The Date of Isaiah 5666

1
The Date of Isaiah 56-66

• Jerusalem destroyed 5812 6410-11
• The exiles will return 568 604
• Temple has been restored and is functioning
• 565 in my house a monument and a name
• vw diy 561, 6-9 Proper 15 A
• 567 a house of prayer for all peoples
• 666 Listen, a voice from the temple
• A sharply divided community

2
Servants in Third Isaiah

• I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and
  from Judah inheritors of my mountains my chosen
  shall inherit it Judah, and my servants shall
  dwell there 659
• Cf. 566 6317 658, 9, 13, 14, 15 6614
• No weapon fashioned against you shall
  prosperThis is the heritage of the servants of
  Yahweh 5417

3
Salvation Judgment Oracle

• My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry
• My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty
• My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put
  to shame
• My servants shall sing for gladness, but you
  shall cry out for pain of heart 6513-15
• You syncretists (651-7, 11-12)
• 651-9 Proper 7 C

4
Social Reality of Third Isaiah

• A community in which the poor are exploited by
  the wealthy
• Syncretised religion, including mortuary rites
  and cults, with a strong sexual orientation, is
  still being practiced, and practitioners include
  the temple priesthood (573-13 651-12 6617)
• A community under severe stresshostility between
  a prophetic group and the religious authorities.
  This prophetic group was excluded from the cultic
  community and marginalized socially and
  economically.

5
Social justice vs. ritual practice

• The fast that I choose 586-9
• To loose the bonds of injustice
• To let the oppressed go free
• To share your bread with the hungry
• To bring the homeless into your house
• To cover the naked
• Then you shall call and Yahweh will answer
• Such fasting requires greater self denial
• 1-9a (9b-12) Epiphany 5 A 1-12 (Alt) Ash
  Wednesday ABC 9b-14 Proper 16 C

6
Themes in Third Isaiah

• Missionaries to foreign lands 6618-19all
  nations will come and see my glory
• Ethnic and physical qualifications for membership
  are set aside (foreigners and eunuchs welcomed
  per contra Deut 231-8), but Sabbath observance
  central. Temple a house of prayer for all peoples
  (561-7 per contra Deut 232-9)
• God will create a new community, beginning with
  his servantsmy chosen ones will inherit the
  land (659-10)

7
More themes in Third Isaiah

• Round-the-clock intercessory prayer 626-7
  prayer is gaining in popularity at the expense of
  sacrifice
• Redemption is conditional on moral regeneration
  561 Maintain justicefor soon my salvation will
  come
• Self-indulgent conduct of the community leaders
  (569-12) and those who have settled for the
  syncretistic option (573-13)
• Judgment by fire (6615-16) lurid fate of the
  reprobate (6624) new heavens and earth (6517
  6622) divine intervention soon my salvation
  will come (561) reversal of fortunes and roles
  (6513-15)

8
573-13 Vs. Syncretism

• Vs. the children of the sorceress and of a male
  adulterer seeking consolation with shades of the
  dead, sacrificing children (3-5)
• Vs. the sorceress herself. Deviant cults//female
  sexual transgression. Religious consequences of
  exogamous marriages (6-13a)
• The one who takes refuge in me will inherit the
  land (13b)

9
Syncretism 571-13 651-12 6617

• You burn with lust among the oaks 575
• You have set up your bedyou have uncovered your
  bedyou have made up a bargain for yourself with
  them, you have loved their bed 577-8
• Journeyed to Molech child sacrificesent envoys
  to Sheol v. 9
• Sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on
  bricks 653
• Eating the flesh of pigs, vermin, and rodents
  6617 (real sin or hyperbole?)

10
Isaiah 65-66 and Isaiah 1

• God spreads out his hands to a rebellious people
  652, 24
• Creation of new heavens and earth 6517
• I will answer 6524
• Offspring blessed by Yahweh 6523
• Critique of animal and grain sacrifices 663
• On new moon and sabbath all flesh will worship me
  6623
• Inextinguishable fire 6624
• Garden cults 6617--they sanctify and purify
  themselves to go into the garden

• Children I have reared, but they have rebelled
  12, 28
• Heaven and earth listen to Yahwehs lawsuit 12
• I will not listen 115
• Offspring who deal corruptly 14
• Offerings, incense, new moon, and sabbath
  rejected 113
• Inextinguishable fire 131
• Garden cults 129you shall blush for the gardens
  you have chosen

11
Isaiah 601-6 Epiphany ABC

• Your light (Gods epiphany) has come, Zion (v 1)
• Yahwehs glory shines like the dawn, but darkness
  covers the earth (v 2 405 the glory of Yahweh
  will be revealed)
• Nations shall come to your light kings to your
  dawn (v 3)
• Your sons shall come from afar your daughters on
  their nurses arms (v 4)
• The abundance of the sea, and the wealth of
  nations shall come to you by sea (v 5) Countless
  camels from the east (v 6)
• Tribute for sacrifice on Yahwehs altar (v 7)
• OT // to the wise men

12
Isaiah 611-4, 8-11 Advent 3 B6110-623
Christmas 1 B

• Yahweh has anointed me (the prophet or the
  servant) to preach good news to the oppressed, to
  comfort all who mourn (cf. Luke 418-19)
• To provide for those who mourn in Zion a garland
  instead of ashes
• They shall repair the ruined cities
• I, Yahweh, love justice and hate wrongdoing
• I (the prophet or the servant) will greatly
  rejoice in Yahweh for he has clothed me with
  victory (salvation) garments

13
Isaiah 621-5 Epiphany 2 C 6110-623 Christmas
1 B

• I will not be silent until Zion is vindicated v 1
• You will be a splendid crown in Yahwehs hand v 3
• Jerusalem no more called Azubah (forsaken
  Yahweh has forsaken me 4914 1 Kgs 2242) or
  Shemamah (desolate), but Hephzibah (my delight is
  in her 2 Kgs 211) and Beulah (married) v 4.
  6515 his servants will be called by a different
  name
• Your builder nEåAB /sons yIn"B' will marry
  possess, master you God will rejoice over you
  v 5

14
Isaiah 626-12 Christmas Day 2 ABC

• Sentinels are to give God no rest until he
  establishes Jerusalem (vv 6-7)
• I will never give your grain and wine to your
  enemies those who harvest grain will eat it (vv
  8-9)
• Build up the highway (v 10)
• Say to daughter Zion Your salvation comes (v
  11)
• New names for the people Holy people (v. 12
  cf. holy seed in 613) redeemed of Yahweh (v.
  12 cf. 358-9 a holy way for the redeemed)
  sought out, a city not forsaken hb'z")/nalï ryiÞ

15
A Community Lament 637-19 (637-9 Christmas 1 A)

• Yahweh lifted and carried Israel in days of old
  (9)
• They rebelled and grieved his holy spirit (10)
• They recalled the days of old Where is the one
  who brought them up from the sea? (11)
• Look down.Where is your zeal, your power, your
  compassion? (15)
• You are our father/redeemer even if Abraham and
  Israel would not acknowledge us (16)
• We have been as those who no longer bear your
  name (19)

16
Isaiah 641-9 Advent 1 B

• Oh that you (Yahweh) would tear open the heavens
  and come down as at Sinai, and make the nations
  tremble v (19b 1)
• No God besides you who works for those who wait
  for him (v 3 4)
• We have sinned and you have hidden your face (cf.
  4515) and handed us over to iniquity (vv 5-6
  6-7)
• Yet, you are our father we are the clay and you
  the potter (v 7 8)relationship to God based on
  his creative acts prior to the saving history.
• Do not remember our iniquity forever we are all
  your people (v 8 9)
• Jerusalem a place of desolation (v 9 10) Our
  temple has been burned by fire (v 10 11)
• After all this, will you restrain yourself,
  Yahweh? Will you keep silent and afflict us
  beyond measure (v 11 12)

17
Isaiah 6517-25 Proper 28 Easter (Alt) Both C

• New heavens and new earth v 17
• No more weeping v 18
• People live 100 years v 20
• They will build houses and live in them v 21
• Peace among animals v 25 cf. 116-9
• Dust will be the serpents food. Serpents are
  the exception to ideal harmony v 25 Cf. Gen 314

18
Isaiah 66 Outline

• 1-4 vs. syncretistic cult
• 5-6 favor to those who tremble at Yahwehs word
  judgment to Yahwehs enemies
• 7-14 an epilogue to Third Isaiahpopulation
  explosion and prosperity wrath to enemies
• 15-16 These verses develop idea of Yahwehs wrath
  from v. 14 original conclusion to 56-66?
• 17 Those slain syncretists of vv. 3-4

19
Isaiah 66 (cont.)

• 18-21 broad, inclusive approach to membership in
  Jewish community. Conversion of Gentiles some
  of them even become priests and Levites
• 20 Gentiles limited to providing sacrificial
  material
• 22-23 new heavens and earth all flesh worships
  Yahweh
• 24 excipit to book worshipers go out to witness
  corpses of the rebels.

20
Isaiah 661-9

• Heaven is my thronewhat is this house that you
  would build for me? 567 a house of prayer and
  sacrifices 607 Yahwehs glorious house
• I look to the humblewho trembles at my word (vv.
  2, 5). Cf. those who trembled at the words of
  the God of Israel Ezr 94 (also 103)
• Great population increase in Jerusalem Before
  she goes into labor she gives birth! God stands
  behind this population explosion Shall I open
  the womb and not deliver?

21
Isaiah 6610-14 Proper 9 C

• Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad, all you who
  love her
• That you may nurse and be satisfied from her
  consoling breast, her glorious bosom
• Yahweh gives prosperity and wealth to her
• As a mother comforts her child, I will comfort
  you (cf. 401-2)
• The hand of Yahweh is with his servants his
  indignation against his enemies

22
The Hand of Yahweh

• For all this his anger is not turned away, but
  his hand (of judgment) is stretched out still
  (525 912, 17, 21 104)
• Yahweh will extend his hand a second time to
  recover the remnant that is left of his people
  1111 His hand will divide the Euphrates 1115
• The hand of Yahweh will rest on this mountain
  2510
• Yahwehs hand is exalted, but the nations dont
  see it (2611)
• Yahwehs hand with his servants 6614