The book of Isaiah is named after its author. All the other books of the prophets are also named in this way. [Isaiah means “Jehovah saves.” Isaiah the son of Amoz (Isa. 1:1) was a contemporary of Amos and Hosea, the prophets in the kingdom of Israel, and of Micah, the prophet in the kingdom of Judah. His prophetic ministry lasted the longest; he prophesied under the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). His wife was a prophetess (8:3), and he had at least two sons: Shear-jashub (meaning, “a remnant shall return”) and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning “quickly the spoil, hasting the prey”) (7:3; 8:3). He was a historian (2 Chron. 26:22; 32:32). According to a credible tradition among the Jews and some rabbinic writings of the second century, he suffered martyrdom during the reign of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16; 24:4; cf. Acts 7:52) by being sawn asunder. Hebrews 2:13b shows that he (Isaiah) and the children whom God gave to him (Isa. 8:18) typify Christ and the believers whom God gave to him.]
Isaiah was written in Jerusalem from about 760 B.C. to 698 B.C.
The subject is [the salvation of Jehovah through the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, ascended, and coming Christ.]
Israel, the people of God, rebelled against God. They did not know Jehovah and had become full of iniquities and corruption. Jehovah needed to chastise His people. First He prophesied concerning His chastisement, then He hired the nations to chastise them. However, the nations were excessive in carrying out God’s intentions; thus, He also prophesied concerning His judgment on the nations. He then unveiled His ultimate desire—His chastisement of Israel and judgment upon the nations would usher in the God-man, Christ, and issue in the restoration of the nation of Israel.
[Christ is God incarnated in humanity to be the Savior of man, that all the God-created universe, which is fallen, might be restored and consummate in the new heaven and new earth for eternity.]
[God’s dealing in love with His beloved Israel and His righteous judgment upon the nations bring in Christ, the Savior (43:3; 49:26), who is God (9:6) incarnated to be a man (7:14), possessing both the divine and human natures (4:2), living on this earth (53:2-3; 42:1-4), crucified (53:7-10a, 12), resurrected (53:10b-11), ascended (52:13), and coming (40:10; 64:1) to meet the need of God’s chosen people and the nations (9:1-7; 49:6) in God’s all-inclusive salvation (12:2-3), that the restoration of all things (2:2-5; 11:6-9; 35:1-10; 30:26) may be brought in, which will consummate in the new heaven and new earth for eternity (65:17). Hence, the content of Isaiah covers God’s entire economy of the New Testament, from the incarnation to the new heaven and new earth, with the Old Testament background of God’s dealing with Israel and His judgment upon the nations.]
1) The salvation of Jehovah to His beloved people and to the nations (chs. 1—12), 2) the judgment of Jehovah upon the nations (chs. 13—23), 3) the issue of Jehovah’s dealing with His beloved Israel (chs. 24—35), 4) an example of seeking after Jehovah and trusting in Him (chs. 36—39), and 5) the Servant of Jehovah and the salvation brought in by Him (chs. 40—66).