Introduction to Isaiah (7)

Pray Psalm 130.1-4.
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.

Read Isaiah 1.21-31.

Reflect.
1. While much of Isaiah’s message is dire, the overall thrust of his book is positive and hopeful. How can you see that here?

2. How is Zion (the Church) redeemed with justice and righteousness?

Meditate.
There are undoubtedly many ways to approach the study of Isaiah. Here I want to outline how we will be studying this book over the next several weeks.

Isaiah 1-6: The Prophet’s Remit
The essence of Isaiah’s prophetic word to God’s people is outlined in these chapters – a message of judgment and hope, culminating in the Lord’s call to Isaiah to begin his work.

Isaiah 7-12: Prophecies against Israel
The fall of Israel was at hand, but few saw it coming. Isaiah established his credentials as a true prophet of the Lord by preaching that Israel would come under the Lord’s wrath. Yet even here, Isaiah’s message of hope and redemption begins to emerge.

Isaiah 13-23: Prophecies against the Nations
God does not give the nations a pass for their sins. Just as He would judge Israel for her rebellion, so He would judge the nations around Israel for their wickedness. 

Isaiah 24: Prophecy against the Earth
In this chapter we receive a glimpse of the final judgment of God. We’ll spend an entire week on Isaiah 24.

Isaiah 25-35: The Day of Salvation
The word of final judgment is followed by the announcement of divine redemption, which Isaiah celebrates as the way of escape from the judgment of the Lord. But God’s people will remain blind to His grace and fall into judgment and woes until the coming of the Lord’s salvation.

Isaiah 36-39: Hezekiah
These chapters recount God’s dealings with Hezekiah. They provide an historical touchstone to anchor the rest of Isaiah’s work.

Isaiah 40-48: Comfort and Deliverance
Though God will judge His people by the Babylonians, He will comfort and restore them under Cyrus. This serves to set the stage for God’s greater comfort and deliverance to come by the Servant of the Lord.

Isaiah 49-54: The Servant of the Lord
The Servant brings salvation to God’s people and deliverance for all the nations.

Isaiah 55-66: Seek the Lord
The Messiah is coming to bring God’s Kingdom to the world, so Isaiah calls the nations to seek the Lord and His everlasting covenant, to enter His redemption and to avoid His wrath.

Our journey through Isaiah’s prophecy begins tomorrow.

Prepare.
1. How would you explain the relationship between Scripture and historical events?

2. Believers today are as susceptible to idols as were the people of Isaiah’s day. Explain.

3. What does it mean to be saved? How should our salvation affect our outlook on life? Our daily activities? The things we talk about with others?

He will restore, therefore, a judge like them, or after the Babylonian captivity, as the Jews desire, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah and other leaders who presided over the people until Hyrcanus, whom Herod succeeded as king. In any event, the apostles and those who believed through the apostles were established as more trustworthy and upright leaders of the church, in keeping with what we said at the beginning of this vision, namely, that both the threat and the promise pertain to the time of the Lord’s passion and to the faith that formed the church after his passion. Jerome (347-420 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 1.1.26

Lord, thank You for the book of Isaiah. As we begin this study, I want to…

Pray Psalm 130.
What will the Lord do today to transform you more into the image of Jesus, and to bring you more completely into His great redemption? As you pray this psalm, wait in silence for Him to renew forgiveness, hope, and joy in your soul.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 130 (Hamburg: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
Out of the depths I cry to You, Lord!
Lord, hear my voice; have mercy on me!
Who can resist Your powerful Word
If You should mark iniquity?

There is forgiveness, Lord, with You, 
That we may fear before Your face.
I wait for You; in Your Word most true
I hope to find renewing grace.

More than the watchmen wait for the day, 
Eagerly seeking the morning light, 
I wait for You and earnestly pray, 
Hoping in You with all my might.

Hope in the Lord, with Jesus is love!
Plenteous redemption abounds in His face.
He will redeem us, who rules from above; 
He will forgive us by His grace.

T. M. Moore

Where do the prophets fit with the rest of Scripture? How can I be a better student of God’s Word? Our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, can help you gain a better approach to and understanding of the Scriptures. Watch this brief preview video, then register at The Ailbe Seminary and enroll in this free online course.

Forward today’s lesson to some friends, and challenge them to study with you through this series on Isaiah. Each week’s lessons will be available as a free PDF download at the end of the week (click here). Get a copy for yourself and send the link for the download to your friends. Plan to meet weekly to study Isaiah’s important message.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).