Bible Survey of Isaiah

Transcription

1 Journey through the Old Testament Bible Survey of Who Is The Prophet?. His name means Salvation is of God. He was married to a prophetess ( 8:3) He has two sons: 1. Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz ( 8:1-3) means speed to the spoil, haste to the prey. This name ties in with the first half of the book telling of Assyria s defeat. 2. Shear-Jashub ( 7:3) means A remnant shall return. This name ties in with the second half of the book foretelling of the exile s return from Babylon. Where Did He Preach? He preached in the southern kingdom of Judah When Did He Preach? He preached during the reigns of 4 kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Approximately from B.C. He died during the reign of Manasseh. What Did He Preach? Salvation is from God. Salvation political, economic, and spiritual salvation is of God. He is extremely eloquent and learned. His book is ordered precisely and intricately. Divisions of the Book: 1. The People s Need For Salvation 2. God s Salvation At Work 3. God s Provision of Salvation Winter 2011 Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Page 1 of 5

2 1.0 The People s Need For Salvation ( 1-35) 1.1 The Nation of Judah s Need for Salvation ( 1-5) They hold standards ( 1). From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. ( 1:6) They are offering the goods, but not their lives. They are Sunday Christians Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. ( 1:18) They practice idolatry ( 2-4) You have abandoned your people the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions of the East; they practice divination, like the Philistines, and clasp their hands with pagans. ( 2:6) Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. ( 3:8) They are stuck in sin ( 5) They are guilty of: love for the world, indulging in the things of the world, they call evil good, pride and the lack of justice. As a result says God Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel. ( 5:24) He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily. ( 5:26) 1.2 The Prophet s Need for Salvation ( 6) The year that king Uzziah died was a year of uncertainty for the people of God. Winter 2011 Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Page 2 of 5

3 In the midst of uncertainty sees the Lord. He sees the power, person, and presence of the Lord. realizes his own sin. ( 6:5-7). He is cleansed of his sin and then says, Here am I send me. s mission is not an easy one He said, "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Then I said, "For how long, O Lord?" And he answered: "Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land." ( 6:9-13) comes out of the temple as a missionary. He tells how Israel will be destroyed by Assyria ( 7-10:4) He tells of how Assyria will be destroyed ( 10:5-12) Notice the theme of Branch that will bear fruit in 11:1 1.3 The Surrounding Nations Need for Salvation ( 13-24) 1.4 A Song of Salvation ( 25-27) A song of God s ( 25) A song of God s ( 26) A song of God s ( 27) 1.5 An Invitation to Come Experience True Salvation ( 28-35) There is a constant cry against religious formalism Winter 2011 Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Page 3 of 5

4 These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. ( 29:13) 2.0 God s Salvation at Work. ( 36-39) God rescues the people from the Assyrians as they trust in him. The angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib King of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. ( 37:36) 3.0 God s Provision of Salvation. ( 40-66) These chapters have an immediate fulfillment King Cyrus of Babylon will release the people and allow them to go back to the land. But these chapters also have a future fulfillment God s promised Messiah will come and release the people and allow them to rest in the sufficiency of God. Note the constant encouragement not to fear, ( 41:10; 13-14; 43:1,5; 44:2,8) Note the emphasis on the greatness of God and the falseness of foreign gods ( 40:18-20; 41:6-7, 29; 42:8,17; 43:10-12; 44:9-20; 45:16,20; 46:10-11; 44:6,8; 45:5-6,14) Note the emphasis on Cyrus, the king of Persia, the man God would raise up to defeat the Babylonians and enable the Jews to return to their land ( 41:2-5,25; 44:28-45; 47:11) 3.1 Judah s Worries ( 40-48) Judah is reminded of God s greatness. ( 40) To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift your eyes to and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. ( 40:25, 26) Winter 2011 Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Page 4 of 5

5 Judah is reminded of the greatness of God s purpose ( 41) Judah is reminded of the greatness of God s pardon ( 42,43) Judah is reminded of the greatness of God s promises ( 44,45) Judah is reminded of the greatness of God s power ( 46-48) 3.2 Judah s Messiah ( 49-57) His Rejection ( 53:1-3) His Redemption ( 53:4-6) His Resignation ( 53:7-9) His Reward ( 53:10-12) 3.3 Judah s Millennium ( 58-66) A glorious dawning ( 60) A joyous wedding ( 61-62) A righteous victory ( 63-64) A marvellous birth ( 65-66) For Group Questions: In what ways do you think God is calling us as a church to trust him to know that salvation is from him? Pray that we as a church would trust God in all our ways. Personal Questions In 58:8-12 what promises of spiritual blessing does God give to those who are right in spirit towards himself and those around them? Examine your own attitude to Sunday morning worship in light of 58:13, 14. Winter 2011 Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Page 5 of 5