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Activity 1|Activity 2|Activity 4|Activity 5
Process
Activity 3: Know Your
Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures
Group 2: Your Prophets are: Isaiah (later), Zechariah
Complete the tasks for Isaiah and then
Zechariah.
1
Isaiah (later)
Use the following information and the listed resources to complete your tasks.
Isaiah -
His Profile
Second and Third Isaiah |
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His Name Means |
"The Lord has saved" |
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Appears |
2
Kings 19, 20; 2 Chron. 26, 32; Isaiah, and 22 verses in the New Testment
For this webquest, this Second Isaiah appears in Chapters 40 - 66 |
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Home |
Jerusalem |
 
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Special
Interest |
Second
Isaiah and Third Isaiah - Three Authors - and an editor! The first author wrote Chapters 1
- 39; the second 40 - 55 and the third 56 - 66. Chapters 40 - 55 deal with the Exile in
Babylon and imply the Temple has been destroyed, the later chapters of the book (56 - 66)
assume that the Temple has been rebuilt and the focus is on Jerusalem. The Book of Isaiah is a compilation that
reached its present form many centuries after the prophet's time. Of its sixty-six
chapters, the first thirty-five are the authentic voice of the great prophet, with perhaps
some scattered additions by his disciples.
The passage in 61: 1- 4 - The
spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me, he has sent me to
bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives... to proclaim the year of the LORD's favour, and the day of vengeance of our
God, to comfort all who mourn" was read by Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth
and applied to himself (Luke 4:16 - 21) |
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Time |
Chapters
36 - 39 correspond to Chapters 18 and 20 of the Second Book of Kings and are devoted
mainly to the story of the Assyrian threat to Jerusalem in 701 BC in the reign of King
Hezekiah. Isaiah is referred to in the third person, and these chapters may have been
composed in part by his disciples. From the beginning of Chapter 40, one is suddenly
transferred into a work of consolation relating to the exile in Babylon after the fall of
Jerusalem in 587 BC, more than a century after Isaiah. Chapters 56- 66 - we know that the exiles
returned to Israel (after 538 BC). |
 
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Key
Themes/
Messages |
The
poetry reveals someone thoughtful, earnest, optimistic, and sympathetic. So sturdy was his
faith in the God of history that every episode contributed to the redemption of Israel
(44:24-45:7)
The prophet places ancient traditions in a cosmic setting, so that the new
exodus levels mountains or strikes flowing water in the heights (40:3 - 5; 41:17-20). The
covenant with Moses is expanded into a world covenant by mentioning the covenants with
Noah (54:9) and with Abraham and Sarah (51:1-3). The new exodus ie. from Babylon to the
promised land of Israel (40:3 - 11; 43:1-7, 14-21)
Yahweh creator. This theme is
introduced as an indication of the exceptionally new nature of what is about to happen to
Israel in the future. (41:17 - 20; 48: 12-13).
The justice of God. Isaiah praises
God for a 'just' or complete fulfilment of all divine promises (41:2, 16; 42:6; 61:3;
62:11-12)
The power of the divine word. From
his opening statements (40:5, 8) to his final verses (55:10 - 11) Second Isaiah dwells
more than any other prophet upon the power of the divine word.
Jerusalem. For Second and Third
Isaiah Jerusalem (or Zion) occupies a central role.
God remains sovereign despite the
military strength of Babylon.
Salvation is certain.
The work and suffering of the
Servant. Of major importance in chapters 40 - 55 are the passages describing the work and
vocation of the Servant of God. Four passages (42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12) are
sometimes called "The Servant Songs". The Suffering Servant, who later became so
associated with Jesus, would then have been applied to the experience of Israel in exile.
The impotence of Babylonian idols
One very important theme is that of
God's purpose of peace for Jerusalem (or Zion) (40:9 - 11; 44:26 - 27; 48:1-2; 49:14 - 23;
51:3,11,16-20,52:1-2, 7-10, 54:11-14). |
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Key
Passages |
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name,
you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1) "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion
shall eat straw like the ox" (Isaiah 65:25) - suggesting changes to the natural
order in the Messianic age to come, when animals that are enemies will be at peace with
one another.
"Look, you serve your own
interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Such fasting as you do today will
not make your voice heard on high" (Isaiah 58:3-4) |
Sources:
Bower, J. 1998, The Complete Bible Handbook - An Illustrated Companion,Dorling
Kindersley, UK
Brown, R.E., Fitzmyer, J.A.,and Murphy, R.E., 1992. The New Jerome Bible
Handbook, Geoffrey Chapman, England
Christ-centred
mall - Isaiah
Comay, J., and, Browning, R., 1980. Who's Who in the Old Testament,
Bonanza Books, NY
Drane, J.(ed), 1998, The Lion Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Bible,
Lion Publishing, England
Motyer, S. 1998. Who's Who in the Bible - An Illustrated Guide,
Dorling Kindersley, UK
Resources
Isaiah - A Prophet for Then and Now
The Grace Institute - Isaiah
Catholic Encyclopedia (difficult
reading) - Isaiah (see the Second Isaiah)
Bible Basics - Scroll down the
list on the left to Isaiah
2
Go to Zechariah and complete this
activity
Introduction|Task|Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion|Teachers
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