Episode 2307: Books of the Bible - Isaiah with Sharon

Walt: Welcome back to Catholic Reboot. It is with great joy and humility that I invite Sharon to lead us through the next book of the Holy Bible. Sharon's profound study and understanding of Sacred Scripture surpasses my own, and it is my hope that she will continue to guide us through the remaining books with the depth and reverence they deserve.
Before we proceed, let us invoke divine assistance through a traditional Catholic prayer. Sharon will lead us in this prayer and then continue with the rest of this episode.
Heavenly Father,
I come before You with a humble heart, seeking enlightenment through Your sacred Word. I thank You for the gift of Holy Scripture, through which You reveal Your divine will and grace.
As I read these holy texts, guide my mind and heart with the light of the Holy Spirit. Grant me the wisdom to understand Your truths, the knowledge to grasp the depth of Your teachings, and the courage to live according to Your commands.

In the spirit of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine, I pray for a deeper appreciation of Your Word, that it may transform my life and draw me closer to You.
Help me to reflect on the mysteries of the faith, to grow in virtue, and to be strengthened in my commitment to follow Christ. May the Scriptures serve as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, leading me to the fullness of Your love.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Walt:Today, we will delve into the Book of Isaiah, one of the major prophetic books of the Old Testament. Named after the prophet Isaiah, it is a rich tapestry of prophecy, historical narrative, and poetry that spans a significant period of Israel's history. Isaiah's messages are profound, addressing issues of justice, righteousness, and the coming of the Messiah.
Authorship and Composition
Sharon: Traditionally, the book is attributed to the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in Judah during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (approximately 740-686 BC). Modern scholarship often divides the book into three distinct sections, possibly written by different authors or schools of thought:

First Isaiah (Chapters 1-39): Often considered the work of the historical prophet Isaiah, this section deals with the Assyrian threat and includes oracles, narratives, and prophecies.
Second Isaiah (Chapters 40-55): Sometimes attributed to an anonymous prophet during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC), these chapters focus on themes of comfort and redemption.
Third Isaiah (Chapters 56-66): Likely written after the return from exile, this section addresses the restoration of Jerusalem and the challenges of post-exilic life.
Historical Context
Walt: The Book of Isaiah covers a turbulent period in Israel's history, marked by political upheaval, social injustice, and foreign invasions. The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC, while Judah faced its own threats and eventual exile to Babylon in 586 BC. Isaiah's prophecies reflect these historical realities, offering both warnings of judgment and promises of hope.

Key Themes
Sharon: Judgment and Salvation: Isaiah consistently warns of God's impending judgment on Israel and surrounding nations due to their sin and idolatry. However, he also prophesies a future salvation and restoration for a faithful remnant.
Messianic Prophecies: Isaiah contains some of the most explicit Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Passages such as Isaiah 7:14 (the virgin birth), Isaiah 9:6-7 (the child who will reign), and Isaiah 53 (the suffering servant) point to the coming of Jesus Christ.
Holiness and Justice: The holiness of God is a central theme, and Isaiah frequently calls the people to live justly and righteously. The prophet emphasizes that true worship involves ethical living and care for the marginalized.
God's Sovereignty: Isaiah portrays God as sovereign over all nations and history. Despite human rebellion, God's purposes will ultimately prevail, bringing about His kingdom.

Walt:Structure and Content
Chapters 1-39 (First Isaiah): These chapters include a mix of oracles against Judah and Jerusalem, visions of the future, and narratives about Isaiah's life and ministry. Key sections include Isaiah's call (chapter 6), the Immanuel prophecy (chapter 7), and the oracles against foreign nations (chapters 13-23).
Chapters 40-55 (Second Isaiah): This section, often called the "Book of Comfort," includes themes of hope and restoration. It begins with a message of comfort (40:1-2) and includes the "Servant Songs" that describe a mysterious servant who will bring justice and salvation.
Chapters 56-66 (Third Isaiah): These chapters focus on the post-exilic community, addressing issues of true worship, social justice, and the ultimate restoration of God's people. The book concludes with visions of a new heaven and a new earth.
Sharon: Theological Significance
The Book of Isaiah is foundational for both Jewish and Catholic theology. For Catholics, it is especially significant for its Messianic prophecies, which are seen as fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The themes of justice, holiness, and God's sovereignty continue to resonate, offering timeless messages for faith and practice.
Walt: References from St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, frequently references the Book of Isaiah to elucidate theological points. For instance, Aquinas cites Isaiah 7:14 in discussing the prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ, emphasizing the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus (ST III, Q. 1, Art. 1).
St. Augustine, in his works such as City of God, often reflects on the themes of Isaiah. Augustine uses Isaiah's prophecies to illustrate the continuous unfolding of God's plan for salvation history, particularly in relation to the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of God's kingdom (City of God, Book 18, Chapter 29).
Let me guide you through the profound and timeless messages of the Book of Isaiah.
Sharon:
Key Phrases from the Book of Isaiah:
Isaiah 22:13: "And behold joy and gladness, killing calves, and slaying rams, eating flesh, and drinking wine: Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die."
Isaiah 48:22: "There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord." We say no rest for the wicked.
Isaiah 53:7: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
Most profound verses from Isaiah:
Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. That was also the most read verse in 2018 and 2020.
9:6 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.
7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.________________________________________
40:13But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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40:31 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
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14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations

53:4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
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6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
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64:6All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
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53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
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55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
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51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;"
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1:18"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
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1:3 "The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
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40:3 A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
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3:12 Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.
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11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
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43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."
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41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
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55:1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost."
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55:11 So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. NIV
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11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. NIV
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48:17 This is what the LORD says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." NIV
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65:17 "See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind." NIV
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43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."
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"This is what the LORD says – Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God."
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44:6 He was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. ________________________________________
1:6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness – only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.
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40:8 "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."
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2:4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
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Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
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5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
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52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
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53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
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45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.
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1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.
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53:10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
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1:9 Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.
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29:13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."
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53:12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. NIV
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58:13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,"
42:8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols."
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66:1 This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?" NIV
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64:8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
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1:23 Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.
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Conclusion:
The Book of Isaiah is a profound and complex work that addresses the immediate concerns of its historical context while also pointing to future hope and redemption. Its messages of judgment and salvation, coupled with its rich poetic imagery, make it one of the most important and enduring books of the Bible.