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Isaiah
Prophet of the New Mind
"Behold I will do a new thing" (Isaiah 43:19).
by John Ross Schroeder
What makes a literary work a classic?
The words of a masterpiece transcend the vagaries of time. They are forever new.
They apply to all generations. Their precepts range across millennia.
Such a legendary work outlives its time and circumstances. One such work is the book
of Isaiah. Transcending its historical context, Isaiah is a classic whose pages are
not bound by any particular time. Isaiah was inspired by One who, its author says,
"inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15).
If Isaiah were a single book and not just one of 66 in an anthology, it would still
be a classic. As it is, ancient Jewish authorities singled it out for the beginning
of a major section of the Bible.
Isaiah properly epitomizes the books of the Hebrew prophets. It is introductory.
Its themes range across the age of man andñwhen you understand itñbeyond the age
of humanity into eternity.
The Supremely Important Introduction
The introduction to a significant written work is critical to comprehending its
contents. There the author defines his purpose and to whom his message is directed.
This one begins: "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah"
(Isaiah 1:1).
Based on the dates of the reigns of these rulers of the Kingdom of Judah, Isaiah
wrote around 740-685 B.C. His message is historical. That is, his vision occurred
in a specific place during a specified period. So why should we, 27 centuries later,
concern ourselves with the contents of this ancient Hebrew writing?
First we should understand to whom the prophet's vision is addressed, along with
who, if anyone, is exempt from the authority of his words. In verse 2 Isaiah tells
us to whom his message applies: "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!"
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