The Book of Isaiah

2 I. Overview

II. Original Meaning

III. Modern Application

JudgmentLeading to Restoration

Structure/Content of 1:2-6:13 (2.1)

Isaiah’sIncredible Scenario

of Exile Leadingto Restoration

(1-6)

Isaiah’sResponse

to the Assyrian Judgment

(7-39)

Isaiah’s Response

to theBabylonian Judgment

(40-66)

Explaining Divine

Purposes in

Exile Leading to Restoration

EstablishingIsaiah’s Credibility

to Support HisMessage of

Exile Leading to Restoration

PredictingDivine Processes

and Israel’s

Responsibilities for Restoration

Both Narrative

Autobiography Biography (6:1) (7:1)

Death of Coalition Uzziah Syria-Israel 740 B.C. 734 B.C.

Division Between 6-7 (2.2)

Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Closing OutOpening Section

Beginning New Section

Why did Isaiah say these things

about Judah and Jerusalem?

What was the historical context of Isaiah’s

Ministry during Assyrian judgment?

Structure/Content of 1:2-6:13 (2.3)

Justice and Righteousness

Modified Lawsuit1:2-31

Oracle ofSalvation

(2:1-4)

That Day

JudgmentOracle(2:5-21)

Judgment Oracle

(2:22-3:15)

Judgment Oracle

(3:16-4:1)

Oracle of Salvation

(4:2-6)

Judgment and Restoration

Parable of Judgment

(5:1-7)

Woes (5:8-10)

Call Narrative(6:1-13)

(“the holy seed” v. 13)

Cycles of Judgment Leading to RestorationCycles of Judgment Leading to Restoration

2 I. Overview

JudgmentLeading to Restoration

II. Original Meaning

III. Modern Application

Structure/Content of 1:2-31 (2.4)

Lawsuit against Unrighteousness and Injustice in Jerusalem (1:2-31)Setting: After Sennacherib Invasion (8-9)

Summons of Witnesses (2a) Accusations (2b-4) Questioning (5-8) Response (9)Summons of Defendant (10) Accusations (11-14) Sentencing (15) Call to Repentance (16-20)Closing of Case (21-31) Accusation (21-23) Sentencing (24-31)

Themes of Unrighteousness and Injustice

“justice” jP'v.mi (17)

“justice” jP'v.m (21)

“righteousness” qd,c, (21)

“city of Righteousness” qd,C,h ry[i; (26)

“justice” jP'v.miB. (27)

“righteousness” hq'd'c.Bi (27)

“reason together” xky Legal Terminology (18; 2:4; 11:4)

(Positive Result from Judgment)

Prosecutor and Judge

Yahweh(2)

DefendantsJudah/Zion

(4,8,21)

WitnessesHeaven & Earth

(2)

Isaiah, an Observer

Structure/Content of 2:1-4 (2.5)

Superscription (1)Supremacy of Jerusalem (2)Recognition of the Nations (3a)Universal Justice from Zion (3b-4)

Zion and Universal Justice

jpv (2:4) [jP'v.mi (1:17,21,27)]

xky (2:4; 1:18)

Eschatological Vision of Jerusalem Overflowing with Righteousness and Justice (2:1-4)Setting: Before or After Sennacherib Invasion (see Mic 4:1-4)

Structure/Content of 2:5-21 (2.6)

Judgment against Syncretism (5-21) Call to Judah (5) Oracle of Judgment (6-21) Accusation of Syncretism (6-8) Sentencing (9-21)

Judgment against Trusting Human Strength (2:22-3:15) Call to Judah (22) Oracle of Judgment (3:1-15) Sentencing (1-12) Accusation Oppression (13-15)

Judgment against Haughty Women of Zion (16-26) Accusation of Haughtiness (16) Sentencing (3:17-4:1)

Should v. 5 be included?2:5-6; 2:22-3:1

Imperatives followed by yKi

Theme of “that day” (11, 12,17, 20, 3:7, 18; 4:1)

hw"hy> ~Ay“Day of the Lord”

Judgment on “That Day” (2:5-4:1)Setting: Before or After Sennacherib Invasion (surrounding context: call to people (5)

Day of the Lord (2.7)

hw"hy> ~Ay“Day of the Lord”

ANE BackgroundRoyal political motif indicating that a worthy king could defeat

All of his enemies in a single day.(D. Stuart, “The Sovereign’s Day of Conquest” BASOR 221 [1976] 159-164)

In IsraelApplied to Israel’s great King, the Lord, to describe his

Interventions into history to destroy his enemies and to establish his reign.

Blessing for IsraelIsa 13:6,9Ezk 30:3

Joel 2:31; 3:14Ob 1:15

Curses for Israel Am 5:18Ezk 13:5

Joel 1:5; 2:1,11Zeph 1:7,14

Acts 2:20; 1 Co 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Th 5:2; 2 Th 2:2; 2 Tim 4:8; 2 Pet 3:10; 2 Pet 3:12; Rev 16:14

Structure/Content of 4:2-6 (2.8)

Adornment of the Survivors (2)

Holiness of Zion (3)

Cleansing of Zion (4)

Protection of Zion (5-6)

hw"hy> xm;c“Branch” (11:1-5; 53;2)

Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12; Jhn 15:1ff[J. Baldwin, VT 14 (1964) 93]

Women (3:16)

arB(65:17,18)

Salvation on “That Day” (4:2-6)Setting: Before or After Sennacherib Invasion (surrounding context)

Structure/Content of 5:1-30 (2.9)

Catastrophic Judgment (5:1-30)Setting: Before or After Sennacherib Invasion (surrounding context)

Parable of the Vineyard (1-7) The Parable (1-3) Questioning (4) Sentencing (5-6) Explanation (7)

Series of Woes (5:8-24) Woe over Property (8-10) Accusation (8) Sentencing (9-10) Woe over Self-Indulgence (11-17) Accusation (11-12) Sentencing (13-17) Woe over Impatience (18-19) Accusation Woe over Self-Justification (20) Accusation Woe over Arrogance (21) Accusation Woe over Drunken Injustice (22-24) Accusation (22-23) Sentencing (24)

Judgment Oracle (25-30) Sentencing (25-30)

“Woe!” Funerary Expression

Parable asLegal Discourse

Structure/Content of 6:1-13 (2.10)

Isaiah’s Call (6:1-13)Setting: 740 B.C. (Death of Uzziah)

“for us” (v. 8)Divine Counsel

(Gen 1:26; 11:7)

Divine Holiness(33 times in Isaiah, 26 elsewhere)

vAdq' vAdq' vAdq Metaphysical, Moral

“clean” / ”unclean”

rAhj' rAhj' al

Historical Note (1a)•Isaiah and the Divine Holiness (1b-7) Isaiah and Divine Exaltation(1b-4) God on the Throne (1b) Seraphs Attending (2-4)

Isaiah and Divine Forgiveness (5-7) Isaiah’s Confession (5) Divine Response (6-7)

•Isaiah and the Divine Call (8-13) Isaiah and Divine Desire (8-10) Divine Desire (8a) Isaiah’s Response (8b)

Isaiah and Divine Commission (9-13) Divine Instruction (9-10) Isaiah’s Response (11a) Divine Explanation (11b-13) Compare 40:6

Summary of 1-6 (2.11)

Sins Of Judah

Judah will beJudged and Purified

WickedWill be

Destroyed

RighteousRemnant will

Be saved

Restoration“In the last days” (2:1)

Remnant will Return

Zion willBe Glorious

Spiritual Ignorance (1:3)Despising God (1:4)

Violence (1:15)Lawless Rulers (1:23)

Idolatry (2:8)Trust in Humans (2:22)

Proud & Immodest Women (3:16)Drunkenness (5:22)

Rejecting God’s Law (5:24)

Purging of Dross (1:25)Repentant are Redeemed (1:27)People Walk with the Lord (2:5)Righteous are Rewarded (3:10)

Survivors Purged/Sanctified (4:3-4)

Desolation of Land (1:7)No Answers to Prayer (1:15)

Devoured by Sword (1:20; 3:25)Physical Affliction (3:17)

Jerusalem Laid Waste (5:5)Exile (5:13)

After the Exile (Deut 4:30; Hos 3:5)

Concept of Remnant“survivors” (1:9)“remaining” (4:3)

Righteous, Faithful City (1:26)Zion, Chief of Mountains (2:3)

Glory Cloud (4:4-5)[Holy Stump (6:13)]

2 I. Overview

JudgmentAgainst

Judah &Jerusalem

II. Original Meaning

III. Modern Application

Application of 1:2-31 (2.12)

Lawsuit against Unrighteousness and Injustice in Jerusalem (1:2-31)

Summons of Witnesses (2a) Accusations (2b-4) Questioning (5-8) Response (9)

Summons of Defendant (10) Accusations (11-14) Sentencing (15) Call to Repentance (16-20)

Closing of Case (21-31) Accusation (21-23) Sentencing (24-31)

OM I C C

Application of 2:1-4 (2.13)

Eschatological Vision (2:1-4)

Superscription (1)Supremacy of Jerusalem (2)

Recognition of the Nations (3a)

Universal Justice from Zion (3b-4)

OM I C C

Application of 4:2-6 (2.14)

Judgment on “That Day” (4:2-6)

Judgment against Syncretism (5-21) Call to Judah (5) Oracle of Judgment (6-21) Accusation of Syncretism (6-8) Sentencing (9-21)

Judgment against Trusting Human Strength (2:22-3:15) Call to Judah (22) Oracle of Judgment (3:1-15) Sentencing (1-12) Accusation Oppression (13-15)

Judgment against Haughty Women of Zion (16-26) Accusation of Haughtiness (16) Sentencing (3:17-4:1)

OM I C C

Application of 2:5-21 (2.15)

Salvation on “That Day” (4:2-6)

Adornment of the Survivors (2)

Holiness of Zion (3)

Cleansing of Zion (4)

Protection of Zion (5-6)

OM I C C

Application of 5:1-30 (2.16)

Catastrophic Judgment (5:1-30)

Parable of the Vineyard (1-7) The Parable (1-3) Questioning (4) Sentencing (5-6) Explanation (7)

Series of Woes (5:8-24) Woe over Property (8-10) Accusation (8) Sentencing (9-10) Woe over Self-Indulgence (11-17) Accusation (11-12) Sentencing (13-17) Woe over Impatience (18-19) Accusation Woe over Self-Justification (20) Accusation Woe over Arrogance (21) Accusation Woe over Drunken Injustice (22-24) Accusation (22-23) Sentencing (24)

Judgment Oracle (25-30) Sentencing (25-30)

OM I C C

Application of 6:1-13 (2.17)

Isaiah’s Call (6:1-13)

Historical Note (1a)•Isaiah and the Divine Holiness (1b-7) Isaiah and Divine Exaltation(1b-4) God on the Throne (1b) Seraphs Attending (2-4)

Isaiah and Divine Forgiveness (1b-7) Isaiah’s Confession (5) Divine Response (6-7)

•Isaiah and the Divine Call (8-13) Isaiah and Divine Desire (8-10) Divine Desire (8a) Isaiah’s Response (8b)

Isaiah and Divine Commission (9-13) Divine Instruction (9-10) Isaiah’s Response (11a) Divine Explanation (11b-13)

OM I C C