Post by Lee on May 14, 2014 1:51:00 GMT
The story begins with Assyria, the major world empire in Isaiah’s lifetime. It had been relatively quiet as far as foreign aggression was concerned during 823-745BC, the period which included Uzziah’s prosperous reign. But in 745 things began to change ...
A Time-Line for some of Isaiah’s Prophecies1
745 Assyria begins to expand
735 Ahaz takes the throne in Judah
Pro-Assyrian policy
Syria and Israel attack Judah
732 Assyria destroys Damascus (Syria)
Israel become an Assyrian vassal
724 Assyria lays siege to Samaria (Israel)
721 Samaria (Israel) falls
Assyria somewhat pre-occupied
Egypt and Judah began to feel more confident
710 Assyria defeats rising Babylon
701 Assyria besieges Jerusalem
Miraculous deliverance by God
650–539 The Neo-Babylonian empire
639 Assyria destroyed by Medo-Babylon
605 Babylon succeeds Nineveh as world capital
586 Jerusalem destroyed by Babylon
The Exile begins
539 Persian empire takes over Babylon
Decree of Cyrus for Jews to return
516 The Temple at Jerusalem is finished
The brunt of Isaiah’s ministry probably takes place between the dates 735 and 701 as shown on the time-line. This means that many of his ‘there-and-then’ prophecies were concerned with the aggressive Assyrian empire and her relationship with Judah. This is borne out by the fact that Assyria is referred to by name in ten chapters in Isaiah 1–39.
2000 Christadelphian: Volume 137. 2001 (electronic ed.) (20). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.
A Time-Line for some of Isaiah’s Prophecies1
745 Assyria begins to expand
735 Ahaz takes the throne in Judah
Pro-Assyrian policy
Syria and Israel attack Judah
732 Assyria destroys Damascus (Syria)
Israel become an Assyrian vassal
724 Assyria lays siege to Samaria (Israel)
721 Samaria (Israel) falls
Assyria somewhat pre-occupied
Egypt and Judah began to feel more confident
710 Assyria defeats rising Babylon
701 Assyria besieges Jerusalem
Miraculous deliverance by God
650–539 The Neo-Babylonian empire
639 Assyria destroyed by Medo-Babylon
605 Babylon succeeds Nineveh as world capital
586 Jerusalem destroyed by Babylon
The Exile begins
539 Persian empire takes over Babylon
Decree of Cyrus for Jews to return
516 The Temple at Jerusalem is finished
The brunt of Isaiah’s ministry probably takes place between the dates 735 and 701 as shown on the time-line. This means that many of his ‘there-and-then’ prophecies were concerned with the aggressive Assyrian empire and her relationship with Judah. This is borne out by the fact that Assyria is referred to by name in ten chapters in Isaiah 1–39.
2000 Christadelphian: Volume 137. 2001 (electronic ed.) (20). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.