Description
Five centuries before our era the rich and powerful Babylonian kingdom of King Nabonidas, heir to the fabled Nebuchadnezzar, awaited fearfully the assault of the northern barbarian hordes of Cyrus the Persian. Then it was that, as the votaries of Ishtar battled the priests of the god Bel-Merodach, a Prophet arose among the Judean exiles huddled in the slums of Babylon. He proclaimed Jehovah the Universal Gog, the Father of all mankind, and brought from Him a message of comfort and consolation, and a promise of redemption from exile which would be accomplished by Cyrus the King, whom he called the Servant of God. Indeed, the Lord God Jehovah would bring all nations to His dominion through Cyrus. But Cyrus disappointed the Prophet and instead of Jehovah proclaimed Bel-Merodach God of all Gentiles. So, seeing the false god Merodach and not Jehovah had brought Cyrus to Babylon, contrary to his prophecy, the Prophet was stricken with an anguish of soul. Then a vision came to him, not of a victorious king as a servant of God, but of a mortal man, a true servant who would redeem mankind through his own suffering. This strange prophet, the Deutero-Isaiah, or the secong Isaiah, of whose life we actually know so little, is today recognized as one of the greatest personalities of the Bible. His great poetic songs, as well known as the Psalms, contain the most truly spiritual values that the Old Testament possesses. And it was Isaiah who assured every suffering man that he was not rejected by God as then believed. By his prophecies, his poetical songs, his own suffering in his struggle for Jehovah and his Redeemer, Isaiah became one of the greatest builders of the Jewish and Christian ideals on which our civilization is based – a true link between the Old and New Testaments. Around this fascinating man, Sholem Asch has constructed this magnificent novel. Mr. Asch uses rich, colorful canvas. Innumerable scenes of daily life in Babylon, the Temples, and much more.
