The teachings of Philip G. Roets & Lois Roets
The Major Prophets
Biblical Exegesis and Commentary by Philip G. Roets STL SSL
Isaiah is really the story and the teaching of several men. The first and the founder of the group was a teacher, named Isaiah. Others followed his lead over a span of centuries, and their teachings were attached to the scrolls of Isaiah. The entire work stretched from about 738 B.C. to the late 400's B.C. The book is divided into four sections. Isaiah I: chapters (cc) 1–36; Historical interlude: cc. 36–39; Isaiah II: cc. 40–55; Isaiah III: cc. 56–66. This last section is sometimes divided into several pieces but such division does not add to the understanding.
Isaiah I: Chapters 1–36. Yahweh is presented primarily as the HOLY God. The people have become so involved in the lust and debauchery of idolatrous worship as part of the fertility cults that they were detestable to Yahweh. The conversion of the people to true holiness was demanded.
Isaiah II: Chapters 40–55. Yahweh is seen in his JUSTICE. He allowed his people to be decimated and destroyed and the remnant taken into captivity. Now he offered them forgiveness and comfort if they truly repented. However, he demanded sincerity or he would have nothing to do with them.
This portion of Isaiah has four "SERVANT SONGS" that will be important in the development of the ideas and ideals of Jesus, and the manner in which he explained his teachings. (cc. 42:1–9; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12).
Isaiah III: Chapters 56–66. This section showed the demands of Yahweh for the sincere conversion of the remnant in Palestine and, at the same time, the total failure of the majority. Yahweh was adamant.
The overall picture of Yahweh in Isaiah is the Holy God who refused to be contaminated with the idolatry in the land. He could not be fooled, cajoled, ignored or bought off. Either the people accepted his holiness and live accordingly, or they would be destroyed by their own crimes.
These dates are not the whole lifetime of the prophet but they are the crucial years. The writings extended from the call of Jeremiah to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the remnant was carried into captivity.
Jeremiah was a perceptive man with a tender conscience. He saw the crimes of the people and felt compelled to speak out against them — especially against the leaders. However, he was not a member of the upper class or the priestly group and so he ran into real problems. He was physically beaten and threatened with death. He decided to keep quiet but his conscience stirred him and he had to speak.
His picture of Yahweh was a Holy God who would not tolerate any sinfulness. He particularly detested the bad example of the leaders who thought they were above the law. Yahweh had given up on any thought of conversion and was definitely going to let the people be crushed. However there was one hope. In the future, there would be a NEW PEOPLE and a NEW COVENANT in a NEW LAND. (Jer. 31:31–34).
This set of songs of Jeremiah stressed the holiness of Yahweh in a special way and the impossibility of his tolerating any sin.
Baruch is presented as a sort of secretary to Jeremiah. The book that carries his name does not add much to the picture of "Who is God" but it is accepted as one of the writings of the Old Testament Canon.
Ezechiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah but greatly different. First of all, he belonged to the priestly class, so he was able to speak strongly without fear of repercussions.
His style of oratory was totally different. He had visions and spoke in mysterious pictures. He performed many, almost weird, actions. He did his work in the Babylonian captivity where he was deported with the first wave of captured people.
Ezechiel stressed the glory of Yahweh and the need of conversion to holy lives in order to be worthy of this glory. He pointed out the filth and abomination of the fertility cults, and how degrading this so-called worship truly was. His great contribution to the picture of "Who is God" is the notion of INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
When the people reached the captivity in Babylon and saw all the suffering and deprivation, they had to have someone to blame. They claimed they were innocent and that their ancestors were the ones who had sinned. Ezechiel agreed that their ancestors had sinned. But he pointed out that they themselves had not been pure lilies. However, said Ezechiel, in the future each person will be judged for his or her own individual actions. There will be no more of this common guilt and putting blame on the group for good or bad. (c. 18)
Ezechiel was the teacher who began to talk about the new CREATIVE BREATH or SPIRIT that would be given to the people who cooperated with Yahweh (36:26–28). Ezechiel stressed that this new creation would be the new covenant that Jeremiah talked about. The foundation for the New Adam and the New Creation was laid with this teacher. In fact, the followers of Ezechiel were the ones who re-fashioned the whole story of the first creation and re-edited it.
Daniel was a teacher who arose during the tumult of the Maccabean period. Daniel again stressed the holiness of Yahweh and the impossibility of his tolerating any of the excesses of the idolatry that were prevalent. The Abominable Idol of the pagans had been installed in the Holy of Holies itself. The people had stooped lower than ever before in their immoral conduct.
Daniel proclaimed the creative power, the holiness and wisdom of Yahweh. He demanded that these attributes be recognized by his people and manifested in the moral lives that they lead.
There are several dramatic scenes in this short work. The best known is the handwriting on the wall and the prediction of the final destruction of even the remnant of the people of Yahweh. From this time to the coming of Jesus, only the individual person would be accepted by Yahweh if he/she lived according to his ideas and ideals.
Gabriel, Gabri-el, came into the picture as the messenger from Yahweh who interpreted the dreams and visions. Gabriel will be a connecting link with the beginnings of the New Covenant. Much of the imagery, language and ideas of Daniel will come into the gospel writing, and especially the Apocalypse of John.