Today’s passage: Isaiah 28:14-29

Helpful thoughts:

• Remember, this previous word about Ephraim was for the eyes and ears of Judah.  Judah were the people being warned.
• Check out these other passages that share this idea (Or quote this passage) of the cornerstone:
  • 1 Peter 2:4-8
  • Psalm 118:19-24
  • Romans 9:30-33
• If the cornerstone is not perfectly straight and square, the whole building will fall.  Jesus is the perfect cornerstone!

Questions to consider:

1. Why do people stumble over this stone which is the Cornerstone?  Why do we want to establish our own foundation and measuring lines (Our own definition of righteousness and our own version of justice)?
2. What will trusting in God’s plan and provision of Jesus bring?
3. What will trusting in different stones and measurements bring?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 28:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

• The “drunkenness of Ephraim carried through the people, the kings, even the priests and prophets.  No leaders could be trusted.  The people of Israel could not learn God’s word because their own leaders couldn’t teach it.
• The words in verse 10 (“Precept”, “Line”, Here a “little”) are all one syllable words in the Hebrew.
  • Isaiah is implying that the teachers in Israel are so drunk they can only make out one syllable words and speak so slowly and unintelligibly that they speak as if to babies…who can only babble back in kind.
    • As a result, God promises to use the Gentiles to teach Judah His Word, in the same way He taught Israel.  But He isn’t talking about preaching.  He’s talking about the Assyrians (For Israel) and Babylonians (For Judah) coming in to bring judgment.
• The words (or letters) from verse 10 are repeated in verse 13 (“Precepts”, “lines”, “here a little”).  And are translated as the same words in English.  However, remember that these words or letters are now being said by the foreign tongues of invading enemies.
  • When compared to the language of the Assyrians, these words would have been translated as, “Go out”, “Wait”, “Servant listen”.  These are simplistic instructions being given to a people who are now the servants of their conquerors.

Questions to consider:

1. A person may believe they are swallowing down the wine (Or, that they are in control of their sinful actions).  But, how does verse 7 correct this perspective?  What is swallowing and who is being swallowed?
2. Is this passage given to help us learn how to have a good teaching ministry or is it meant to tell Judah how they will be humbled in judgment?  Why is context so important when we use verses from here or there for instruction?  What dangers could arise when we take verses out of context?
3. What does God insert in verses 5-6?  What “proud crown” must we be rid of in order to enjoy the “crown of glory”?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 27

Helpful thoughts:

• Verse 1 could be the conclusion of what transpires in chapter 26.  God defeating the enemy of His people.
• God will one day have no more reason or cause of wrath.  Even if someone would look for thorns, there would be none to find…God will have judged and removed all sin.
• Verse 9 gives a great example of conversion.
  • Israel was in sin.
  • Through God’s (temporary) judgment, people see their need of repentance.
  • When they turn to God, their sins are atoned for. (Ultimately by the blood of Jesus!)
  • Then there is fruit of their conversion.  They change!
    • The fruit seen in these specific people was the destruction of their idolatrous stones, poles, and altars.  They destroyed everything that had been used to worship false gods.
• Those who remained in and trusted in their fortified cities will not enjoy the same end.

Questions to consider:

1. How does this passage encourage the use of discipline?  What was the result of those who God removed from man-made fortification?  What was the result of those who continued to trust in their man-made fortification? (Hebrews 12:5-6)
2. How does the “Vine” come to be without thorns and briers?  Who deserves the glory for your salvation? (Ephesians 2:8-9)
3. What does a person progressively become after they repent and their sins are forgiven? (Ephesians 2:10)

Today’s passage: Isaiah 26

Helpful thoughts:

• “In that day” again refers to the end times.  This is either a song of remembrance of what the Lord has done, which will be sung in the day of the New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem.  Or, it will be sung in Judah, during the millennial kingdom, prior to the final judgment. (Either way…good lyrics!)
• Beholding the zeal and glory of the Lord results in a heart that seeks/desires to know God even more, which results in a heart that desires to honor and obey Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Questions to consider:

1. How does verse 12 agree with Ephesians 2:8-9?  By whose righteous works are we counted as being righteous?
2. How do you know that you trust something?  When is your trust proven, during times of ease or times of testing/distress?  Do you trust God?
3. Why does it make sense to trust in God alone (Verse 4)?  Why do we place our trust elsewhere in the heat of the moment?  What is revealed about our hearts/affections/thinking/desires when we place our trust elsewhere?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 25

Helpful thoughts:

• Things man can’t do.
  • Once and for all put down the taunts of the ruthless
  • Bring the world together in celebration and praise
  • Give people eyes to see and believe
  • Swallow up death
  • Wipe all tears away
  • Remove the reproach believers endure on this earth
• Things God can and will do.
  • Once and for all put down the taunts of the ruthless
  • Bring the world together in celebration and praise
  • Give people eyes to see and believe
  • Swallow up death
  • Wipe all tears away
  • Remove the reproach believers endure on this earth

Questions to consider:

1. What did you notice about these lists?  Did you find anything else in the passage that is not listed here that would fit?
2. Is it wrong to want our reproach taken away in this world (To want acceptance as followers of Jesus)?  When does our desire for our reproach to be removed become self-centered and even sinful?
3. What will it be like when God fulfills all of these promises?  What will living be like?  What will being sinless be like?  How can meditating on these questions grow your love, affection, and eager expectation for Jesus?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 24

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter depicts the time of final judgment against sin of all on the earth AND in the heavens (Fallen angels – The hosts of heaven, verse 21) and the subsequent reign of the King of Kings!
• This time of judgment will elicit praise and worship from some and cries of anguish from others.  These responses coming from the few that remain alive.
  • Those who will be praising God will come from the nations, east to west.  This may have been taken in stark contrast to the people of Judah in Isaiah’s day who simply refused to repent and turn to God.  This explains Isaiah’s response, “But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me!”
• Verses 21-22 are a brief description of what we learn from Revelation 20.

Questions to consider:

1. Why might it seem harsh or unfitting for God’s worshipers to rejoice during the final judgment of the world?  Why would it seem appropriate?
2. What kind of effect should this prophecy have on a people who were seeking to find hope and security in the nations and peoples that God was going to destroy?  How should Judah have responded to this prophecy?
3. How should we respond?  Why can we rejoice and give praise to the LORD of hosts in the midst of this world?  How can we look forward and say with the Apostle John, “Come Lord Jesus!”? (Revelation 22:20)

Today’s passage: Isaiah 23

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter completes a series of ten consecutive chapters of oracles from nations in the east (Babylon) to the west (Tyre).
• The consistent threads can be found in verse 9.
  • God is the LORD of hosts.  He will never know defeat.
  • Man will be judged for his pride.  Pride comes before the fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
• Israel and Judah had been told to be holy, set apart unto God, among these nations.  Instead they had come to rely upon them for their safety, worship their gods, and were living with the same pride.
  • God gave Isaiah these oracles not to warn all the surrounding nations, but to remind Judah of who they were and who He is.
• The mention of Tyre prostituting herself again in verse 17 is actually a reference to a song or story from those days that evidently would have been known.  The story is of an aging prostitute who has been forgotten and then has to go out to the streets to sing suggestive songs to try to lure in new “customers”.  Sad…
  • Tyre will likewise have to try to lure customers back to her shores to get back in business after the seventy years are over.

Questions to consider:

1. What did financial wealth and the feeling of security it brought do for the people of Tyre?  How might it have brought about their sinful pride?
2. Why would everyone else be weeping over the fall of Tyre?  Was it the people they loved our something else?  What did they all lose when this financial hub fell apart?  Why would this then be compared to prostitution?
3. In what ways could the wealth of our nation be seen as a hindrance to our spiritual growth?  In what ways has our wealth been a blessing?  Is it the money that makes things bad or good, or the condition of our hearts when we possess it and use it?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 22

Helpful thoughts:

• “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” has been used often to justify living in the moment…sort of a “You only live once” kind of statement.  However, in this context, it is used to describe an open act of rebellion and indifference to God.  The people chose, even in their last days before judgment, to refuse repentance.
• The rebuke of Shebna (Vs. 15-25) serves as an individual example of what Judah, as a nation, was living like as a whole.
  •  Shebna was serving over the household of David, and was preparing to make a monument to himself while the household he was overseeing was about to be destroyed.
• God gave Judah several reasons and prophecies to encourage them to trust in Him and not their human alliances or power to save them.  They chose to ignore them.

Questions to consider:

1. Why does the life philosophy of living in the moment and considering death as the end ring hollow for the Christian?  How should the reality of eternal life affect how you think about today?
2. What is the motivation of a leader if his desire is to build a monument to himself?  How is leadership far different than awards and praise?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 21

Helpful thoughts:

• The “Wilderness of the Sea” was a name for a region in the Babylonian empire.
• Judah, before being defeated by Babylon, had been an ally with the nation.  This is why there would be weeping and anguish as it is depicted in verses 3 and 4.
  • Therefore, verses 1-10 are very similar in meaning to the previous chapter.  Neither Egypt or Babylon were the answer for Judah.  They needed to trust in God, not foreign nations.
• Verses 11-12 picture the people of Edom (Along the trade routes between warring nations) asking when the time of turmoil will end, yet with no answer.
• Verses 13-17 prophesy a southern campaign of Dedanites versus the people of Kedar (Descendants of Ishmael).  The people of the Arabian peninsula are to be prepared to care for those who are being pushed further south.
  • The contents of verses 11-17 should be considered separate prophecies from verses 1-10

Questions to consider:

1. What would the intended audience of these messages (The people of Judah) be reminded of after hearing/reading these prophecies?  Who is over Babylon?  Does God even consider the less powerful, more historically obscure desert nations?
2. What do we learn about God when we consider his attention to and knowledge of all these people groups and events and times and how each nation affects all the others (Past, present and future)?
3. What other things are going to take place in the future because the “LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken”?  What can we look forward to with all confidence and eager expectation?

Today’s passage: Isaiah 20

Helpful thoughts:

• Historical background: At this time, the Philistines, Egyptians and Judah were all under the thumb (To different extents) of Assyria.  The city of Ashdod (A Philistine city) had just been taken after a “rebellious” act and Egypt, whom the Philistines had aligned themselves with, was next, along with Cush.
  • Isaiah is telling the people of Judah not to make the same mistake.  Egypt couldn’t help the Philistines and they wouldn’t be able to help Judah either.
• In wearing sackcloth prior to God’s instructions, Isaiah evidenced he was already in a state of mourning.
• Isaiah was to share this prophecy through nakedness (The state of those who were to be taken captive for the purpose of humiliation) for three years.
  • Isaiah did not have to remain naked for three years straight, 24/7…
  • There would have been times, places, people that were to receive this sign and prophecy over a three year period.
  • Just because God gave Isaiah this highly unusual task, does not mean that it should be normalized or expected from people today.  It was a humiliation, it still is a humiliation.
    • That was the point.  As the people of Egypt and Cush will be led away in nakedness, so will the people of Judah (Isaiah being the example) if they should seek protection from Egypt.

Questions to consider:

1. What is God telling the people of Judah through this prophecy?  Who were they to trust in?
2. In what way would the sign of nakedness even the playing field as far as viewing the different peoples as superior or inferior?  Were the Egyptians superior to Judah?  Were the Assyrians even superior?  What did they all have in common?  Were any of them on a level where they could compete with the LORD of hosts?
3. Jesus promised that Christians would have tribulation and persecution in this world. (John 16:33, John 15:20)  So, to say that if we trust God nothing bad like losing a battle or being taken captive will ever happen to us would be a wrong application.  But, what does Romans 8:31-39 teach us?