Lesson 1 Prophet Wanted (ISAIAH 1–12)

Getting Started

From the Commentary The first thing you must know about prophets is that their ministry focuses on the present as well as on the future. They “tell forth” the Word of God as well as “foretell” the works of God. True prophets are like good doctors: They diagnose the case, prescribe a remedy, and warn the patient what will happen if the prescription is ignored (see Jer. 6:14 and 8:11).Unlike Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Isaiah did not begin his book with an account of his call to ministry. This he gave in chapter 6. Instead, he started with a probing examination of Judah’s present situation and gave a passionate plea for God’s people to return to the Lord.

1. Why do you think Isaiah opened his letter with a plea for God’s people to return to the Lord instead of an account of his call to ministry? How does Isaiah’s analysis parallel the situation in the Western world today?

2. Choose one verse or phrase from Isaiah 1–12 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.

Going Deeper

From the Commentary The prophet looked ahead to the time when God’s righteous kingdom would be established and the temple would become the center for the worldwide worship of the Lord. In Isaiah’s day, the Jews were adopting the false gods of the Gentiles, but the day would come when the Gentiles would abandon their idols and worship the true God of Israel. The nations would also lay down their weapons and stop warring. These promises must not be “spiritualized” and applied to the church, for they describe a literal kingdom of righteousness and peace.

3. What are some of the things Isaiah promises in chapters 2–4 concerning God’s future work? Why is it wrong to “spiritualize” these promises and apply them to the church? What lessons can today’s church glean from examining these promises in their cultural and historical context?

From the Commentary Anyone reading Isaiah might be inclined to ask, “What right does this man have to pronounce judgment on the leaders of our land and the many worshippers in the temple?” The answer is in chapter 6: Isaiah’s account of his call to ministry. Before he announced any “woes” on others, he first confessed his own sin and said, “Woe is me!” He saw the Holy One of Israel, and he could not keep silent.

4. How does Isaiah go about confessing his own sin? Why is this important in the context of his proclamations? How does his approach compare and contrast to modern-day “prophets” who announce “woe” on others?

From Today’s World

While the number of self-proclaimed “modern-day prophets” has diminished in recent years, there still exist a number of leaders in the Christian church who claim a special insight into spiritual matters of the “coming soon” flavor. Many of these focus primarily on Jesus’ second coming, but others proclaim specific messages about God’s judgment of people who practice specific lifestyles or make certain life choices. Some of these leaders go to great lengths to make known their beliefs about God’s judgment.

5. Who are today’s trusted prophets? Why are there so many self-proclaimed prophets today? What is the best test for whether or not someone is a true prophet or someone just spouting an opinion? What motivates Christian leaders to make bold proclamations (wrong or right)?

From the Commentary The sight of a holy God and the sound of the holy hymn of worship brought great conviction to Isaiah’s heart, and he confessed that he was a sinner. Unclean lips are caused by an unclean heart (Matt. 12:34–35). Isaiah cried out to be cleansed inwardly (Ps. 51:10), and God met his need. If this scene had been on earth, the coals would have come from the brazen altar where sacrificial blood had been shed, or perhaps from the censer of the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:12). Isaiah’s cleansing came by blood and fire, and it was verified by the word of the Lord (Isa. 6:7).Before we can minister to others, we must permit God to minister to us.

6. What does it mean to permit God to minister to us? Why was this important to Isaiah’s story? How does Isaiah’s cry to be cleansed speak to his immediate audience? How does it speak to the church and especially church leaders today?

From the Commentary “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts” (8:18).This statement by the prophet Isaiah is a key to understanding the meaning of the events and prophecies in Isaiah 7–12. In his previous messages, Isaiah focused on the spiritual needs of his people, but in this section he deals with the political situation and the failure of the leaders to trust the Lord.

7. Why do you think Isaiah chose to focus first on the spiritual needs of his people before addressing the political concerns? What wisdom can today’s church glean from Isaiah’s approach?

From the Commentary God warned Isaiah not to follow the majority and support the popular pro-Assyrian party. Even though his stand was looked upon as treason, Isaiah opposed all foreign alliances and urged the people to put their faith in the Lord (7:9; 28:16; 30:15). The Jewish political leaders were asking, “Is it popular? Is it safe?” But the prophet was asking, “Is it right? Is it the will of God?”

8. In what ways is Isaiah’s decision not to follow the majority like decisions Christian leaders have to make today? What are the sorts of questions leaders ought to ask today when faced with a difficult or uncertain situation? How can leaders be assured they’re asking the right questions?

From the Commentary Isaiah 9:6 declared both the humanity (“a Child is born”) and the deity (“a Son is given”) of the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet then leaps ahead to the kingdom age, when the Messiah will reign in righteousness and justice from David’s throne. God had promised David that his dynasty and throne would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:16), and this is fulfilled literally in Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32–33; Zech. 9:9), who will one day reign from Jerusalem (Isa. 11:1–5; Jer. 23:5–8; 30:8–10).

9. Review Isaiah 9:1–7. How does Isaiah describe the Redeemer who is promised to God’s people? In what ways would these descriptions have been appealing to them? In what ways might they have questioned Isaiah’s message? Why is it important that David’s name is mentioned here?

From the Commentary Isaiah’s name means “Jehovah is salvation,” and “salvation” is a key theme in Isaiah 12:1–6. “In that day” refers to the day of Israel’s regathering and reunion and the righteous reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.The refrain in Isaiah 12:2 (“The LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation”) was sung at the Exodus (Ex. 15:2) and at the rededication of the temple in Ezra’s day (Ps. 118:14).… It was sung in Jerusalem when the second temple was dedicated under the leadership of Ezra, a priest. It will be sung again when the Jewish nation accepts Jesus Christ as its King.

10. In what ways do you see the message of salvation playing out in Isaiah’s first twelve chapters? Why would it have been significant to the Israelites that his name means “Jehovah is salvation”? How does the song that ends this section of Isaiah speak to the hopes of the Israelites? To us today?

Looking Inward

11. The Jews of Isaiah’s time often looked to false idols to find purpose and meaning. What are some of the false idols you’ve considered or pursued in your life? What lured you to them instead of Christ? How have you turned from these idols?

12. What are some of the leadership roles you’ve played in life? Have you, like Isaiah, ever asked God to cleanse you before you take on a leadership role? What did that look like? Why is it important to seek God’s forgiveness before trying to help others find God?

13. When have you, like Isaiah, chosen to go against the crowd because of your beliefs? How did that work out? What are the risks of going against the crowd? The benefits? How do you know when it’s right to go against the crowd?

Going Forward

14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).

Real-Life Application Ideas: Spend some time investigating the claims of modern-day prophets. Consider the messages they have to proclaim. Then take a look at your own church and the messages it is sending. What can you learn by comparing these things that will help you know when a message is from God and when it is from man?