THE BOOK
ISAIAH: (lived in the 8th century BC. Jerusalem).
He was the prophet after whom the biblical Book of Isaiah is named, though according to recent study scholars now believe only some of the first 39 chapters are attributed to him. The Book of Isaiah significantly contributed to Jewish and Christian traditions and is the one Old Testament Book that is quoted more often in the New Testament than other works of the same time period. His call to prophecy coincided with the beginnings of the westward expansion of the Assyrian empire which threatened Israel and which Isaiah proclaimed to be a warning from God to a godless people.
In the context of this work, vis-à-vis, the Coming of a “Spirit of Truth”, it is curious that of the many prophets that the three monotheistic religions hold as common to all; in the case of Islam, neither the Koran nor the Hadith list Isaiah among their prophets, and he is not mentioned by name by Koranic scholars either. Yet his prophecies ring down to the present time with frightening power and purpose and with an accuracy that is clear to see in virtually the daily News items. He is often referred to as the ‘Great Prophet’: An apt title because --- as we have necessarily and very strongly stated --- he it was who prophesied and gave actual name to perhaps the key revelation for all of the human race, thus warranting him as the most far-sighted Prophet of all.
Precisely because of that singular attribute, this Discourse on the “Great Prophet” necessarily occupies an initial position, for he is the “central player” in any determination of both the Truth in the dispute between Islam and Christianity over any claim to “ownership” of “The Spirit of Truth” --- and also of His Coming. Isaiah’s crucial prophecy relating to that fundamentally- significant event has never been recognised by religious scholars and theologians of any of the three monotheistic religions, despite what Islam and the Koran, particularly, may say. His importance to the many questions surrounding this controversy should not be underestimated for it quite simply cannot be adequately quantified. By virtue of that certainty, we will delve as far as we need to into his life and legacy so that this ordained Work fulfils its primary purpose.
For the religion of Judaism Isaiah should hold pride of place, purely because for some of you in the Jewish race he would be your “End-Time” saviour --- if you were to truly “spiritually awaken”. As a people who really believe you are still “chosen”, casting aside this Prophet and his seminal prophecy through non-recognition and/or non-acceptance means, as we bluntly stated in Discourse 1, that this time you will be left bereft and completely “cut off”.
Of course, Isaiah’s key insight was ultimately for all of global humanity, so his more notable prophecies we place here as they play a vitally-crucial and pivotal role in the overall context of this Work. For that reason, we will revisit and reinforce them in a number of other later Discourses relevant to the subject matter of the moment.
Islam may not give any credence to Isaiah as a “Great Prophet”, but we must, and we will; for the critical event that has already occurred but has been missed or ignored by the masses in especially the religions of the world, centres on Isaiah prophesying; not Muhammad, but another. Could that be the reason why Isaiah is seemingly ignored, sanitised, expunged, from Islamic thought? If that is truly so, then that would seem to represent an “element of fear” among Muslim scholars particularly; for without Isaiah and his key prophecies, we would not have the deeper understanding of what the earth and its peoples will undergo -- and why! In stark contrast to the Islamic world, Western ‘learned academia’ has much to say about Isaiah.
According to a number of Bible scholars, Isaiah prophesied for at least 40 years. Even though we have given Isaiah an especial place in this Work and the Book of Isaiah represents a large body of prophetic text; the few Scriptures we will quote therefrom, almost on their own, will fulfil our primary objective vis-à- vis: The Title!
So, let us learn more about him in a series of subsets covering his life and work. A major part of the background information for this particular section is sourced from Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. (The contributing author is Sheldon H. Blank).
We, however, will offer commentary where and when the official line differs or even clashes with what we are tasked to reveal: that from our Source of humanly-immeasurable knowledge -- The ALL-TRUTH. [In this case: “The Proof of the Pudding Really is in the Eating.”]