Isaiah

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His calling came through a dramatic vision of God seated on His throne, surrounded by seraphim crying "Holy, holy, holy." When Isaiah cried out in despair over his unclean lips, a seraph touched his mouth with a burning coal, purifying him. Then he heard God ask, "Whom shall I send?" and Isaiah responded, "Here am I; send me."

Isaiah's ministry spanned roughly sixty years during some of Judah's most critical moments. He counseled King Ahaz during the Syrian-Israelite crisis and later advised King Hezekiah during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. His prophecies addressed immediate political situations while also pointing to events far in the future.

The book of Isaiah contains the most detailed messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Isaiah foretold the virgin birth, the ministry of the Servant who would be despised and rejected, and the suffering Messiah who would be "wounded for our transgressions." His fifty-third chapter is quoted more in the New Testament than almost any other Old Testament passage.

Tradition holds that Isaiah was martyred during the reign of the wicked King Manasseh, sawn in two while hiding inside a hollow tree. His legacy endures through his profound writings, which Martin Luther called "the fifth Gospel" for their clear proclamation of Christ.