The Writings of Isaiah

The book of Isaiah is the first prophetic book in the Bible. You may be wondering, “What is a prophetic book?”  Have you ever seen someone speak on behalf of someone else? Usually this happens with important people. A representative will speak to news reporters on behalf of the leader of a country.  Or an ambassador will speak to political leaders on behalf of his president.   Before Jesus came and died on the cross, enabling a direct personal relationship with God, God often spoke to people through prophets.  God had special people He selected to speak for Him. They were called prophets, and the prophetic books of the Bible serve as sermons or messages from God to His people, spoken by the prophet He chose.  Some of these messages were warnings, and some were filled with hope.  They spoke a message of what was happening at that time but also a message of what was to come in the future.  Some were short and precise while others were long and visionary. 

Isaiah is a prophetic book written to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  It can be summed up into three topics: humankind’s judgment and the need of a Savior, the arrival of that Savior in Jesus Christ, and the eventual return of Jesus Christ. As we read through Isaiah, we can think of it almost as a matching game, trying to match the prophecy from this Old Testament book to its New Testament fulfillment.  This message was given by Isaiah while he also addressed the daily state of sin Judah was choosing. Isaiah’s message was relevant for that specific time and for the future.

What would life look like if Jesus never came and paid that price?  In the Old Testament Isaiah sends a message to the people of Jerusalem and Judah that gives a look at what life would be like if Jesus never came to this earth to set people free. Isaiah gave this message to the people before Jesus was ever born. He wanted to show the people what their sin was deserved, but he also shared a message of the hope and salvation Jesus would bring. 

Imagine living at the time that Isaiah was prophesying, and hearing his message firsthand. Would you think he was harsh? Maybe you would think he was overly dramatic, or maybe you’d think he was speaking the truth. Isaiah wasn’t worried about how his message would affect his life.  He realized he could face hardship because of his message.  He delivered his message with the conviction he felt. 

The first half of Isaiah’s message is full of God’s judgment.  God allows the consequences of people who reject Him to be extreme to show how desperately people need a Savior.  Isaiah’s message shows how the people do not have the ability to save themselves.  The first part of the book may talk about judgment, but the second talks about salvation. 

Isaiah’s message shows one of the most complete pictures of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.  Isaiah tells of His coming, including His virgin birth.  Isaiah speaks of Christ’s ministry and the ultimate price He would pay on the cross.  Isaiah even speaks of the return of Christ and the ultimate establishment of His Kingdom.  The number of prophecies that have been fulfilled from Isaiah in Christ confirms the accuracy of Isaiah’s message.  Speaking hundreds of years earlier, there is no way Isaiah could have known the details of Christ, unless they were divinely given to Him by God. The book of Isaiah was God’s special way of letting people know His plan to save mankind.  Isaiah was written for Jews living during his time but it was also written for Jews living in the first century and for everyone from then on, so all would know Jesus is the Christ, sent by God.