Isaiah’s Judea

Isaiah’s Judea

King Ahaz of Judah faced invasion from Israel and Aram Damascus (Syria) after refusing to join them in a revolt against Assyria, the dominant imperial power of the age. Ahaz, against Isaiah’s advice to seek the protection of God, invited the Assyrians to protect him, turning Judah into an Assyrian vassal.  Israel (the northern kingdom) was consequently destroyed by the Assyrians.

Take a moment to consider this and the furthering of the deep hate and resentment that Ahaz’s actions must have caused between Judah and Israel, which just 200 years earlier had been strongly united under King Solomon.

Upon the death of Ahaz, c.715 BCE, his son Hezekiah followed a policy which Isaiah saw as dangerous, waging war on the Philistine cities and on Edom even though the territory which was under direct Assyrian control (i.e., the former kingdom of Israel) now came to within a few miles of Jerusalem. Isaiah’s warning that Judah would meet the same fate as Israel was ignored. Eventually Hezekiah revolted against Assyria, and as Isaiah had predicted, the country was ravaged by Assyrian armies. Hezekiah then took Isaiah’s advice and threw himself on the protection of God, and Jerusalem was saved.

Leaders of Judah during Isaiah’s ministry:

Uzziah
(
Azariah)
Reigned for 52 years.

783–742

Uziyah ben ’Amatzyah,
Melekh Yehudah
‘Azaryah ben ’Amatzyah,
Melekh Yehudah

Death: Tzaraas
George Syncellus wrote that the First Olympiad took place in Uzziah’s 48th regnal year.

Jotham
Reigned for 16 years.

742–735

Yotam ben ‘Uziyah,
Melekh Yehudah

Death: natural causes

Ahaz
Reigned for 16 years.

735–715

Ahaz ben Yotam,
Melekh Yehudah

Death: natural causes
The
Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III records he received tribute from Ahaz; compare 2 Kings 16:7-9

Hezekiah
Reigned for 29 years.

715–687

Hizqiyah ben ’Ahaz,
Melekh Yehudah

Death: Natural Causes
Contemporary with
Sennacherib of Assyria and Merodach-Baladan of Babylon.

 

THE LORD IS SALVATION:  A Teacher's Guide to Proto Isaiah available now at Smashwords
THE LORD IS SALVATION: A Teacher’s Guide to Proto Isaiah available now at Smashwords

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