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)

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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

Lesson 7: Preparation for our April 30th Study

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

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.  

As we continue unfolding the prophetic content of Isaiah chapter 2, we are going see that one common way in which prophecy is communicated is as a combination of current circumstances, near term events and future (prophetic) events.  In order to both see this, and get comfortable with it, this is what I would you to do to prepare for our next study:  

   1)  Make three columns as indicated below.

   2) Then read through chapters 2-4, and as you do so, see if you can assign the each verse (or block of verses) to the appropriate column.  

Current Circumstances      Near term event     Future Event

Lesson 6: Preparation for our April 23rd Study

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

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.  

(Don't forget, it it two weeks until we meet again.)

We finished our study of the opening prophecy of the book (chapter 1), and are now ready to move into chapter 2.  Please read Isa 2:1-5, and then consider the questions below.  

1.  Is Isaiah talking about something that is going to happen in the near term, or prophecy regarding the future?  What evidence from the text supports your position.

2.  There are many who teach that vs. 1-2 refer to the church--what do you think about this theological position?  

3.  If you are skeptical of chapter 2 referring to the church, and you should be, what kinds of things in the text make you so?

4.  If you start with the position that this chapter is speaking prophetically of the church--what does that mean vs. 3-4 are talking about?  Does that seem like even a remote possibility?  How about in the light of 1Tm 4:1-f and 2Tm 3:1-f?

Lesson 5: Preparation for our April 9th Study

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

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.  

During our last study, we discussed a process whereby we can extract principles from a given passage from which we can make application, even if we are not the original audience for the message.  In this way we operate under the principle that although not all Scripture is to us it is all for us.  

I would like you to apply this process to Isa 1:11-17.  Carefully study the passage, and then answer the following:

1.  What is God rejecting in this passage.  

2.  You might find this odd--since God is the one who required the sacrificial system associated with the Mosaic Law.  Why do you think God is rejecting what He has required?  

3.  If you had to distill the "lessons learned" to one or two principles, what would they be?  

4.  How do those principles apply to our church fellowship?  

***Here is an advanced question for you.***

5.  Can you find an example of what God has a problem with, regarding worship,  in Isa 7:1-13?  (Reading 2Kings 16 might give you some helpful background.)