ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ways in which Barth appeals to various and sundry parts of Isaiah 139, and focuses on his engagement with key texts from Isaiah 4055. Isaiah 40 marks a turning point in the final form of canonical Isaiah. The Hezekiah narrative of chapters 369 sets the stage for the coming Babylonian conquest as the Assyrian crisis was averred. The chapter considers the wisdom of God because, as has been mentioned, this is where Isaiah's witness is called on by Barth. At the beginning of Barth's small-print engagement with the covenant idea in the Old Testament, he deals with the linguistic and historical issues associated with the term. Barth does not offer a full-fledged engagement with scholarly problems associated with covenant. Israel's existence is one of crisis having come under the divine no, and the prophet's message within Deutero-Isaiah is to remind Israel of the love of God which is free and sovereign.
