Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)

le of the

hat troubled him was the attitude taken by his dear friend, the Crown Prince, Jotham, toward the politic

tion were so great as to be almost hopeless. So that, even before Uzziah died the tw

he had subdued, and his name was honored even at the Court of Egypt. To the north Jeroboam II was prosperous and at peace; Syria was weak and Assyria had no

had not the slightest cloud before it. To Isaiah, the keen-sighted and well-posted young statesman, however,

h began to call Jotham's attention to the internal social conditions of the country; but Jotham had such a

lessons to be drawn therefrom for Judah, Jotham, desiring to show his power as a ruler while his father

ng Menahem, of Israel, had sent a heavy tribute to the Assyrian Tiglath-Pil

on the day of the king's funeral that Isai

that were being practiced by the rich and powerful upon the poor and weak. From that hour on he knew that God had called him to be His prophet, that

of an idea as to what God demanded of him to do. Time, thought and experience ripened that i

eople, in their commercial wrongdoings, in the corrupt law courts and in the general oppression of the lower classe

nto stories of happenings in their own country. Some related rumors of what was going on in Samaria; others spoke of the possibility of Judah's being forced to fight Assyria some day. Some laughed at such a suggestion; others were in grave doubt whether su

ons, offered to recite a poem, an original composition. The

g a song of

song about h

y settled down comfortably to

nd hath

ertile

and gathered

it with ch

built in th

out a wi

find grapes t

ded only wi

excitement, it even lacked interest. They shifted in their place

inhabitants

people

pray you,

ixt my v

uld be done

which I

to find grapes

ed it wil

pray, I wi

l do to my

away the h

shall be

k down the

all be tro

make a was

l not be pru

forth thorns and t

command that they

plication was to them and to their country. But who was the "friend" who po

the Lord of hosts i

Judah are His c

r justice, but,

, but, behold! a

social evils of which Judah and the leading Judeans were guil

m that join h

field

re is no

alone in the mi

them that

ue stro

late int

ne infla

rd not the wo

what His han

that draw guilt

ords o

s with a

hat call evil go

for light, and l

for sweet, and s

that are wise i

in their o

hat are heroic i

in mixing

ribe, justif

innocent man o

s the fire de

shrivels

t shall be a

blossom go

jected the teaching

he word of Isr

the vast assembly whom he was addressing, that no one took note of a splend

g, and the people had caught the

d! The

comers, and there he beheld Jotham and a retinue of nobl

rophet did what he had threatened Jotham he would do

eth forth to pr

th up to judg

ntereth in

of His people an

s, have devour

the needy are

mean by crus

ng the face o

Lord, God

ly made his way to where the prophet stood. He placed his arm around Isaiah

which the denunciations were delivered, but Isaiah did not feel hurt. His heart was quite at peace. At

el, was awaiting them. To the amazement of them all, the ambassadors placed before Jotham a demand that Judah join forces with Syr