ABSTRACT
ItisJudeaattheturnoftheseventhcenturyBC,aboutonehundredyearsbefore thechosenpeoplearetosetoutontheirbitterjourneyintoexile.Jerusalemhas notyetfallen,thoughthedestructionoftheHolyCityloomsonthehorizon.The prophetIsaiahrisestospeak,andhestripsthecomingdestructionofitsmystery andsurprise:Thedestructionistobe,hesays,God'sjudgmentonhischosen people'sunbelief.ThechildrenofIsraelnowmustdrainthebittercupofsorrow tothedregs.Andyet,theyarenotleftwithoutthepromiseoffinalsalvation:
AshootshallcomeoutfromthestumpofJesse, andabranchshallgrowoutofhisroots.
