| ISAIAH |
| Prophet, Poet, and Politician |
| His nation at a crossroads, Isaiah rose to meet the challenge. |
| And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. 5:7 |
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| The prophet Isaiah was a giant of Jewish history. He was the Shakespeare of Hebrew literature, and the new Testament quotes him more than all the other prophets combined. No other biblical author can match his rich vocabulary and use of imagery. And yet Isaiah spent his days not in an ivory tower, but in the corridors of power. He served as adviser to the kings of Judah and helped set the course of his nation. Days of Crisis Isaiah lived at a crucial time, midway between the founding of the kingdom under Saul and David and its eventual destrucion. A civil war had split the Israelites into North (Israel) and South (Judah), and Isaiah lived in the more pious Southern Kingdom. When Isaiah began his work, the nation seemed strong and wealthy. But Isaiah saw signs of grave danger. People were using their power to harass the poor. Men went around drunk; women cared more about their clothes than about their neighbors' hunger. People gave lip service to God and kept up the outward appearance of religion but did little more. Outside dangers loomed even larger. The armies of neighboring Israel were rattling swords and spears at the border. On all sides, monster empires were growing, especially Egypt and Assyria. Judah was caught in a pincers. Should the nation choose one of the empires as an ally? Harsh Words from an Uncompromising Prophet Tha nation of Judah, said Isaiah, stood at a crossroads: it |