Isaiah 2 - Jerusalem, the House of The Lord

1. Introduction

In this chapter, Isaiah gave a vision about the future of Jerusalem, namely when the Messiah returns to Earth a second time and rule from Jerusalem. We can imagine that it was difficult for the people of Isaiah's time to understand this prophecy, since the first coming of Christ had not even happened yet. The picture is about a conquering king, so no wonder the Jews had a hard time to believe that Jesus was the Messiah when he first came as a lamb.

Also, some of the passages are two-fold prophecies. In other words, the prophecy looked like a single picture of far-off mountains; however, as you get near to the first mountain, you realise that the mountains are not close together. The rest of the mountains are separated with some distance apart.

Thus, while some of the prophecies points to events thousands of years into the future, parts of the same passage also apply to the nearer events, such as the Babylonian captivity that would happen in the next hundred years.

We have an advantage over the ancient Jews, as we have already reached and passed the first few mountains - the Babylonian captivity and the first coming of Christ. Therefore we see more clearly which of the prophecies have passed, and which ones are still yet to come.

Thus when we read Isaiah, we need to keep in mind the two-fold nature of the prophecies.

1. Jerusalem in the Millenium (1-4)

When Christ comes again, He will defeat the secular nations and rule the Earth from Jerusalem. (Revelation 20:4-6).  Many other prophets including Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah and even the Psalms also predicted the kingship of the Messiah in Jerusalem.

“Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You, ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” (Psalm 2:6-9)

Unlike the corrupted kings of Judah and Israel, it will be a time of peace and justice, where Jesus will be the judge for all nations. There will be no more wars among the nations, but this is after the major war of the Armageddon where Jesus comes back to defend Israel and defeat the nations.  (Rev 19:11-21)

All nations will come and pay tribute the Lord in Jerusalem, and to seek His wisdom.

Isaiah's contemporary colleague, Micah duplicated verses 1-4 in Micah 4:1-3.  Micah may either have copied Isaiah or received the same message from God.

Applications: Israel today is a miracle, how it survived both the Assyrians, the Babylonians and the Romans to become a global technological leader. Even today, not many people wants to go Israel for holidays. It is considered dangerous. But one day, everyone will want to go. Zechariah prophesied "The inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going." (Zec 8:21)

The apostles we're motivated and were not afraid to be matyrs because they have the hope of a "heavenly country".  (Hebrews 11:13-16)

2. The people became "worldly" (5-11)

Worldliness is not just a problem with the modern world. The children of Israel were addicted to the riches and pleasures their godless neighbours revel in. They are "full of things from the East" refers to the pagan practices of the Assyrians and Babylonians.  They "strike hands" with foreigners and followed their way of financial corruption, learning their warfare technologies, and worship their gods.

God assured them that "The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day." (v11).  This phrase is repeated several times by Isaiah.

Philippians 2:10 says:  "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;"

Applications: Do we "strike hands" with those who do not believe in the same God and who do what is unlawful to the Scriptures? Are we addicted to riches and power? Do we worship money? The bible says "do not love the world", yet being in the world, it is sometimes hard to discern right and wrong, especially when the Bible doesn't speak directly about it. 

There are two calls Isaiah made in this chapter - where we should be, and where we should do:

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord" (v3) and "come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." (v5)

3. Judgement - A day of Jehovah (12-22)

God will bring a day of reckoning for all the nations, against those who are proud and lofty. It is commonly referred to by the prophets as "Day of the Lord".  (Eg: Ezekiel 38:16; Hosea 3:5).  

The cedars of Lebanon and oaks of Bashan refer to the assets of the nations (in those days, these wood were consider luxury items). The hills and mountains are places of religious (idol) worship. Towers and fortified walls are nations' defenses. Ships of Tarshish refers to commercial riches. All these will be brought down. 

That will be the day when Jesus returns to Earth, not as a lamb, but as a lion, to establish His kingdom on earth.

"For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." (1 Thes 5:2-3)

On that day, we believe that the believers will be "raptured" and taken away to meet Jesus in the clouds and we will go directly to heaven without going through death. (1 Thes 4: 16-18)

The Lord will then "shake the earth" and every man will flee to the caves or holes in the ground in fear.  (See Luke 23:30, Rev 6:16). This is a look into the future where bombs are falling everywhere, and there is the possibility of nuclear weapons being used as well. 

In that day, men will know that all the silver, gold, and idols are totally worthless (major recession) and will abandon them. Trusting other men for help and salvation is also futile because no one will be able to help anyone.

Applications: The last verse of Chapter 2 says "Stop regarding man... for of what account is he?" (v22)  David puts it this way "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation." 

The majority of people on earth believes in philosopher, political leaders, or religious teachers who are merely mortal - they cannot stop death nor bring salvation. 

For us believers, how much of our confidence are put on man? We must be ready, for it will not be for long when the Day of the Lord comes, and everything that man pride themselves of doing will be washed away. 

Isaiah 1 - Jerusalem, the Corrupted City

I. Preface

Isaiah is known as a book of Judgement and Hope (1-39 v.s. 40-66). Chapters 1 and 2 seems to act as a "wrapper" around the whole book.

Chapter 1 is about summary judgment on Judah/Israel as a "sinful nation" in the near term, and that if God did not exercise mercy, they would have been destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah, where there will be no trace of any ruins or inhabitants.

Chapter 2 takes us way to the future, even to our future, to the latter days where God will establish His Holy Mountain in Jerusalem. It speaks of how He deals with mankind and rule all the nations. At that time there will no more idols nor wars.

But in the depressing statements about sin and judgement, may we find humility and repentance from our own frail faith, and discover the nuggets of mercy, love and hope that is in the core of God's heart.

II. Chapter 1 Overview

In 1:1, it was recorded that Isaiah's prophecies started in the reigns of Uzziah and ended at the reign of Hezekiah.  Chapter 6 was said to be recorded in the year Uzziah died, which is 739 BC.  Thus Chapter 1 through 5 could was probably a couple years before.

Verse 1 itself was a separate note added at the end during compilation, at the time of Hezekiah, since Hezekiah was mentioned.Uzziah (also called Azariah in some scriptural verses)  became king of Judah at sixteen-years of age after his father Amaziah died. He started out faithful to the Lord and God gave him many military successes. 

However he became proud as he grew older. He entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. This practice was only allowed for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. God smote him with leprosy and he had to be quarantined until he died.

Jotham his son took over from the affairs of the state, and was considered a good king but he did not change the corrupted life style of the people of Judah.  (2 Kings 15; 2 Chron 26)

While in Israel, the Northern Kingdom, Pekah had murdered Pekahiah and took over rulership around the time Uzziah died. The northern kingdom was more directly under the threat of the Assyrians. 

Amos and Hosea had already been warning them about their destruction, should they not repent. Isaiah gave a similar warning to Judah that they too will not escape God's wrath if they too followed Israel in practicing idolatry and injustice.

III.  Charges against Judah for Breaking the Covenant (ch. 1)

a) The sin-sick and rebellious nation (1-9)

Israel (both the Southern and Northern kingdom) are accused of having no gratefulness and do not know how to discern the laws of God and to distinguish right from wrong. Even animals know who feeds them and returns back to their master each day.  "The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." (1:3)

As a people, they had forsaken and spurned the Lord and has become "estranged" to the Lord because of the idolatry. (Ez 14:5). The leaders have failed and sin greatly, but the sin was from the "sole of the foot to the top of your head" (1:6) which meant the corruption affected everyone.

The country had no peace and were always in wars, attacked by surrounding enemies. Worst of it all, they fight their own brother all the time. Uzziah's father, Amaziah, for example, lost the war to Joash of Israel, who broke down Jerusalem walls. (2Kings 14)

They are corrupted in their heads (thinking) and in their hearts (passion). Instead of meditating on God's laws and loving God, their desires are for money, power, idols and sexual pleasures.

However, Isaiah could also, at the same time, prophesying that more wars and desolation will come should they not repent. But God will have mercy and not destroy them like He did to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Applications: Sometimes it is possible for us to forget God and that he has saved us from eternal fire. We think when nothing good happen to us, God must have forgotten us but actually, it is he who had mercy on us and did not treat us the way that we deserved. We need to remember Him at all times and not become "strangers." Our heads and heart need to be at the right place.

Sometimes God may allow bad things to happen to us, so that we remember Him. Unlike the Israelites we must not harden our hearts and continue down the wrong path. (See Psa 38:3)

b) Corruption hiding behind hypocritical worship (10-15)

God detest their hypocrisy of bringing sacrifices and prayers during the festivals, yet their personal lives are filled with injustice and cruelty.

In Samuel, God said: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

It is interesting that God says "I am weary of bearing them", because He does listen when people call  to Him, but when the people who called to him keep secret sins, are hardened and are proud, the whole process becomes despicable to Him. He would rather that they don't come to Him at all. (See Jer 7:9-10)

"They will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." (Prov 1:28)

Applications: We often leave a double-minded life. When we are out in the world, we behave like the world. Then we go to church on Sundays and give our tithes and worship, and act spiritual. God does not delight in our attendance to church but in our attentiveness in His voice. 

Sometimes we stopped obeying God because it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. But if God is real, then there could be no other response. If God is not real to me, then God would just rather that I don't go to church at all.

c) God’s call to reformation of life (16-20)

God's will is for them to repent and "make themselves clean."  The focus in to seek justice, correct oppression, and assist the orphans and widows. 

It reminds me of the quote from Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."  A prophet can't do anything unless people follow, and in the case of Israel, the good minority was silent. 

God's forgiveness is absolute - it is not selective. When one is "willing and obedient", not only they will be blessed, but their sins are completely removed. This is what Jesus would do for all man-kind even those who died long ago. 

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (v 18)

God's desire is to bless them, but if they do not repent, they will be devoured by the sword.

Applications: God is always waiting for us to stop our disobedience and rebellion and disbelief, and to return to him. There is no such thing as "too late", until He takes away our life.

d) The lament over Jerusalem (21-23)

Jerusalem used to be a holy city during the times of David and early Solomon.  But now the city has become a "harlot" or  a "whore" - referring to the idolatry. They allowed foreign religions to defile the holy city as if it was a prostitute.

“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, “I will not serve!” Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute. I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before me, into a rotten wild vine?…" Jer 2:20-22

There was injustice and law breaking, including putting innocent people to death. They don't protect the poor and innocent, and probably take advantage of them. 

When come to money, they were thieves and accepts bribes - including the judges (Mic 7:3). That's why their silver is like junk, worthless, because of all the corrupted practices. 

Applications: Leaders and civil servants play a very important part of ensuring justice and protection of the innocent and the needy. When that doesn't happen, then God will bring justice upon them. When a country is suffering disasters that are not within their control, it is a warning from God, and they need to return to God and repent.

e) Redemption through purging (24-31)

God's plan is to return Zion as the "City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”  (1:26).  This he will do by purging the rebels and sinners from the land. Like impure silver, they will be purified through fire of God's wrath. (Ezekiel 22:20-22)

God will replace their leaders, judges, and counselors "as at the beginning" - it did not say there will be a king, other than the Lord Himself mentioned in other scriptures. But those who continue to rebel will be consumed, both them and their works.

Applications: God is our eternal king. When human leaders do the wrong thing, it does not mean we therefore has the right to follow.

Introduction - Historical Overview Part 1

Collin Leong

Dec 2018

Historical Overview for Book of Isaiah - Part 1

The original name of Isaiah in Hebrew was Yesha'yahu, meaning "YAHWEH is salvation." His message is about judgement on Israel and the hope of salvation from Yahweh, through a coming Messiah.

The prophecies of Isaiah was delivered in Judah between 739 and 681 B.C.  For almost 60 years, God had moved kings, wars, and nations, like pieces on a chess board, in order to bring about His prophecies and will around Israel and Judah. Many situations would have changed from chapter 1 to chapter 66.

As such, it is important to understand the historical context of the times when the prophecies were delivered, so that we have a deeper understanding of Isaiah's words and their meanings.

Isaiah prophesied in two major periods. Chapters 1 to 39 were completed around 701 BC, and Chapters 40 to 66 were completed around 681 BC.  In this blog, we will attempt to simplify the historical context and purpose of these two parts. 

We will cover Part 1 in this blog, and Part 2 in a separate blog.

Part 1: Chapters 1 to 39  (739 to 700 BC)

In this period, the significant parties in history are the divided Kingdom (Israel and Judah), and Assyria. The message was a warning that God will use the uprising of Assyria to punish Israel, the Northern Kingdom. It also warned Judah that if it does not correct its ways of idolatry and injustice, it too will be punished by God but through another foreign kingdom.

The early chapters introduces Assyria, which was eventually used to remove Israel from existence. Chapter 39 ends by describing Hezekiah's (of Judah) reckless liason with the Babylonians, which is a prelude to how God will use the Babylonians to bring justice to Judah within two generations. We shall look at the Babylonians in more detail in Part 2.

A. The Assyrians

Assyrian and Conquest Map (Bible-History.Com)

The Assyrians originated from the land of northern Mesopotamia. It's centre was located in what is now northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey.

It began its expansion around 900 BC by King Adad-Nirari II.  In 857 B.C., Shalmaneser III captured the city of Carchemish in Syria. This alerted the cities to the southwest to form alliances in defense against the aggressive Assyria.

Though not mentioned in the Bible, it was said in the Assyrian writings that a coalition involving King Ahab (of Israel, 874-853) battled with Shalmaneser III at Qarqar in 853 B.C. The battle was inconclusive and thereafter Assyria went into a period of dormancy. Shortly after that, Ahab died in the war against Aram (Syria) (See 1 Kings 22).

All was quite until Tiglath-Pileser ((745-727) became king. He is referred to as Pul in the Bible (See 1 Chronicles 5:26).  

Pul's military strategy was in 3 stages. The first stage is to force small kingdoms to become vassal states. Vassal states have to pay annual tributes and contribute soldiers to protect the Assyrian's territories. If a a vassal state rebels, Assyria will replace the king with someone more loyal, or at least more willing to co-operate.  The size of the kingdom may be reduced and the tributes may increase as a punishment.

Lastly, if the state rebels again, Assyria will use its military power to subjugate the kingdom and kill or exile all its inhabitants. The people will be replaced with a mixture of foreign citizens. This is the ultimate way of ensuring no one in the state will be able to conspire against Assyria again.

In the Assyrian crisis, Judah only experienced the first stage of vassalship, but Israel went through all three stages and was eventually wiped out from the earth.

B. War Between Brothers

After Solomon died in 931BC, his kingdom broke into two. Jeroboam lead the rebellion against Solomon's son and heir, Rehoboam. Only 2 tribes - Judah and the Benjamites - remained loyal to David's line.  The other 10 tribes followed Jeroboam and called the northern part of the kingdom their homeland, and Samaria their capital city. It is common to refer to the northern kingdom "Israel", and the southern part "Judah". These two nations of brothers fight against each other all the time.

Sometimes the Bible may use "Israel" to refer to the collective chosen people (descendants of Judah, aka Israel), not to the divided nation in the North. In this blog, however, we will consistently use Israel for the Northen Kingdom and Judah for the Southern Kingdom.

None of Israel's kings were "good", in that none were loyal and obedient to God for over 200 years. Judah, after Solomon, only had 5 or so "good" kings. However the most abominable sin, the sin of idolatry, was never wiped out in either nation. 

650 years before, when the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, God had already warned them through Moses:

"All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever.

...you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything...The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand, a hard-faced nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young." (Deut 28:45-50)

Their time of grace was running out. By the 7th century BC,  Israel's military was weak and the nation was in a political mess, with regular coups and assassinations to take the power of the throne.

When threatened by Tiglath-Pileser, Menahem (752-742) became the first of Israel's king to submit to vassalship to Assyria. Thereafter, his son Pekahiah (742-740) took over but was quickly assassinated by one of his officers, Pekah (740-732). (See 2 Kings 15:23-25)

In the meantime, down in Judah, King Uzziah (790-739), was struck with "instant" leprosy when he arrogantly went into the temple to burn incense. He was quarantined from that day (750 BC) and his co-regent, Jotham (750-731) took over the rulership. Uzziah died in 739 BC.   

It was during these tumultuous times that God gave Isaiah the vision of the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. His visions came around the time of Uzziah's death, with Jotham  in charge in Judah and Pekah dictating Israel.

Pekah then decided to rebel against Assyria, instead of listening to the warnings of Hosea and Isaiah. He allied with Rezin king of Damascus (Aram/Syria), and tried to coerce his enemy-brother Judah to join the conspiracy.  

Judah's king, Jotham and his co-regent, Ahaz (735-715), refused. Given the military might of Assyria, it was probably wise not to provoke their anger. 

However, Pekah was furious and planned an attack on Judah together with King Rezin. This was after Jotham has died and Ahaz became the sole king of Judah. 

Ahaz suffered many casualties in the war, but Judah was not destroyed nor conquered. Second Chronicles 28 described how God sent the prophet Oded to intervene and warned Pekah to leave Judah alone.

Because of Ahaz's idolatry, God brought judgement against Judah from Israel, Aram and also the Edomites and the Philistines - but this was only a mild warning than what will happen to them down the road. 

God sent Isaiah's to encourage Ahaz to "be quiet" because God will save Judah this round. And it is here where Ahaz was given the vision of the Messiah - "behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

C. Destruction of the Northern Kingdom

Ignoring Isaiah, Ahaz appealed to Tiglath-Pileser (Pul) for help by offering silver and gold from the temple. In response, Pul took the opportunity to launch a scathing attack on both Israel and Damascus. However, he also increased Assyria's vassal strangle-hold over Judah. 

King Rezin was killed by the Assyrians during the attack (2 Kings 16:9). Israel suffered a huge loss and Pul exiled many of the Israelites to Assyria. An Israeli military commander, Hoshea, murdered Pekah and replaced him as Israel's king. (2 Kings 15:29-30).  This Assyrian invasion occured around 734-732 BC. 

Hoshea continued to pay tribute to Assyria but he was a doubled-face. He made an alliance with Egypt and withheld tribute to Assyria. Egypt at this time was also inferior compared to Assyria.

Shalmeneser V, the son of Pul, and the new king of Assyria, had enough of Hoshea's manipulations and attacked the kingdom in 724 BC.  Samaria was besieged and fell in 722 BC. Hoshea was taken prison. (1 Kings 17) 

All the Jews in Israel were removed from their homes and dispersed. In their place were brought gentiles from other lands under Assyrian control to locate in Israel. 

With the fall of Samaria, the Northern Kingdom ceased to exist. Until today, Israel's ten tribes can no longer be traced. They are known as the "lost tribes" of Israel. 

The sins of Israel was described and summarised so that no one will fault God for removing it from the face of the earth: 

"They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained," (2 Kings 17:17-18)

D. Assyrian Attack on Judah

In the meantime, Ahaz became even more proud and evil as he believed he saved Judah by calling out to Assyria. He even re-modeled the Jerusalem temple altar according to the pagan altar he saw in Damascus. Judah's time of grace will not be that long either.

Hezekiah was co-regent with Ahaz from 729 BC, and became sole ruler from 715 onwards. Samaria fell while Hezekiah was already a co-regent.  

Hezekiah was considered a "good king", one of only five in the history of Judah (excluding David and Solomon). He removed the idols and Asherah poles from Judah. He refused to serve the Assyrian kingdom.

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, responded by attacking Judah in 701 BC. They had conquered every city in every nation North of Jerusalem. Hezekiah, being afraid, tried to bribe the Assyrians while they were attacking Lachish with treasures from the temple. However, it didn't work, and they came to Jerusalem, taunting the Judean king and the army. (2 Kings 18:14-16)

The Assyrian commander Rabshakeh even boasted: "Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?" 

(Isaiah 36:20)

Adding to the plight, Hezekiah became ill during that time (around 702 BC) and was about to die. However, God gave him another 15 years of life when He prayed, and promised him that He will protect Jerusalem. (Isaiah 38)

Perhaps that was the reason Hezekiah finally sought after God and, through Isaiah, God told him Sennacherib will not enter Jerusalem and will soon retreat. God sent an angel who slew 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib withdrew and continued other military campaigns until 690BC. He was later killed by his own sons while worshiping the idol Nisroch around 681BC, in Nineveh. (Isaiah 37:36). 

However, Hezekiah became proud and showed a delegation of Babylonians all the treasures and weapons in his warehouses, without asking God or Isaiah, and without glorifying God for the salvation of Jerusalem.  Because of this, Isaiah prophesied to Hezekiah that one day, the Babylonians will take away all the treasures, and even his descendants, to Babylon.

"Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”" (Isaiah 39:5))

Hezekiah died around 687 BC, and was replaced by Manasseh, another very horrible king. We will talk about Manasseh and the other kings in the Historical Overview Part 2. 

E. Epilogue

The prophecy about Israel was also given by Hosea (755-715 BC), a Northern Kingdom prophet contemporary of Pekah. Hosea had a child and God asked him to name her Lo-ruhamah:

"And the LORD said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them. 7“But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen.” (Hosea 1: 6-7)

We don't know what happened to Hosea. It is possible he was exiled during the last days of Israel.

For Judah, God gave them another chance after Hezekiah humbled himself. Manasseh, however, was an extremely evil king that did worse atrocities than Israel's kings. 

According to the traditions of Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin x), Manasseh sought to kill Isaiah. Isaiah hid himself in a cedar-tree, but his presence was betrayed by the fringes of his garment, and King Manasseh caused the tree to be sawn in half.

Micah (735-700) was also a contemporary prophet of Isaiah in Judah.

Interestingly, amidst the crisis of the Assyrians, God sent hope to the Jews by pronouncing the coming of the Messiah. 

Isaiah prophesied how the Messiah was going to be born (Isaiah 7:14 and 9), and Micah prophesied the place (Bethlehem, Micah 5:2), and Hosea prophesied that He will escape into Egypt (Hosea 11:1). The who, the where, and the what.  There is your Christmas story!

E. Summary

Here's a diagram showing the timelines of the kings and prophets during the time of Isaiah. 

Key Dates for Part 1                                                                                                                 

745BC - Manahem submitted to vassalship under Tiglath-Pileser of  Assyria                                                       

735BC - Pekah (Israel) allied with King Rezin (Aram/Syria) and attacked Ahaz (Judah) for refusing to join the rebellion against Assyria. (2 Chron. 28)   

                                                                                    

734-732BC - Ahaz bribed Assyria with temple gold. Tiglath-Pileser attacked Israel and Syria. King Rezin was killed, and Hoshea murdered Pekah and  took over the throne.                                                                                                              

724BC - Shalmeneser V attacked Israel and captured Hoshea, after Hoshea conspired with Egypt to rebel against Assyria.                                                                                                                  

722BC - Samaria was besieged for 3 years and fell in 722. This is the end of the Northern Kingdom.   (1 Kings 17) 

701BC - Sennacherib attacked Hezekiah, but Judah was miraculously saved. Sennacherib retreated back to Assyria and was killed by his own sons.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Isaiah Study Plan

We shall read 5 to 6 chapters of Isaiah each month. Within a year, we will be able to finish the whole book. The reading schedule is:

2019	Isaiah Chapters	Recommended Weekly Reading
January	1-6	1-2, 3-4, 5, 6
February	7-12	7-8, 9-10, 11, 12
March	13-18	13-14, 15-16, 17, 18
April (5 wks)	19-23	19, 20, 21, 22, 23
May	24-27	24, 25, 26, 27
June	28-33	28-29:14, 29:15-30, 31-32, 33
July (5 wks)	34-39	34-35, 36, 37, 38, 39
August	40-45	40, 41-42, 43-44:5, 44:6-45
September	46-50	46-47, 48, 49, 50
October (5 wks)	51-57	51-52:12, 52:13-53:12, 54, 55-56:8, 56:9-57
November	58-63:6	58, 59-60, 61, 62-63:6
December	63:7-66	63:7-64, 65, 66

The above schedule is mapped to the outline is taken from the International Bible Society:

OUTLINE

Part 1: The Book of Judgment (chs. 1–39)

January

• Messages of Rebuke and Promise (chs. 1–6)
• Introduction: Charges against Judah for Breaking the Covenant (ch. 1)
• The Future Discipline and Glory of Judah and Jerusalem (chs. 2–4)
  1. Jerusalem’s future blessings (2:1–5)
  2. The Lord’s discipline of Judah (2:6—4:1)
  3. The restoration of Zion (4:2–6)
• The Nation’s Judgment and Exile (ch. 5)
• Isaiah’s Unique Commission (ch. 6)

February

• Prophecies Occasioned by the Aramean and Israelite Threat against Judah (chs. 7–12)
• Ahaz Warned Not to Fear the Aramean and Israelite Alliance (ch. 7)
• Isaiah’s Son and David’s Son (8:1—9:7)
• Judgment against Israel (9:8—10:4)
• The Assyrian Empire and the Davidic Kingdom (10:5—12:6)
1. The destruction of Assyria (10:5–34)
2. The establishment of the Davidic king and his kingdom (ch. 11)
3. Songs of joy for deliverance (ch. 12)

March 

• Judgment against the Nations (chs. 13–23)
• Against Babylon and Its Ruler (13:1—14:27)
• Against Philistia (14:28–32)
• Against Moab (chs. 15–16)
• Against Aram and Israel (ch. 17)
• Against Cush (ch. 18)

April

• Against Egypt and Cush (chs. 19–20)
• Against Babylon (21:1–10)
• Against Dumah (Edom) (21:11–12)
• Against Arabia (21:13–17)
• Against the Valley of Vision (Jerusalem) (ch. 22)
• Against Tyre (ch. 23)

May

• Judgment and Promise (the Lord’s Kingdom) (chs. 24–27)
• Universal Judgments for Universal Sin (ch. 24)
• Deliverance and Blessing (ch. 25)
• Praise for the Lord’s Sovereign Care (ch. 26)
• Israel’s Enemies Punished but Israel’s Remnant Restored (ch. 27)

June

• Six Woes: Five on the Unfaithful in Israel and One on Assyria (chs. 28–33)
• Woe to Ephraim (Samaria)—and to Judah (ch. 28)
• Woe to David’s City, Jerusalem (29:1–14)
• Woe to Those Who Rely on Foreign Alliances (29:15–24)
• Woe to the Obstinate Nation (ch. 30)
• Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt (chs. 31–32)
• Woe to Assyria—but Blessing for God’s People (ch. 33)

July

• More Prophecies of Judgment and Promise (chs. 34–35)
  • The Destruction of the Nations and the Avenging of God’s People (ch. 34)
  • The Future Blessings of Restored Zion (ch. 35)
• A Historical Transition from the Assyrian Threat to the Babylonian Exile (chs. 36–39)
  • Jerusalem Preserved from the Assyrian Threat (chs. 36–37)
    1. The siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib and the Assyrian army (ch. 36)
    2. The Lord’s deliverance of Jerusalem (ch. 37)
  • The Lord’s Extension of Hezekiah’s Life (ch. 38)
  • The Babylonian Exile Predicted (ch. 39)
  
  

August

Part 2: The Book of Comfort (chs. 40–66)

• The Deliverance and Restoration of Israel (chs. 40–48)
• The Coming of the Victorious God (40:1–26)
• Unfailing Strength for the Weary Exiles (40:27–31)
• The Lord of History (41:1—42:9)
• Praise and Exhortation (42:10–25)
• The Regathering and Renewal of Israel (43:1—44:5)
• The Only God (44:6—45:25)

September

• The Lord’s Superiority over Babylon’s Gods (ch. 46)
• The Fall of Babylon (ch. 47)
• The Lord’s Exhortations to His People (ch. 48)

• The Servant’s Ministry and Israel’s Restoration (chs. 49–57)
• The Call and Mission of the Servant (49:1–13)
• The Repopulation of Zion (49:14–26)
• Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience (ch. 50)

October

• The Remnant Comforted Because of Their Glorious Prospect (51:1—52:12)
• The Sufferings and Glories of the Lord’s Righteous Servant (52:13—53:12)
• The Future Glory of Zion (ch. 54)
• The Lord’s Call to Salvation and Covenant Blessings (55:1—56:8)
• The Condemnation of the Wicked in Israel (56:9—57:21)

November

• Everlasting Deliverance and Everlasting Judgment (chs. 58–66)
• False and True Worship (ch. 58)
• Zion’s Confession and Redemption (ch. 59)
• Zion’s Peace and Prosperity (ch. 60)
• The Lord’s Favor (ch. 61)
• Zion’s Restoration and Glory (62:1—63:6)

December

• Prayer for Divine Deliverance (63:7—64:12)
• The Lord’s Answer: Mercy and Judgment (ch. 65)
• Judgment for False Worshipers and Blessing for True Worshipers (ch. 66)

https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-isaiah/