TPT The Book of Isaiah E-Book

Brian Simmons

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: The Passionate Life Bible Study Series
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 223

Beschreibung

The book of Isaiah is the glorious, prophetic message of overcoming, hope, comfort, and the restoration of all things. To journey through the book of Isaiah is to experience the entire Bible. Both end with God making all things new and giving us a new heaven and earth.                 This 12-lesson study guide on the book of Isaiah provides a unique and welcoming opportunity to immerse yourself in God's precious Word as expressed in The Passion Translation®. Begin your journey with a thorough introduction that details Isaiah's authorship, date of composition, first recipients, setting, purpose, central message, and key themes. Each lesson then walks you through a portion from the book and includes features such as notable verses, historical and cultural background information, definitions of words and language, cross references to other books of the Bible, maps, and character portraits of figures from the Bible and church history.     Enrich your biblical understanding of the book of Isaiah, experience God's love for you, and share his heart with others.  

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

TPT: The Book of Isaiah: 12-LESSON BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

Copyright © 2020 BroadStreet Publishing Group

978-1-4245-5989-3 (softcover)

978-1-4245-5990-9 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].

General editor: Dr. Brian Simmons

Managing editor: William D. Watkins

Contributing editors: W. Terry Whalin and Christy Phillippe

Writer: W. Terry Whalin and William D. Watkins

Cover and interior by Garborg Design at GarborgDesign.com

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

From God’s Heart to Yours

Why I Love the Book of Isaiah, by Brian Simmons

Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

Lesson 1A Prophetic Look at Jerusalem and Judah (1:1–5:30)

Lesson 2God’s Throne and Isaiah’s Calling (6:1–13)

Lesson 3The Book of Immanuel (7:1–12:6)

Lesson 4Nations: Wake Up to God’s Actions (13:1–23:18)

Lesson 5Sin, Salvation, and a Song of Confidence in God (24:1–27:13)

Lesson 6Warning: Don’t Trust Foreign Alliances (28:1–33:34)

Lesson 7Judgment for Enemies and Hope for the Redeemed (34:1–35:10)

Lesson 8King Hezekiah: Illness, Healing, and Failure (36:1–39:8)

Lesson 9Comfort in God’s Promises (40:1–48:22)

Lesson 10The Lord’s Special Servant (49:1–52:12)

Lesson 11The Suffering Servant (52:13–53:12)

Lesson 12Repentance, Blessing, and Restoration (54:1–66:24)

Endnotes

From God’s Heart to Yours

“God is love,” says the apostle John, and “Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him” (1 John 4:7). The life of a Christ-follower is, at its core, a life of love—God’s love of us, our love of him, and our love of others and ourselves because of God’s love for us.

And this divine love is reliable, trustworthy, unconditional, other-centered, majestic, forgiving, redemptive, patient, kind, and more precious than anything else we can ever receive or give. It characterizes each person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and so is as unlimited as they are. They love one another with this eternal love, and they reach beyond themselves to us, created in their image with this love.

How do we know such incredible truths? Through the primary source of all else we know about the one God—his Word, the Bible. Of course, God reveals who he is through other sources as well, such as the natural world, miracles, our inner life, our relationships (especially with him), those who minister on his behalf, and those who proclaim him to us and others. But the fullest and most comprehensive revelation we have of God and from him is what he has given us in the thirty-nine books of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) and the twenty-seven books of the Christian Scriptures (the New Testament). Together, these sixty-six books present a compelling and telling portrait of God and his dealings with us.

It is these Scriptures that The Passionate Life Bible Study Series is all about. Through these study guides, we—the editors and writers of this series—seek to provide you with a unique and welcoming opportunity to delve more deeply into God’s precious Word, encountering there his loving heart for you and all the others he loves. God wants you to know him more deeply, to love him more devoutly, and to share his heart with others more frequently and freely. To accomplish this, we have based this study guide series on The Passion Translation of the Bible, which strives to “unlock the passion of [God’s] heart.” It is “a heart-level translation, from the passion of God’s heart to the passion of your heart,” created to “kindle in you a burning desire for him and his heart, while impacting the church for years to come.”1

In each study guide, you will find an introduction to the Bible book it covers. There you will gain information about that Bible book’s authorship, date of composition, first recipients, setting, purpose, central message, and key themes. Each lesson following the introduction will take a portion of that Bible book and walk you through it so you will learn its content better while experiencing and applying God’s heart for your own life and encountering ways you can share his heart with others. Along the way, you will come across a number of features we have created that provide opportunities for more life application and growth in biblical understanding:

  Experience God’s Heart

This feature focuses questions on personal application. It will help you live out God’s Word, to bring the Bible into your world in fresh, exciting, and relevant ways.

  Share God’s Heart

This feature will help you grow in your ability to share with other people what you learn and apply in a given lesson. It provides guidance on how the lesson relates to growing closer to others, to enriching your fellowship with others. It also points the way to enabling you to better listen to the stories of others so you can bridge the biblical story with their stories.

  The Backstory

This feature provides ancient historical and cultural background that illuminates Bible passages and teachings. It deals with then-pertinent religious groups, communities, leaders, disputes, business trades, travel routes, customs, nations, political factions, ancient measurements and currency … in short, anything historical or cultural that will help you better understand what Scripture says and means. You may also find maps and charts that will help you reimagine these groups, places, and activities. Finally, in this feature you will find references to additional Bible texts that will further illuminate the Scripture you are studying.

  Word Wealth

This feature provides definitions and other illuminating information about key terms, names, and concepts, and how different ancient languages have influenced the biblical text. It also provides insight into the different literary forms in the Bible, such as prophecy, poetry, narrative history, parables, and letters, and how knowing the form of a text can help you better interpret and apply it. Finally, this feature highlights the most significant passages in a Bible book. You may be encouraged to memorize these verses or keep them before you in some way so you can actively hide God’s Word in your heart.

  Digging Deeper

This feature explains the theological significance of a text or the controversial issues that arise and mentions resources you can use to help you arrive at your own conclusions. Another way to dig deeper into the Word is by looking into the life of a biblical character or another person from church history, showing how that man or woman incarnated a biblical truth or passage. For instance, Jonathan Edwards was well known for his missions work among native American Indians and for his intellectual prowess in articulating the Christian faith; Florence Nightingale for the reforms she brought about in healthcare; Irenaeus for his fight against heresy; Billy Graham for his work in evangelism; Moses for the strength God gave him to lead the Hebrews and receive and communicate the law; Deborah for her work as a judge in Israel. This feature introduces to you figures from the past who model what it looks like to experience God’s heart and share his heart with others.

  The Extra Mile

While The Passion Translation’s notes are extensive, sometimes students of Scripture like to explore more on their own. In this feature, we provide you with opportunities to glean more information from a Bible dictionary, a Bible encyclopedia, a reliable Bible online tool, another ancient text, and the like. Here you will learn how you can go the extra mile on a Bible lesson. And not just in study either. Reflection, prayer, discussion, and applying a passage in new ways provide even more opportunities to go the extra mile. Here you will find questions to answer and applications to make that will require more time and energy from you—if and when you have them to give.

As you can see above, each of these features has a corresponding icon so you can quickly and easily identify them.

You will find other helps and guidance through the lessons of these study guides, including thoughtful questions, application suggestions, and spaces for you to record your own reflections, answers, and action steps. Of course, you can also write in your own journal, notebook, computer, or other resource, but we have provided you with space for your convenience.

Also, each lesson will direct you into the introductory material and numerous notes provided in The Passion Translation. There each Bible book contains a number of aids supplied to help you better grasp God’s words and his incredible love, power, knowledge, plans, and so much more. We want you to get the most out of your Bible study, especially using it to draw you closer to the One who loves you most.

Finally, at the end of each lesson you’ll find a section called “Talking It Out.” This contains questions and exercises for application that you can share, answer, and apply with your spouse, a friend, a coworker, a Bible study group, or any other individuals or groups who would like to walk with you through this material. As Christians, we gather together to serve, study, worship, sing, evangelize, and a host of other activities. We grow together, not just on our own. This section will give you ample opportunities to engage others with the content of each lesson so you can work it out in community.

We offer all of this to support you in becoming an even more faithful and loving disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple in the ancient world was a student of her teacher, a follower of his master. Students study and followers follow. Jesus’ disciples are to sit at his feet and listen and learn and then do what he tells them and shows them to do. We have created The Passionate Life Bible Study Series to help you do what a disciple of Jesus is called to do.

So go.

Read God’s words.

Hear what he has to say in them and through them.

Meditate on them.

Hide them in your heart.

Display their truths in your life.

Share their truths with others.

Let them ignite Jesus’ passion and light in all you say and do.

Use them to help you fulfill what Jesus called his disciples to do: “‘Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age’” (Matthew 28:19–20).

And through all of this, let Jesus’ love nourish your heart and allow that love to overflow into your relationships with others (John 15:9–13). For it was for love that Jesus came, served, died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. This love he gives us. And this love he wants us to pass along to others.

Why I Love the Book of Isaiah

I remember the first time I read through the book of Isaiah. It was so intimidating to me! The length of the book (sixty-six chapters), combined with its intense prophecies, left me wondering if I would ever be able to understand it. Now, after nearly fifty years of Bible study behind me, I can say that Isaiah has become one of my favorite books in the Word of God. It fills me with hope, increases my joy, and inspires me. Isaiah speaks to me today like never before, and I know Isaiah will also bring you a fresh message from the heart of God!

The book of Isaiah contains a vision that spans God’s plan of ages. It is a message of overcoming, hope, comfort, and restoration. It is an invitation and a call to enter God’s realm of glory, every single day. Isaiah was a man who spoke with fire-touched lips. His words are the reflection of God’s desire for humanity. The entire book reveals the Father’s mercy and desire to restore us to him. At times, we experience his work through refining fire and at other times through the gentle compassion that overwhelms our souls. But rest assured, his glory is tangible on every page.

Let each chapter of Isaiah stir your heart. I encourage you to take time to be alone with God and read through the book of Isaiah, then go back and use this study to discover the powerful truths God has put there just for you!

The book of Isaiah has come alive to me in ways I never knew possible. Each day, as I sat to translate it, the presence of Yahweh gripped my soul with such passion and power, I could scarcely write. The encounters of the Word, this living, fiery, breath of life, whispered revelation that awakened my heart. With tears streaming down my face, I was completely undone by the treasures of love found in Isaiah.

This is our prayer for you—that this study guide will usher you into his presence, where you come face-to-face with the King of love, mercy, and perfect desire.

Brian SimmonsGeneral Editor

Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

Welcome to the Book of Isaiah, the first of the Major Prophets. This book creates a big picture view of the entire Bible in a single book. It also provides a panoramic look at the ages and touches every nation on earth. Isaiah was the prophet of Zion and much more than a preacher or teacher. He was God’s seer and intercessor. When Isaiah uses the term Zion, he refers not only to a spiritual place but to a spiritual people.

The pages of Isaiah contain an enormous collection of prophecies which, in fact, is the most comprehensive in the Bible. When the prophet talks about his vision, Isaiah means God is giving him a supernatural revelation. The book of Isaiah is not simply a historical record or teaching, but through it, God reveals the overarching vision of his own heart. The prophecies move beyond the days of Isaiah and into the days of the arrival of the Messiah as well as into our times and beyond. This vision and prophecy was not just for Isaiah but for all peoples who desire to know the Lord’s vision for all people on the earth who reflect his glory.

Where the Book Fits in History

The prophetic visions of Isaiah span the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah began prophesying in the last year of Uzziah’s life (740 BCE) and continued into the reign of Hezekiah (which ended in 686). Isaiah’s ministry likely extended beyond Hezekiah because the final historical incident mentioned is the death of Sennacherib in 681 (Isaiah 37:38).

Since ancient peoples had no printing presses, they handmade copies of documents that were important to them. All of the books in the Bible were handed down from generation to generation this way. We have discovered tens of thousands of handwritten copies of parts or all of the Old Testament, not to mention the many thousands of copies we have of the New Testament, and all of these are from the centuries before the printing press. Having so many copies allows us to check them line by line, word by word, to see how reliably they were copied down through the centuries.2 The manuscript reliability of Isaiah comes through clearly. As the “Introduction” to Isaiah in The Passion Translation points out:

The documents of Isaiah are among the most reliable of all the Old Testament. We even have a copy of the book that dates to 100 BC thanks to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. They predate the next oldest existing copy for nearly one thousand years, and very little variation in the manuscripts was found. So we can be confident as we read Isaiah’s inspired prophecies that we are gazing upon the truth of the ages.3

Authorship

While there is not a lot of biographical information in the Scriptures about Isaiah, we know he was the son of Amoz and a prominent and educated man. He probably lived in Jerusalem, in the southern kingdom of Judah. At that time, the Assyrians had already destroyed the northern kingdom, Israel. Isaiah was married to a prophetess and had two sons. Isaiah’s active ministry occurred from about 740 to 700 BCE. According to Rabbinic tradition, Isaiah’s father, Amoz, was a brother of King Amaziah. This relationship would make Isaiah a grandson of King Joash and a first cousin of King Uzziah. In other words, Isaiah was a person with royal blood running through his veins.

The Passion Translation describes Isaiah, his ministry, and his message this way:

Isaiah the seer-prophet is indeed an evangelist, making his prophetic work a fifth gospel, for he reveals the hidden mysteries of Lord Yahweh’s good news. These mysteries were unveiled first before the people of God, at once confronting them and the nations with future doom and encouraging them with future glory. Ultimately, Isaiah’s evangelistic prophecy is meant for the entire world, unveiling before it the beauty and majesty, hope and expectations of Messiah Jesus.

The poetic message of Isaiah is the glorious message of overcoming, hope, comfort, and the restoration of all things. Because of Christ’s appearing with love for all the world, we now see Isaiah’s words as clear prophetic insights into the death, resurrection, and glory of our King. To see him in every chapter of Isaiah will be the key to unlocking its deep prophetic mystery to our hearts. Read it with joy and passion to discover the Beloved—and you will find him!4

•Does seeing Isaiah as an evangelist pointing toward the arrival of Jesus Christ change your view of this much-loved prophet? If so, how?

Recipients of the Prophecies

The people of Judah heard Isaiah’s prophecies and were aware that their enemies, the Assyrians, had overrun and conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Before Isaiah was born, the Assyrian Empire had been expanding for 150 years. When Isaiah was still a young man in 734 BCE, Assyria took away the population of the north part of Israel. Then thirteen years later in 721, Samaria fell, and the Assyrians forced the rest of Israel into exile. Only a few years later, Sennacherib of Assyria destroyed the walled cities and took 200,000 captives with him. Finally, when Isaiah was an old man, an angel of God stopped the Assyrians (2 Chronicles 32:21). The threats from this enemy nation overshadowed Isaiah’s life in Jerusalem and Judah.

  EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEART

•Throughout their lives, the people of Israel lived in constant fear of being overrun from the Assyrians. As you think about our world and society, what types of fears are you facing? What comfort and encouragement can you draw from the life of Isaiah?

The name Isaiah means “Salvation of Jehovah.” The Hebrew word for salvation is very similar to the Hebrew name of Jesus: Yeshua. Isaiah uses this word twenty-eight times for salvation. As we come to know Jesus, we understand and trust the God of salvation. As Isaiah 53:6 says, “Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of every sin upon him.”

•Do you recall how and when you first trusted in Jesus for your salvation? Write out the account, at least the main details.

•Spend some time in prayer and expressing gratitude for God’s salvation in your life.

Purpose

The divine vision of Isaiah was panoramic and broad. It included every nation on earth—not simply something for the people of Judah during the eighth century. Isaiah stirs his listeners about the forthcoming virgin birth of a Messiah, the impending judgment of the world for sins, and the hope of future restoration.

Do you know Christians who live double lives? They may come to church but live in a completely different way throughout the week. Isaiah knew people who were living such double lives in the northern kingdom of Israel. In fact, Isaiah shared God’s hatred for their compromise. In his prophecies, Isaiah hoped his listeners would see the hypocrisy of their lives and change their ways to follow God with all their hearts. Through Isaiah’s visions, he clearly saw the two-sided nature of God’s character: grace and discipline; mercy and love; justice and forgiveness; exile and salvation. The pages of Isaiah’s writings hope to awaken in hearers a resolution of faith despite unbelief.

Key Themes

There are four major themes in Isaiah. First, the book of Isaiah is like a miniature Bible. Just as the Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters. Like the Old Testament with 39 books, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah parallel it with woes, judgment, and promises for the future. Beginning with Isaiah 40, the final 27 chapters mirror the 27 books in the New Testament. The final portion of Isaiah is focused on the coming of the Messiah with messages of hope and life. In many respects, Isaiah is like an overview of the entire message of the Bible, yet in one book.

A rebellious heart is going to reap God’s judgment is the second theme of Isaiah. Our God is patient and merciful, but for the wicked, his patience has run out. The Lord is going to bring destruction to those who rebel against his heart. Because the people in Isaiah’s world had turned totally corrupt, in a series of prophetic utterances, Isaiah proclaims how Lord Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, is going to punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sins. In graphic detail, Isaiah proclaims what will happen when God unleashes his anger at humankind.

The vision of God’s mercy and restoration is the third theme of Isaiah. Our God always excels in mercy and grace toward his people. In the long view, God will restore in abundance what sin has spoiled and satan has stolen in our lives. As Christians, we are to bear the image of Christ, and we are the seeds of the remnant. It is a consistent theme in Isaiah that God will restore. These themes of the hope of vindication and redemption are memorialized in Isaiah in three songs: the Song of Praise for the Redeemed (Isaiah 12), the Joyful Song of the Redeemed (35:1–10), and the Song of Salvation (52:7–12). As the translator of TPT writes, “In each, the children of God are invited to praise Lord Yahweh for turning away his anger and offering tender comfort, for breaking through and giving us victory, avenging our enemies with the salvation of divine retribution, for the beautiful message announcing peace and happiness, and for the unveiling of Lord Yahweh’s saving power before all nations.” Our praise to God is a critical element in Isaiah’s teachings about restoration and redemption.

Revealing the Messiah Jesus is the final theme in Isaiah. More than any other book in the Bible, the book of Isaiah is permeated with the news about the forthcoming Messiah. He unveils it to God’s people for their encouragement and benefit. Many places in Isaiah are worth highlighting for this theme, including the virgin birth (7:14). Before this prophecy, no child with a human father could be called Immanuel, God With Us. The most prominent chapter revealing Messiah, in a contrarian and counter-expectation to the Jewish people, is the suffering Messiah Jesus in Isaiah 53. The people were expecting a Messiah to release them from the oppression of the Romans. They were not expecting a humble, sinless Jesus Christ who would die for the sins of the world on a cross and then be resurrected three days later. The seer prophet Isaiah foresaw this Messiah and wove this theme throughout his prophecies.

•Of these various themes, which one resonates most with you at the beginning of this study? Why?

  SHARE GOD’S HEART

•What do you hope to learn and discover in your study of Isaiah for your personal relationship with Jesus? Share the lessons you have gained with a family member or a friend. Use your experience to open a spiritual conversation.

Core Message of Isaiah

Isaiah has a redemptive message of God’s mercy and restoration that permeates the prophecies and provides continual hope and encouragement through the arrival of Messiah Jesus.

  EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEART

Read Isaiah 9:6 in The Passion Translation. You will find these names for Jesus: The Wonderful One, The Extraordinary Strategist, The Mighty God, The Father of Eternity, and The Prince of Peace. Focus on each of these names for Jesus. He was the long-awaited Messiah that Isaiah foresaw and expressed in his book. Take time in prayer to celebrate each of these names. Then ask God to bring these names into your everyday life as you deepen your love relationship with Jesus Christ.

Next read verse 7. Look at the promises of Messiah’s dominion. Now celebrate what Messiah is bringing into your life—now and in the future. Write some of these phrases on an index card or post-it that you can put on a mirror you see every day. Let these promises become a constant reminder of God’s presence in your everyday life.

  SHARE GOD’S HEART

The prophet Isaiah lived in a dark period of Jewish history. The Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom. They were constantly threatening Jerusalem and the rest of the southern kingdom—yet throughout Isaiah, he prophesizes about a redemptive returning Messiah who will rule in the hearts of believers.

•If you follow the news in our world, it can appear dark and at times dangerous. Yet God’s presence and love live in our hearts. Take some time to celebrate God’s gift to us through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and how our sins have been removed.

•Because of this good news about the Messiah that Isaiah foretold through his prophecies, what practical steps can you take to talk about the Lord and tell others about Jesus? As people come into your mind, be courageous and take some action steps today.