Title: I Am With You
Original: 2004, 7x9A inches, watercolor on Arches
Text: Isaiah 41:10

As circumstances in our life vie for more and more attention, Isaiah reminds us to call on God, he is always present, wanting us to call on him for his strength. The simple background wash is designed to suggest support, upholding, being held.

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem about 750-700 BC. Very little is known about him. The author of chapters 1-39 is identified as Isaiah, the son of Amos [1:1, 2:1, 13:1]. He had a wife [8:3], children [7:3, 8:3] and disciples [8:16]. The northern kingdom of Israel was wiped out by Assyria; his own southern kingdom Judah barely survived. Like many prophets, he spoke boldly about ethical & political issues—oppression of poor, foreign alliances —and called for repentance. The author of chapters 40-66 is not the same writer. These chapters have a more poetic, contemplative, beautiful style and were addressed to Jewish exiles in Babylon 150 years after Isaiah’s time! They stress hope, consolation and reconciliation.