The Salvation of the Remnant in Isaiah 11: 11-12 An Exegesis of a Prophecy of Hope and Its Relevance Today by Gerald Emem Umoren DISSERTATION.COM Boca Raton The Salvation of the Remnant in Isaiah 11: 11-12: An Exegesis of a Prophecy of Hope and Its Relevance Today Copyright © 2006 Gerald Emem Umoren All rights reserved. Dissertation.com Boca Raton, Florida USA • 2007 ISBN: 1-58112- 375-2 13-ISBN: 978-1-58112-375-3 PONTIFICIA STUDIORUM UNIVERSITAS A S. THOMA AQ. IN URBE - ANGELICUM - _________________________________________________ GERALD EMEM UMOREN THE SALVATION OF THE REMNANT IN ISAIAH 11:11-12 An Exegesis of a Prophecy of Hope and Its Relevance Today __________ DISSERTATIO AD LAUREAM IN FACULTATE S. THEOLOGIAE APUD PONTIFICIAM UNIVERSITATEM S. THOMAE IN URBE __________ ROME 2006 Vidimus et approbavimus Romae, apud Pont. Universitatem S. Thomae, Die 21, mensis Decembris, anni 2006. Moderator: Prof. R. P. Joseph Agius OP Censor: Prof. R. P. Bernardo Boschi OP Imprimatur Vicariatus Romae, die 22, mensis Decembris, anni 2006 Mons. Mauro Parmeggiani Prelato Segretario Generale ii TO My Biological and Religious Families AND TO All believers whose humble beginning proposes a future of hope iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ----------------------------------------------------- -xi LIST OF ABBREVIATION --------------------------------------------------- xiii THE MAP OF THE NEAR EAST -------------------------------------------- xv PREFACE------------------------------------------------------------------------xvi GENERAL INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------- - 1 PART I - AN OVERVIEW CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF THE REMNANT IN ISAIAH------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 1.1 Explication of Terms ---------------------------------------------------14 1.1.1 The Etymology and General Meaning of Salvation------- 14 1.1.2 The Etymology and General Meaning of Remnant ------- 17 1.1.3 The Personality of Prophet Isaiah --------------------------- 20 1.2 The Historical Period Presupposed by the Book of Isaiah--------- 23 1.2.1 The Assyrian Threat and Invasion (742-701 B.C.) -------- 26 1.2.2 The Babylonian Domination and the Exile (605-540 B.C.)-------------------------------------------------- 31 1.2.3 The Persian Empire and The Return from Exile (540-c.500 B.C.) ------------------------------------------------ 32 1.3 The Book of the Prophet Isaiah --------------------------------------- 34 1.3.1 The Setting of the Book of Isaiah ---------------------------- 35 1.3.2 The Literary Structure of the Book of Isaiah --------------- 39 1.3.2.1 First Isaiah (chs. 1-39) ----------------------------- 42 1.3.2.2 Deutero-Isaiah (chs. 40-55) ----------------------- 46 1.3.2.3 Trito-Isaiah (chs. 56-66)--------------------------- 48 1.3.3 The Composition/Nature of the Book of Isaiah ------------- 49 Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------- 56 v 2. THE “REMNANT” IN ISAIAH ---------------------------------------- 59 Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------- 59 2.1 The Remnant: Terminologies and Usage in Isaiah ------------------- 61 2.1.1 The Use of ra'v. in Isaiah ---------------------------------------- 62 2.1.2 The Use of other Terms for Remnant in Isaiah -------------- 69 2.2 The Development and Meaning of Remnant in Isaiah --------------- 74 2.2.1 The Remnant Motif in First Isaiah----------------------------- 76 2.2.1.1 The Remnant in the Pre-Exilic Preaching of Prophet Isaiah ------------------------- 77 • References to Foreign Nations ----- 86 2.2.1.2 Re-elaboration of the Remnant in the Post-Exilic Preaching of Isaiah’s Disciples ------- 88 • References to Foreign Nations ------ 89 • References to Israel or Judah-------- 91 2.2.2 The Remnant Motif in Deutero-Isaiah ------------------------ 95 2.2.3 The Remnant Motif in Trito-Isaiah---------------------------- 97 2.3 Further Insight into the Remnant Motif in Isaiah -------------------- 101 2.3.1 The Dual Sense of Remnant in Isaiah ------------------------ 102 2.3.1.1 Remnant as a Negative Sign of Destruction in Isaiah ---------------------------------------------- 104 2.3.1.2 Remnant as a Positive Sign of Salvation in Isaiah ---------------------------------------------- 105 2.3.2 The Types of Remnant Implied in the Book of Isaiah------ 106 2.3.2.1 The Historical Remnant ---------------------------- 107 2.3.2.2 The Faithful Remnant------------------------------- 108 2.3.2.3 The Eschatological Remnant ---------------------- 109 2.3.3 The Constitution of the Remnant in the Book of Isaiah---- 110 Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------ 113 vi PART II - THE CASE STUDY 3. THE SALVATION OF THE REMNANT IN ISAIAH 11:11-12 -------------------------------------------------------- 115 Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------- 115 SECTION A [An Analysis of the Theme] 3.1 Understanding the Term ‘Salvation’ within context----------------- 118 3.1.1 Tracing the Old Testament History of Salvation to Isaiah 119 3.1.2 Israel as Recipient of God’s Salvation----------------------- 123 3.1.2.1 Nation-Israel as Recipient of God’s Salvation --- 124 3.1.2.2 Remnant-Israel as Recipient of God’s Salvation- 126 3.2 Deutero-Isaiah and the theme of Salvation of the Remnant -------- 127 SECTION B [An Analysis of the Text] 3.3 The Analysis of Isaiah 11:11-12 --------------------------------------- 130 3.3.1 Structural Analysis---------------------------------------------- 130 3.3.1.1 Delimitation of the Text----------------------------- 134 3.3.1.2 The Uniqueness of the Text within the Structure of Isaiah 11:11-16 --------------------------------------- 135 3.3.1.3 The Specific Form of the Text --------------------- 135 3.3.2 Historical Analysis----------------------------------------------- 138 3.3.2.1 The Historical Context of the Text ----------------- 138 3.3.2.2 The Historical Significance of the Cities Mentioned in the Text ------------------------------- 150 3.3.3 Semantic and Philological Analysis --------------------------- 163 3.3.3.1 ‘On that day’ (aWhªh; ~AYæB; hy"åh'w); ----------------------------------------- 164 3.3.3.2 ‘The Lord will extend His hand yet a second time’ (Adêy" ‘tynIve yn"Üdoa] @ysi’Ay) ------------------------------------ 166 3.3.3.3 ‘To recover the remnant that is left of His people’ (raeV'yI rv<åa] AM+[; ra"åv.-ta, tAnàq.l.) --------------------------- 176 3.3.3.4 ‘From Assyria . .’ (. rWV’a;me) --------------------------------------------- 182 vii 3.3.3.5 ‘He will raise a signal for the nations’ (>~yIëAGl; ‘snE af'în"w) ------------------------------------------ 183 3.3.3.6 ‘And He will assemble the outcasts of Israel’ (I lae_r"f.yI yxeäd>nI @s:ßa'w)------------------------------------- 188 3.3.3.7 ‘And gather the dispersed of Judah’ (#Beêq;y> ‘hd"Why> tAcÜpun>W) ------------------------------------- 190 3.3.3.8 ‘From the four corners of the earth’ (#r<a'(h' tApïn>K; [B;Þr>a;m;) ------------------------------------ 193 3.3.4 Exegetical Analysis -------------------------------------------- 195 3.3.4.1 The Identity of the Remnant in Isaiah 11:11-12- 195 3.3.4.2 Understanding God’s Action for the Remnant as Salvation------------------------------- 197 • The ‘Hand of God’ [dy"] (verse 11) 119 • To Recover [hn"q'] (verse 11)-------- 201 • To Assemble [@s;a'] (verse 12) ----- 202 • To Gather [#b;q'] (verse 12) --------- 202 3.3.4.3 The Meaning/Sense of the Entire Text ------------ 203 Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------- 205 4. THE THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ‘THE SALVATION OF THE REMNANT’ IN ISAIAH ---------------------------------- 209 Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------- 209 4.1 The Salvation of the Remnant: A Theology of Hope---------------- 211 4.1.1 Isaiah 11:11-12: A True Prophecy of Salvation and Hope - 212 4.1.1.1 The Hope of Restoration for the Scattered Remnant ------------------------------- 214 4.1.1.2 The Hope of Fulfilment for the Remnant in Jerusalem --------------------------- 216 4.1.1.3 The Hope of Rebirth for Nation-Israel-------------- 217 viii 4.2 The Salvation of the Remnant: A Significant Act of God ---------- 219 4.2.1 The Salvation of the Remnant: A Theodicy ------------------ 220 4.2.1.1 A Vindication of God’s Righteousness ------------- 227 4.2.1.2 A Vindication of God’s Faithfulness ----- 224 4.2.1.3 A Vindication of God’s Sovereignty ----- 227 4.2.2 The Salvation of the Remnant: A Call to Responsibility --- 231 4.2.2.1 Responsibility to God----------------------- 234 4.2.2.2 Responsibility Towards the Restoration of Israel -------------------- 236 4.2.2.3 Responsibility Towards the Nations------ 238 4.3 The Import of this Old Testament Prophecy Today ----------------- 241 4.3.1 The Salvation of the Remnant in the New Testament------- 241 4.3.1.1 Identifying the Remnant Today ----------- 242 4.3.1.2 The Remnant and the Church-------------- 247 4.3.2 Christ as the Theological Fulfilment of God’s plan of Salvation ------------------------------------------------- 250 Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------- 253 GENERAL EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION ------------------ 255 BIBLIOGRAPHY----------------------------------------------------------- 275 ix AKNOWLEDGEMENT My highest gratitude goes to God who has made me who I am and what I am today.