A Study in the Word – Isaiah’s Background No. 6

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By its nature prophecy contains an element of prediction, either predicting something about to happen or predicting something to happen in the distant future. 

As we saw in the previous article, if the prediction is proleptic in nature, then it applies both to the near term (perhaps that day) and to the distant future. 

Some prophecies may be totally an act of God Himself apart from any condition on our part (Isa. 52:7). If the prediction involves judgment, however, it will very often contain at least one condition, which must be met prior to that prediction’s fulfillment. For instance, repentance may be a condition in a prediction of whether judgment actually falls or not (Isa. 1:18-20). In Isaiah’s case, the entire prophecy is a warning of certain judgment for Judah if repentance fails to occur. 

Though a century or more might elapse before what Isaiah spoke came to fulfillment, it still served as a warning to its first hearers. Isaiah spoke first to the people of Judah and Jerusalem and told them what God expected of them and promised to them. 

Until the last judgment, God’s judgments are real enough in an individual and immediate sense, yet they are universal in their function as warnings to a current generation. 

Through inspiration Isaiah’s message is a message for the world and for the church on a continuing basis. 

Until the consummation of the ages and the ultimate Day of Judgment, Isaiah still speaks a warning of repentance and faith to all people everywhere and of every generation, or as Joseph Alleine has observed: “There is no remedy, but you must either turn or burn. There is an unchangeable necessity of the change of your condition, unless you have resolved to abide the worst of it, and try it out with the Almighty.”

Dr. David Moore is a Baptist preacher in Pampa and an online instructor in Bible and theology for Taylor University and Nations University. Email: dm5867se@outlook.com.