Prepare these questions for Sunday, October 13, 2013.
The book of Isaiah is named after the prophet Isaiah who gave wisdom and warnings to God's people during the rule of kings in Judah and Israel. The authorship is unknown since some of the text was written during Isaiah's lifetime and some of the book's events occurred after his death. This book is written in a combination of both poetry and prose so it reads a bit differently than the more historical books (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) of the Old Testament.
1. Read Chapter 1 about the Rebellious Nation. How is Judah described?
2. Many verses begin with "woe to" in these chapters. Choose 2-3 of these "woes" and use them to explain what qualities God found offensive in these people. Selfishness? Dishonesty? Arrogance?
3. Read Chapter 35. What future could Jerusalem have had if they chose to trust in God instead of in their own political maneuverings?
4. What happened to King Hezekiah in Chapter 38? What questions or answers does this story give you about the role of prayer?
5. The basic story of these chapters is that the people were selfish and practiced a hollow religion and that their lack of trust in God would destroy them. (not very upbeat, is it?) What examples of this attitude do you see in our modern culture?
The book of Isaiah is named after the prophet Isaiah who gave wisdom and warnings to God's people during the rule of kings in Judah and Israel. The authorship is unknown since some of the text was written during Isaiah's lifetime and some of the book's events occurred after his death. This book is written in a combination of both poetry and prose so it reads a bit differently than the more historical books (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) of the Old Testament.
1. Read Chapter 1 about the Rebellious Nation. How is Judah described?
2. Many verses begin with "woe to" in these chapters. Choose 2-3 of these "woes" and use them to explain what qualities God found offensive in these people. Selfishness? Dishonesty? Arrogance?
3. Read Chapter 35. What future could Jerusalem have had if they chose to trust in God instead of in their own political maneuverings?
4. What happened to King Hezekiah in Chapter 38? What questions or answers does this story give you about the role of prayer?
5. The basic story of these chapters is that the people were selfish and practiced a hollow religion and that their lack of trust in God would destroy them. (not very upbeat, is it?) What examples of this attitude do you see in our modern culture?
