Isaiah Archives - A Bible A Day

Isaiah son of Amoz is a faithful and long-serving prophet whose ministry spans the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

Isaiah is the prophet who delivers God’s messages to King Hezekiah. The first message promises deliverance from the advancing army. The second is a pair of announcements about Hezekiah’s death, with the second one correcting the first.

Does this mean Isaiah got it wrong?

No. Isaiah accurately relays God’s message to Hezekiah. But when Hezekiah humbly asks God for a reprieve, the Almighty changes his mind and gives Isaiah the update.

But Isaiah is better known for his amazing prophecies about the coming Savior, the Messiah, which may be why Isaiah is so beloved by followers of Jesus and the most popular of all the prophets in Scripture. This may be in part because he also wrote one of the most cherished of all passages about Jesus:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

New Testament writers either refer to or quote this amazing verse four times, with it showing up in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. In total, the New Testament references or cites Isaiah’s work seventy-nine times, far more than any other prophet. (Only the Psalms garner more New Testament connections, at eighty-one.)

Overall, Isaiah comes in fourth on the list of Old Testament people with the most mentions in the New Testament, coming in after Moses, Abraham, and David.

In addition to Isaiah being a faithful prophet of God with a long ministry, we can applaud him for his impact on the people of his day, the early church, and us now.

What are we doing to impact the people around us? What can we do to encourage future generations?

[Read Isaiah’s story in 2 Kings 19–20. Discover more in the book of Isaiah.]
Learn more about Isaiah in the devotional Bible study For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights about Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah.

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

The book of Isaiah is so named because it contains the prophecies of Isaiah.

It is a beloved book due to its many glowing promises about the future and frequent allusions to the future ministry and work of Jesus. As such, it is not surprising that Isaiah is one of the four most quoted books in the New Testament (the others are Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Genesis).

Isaiah lived in the 700s BCE, his life and ministry spanning the reigns of several kings of Judah. His message was one of repentance, which he faithfully continued even though he was convinced that the people wouldn’t respond to his warnings.

A basic outline of the book is:

The first 35 chapters (1-35) contain Isaiah’s prophecies.
Chapters 36 through 39 are historical references.
In chapters 40 though 55 the exile of Judah is covered.

The concluding chapters (56-66) address the time after the exile, when the people return home.

Read more about the book of Isaiah in For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights About Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.