Get Ready
A prophet is a person who is designated by God to speak God’s message to other people. Often the message is about what God expects from his people and what will happen if the people obey God and what will happen if they disobey. Sometimes the message involves predictions of future events.
Author
Most scholars believe that Isaiah, the prophet of Judah, wrote at least the first section (chapters 1-39) of this book, and many believe that he wrote the second section (chapters 40-66) as well. But another group insists that an unknown person wrote the last portion of the book.
The advocates for a “Second Isaiah” point to differences in subject, tone and language and argue the second section was written for the Jews who were captive in Babylon two hundred years after the time Isaiah was prophesying in Judah. However, there are several phrases that are unique to Isaiah that are found throughout the book. Further, the prophet wrote about the future of the Jews in Judah – first the coming trials and destruction of the kingdom and second the subsequent homecoming and restoration.
Isaiah’s name means “God is salvation.” He identifies himself as “the son of Amoz,” [1:1]; he was married with two children. His writing gives evidence of education and probably some wealth.
Context
Isaiah reports that he was called through a vision to prophesy in 736 BCE, [6:1]. He preached to four kings (Azariah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah) and prophesied for nearly fifty years.
The northern kingdom of Israel was defeated by the Assyrians early in Isaiah’s work (722 BCE). He spoke against any alliances with Egypt to maintain Judah’s existence and urged the king to trust in God for protection. In fact, he prophesied that God would send the Assyrian army home before it could attack Judah [30:27-33 – which actually happened, check 2 Kings 21].
Even though three of the kings “did what was right,” the people still worshipped foreign idols and King Ahaz actually led such sacrifices. As a result Isaiah prophesied about God’s coming judgment on Judah and on the rest of the world as well.
Structure
There are two primary sections of this book, as mentioned above. Section 1 [chapters 1-39] focuses on the kingdom of Judah and its coming destruction because of the people’s refusal to follow God’s commandments. Section 2 [chapters 40-66] deals with Isaiah’s vision of the coming Messiah – his suffering on behalf of the people and his redemptive sacrifice for their salvation.
Just as the first part is filled with warnings and predictions of disaster and suffering, the second part provides messages of comfort and hope.
Major Themes
God’s plan for his creation is the over-arching subject of Isaiah – both in his preaching and in his book. Isaiah presents two primary messages:
- God is holy and expects his people to be holy
- God will redeem and restore his people.
Isaiah opens his book with God’s charge against the Jewish people: Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me, [1:2]. He calls Israel a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly, [1:4]. He prophesies against all the kingdoms and peoples of the region and aims Chapter 24 at the entire earth.
However, even while condemning Judah and Jerusalem for their wickedness and idolatry, Isaiah records God’s promise of redemption: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool, [1:18]. This pattern of warning and woe coupled with comfort and promise repeats throughout the first 39 chapters.
At Chapter 40 there is an abrupt shift in tone and subject: Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins, [40:1-2].
The immediate subject is the Israelites’ release from their Babylonian captivity and return to Jerusalem; but the future subject is clearly our salvation through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah focuses on the promise of restoration – from Babylon and from sin – for the rest of the book. He presents Christ as God’s “suffering servant,” who will pay the price of sin for God’s people [chapter 53] and the “light to the nations” who will establish a new kingdom of comfort, peace and prosperity. (In fact, some call Isaiah the “fifth Gospel” because he refers so often to the coming Messiah.)
Along the way Isaiah describes the peace and abundant life that God offers his people, the difference between true and false worship, and punishment for oppression and injustice. He even gives us a preview of the “new creation” that John will develop in more detail in the last book of the Bible.
Get into the Word
1. Who wrote this book? Why is there some disagreement on the author? What evidence supports this point of view? What supports a single author for the entire book? What do we know about the author?
2. When do the events in the book take place? What are the major events? When was the book probably written? Who were the major leaders at this time? How did they affect the content of this book?
3. What are the primary parts of the book? What do they deal with? How are they different from each other?
Bible Trivia . . .
The book of Isaiah mirrors the Bible in structure: there are 39 chapters in the first part, just as there are 39 books in the Old Testament; and part two has 27 chapters – the number of books in the New Testament.
4. What are the major messages of this book? What do the messages say about God? About his plan for creation?
5. How does Isaiah open the book? Who is he prophesying about? How does he describe these people? How do you suppose they felt about this? How would you react if you had been there? Did this prophecy make a difference?
6. How does the book shift for the second section? What is the subject now? What is different about the tone? Who is Isaiah talking about? How does he describe this individ- ual? What is the ultimate purpose of Isaiah’s prophecy in this section?
More Bible Trivia . . .
Isaiah is probably the oldest part of the Bible that we have today. In 1947 some Bedouin shepherds discovered many scrolls in a cave near the Dead Sea. One of the scrolls was 24 feet long – pieces of leather sown together – it was dated to 200 BCE. It contained almost the entire book of Isaiah, much older than the copies from 1000 CE that scholars had been using. The other surprising thing is the very few differences between the very old version and the version 1200 years later.
7. What other subjects does Isaiah touch on in the second part of the book? How do these topics fit with the primary messages of the book? How do they affect our understanding of God and salvation?
33: Impending judgment on the earth —
Isaiah 24:1-23
Get Ready
If you could peek into your future, what would you like to know (other than the time and manner of your death)? Why would you like to know this? Do you think knowing would change the way you live your life now? How would you do things differently?
The Word
24 Now the LORD is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate,
and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
as with the slave, so with his master;
as with the maid, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
3 The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word.
4 The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers;
the heavens languish together with the earth.
5 The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled,
and few people are left.
7 The wine dries up, the vine languishes,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
8 The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
9 No longer do they drink wine with singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10 The city of chaos is broken down,
every house is shut up so that no one can enter.
11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has reached its eventide;
the gladness of the earth is banished
12 Desolation is left in the city,
the gates are battered into ruins.
13 For thus it shall be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten,
as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.
14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; they shout from the west over the majesty of the LORD.
15 Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD;
in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One.
But I say, I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me!
For the treacherous deal treacherously,
the treacherous deal very treacherously.
17 Terror, and the pit, and the snare
are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
18 Whoever flees at the sound of the terror
shall fall into the pit;
and whoever climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare.
For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn asunder,
the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth staggers like a drunkard,
it sways like a hut;
its transgression lies heavy upon it,
and it falls, and will not rise again.
21 On that day the LORD will punish
the host of heaven in heaven,
and on earth the kings of the earth.
22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit;
they will be shut up in a prison,
and after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed,
and the sun ashamed;
for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
and before his elders he will manifest his glory.
Get into the Word:
1. What is the subject of this prophecy? What is going to happen? Who is going to do this? Why is this going to happen? Who is responsible for this situation? What have they done (or not done)?
2. Who is going to be affect- ed by this action? Will there be any differences among the people affected? Why do you suppose this is the case?
3. What will happen to the earth? What images does the prophet use to convey this destruction? Why do you think he chose these images? How do you react to these images? Would you have chosen different images?
4. How does Isaiah describe the city? How does it change? What happens to the people? How do you suppose the citizens of Jerusalem responded to these images?
5. Who is Isaiah talking about in verse 14? Why do you think he included this interlude [see Notes]? How does he respond to the idea of “joy”? Why?
6. How will the earthly leaders be punished? How does this compare to the prophecies in Revelation [see Notes]?
Get Personal:
How do you respond to the idea of extreme hardship? Do you think it would affect how you acted in the future? How does God help you understand the importance of following his direction?
Notes . . .
24:1. Lay waste the earth — this prophecy follows a series of judgments on specific nations, which were carried out through invasion by Assyria. In this Isaiah anticipates the judgment and devastation that John reports in Revelation [check Rev 6, 8-9, and 15-16].
24:2. As with . . . so with — everyone, regardless of position, will be subject to God’s judgment.
24:5. For they have . . . — sin – human selfishness and disobedience – is the reason for the judgment.
Everlasting covenant — scholars believe Isaiah is referring to the obligation we have as created beings to obey our creator.
24:6. A curse devours the earth — God told Adam “cursed is the ground because of [your sin],” [Gen 3:17].
24:14. They lift up — there will be a faithful remnant after the destruction who will rejoice and praise God.
24:16. But I say — Isaiah cannot rejoice because of the evil that he sees around him.
24:18. Windows . . . foundations — many ancient cultures believed that floods and earthquakes were signs that the gods were angry – and Isaiah’s audience would certainly know about God’s judgment through water in Genesis 6-9 (Noah).
24:21-22. On that day — again, Isaiah anticipates the punishment of evil in a way very similar to John’s vision in Revelation: And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, [19:20].
Memory Verse:
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool, [1:18].
Next Lesson:
Isaiah 53: The Suffering Servant.
