The Delay of Salvation Within Deutero-Isaiah

Abstract

The main theme of Isaiah 40–55, so-called Deutero-Isaiah, is that Yahweh will grant forgiveness and deliverance to his people in order to provide a new beginning. In time, however, it became apparent that the salvation proclaimed by the prophet had not materialized. In response to a growing unease, therefore, the adherents of Deutero-Isaiah offered a reassurance to the people that salvation was imminent. In later days, however, a new explanation was offered for the fact that the prophetic pronouncement remained unfulfilled—the delay of salvation was blamed on the people of Israel's guilt. In order to explain the failure of Israel, and the subsequent withholding of Yahweh's salvation, the adherents of Deutero-Isaiah borrowed parts of the Deuteronomistic scheme concerning the history of Israel. By making observations on the tradition-historical connections in Isaiah 40–55, traces of Deuteronomistic theology in Deutero-Isaiah can be found. Further, it is also possible to draw some general conclusions about the relationship between the Deutero-Isaiah (respectively Isaian) school and the Deuteronomistic movement.