Introduction

• 1^st – Through the Bible…
  • Context…
    • We teach through the Bible INDUCTIVELY – book by book and verse by verse…
    • FIRST – because TOPICAL Bible studies [picking a topic – then backing it up with verses]
    • Has the danger of MISSING the CONTEXT of those verses…
    • It is easy to change the meaning of a single verse when taken out of CONTEXT!
    • One of the most important concepts in understanding the Bible is CONTEXT…
    • That is why we study the whole Bible – teachings chapter by chapter…
    • We learn the Bible in CONTEXT – to have an accurate understanding of the Word!
  • Whole Counsel…
    • If we teach TOPICALLY [or just certain books] we miss the WHOLE counsel…
    • Pastors will tend to teach on certain topics they LIKE and overlook ones they DISLIKE!
    • Every part of the Bible is Gods inspired Word – all of it is necessary – II Timothy 3:16
    • By teaching through the whole Bible – book by book – chapter by chapter…
    • We learn ALL of the Word – and focus on topics God deems important!
    • Acts 20:27 – “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
  • Old and New Testament…
    • We study the New Testament every Sunday morning – from Matthew to Revelation
    • And during the Midweek we study through the Old Testament – Genesis to Malachi
    • Because if we only hear the NT – we will miss out on about 75% of the Bible…
    • A good encouragement to get into both the Old and New testaments!
• 2^nd – Style of Writing…
  • Four Styles…
    • The Bible is broken up into TWO main sections – Old and New Testament…
    • The HEBREW Bible [Old Testament] is broken up into THREE sections…
    • They are written as the ACRONYM – the Tanakh…
    • TORAH [תּוֹרָה] Law – the NEVI-IM [נְבִיאִים] prophets – and the KETUVIM [כְּתוּבִים] writings…
    • Our Bible is divided by FOUR sections: History – Poetry – Prophecy – Doctrine…
    • Of the 39 book in the Old Testament – SEVENTEEN of them are prophetic…
    • FOUR major [more content]: Isaiah – Jeremiah [Lamentations] – Ezekiel – and Daniel…
    • TWELVE minor [less content]: Hosea – Joel – Amos – Obadiah – Jonah
    • Micah – Nahum – Habakkuk – Zephaniah – Haggai – Zechariah – and Malachi!
  • Not all doctrine…
    • Knowing the style you are studying is extremely important in interpreting the Bible…
    • We will interpret different styles of writing differently…
    • We must be careful taking doctrine out of books of history – poetry – or prophecy!
    • Ezekiel 4:15 – “I am giving you… human waste and you shall prepare your bread over it!”
    • God had Ezekiel cook his bread over human waste [poop]
    • This was done to get attention – so Ezekiel could give the people the Word of the Lord…
    • But just because Ezekiel did it – does NOT mean that is how we need to cook our food!
    • In the same way when we are reading the PROPHETIC books…
    • They were getting the attention of REBELLIOUS people – maybe NOT giving DOCTRINE…
    • We need to cross reference to the books of DOCTRINE to see if we NEED to do it!
• 3^rd – The prophets…
  • Rebellious people…
    • The prophets of Israel were sent by God to call Israel to repentance…
    • FIRST and foremost – through the preaching of the Word of God…
    • Because it is through the Word that we know the definition of GOOD – Romans 7:7
    • Just like people today – Israel thought they were GOOD people…
    • They did not see anything wrong with their idolatry – immorality…
    • Because they did NOT realize the standard of righteousness that God required…
    • So the prophets came to declare the Word of God to them – show them the need to REPENT!
  • Knowing the future…
    • But there was also an aspect of Prophets foretelling the FUTURE …
    • Not so much because God wanted His people to know what would happen in the FUTURE …
    • But so that when the FUTURE came – people would SEE God knew in advance…
    • Because only the Lord is outside of time – only He SEES the end from the beginning…
    • The prophecies in the Bible are His fingerprint proving He is the author of the Word!
    • Isaiah 46:9-10 – “I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like Me – Declaring the end from the beginning – and from ancient times things that are not yet done!”
  • Dual Fulfillment…
    • A challenge to interpreting PROPHETIC books is DUAL fulfillment…
    • Often when a PROPHET gave a word – it had both a NEAR and FAR fulfillment!
    • Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel!”
    • We know the VERSE [Christmas] – but we may NOT know the whole story…
    • 750 years before Jesus was born – during the period of the DIVIDED kingdom…
    • King Pekah of ISRAEL [19^th king] and King Rezin of SYRIA attacked the people of Judah…
    • God sent Isaiah to King Ahaz with this Word from the Lord – do NOT fear – Isaiah 7:4
    • But Ahaz did NOT believe the Word of the LORD – so God offered to give him a SIGN…
    • Yet Ahaz refused to even OBEY that command [proud] – he would NOT listen…
    • So the LORD gave him this SIGN – a YOUNG woman [עַלְמָה] would give BIRTH to son…
    • Nothing supernatural – but by the time the child got old enough to eat solid food [2-3 years]
    • Both the Kingdom of Israel and Syria would be defeated…
    • That would be the PROOF that God was with Judah [Immanuel]
    • Often Bible prophecies have DUAL fulfillment [makes them challenging]
    • This was fulfilled in the days of Isaiah [near fulfillment] – showing God was faithful…
    • He would be with His people – protecting them from their enemy – giving them VICTORY…
    • But the same prophecy also looked forward to Jesus [far fulfillment]
• 4^th – Time of the Prophets…
  • Not chronological….
    • The PROPHETS are some of the hardest books in the Bible to understand…
    • The reason is because we need to know WHEN they were writing…
    • They are often addressing HISTORICAL events taking place around them…
    • But their books are NOT in the Bible in CHRONOLOGICAL order [show QR code for chart] ✅
    • The FIRST of the PROPHETS was NOT Isaiah – it is thought to have been Joel [800 B.C.] ✅
    • And they go on to PROPHESY over the course of around THREE hundred years…
    • As FOUR kingdoms rise and fall around Israel: Syrian – Assyria – Babylon – Medo Persia ✅
  • The Divided Kingdom…
    • The PROPHETS are broken up into THREE groups…
    • FIRST – there were NINE prophets sent during the time of the DIVIDED Kingdom…
    • After the death of Solomon the Kingdom of Israel was split in TWO [930 B.C.]
    • The NORTHERN ten tribes [called Israel] were ruled at first by Jeroboam…
    • Judah and Benjamin [called Judah] were ruled at first by Rehoboam [son of Solomon]
    • Israel would NOT be reunited again as one nation until 1948 – Ezekiel 37:21-22
    • FORTY Kings would rule over the TWO kingdoms: TWENTY in Israel – TWENTY in Judah… 
    • This period of Israeli history is recorded in I and II Kings and II Chronicles
    • THREE prophets were against the NORTHERN Kingdom: Jonah – Amos – and Hosea ✅
    • They warned Israel to repent right up until their fall to Assyria [722 B.C.] – II Kings 17:6
    • SIX prophets were sent to warn the SOUTHERN Kingdom ✅
    • Isaiah – Micah – Nahum – Habakkuk – Joel – and Zephaniah…
    • They warned the SOUTHERN Kingdom until it was taken captive by Babylon [586 B.C.]
  • The Babylonian Exile…
    • SECOND – there were FOUR prophets sent during the Babylonian Captivity [70 years] ✅
    • There were THREE sieges of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon…
    • The first took place in 605 B.C. [Jehoiakim] – this is when DANIEL was taken captive…
    • The second was in 597 B.C. [Jehoiachin] – this is when EZEKIEL was taken captive…
    • The final siege was in 586 B.C. [Zedekiah] – led to the destruction of the Temple and exile…
    • It was during this captivity that Jeremiah – Obadiah – Ezekiel – and Daniel were written…
    • Jeremiah wrote to the people of Judah – from Jerusalem…
    • Ezekiel wrote to the people of Judah – from the captivity in Babylon…
    • Daniel wrote to both Jews and Gentiles [partially written in Aramaic] – from Babylon…
    • Obadiah is a ONE chapter book written as judgment of EDOM!
  • The post exile Kingdom…
    • THIRD – there were THREE prophets sent AFTER the Babylonian Captivity ✅
    • When the Jews returned to the Land [536 B.C.] – fulfilling the prophecy of – Jeremiah 29:10
    • The captives returned to Judah in THREE waves – Zerubbabel – Ezra – and Nehemiah…
    • This was the time of the POST exile prophets: Haggai – Zechariah – and Malachi!
• 5^th – Outline of Isaiah…
  • Two sections…
    • The book of ISAIAH is divided into TWO very simple sections…
    • FIRST – the Judgement of God – Isaiah 1-39
    • SECOND – the Salvation of God – Isaiah 40-66
    • It is worth noting that the division does line up with the OT and NT…
    • As there are 39 books in the OT – and there are 27 books in the NT…
    • NOTE: chapter markers were NOT added to the Bible until 1227 A.D. [Stephen Langton]
  • Judgement…
    • FIRST section of the BOOK there is a powerful WARNING…
    • God is going to JUDGE the world because of their SIN…
    • He will begin with JUDAH – where the TEMPLE stood – Isaiah 1-5
    • But God would NOT stop there – He would go on the JUDGE all the nations…
    • In what is called the ORACLES of the nations – Isaiah list TEN kingdoms – Isaiah 13-23
    • From Ephraim [Northern kingdom] – to Babylon – Assyria – Philistia – Moab – Egypt!
    • Everyone will have to stand one day before Jesus – either in GRACE or WRATH…
    • GRACE – means God was willing to do ANYTHING to SAVE us from our sin…
    • WRATH – means He will NOT rest until those who REJECT the GOSPEL are JUDGED…
    • SINCE we know there are ONLY two ways the story ends – we need to warn EVERYONE!
    • II Corinthians 5:11 – “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord – we persuade men.”
  • Salvation…
    • But the book is NOT just about JUDGEMENT – there is also HOPE…
    • Even in the FIRST section we are given the PROMISE of the Messiah – Isaiah 9:6
    • And the SECOND section goes on to elaborate about His sacrifice to save us…
    • Isaiah is the MOST quoted Prophet in the New Testament [65 direct quotes]
    • Including verses that are directly connected to our hope of salvation through Jesus!
    • When Philip was called by God to go into the DESERT – Acts 8:26
    • He saw an Ethiopian official who was riding in a chariot [only person around]
    • The man was reading from the Prophet Isaiah – but could NOT understand it…
    • The passage he just happened to be in – was all about Jesus Christ!
    • Isaiah 53:7 – “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter… [but] opened not His mouth.”
    • People often accuse the Bible of having TWO different messages…
    • One from the OLD Testament that is focused on JUDGMENT and WRATH…
    • The other from the NEW Testament that is focused on LOVE and GRACE…
    • But the truth is the God has NEVER – and will NEVER change – Hebrews 13:8
    • There has always been a message of GRACE to those who REPENT and run to the Lord…
    • And there will always be JUDGEMENT for those who are REBELLIOUS and reject Him!
  • Millennial Kingdom
    • Isaiah also had incredible insights into the Millennial Kingdom… 
    • NO other prophet in Bible gives us as much detail [including John in the NT]
    • He is unmatched in the length – richness – and clarity when it comes to describing it…
    • If we want to KNOW how the STORY will end – Isaiah tells us in vivid detail!
    • EVERY nation will come to worship in Zion – Isaiah 2:3
    • During the 1000 year REIGN of the Messiah [Jesus] in Jerusalem – Isaiah 9:7
    • When PEACE will define His reign over the world [lion and lamb] – Isaiah 11:6
    • Until the END – when He will fold up this world like old clothing – Isaiah 51:6
    • And then God will created a NEW heaven and NEW earth – Isaiah 66:22
    • There are a LOT of churches today who avoid the Old Testament…
    • They have the mindset the ALL they need to know can be found in the NT…
    • But the truth is – they are missing out on the MAJORITY of the Bible…
    • There are a LOT of details that can ONLY be found in the Old Testament!

• Prophet Isaiah… vs. 1
  • 1^st – The Vision…
    • Open your eyes…
      • The opening word in ISAIAH – is the word VISION [חָזוֹן] – 35x in OT
      • The word comes from the root verb – to SEE [חָזָה]
      • The idea is the LORD opened up the EYES of Isaiah so he could see…
      • And EVERYTHING that God SHOWED to Isaiah he wrote down…
      • Because it was NOT just about Isaiah having his eyes opened – others also needed to SEE!
    • Need to see…
      • FIRST time the word VISION [חָזוֹן] appears – they were rare in the days of Eli – I Samuel 3:1
      • SECOND time – Nathan the Prophet told David to build a TEMPLE – I Chronicles 17:15
      • And when know that if there is no VISION [חָזוֹן] – the people act WILD – Proverbs 29:18
      • After Jesus healed the BLIND man – John 9:7
      • He told those around Him that He had come to help the BLIND to see…
      • And to show those who THINK they can see – that they are really BLIND!
      • John 9:39 – “That those who do not see may see – and those who see may be made blind.”
      • The problem with the world is they think they KNOW what life is about…
      • They have been taught their whole lives all they need is an EDUCATION and MONEY…
      • But they BLIND to what will happen AFTER this life…
      • They NEVER stop to ASK – what will they do when they have to STAND before God!
  • 2^nd – The Author…
    • His name…
      • The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz!
      • ISAIAH [יְשַׁעְיָה] – a compound word meaning – GOD [יָהּ] is SAVES [יָשַׁע]
      • Had a fitting name considering how much he wrote about Jesus [יְשׁוּעָה]
    • His Father…
      • ISAIAH was the son of Amoz [אָמוֹץ] – not the same as the Prophet Amos…
      • Although this is NOT mentioned in the Bible…
      • Jewish tradition says that ISAIAH was part of the Royal line [cousin of Uzziah]
      • If true he would have grown up in the Royal court and seen much of moral failures of Judah!
    • His Family…
      • It would also appear that ISAIAH was MARRIED…
      • We are told he called to the PROPHETESS [his wife] who bore him sons – Isaiah 8:3
      • The names of his SONS were also PROPHETIC…
      • Shear-Jashub – a REMNANT [שְׁאָר] will RETURN [יָשׁוּב]
      • Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz – enemy is quick [מַהֵר] to plunder [שָלָל] – fast [חָש] to the victim [בַּז]!
      • I have to believe these boys had nicknames – just for the sake of sanity…
      • Can you imagine having to call them to dinner: Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz!
  • 3^rd – The Timing…
    • Young man…
      • It would seem that Isaiah was a YOUNG man when he started [early twenties]
      • He was a young man because he had VISIONS [חָזוֹן] – and NOT dreams – Joel 2:28
      • As he did have a wife and children he was NOT too young…
      • But youth enough his ministry lasted around FORTY years [737-686 B.C.]
      • Timothy was a YOUNG man when God called him into Ministry – I Timothy 4:12
      • Moses was EIGHTY years old when God called him – Exodus 7:7
      • We are never too YOUNG or OLD for the Lord to use us…
      • God is NOT limited to using a certain age – He is just looking for those who are AVAILABLE!
    • Southern Kingdom…
      • Which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of:
      • Uzziah – Jotham – Ahaz – and Hezekiah – kings of Judah!
      • ISAIAH was one of the SIX prophets God sent to the SOUTHERN kingdom of Judah…
      • The VISIONS that he SAW [חָזָה] – lasted through FIVE of the kings of Judah…
      • Beginning with the death of King UZZIAH also known as Azariah [737 B.C.] – Isaiah 6:1
      • Through the reign of the GOOD king Jotham [737-721 B.C.]
      • The WICKED king Ahaz – who walked in the ways of the NORTHERN kings [730-715 B.C.]
      • The GOOD king Hezekiah – when God defeated the Assyrian Empire [715-686 B.C.]
      • Until his DEATH at the beginning of the reign of WICKED king Manasseh [686 B.C.]
      • If we are around long enough – we will see ALL kinds of leaders…
      • There will be some GOOD ones – who chose to FOLLOW the Lord – Proverbs 29:2
      • And there are going to be some BAD ones – who REJECT God…
      • Which is why we must always remember NOT to put our faith in Governments…
      • Leaders come and go – but the one CONSTANT in our lives – is Jesus!
    • His death…
      • Although NOT recorded in the Bible – we are given the death of Isaiah in Jewish tradition…
      • He was executed by Manasseh – the WICKED son of Hezekiah…
      • The tradition is that he was SAWN in two [the long way]
      • The reference in Hebrews 11 is thought to make mention of his martyrdom!
      • Hebrews 11:35-38 – “Others were tortured… sawn in two… not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection… of whom the world was not worthy.”
      • One of the greatest prophets that God ever used…
      • Who told us that the MESSIAH would DIE so we might be HEALED – Isaiah 53:5
      • The man who saw how God would RULE the whole world – Isaiah 9:7
      • Ended up losing his life to a WICKED king who REJECTED God…
      • But that does NOT mean Isiah LOST – no – by FAITH he WON…
      • Because he was looking to this life for an answer – he was looking at the END!