Lesson 4: Preparation for our April 2nd study

Our Memory verse:  Isa 1:18-20

Themes:  
1) Mankind is under indictment!  We has been diagnosed with a terrible malady.

2) God is the moral authority in the universe!  That's because He is . . . 

I will continue to list our themes as we collect them, and please note, we will finish theme #2 once we take a look at Isaiah chapter 6.  This will be our last week on this particular memory verse--so make an effort to get it down cold. 

As preparation for next week, I want you to further consider the point of application that we made during our last session together:  

Mankind’s problem (the indictment he is under) is fundamentally one of a failure in the area of worship.  (rebellion, ignorance, disloyalty, arrogant autonomy)  When worship breaks down, the symptoms are always the same:  evil deeds, injustice and idolatry!

Do you think we are on the right track with this analysis?  Do you think we are correctly extracting what God has preserved for us in the book of Isaiah?  In order to answer these questions, turn ahead to Isaiah chapter 59 and spend some time reading through it.  Two questions for you to consider:

   1)  Does it support what we have learned so far?  

   2)  What topic have we not yet discussed that is contained in both chapters 59 and 1?  

I hope this will help you get a feel for how certain themes persist throughout the book. 

Lesson 3: (preparation for our 3/26/14 study)

Our Memory verse:  Isa 1:18-20

Our First Theme:  Mankind is under indictment!  It has been diagnosed with a terrible malady.

We have seen the charges against mankind:  rebellion, ignorance, disloyalty and autonomy; now how about the evidence for these charges?  You will find references scattered throughout chapter 1, e.g. "sinful nation", but to really see God lay it out, take a look at chapter 5 verses 8-24.  (It will be helpful to read vs. 1-7 to again see the charge--Israel's rebellion--using a completely different metaphor than the courtroom setting of chapter one.)

   a.  As you read through the list of sins documented by God, see if you can categorize them.  In other words, drunkenness is a completely different kind of sin from taking advantage of the widow and orphan.  

   b.  The other thing I would like you to think about:  God speaks so matter-of-factly about sin and what constitutes sin--how is it He can do that.  I am asking this question, because in our day, there is quite a bit of debate in our society about the nature of right and wrong, e.g. about what is a marriage and what is not.  On the other hand, the proclamations in the book of Isaiah are very one-sided.  God simply declares what is sin as part of the evidence to support His charges against Israel.  What would you say to the skeptic who says that times have changed and what was once seen as sin is so no longer?  In other words, suggesting that there should be debate with God about what exactly constitutes sin.  

Les 2 -- 19 March 2014

After spending quite a bit of time on background material, we'll spend our time in the text this week.  You can be better prepared if you will spend some time working through the three questions below--all of which apply to chapter one.   Before you do, I want you to consider the setting of chapter one.  It is meant to bring to mind a courtroom.  Look carefully at the first phrase in vs. 2.  It is very close to the "All rise for the honorable judge so and so. . ." that we use in our day--except that the Lord is the presiding judge.   With that background in mind, read through chapter one with an eye toward answering the following questions:

1. What are the primary charges brought against the Jews of the southern kingdom?


2.  What evidence is brought forth to support the charges?  (At this point you might have to go back and re-think you answer to the first question.  For we need to make a distinction between the sins of the people, and the bigger issue between God and His people.  The big issues are the "charges" of question #1.  The sins of the people are then the evidence of question number 2.)


3.  Some say the Old Testament teaches law and the New Testament grace.  I disagree--for grace can be found throughout the Old Testament including in chapter one of the book of Isaiah!  Can you find it?  It consists of God's proposed solution to the charges against His people.  Another way of asking this is, "What does God want His people to do?"  Isn't this an amazing thing for the Holy One of Israel to propose?

Les 1 -- March 12th

In order to be ready to start our study in the book of Isaiah--please begin to read through the book.  Here is an outline to help you organize your reading.  (You might want to start by reading a little bit from each section in order to get a "flavor" of the overall book.)

Theme: the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord

I  Condemnation—(Chapters 1–35)

  A.  Sermons against Judah and Israel—(1–12)

  B.  Judgment against the Gentiles—(13–23)

  C.  Songs about Future Glory—(24–27)

  D.  Woes of Coming Judgment from Assyria—(28–35)

II   Historical Interlude—(36–39)

A.  Hezekiah delivered from Assyria—(36–37)

B.  Hezekiah deceived by illness—(38–39)

III  Consolation—(Chapters 40–66)

  A.   God’s Greatness—(40–48) (The Father vs. idols)

  B.   God’s Grace—(49–57) (The Son, God’s Servant)

  C.   God’s Glory—(58–66) (The Spirit and the kingdom)

Map of Judah and surrounding nations/cities of import