Search The Scriptures —Study 41 — Isaiah 65

Study 41 From the Book of  Isaiah is: Isaiah 65

1.      Verses 1-7.  What picture of God is unfolded in verses 1 and 2? Cf. Mt. 7:2. Why has He been unable to answer the prophet’s prayer for Israel’s salvation?  Cf.  59:1-3.  How does God purpose to deal with them (verses 8-12)?

2.     What is to be the lot of God’s chosen people in Jerusalem in the new age that is to dawn (verses 17-25)?  What in contrast is going to be the life and end of those who forsake God (verses 11:15)?

Notes

1.      Verses 3-7. A condemnation of various idolatrous practices.

2.     Verses 8. ‘When a bunch of grapes hold some good wine, men say, ‘destroy it not, it holds a blessing’ So, God will save the good in Israel.

3.     Verse 11. ‘Fortune and ‘Destiny’:  the Hebrew words are Gad and Meni, the names of two gods.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 40 — Isaiah 63:7 – 64:12

Study 40 From the Book of  Isaiah is: Isaiah 63:7 – 64:12

1.      63:7-14. How does the suppliant begin his prayer?  What has Israel learnt of God’s mercy and love in her past? What lesson is there here for us when in our need we pray to God? Cf. Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; 4:6; Col. 1:3.

2.     What five pleas are found in 63: 15-19?  In 64:4, 5, the suppliant begins to advance another plea.  What is it, and why is he unable to continue it (verses 6, 7)? Do you know how to plead with God? What pleas may we rightly make?

Notes

1.       63:10, 11, 14. The references to the Holy Spirit in this prayer are strikingly clear and full.

2.     63:17a. The prolonging of the suffering was tending to increase the ungodliness

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Search The Scriptures —Study 39 — Isaiah 61:1 – 63:6

Study 39  From the Book of  Isaiah is: Isaiah 61:1 – 63:6

1.      How would you summarize the teaching of chapters 61 and 62 regarding the Lord’s purpose of good for Zion? What do we learn, for example, about (a) the relation to God into which God’s people will be brought (61: 6, 8, 9; 62:4-12), and (b) the response of God’s people to His promised salvation (61:10)? Is your experience of this kind?

2.     In chapter 61 the coming salvation is proclaimed, in 62 it is prayed for (verses 1, 6, 7). If the gospel is to prevail on earth, are not both the proclamation of it and prayer concerning it still necessary? Cf. Rom. 10:14, 15; 2 Thes. 3:1. What characteristic of prevailing prayer is emphasized here?

3.     In Lk. 4:17-21 our Lord says that the opening words of chapter 61 were spiritually fulfilled in His own ministry.  Why did He cut His reading in the Synagogue short in the middle of 61:2? Meditate on the scope of our Lord’s ministry as revealed in these verses.

Notes

1.       62:2. ‘A new name’:  the symbol both of a new character, and of a new relation to God.  Cf. Rev. 2:17; 3:12.

2.      63:4. The day of redemption is also a day of judgment. Cf. 61:2; Jn. 3: 17-19.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 38 — Isaiah 60

Study 38  From the Book of  Isaiah is: Isaiah 60

An inspired vision of Zion, when God shall have fulfilled toward her all His purposes, and clothed her with His glory.

1.      Try to build up the picture of the glorified Zion as given in this vision.  Gather out the references to God, and observe carefully the place He occupies in Zion. Has He this central place in your life, and in your Christina fellowship?

2.     Consider how many of the features of beauty and glory in the Zion of this chapter are to be found, in their spiritual counterpart, in a life dwelling in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. See especially verses 2, 5, 7 (last clause), 13 (last clause, 16b, and 17-21; and cf. 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:6; 6: 16; Eph. 3:14-21.

Notes.

1.      Verses 8, 9. The ships coming from the west, with their white sails, looking like a flock of doves.

2.     Verse 13. ‘The place of my sanctuary’: i.e., the Temple, called also ‘the place of my feet’.

3.     Verse 21.  ‘That I might be glorified’: compare ‘he has glorified you’ (verse 9) and ‘I will glorify my glorious house’ (verse 7; so also verse 13).  Where God is glorified, all else is glorified in Him. Cf. 2 Thes. 1:12.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 37 — Isaiah 59

Study 37 From the Book of Isaiah is: Isaiah 59

This chapter in its opening verses is an exposure of the sins that separate from God (verses 1-8). In verses 9:15a the people describe their sorrowful state, and make confession. But they feel that if action on God’s part is to be for ever restrained by their sinfulness the position seems hopeless indeed (see Note 2 on ‘justice below’. Then in the closing verses of the chapter comes the triumphant divine answer (verses 15b-21). God is not baffled, and when there is not human help He Himself comes to the rescue, in judgment upon evil-doers on the one hand, and in redemption for the penitent on the other.

1. Verses 1-15. What various sins are mentioned here, and what are the consequences in the personal, social and spiritual life of the people? With verses 1, 2 cf. 1:15-17; Mi. 3:4.
2. What is the motive of God’s intervention, as described in verses 15b – 27)? What is its twofold purpose, and what its world-wide issue? When does St. Paul look for this to be fulfilled to Israel (Rom. 11:25-27)? Yet, for us who believe on Jesus Christ, it is not in part fulfilled to us now, and not least verse 21? Cf. Jn. 14:16, 26.

Notes

1. Verse 5, 6. The plan and plots of evil doers working fresh evil, and giving no useful result.
2. Verse 9. The word ‘justice’ is used in these verses in two senses, (a) as right done by man (verse 8, 15b), and (b)b as divine judgment, exercised on behalf of Israel against her oppressors (verses 9, 11, 14). The people’s lament was that the latter was withheld, because the former was lacking.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 36 — Isaiah 58

Study 36 From the Book of Isaiah is: Isaiah 58

1. Has fasting itself any value in God's sight? What does He look for in His people, and why is such conduct called 'fasting'? In verses 8:12, what promises of spiritual blessing does God give to those who are right in spirit towards Himself and their fellowmen?
2. Examine your own attitude to Sunday in the light of verses 13:14.

Notes

1. Verse 4. 'You fast only to quarrel and to fight...' Fasting, if not done in the right spirit, is apt to make men irritable and contentious, quick to use their fist.
2. Verse 9. 'The pointing of the finger': probably a gesture of haughty contempt.
3. Verse 13. 'If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath': i.e, regard it as holy ground, not to be profaned by common business. Cf. 56:2; Ne. 13:15-21.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 35 — Isaiah 56 and 57

Study 35 From the Book of Isaiah is: Isaiah 56 and 57

The good tidings of Jehovah's purpose to bring back the exiles and to restore Jerusalem produced many repercussions among different classes of hearers. In the opening verses of today's portions the prophet replies to the questionings of two special group: (1) non-Jews, who had joined themselves to Israel (56:32, 6-8), and (2) eunuchs, who feared God (56:3b-5. Might they also participate in the promised deliverance? The Lord's answer is that if they fulfilled the condition of the covenant, they would be welcome to a full share in its blessings. In 56:9-57:14 the prophet rebukes tow other groups: the leaders of the community in Jerusalem (56: 9-12), and those who were openly practicing idolatry (57: 1-14). There follows a striking description of the kind of persons with whom God will dwell, and of His purposes of grace towards His people (57: 15-21).

1. What were the spiritual conditions on which the Lord would recognize a man, whether a Jew or not, as being one of His own people? See 56:1-8. How does this anticipate the News Testament offer of the gospel to all, and how does it fall short of it? With verse 7 cf. Mt. 21:13; and with verse 8 cf. 10:16.
2. What do these two chapters, and more particularly 57:15-21, teach us about God?
3. Consider the sad picture in 56:9 – 57:14 of a community whose leaders were unworthy, and whose members were forsaking the Lord for idols. What warnings for ourselves may be found in it?

Notes

1. 56:3b – 5. In the new community physical and racial disabilities would not longer be a ground of exclusion. Cf. Dt. 23: 1, 3-8.
2. 56:10. 'Watchmen': i.e., the leaders of the community, also called 'shepherds' (verse 11). They loved ease, gain and drunken carnivals.
3. 57:3. A reference to their idolatrous practices; so also in verses 7, 8.
4. 57:11. 'You went on fearlessly, in faithlessness, giving no thought to me, in your indifference. Is it not so? I said no word, I hid my face from you and on you went, fearing me not.

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