Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

FAMILY OF PROPHETS Occasionally, an entire family will dominate some aspect of a nation's life. In early Russia, the Romanovs had such influence. In the first century of United States' history, the name Adams carried great weight in the USA; and until the tragic twin assassinations, it appeared the Kennedy family would hold sway in a similar way. Probably the most influential prophetic family of all time was that of Isaiah. His wife was known as a "prophetess," and his two sons were named after his prophetic utterances. Shear-jashub meant "a remnant shall remain;" Maher-shalal-hash-baz pointed to coming captivity. Extending over sixty-five years, Isaiah preached during the reign of five famous kings. The longest of all the Prophetic Books, Isaiah is quoted more often in the New Testament than all of the other prophets combined. There are more than three hundred quotations of references. Interestingly enough, Isaiah is divided into two major sections, the first of which has thirty-nine chapters and the second twenty-seven. These figures correspond to the number of books in the Old and New Testaments. Isaiah is most famous for his prophecies concerning the coming Christ. Written nearly seven hundred years before Jesus' birth, these stunning prophecies vividly detail the birth, life, and death of the suffering Savior. It reads as though Isaiah was actually standing at Calvary and witnessing the crucifixion. Isaiah 53 depicts with almost photographic clarity the dying Christ. As we read the words of Isaiah, we rejoice that God chose to tell about His Son long before Bethlehem. Through Isaiah's eyes, we know Christ is truly the Son of God.