The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

Section II. Historical Parenthesis (36:1-39:8)

V.

Hezekiah and Assyria (24:1-27:13) (Hezekiah ·V 5HLJQ .LQJV -20) A. Assyria Challenges God (36:1-22) B. Destroys Assyria (37:1-38)

VI.

Hezekiah and Sickness (38:1-22)

VII. +H]HNLDK·V 6LQ -8)

Section III. Prophecies of Comfort (40:1-66:24)

VIII. ,VUDHO·V 'HOLYHUDQFH -48:22) IX. ,VUDHO·V 'HOLYHUHU -57:21) X. ,VUDHO·V *ORULRXV )XWXUH -66:24)

Structure of the Book Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, but Isaiah with 66 chapters runs second. An obvious division arises between chapters 39 and 40, just like the division between Old and New Testaments (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament). The first part of Isaiah has Judgment for a prevailing theme, while the second division of Isaiah emphasizes Comfort ² much like the divisions in the Bible. Throughout the book runs the gl RULRXV WKHPH RI *RG·V 6DOYDWLRQ The discourses, prophecies and history are not necessarily in a chronological order. The last four chapters of the first division are like a historical parenthesis, being a review RI +H]HNLDK·V UHLJQ JLYHQ LQ .LQJV - DQG JLYLQJ ,VDLDK·V SHUVRQDO WDNH RQ ZKDW WUDQVSLUHG You will notice in the Outline of Isaiah that the four chapters are listed in a section of their own, almost like the meat sandwiched between two pieces of bread. This four-chapter section is not to be minimized, for two of the great miraculous happenings of the Bible is described that would QRW KDYH RFFXUUHG ZLWKRXW ,VDLDK·V LQIOXHQFH 7KLV KDOWLQJ RI WKH $VV\ULDQ MXJJHUQDXW DQG WKH proclamation of the DZHVRPH 0HVVLDQLF 3UHGLFWLRQV DUH ,VDLDK·V two greatest accomplishments. ´7KH GLVFRXUVHV LQ WKH VHFRQG [last] section of the book are chiefly millennial. They fall, however into three groups of nine chapters each, each group ending with a solemn warning to the wicked ² ¶1R SHDFH VDLWK P\ *RG WR WKH ZLFNHG · 7KH ILUVW JURXS FKDSWHUV -48) compares Jehovah with idols; the second group (49-57) speaks almost entirely concerning the Messiah; and the third group (58- GHVFULEHV WKH ILQDO UHVWRUDWLRQ DQG JORU\ RI *RG·V SHRSOH µ 3

3 Grace Saxe, Studies in The Major Prophets , p. 21.

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