Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. For Judah, it was the sincerest form of rebellion. As we saw in chapter 1, Isaiah cannot help but see Judah in the same light of the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (you can read about them here in Genesis 19). You can picture Isaiah seeing his … Continue reading Isaiah 3: Welcome to New Sodom
The prophets knew their bible well. Much of their imagery comes from borrowed symbols and stories originating in the Torah. As we get to Isaiah chapter 2, we too will need to know the Torah, specifically Genesis here, with great appreciation. Isaiah 2 opens with a vision regarding the "last days". It is important to … Continue reading Isaiah 2: Guns to Garden Tools
Necessary Background Welcome to the first chapter of Isaiah! Before getting into the text, it will be necessary to set the scene. If you have any experience reading the Old Testament, you have probably picked up on the seemingly disorganized chronology of its books. Many of the prophets can often be mapped unto stories found … Continue reading Isaiah 1: The Cosmic Courtroom
Old Testament prophets. The final frontier. So it seems. For many Christians the prophets are uncharted territory filled with odd visions, sharp words, and lengthy poetry. Few venture here nowadays. For some, the title of “Prophet” conjures up an image of a future-telling wizard with no present time relevance. This caricature is aided by our … Continue reading Reading the Prophets
Zachariah Zienka 