
Isaiah was a prophet in Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His prophecies are recorded in the biblical book bearing his name.
Biography
Isaiah son of Amoz was one of the greatest prophets of ancient Israel, active in Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, spanning roughly 740 to 700 BC. His ministry began with a shattering vision of the Lord enthroned in the temple, surrounded by seraphim crying 'Holy, holy, holy' (Isaiah 6:1-8), which defined the theological center of his prophetic witness: the absolute holiness of God and the utter sinfulness of humanity. Isaiah navigated the complex political crises of the Assyrian threat, counseling kings to trust in God rather than foreign alliances (Isaiah 7; 36-37). His sixty-six-chapter book contains some of Scripture's most sublime poetry, including the Servant Songs that describe a suffering servant bearing the sins of his people (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).
Significance
Isaiah is arguably the most theologically comprehensive of all the Hebrew prophets, earning him the designation 'the evangelical prophet' among ancient and medieval commentators. His visions of the coming Messiah, the suffering servant, the new creation, and the universal reign of God are foundational to New Testament Christology. The Gospel writers and the apostles quote Isaiah more than any other prophet; Jesus himself inaugurated his public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61 in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:18-19). Isaiah's dual emphasis on divine judgment and radical grace establishes the framework within which the entire gospel of Christ is proclaimed and understood, making him indispensable to biblical theology.
Verse Appearances (54)
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Isaiah
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]
- Joseph Blenkinsopp (2000) Isaiah 1-39: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible, vol. 19.Critical commentary addressing authorship, historical setting, and literary structure of First Isaiah.
- Brevard S. Childs (2001) Isaiah. Old Testament Library.Canonical commentary treating the book of Isaiah as a unified theological witness.
- Claus Westermann (1969) Isaiah 40-66: A Commentary. Old Testament Library.Foundational form-critical study of Deutero- and Trito-Isaiah and their Servant Songs.
- R. E. Clements (1980) Isaiah 1-39. New Century Bible Commentary.Influential redaction-critical study of First Isaiah's composition and editorial history.