The Book of Isaiah and God's Kingdom

Anyone who has attempted to teach or preach through the prophecy of Isaiah has felt a tension. On the one hand there is the soaring imagination and evocative phrasing of passage after passage in this magnificent book. But on the other hand there is the challenge of fitting the book together and grasping with confidence the referents Isaiah has in mind. In a well-written and remarkably comprehensive treatment, Andrew Abernethy takes us through the book of Isaiah by unfolding the way God and his kingdom are presented in each of the three major sections of the prophecy. By outlining the way this reigning God uses agents to accomplish his purpose, this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume identifies the links to the broader biblical canon and ultimately to Jesus.Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

A stimulating, comprehensive engagement with the Old Testament book and its message Andrew Abernathy employs the concept of 'kingdom' as an entry point for organising Isaiah's major themes. Four features frame Abernathy study: God, the King; the lead agents of the King; the realm of the Kingdom and the people of the King. While his primary aim is to show how 'kingdom' is fundamental to Isaiag whenh understood within its Old Testament context, interspersed canonical reflections assist those who are wrestling with how to read Isaiah as Christian Scripture in, and for, the Church. Content: Series Preface Author's Preface Abbreviations Introduction 1. God, the king now and to come in Isaiah 1-39 2. God, the only saving king in Isaiah 40-55 3. God, the warrior, international, and compassionate king in Isaiah 56-66 4. The lead agents of the King 5. The realm and the people of God's Kingdom Conclusion Bibliography Index of Authors Index of scripture references