Isaiah’s Oratorio

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   Marc Daniel Rivera (KristiyaKnow) – 26 November 2025

   In Isaiah’s Oratorio, Hywel R. Jones turns his attention to a short, often-overlooked section of the book: chapters 24–27. Many readers rush past these chapters on the way to Isaiah’s better-known passages, but Jones argues that they deserve their own place in the church’s reading, worship, and preaching.

   Jones’s goal is simple: help ordinary Christians see the weight and beauty of a part of Isaiah that is sometimes treated as mysterious or technical. He describes these chapters as an “oratorio” — a term chosen deliberately. Instead of framing them as an apocalypse full of puzzles, he presents them as a structured, musical-like work made of movements, themes, and responses. It’s a fresh angle that brings clarity.

   That approach pays off. Isaiah 24–27 deals with the Lord’s final judgment and salvation — the fall of the “city of man” and the joy of God’s true people. Jones shows how these chapters anticipate Revelation’s Babylon and New Jerusalem. But he keeps the tone calm and grounded. You never feel lost in symbolism or speculative connections. Instead, he highlights how Isaiah’s vision strengthens believers in the “already and not yet,” helping them wait faithfully for Christ’s return.

   First, Jones explains why Isaiah 24–27 stands as a distinct, cohesive unit within the larger book. He isn’t dismissive of modern scholarship, but he is firm in arguing for the unity of Isaiah and clear in showing why these chapters belong together. His overview of how Isaiah’s speeches, historical narratives, and prophetic themes interlock is one of the book’s quiet strengths. It’s academic material presented in everyday English.

   Second, he lays out the literary and theological features of these chapters. This is where his pastoral experience shows. He notes patterns, recurring phrases (“in that day”), and poetic structures, but he always brings the reader back to what these things mean for faith and hope.
   Finally, the bulk of the book offers a movement-by-movement exposition of the text itself. Chapter 24 functions as an overture: both the terror of judgment and the promise of salvation appear in miniature. From there, each section unfolds like a musical line building on the last — lament, praise, waiting, assurance. Jones helps you hear the whole piece.

   Jones writes with unusual clarity for a book on prophecy. The sentences are short. The arguments are steady. The tone is warm but never sentimental. His years of preaching show in the way he applies the text without forcing it. You can tell these chapters mattered to him before he ever decided to publish his study.

   The book also includes helpful extras: a detailed outline from J. Alec Motyer, a poetic reflection by Lord Byron, and a long excerpt from Herman Witsius. These aren’t filler. They give historical breadth and theological depth without weighing down the main text.

   Anyone studying Isaiah will surely benefit from this. But ordinary Christians looking for encouragement in uncertain times may be the ones who gain the most. Isaiah 24–27 deals honestly with judgment and upheaval, yet it keeps lifting the reader’s eyes toward the city God builds, the feast he prepares, and the future he secures. Jones captures that balance well.

   Final thoughts:

   Isaiah’s Oratorio succeeds because it brings clarity to a portion of Scripture many overlook. It highlights both the severity of God’s justice and the strength of his salvation, all while helping readers hear the steady, hopeful message Isaiah intended.