One Isaiah future" (Cf. "Sermons, Epistles and Apocalypses of Israel's Prophets", p. 28). Isaiah spoke to his own age, but he also addressed himself to the ages to come. His verb tenses are characteristically futures and prophetic perfects. Of him A. B. Davidson's words are particularly true : "If any prophetic book be examined • • . it will appear that the ethical and religious teaching is always secondary, and that the essential thing in the book or discourse is the prophet's outlook into the future" (Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, article, "Prophecy and Prophets") . Isaiah was exceptionally given to predictingu: thus, ( 1 ) Before the Syro-Ephraimitic war (734 B. C.), he predicted that within sixty- five years Ephraim should be broken in pieces (7 :8) ; and that before the child Mahershalal-hash-baz should have knowledge to cry, "My father" or "My mother", the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria should be carried away (8:4; cf. 7: 16) . There are numerous other predictions among his earlier prophecies. (Cf. 1 :27, 28; 2 :2-4; 6 : 13 ; 10:20-23; 1 1 :6-16u; 17 : 14.) (2) Shortly before the downfall of Samaria in 722 B. C. Isaiah predicted that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, and that after the end of seventy years her merchandise shall be holiness of Jehovah. (Cf. Isa. 23 :15.) (3) Lik wise prior to the siege of Ashdod in 7II B. C., he proclaimed that within three years Moab should be brought into contempt (Isa. 16 :14), and that within a year all the glory of Kedar should fail (Isa. 21 :16). (4) And not long prior to the siege of Jerusalem by Sen nacherib in 7or B. C., he predicted that in an instant, suddenly, a multitude of Jerusalem's foes should be as dust (Isa. 29 :5)u; that yet a very little while and Lebanon should be turned into a fruitful field (Isa. 29 :17) ; that Assyria should be dismayed and fall by the sword but not of men (Isa. 30 :17, 3 1 ; 31 :8). Furthermore, that for days beyond a year, the careless women
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker