Isaiah: Interpretation

1. This is the beginning of the first of the three books that were compiled to form the Bible's book of Isaiah.

   First or Proto-Isaiah was written in the eigth century BCE, two hundred years before the other two books (Deutero-Isaiah and Trito-Isaiah) were written. 1:1

2. Is it OK to drink alcohol? 5:11, 22, 28:1, 7
3. "Lucifer, son of the morning."
   This is the only verse in the bible that mentions Lucifer. Although most Christians consider Lucifer to be Satan (the devil), there is little biblical justification for doing so. In this verse "Lucifer" refers to the king of Babylon (Nebuchadrezzar?) and Lucifer (the light bearer) is also called the "son of the morning" or morning star. The only other person that is referred to in that way is Jesus (Rev 22:16). Does this mean that Lucifer is Jesus? 14:12

4. Joseph Smith used verses 11 and 12 to "prove" to Martin Harris that the Book of Mormon was prophesied by Isaiah. Martin Harris brought a sheet of Joseph Smith's "reformed Egyptian" characters to the linguistice sholar Charles Anthon at Columbia College. When he asked Harris to see the golden plates themselves, he was told that that was forbidden -- to which Anthon replied, "I cannot read a sealed book." 29:11-12

5. God performs a "marvelous work and a wonder" by destroying wisdom and understanding. The Mormons believe the "marvelous work and a wonder" is the Book of Mormon 29:14

   "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD."
   This is the verse from which the Jehovah's Witnesses take their name. 43:10, 12

6. "Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus"
   "Anointed one" means Messiah. So was king Cyrus the Messiah?
   David Koresh (born Vernon Howell) chose his name after the two men in the Bible who are called Messiah (or anointed one) in the Bible: David and Cyrus. (The name "Koresh" is a transliteration of the Hebrew name Cyrus.) 45:1
7. "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
   Unlike the god of the process theologians, the God of Isaiah is in full control of his creation; he has pre-ordained everything. 46:10-11
8. "Does the bible condemn astrology? 47:13-14
9. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
   Believers use these verses to justify everything cruel, nasty, and absurd in the Bible. Why did God kill 42 children for making fun of a prophet's bald head? What was God thinking when he inspired Ezekiel 23:20? And what about that talking donkey in Numbers 22? Well God's ways are not our ways. 55:8-9
10. Does God approve of slavery? 58:6