Isaiah: A Ride In The Chariot
Author: Theodor B. Rath; Publisher: AuthorHouse, Bloomington, IN., 2015
Theodor (Ted) Rath is a
veteran of the Korean War, a teacher, and a pastor, with a Doctor of Ministry
Degree from the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Il. This volume
clearly evidences his love for the historical and prophetic books of the Old
Testament (O.T.), especially as they relate to our current and future times.
I had read through the O.T. Book
named Isaiah in the past and realized it covered a lot of ancient history, to
say the least. As a believer, and familiar with the New Testament (N.T.), I
could see references that could well apply to the end times. But whether they
did or not I left for scholars to decide. More of us, however, know about the
book of Isaiah through the sermons preached by our pastors over the years. It
was hard putting it all together, though. And this is where Rath’s book came
into play for me.
The author does a good job of
giving us a description of what each section, chapter, and group of verses in
the book of Isaiah communicated to the readers. He explains very carefully how
the book is structured. He believes the main author was Isaiah but that other
followers of his wrote under his name as much as over a century later than
earlier parts of the book. He carefully points out the possibility that certain
portions have double meanings with respect to the period of time for which the
prophesies are made. That is, some of
what the book predicts could be understood to have already taken place after
the prophesy and before the time of Christ, while it is simultaneously possible
that the prediction also, or only, covers the future end days that many
Christians await and which are related to the return of Jesus Christ, as He
promised. Rath leaves it up to the reader to decide.
Clearly explaining, and more so
interpreting, Isaiah, is a difficult challenge to take on. And at times it
becomes a challenge for the layperson reader to stick with the thoughts the
scholar is trying to get across. But there are some gems to be found in the
work’s pages.
For example, early in the work he
writes, “The primary purpose of this study is to show that prosperity can
either be a blessing or a curse.” Agreed. The problem is that for me at
least, the author didn’t point out that conclusion blatantly enough out in the
volume. It is only realized when one reviews one’s notes where one highlighted
that statement, that its truth becomes obvious to the reader.
But there are other gems that are
easier to find. Here are two examples: First, he relates the children of Lot
(the Ammon) as the original inhabitants of the modern Jordan. Second, he writes, “Believing in the custom of the
first-born child being designated as the rightful person to be chosen for
certain family leadership roles, many Moslems (sic) feel their people should
take precedence over Christianity.” This reader had never quite thought
of this global situation we have today with our Muslim co-habitants of the
earth in those terms before.
He takes us very quickly through the
history of Mesopotamia (part of modern-day Iraq), the “cradle of civilization”
to its modern times in a very clear fashion. Then he throws us back to about
5,000 BC when the Sumerians became prominent in the region and established the
earliest written language.
Rath also gives us quick summaries
of the role of all the other prophets, but maintains his emphasis on Isaiah by
indicating that time and time again Isaiah shares with us the concept that God
has great patience with His people, willing to save them. In fact, the name Isaiah means “salvation of
the Lord” or “Jehovah saves”.
He explains very logically how and
why it was that the Israelites, “unaccustomed to the ways of agriculture,
turned to the gods of the land. In doing so, they did not mean to turn away
from Yahwah, the God of the Exodus and the Sinai Covenant. They would look to
Yahweh in times of military crisis and then turn to Baal for success in
agriculture.” The very thing (syncretism or blending of two faiths) that
God did not want for His people.
Based on his study of Isaiah and
related texts, Rath goes on to give us a very serious list of five things that need
“to
be done to reverse the conditions that so adversely affect so many people in
this country and elsewhere.” They
alone are worth the purchase of his book.
On the downside, I find that Rath
often shares two sides of an argument with us (e.g. he may say some Bible “versions
say x and y, but these versions say so-and-so”) and then leaves us
hanging. You never quite know which
version he prefers or why one position is more probable than the other. Or he
says the prophecy of some particular verses may refer to something that has already
happened or it may refer to something still to come – and again never tells us
what he thinks. This all simply points to the whole perplexity of Isaiah’s book
in the O.T. He even says at one point, “Verses.
. . are difficult to understand.” I appreciate his honesty, but with
it, came some level of frustration for me.
He is very clear in relating the
role of today’s Christian as being very similar to that of the prophet Isaiah,
namely, “To proclaim salvation is the chief work of the Christian church and
all of is denominations and congregations.”
Another very valuable section in
his book is one entitled, the “Nine
Images of God”. It can easily make a great sermon series, as can other
parts in Rath’s book.
This book adds a very necessary
perspective to a serious study of Isaiah and I recommend it for all who wish to
make sense of one of the most challenging Biblical books. But it’s not a quick
read, especially if you follow the author’s recommendation to read it with your
Bible open at the verses he is writing about.
By Ken B. Godevenos, President, Accord
Resolutions Services Inc., Toronto, Ontario, May 13, 2016. www.accordconsulting.com
Get the book here: http://astore.amazon.com/accorconsu-20
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