2. (a) Who answered the call to speak for Jehovah, and when? (b) What is significant about this prophet’s name?

² Who, then, would speak for Jehovah? Who would declare his saving power? “Here I am! Send me,” came the ready response. The speaker was Isaiah, who had already been prophesying before this. It was the year that leprous King Uzziah died, about 778 B.C.E. (Isa. 6:1, 8) The name Isaiah means “Salvation of Jehovah,” which is the same meaning, though written in the reverse order, of the name Jesus (“Jehovah Is Salvation”). From start to finish, Isaiah’s prophecy highlights this fact, that Jehovah is salvation.

3. (a) What is known concerning Isaiah? (b) Throughout what period did he prophesy, and who were other prophets of his day?

³ Isaiah was the son of Amoz (not to be confused with Amos, another prophet from Judah). (1:1) The Scriptures are silent as to his birth and death, though Jewish tradition has him sawn asunder by wicked King Manasseh. (Compare Hebrews 11:37.) His writings show him stationed in Jerusalem with his prophetess wife and at least two sons with prophetic names. (Isa. 7:3; 8:1, 3) He served during the time of at least four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; evidently beginning about 778 B.C.E. (when Uzziah died, or possibly earlier) and continuing at least till after 732 B.C.E. (Hezekiah’s 14th year), or no less than 46 years. No doubt he had also committed his prophecy to writing by this latter date. (1:1; 6:1; 36:1) Other prophets of his day were Micah in Judah and, to the north, Hosea and Oded.​—Mic. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; 2 Chron. 28:6-9.

4. What indicates that Isaiah was the writer of the book?

⁴ That Jehovah commanded Isaiah to write down prophetic judgments is established by Isaiah 30:8: “Now come, write it upon a tablet with them, and inscribe it even in a book, that it may serve for a future day, for a witness to time indefinite.” The ancient Jewish rabbis recognized Isaiah as the writer and included the book as the first book of the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel).

8. How is inspiration proved by fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies?

⁸ Outstanding in the book of Isaiah are the Messianic prophecies. Isaiah has been called “the Evangelist prophet,” so numerous are the predictions fulfilled in the events of Jesus’ life.