Isaiah 56-66: Belief and Prediction

Third Isaiah

First Isaiah presents Zion/Jerusalem on the brink of destruction, Second Isaiah presents Zion in Babylon, and Third Isaiah presents God's people as they have returned to Judah from their captivity in Babylon. Even though the people have returned to their land in Third Isaiah, the prophet's grandiose prophecies have not all come true. Oppression remains, even in the homeland as the Israelites start to rebuild their home city and temple. Therefore, Isaiah must deliver new oracles to clarify the old ones.

That's the trouble with prophecy: it is rarely exactly correct, and so the prophet must modify the prophecy in order to suit his worldview. We see this tradition continue even today. Evangelist Harold Camping, who predicted the rapture would occur on May 21, 2011 and the end of the world on October 21 of the same year, is by no means a biblical-level prophet, but his predictions thrust him into the realm of prophecy. When no apparent rapture occurred, he had to change his prediction somewhat.

Camping had in fact originally predicted the end of the world for September, 1994. When that did not occur, he insisted that he had not done enough research. He was much more certain about the events of May and October 2011. When the faithful were not corporeally ascended on May 21, Camping held strong in his assertion of rapture, but clarified that it was largely symbolic, or spiritual, as opposed to physical. The proposed date for the destruction of the world remains.

Isaiah also fails on a number of counts. The wilderness of Zion is not like Eden, the nursing child does not play over the hole of the asp. These things have not even come true in metaphorical terms. But part of his prophecies did come true: Judah was conquered, then delivered, and its people were allowed to return to their homeland. But because so much did not come true, the new message represents a departure from previous predictions.

The reasons Isaiah's visions do not come true are attributed to the Israelites' apostasy. God is not worshipped as he should be. And when pagan practices are in vogue, the normal signs of worship: sacrifices of oxes, lambs, grain, and aromatics like frankincense do not count, and actually bring sin upon a person.

But one day, all these people will be put to shame, when the new kingdom comes. A much different kingdom it shall be.

Deliverance and Social Justice
In Third Isaiah, deliverance is not longer reserved for those related to Israel. Now foreigners who obey the Lord will be called to the house of God. (Isaiah 56.8) They stand in stark contrast to Israel's rulers, the “wild animals,” and blind sentinels with mighty appetites and meager understanding.

The reason for the concession to foreigners seems to be the lack of regard that Israel has for God. They simply go through the motions of Judaism, without proper belief or practice. They ask:

“Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
(Isaiah 58.3)

God responds:

Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
(Isaiah 58.3-5)

Fasting, the Lord asserts, should be accompanied by humility, even in the face of hunger. Fasts are meant to “loose the bonds of injustice,” “let the oppressed go free,” “share your bread with the hungry,” “bring the homeless poor into your house,” and cover the naked. (Isaiah 58.6-7)

The simple orthopraxy emphasized in the days of Moses must now be accompanied by social justice. Israel's relationship with God is no longer simply based on obedience of his commandments, but also a sense of caring for one another. In prophesy short of apocalypticism, there is always an opportunity for the audience to change its ways.

Prophets, we must remember, were always on the fringe, and rarely believed by the aristocracy or the common people. So it remains today. Our new prophets, uninspired by any god we comprehend, continue to fail in their predictions. It is up to us whether they serve as an example of piety or errancy.