Facts About Isaiah
—A simple list

The Prophet Isaiah

• The main chapters of scripture giving us information on Isaiah are: Isaiah 36-39, 2Kings 14-20, 2Chronicles 26-32
• The book written by Isaiah belongs to the latter days of the divided kingdom.
• Isaiah was a preacher and prophet, mainly to the smaller kingdom of Judah, the capital of which was Jerusalem, also called Zion.
• Isaiah prophesied in the days of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
• Isaiah received his commission to ministry in a frightening vision. This was in the last year of king Uzziah, Hezekiah’s great grandfather (Isaiah 6:1-10).
• Isaiah was contemporary with the prophets Hosea and Micah.
• The nations of Isaiah’s concern included:

• (1) Assyria (Asshur) under king Sennacherib, capital Ninevah,
• (2) Babylonia (Chaldea) under king Nebuchadnezzar, capital Babylon,
• (3) Media and Persia under king Cyrus, capital Shushan (Susa),
• (4) Israel (Ephraim) under king Pekah, capital Samaria; (5) Judah (Zion) under kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, capital Jerusalem,
• (5) Judah (Zion) under kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, capital Jerusalem,
• (6) Syria (Aram) under king Rezin, capital Damascus.
• (7) Egypt and Ethiopia under princes, Major cities Zoan and Memphis.

• Isaiah presents oracles against eleven nations: Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Edom, Arabia, Judah, Tyre.
• Most of Isaiah’s prophecies are written as poetry.
• Isaiah’s prophecies and oracles frequently express hope in the coming Messiah and the message he will bring. Isaiah foretold the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, and his victory (Isaiah 53).
• Isaiah is quoted more than fifty times in the New Testament.
• Isaiah and his disciples looked to "the law and the testimony" of God, not to dark pagan practices (Isaiah 8:16-22).
• Isaiah, at the LORD’s command, walked around naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt (Isaiah 20:1-5).
• Isaiah’s second son was named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, meaning "Swift to the booty, speedy to the prey" (Isaiah 8:1-4). The little boy’s birth and name was a sign to Ahaz that the king of Assyria was coming swift to the booty and speedy to the prey (Isaiah 10:5-7, 2Chr 28:19-22).
• Isaiah helped to prevent Judah’s captivity and exile by Assyria when the Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded the land during Hezekiah’s reign.
• Isaiah said that an ointment made from figs would cure Hezekiah’s illness and spare his life (Isaiah 38:21).
• Isaiah recorded God’s message to Cyrus king of Persia before Cyrus had even been born and before Persia became a great power (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1-6).