February 3, 2024
Anglican Church of Canada Lectionary
Front, Back and Detail of Isaiah Bulla found at Royal Bakery, Ophel
2 Kings 20:7
Isaiah ordered a “cake of figs” to be delivered to a sick Hezekiah.
The placement of the damaging thumbprint, to steady the bulla, indicates that the user was righthanded. It is thus apparent that we here have the unique fingerprint of the prophet himself!
The upper half of the bulla had split off due to the string cord that bound the package beneath it, creating a weak point through the bulla. Further, the reserve side of the bulla bears a cloth sack imprint. This seems unusual at first, since one would naturally expect a prophet to seal a papyrus letter or some kind of written document. However, the bulla was found just outside what is believed to be the royal Ophel bakery area. Perhaps the sack contained a food item.
Dr. Eilat Mazar believes the motif on the Isaiah Bulla is a grazing doe, symbolizing prosperity. (Interestingly, imagery of this is found in the book of Isaiah— Isaiah 11:6; 13:14 and 35:6.)
According to Dr. Mazar, "In archaeology, context matters. When examining an artifact, the material surrounding the item plays a crucial role in determining and verifying its proper identity."
The ruins and artifacts surrounding the Isaiah bulla conclusively date to the First Temple period (in archaeological terms, Iron Age). We can know with certainty the Isaiah who owned this seal lived in Jerusalem between the ninth and seventh centuries B.C. The Prophet Isaiah lived in Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C.
But in this instance, we have even more archaeological context. The Isaiah seal was uncovered at the same time (2009) and in the same assemblage (collection of bullae and other artifacts) as the Hezekiah seal. It was discovered just a few feet from the Hezekiah bulla, and in exactly the same strata of soil.
Dr. Mazar, in her article for Biblical Archaeology Review, noted the discovery of the Isaiah bulla just a few feet from the Hezekiah bulla and asked how likely it is that this bulla could belong to an Isaiah other than Isaiah the prophet. She wrote this is a “surreal scenario.”
Isaiah 57
The righteous man perishes,
and no one lays it to heart;
devout men are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;
he enters into peace;
they rest in their beds
who walk in their uprightness.
3 But you, draw near,
sons of the sorceress,
offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.
4 Whom are you mocking?
Against whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
the offspring of deceit,
5 you who burn with lust among the oaks,
who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;
they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering,
you have brought a grain offering.
Shall I relent for these things?
7 On a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your memorial;
for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a covenant for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have looked on nakedness.
9 You journeyed to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far off,
and sent down even to Sheol.
10 You were wearied with the length of your way,
but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;
you found new life for your strength,
and so you were not faint.
11 Whom did you dread and fear,
so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
did not lay it to heart?
Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
and you do not fear me?
12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
but they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them all off,
a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and shall inherit my holy mountain.
14 And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people's way.”
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
Who inhabits eternity,
whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,
I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,”
says the Lord,
“and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
for it cannot be quiet,
and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz
The Book of Isaiah, begins telling us Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah. Uzziah's reign was 52 years in the middle of the 8th century BC, and Isaiah must have begun his ministry a few years before Uzziah's death, probably 740s BC.
The speculation on the author of The Book of Isaiah is meaningless. The Holy Spirit helped Isaiah write the enormous Words of Scripture. Isaiah has 330 prophetic verses about Jesus, The Christ of God. Truth is truth.
To read an entire Chapter of Isaiah, we find the opinions of the current state of man varies enormously. And the language is profound, and can be as large as the sky itself. The Scriptures do not assume my life is perfect, nor your perfect life, viewing from fairly far away. The Scriptures deal with very harsh aspects of life. Stolen children. Outrageous evil. Loss of life. Destruction of the path of life. War. Anger.
When Isaiah begins telling us, Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah. We are saying Isaiah has memories that don't show he is a young man, but a man who has gathered memories he must live with and live past. We know this to be true, The Assyrian Empire was wiping out Israel and the tribes forever. Judah was surviving by vast measures using faith. Isaiah has looked at war occurring around him, changing life forever. Isaiah has seen evil.
In quiet times, if a Great Horned Owl is heard, even a half mile away, the human chest will physically move with the call. And when experiencing this movement, the memory is profound. The call echoes within us. Reading Isaiah 57, there will be pangs, or echoes, the opportunities of finding the cause of discomfort. To throw away Scripture discussing evil, isn't to hold on to the Word of God. Throwing away what describes evil, isn't even understanding the pattern of the world or world history.
All of John's Books deal with finding evil seems to win over the Son of God, yet ultimately knowing God's Love wins.
This is a pattern of the Lord's Salvation and Mercy. He deals with enough of the mess of mankind to become weary of us. And instead, God of Love and God of Encouragement finds the Glory within His Love and Mercy to give us the opportunity to believe Jesus Christ and the Word of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath,
but to obtain salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:9
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood,
much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;
whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God remains on him.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
1 John 4:19
We love because God first loved us!
Abba, Father,
For no one can lay a foundation
other than that which is laid,
which is
Jesus Christ
Thank you Father God
for Your Son,
Jesus.
May the God of hope fill us all, everyone,
with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may abound in hope.
Dwell in me,
Dwell in us,
Dwell in those we Love,
Help us to seek You first.
And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ.
Our God is working. His Son,
Jesus is working.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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