Built into Isaiah’s prophecy—and, indeed, into all scripture—are two ways one may interpret them. The first is superficial, presumptive, complacent. The second is in-depth, inquiring, and unassuming. It is a way God divides his people, “rendering void the knowledge of their sages and the intelligence of their wise men insignificant” when the truth finally comes out (Isaiah 29:14). Together with inheriting a Christian tradition that bears little resemblance to the religion of Jesus, the modern world has inherited a host of scriptural interpretations that don’t reflect what their texts actually say. Particularly is that the case with regard to the writings of Isaiah.
One of the first principles of interpreting the Book of Isaiah is to read everything “in context,” meaning that you cannot isolate even one word, verse, or idea and let that become a point of focus and not take into account its connection to the surrounding words, verses, and ideas. In Isaiah’s case, however, that principle extends to the entire book, as all its components—literary structures, typologies, individual terms, and concepts—are interwoven into one grand tapestry. These mechanics of Isaiah’s prophecy, in other words, preclude the casual reader from coming to understanding, while they inspire a kind of divine awe in the reader who unravels them.
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I plan on attending the seminar in Boise next week, and I am looking forward to learning more about Isaiah by reading it again with guidance. Thank you for your efforts here.
ReplyDeleteI am just going to assume that the lack of comments here shows that the Book of Isaiah is a tremendous hurdle for most people - and most, like me, probably feel overwhelmed. I am excited about the chance to read Isaiah with new eyes.
Sandy Skinner