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

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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

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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

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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

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TO My Biological and Religious Families

AND TO All believers whose humble beginning proposes a future of hope

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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AKNOWLEDGEMENT

My highest gratitude goes to God who has made me who I am and what I am today. I thank my Bishop – Most Rev. Dr. Camillus Etokudoh – with whose permission and support I have come this far in my academic pursuit. He is a father indeed. I am immeasurably indebted to my Moderator – Prof. R. P. Joseph Agius O.P., who, inspite of his crowded official responsibility as the Rector Magnificus of our University, spared even his private time to give me the needed direction and guidance in this dissertation. I thank Prof. R. P. Bernardo Boschi O.P who proof-read this work even before he was officially appointed as the second reader of my thesis, in which capacity he made more useful contributions towards improving the quality of this work. The involvement of these Professors not withstanding, I accept responsibility for any inadequacies that may still be found in this thesis.

I remember with thanks the wonderful support and love I have enjoyed from my family. My parents – Mr. and Mrs. Boniface Udo Umoren, my brother, sisters, and other extended members of the family have been a great source of inspiration and strength to me. I remain very thankful to all others, without whose support it would have been difficult if not impossible to come this far in my studies. In a special way, I acknowledge, with thanks, the generous support I have received towards my studies from Rev. Fr. Jeremiah Curran. May God reward his selflessness. I am equally grateful to Msgr. David Cassato and his parishioners of St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, New York, especially Mr. Jim Sweeney. I thank Msgr. Kenneth Enang, Don Ruggero Ferrazzi [Parocco] and the members of Parrocchia San Giustina, Enego, Italy especially Goller Maria Teresa, Cenci Bianca and Gianni Spagolla. I am grateful to the Papal Foundation for its help during this last year of my doctoral studies.

I thank all my teachers especially my Lecturers here in the Angelicum, Rome. I thank the authorities of the Biblicum, and the Gregorian University, for giving me full access to their rich libraries. The Rector and residents of Convitto San Tommaso where I reside here in Rome also deserve my gratitude for the conducive atmosphere they created for my studies in the college. I am thankful to my ‘master’ Rev. Dr. Christian Usungurua and his Marvels of the Lord choristers for their inspiration. I am blessed with many good friends who stood by me throughout my academic struggle. I appreciate the fraternal goodwill of

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the presbyterium of Ikot Ekpene Diocese. In a special way, I thank Rev. Frs. Victor Edet, John Abuh, Felix Adejo, Felix Michael, Joe Etim, Edidiong Ukpana, Linus Umoren, Emman Eshiet, Kenneth Egere, Ben Okon, Pat Etuk, and especially Rev. Dr. Camillus Umoh of C.I.W.A. who offered useful suggestions towards the success of this dissertation, and Fr. Iffiok Inyang who was my main proof-reader and helped me formulate my ideas in readable English. I am equally grateful to Don Massimo and Don Lino of Crotone - Italy, and all other friends of mine in Europe, America or Africa, whose names cannot be mentioned now for lack of space, but who have influenced, challenged and encouraged me in my academic pursuit, I sincerely say: THANK YOU and, GOD BLESS all of you.

Finally, I must say that I am happy because the insights I have further gained into the mystery of the nature of God, through this study of the book of Isaiah, far outweigh the rigours I passed through; and the pains I encountered in the course of this scientific study.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AB Anchor Bible ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts ATD Acta Theologica Danica BHK Biblia Hebraica (edited by Kittel) BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia BSac Biblioteca Sacra BST The Bible Speaks Today BTD The Bible in Three Dimensions BThB Biblical Theology Bulletin CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church S.P.U.C. The Secretariat for the Promotion of the Unity of

Christians C.R.R.J. Committee for Religious Relations with the Jews EBC The Expositor’s Bible Commentary EDB Edizioni Dehoniane Bologna EJ Encyclopedia Judaica ETT Encyclopedia of Torah Thoughts FOTL The Forms of the Old Testament Literature HCOT Historical Commentary on the Old Testament IB The Interpreter’s Bible ICC The International Critical Commentary IDB The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopedia JBC The Jerome Biblical Commentary JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

Supplement Series Kaplan Jub. Vol. Mordecai M. Kaplan: Jubilee Volume on the

Occasion of His Birthday KJV The King James Version LG Lumen Gentium LoB Leggere Oggi La Bibbia LXX Septuagint MDB Mercer Dictionary of the Bible

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MT The Massoretic Text NA Nostra Aetate NCCD The New Concise Catholic Dictionary NCE The New Catholic Encyclopedia NEJ The New Encyclopedia of Judaism NICOT The New International Commentary on the Old Testament NIDOTTE The New International Dictionary of the Old

Testament Theology and Exegesis NJB The New Jerusalem Bible NJBC The New Jerome Biblical Commentary NRSV New Revised Standard Version of the Bible NT New Testament OT Old Testament OTG Old Testament Guides PBC Pontifical Biblical Commission RB Revue Biblique RevSPhTh Revue des Sciences Philosophiques et Théologiques SB Studia Biblica SEÅ Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok, Lund. SJT Scottish Journal of Theology SP Sacra Pagina ST Summa Theologiae TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament TLOT Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament TZ Theologisches Zeitschrift VT Vetus Testamentum WBC 1 The Word Biblical Commentary WBC 2 Westminster Bible Companion ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

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PREFACE

Generations of believers, Jewish and Christian, have continued to draw spiritual inspiration as well as points for theological reflection from the oracles contained in the book of the Prophet Isaiah. The discovery of nineteen copies of the book of Isaiah among the Qumran manuscripts could only be a demonstration of its popularity not only among mainstream Judaism but also within sectarian Jewish groups of antiquity. In the early Church, the significance of the book of the Prophet Isaiah, nay its popularity is evident in the massive utilization of its themes in theological and Christological formulations of some sections of New Testament documents. In subsequent generations, interpretations and reflections on the entire book of Isaiah or its themes abound in commentaries and monographs as early as the time of Hippolytus of Rome. Even in our time, the book of Isaiah has continued to influence not only complex theological debates but also popular piety.

Reasons for such popularity may not be difficult to find. Formulated as it were within the course of a very long period of time, under diverse conditions of believers struggling with real life challenges to believe and trust in the one true God, the book of Isaiah in most cases addresses themes and motifs that most believers could easily identify with and make their own.

It is not surprising then when Gerald Emem Umoren, an African Christian believer and biblical scholar, takes up one of the motifs of the book of Isaiah, “the Remnant”, in Isaiah 11:11-12, for study. His interest in this study is two fold. On the one hand the author undertakes an academic exercise, studying the text of Isa 11:11-12, and the remnant motif from the historical critical perspective using all the exegetical tools at his disposal; on the other hand he tries to contextualize the outcome of his investigation to the concrete Sitz im Leben of the contemporary believer.

Even though the Remnant motif may not be the most popular among contemporary Isaian scholars and commentators, Umoren has argued in the present work for a fresh approach to the text and the motif as well as an appreciation of its significance in its context and its theological import for the contemporary believer. Rather than see the remnant motif independent of the theme of salvation in the book of Isaiah, the author is able to combine both motifs so that within the remnant motif in the present context, a theology of salvation emerges.

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If the remnants are indeed those who experience salvation, the author is able to see God’s abiding fidelity in the life of the believer irrespective of the situation and conditions of life.

Backed by such theological framework, the author examines the situation of the contemporary believer who confronts his/her faith in the one true God in the face of the challenges of life. One must admit that the contexts of the contemporary believer which the work seeks to address are not only complex, they are equally diverse. The faith experience of the Western believer, who in an economically affluent but secularized and desacralized socio-religious environment struggles to believe in the one true God, differs from the faith experience of the African whose socio-cultural environment, sometimes overburdened by inadequacies in basic necessities for survival, struggles to keep the same faith. Economic disparities, diversities in political orientations, differences in the levels of creation or reception of modern technology, globalization among other things, further aggravate and complicate the contexts of the contemporary believer. These complex and diverse situations sometimes affect the contemporary believer in his/her definition of faith and the relationship with the one true God. On account of these, the contemporary believer is often confronted with conflicting situations which sometimes tempt him/her to question if not totally abandon the faith in the one true God.

In such situations the contemporary believer needs encouragement to keep believing and trusting in this one God. This is the message which the remnant motif, as studied and interpreted in this work presents to its readers. It is therefore appropriate that this application is not limited to believers within one particular context, since believers in every context face the challenges of faith and stand in need of encouragement, consolation and salvation.

There is no doubt that the author embarked on a difficult intellectual exercise. It is however gratifying that he has not only done justice to the text, but has broken new grounds in the study of the book of Isaiah, and has enriched contextual theology. To my mind he has also responded positively to the challenge of the Pontifical Biblical Commission to Catholic exegetes who should see their work as incomplete until they have taken into consideration “…the various hermeneutical perspectives which help towards grasping the contemporary meaning of the biblical message and which make it

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responsive to the needs of those who read the Scriptures today” (Interpretation of the Bible in the Church II C).

Scholars, students and pastoral workers will find this book a useful resource material, but above all, the contemporary believer, in whichever context or condition, will need to hear the word of the Prophet Isaiah as addressed to the remnant, and understand it afresh, to draw from it encouragement and strength to face the challenges of life while holding firm to the faith in the one true God, who is ever faithful even to the remnant.

Camillus Umoh Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt.

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GENERAL INTRODUCTION The salvation of the remnant, within the Old Testament history of Israel, is a helpful point of departure for understanding the saving plan of God.1 In most cases, whenever one thinks of the Israelites of old, a few things regarding their relationship with God readily come to mind. Some of these things would include: the Election theology; the Covenant event; and the Exodus.2 Biblical history attests to the fact that Israel was ‘favoured’ by God.3 This same God kept reminding the people of Israel to sustain their relationship with Him when He declared many times: “I will be your God; you will be my people” (Lev. 26:12; cf. Exod. 6:7).4

1 God’s plan to keep man close to Him is transparent in the history of Israel in the Old Testament. This gives meaning to the opening paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which says: “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him and to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, . . .” Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), (New York: Doubleday, 1997), § 1. The saving plan of God began even at creation when God created man in His own image (Gen. 1:27). 2 In the Old Testament, from the call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-9), God entered into a special relationship with Israel. This Election theology was the foundation for the Covenant that He made with them at Sinai (Exod. 19:1-9). For more on the theology of Election, see among others, E. W. NICHOLSON, God and His People: Covenant and Theology in the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986); R. E. CLEMENTS, Prophecy and Covenant, Studies in Biblical Theology 43 (London: SCM Press, 1965); D. J. McCARTHY, Treaty and Covenant (Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1963); Idem, Old Testament Covenant (Richmond, John Knox, 1973). Also, for extensive studies on the Exodus as a proof of God’s election of, and as a confirmation of God’s covenant with Israel, see E. W. NICHOLSON, Exodus and Sinai in History and Tradition (Oxford: Blackwell, 1973); W. JOHNSTONE, Exodus Old Testament Guide OTG (Sheffield: SAP, 1990); E. F. FRERICHS and L. H. LESKO, Exodus: The Egyptian Evidence (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990). 3 Israel fared well under the sovereignty of God. For example, God was their mighty hand in battle. He sent the plagues in Egypt, led them out of slavery and brought them to the promised land. God drove out the nations before Israel and resettled them in a land that was not originally their own (cf. Exod. 13:17-14:31; Josh. 10). 4 It is good to note that God, in saying “I will be your God and you will be my people,” had all the Israelites in mind. This promise was made to all and not just to a particular

While many of their neighbours experienced judgement, suffering and defeat in wars, the Israelites found security in their relationship with God and their early history was marked by victory and huge successes.5 Israel saw God’s saving Hand as a fulfilment of His promise to them (cf. Deut. 7:6-9). When eventually Israel became disobedient to the terms of the covenant, their good relationship with God suffered adversely. One of the greatest times of trials in their history was between the 8th and the 6th centuries B.C. during which both the Northern Kingdom and Judah suffered in the hands of imperial powers.6 Israel experienced more judgement than salvation and consequently, with this threat of extinction, they worried about survival. It was in the context of the crisis and the devastation which Israel suffered in the hands of these imperial powers – which reduced their number drastically, that a common word like ‘remnant’7 emerged and assumed a technical connotation in the prophetic message of the time. The bitter experiences in the hands of these imperial leaders, and the consequent feeling of being disappointed by their God, put Israel in what we can call: ‘a crisis of faith.’ They began to question the sovereignty, the righteousness and the faithfulness of their God. tribe or group of the Israelites. For more studies on the relationship of God to Israel as a people, see NICHOLSON, God and His People. 5 Though the Israelites experienced much hardship in Egypt, when God eventually intervened, their story changed. The Exodus was a significant event of God’s special intervention in their life history. God adopted them as a people and gave them victory and success over the Egyptians - a type of ‘salvation’ in the Old Testament understanding of the word. For more on salvation in the Old Testament, see J. L. McKENZIE, “Salvation,” in Dictionary of the Bible DOB (Milwaukee: Bruce Pub. Co., 1965), 760. 6 Between the 8th and the 6th centuries, the Northern Kingdom and Judah, at different points, came under the vassalage of the then world powers – Assyria (c.734 – 701 B.C.), Babylon (c.605 – 540 B.C.), and Persia (c.540 – 500 B.C.). The high points of these were the capture of Samaria by Assyria in 722 B.C., and the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 B.C. 7 In the most general but contextual definition, ‘remnant’ here can only be seen as the negligible remaining group of survivors of a particular judgement of the time. Sometimes it referred to Israel or Judah and at other times, it referred to the other nations (enemies of Israel and Judah). In other parts of this work, this word ‘remnant’ would be used in a loose sense and would acquire different connotations depending on context.

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Most of the prophetic tradition can be seen as a response to these perplexing questions raised by the Israelites. In a special way, Prophet Isaiah tried to explain the situation of Israel and Judah in the 8th century. He sought to chart a new way forward for them. Speaking specifically to the people of Judah, Isaiah explained their suffering as God’s judgement because of their disobedience to the terms of the covenant (cf. Isaiah chs. 1 and 2). He emphasised that the only solution was consistent fidelity to God who alone could save (cf. Isaiah ch. 7). In the book of Isaiah, ‘remnant,’ used initially as a concept to refer to the unfortunate future fate of nations, later came to be applied to Judah in exile. In the desperate situation that Israel and Judah found themselves, their future as a ‘people of God’ appeared bleak and they really needed some words of hope. Chapters 40 – 55 of the book of Isaiah really address this need of consolation and hope for the people. But it is interesting to note also that in the early part of the book - Is. 11:11-12, reminiscent of chapters 40-55, the prophet also addresses the situation with some words of hope, and this time, the hope is specifically for the ‘remnant.’ This passage depicts a type of ‘salvation’ for the remnant and forms the setting for the main argument of our thesis: that the salvation of the remnant in Isaiah, as a prophecy of hope, would be an appropriate way of addressing the faith crises of Israel because it would not only provide a setting for the people to regain confidence in their God, but would also make it possible for God to ‘recreate’ a new and faithful people for Himself. But this thesis statement provokes a lot of questions. Who are the remnant in this context? If they need to be saved, from what, and why? What does Isaiah mean by the salvation of the remnant? How/why does God who made a covenant with a majority now decide to save only a minority (a remnant)? Does this intent to save a remnant agree with God’s universalistic salvific mission? What does God’s action here say of His nature? What theological significance did this have for Israel, and what relevance would it have for the believer today? Believing with Oswalt that the study of Isaiah is an “opportunity for unending inspiration and challenge,”8 this dissertation proposes to develop this thesis, examine these challenging questions, and deal with

8 J. N. OSWALT, The Book of Isaiah Chapters 1-39, NICOT, gen. ed., R. L. Hubbard (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 3.

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the emerging issues through an exegetico-theological study of ‘remnant’ ra;v' as an object of God’s salvation in Is. 11:11-12.9

Motivation and Relevance This dissertation is a response to the believer’s daily challenge of how to appreciate and understand the disposition of his God in times of faith crises, great difficulty, trials and near hopelessness. The motivation to undertake this exegetical and theological study of Is. 11:11-12 stems from the continuing relevance of this prophet and his prophecy to contemporary belief in God. With the disobedience of the Israelites to the terms of the covenant, and their consequent judgement by God, many of them had lost the hope of gaining salvation from God. The prophet courageously confronted this crisis of faith and specially addressed the situation of despair with this prophecy of hope. It is significant that the subject of this hope for salvation is the ‘remnant.’ Today, like in the days of Isaiah, God’s people still face difficult times. No matter the explanation given for the existence of suffering in our world today,10 many believers, on account of their suffering and apparent ‘absence of God,’ easily lose hope like the Israelites did. The tendency to despair in the face of protracted trials and near hopelessness is all too visible in the contemporary world. It is common to hear people lament: ‘God has abandoned us!’ This similarity, between the crisis-rocked world of Israel/Judah and Isaiah from the 8th to the 6th century B.C., and the faith-challenging world of the believer today, is the basis for the relevance of our theme. On many occasions, the

9 Isaiah 11:11-12 does not specifically use the word ‘salvation’ (h['Wvy>) but the nature of the action of God in that passage – the re-gathering and resettlement of His people prophesied in that passage, bespeaks salvation. 10 It is not within the scope of this dissertation to treat the problem of evil, but it is important to note that today, like in the Old Testament times (cf. the book of Job), some people still associate suffering or misfortune with punishment from God for sin. While I do not dismiss the fact that God can still punish wrong-doing even today, I believe that there could be diverse possibilities for the explanation of evil in our world. The aspect that concerns our dissertation here is that in most cases, whenever a believer suffers, his faith is challenged and he questions God. This is why understanding this prophecy of hope in Is. 11:11-12, can make meaning in the world today.

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believer today falls into a situation of near despair.11 Understanding this prophecy of salvation for the remnant can therefore rekindle hope, it can encourage the believer to adopt a better approach towards accommodating the challenges he is constantly faced with on his journey of faith.12

Originality and Contribution A good number of studies, from which this dissertation has also gained, has been carried out on the notion of ‘remnant’ especially in the prophetic literature.13 Equally vast is the number of articles and

11 The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice – for the Lord is faithful to his promises – and to his mercy.” See CCC § 2091. 12 Sometimes people misunderstand the insistence of critical scholarship on appreciating the Biblical texts first in their historical contexts. This is important but it does not exclude the possibility of objective interpretation. It is this interpretation that helps us to move towards the fulfilment of the revealed word. As the Pontifical Biblical Commission says, “The basic theological presupposition is that God’s salvific plan which culminates in Christ (cf. Ep 1:3-14) is a unity, but that it is realised progressively over the course of time. . . . Beginning from a continuous re-reading of events and texts, the Old Testament itself progressively opens up a perspective of fulfilment that is final and definitive. . . . Christian interpretation is situated along these lines with the difference that the fulfilment is already substantially realised in the mystery of Christ.” [See The Pontifical Biblical Commission PBC, The Jewish People and their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible (Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002), 47.] Scripture would lose its valour as Revelation if we argue that Isaiah’s message was only meant for the people of his own time and need not be applied to the present. Critical approach to the Bible need not be taken that negatively. For Christians, since the Old Testament is to be understood in the light of the New Testament, it is possible to apply the lessons learnt from ‘old Israel’ to the believer who is a member of the ‘new Israel’ – the Church. It is in this light that J. J. Collins noted that “in the case of Isaiah, . . . the power of some passages lies in the fact that they transcend their original situations; they express fundamental hopes, fears, or insights that are applicable in recurring situations. The great Messianic prophecies of Isaiah fall into this group. A passage like Isaiah 11, . . . articulates a universal yearning for peace that is not peculiar to any historical situation.” [See J. J. COLLINS, Isaiah, CBC 13 (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1986), 6.] 13 Apart from commentaries, there are also many articles and studies which treat the notion of ‘remnant’ generally. Some of the major ones include: J. DREWETT, Not Many Mighty: A Study of the Biblical Idea of the Remnant (London: CMS, 1951); G. F.

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