1 Introduction to Isaiah 15 April 2008. 2 Isaiahs Ministry Started at the end of Uzziahs reign (740-739 BC) Continued during Jothams reign (739-731 BC)

1

Introduction to Isaiah

15 April 2008

2

Isaiah’s Ministry

Started at the end of Uzziah’s reign (740-739 BC)

Continued during Jotham’s reign (739-731 BC)

Continued during Ahaz’s reign (731-715 BC)

Continued during Hezekiah’s reign (715-686 BC)

Ended during Manasseh’s reign (686-??? BC)

3

Isaiah

Name: Means “the Lord has saved”

Home: Probably Jerusalem

Family: May have been related to the royal house of Judah

Married to a woman he called the “prophetess”

Father of two sons: Shear-Jashub Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz

4

Isaiah

Occupation Official of King Uzziah of Judah; later called by God to be a prophet

Best Known As An Old Testament prophet who clearly predicted the coming of the Messiah

Traditional End May have been executed by the wicked King Manasseh by being placed in a log that was then sawed in two (see Heb. 11:37)

5

The Book of Isaiah

Resembles the Bible in miniature

Total 66 chapters, 39+27=66

Key word: Salvation

Messianic prophecies: more than any other O.T. writer – 700 years before Christ!

Quoted in N.T. far more than any other prophet

Mentioned 21 times by name in the N.T.

6

Book of Isaiah Outline Chapters 1-35

Prophecies of condemnation

Chapters 35-39

A brief history of Hezekiah’ssalvation, sickness and sin

Chapters 40-66

Prophecies of comfort and hope

7

Famous Verses in Isaiah

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

(Isaiah 64:6 NIV)

8

Famous Verses in Isaiah

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

(Isaiah 1:18 NIV)

9

Isa. 64:6 & 1:18 Application

Believe that God judges sin and that nobody will be glad they sinned in eternity

Confess and repent of sin daily and live a holy life

Ask God to forgive you and cleanse you

10

Famous Verses in Isaiah

“… I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted …” “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.”

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 6:1-8 NIV)

11

Isa. 6:1-8 Application

Be like Isaiah and confess your sinfulness

Be like Isaiah and be available to be used by God in whatever way He desires, especially:

Tell people about sin, judgment, hell, Jesus’ blood and repentance

Offer hope to those who trust and obey Jesus

12

Famous Verses in Isaiah

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right.”

(Isaiah 7:14,15 NIV, ~742 B.C.)

13

Isa. 7:14,15 Application

Praise God for His perfect plan of salvation, made long before it happened.

14

Famous Verses in Isaiah

“… In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan – The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

(Isaiah 9:1,2 NIV, ~740 B.C.)

15

Isa. 9:1,2 Application

Meditate on how wonderful it was that God would become a man and walk on earth with sinners to show some His light

16

Famous Verses in Isaiah

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [“day star”], son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

(Isaiah 14:12-15 KJV)

17

Isa. 14:12-15 Application

Keep in mind that the “self-made man” or woman is following Satan’s path and that we only have success because God gives it to us.

Learn about spiritual warfare and how Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14)

18

Famous Verses in Isaiah

“… The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

(Isaiah 29:13 NIV, quoted by Jesus in Mk. 7:6,7)

19

Isa. 29:13 Application

Worship God with all your heart and in actions, not just songs

Watch out for man-made rules that distract us from obeying God’s commands

Confess and turn from sin, and do works that show the fruit of repentance

20

Famous Verses in Isaiah

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.

(Isaiah 40:8 NIV)

21

Isa. 40:8 Application

Store up God’s word in your heart every day through listening, reading, studying, memorizing and meditating

22

Famous Verses in Isaiah

Everyone who is called by My name,whom I have created for My glory;I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

(Isaiah 43:7 KJV)

23

Isa. 43:7 Application

Evaluate your motives regularly to see if you are seeking God’s glory or your own.

Confess any actions, words or motives intended to obtain praise from people

24

Famous Verses in Isaiah

This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains … so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I call you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.”

(Isaiah 45:1-5 NIV, ~712 B.C., re: King Cyrus, ~536 B.C.)

25

Isa. 45:1-5 Application

Accept that God works and speaks through both believers and unbelievers to accomplish His purposes

Watch the news for what God is doing for the nation of Israel and praise God as you see His plan unfolding, even through unbelieving Jews.

26

Famous Verses in Isaiah

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV)

27

Famous Verses in Isaiah

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

(Isaiah 53:6,7 NIV)

28

Isa 53:3-7 Application

Thank Jesus for His great sacrifice and example

Try to be like Jesus and be meek or silent when you are insulted or mistreated

29

Famous Verses in Isaiah

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

(Isaiah 55:10,11 NIV)

30

Isa. 55:10,11 Application

Memorize the Word of God and share it with everyone you know.

Believe that the power is in the message, not the messenger.

31

Famous Verses in Isaiah

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

(Isaiah 59:1,2 NIV)

32

Isa. 59:1,2 Application

Don’t expect God to answer your prayers if you are living in disobedience

Tell others that sins separates people from God

33

Famous Verses in Isaiah

This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

(Isaiah 66:1,2 NIV)

34

Isa. 66:1,2 Application

Like Isaiah, be humble, contrite and tremble at God’s word

35

The End