Lifespan

7??-701 B.C.

Ministry

For forty years Isaiah served as a prophet in Jerusalem (740-701 B.C.). He was chief adviser to King Hezekiah and had significant influence on the national religious and political scene.

Preparation and Calling

Although little is known about Isaiah’s preparation, his calling is recorded in dramatic fashion. Isaiah 6 chronicles the vision that Isaiah had, in which he was lifted up into heaven. Here he saw angels, confessed his sins, went through a symbolic cleansing, and saw and heard the Lord, who called him to “Go, and tell this people” a message of repentance.

Interaction with God

Isaiah is known for his gift of seeing and poetically describing multiple future eras simultaneously. But in addition to the gift of prophecy, through which Isaiah hears the voice of God speaking to him, he also has visions (including seeing and conversing with God Himself) and writes inspired verse.

Social Situation

Two major social situations are addressed in Isaiah: the first, covering chapters 1-39, focuses on the immorality of the leaders in Jerusalem, while the second, covering chapters 40-66, concentrates on the plight of the exiled Jews in Babylon.

Key Teachings

Isaiah is known for his complex prophecies and their layered meanings. They frequently deal with events of his own day while having meaning also for the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ. He is the most quoted prophet in all the Bible. Specifically, Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John all quote Isaiah more than any other Old Testament prophet.

Despite the fact that he is quoted so often, his writings can be difficult to understand. Isaiah seems to have been well educated, and his writing style involves a great deal of symbolism. The text is dense and packed with layered interpretations.

Key concepts that Isaiah weaves throughout his writings include holiness, peace, justice, righteousness, salvation, and faith in the coming Messiah, the notion of becoming holy or being holy having perhaps the highest frequency. Many of his prophecies focus on the Savior, with layered images addressing both His first and second coming. Isaiah’s testimony of the Redeemer of all is undeviating.

Modern sacred texts continue this emphasis, as the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants both refer to Isaiah more than any other prophet. These two books also provide helps to the modern reader for improving understanding through diligent study.

Prophecies of Christ

Isaiah’s writings are filled with prophecies of the coming Christ. Here are but a few:

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of th prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:6-8).

“I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off my hear: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and caried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the inquity of us all” (Isa. 53:2-6).

Living with the Prophet

Isaiah was well educated, highly literate, and firmly devout in his belief in God. Some people feel that as they become better educated, their belief in God wanes. Have you ever been challenged by intellectual issues that have complicated your belief in God? How can you use your mind to support your belief in God?

Sources

Oxford Companion to the Bible, s.v. “Isaiah, the Book of”

Encyclopedia of Religion, s.v. “Isaiah”

The Learning Bible, the book of Isaiah

Holy Bible, the book of Isaiah

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, s.v. “Isaiah”