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INTRODUCTION

About Isaiah

May we repeat what we said at the beginning of the first series in Isaiah. Over the past century scholars have argued over whether the book was the work of one or several authors. We will assume one, Isaiah the son of Amoz (1:1) and he prophesied during the following kings' reigns (1:1): Uzziah (reigned 790-739 BC), Jotham (reigned 739-731 BC), Ahaz (reigned 731-715 BC), and Hezekiah (reigned 715-686 BC).

His calling came in the last year of Uzziah's reign (6:1) and prophesied from 739 on, up to the time when Sennacherib invaded Judah and threatened Jerusalem (36:1-). He also records the death of Sennacherib (which occurred in 681), which occurred after the death of Hezekiah in 686, so he obviously lived beyond the reign of Hezekiah. It seems he prophesied from about 739 to about 700BC.

 

Approaching these Studies

Well here we are about to start into the second set of studies in Isaiah, facing a series of chapters all about God's judgement on surrounding nations – not the most exciting you might think! But think again. We are about to get a world-sized overview of spiritual issues, rarely found anywhere else in Scripture like this. There will be a couple of glimpses of the coming Messiah but most of these chapters will be about the way God is going to deal with these nations. You'll see the complete layout, and these many nations in the table following. To clarify where we've been, we'll repeat part of this table in each Recap instead of our usual list of events.

If you want to get the most out of these studies, skim read each of the sections in your Bible where the heading is “A Prophecy Against….” etc. and looks to see a) WHAT is going to happen to this people and b) WHY God is going to do it. That way you with see a) GOD'S METHOD and b) GOD'S REASONING. Those are key issues in this set of studies.

PART 1 : "Judgement & Hope"

  Look at the beginning of the table that follows and you'll see the main topics – the two nations being rebuked and the hope that comes with the two references to the Messiah and the hope of a remnant being saved. Watch for these. See God's intent in respect of the nations being chastised and in respect of His coming Son.

  

OVERVIEW

Study No.1 : |Light, Freedom & Peace: Isaiah 9:1-5

A. Find Out:

1. Who in the past had been humbled? v.1a

2. Who will be honoured in the future? v.1b

3. Who have seen what? v.2

4. What has the Lord done, so the people do what and how? v.3

5. How has the Lord done that? v.4

6. What will end up where? v.5

 

B. Think:

1. How does this passage refer to the past?

2. How does it refer to the future? (v.3-5)

3. What seems to be the turning point? (v.2)

C. Comment:

The prophecy at the end of chapter 8 finished with a picture of darkness and gloom, and it is on this that the prophecy now seems to pivot to swing right round to paint a picture of a time of great blessing that is promised. Let's look at the detail.

First, the reference to the past (v.1). If you have a map of the division of the land into the tribes, you will see that Zebulum and Naphtali are areas in the north. Being in the north, in the past they had been the first in the path of invaders from the north. Historically this area we know of as Galilee , had been through hard times, times of darkness under enemy oppression. That is going to change!

The means of contrasting past and future for this part of the land, is the coming of “a great light” (v.2). Now for the people of Isaiah's day that must have been a strange thought. “A” light will come. For us looking back on history, thinking of Galilee we immediately think of Jesus who came and ministered in this area for three years.

What are the outworkings of the coming of this great light? First there will be great joy (v.3) as the nation feels good about itself again, like at harvest or after a victory, when they have been receivers of all of God's blessing. Second, all burdens of oppression will be lifted off them (v.4) and all signs of war will disappear (v.5). Peace will come.

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus came as the light of the world (Jn 1:9, 8:12 ). Receive!

2. God's love through Jesus brought joy, freedom and peace. Rejoice!

  

    

Study No.2 : A Coming Ruler: Isaiah 9:6-7

A. Find Out:    

1. Who will be born and what will be on his shoulders? v.6a

2. What 4 things will he be called? v.6b

3. Of what will there be no end? v.7a

4. Where will he rule? v.7b

5. What will he achieve? v.7c

6. How long for? v.7d

 

B. Think:

1. What seems to be the primary role of this coming child?

2. What will be the outcome of that?

3. What is so amazing about his descriptions?

C. Comment:

For us who have heard these verses read again and again at Christmas, it is perhaps obvious that this child is Jesus. Yet pretend you are an Israelite who lived in Isaiah's time. What do you hear?

A light is coming to the north, a bringer of peace and freedom (v.1-5). Now it appears that this will be achieved by a male child yet to be born. This child will be a ruler and the rule he starts will continue on and on and on and will never end. There is clearly coming a change in the fortunes of Israel that will herald a whole new future. He will reign in Jerusalem (David's throne), presumably as a successor to David, a member of his family. Obviously this will be a strong reign that will herald a new time of ongoing peace where the enemies of Israel will no longer prevail. It will be a good rule and righteousness and justice will be key words for the life of Israel .

There is something confusing about this though, his name. That he may be called a wonderful counsellor and prince of peace, is not a problem, wonderful descriptions, but quite feasible. It's the fact that he is to be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father, what does that mean? Is it that he will be such a servant of God that it will be as if the very presence of God is manifest through him, or is it something even greater than this? We now know it was something greater, the Son himself.

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus comes to bring righteousness, justice and peace.

2. He brings it as we submit to him and he rules over us.

     

      

Study No.3 : Ongoing Chastening : Isaiah 9:8-16

A. Find Out:

1. To whom does the Lord bring a message? v.8,9a

2. What did Israel think? v.9b,10

3. But what has the Lord done? v.11,12

4. Yet what has not happened? v.13

5. So what will the Lord do? v.14

6. Who does that mean? v.15,16a

 

B. Think:

1. What had Israel thought about past chastising?

2. What effect had it not had?

3. So what does the Lord say He will do?

C. Comment:

The prophecy moves back away from the glorious future to the inglorious present. A message comes to the northern kingdom ( Israel , Ephraim, Samaria ) who, in their pride, think they can weather the various things that have happened to them. The Lord may have sent various enemies to chastise them and there has been a measure of destruction, but they feel they can cope with that and rebuild what was destroyed. No problem!

The only problem is that they have not repented and have not turned back to the Lord. They have not heeded the warning that the Lord sent them. Very well, the Lord will send more. There will be the Assyrians ( Aram 's enemy in the north - v.11) who will come at the Lord's bidding. There will be the Arameans and the Philistines who have already caused a measure of damage, but because Israel have not responded to the Lord, His hand waving these enemies on is still upraised (v.12)

The leaders and the false prophets are still leading the people astray and so with the next wave of enemy attacks the Lord will remove the elders and false prophets (v.15). The warnings in this prophecy are very clear and very specific in terms of who the Lord will use, why He will do it and who He will remove.

 

D. Application:

1. We think we can hide in the crowd of others doing wrong. No!

2. The Lord sees and can deal with individuals or groups.

  

Study No.4 : Two Fires : Isaiah 9:16-21

A. Find Out:

1. Who do what? v.16

2. So what will the Lord not do and why? v.17

3. How is wickedness and the Lord's anger portrayed? v.18,19

4. What will obviously come on the land? v.20

5. Who will turn upon whom? v.21

6. Yet what is the continuing situation? v.21b,17c

 

B. Think:

1. Why do you think wickedness is like a fire?

2. Why are there no innocent in the land?

3. So what is the Lord doing about it?

C. Comment:

  The prophetic complaint has been that the people have not responded to the Lord's chastising and turned to him (v.13) and so He will come and remove all the leaders of the people who have led them astray. But now He extends His condemnation to include the people. They must take responsibility for allowing themselves to be led astray. You can't just blame others. Today it would be, you can't blame the media or the government for leading people astray; you are responsible for how you respond to them. Thus the wickedness spreads and spreads just like a woodland fire does.

  Very well then, says the Lord, my judgement will similarly spread just like a fire, going further and further in its destruction. As Rom 1:24 ,26,28 shows, the Lord's judgement is sometimes simply to remove His restraining hand so that wickedness and its fruits simply increase more and more. Whether the hunger here is literal foretelling a famine and absence of food, or whether it is simply the ever greater avarice of the people is unclear. What is obvious is that this judgement will entail people turning on people, tribe turning on tribe, to destroy one another. Judgement here is simply a releasing of the wickedness so that unrestrained anarchy and self-destruction spreads more and more throughout the Land on this unrepentant people

 

D. Application:

1. “Getting away” with sin, may be the Lord's judgement. Beware.

2. We are responsible for not being led astray. Beware.

 

Study No.5 : Woe to the Unjust : Isaiah 10:1-4

A. Find Out:

1. Who does he next chide? v.1

2. What do they do? v.2

3. What 2 things does he first ask them? v.3a,b

4. What third thing does he ask them? v.3c

5. What will be their end? v.4

    

B. Think:

1. What wrong element of Israel does the Lord now pick on?

2. What had these people being doing?

3. What will their end be?

    

C. Comment:

The Lord has thus far condemned Israel in fairly general terms for their pride and arrogance (9:9), for failing to seek the Lord ( 9:13 ), for misleading the people ( 9:15 ,16), for being misled ( 9:16 ,17) and for their wickedness ( 9:18 ). Now in chapter 10 he moves on to specifically condemn those who are using their positions of power to oppress others.

The Law was always strong on justice and caring for the weak and poor and so when the Lord sees these people being oppressed by their leaders He speaks out and condemns. The way He does it is interesting. He asks them who will be there for them when God brings judgement on the land from afar – from foreign nations. When I bring that on the land, to whom will you go to get help when you are being oppressed (implied)? You have used your positions to get unjust gain and so you think you are rich (v.3) and can rebuild where previous invaders have been in and destroyed ( 9:10 ), but I'm going to bring in yet more invaders and this time it will be you who are oppressed.

When they come, nothing will be left and all your riches will be gone and you will be taken captive or will fall among those killed by this invader. In the same way you have oppressed and killed your fellow countrymen (implied), so you will be oppressed and killed by the invader. A third time, at the end of v.4 now, we are told that God's anger still burns and He has hasn't finished with them, the chiding will yet go on more!

 

D. Application:

1. Pride doesn't count for anything before the Lord. Beware!

2. Merely because time passes, don't be misled. The Lord will act.

  

  

Study No.6 : The Pride of Assyria : Isaiah 10:5-14

A. Find Out:

1. How is Assyria described? v.5

2. What had the Lord prompted ‘him' to do? v.6

3. How had he gone further than that? v.7-11

4. So what will the Lord do and why? v.12

5. How had that pride expressed itself? v.13a

6. How had he seen himself doing it? v.13b,14

 

B. Think:

1. What had been the Lord's intent with Assyria ?

2. How had Assyria gone beyond that and why?

3. So what was the Lord going to do with them?

C. Comment:

The prophetic word now turns the spotlight of heaven on Assyria . This nation to the north and east is the Lord's instrument is chastising Israel . Yes, Israel had become godless (v.6a) and so was going to receive the Lord's chastising, but that was to be a limited exercise where Assyria were simply supposed to plunder the land and humiliate the nation (v.6) and thus humble it and bring it back to God. But Assyria didn't realise who it was who was motivating them and why, and so their foolish pride rose up and their intentions went way beyond what the Lord intended.

The Lord intended a simple chastising, but Assyria intended a total wiping out of Israel and other surrounding nations (v.7). The king of Assyria saw all his army commanders as potential rulers over the defeated lands (v.8). He looked at other idol-worshipping lands that he had conquered and saw no problem in dealing with Samaria and then Jerusalem (v.10,11). His pride looked at what he had done, snatching nations like birds from nests (v.13,14) and thought he could do the same with Israel and Judah . Not so, says the Lord. When I have used you in accordance with MY plans, then I will deal with you. Assyria had to learn that although they are God's instrument that does not allow them to do what they want for their own ego!

 

D. Application:

1. Bringing discipline has to be only as far as God says.

2. Being used by God is not excuse for pride.

  

Study No.7 : Destruction & a Remnant Left : Isaiah 10:15-23

A. Find Out:

1. What 4 illustrations of folly are used? v.15

2. So what will the Lord do first to Assyria ? v.16a

3. How will this also be seen? v.16b-19

4. How will that change the remnant left in Israel ? v.20

5. What point is emphasised again and again? v.20a,21,22

6. Why? v.23

 

B. Think:

1. How does the Lord picture the folly of Assyria ?

2. What does He decree for them?

3. What is clear about the immediate future of Israel ?

C. Comment:

   

The Lord has warned that He will deal with the pride of Assyria . For a moment now he shows the folly of their pride. Look, He implies, Assyria is an instrument in my hand. Think about it: what axe or saw or tool or weapon has energy of itself to raise itself above its user? No, that is foolish, that is obvious, but that's how they are! So the Lord will deal with them and take away their energy. Suddenly they will be powerless and Israel will come back on them like a blazing fire and will completely destroy them. Oh yes, their time is coming when the Lord will bring down on them His judgement, whatever their pride says!

All of this part of Isaiah is really about pride. First the Lord was going to deal with the pride of Israel (9:9) and then when He used Assyria to humble Israel , Assyria 's pride needs dealing with ( 10:12 ). What a curse this thing pride is.

At the end of it all, after Israel has been humbled and Assyria dealt with, there will be but a remnant of Israel left. Four times in three verses the word remnant is used, just in case Isaiah's listeners hadn't taken it in the first time. Because of the devastation only a few of them will be left but this few will turn back to the Lord, and He will still have His people. It will be a mighty destruction and will almost appear the end of Israel , but there WILL be a faithful people left at the end of it.

 

D. Application:

1. Pride produces such folly in human beings. Beware.

2. Remember the power and strength is the Lord's.

 

Study No.8 : Assyria will be halted : Isaiah 10:24-34

A. Find Out:

1. What message does the Lord now bring Israel ? v.24

2. Why? v.25

3. How will He work? v.26,27

4. How does He portray Assyria 's advance? v.28-31

5. Yet where will they be halted? v.32

6. How does the Lord portray what He will do with them? v.33,34

 

B. Think:

1. What is the Lord's overall intent in this passage?

2. How does He do that?

C. Comment:

The Lord has just been reassuring Israel that a remnant will survive His chastising, but it will only be a remnant because the chastising will yet go on some, before the Lord will deal with Assyria. This passage is the continuing reassurance for those left, that they will survive because the Lord will deal with Assyria.

Yes, they are causing affliction (v.24,25) for that is what they are meant to do to humble Israel , yet a time will come when the Lord will deal with them even as He dealt with the mighty Midianite army in Gideon's day, and even as He delivered Israel out of the hands of Egypt by parting the waters (v.26).

As when an oxen squares its shoulders and the yoke is broken off (v.27) so it will be on the day the Lord deals with Assyria . He portrays their relentless march on the land (v.28-31), yet when they get near Jerusalem they will be halted (v.32), that's how close it will be!

The mighty warriors of Assyria, who are like a mighty forest of weaponry as they advance, will first be trimmed (v.33a) and then when they continue (implied) they will be felled (v.33b). Like the mighty forests of Lebanon this army will come but they will be felled by the Lord like a mighty axe-man (v.34).

The message is quite clear and explicit: yes, you will be chastised by this people, but they will be stopped by God.

 

D. Application:

1. God's discipline goes just as far as God decrees and no further.

2. It's safe to be disciplined by God.

  

  

Study No.9 : The Branch : Isaiah 11:1-9

A. Find Out:

1. How is this new ‘person' described? v.1-3a

2. How will he not judge and how will he judge? v.3b,4a

3. What will he also do & how will he operate? v.4b,5

4. What effects will there be in the animal kingdom? v.6-8

5. How will there be change, and why? v.9

 

B. Think:

1. How does v.1 picture language flow on from Ch.10?

2. What will be the motivating force of this individual?

3. What two things will he bring on the earth?

C. Comment:

Chapter 10 ends with a picture of trees being cut down. Chapter 11 starts with reference to a stump. Out of a nation judged will arise one who is destined for great things, one who will trace his lineage back to King David (v.1).

The life or energy of this person is clearly the Holy Spirit who is described as the bringer of wisdom, understanding, counsel, power knowledge and fear of the Lord. All of these are clearly related to the Lord for they mean he delights in that awesome respect (fear) of the Lord. It is a God-relationship spoken about here (v.2-3).

The nature of the activity of this person is not that of an ordinary man for he will not operate by what he sees or hears (v.3) but he will operate with righteousness and justice (v.4). Everything, in other words, will be based on truth. He will speak this truth and it will have devastating effect upon the earth so the wicked are brought down by it (v.4). Indeed righteousness and faithfulness (to God) will be the key to his ministry. The effect of his activity will be the most amazing peace upon the earth – presumably if it is literal, at some future time. If it is figurative then it is a wonderful picture of the peace that Jesus brings when he brings righteousness and justice through his work on the Cross. When he took our sin, justice was done. When he took our sin he replaced it with righteousness and peace. How wonderful!

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus came to deal with our sin. Justice prevails!

2. With our sin removed, peace reigns.

  

Study No.10 : The Great Return : Isaiah 11:10-16

A. Find Out:

1. What will that root do on that day? v.10

2. From where will the Lord gather His people? v.11,12

3. What will happen with the northern and southern kingdom? v.13,14

4. What will the Lord do? v.15

5. For what purpose? v.16

 

B. Think:

1. Who is this passage really about?

2. What will happen to them?

3. What will be the cause for them to return?

C. Comment:

Rather than work our way through this passage, it may be easier to simply answer the questions above. This passage is first and foremost about the remnant of Israel that will yet be left after the Lord's disciplining (v.11,12,16)

Next, this remnant looks like they will be joined with people from all nations (v.10,12) who will come flocking back to Israel . Any thoughts about past divisions will be put aside (v.13) as their enemies are overcome (v.14), after the Lord has gone out and cleared the way for them to return, from both the north and the south (v.15), from wherever they may still be in exile (v.16).

Finally the cause of this return is the ‘root of Jesse' (v.10) the one referred to earlier as the Branch (11:1). The emphasis in v.10 is on peoples from all nations flocking to him and the remnant of Israel will be in addition to these peoples. This is a massive gathering.

Now it is easy to read it but it is not so easy to interpret or apply what has been said. As the figure of the Branch is so obviously Jesus, we are left wondering if this is all figurative language that refers to the great age of church history and the salvation he brings to all men, including Jews who are open to him (Rom 10:12,13), or whether it refers to a great final gathering at the end of times (Rom 11:23-26) where all Israel will also be gathered in by salvation through Christ.

 

D. Application:

1. Salvation is for ALL who believe in Jesus Christ.

2. God's long-term plan includes Israel .

 

Study No.11 : Singing for Praise : Isaiah 12:1-6

A. Find Out:

1. On that day why will they praise the Lord? v.1

2. What will the Lord have become? v.2

3. How and what will they draw? v.3

4. What will their desire be? v.4

5. Why will they sing? v.5

6. What will they feel about the Lord? v.6

 

B. Think:

1. When will they sing?

2. Why will they sing?

3. How will their relationship with the Lord have changed?

C. Comment:

Twice in this brief chapter we find, “In that day” which refers back to that time described in the previous chapter when Jesus will rally his people to himself and peace will finally come to Israel . When blessing comes to our lives, a natural response often is to sing.

In that day, the Lord says, they will sing. It will start with straight forward praise (v.1) because of what God has done, turning His anger to blessing. He has turned their circumstances round and comforted them, become the reason they feel strong, become their salvation, and all of this makes them want to sing (v.2). This will be a time of joy (v.3).

On that day thanks will be on their lips (v.4) and that release will create in them a desire to tell everyone else what God has done (v.4). On that day they will not be able contain themselves they will sing about what He has done (v.5) letting the whole world know of it. They will sing and shout about God (v.6) because of the great things He has done. These verses act like an anchor to tie down the promises of the previous chapter. It helps them see the reality of this coming time and helps them FEEL what it will be like. All this talk of praise, thanks, singing and shouting; this will remind them of the high points of their history and will bring hope for their future.

 

D. Application:

1. When God blesses us, it brings a release of joy.

2. Joy cannot be contained; it has to be released in some way.

  

  

RECAP No.1  "Judgement & Hope"  Isaiah 9-12

SUMMARY :

In this first group of 11 studies we have seen :

 

Content	Studies Covered
A Son is Promised	1. Light, freedom and peace: 9:1-5 2. A Coming Ruler: 9:6-7
God's anger against Israel	3. Ongoing Chastising: 9:8-16 4. Two fires: 9:16 -21 5. Woe to the Unjust: 10:1-4
God's judgement on Assyria	6. The Pride of Assyria : 10:5-14
The Remnant of Israel	7. Destruction & a Remnant left: 10:15 -23 8. Assyria will be halted: 10:24 -34
The Promised Branch	9. The Branch : 11:1-9 10. The Great Return: 11:10-16
A Response of Praise	11. Singing for Praise: 12:1-6

 

COMMENT :

As the table above clearly shows, these four chapters are a mix of words of judgement and rebuke, and hope through a Promised One and the promise of a surviving remnant. The Messianic Promises are about a coming Son who will be a branch growing out of the Jesse side of Israel . He is their hope of a future.

 

LESSONS?

God DOES bring judgement on nations but He makes it quite clear WHY His is doing it. In the midst of judgement there is always mercy and a hope for a better future. God's judgement may be to remove a present disobedient people but that doesn't annul His future plans.

 

PRAY :

  Thank the Lord for the hope He brings through discipline.

 

PART 2 : "Four Condemnations"

In this next Part we will see judgement on four peoples. Look particularly for the reasons why.