Isaiah: Supreme Prophet of the Sovereign Lord

For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:18 (Spoke 1, Cycle 2)

In the review of Spoke 1 in the Divine Design of the Twenty-Two Spokes (BW book pg 61), the broad recognition of Isaiah's supremacy was documented with numerous citations from highly qualified scholars who ascribed to him such epithets as the "Prince of the Prophets" and the "greatest Old Testament Prophet." Watts described his Book as "the apex of prophetic vision." Chafer and Wolf both testified to its integration with Paul's greatest Epistle by calling it the "Romans of the Old Testament." These comments are but a hint of the supernatural integration of Isaiah with the other two Books on the First Spoke. We have already reviewed many aspects of this miracle, such as the triple KeyLink between all three Books based on the Aleph title of the everlasting God and the double KeyLink between Isaiah and Romans based on God's Sovereignty (The Pot and Potter). We also saw it in the distribution of the creation verbs "bara" and "ktidzo" which is greatly maximized on Spoke 1, with significant contributions from each of its Books (BW book pg 103). Below are three primary thematic links amongst the Books of Spoke 1, beginning with a closer look at the Aleph theme of creation:

Creation of Heaven and Earth (GenesisIsaiah)

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Isaiah 45:12 (Spoke 1, Cycle 2)

The highlighted words in this verse are the same as those in the verse in the preceding section (Isa 45:18). The underlying Hebrew words are listed in the table. This is the basis of a very strong double KeyLink that also is bilingual. It matters not if we search for the set in English or in Hebrew, the same three verses are returned; two from Isaiah (45:12, 18) and this one from Genesis:

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.

Genesis 2:4 (Spoke 1, Cycle 1)

If we now loosen the constraints slightly and search only for the set (created, heaven(s), earth), we find a total of ten verses, seven of which (70%) are from Spoke 1, as shown in the graph. We lose the KeyLink because the set is found in other verses, but in return we find a maximized distribution on Spoke 1.

Israel shall be Saved (IsaiahRomans)

But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Isaiah 45:17 (Spoke 1, Cycle 2)

One of the greatest KeyLinks on Spoke 1 is based on God's Promise to save Israel. The highlighted phrase is found in one and only one other verse in the entire Bible, Romans 11:26. I quote the surrounding verses for context and to include another KeyLink:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

The underlined words are part of the broad group of citations of Isaiah found in Romans. It also is a KeyLink to Isaiah 59:20f. If it seems like I am rushing through these KeyLinks, it is because that is exactly what I am doing. The overflowing abundance of revelation leaves me no choice. I am greatly constrained by the limited size of this book [which is where this article first appeared]. There is no end to the glory of God's Word!

JUSTIFICATION (IsaiahRomans)

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:4ff (Spoke 1, Cycle 2)

In the high-level overview of the thematic links between Isaiah and Romans in Chapter 5 of the Bible Wheel book, I cited many commentators who referred to Isaiah as the "Romans" and the "St. Paul" of the Old Testament" (pg 62). This is because Isaiah contains the clearest and most explicit proclamation of the Gospel in the Hebrew Scriptures. God engraved this link in His Capstone:

Next Article: Romans: The Cathedral of the Christian Faith

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