Isaiah 6-10 Digging for Spiritual Gems: (8 min.)

Transcription

1 Isaiah 6-10 Digging for Spiritual Gems: ( min.) Isa 7:3, 4 Why did Jehovah extend salvation to wicked King Ahaz? (w06 12/1 9 _4) 7:3, 4 Why did Jehovah extend salvation to wicked King Ahaz? The kings of Syria and Israel planned to dethrone King Ahaz of Judah and install in his place a puppet ruler, the son of Tabeel a man who was not a descendant of David. This diabolical scheme would have the effect of interrupting the operation of the Kingdom covenant with David. Jehovah extended salvation to Ahaz in order to preserve the line through which the promised Prince of Peace would come. Isa :1-4 How was this prophecy fulfilled? (it ; ip _23-24) *** it-1 p Isaiah *** Another son of Isaiah was named prior to conception, and the name was written on a tablet and attested to by reliable witnesses. Apparently the matter was kept secret until after the birth of the son, when the witnesses could come forward and testify to the prophet s foretelling of the birth, thereby proving the matter to have prophetic significance. The name given to the boy by God s command was Maher-shalal-hash-baz, meaning Hurry, O Spoil! He Has Made Haste to the Plunder; or, Hurrying to the Spoil, He Has Made Haste to the Plunder. It was said that before this son would know how to call out, My father! and My mother! the threat to Judah existing from the conspiracy of Syria and the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel would be removed. Isa :1-4. *** ip-1 chap. 9 pp pars Trust in Jehovah in the Face of Adversity *** 23 Isaiah now returns to the immediate situation. While Jerusalem is still under siege by the Syro-Israelite combine, Isaiah reports: Jehovah proceeded to say to me: Take for yourself a large tablet and write upon it with the stylus of mortal man, Maher-shalalhash-baz. And let me have attestation for myself by faithful witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. (Isaiah :1, 2) The name Maher-shalalhash-baz means Hasten, O Spoil! He Has Come Quickly to the Plunder. Isaiah asks two respected men in the community to attest his writing this name on a large tablet, so that they can later confirm the authenticity of the document. This sign, though, is to be confirmed by a second sign. 24 Isaiah says: Then I went near to the prophetess, and she came to be pregnant and in time gave birth to a son. Jehovah now said to me: Call his name Maher-shalalhash-baz, for before the boy will know how to call out, My father! and My mother! one will carry away the resources of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria before the king of Assyria. (Isaiah :3, 4) Both the large tablet and the newborn boy will serve as signs that Assyria will soon plunder Judah s oppressors, Syria and Israel. How soon? Before the boy is able to say the first words that most babies learn Father and Mother. Such an exact prediction should build the people s confidence in Jehovah. Or it could cause some to ridicule Isaiah and his sons. Whatever the case, Isaiah s prophetic words come true. 2 Kings 17:1-6.

2 What does this week s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah? *** w15 7/1 p. 9 Anxiety About Danger *** God s Kingdom will root out all harmful anxiety forever. Through Jesus, the Prince of Peace, God will bring an end to wars throughout the earth. (Isaiah 9:6; Psalm 46:9) *** w15 7/15 pp pars This Is Our Place of Worship *** 13 Once a new Kingdom Hall is built, it needs to be kept clean and tidy to reflect the qualities and personality of the God whom we worship a God of order. (Read 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40.) The Bible associates holiness and spiritual cleanness with physical cleanliness. (Rev. 19:) Thus, if people desire to be acceptable to Jehovah, they must also practice good hygiene. 14 In harmony with these principles, we should always feel comfortable inviting interested people to our meetings, confident that the condition of the hall will complement the good news we share with them. They will see that we worship a God who is holy and who will soon transform the earth into an uncontaminated paradise. Isa. 6:1-3; Rev. 11:1. *** w13 4/15 p. 23 par. 5 Make Sure of the More Important Things *** 5 There are many things that Jehovah chose not to include in his written Word. For example, he did not provide details about how the brain works or how the universe functions, even though such information would have been very fascinating! Rather, Jehovah provided information that we need in order to understand his purposes and to live our lives in harmony with them. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) How interesting, then, that the Bible does provide glimpses of the invisible part of Jehovah s organization! We thrill at reading the descriptions of Jehovah s heavenly arrangement written by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel and in John s Revelation account. (Isa. 6:1-4; Ezek. 1:4-14, 22-24; Dan. 7:9-14; Rev. 4:1-11) It is as if Jehovah pulled back a curtain and allowed us to peer into the heavens.

3 *** w13 5/15 pp. -9 par. 3 Are You Zealous for Fine Works? *** 3 Referring to what the rulership of God s Son will accomplish, Isaiah 9:7 says: The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this. Those words emphasize our heavenly Father s active interest in the salvation of mankind. Jehovah s example of zeal clearly indicates that our God-given work as Kingdom proclaimers deserves our wholehearted support, our enthusiasm, our zeal. Our burning desire to help people get to know God is a reflection of Jehovah s zeal. As God s fellow workers, then, are we personally determined to have the fullest share in proclaiming the good news that our circumstances will permit? 1 Cor. 3:9. *** w12 6/15 p. 9 par. Jehovah Is a Revealer of Secrets *** The second head of the beast represents Assyria. This mighty kingdom also attempted to wipe out God s people. True, Jehovah used Assyria as his instrument to punish the tentribe kingdom for their idolatry and rebellion. However, Assyria then attacked Jerusalem. Satan may have had the goal of obliterating the royal line that would eventually lead to Jesus. That assault was not part of Jehovah s purpose, and he miraculously delivered his faithful people by destroying the invaders. 2 Ki. 19:32-35; Isa. 10:5, 6, *** w12 10/15 pp pars Let Your Yes Mean Yes *** 10 Here I am! Send me. (Isa. 6:) Before saying this, Isaiah saw a glorious vision of Jehovah sitting on His throne above Israel s temple. While gazing upon this glorious sight, Isaiah heard Jehovah say: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? This was an invitation to be Jehovah s spokesman to deliver God s message to His wayward people. Isaiah proved true to his word his Yes meant Yes. For over 46 years, he faithfully served as a prophet, delivering strong messages of denunciation as well as wonderful promises about the restoration of true worship. 11 Why has Jehovah had the above examples recorded for us in his Word? And how serious is the matter of letting our Yes mean Yes? The Bible clearly warns that a person who is false to agreements is among those who are deserving of death. (Rom. 1:31, 32) Pharaoh of Egypt, Judean King Zedekiah, and Ananias and Sapphira are among the bad examples highlighted in the Bible of individuals whose Yes did not mean Yes. They all fared badly and stand as warning examples for us. Ex. 9:27, 2, 34, 35; Ezek. 17:13-15, 19, 20; Acts 5: Living in the last days, we are surrounded by people who are disloyal, people having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) As much as possible, we must avoid such bad association. Instead, we should regularly gather with those who strive always to let their Yes mean Yes. Heb. 10:24, 25.

4 *** w11 2/15 p. 14 par. Gaining God s Approval Leads to Everlasting Life *** Gaining God s approval involves the proper exercise of our free will. This is because Jehovah does not coerce anyone into serving him. In Isaiah s time, He asked: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? By recognizing the prophet s right to decide, Jehovah dignified him. Imagine Isaiah s satisfaction in responding: Here I am! Send me. Isa. 6:. *** w11 12/1 p. 26 Holy, Holy, Holy Is Jehovah *** IF YOU had to choose a single word to describe Jehovah God his essence, or nature what word would you select? In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah was given a vision in which he heard spirit creatures extolling Jehovah, using a word that describes a key aspect of His very essence holiness. What Isaiah saw and heard should both fill us with awe and draw us closer to Jehovah. As we consider the words at Isaiah 6:1-3, imagine yourself there. Knowing that Jehovah is holy should move us to draw closer to him. Why? Unlike human rulers who may become corrupt and abusive, Jehovah is completely free of what is sinful. His holiness thus guarantees that he will always be the ideal Father, a righteous Ruler, and an impartial Judge. We have every reason to be confident that the God whose very essence is holy will never disappoint us. *** w10 5/15 p. 26 par. Brothers Sow to the Spirit and Reach Out! *** A self-sacrificing spirit has always been the hallmark of men who have labored in behalf of Jehovah s servants. For example, we can hardly imagine Noah telling others in his household: Let me know when the ark is finished so that I may join you. Moses did not tell the Israelites in Egypt: I will meet you at the Red Sea. Get there the best way you can. Joshua never said: Let me know when the walls of Jericho fall. And Isaiah did not point to someone else and say: There he is! Send him. Isa. 6:.

5 What points from this week s Bible reading can I use in the field ministry? *** w16 March pp Can You Help in Your Congregation? *** We do not have any of the 12 apostles of Jesus with us on earth today, but many servants of Jehovah manifest a missionary spirit. To the invitation to expand their preaching work, they respond: Here I am! Send me! (Isa. 6:) Some, such as thousands of graduates of Gilead School, have moved to faraway lands. Others have moved to a different area of their native country. Many have learned a new language in order to be part of congregations and groups looking after the needs of those speaking that language. These brothers and sisters who move to where there is a particular need or who learn a new language may not have had the most favorable circumstances and may not have had an easy time. They needed a spirit of self-sacrifice to manifest their love for Jehovah and for their neighbor. Having calculated the cost, they gave of themselves to help. (Luke 14:2-30) Brothers and sisters taking such steps are filling a real need. *** w15 4/15 p. 12 par. 11 How Elders Train Others to Become Qualified *** 11 Take time to develop a friendly relationship with the brother. Let him know that he is needed in the congregation. Then, over the course of time, sit down with him to reason on specific scriptures and help him think about his dedication to Jehovah. (Eccl. 5:4; Isa. 6:; Matt. 6:24, 33; Luke 9:57-62; 1 Cor. 15:5; 2 Cor. 5:15; 13:5) You might ask him, What did you promise Jehovah when you dedicated yourself to him? Try to stir his heart by asking, How do you think Jehovah must have felt when you got baptized? (Prov. 27:11) What were Satan s feelings? (1 Pet. 5:) Never underestimate how deeply a brother can be affected by the reading of carefully selected Bible passages. Read Hebrews 4:12. *** w15 10/1 p. 16 Bible Questions Answered *** Who can eliminate poverty? God has appointed his Son, Jesus, to rule over all mankind. (Psalm 2:4-) Jesus will rescue the poor and bring an end to oppression and violence. Read Psalm 72:, As the foretold Prince of Peace, Jesus will establish world peace and security. Then all on earth will live in their own home, enjoy satisfying work, and have plenty to eat. Read Isaiah 9:6, 7; 65:21-23.

6 *** w15 12/1 pp Was Peter the First Pope? *** *** w14 2/1 p. 7 The True Culprit Behind War and Suffering *** How did Peter himself understand Jesus words? Growing up an Israelite, Peter would have been familiar with various Hebrew prophecies speaking of a stone or a cornerstone. (Isaiah :13, 14; 2:16; Zechariah 3:9) When he quoted one of them in a letter to his fellow believers, Peter explained that the prophesied cornerstone was the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Peter used the Greek term pe tra (the same word found in Jesus statement at Matthew 16:1) for Christ alone. 1 Peter 2:4-. In the light of Bible prophecy, you have reason to trust that Jesus Christ, our heavenly King, will soon break up the works of the Devil. (1 John 3:) Many millions already pray for God s Kingdom to come. Do you? Thanks to that Kingdom, faithful people will finally see God s will not Satan s being done on earth. (Matthew 6:9, 10) Under God s Kingdom, there will never again be a world war or any wars at all! (Psalm 46:9) Learn about that Kingdom, and live to see the time when peace will fill the earth! Isaiah 9:6, 7. *** w14 2/15 p. 12 par. 1 Rejoice Over the Marriage of the Lamb! *** 1 During his Millennial Reign, Christ will become a father to others also. In fact, all earth s inhabitants who receive everlasting life will gain it because they exercise faith in Jesus ransom sacrifice. (John 3:16) He thus becomes their Eternal Father. Isa. 9:6, 7. *** w14 7/15 pp par. 13 You Will Be Witnesses of Me *** So let us never give up. Rather, may we be determined to be true to our dedication as Satan s system crashes in ruins. (Isa. 6:11) We cannot do this in our own strength, but following the example of the early Christians, we must pray that Jehovah by means of his spirit will give us the power beyond what is normal. Read 2 Corinthians 4:1, 7; Luke 11:13. *** w14 /15 pp par. 14 How Jehovah Draws Close to Us *** 14 Consider also what Jehovah had Isaiah write about himself. After seeing a vision of God s glory, the prophet was moved to say about his own sinfulness: Woe to me! I am as good as dead, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies himself! (Isa. 6:5) What angel would have been prompted to utter such words? But Isaiah could, and we can relate to how he felt.

7 *** w14 10/1 p. 4 God s Kingdom What It Means to Jesus *** Why did the Kingdom mean so much to Jesus when he was on the earth? For one thing, Jesus knew that God had selected him to be its Ruler. (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 22:2-30) But Jesus was not focused on achieving power or glory for himself. (Matthew 11:29; Mark 10:17, 1) He promoted the Kingdom for reasons far beyond his own interests. Primarily, Jesus was and is interested in God s Kingdom because of what it will do for those whom he loves his heavenly Father and his faithful followers. *** w13 6/1 p. 16 Bible Questions Answered *** Who will establish peace on earth? Almighty God has promised to establish a single government to rule over all mankind. It will replace human governments. (Daniel 2:44) God s Son, Jesus, will rule as the Prince of Peace. He will eliminate evil from all the earth and will teach people the way of peace. Read Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:4, 9. Already, under Jesus direction, millions worldwide are using God s Word, the Bible, to teach people how to be at peace with others. Soon, world peace will be a reality. Read Isaiah 2:3, 4; 54:13. *** w13 /15 p. 11 par. Never Become Enraged Against Jehovah *** Hardships and difficulties may discourage us. (Read Isaiah :21, 22.) In Isaiah s day, the nation of Judah found themselves in dire straits. They were surrounded by enemies. Food was scarce. Many were hungry. But more important, there was a spiritual famine. (Amos :11) Instead of looking to Jehovah for help in dealing with these hardships, however, they started to call down evil on their king and on their God. Yes, they blamed Jehovah for their problems. If we are beset by tragedy or personal problems, might we likewise say in our heart, Where was Jehovah when I needed him?

8 *** w12 1/1 p. 16 Does the Bible Foretell the Future? *** 1. Are Bible prophecies specific? Only Almighty God can foresee the future in detail. (Amos 3:7) For example, since early times, he foretold the arrival of someone called the Messiah, or Christ. The Messiah would be a descendant of the faithful man Abraham. He would be a ruler who would make it possible for obedient humans to regain the blessing of perfect life free of disease. (Genesis 22:1; Isaiah 53:4, 5) This Promised One was to come from Bethlehem. Read Micah 5:2. Jesus proved to be the Messiah. Over seven centuries in advance, the Bible foretold that the Messiah would be born of a virgin and would be despised. He would give his life for the sins of many, and he would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 7:14; 53:3, 9, 12) The Bible also proclaimed, over five centuries in advance, that he would enter Jerusalem on a donkey and that he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Every detail came true. Read Zechariah 9:9; 11:12. *** w12 7/1 p. 17 How Do Spirit Creatures Affect Us? *** 4. How do demons mislead people? Satan has deceived many people by teaching that the dead become spirits that can communicate with them. The Bible, however, says that the dead can do nothing at all. (Ecclesiastes 9:5) But demons often deceive people by imitating the voice of dead loved ones. (Isaiah :19) Demons mislead others through spirit mediums, fortune-tellers, and practicers of divination and astrology. God s Word warns us to avoid all such practices. So we should discard anything in our possession that is related to the demons and the occult. Read Deuteronomy 1:10, 11; Acts 19:19. If we love Jehovah, we do not need to live in fear of the demons. When we study God s Word and do as it says, we oppose the Devil and draw close to God. Jehovah is more powerful than the demons. His faithful angels can strengthen us in time of need. Read Psalm 34:7; James 4:7,.

9 *** w11 /15 pp par. They Waited for the Messiah *** *** w10 10/1 pp. 7-4 What About? *** The Messiah would be born of a virgin. (Read Isaiah 7:14.) The Hebrew word bethu lahʹ means virgin, but another term (ʽal mahʹ) appears at Isaiah 7:14. There it was prophesied that the maiden [ha ʽal mahʹ] would give birth to a son. The word ʽal mahʹ is applied to the maiden Rebekah before her marriage. (Gen. 24:16, 43) Under inspiration, Matthew used the Greek word for virgin (par theʹnos) when showing that Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled in connection with the birth of Jesus. The Gospel writers Matthew and Luke state that Mary was a virgin who became pregnant through the operation of God s spirit. Matt. 1:1-25; Luke 1: Today, there is much confusion among religious teachers about God s Kingdom. But as Jesus listeners knew, God s prophets had long foretold that the Messiah, a Savior chosen by God, would rule a Kingdom that would change the world. (Isaiah 9:6, 7; Daniel 2:44) It will sanctify God s name by exposing Satan s lies and then overthrowing Satan and all his works. God s Kingdom will put an end to war, sickness, famine even death itself. (Psalm 46:9; 72:12-16; Isaiah 25:; 33:24) When you pray for God s Kingdom to come, you are praying for all those promises to come true. *** w10 10/1 p. 24 A Kingdom That Will Change the Whole Earth *** God s Kingdom is a heavenly government. At Isaiah 9:6, the Bible talks about the Ruler of this government. Notice what it says about him: There has been a child born to us,... and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called... Prince of Peace.