Hope Sabbath School

Isaiah 1 to 5 serves as an introductory unit to the book of Isaiah. It describes not only the vile condition of the Israelite society, in general, but also its spiritual condition. The focus on Israel’s spiritual condition comprises the main focus of the book. The religion of God’s people is corrupted. Is there hope in the midst of such a situation?

Why does the prophet refer to the king’s death? Is it a simple historical reference? Isaiah, by alluding to the famous monarch, wants to contrast the human king with the majestic and glorious King of the universe. 

When the kings of Aram and Israel wage war against his nation, Ahaz is so overcome by fear that the Lord sends a message through the prophet Isaiah in order to encourage him to trust in Him: the plans of those nations are not going to succeed.

Isaiah 7 and 8 form a unit on the judgment against Judah. This study is divided into three sections, entitled: (1) the enemies are coming; (2) the friend nation comes for Judah; and (3) trust in the holy one. 

Isaiah 9 introduces the light motif in contrast to Israel’s spiritual darkness. Israel will see a “great light,” and “the light will shine on them” 

Isaiah 13 and 14 explore the idea of judgment, including the motif of the day of the Lord. Judgment is a divine initiative that could bring the announcement of an era of distress or the beginning of a new age of joyful experience.

Victory in the Impossible? 

The second major part of the book of Isiah contains God’s message of comfort for His people. The message of the Lord starts with one of the most reassuring and soothing messages in the Bible: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God” (Isa. 40:1). This message will remind God’s people about His faithfulness to His covenant. 

There is a link between Isaiah 1 and 41. We see it in the call to Judah in Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together.” Isaiah 41:1 expresses a similar invitation: “Let us come near together to judgment.” However, in this case, the invitation encompasses a broader arena and, by implication, a larger event: “the ends of the earth”

This study explores the message related to the Messianic Servant in Isaiah 50, 52, and 53. The figure of the Messianic Servant is a core theme in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 52 and 53 constitute a great song about the Servant. There are many discussions among scholars about the identification of the servant in the song. Three main topics are explored in this study: (1) the Lord as Servant, (2) the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, and (3) the Messiah, the Redeemer and the King

In Isaiah 55 and 58, the prophet appeals to his people to give up their thoughts and ways and return to God, whose ideal for their happiness is so much higher than their own. Isaiah 55 is a unique chapter. It has brought many people to an understanding of how salvation is mediated to all sinners who want to be saved. Salvation is not so much about what people do; it is all about what God has done in behalf of them through the Servant of the Lord.

In the prophetic genre, divine revelation is not only about how oracles relate to the prophet’s time but also about how these oracles relate to time beyond the immediate context in which they are given. The fulfilment of the prophetic pronouncement is often far away from the prophetic ministry of the prophet. What are these messages from Isaiah 60 & 61?

From Isaiah 63 to the end of the book, we get a description of the glorious future in store for God’s people, despite the fact that they break the covenant so often. Isaiah presents a vision of staggering scope. Not only would God purge and restore His community of faith but He also would enlarge its borders to encompass all nations.