The Book of Isaiah A Message of Hope, Comfort and Salvation. Week 3: 11/10/13

Transcription

1 The Book of Isaiah A Message of Hope, Comfort and Salvation Week 3: 11/10/13 1

2 Plan for Today Quick review of last week Historical backdrop for Isaiah; Isaiah s calling Chap 6 Chapters 7 through 12 King Ahaz; pending invasion of Judah; Isaiah s prophetic words to the King and to Judah High level overview of Chapters 13 through 23 2

3 Chapter 6 Isaiah s Calling It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. Isaiah (NLT) 3

4 Chapter 6 Isaiah s Calling Woe to me! I cried. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty. Isaiah 6.5 (NIV) Then I said, It s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. (NLT) 4

5 Chapter 6 Isaiah s Calling Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me! Isaiah 6.8 (NIV) The message he was asked to deliver would not be pleasant. God told him the people wouldn t listen. Isaiah was told to keep delivering the message until there was no one left to hear it. 5

6 Chapters 7-12 Difficult section of Isaiah Judah facing the threat of attack from Israel and Syria Isaiah called on to warn King Ahaz, but also to encourage him to trust in the Lord Predicts their destruction and the destruction of their enemies Provides hope of the coming Messiah and the eventual restoration of the nation of Israel 6

7 Excerpts from 2 Kings 16 (CEV) Chapters 7-12: Backdrop Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah in the seventeenth year of Pekah s rule in Israel. He was twenty years old at the time, and he ruled from Jerusalem for sixteen years. Ahaz wasn t like his ancestor David. Instead, he disobeyed the LORD and was even more sinful than the kings of Israel. He sacrificed his own son, which was a disgusting custom of the nations that the LORD had forced out of Israel. Ahaz offered sacrifices at the local shrines, as well as on every hill and in the shade of large trees. 7

8 Excerpts from 2 Kings 16 (CEV) Chapters 7-12: Backdrop About the same time, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel marched to Jerusalem and attacked, but they could not capture it. Ahaz sent a message to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria that said, Your Majesty, King Rezin and King Pekah are attacking me, your loyal servant. Please come and rescue me. As soon as Tiglath Pileser received the message, he and his troops marched to Syria. He captured the capital city of Damascus, then he took the people living there as prisoners and killed King Rezin. Later, Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser. And while Ahaz was there, he saw an altar and sent a model of it back to Uriah the priest, along with the plans for building one. Uriah followed the plans and built an altar exactly like the one in Damascus. When Ahaz returned, he had the bronze altar moved aside, so his new altar would be right in front of the LORD s temple. He did all these things to please Tiglath Pileser. 8

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10 Chapter 7 ~ 735 B.C. Ahaz, the son of Jotham and the grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah when King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went to attack Jerusalem. But they were not able to do what they had planned. When news reached the royal palace that Syria had joined forces with Israel, King Ahaz and everyone in Judah were so terrified that they shook like trees in a windstorm. Isaiah (CEV) 10

11 Excerpts from Isaiah (CEV) Then the LORD said to me: Chapter 7 ~ 735 B.C. Take your son Shearjashub and go see King Ahaz. Tell Ahaz to stop worrying. There s no need for him to be afraid of King Rezin and King Pekah. They are very angry, but they are nothing more than a dying fire. Ahaz doesn t need to fear their evil threats to invade and defeat Judah and Jerusalem. I, the LORD, promise that this will never happen. And if Ahaz and his officials don t trust me, they will be defeated. Shearjashub means a remnant shall return 11

12 Isaiah (CEV) Chapter 7 ~ 735 B.C. Once again the LORD God spoke to King Ahaz. This time he said, Ask me for proof that my promise will come true. Ask for something to happen deep in the world of the dead or high in the heavens above. No, LORD, Ahaz answered. I won t test you! Ahaz showing false piety here; he had already reached out to the Assyrians for protection. 12

13 Chapter 7 ~ 735 B.C. Isaiah Then I said: Listen, every one of you in the royal family of David. You have already tried my patience. Now you are trying God s patience by refusing to ask for proof. 14 But the LORD will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel. (CEV) Vs 14 in KJV: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah (and God) are angry. You want a sign? Here s a sign.. Immanuel means God with us a prophecy about Christ 13

14 Excerpts from Isaiah Chapter 7 ~ 735 B.C. But the LORD will make more trouble for your people and your kingdom than any of you have known since Israel broke away from Judah. He will even bring the king of Assyria to attack you. When that time comes, the LORD will whistle, and armies will come from Egypt like flies and from Assyria like bees. They will settle everywhere in the deep valleys and between the rocks, on every bush and all over the pastureland. The Lord will pay the king of Assyria to bring a razor from across the Euphrates River and shave your head and every hair on your body, including your beard. Vineyards that had a thousand vines and were worth a thousand pieces of silver will turn into thorn patches. The hills where you once planted crops will be overgrown with thorns and thistles. You will be afraid to go there, and your cattle, sheep, and goats will be turned loose on those hills. Because you didn t trust Me here come the Assyrians! 14

15 Chapter 8 ~ 732 B.C. Isaiah (NLT) Then the LORD said to me, Make a large signboard and clearly write this name on it: Maher-shalal-hash-baz. I asked Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah, both known as honest men, to witness my doing this. Then I slept with my wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. And the LORD said, Call him Maher-shalal-hash-baz. For before this child is old enough to say Papa or Mama, the king of Assyria will carry away both the abundance of Damascus and the riches of Samaria. Mahershalalhashbaz: longest name in the Bible; means quick to plunder, swift to the spoil. Isaiah foretells that the kingdoms of Israel and Samaria will be destroyed within 2 years. (the age at which his son could talk). That s exactly when the Assyrian army invaded. 15

16 Chapter 8 ~ 732 B.C. Isaiah God is chastising them for choosing to side with Assyria rather than trust Him for protection. He describes their mistake in 3 different ways: : They chose the mighty Euphrates rather than the peaceful river Shiloh. They walked by sight instead of by faith : They chose a snare instead of a sanctuary. They feared people and circumstances : They chose darkness instead of light They turned to demons rather than trusting God 16

17 Chapter 9 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine (NLT) The historical record tells us that these regions were especially devastated in the Assyrian invasion. 17

18 The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 18

19 Area was also known as Galilee - the area where Christ was born The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. Isaiah

20 Chapter 9 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this (NIV) a child is born : shows His humanity a Son is given : shows His deity 20

21 Isaiah saw it this way Double Fulfillment A child is born; a Son is given We now see it this way And the government will be upon his shoulders 21

22 Chapters 9 & 10 Isaiah The Lord next turns his attention away from Judah to Israel and judges them for their sins He repeats this phrase 4 times as He s going through a litany of their sin: Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. (verses 9.12, 9.17, 9.21 and 10.4) The Lord says: I am furious! And I will use the king of Assyria as a club to beat down you godless people. I am angry with you, and I will send him to attack you. He will take what he wants and walk on you like mud in the streets. Isaiah (CEV) History tells us that Assyria destroyed Samaria (Israel s capital city) and carried the rest of Israel off to captivity (722 B.C.) 22

23 Chapter 10 Isaiah Now it s the Assyrian s turn to be judged The Lord will do what he has planned against Jerusalem and Mount Zion. Then he will punish the proud and boastful king of Assyria, who says: I did these things by my own power because I am smart and clever. I attacked kings like a wild bull, and I took the land and the treasures of their nations. I have conquered the whole world! And it was easier than taking eggs from an unguarded nest. No one even flapped a wing or made a peep. Isaiah (CEV) 23

24 Isaiah Chapter 10 Now it s the Assyrian s turn to be judged But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself? Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven s Armies, will send a plague among Assyria s proud troops, and a flaming fire will consume its glory. He will devour the thorns and briers with fire, burning up the enemy in a single night. The LORD will consume Assyria s glory like a fire consumes a forest in a fruitful land; it will waste away like sick people in a plague. Of all that glorious forest, only a few trees will survive so few that a child could count them! (NLT) That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. 2 Kings (CEV) When Assyria invaded Judah in 701 B.C., its army was stricken with a plague. In one night, 185,000 soldiers died. 24

25 Chapter 11 Isaiah The Lord lets them see a happy ending to the story. He will restore the people. Out of the stump of David s family will grow a shoot yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. Isaiah (NLT) Double fulfillment: 1 st and 2 nd coming of Christ 25

26 Chapter 11 Isaiah The Lord lets them see a happy ending to the story. He will restore the people. In that day the heir to David s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people. He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth. Then at last the jealousy between Israel and Judah will end. They will not be rivals anymore. The LORD will make a dry path through the gulf of the Red Sea. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates River, sending a mighty wind to divide it into seven streams so it can easily be crossed on foot. He will make a highway for the remnant of his people, the remnant coming from Assyria, just as he did for Israel long ago when they returned from Egypt. Double fulfillment: Fulfilled after the exile, but will be completely fulfilled at the 2 nd coming of Christ 26

27 Isaiah 12 Chapter 12 This section of Isaiah finishes with a song of joy In that day you will say: I will praise you, LORD. Although you were angry with me your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you (NIV) 27

28 Chapters 7-12 What are some takeaways from this portion of Isaiah s book? 28

29 Chapter In this section, Isaiah is delivering messages (KJV refers to them as burdens ) to some of the surrounding nations. Babylon ( ) Egypt ( ) Assyria ( ) Babylon ( ) Philistia ( ) Edom ( ) Moab ( ) Arabia ( ) Syria ( ) Jerusalem ( ) Ethiopia (18.1-7) Tyre/Lebanon ( ) Think about the consequences of what he was prophesying. They really were burdens. 29

30 Chapter 11 30