Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Emotional Range
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Tone of specific sentences
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Anger
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Intro
Group Intro
- Goal
We are to eagerly hunger for spiritual nutrition in greater degrees
We are here to become spiritually mature
Regardless of your background or where you are in your relationship with Jesus, you are called to grow
- What we do
Scripture
Prayer
Community
Lesson Intro
Summary of Isaiah so far
Prophecy
Setting
Literary Setting - Transition (36-39)
What is different about this passage?
It is a historical narrative, not poetic prophecy
This is not arbitrary, It has a precise literary purpose
Divides the two halves of the book
Confirms the prophecies of God’s sovereignty over all nations, illustrates the discipline that is coming, confirms there is hope for those who have faith
Sets a historical transition from a prosperous people who reject God’s word to a exiled people seeking hope
Resets hope from Jerusalem that was to the New Jerusalem that is coming
But it also anchors the prophecies
Will God’s word come true?
Here is a dramatic example that God rules the world and that He keeps His promises
Historical Setting - Backstory
From 2 Kings, which has this same story embedded in the larger history of Judah.
Assyria had destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel 20 years earlier.
Judah and the surrounding countries had become vassals/provinces of Assyria.
But when the new king Sennacherib became king, the Judah and the surrounding countries revolted.
* * * Assyria had destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel 20 years earlier.
Judah and the surrounding countries had become vassals/provinces of Assyria
Assyria invades and put down the revolt harshly.
They make a path of destruction by conquering the Phoenician and Philistines nations, then continue by invading Judah.
* When the new king Sennacherib became king, the Judah and the surrounding countries revolted
Most of the country is conquered.
Few towns are left, most of the people have been killed and enslaved, the economic infrastructure is gone.
Pretty much only Jerusalem is left.
Assyria invaded and put down the revolt harshly.
They conquered the Phoenician and Philistines nations, then defeated every city in Judah except Jerusalem.
* Assyria invaded and put down the revolt harshly.
They conquered the Phoenician and Philistines nations, then defeated every city in Judah except Jerusalem.
So King Hezekiah humbles and submits the Assyrian emperor with a bribe.
Hezekiah drains the bank accounts and even removes the gold from the temple to pay it.
* So King Hezekiah humbles and submit the Assyrian emperor who makes him send massive amounts of silver and gold.
Hezekiah drained the bank accounts and even had to remove the gold from the temple to pay it.
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Hezekiah drained the bank accounts and even had to remove the gold from the temple to pay it.
* But Sennacherib keeps the money but still pressing his army against Judah.
Which is where the story picks up
Sennacherib takes the money but still presses his army against Judah.
Which is where the story picks up
Intro Questions
This takes the sovereign reign of the King revealed in the throne room in ch 6 who rules over Israel (7-12) and works out his sovereign total control over the other nations in 13-27
Overwhelmingly describes God judging and punishing nations for their evil behavior, sinful desires, and lack of faith
But last lesson (19) had shown God’s ultimate plan was not just total destruction, but for the spread of the gospel to all nations, even, shockingly, the arch-enemies of Egypt and Assyria
Ch 24-27 are the capstone of this section
ch 24 was a picture of God’s judgment of city of man
27 is the final summary - worth reading at home, but I want to focus on some of aspects of 25-26
25-26 work out salvation for God’s people living in the midst of this world
Reads almost like a psalm
Note the zooming out to society as a whole and zooming in to focus on the individual
Note the intertwining and contrasts between judgment and salvation
Intro Questions
What does the word “faith” mean?
(not specifically faith in Christ, but in general)
What do we think of when we think of a “needy person”?
How do you face failure and inadequacy?
Why does the big picture of God’s plan (resurrection, heaven) matter?
Story of weight
Read ,
The setting
The setting
The king sends a top officer, the Rabshakeh, to deliver a message to the king and the people - v. 2
He has the calm arrogance of someone with absolute power on his side
“We’re better than you, and we know it.”
3 Judean officials come to meet him - v. 3
Interestingly, this is the same location as Isaiah’s speech to Ahaz - v. 2
These are the two primary narratives in the book of Isaiah, and they have parallels that help bookend the prophecies in between
That first message had been met with unbelief
That message was met with unbelief
Ahaz trusted in Assyria instead of God - This led to God using Assyria to discipline Judah
A lot of the same underlying truths are in both messages - If you dont want to listen to Isaiah, I will send a foreign army who will make you hear what I have to say
Implied question - Will Hezekiah have the same response of unbelief?
The first message - Where is your trust?
The Rabshakeh bluntly jumps straight to the point - what are you trusting in? - v. 4
Trust is used 6 times in 7 verses
Mere words are not enough to stand up against cold hard strategy and power - v.5
For Hezekiah to take the enormous step of rebelling against the world power, there must be something he is trusting in to win
Challenges four hopes
Trust in Egypt is foolish - v. 6
Trusting in them is like leaning on a weak stick.
Not only will you fall, it will lacerate you
We know from history that Assyria had already defeated them in battle
This is what God and Isaiah have been saying all along (Ch 19, 28, 30 among others)
Trust in religion is foolish - v. 7
Because you have stripped down the religion serving God
Backstory - Hezekiah had instituted one of the most comprehensive religious reforms to reign in corrupt worship of Yahweh that had become paganized under his father Ahaz -
This would likely be controversial to a people who looked to pagan cultures for guidance
Assyria plays on this conflict by making out Hezekiah to be someone who angered Yahweh
(From this pagan perspective) …to limit the worship to one place could only lesson its power and infuriate the god.
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