Guide to Isaiah ♡
I was talking with someone about waylane recently, and they asked me about the context of the book of Isaiah. I felt like I did not know the details of it, so I told them I would get back to them and do my research. This brought me to the idea of Girl's Guides. I decided to create these little guides to help us better understand each book of the Bible, starting with Isaiah as it is the theme verse for waylane♡. I don't know about you, but I sometimes feel like if someone were to ask me major themes of each book, I would be super lost so hopefully these can help us all out! :) Just make sure to get a Bible out to help you follow along!
Following this summary, there is a little life application. I pray that after studying this, together we can work on not trying to strive harder according to the worldly standards, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is so worthy of our dependence on Him. I need to be reminded of this!
So...here we go!
Who was Isaiah? What are the fast facts?
- Prophet in Jerusalem
- Spoke to leaders of Jerusalem and Judah on God’s judgment NEVER being the final word
- He was going to use the empires of Assyria and Babylon to “judge” Jerusalem if they persisted in idolatry, corruption, and sinful ways of life
- This chapter then speaks on the hope of the fulfillment of God's covenant promises-we can receive God's blessings to the nations as God promised to Abraham (relates to Genesis 12 on the Call of Abram)
- This hope is what compelled Isaiah to speak out (hence: being a prophet)
Chapters 1-6
- Isaiah’s vision of judgment and hope for Jerusalem (1:13-17)
- God says He is going to judge the city by sending the nations out to conquer Israel
- This conquering will be like a “purifying fire” that burns away all that is worthless in Israel in order to create a new Jerusalem that is populated by a “remnant” (someone who has repented and turned back to God): this will bring justice and peace for all nations...what is this new Jerusalem? Stay tuned ;)
- Isaiah’s Temple vision (Chapter 6)
- Makes him realize how corrupt he and his people are; thinks that he is going to be destroyed by God’s holiness. But he won’t… :)
- God’s Holiness comes to ‘burn’ him but in a way of purification from sin
- God commissions him with a task to keep announcing this coming judgment...he is a prophet so this makes sense!
- The people are going to receive this information with hard hearts
Chapters 7-12
- God says it is Assyria who will first attack and after the king dies (6:1); He will fulfill His promise
- Do not be afraid! There is Hope because of God’s promise to David earlier in the Bible- God is going to send “Emmanuel" (God with us)
- Isaiah describes this as a “Holy Seed” (6:13) (4:5-6)
- All nations will look to this King for guidance..who could This be?
Chapters 13-23
- Fall of Babylon and Israel’s neighbors-Babylon was more destructive and arrogant than Assyria..yikes!
- Babylon’s kings claimed they were higher than other gods and our God..this is NOT good!
Chapters 24-27
- New Jerusalem: justice, peace, healing love
Chapters 28-39
- Rise and fall of Jerusalem
- LOTS of poems of Isaiah accusing Jerusalem’s leaders
- Hezekiah: King of Jerusalem
- He prays for divine deliverance and the city is miraculously saved overnight
- He tries to impress authorities for political protection
- Babylon turns on Jerusalem 100 years later and carries Israelites away to exile in Babylon
- Isaiah’s warnings of Divine Judgment were true…it all came to pass.
- God wanted to restore and renew Jerusalem
- God’s “judgment” was to bring the holy seed - Jesus!
- Isaiah’s hope was for a new purified Jerusalem and all nations would come together in peace
Chapters 40-48
- This part is confusing...it explores the hope Isaiah had from the perspective of a scholar…some think that this is Isaiah thinking futuristically (due to the era/time period) OR all of this was sealed in a scroll passed on to disciples as a witness for those to come…Isaiah’s prophecy? Nobody knows for sure. God uses this message of hope to future generations.
- Offers hope for Israel, new hope for Jerusalem where God will bring His kingdom back!
- All nations will see His glory
- Chapters are filled with announcing the future Hope
- Israel is complaining and accusing God….the Babylonian exile cause the Israelites to doubt God
- God responds to the doubts in chapters 41-47
- Chapter 48: we find Israel is still rebellious and heart hearted like their ancestors, even though many think this chapter is full of promise there is still turmoil
- God says He is going to do a NEW thing because of their rebellion--Isaiah 43!
Chapters 49-55
- We meet a figure who is called God’s servant and who fulfills God’s mission to do what Israel has failed to do
- Title: Israel
- Become God’s light to the nations; empowered by God’s spirit
- Going to be rejected and killed by his own people
- Prophet says the servants death is a sacrifice of atonement of the people’s rebellion but then will live again
- Two Ways to Respond:
- Humility and Repent
- The Wicked: Reject
Chapters 56-66
- The Servants Inherit God’s kingdom
- Brings together the theme of the book
- Lots of poetry
- Three poems of the Good News
- Two long prayers of repentance where the servants repent their sin and ask God for forgiveness
- More poems of good vs. evil
- God says He is going to remove the wicked and forgive the servants who will inherit the New Jerusalem = new creation which is heaven :)
- All nations invited to join the servants of God’s covenant family
- Ends with a vision of all of God’s promises
- We are all awaiting the hope of God’s justice whose Kingdom is here on earth as it is in Heaven 🤍
There you have it! What did I take away from this? There is so much in this book to learn and study! After reading all of this,
- I believe that God can take anything broken and make it beautiful. While our own pride and fear can lead us to some foolish decisions, we are never too far from our Savior. He is always wanting to refine us as His children and encourage us as believers.
- While it may sound simple, the book of Isaiah teaches us the life-changing truth that following God isn’t about our own effort; it’s about trusting God. Period. Maybe you even know this on some level, but do you live like you really believe it?
- No matter what you are going through, He is doing a new thing! How beautiful is that! There is purpose in everything. Even if you feel like you are so far from God, He is always there, with open arms, renewing your spirit with His peace and presence.
Through methods of poetry, narrative, and prophecy, Isaiah communicated clearly that followers of God, sisters in Christ, can trust in Him.
*These notes are taken from both the Bible and some Bible Project videos for help!
