The Prophet Isaiah

If a person, upon hearing a call to mission, prepares to dedicate themselves to it, but then learns in advance that all their efforts will be in vain, would they still bravely rush to fulfill that mission? Most people often dare not imagine their efforts failing. Yet, in the history of the Jewish people, there was a great prophet who, knowing that all his admonitions and warnings would not be understood by his countrymen, still cried out passionately until sacrificing his own life for the ideals he was loyal to and the promises he made before God. He was the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaiās; Arabic: أشعیاء, Ash’iyā’, meaning “Yahweh saves”) is the main figure in the biblical Book of Isaiah. He is traditionally considered its author. Isaiah is regarded by Jewish believers as the first of the Major Prophets, while Christians believe Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). This prophet also came from a distinguished background; he was of the royal family of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, a descendant of King David. Due to his royal status, he received the best education available at the time and had access to the court to offer counsel to successive monarchs. During his 40-year ministry, Isaiah served under five kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. His father, Amoz, and Uzziah’s father, Amaziah, were brothers, making Isaiah King Uzziah’s cousin. Isaiah, who possessed wisdom, piety, and courage, seemed destined for an enviable life, but that was not the case. His prophetic ministry was tinged with tragedy from the very beginning.

Before successive kings, Isaiah offered advice and strategies, counseling them on how to handle domestic and foreign affairs. Before the people, he cried out loudly, urging them to return to the right faith and warning them that if they did not repent, the prophesied destruction would come. During the reign of Hezekiah, Isaiah vigorously assisted this monarch, and the Kingdom of Judah, once on the brink of destruction by Assyria, ultimately averted disaster. Unfortunately, this prophet, who dedicated his entire life, did not live to see the awakening of his countrymen.

The Kingdom of Judah remained oblivious to the impending danger until 597 BC, when the Babylonian army breached Jerusalem, leading to the fall of the Kingdom of Judah. The surviving people were forcibly relocated by the Babylonian army to distant Mesopotamia, becoming “prisoners of Babylon,” deprived of their homeland, just as Isaiah 6:12 prophesied: “And the LORD will remove people far away, and the forsaken places will be many in the midst of the land.”

Isaiah’s end seemed even more tragic than that of most of his countrymen. According to rabbinic literature, Isaiah was martyred by being sawn in half during the reign of King Manasseh. The phrase “were sawn in two” in Hebrews 11:37, along with “stoned to death, were tempted, were put to death by the sword,” refers to the suffering of the prophet Isaiah. Was Isaiah’s life truly a failure? Clearly not. Isaiah recorded the word of God that he heard in the Book of Isaiah, bringing spiritual revelation to believers of later generations. And his prophecies—whether concerning the destruction of Judah, the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, or their eventual liberation by King Cyrus (King Gūliè) and return to their Canaanite homeland—were all, without exception, fulfilled.

More importantly, as the Jews experienced the fulfillment of all these prophecies and regained their freedom, they finally realized the mistakes of their ancestors when they recalled Isaiah’s warnings from long ago. During the Second Temple rebuilding period, Jewish faith underwent a series of reforms, gradually evolving into what is known as Judaism today. From then on, the Jewish people never again experienced severe spiritual crises, steadfastly adhering to the belief in one God until today. On the other hand, for Christians, the prophecies about the Messiah in the Book of Isaiah bring us hope. Regardless of our circumstances, we know that one day we will meet our Savior face-to-face and receive the crown of life.