An Introduction to the Bible's Old Testament Book of Isaiah
The book of Isaiah is a collection of oracles, prophecies with the common theme of salvation. His name, Isaiah, means "salvation of the Lord" or "the Lord is salvation", and is certainly symbolic of his message. There was, according to these writings, no hope in anything that was made by people. The collection of Isaiah's oracles fits the progression of Israel's history over this time. The Prophet began preaching around the time Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom and threatened the southern kingdom. Although Hezekiah was able to survive that invasion with the help of the prophet Isaiah, Hezekiah foolishly allowed the ambassadors from Babylon to see all the treasures of the kingdom. As in the entire prophetic tradition, the book of Isaiah emphasizes the importance of justice and righteousness. In Isaiah 1, we read of the importance of justice and righteousness to God: Seek justice (v 17) is the basic commandment from God to God's people. Justice also means making provisions for the needy.
The Prophet Isaiah was born into a powerful, aristocratic family and wrote the book of Isaiah around 740-680 B.C. He is described as the son of Amoz. Amoz was a brother of Amaziah, the son of the King of Judah. This would make Isaiah a close relative to those who were kings during his lifetime, and would explain his close association with kings and priests and involvement with world affairs.
The most widely accepted theory is that the Prophet authored at least the first 39 chapters of the book that contain the narratives and oracles of Isaiah. The book, as a whole, has been divided into three main parts:
The first thirty-five chapters, almost wholly prophetic, Israel's enemy Assyria, present the Messiah as a mighty Ruler and King.
Four historical chapters, 36 through 39 relating to the life and times of Hezekiah.
Chapters 40 through 66 are prophetical, describing ...