In addition to kings, judges, priests, and elders, we encounter special characters in the history of the Jewish people who are typically referred to in the Bible as prophets, less frequently as seers or seers, and occasionally as people of God in general. Moses, the first prophet and legislator of the Jewish people, serves as the starting point for this group of individuals. Sirach 48–49, which lists the Latter Prophets in the order of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Prophets, provides the earliest evidence (c. 200 BC) for their arrangement (Shepherd, 2018). Isaiah’s book of prophecy is one of the most important because it condemns the Jews for disloyalty to the God of the fathers. It foretells the captivity of the Jews and their return from captivity under King Cyrus and describes the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. He also indicates the historical course of other groups that live close to the Jews.
The first Book written by a prophet is called Isaiah’s Book. Beginning in 760 B.C., Isaiah’s ministry lasted for more than sixty years. He served four different generations of kings during his life. According to the legend, he suffered a gruesome martyr’s death—he was sawn in two—but remained obedient until the very end. The spiritual message of Isaiah’s prophecy is as follows: Christ serves as the hub and centre of the Divine Trinity’s activity as it distributes Himself to His chosen people. The Book of Isaiah contains several facets of God’s eternal economy. This Book demonstrates that God picked Israel as His chosen and cherished people to carry out His eternal economy. In a way, God disregarded the other countries by selecting Israel. God must take into account the nations in His action, nevertheless. Therefore, Israel, God’s chosen and beloved people, and the other countries play a crucial role in Isaiah’s prophecy.
Isaiah surpasses all other Old Testament prophets in terms of literary skill. The prophet Isaiah and his era are described in Chapters 1 through 39 of the Book of Isaiah. The Babylonian captivity, the post-exilic period, and the knowledge of the coming Kingdom are all covered in chapters 40–66 (Goswell, 2019). Chapters 40–55 reflect a new situation, just as chapters 1–39 reflect Isaiah’s sermons, which were ostensibly delivered orally. God’s wrath is over, and now the focus is on bringing the people of Israel back. These chapters also give the impression that they will be presented more in writing than speech through stylistic cues.
Chapters 1 through 39 discuss the threat posed by Assyria and Babylon, which is somewhat similar, and this is particularly noticeable in chapters 13 through 14, 21 and 39. The Persian era and the return of God’s people to the Promised Land are covered in chapters 40–55. Eschatological chapters can be found in Isaiah 55–66. They foretell the widespread monotheistic worship of Yahweh by drawing on historical figures and metaphors from the ancient Near East.
In conclusion, the books of the Old Testament were written by several dozen authors over many centuries. According to tradition, most books had their authors, who were indicated in the title of the Book. One of the greatest Old Testament prophets, Isaiah, wrote a unique, timeless book that contains prophecies about the future of the Jewish Kingdom. The Book of Isaiah is essential because it includes Messianic prophecies about the coming of Mashiach and his life, ministry, and disgraceful death.
References
Goswell, G. (2019). The ordering of the books of the canon and the theological interpretation of The old testament. Journal of Theological Interpretation, 13(1), 1–20.
Shepherd, M. B. (2018). A commentary on the book of the twelve: The minor prophets. Kregel Publications.