Lesson 13: Preparation for our June 25th Study

Our memory verse:  Isa 30:15 (as we continue the theme of developing dependance upon the Lord)

We have looked at the following passages already, but let me remind you of something you may not have yet observed:
    - In Isa 7:18-20 and Isa 8:5-8 you can see that God is going to use the Assyrians to discipline the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
    - In Isa 9:8 all the way to Isa 10:4 we see God making use of a number of nations, primarily Assyria to discipline the Northern Kingdom (called Ephraim or Samaria).

Now the Israelites were involved in idolatry and great disobedience to the Lord, but have you thought about the fact that the Assyrians were a terrible and very cruel people.  What about them?  How can God use the wickeder to punish the wicked and still be God?  Good questions?

1.  Take a look at Isa 10:5-19:  what is going to happen to Assyria?

2.  Now take a look at Isaiah chapter 13 and make sure to note verse 19.  The Babylonians are going to be used to judge the Southern Kingdom--what is going to happen to them?

3.  What does this teach us about the Sovereignty of God?  Or stated another way, is God just the God of Israel, or is he something more?

See you on Wednesday

Lesson 12: Preparation for our June 18th Study

We are going to continue to work on the principle laid out for us in Isa 7:9b:  (If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.") Last night, we saw an example of what it means to "stand firm" when Hezekiah took his "emergency" to the Lord in Isa 37:14-20.  (This is a great prayer and worthy of further meditation!)  One thing about Hezekiah's example that we can take to heart--he wasn't perfect!  His faith had some "wobbles", but eventually come to a committed dependence upon the Lord.  This isn't to excuse our times of unbelief, but rather to acknowledge that they may come.  If they do, we can rest assured that God will be working to bring us back to the point of belief, in fact He is longing for us to turn back to Him (Isa 30:18).  And when we do turn in repentance from unbelief to belief, we can count on the Lord's deliverance (Isa 30:15).  (Remember, deliverance means that the Lord will see us through, and not that He will make every bad thing go away.)  

Now here is the thing that I would like you to consider for the week ahead:  what does it "look like" to stand firm in one's faith?  Start to think through Biblical examples,and you will see this is actually a fairly deep question.  The first thing that you will note is that to stand firm in one's faith is always associated with a response to the Word of God.   For example, read Exodus 14:1-14.  Then decide what it looks like for a person to stand firm in their faith at the point when Moses thundered out, "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. . . you need only be still."  (Ex 14:13-14)  

Now what makes this interesting--what makes Christianity a constant and relational challenge--is that this is just one of many possible ways you can stand firm in your faith in response to the revealed will of God.  Give it some thought and see how many different ways you can come up with--based upon other Biblical settings. 

See you on Wednesday!

Lesson 12: Preparation for our June 11th Study

In order to continue to reinforce our current memory verse (If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." (Isa 7:9b)), we are going to investigate two historical illustrations of the truth communicated by this Scripture.  For the week ahead, we will look at a positive illustration, which can be found in Isaiah chapter 36-37.  So to prepare for our next study:
   1.  Read chapters 36-37, and then think about the relationship between trusting God, and Jerusalem still "standing" at the end of the narrative. 
   2.  What might failing to stand firm in faith have looked like, and how do you think the outcome might have been different?
   3.  What kind of application can you make in your own life, i.e. what areas can you identify, right now, in which God is asking you to stand firm in the promises of His Word?

See you Wednesday.

Lesson 11: Preparation for our June 4th Study

This post is not so much preparation for our next study as a review of our last one.  The reason for this is that you should already be prepared for our coming text in Isa 7-8, and there were a number of points from our last study I would really like you to think through.  

So first, spend a few minutes (each day if you can) meditating on our new memory verse (Isa 7:9b).  I have provided it for you in several translations below: 

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”  (Isa 7:9b-NIV)

“If you do not believe, surely you shall not be established.” (NKJV)

“If you will not believe and trust and rely [on God and on the words of God’s prophet instead of Assyria], surely you will not be established nor will you remain.” (Amplified)

--------------------------

King Ahaz was faced with the very issue brought up above--would he put his trust in God or in the might of man (Assyria).  We all face the same issue--will we chose to trust God or manage things ourselves.  We are no more going to stand as Christians than Ahaz did as a faithful king--unless we follow the guidance God gave through Isaiah.  Look carefully at what God had to say to Ahaz, and how the Scriptures reinforce that we are to do the same thing.  

"Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid"  (Isa 7:4)
- Be careful  
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  (1Pt 1:13) 

        - keep calm 
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”  (Isa 30:15)

- Do not be afraid
And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Dt 31:8)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2Tm 1:7)
So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb 13:6) 

God also tells Ahaz, with respect to a planned invasion of Judah by an alliance of Syria and Ephraim:  “It will not take place, it will not happen. . . “  (Isa 7:7)  There is a lot of application in this verse for us.  Specifically, there are some things of which we also can be assured:

What will not take place or happen?
1.  That we will be separated from the love of God!  (Rm 8:35-39)

2.  That His grace will be found wanting!  (2Cor 12:9)

3.  That He will fail to provide us shelter under His wings until the calamity has passed.  (Ps 57:1)

See you next week!

Lesson 10: Preparation for our May 28th study

Our Memory verse:  Isa 7:9b 

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

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

3) God graciously offers salvation to rebellious and sinful mankind.

4) Choices have consequences.  

I would like to express a thank-you to Paul for filling in and beginning our investigation of chapter 6.  Although we have more to consider in chapter 6, I would like to first pursue the "pattern of prophecy" we have been considering a bit further.   Specifically, we discussed the fact that prophecy is often revealed in such a way that two or more major events are revealed without any hint of the time gap between them.  We have already looked at the example of Isa 61: 1-2 where Jesus stopped reading right in the middle of the verse--the reason, He was fulfilling the first part of the verse during His 1st Advent; and is not going to fulfill the 2nd part until His return.  So here is what I would like you to do to be ready for our next study (remember, because of the business meeting,you have two weeks to be ready):
   - Refresh you memory on a passage we have already covered by re-reading Isa 7:1-12.  (Do you remember why we found a problem with Ahaz's response in vs 12?)
   - Then work your way from Isa 7:13 through chapter 9.  See if you can find any examples of prophecy that is fulfilled, first in the near term, and then much later (or maybe even not yet fulfilled).  Remember our analogy--like two mountain peaks--if you are not careful, you will be focused only on the near peak and not realize there is another, often much larger peak, behind the first.  

Lesson 9: Preparation for our May 14th Study

Our Memory verse:  Isa 7:9b -- we didn't quite get to it last night, but you can start working on it now.  

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

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

3) God graciously offers salvation to rebellious and sinful mankind.

4) Choices have consequences.  

Just two things for you to ponder this week as we make our first foray into chapter 6.  Read Isa 6:9-13.

1.  Is there anything in the passage that seems unfair to you?  Or, stated another way, is there something that doesn't seem consistent with the way God normally does things?

2.  If you have ever tried to share the gospel with a hard-headed person and been rebuffed, it is quite natural to think, "Now what?"  Have I fulfilled my obligation to be Christ's ambassador, His witness?  That's exactly the issue that Isaiah raises in vs 11.  What do you think about God's answer?  How do we make application?

Lesson 8: Preparation for our 7 May Study

Our Memory verse:  Isa 59:1 (combine with Rm 10:13)

We just barely managed to get started on this Wednesday night, so I am asking you to continue working where we left off (basically the same preparation as last week).   I have listed the three columns below and filled in the first couple of entries.  Go ahead and see if you can complete the listing from chapter 2 all the way through the end of chapter 4.   I have also added a separate listing for verses which focus on application:

Current Circumstances      Near term event     Future Event
         Isa 2:6-8                      Isa 2:9-11               Isa 2:2-4
                                                                         Isa 2:12-21






Application:  
  Isa 2:5
  Isa 2:22