You Are Israel: How Isaiah Uses Genesis as a Means of Identity Formation

Isaiah has a richer theology of creation than any book of the Bible. Isaiah uses the Hebrew word for create more than any book of the Bible. Isaiah ends with a vision of the creation of a new heavens and a new earth. Isaiah uses the name Jacob more than any book of the Bible except for Genesis itself. The name Jacob is used in Isaiah almost as many times as it is used in all of the books of the prophets combined. Isaiah even says that God created Jacob. Isaiah also mentions the Garden of Eden Abraham and Sarah Noah and the flood with echoes of Adam and Eve Cain and Abel the Tower of Babel Isaac Rachel and Joseph and his brothers. Many scholarly studies have ignored the importance of Genesis in Isaiah. This book argues Genesis is Isaiahs instrument to re-form the identity of the exilic and post-exilic Jewish communities. Jonathan Teram has written an engaging and relevant interpretation of Isaiahs use of themes from Genesis. It offers a theology of hope grounded in the parenthood of God. Terams writing style is direct and broadly accessible in conversation with significant secondary sources. His work is a window into the role that Isaiah and Genesis play in the identity formation and survival of dislocated communities of faith. --James K. Bruckner Professor of Biblical Interpretation North Park Theological Seminary Teram gives us a stimulating and insightful study of intertextuality in two major books of the Hebrew Bible. Yet he also does more than that. He not only shows us how Isaiahs use of Genesis works but also the work that it does. Isaiah uses material drawn from Genesis to articulate an identity for fragile exilic and post-exilic Jewish communities. Everyone interested in how the identity of communities as the people of God is constructed expressed and sustained should read this book. --Stephen Chester Professor of New Testament North Park Theological Seminary The use of Genesis in the formation of Isaiah has been unappreciated but Teram convincingly shows how important Genesis is for understanding Isaiah. He gives careful and fair attention to the text and his focus on the reframing of identity for exiles is insightful and relevant for modern readers. Heartily recommended! --Klyne Snodgrass Professor of New Testament North Park Theological Seminary With his reminder that no book of the Hebrew Bible echoes Genesis more than Isaiah Teram not only lists the many links he asks why these allusions begin to appear in exilic literature. . . . This important contribution to intertextual studies moves beyond the distinction of oral tradition and written text to listen as Isaiah calls Israel/Jacob back to its true self. --Paul Koptak Professor of Communication and Biblical Interpretation North Park Theological Seminary Jonathan Teram is a lecturer of Bible at North Park University where he also received his degree in theology with a focus on the Hebrew Bible.