Encountering the Book of Isaiah (Encountering Biblical Studies) , livre ebook

Encountering Biblical Studies
Walter A. Elwell, General Editor and New Testament Editor Eugene H. Merrill, Old Testament Editor

Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey , Second Edition
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer

Readings from the Ancient Near East: Primary Sources for Old Testament Study
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer, editors

Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey , Third Edition
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough

Readings from the First-Century World: Primary Sources for New Testament Study
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, editors

Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Study of Its Content and Issues
Bill T. Arnold

Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction
C. Hassell Bullock

Encountering the Book of Isaiah: A Historical and Theological Survey
Bryan E. Beyer

Encountering John: The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective , Second Edition
Andreas J. Köstenberger

Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey , Second Edition
Douglas J. Moo

Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition
Donald A. Hagner

© 2007 by Bryan E. Beyer

Published by Baker Academic a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287 www.bakeracademic.com

Ebook edition created 2013

Ebook corrections 04.29.2015

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1070-8

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org
To Mom and Dad,
with deep gratitude for
your immeasurable contribution
in shaping my life
to follow Jesus.

Proverbs 6:20–22
Contents in Brief


Cover
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Preface
To the Student
Abbreviations

1. Who Was Isaiah, and What Do We Know about Him and His Book?
2. Isaiah’s Opening Words to God’s People: Isaiah 1:2–31
3. God’s Call to Live in Light of the Future: Isaiah 2:1–5:30
4. Isaiah’s Call to Prophetic Ministry: Isaiah 6:1–13
5. The Signs of Immanuel and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz: Isaiah 7:1–8:22
6. God’s Kingdom Will Surpass All Earthly Kingdoms: Isaiah 9:1–12:6
7. Oracles against the Nations: Isaiah 13:1–23:18
8. The “Little Apocalypse”: Isaiah 24:1–27:13
9. Oracles of Woe: Isaiah 28:1–33:24
10. Eschatological Summation: Isaiah 34:1–35:10
11. Highlights from Hezekiah’s Reign: Isaiah 36:1–39:8
12. Introduction to Isaiah 40–66
13. God’s People Are Coming Home! Isaiah 40:1–31
14. Proclamation of Deliverance and Restoration: Isaiah 41:1–45:25
15. The Fall of Babylon: Isaiah 46:1–47:15
16. Israel’s Release and Exaltation: Isaiah 48:1–52:12
17. The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 52:13–53:12
18. Celebrating the Return: Isaiah 54:1–59:21
19. The Grand Finale of God’s Restoration: Isaiah 60:1–66:24
20. Isaiah and the Old Testament
21. Isaiah and the New Testament
22. Isaiah and the Great Commission

Notes
Glossary
Select Bibliography
Scripture Index
Subject Index
Contents

Cover
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents in Brief
Preface
To the Student
Abbreviations

1. Who Was Isaiah, and What Do We Know about Him and His Book?
Outline
Objectives
Isaiah the Man
Isaiah’s Times
• Uzziah (2 Kgs 15:1–7; 2 Chr 26:1–23)
• Jotham (2 Kgs 15:32–38; 2 Chr 27:1–9)
• Ahaz (2 Kgs 16:1–20; 2 Chr 28:1–27)
• Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18:1–20:21; 2 Chr 29:1–32:33)
• Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:1–18; 2 Chr 33:1–20)
Authorship and Date of the Book
Dating Isaiah’s Ministry: Does Isaiah 6 Describe Isaiah’s Call?
Isaiah’s Message
• Forthtelling
• Foretelling
• Focus on Judah
• Global in Scope
• Isaiah’s Major Themes
◦ Remnant
◦ The Sovereignty of God
◦ Servant
◦ The Holy One of Israel
◦ Messiah
Study Questions
Key Terms

2. Isaiah’s Opening Words to God’s People: Isaiah 1:2–31
Outline
Objectives
God’s Witnesses against the People (1:2–3)
God’s Description of the People (1:4–9)
• The People (1:4–6)
• The Land (1:7–9)
God’s Indictment of the People (1:10–15)
• The Situation (1:10–14)
• The Result (1:15)
God’s Solution for the People (1:16–20)
• God’s Commands (1:16–17)
• God’s Promises (1:18–20)
God’s Lament over the People (1:21–26)
• Jerusalem’s Sinful Condition (1:21–23)
• Jerusalem’s Coming Purge (1:24–26)
God’s Promise to His People (1:27–31)
• Blessing to the Repentant (1:27)
• Judgment to Transgressors (1:28–31)
Study Questions
Key Terms

3. God’s Call to Live in Light of the Future: Isaiah 2:1–5:30
Outline
Objectives
The Coming Blessing (2:1–4)
• The Lord’s Temple
• God’s People
• The Lord’s Peace
Judgment Speeches (2:5–4:6)
• Call to Recognize God’s Ways (2:5–21)
• Judgment against the Leaders (2:22–3:15)
• Judgment against the Women (3:16–4:1)
• God’s Day of Restoration (4:2–6)
◦ The Branch
◦ The Lord’s Cleansing and Protection
Song of the Vineyard (5:1–7)
Six Woes against the Nation (5:8–30)
• Oppressive Landowners (5:8–10)
• Pursuers of Drunken Revelry (5:11–17)
• God Testers (5:18–19)
• The Morally Twisted (5:20)
• The Self-Exalted (5:21)
• The Immoral Opportunists (5:22–23)
• The Conclusion: Vengeance (5:24–30)
Study Questions
Key Terms

4. Isaiah’s Call to Prophetic Ministry: Isaiah 6:1–13
Outline
Objectives
Does Isaiah 6 Describe Isaiah’s Call to Prophetic Ministry?
Isaiah’s Vision (6:1–8)
• Where Did Isaiah’s Vision Occur?
• Isaiah Sees the Lord’s Glory (6:1–4)
• Isaiah Confesses His Sin (6:5)
• Isaiah Receives God’s Cleansing (6:6–7)
• Isaiah Responds to God’s Call (6:8)
Isaiah’s First Prophetic Message (6:9–13)
• Isaiah’s Commission (6:9)
• The Prophecy Itself
• Isaiah 6:9–10 in the New Testament
Study Questions
Key Terms

5. The Signs of Immanuel and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz: Isaiah 7:1–8:22
Outline
Objectives
The Sign of Immanuel (7:1–16)
• The Historical Setting (7:1–9)
• The Sign Offered, Refused, and Given (7:10–16)
◦ The Sign Offered and Refused (7:10–13)
◦ The Lord’s Sign: The Birth of Immanuel (7:14–16)
Interpretations
• The Meaning of ‘ Almah
◦ View 1: Isaiah’s Words Find Their Fulfillment Only in Jesus
◦ View 2: The Prophecies of Isaiah 7 and 8 Are Linked
◦ View 3: The Woman Is Already Pregnant
• Conclusion: Isaiah 7:14 and the New Testament
The Coming Assyrian Invasion (7:17–8:22)
• The Destruction of the Land (7:17–25)
• The Birth of Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (8:1–4)
• The Judgment of the People (8:5–22)
Study Questions
Key Terms

6. God’s Kingdom Will Surpass All Earthly Kingdoms: Isaiah 9:1–12:6
Outline
Objectives
Description of the Messianic Era (9:1–7)
• The Restoration of the Nation, Especially the North (9:1–5)
◦ The Way of the Sea
◦ The Other Side of the Jordan
◦ Galilee of the Gentiles
• The Means of Restoration: The Birth and Rule of the Messiah (9:6–7)
◦ Wonderful Counselor
◦ Mighty God
◦ Eternal Father
◦ Prince of Peace
Judgment against Israel (9:8–10:4)
• Judgment by Other Nations (9:8–12)
• Judgment against Israel’s Leaders (9:13–17)
• Judgment by Famine and Natural Disasters (9:18–21)
• Judgment against All Society (10:1–4)
Judgment against Assyria (10:5–34)
• God’s Judgment of Assyria’s Arrogance (10:5–19)
•Israel’s Ultimate Victory over Assyria (10:20–34)
Further Description of the Messianic Era (11:1–16)
• The Messiah Himself (11:1–5)
• The Peace the Messiah Will Bring (11:6–10)
•The People God Will Gather (11:11–16)
Song of Thanksgiving and Praise (12:1–6)
Concluding Thoughts from Isaiah 1–12
Study Questions
Key Terms

7. Oracles against the Nations: Isaiah 13:1–23:18
Outline
Objectives
Why Oracles against Other Nations?
• Challenges to the Messianic Kingdom
◦ The Challenge of Earthly Kingdoms
◦ The Challenge of Other Gods
• Challenges to God’s Sovereignty
Babylon (13:1–14:23)
• Why Begin with Babylon?
• Babylon’s Destruction (13:1–22)
◦ The Work of Many Nations
◦ The Day of the Lord
• The Taunt Song against Babylon’s King (14:1–23)
◦ Good News for Judah (14:1–2)
◦ Details of the Taunt (14:3–23)
◦ The Object of the Taunt: To Whom Does the Expression “King of Babylon” Refer?
Assyria (14:24–27)
Philistia (14:28–32)
Moab (15:1–16:14)
• Lament over Moab’s Condition (15:1–9)
• Moab’s Coming Judgment (16:1–14)
◦ Moab’s Desperate Plea for Help (16:1–5)
◦ Lament for Moab (16:6–14)
Damascus and Israel (17:1–14)
• Judgment against Damascus (17:1–3)
• Judgment against Israel (17:4–14)
Cush and Egypt (18:1–20:6)
• Cush (18:1–6)
• Egypt (19:1–25)
◦ Judgment against Egypt and Its Leaders (19:1–15)
◦ Egypt’s Submission and Restoration (19:16–25)
• Isaiah’s Sign against Egypt and Cush (20:1–6)
Babylon, Edom, and Arabia (21:1–17)
• Babylon (21:1–10)
• Edom (21:11–12)
• Arabia (21:13–17)
Jerusalem (22:1–25)
• Jerusalem’s Siege (22:1–14)
• Shebna and Eliakim (22:15–25)
◦ Shebna: Leadership for His Own Gain
◦ Eliakim: Leadership to Serve Others
Tyre (23:1–18)
• Call to Lament (23:1–7)
• T