A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

different pattern of ministry in serving the same Lord. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of
activities, but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
FORTY-FOUR
ISAIAH:
On the Hinge of the Kingdom’s History
(1 Kings 14:1-22; 15:1-12, 17-38, 16:1-20,
2 Chronicles 25:1-28; 26:1-23; 27:1-9; 28:1-27; Isaiah 1-7)
Isaiah’s name means “Jehovah has saved,” and in his lifetime he saw the Northern
Kingdom collapse and go into captivity and the Southern Kingdom came to the edge of national
disaster, but “Jehovah has saved” them. He is famous for the book that bears his name and he is
characterized as the “St. Paul of the Old Testament.”
Isaiah was born into a family of rank, with easy access to the king (Isa. 7:3), intimacy
with priests (8:2), and he became the court preacher. Whereas some of the prophets spoke
primarily to the people, Isaiah’s influence was primarily with the nation’s leadership; during his
life the Southern Kingdom experienced revival.
Tradition claims he was a cousin to King Uzziah, but there is no support to it. He lived in
Jerusalem, was married, and had two sons. Isaiah was a great orator whose choice of words
reflect education and refinement. He was a poet whose literary structure has been defined as
“beauty and strength.” He is powerful in denunciation but rhythmatic in expression.
Isaiah had a vision of the “thrice-holy” God in the death-year of Uzziah, 740 B. C. Since
he was still preaching when Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem in 721 B.C., he had forty years of
fruitful ministry. The vision that Isaiah had was the only one recorded, and this probably
included his call to prophetic ministry. Uzziah had been an effective king in military strategy,
business advances, and religious enthusiasm. Perhaps Isaiah had too much loyalty for Uzziah. As
a court advisor, Isaiah probably saw his dreams shattered when Uzziah intruded into the
priesthood and was stricken with leprosy. It was then Isaiah saw the Lord, high and lifted up. His
view of a majestic Sovereign changed his life. After this deepening experience, his horizons were
practically unbounded.
But to see the contribution of Isaiah, we need to examine the half century before he came
on the scene. Amaziah assumed the throne of Judah (796-767 B. C.) and, like his father before
him, began his reign as a righteous king. Though he did not eliminate the high places his father
had allowed, he did execute those involved in the plot against his father Joash as soon as the
kingdom was in his control. Further, he reorganized the army of Israel and found 300,000 men
he could depend on in battle. As Elisha had prophesied, Israel was three times victorious over
Ben-Hadad, king of Syria. Perhaps this was why Amaziah determined to hire an additional
100,000 mercenaries out of Israel. But no sooner had he set aside about $250,000 in silver to pay
their wages when the king was warned by a prophet, “The Lord is not with Israel-not with any of
the children of Ephraim” (2 Chron. 25:7). Heeding the warning from God, Amaziah dismissed
the mercenaries from his army and sent them home. They returned to the Northern Kingdom