1. Why did God find it so insulting that the Israelites turned toEgyptfor help in their time of distress?  What were they forgetting?  See also 31:1.  How does God’s church today turn from his help to theEgyptsof the world – the earthly ways of gaining success?

2.  According to 30:9, what are the people unwilling to do?  What would they rather have from their prophets and teachers?  30:10-11.  How do we see that among people in God’s church of today?  

3.  Read the chilling prophecy Isaiah makes in 31:8, then turn to 2 Kings 19:35-36 for its fulfillment.  What can we learn about God’s promises based on these verses?  Note: Topheth in 30:33 was the place of burnt sacrifice outsideJerusalemwhere children were once sacrificed to Molech.  This terrible place is ready for the king ofAssyria.

1.  This begins a new section of Isaiah.  In chapters 28-33, the Lord pronounces “woe” toIsraeland other nations.  The first nation God deals with is Ephraim, which is a name for the northern kingdom ofIsrael.  The “wreath” in 28:1 is a way of describing the capital city,Samaria. It is the head-wreath, like a crown won at a contest.  What will happen to this wreath?  What will replace it?  See 28:5.

2.  The people there mock God’s spoken word in 28:10.  So God is going to “speak” to them in another way:  28:11.  This will result in what?  28:13. 

3.  In 28:15 God mocks the covenant they have made which they think will protect them.  Instead of a covenant with the true Lord, they have made covenants with idols and other earthly powers likeEgypt.  The covenants on which they depend are really covenants with what? 

4.  Don’t miss the promise of Jesus in 28:16, and ponder how this verse applies to you.

5.  In chapter 29, God speaks woe onJerusalem, which he calls “Ariel.”  This means “alter hearth” and is a reference to the burned-out ashes in the base of the altar of burnt offering.  What warning does the Lord give us about our worship?  See 29:13.

1.  Isaiah sings a song of praise! Chapter 26 is like a Psalm.    What are the walls of our city made of?  In 26:12, what must we say about all our accomplishments in life?

2.  To what does the Lord compare his people if we do not share his Word and make disciples of all nations?  See the graphic picture in 26:17-18.

3.  When will 26:19 happen?

4.  Read Isaiah 27:1-6.   How is the church like a vineyard?  How does God care for his vineyard?  What will the vineyard do in verse 6?

1.  Chapter 24 is mainly about the end of the world, but there are images mixed in of the destruction of the city ofJerusalem.  Jesus does the same in Matthew 24!!  Ponder 24:12-14.  What will happen when Jesus returns?

2.  Ponder Isaiah 25:6-9.    “On this mountain” refers toMt.Zion, another name forJerusalem.   That is the hill on which the temple rested inJerusalem, and it is also used as picture language for the place of God’s eternal presence, heaven.   What did Jesus do on this mountain to fulfill verses 7-8?

3.  Therefore, what will we be doing in the heavenly Mt.Zion?

1.  The destruction of Babylonin Old Testament times is a foreshadow of another Babylon that will be destroyed – as described in the book of Revelation.  Isaiah 21: 9 is fulfilled again in Revelation 19 –Rome!

2.  What warning does 22:11 give us when we think we can take care of our own problems?

3.  Read 22:12-14.  Instead of coming to the Lord in repentance, what is the attitude of the people when disaster threatens?

The Daily Light Bible put so many chapters into one day, perhaps because they are messages to enemy countries and they don’t apply directly to us today.  It will help to know a little bit about each of them.

    Assyria:   The strongest of the 3 major powers in Isaiah’s time.  Capital: Nineveh.   They are located in the northern half ofI raq.

   Babylon:  Up-and-coming power, soon to be the greatest.   Location: southernIraq.    

   Egypt:      Perennial power to the south of Israel. 

   Cush:        Part of Egypt– the southern regions of the Nile River.

    Philistia:   Smaller power like Israel, located inGaza strip.  City: Ashdod

   Moab:      Smaller power, east of theDead Sea.  Part of modern day Jordan.

   Syria:       Smaller power, NE of Israel, sometimes calledAramin the Bible.  Capital:  Damascus. Its location is the same asSyriatoday.

   Tyre:         Island port city of Lebanon, the center of Mediterranean shipping and commerce.

1.  Read Isaiah  13.  “The Day of the Lord” is his day of judgment.  That day will come on the Babylonians, but some of these verses are about the coming “day of the Lord” at the end of the world.  Find those verses as you read the chapter.

2.  Isaiah 14 is God’s declaration againstBabylonand its king.  However, verses 12-15 have a double meaning, as they also apply to our greatest enemy.  “Morning Star” is the name “Lucifer” in Hebrew.  It seems likely that this was Satan’s “good name” as an archangel of the Lord, before he rebelled and was cast out of heaven.  What was Satan’s original sin?

3.  There are 5 “I will” declarations from Satan.   What do they teach you about his character?   

4.  In Isaiah 16, there is a surprising message toMoababout the Savior!  Find that verse as you read the chapter.

1.  Here Jesus is called the Branch of Jesse, who is the father of King David.  His family tree will be cut down to the point that it is like a dead stump.  Yet a living Branch will rise from his line.   What other descriptions do you see in the first five verses of chapter 11 that fit Jesus well?

2.  The rest of chapter 11 gives us an incredible glimpse of what heaven will be like.  What descriptions do you find most fascinating?  How does the description differ from the world around us right now?

3.  Isaiah gives us a foretaste of the songs we will be singing in heaven in chapter 12.   This has been called “The First Song of Isaiah”  and we sometimes sing a version of it in church.  For what blessings do we praise the Lord?

1.  ThelandofZebulonand Naphtali was the area aroundNazareth, the hometown of Jesus.  In the Old Testament times, this land was not seen as very important. Isaiah describes the land as gloomy.  Contrast that gloom with what Isaiah writes in 9:3.  What changed?  (cf. John 8:12)

2.  In 9:6 we see another direct prophecy of Jesus.  Included in the verse is a list of titles given to Jesus.  Reflect on how Jesus’ life was a fulfillment of each of these titles.

Wonderful Counselor -

Mighty God -

Everlasting Father –

Prince of Peace –

3.  Isaiah 9 and 10:1-11 are about the northern kingdom, calledIsraelorSamaria. Zebulon & Naphtali are a part of this kingdom.  When the smaller enemy countries,SyriaandPhilistia, attacked and harmed them (9:12), what was their attitude?  See especially 9:10 and 13.  They received repeated warnings but becauseIsraelignored them, what refrain do you see in 9:12,17,21 and 10:4?  What message do you see for theUSAif we as a country refuse to listen to God?

4.  The Lord is going to use the greatest power at the time, Assyria, to destroyIsrael.  Assyria will attack the southern kingdom of Judaht oo, but before they can conquerJudah, what is going to happen to their armies?    See 10:16-19.  This was fulfilled all in one day, as recorded in Isaiah 37:36.

1.  Ahaz is a wicked king ofJudah, 744-728 BC.  He ignored Isaiah’s prompting to ask God for a sign that he would be with his people, yet God gave him a sign anyway.  What was the sign God gave him?  

2.  Immanuel means “God with us.”  Why is this such a fitting name for Jesus?

3.  Isaiah comments that the people should stop seeking out the mediums and spiritists who attempted to speak to the dead.  Many people were doing this because it was believed that by channeling the dead they could learn about the future.  When we are concerned about the future, where does Isaiah say we should turn?

1.  Isaiah has been ushered into the presence of God, and experienced his holiness with his senses. His vision is very similar to whatSt. Johnexperienced in Rev. 4:1-11. Why do you think God wanted Isaiah to see this?

2.  As Isaiah stands before God, he says:  “Woe to me, I am ruined.”    ‘Ruined’ literally means to come apart at the seams, to be unraveled.   What does this teach you about coming before God in worship?  What do we usually do at the beginning of each service?

3.  To emphasize the dramatic change in taking away Isaiah’s sin, the angel touched a burning coal from the altar of heaven to Isaiah’s lips.  Would you agree or disagree:   “True repentance is always a painful process.”